14 “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 15 For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. 16 O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. 17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you.
Leverage, self esteem and comfort. The American dream of prosperity. It is what I was in all out pursuit of when I got out of college. All of it was designed to make a name for myself. To prove to the world how great I was. Later, when I got involved in a church the same mentality carried with me.
All of my offerings of time, money and abilities were superficially given in the name of God, but my heart demanded recognition for me. Those things were hypocritically given to God, but only so that I might get something in return.
I look back at those times and thank God that He did not just strike me down. I deserved it and more.
After coming to passionatley love Christ late in my life all of these things changed. Money is his and is fun to give. Time spent teaching, ministering, serving and preaching are wonderful opportunities to point people to Christ. What was once a labor that my cold heart demanded a quid pro quo return on, is now just a privilege to be a part of His grace.
David's heart communicates this clearly in the passage above.
>It is all God's any way
>He gave it to you to see the integrity of your faith as you can bless others
>We all die soon and our life is a "shadow" that quickly passes
>What an honor it is to give a gift (that is His anyway) back to God in praise
This is exactly what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 " Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
I want to be careful as I type this, but I would ask you to pray through what this means in your heart. What God has shown me is this: he does not need me, my time, or my money. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the whole universe to boot. He simply desires a Heart to love Him and praise Him. Once he has REGENERATED our hearts, we will gladly give what is His back to Him with nothing in return except an opportunity to praise Him and the satisfaction that provides.
So what about you? Do you think your tithes and offerings are yours or His? If you give, do you think it should "Buy" you a say in things around your church? Is your church service done in a forced labor with no life because you have to do it? Or is it done because you Get to worship God? Do you enjoy giving to God, the one who gives you your next breath, or do you enjoy getting for yourself?
Jeremiah 13:23 asks " Can a leopard change His spots?" You can not either. Only Christ can change our hearts with His grace. Do you want Him to?
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Circumventing Authority
2 Chronicles 16:9 " for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to sow Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
Returning home form a great breakfast with the older three kids today, I passed several oncoming cars that flashed their lights at me. Everyone knows that means "cop ahead, slow down". As I drove on I thought about how odd it is that we all think we are helping each other "outsmart" authority by behaving right when we are in their presence. Ask most preachers and they will tell you that they wished people would stop trying to act perfect around them so they could help minister to their sinful Heart in need of God's grace. That can not happen thought if people are "playing perfect" in front of the pastor. Sadly that occurs every Sunday in churches and no war against sin is fought as the sin is hidden, at least from the pastor.
I have loved the passage from 2 Chronicles above for years, as God used it to squeeze the "hypocritical church goer" out of me. How did He use that verse to change me? Simple. We can slow down temporarily for the cop, we can act put together for the pastor, but God sees the core evil that attacks our souls. God knows if we are obeying Him, or if we are trusting in our abilities to make Him and others think we are. It is as simple as that really.
Proverbs 20:27 says , "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts." Our God knows what is going on in our souls, whether we try to sneak around him or not. The only way that He can change us is if we stop hiding from the His authority and allow Him to shape us. It is just like with the cop. Our problem is not that he is trying to give us a ticket. Our problem is that we are breaking the law and according to Romans 13, we are rebelling against God in the process.
It is only when we truly admit that we are rebels against authority and must submit to it that we can please God. If you want to help me, please don't help me try to circumvent authority, help me submit to it instead. One helps temporarily , but hurts long term. One may seem harmful at first, but has lasting impact for the rest of your life. I'll choose the latter. That choice has been made available to me through the work of Jesus Christ.
Returning home form a great breakfast with the older three kids today, I passed several oncoming cars that flashed their lights at me. Everyone knows that means "cop ahead, slow down". As I drove on I thought about how odd it is that we all think we are helping each other "outsmart" authority by behaving right when we are in their presence. Ask most preachers and they will tell you that they wished people would stop trying to act perfect around them so they could help minister to their sinful Heart in need of God's grace. That can not happen thought if people are "playing perfect" in front of the pastor. Sadly that occurs every Sunday in churches and no war against sin is fought as the sin is hidden, at least from the pastor.
I have loved the passage from 2 Chronicles above for years, as God used it to squeeze the "hypocritical church goer" out of me. How did He use that verse to change me? Simple. We can slow down temporarily for the cop, we can act put together for the pastor, but God sees the core evil that attacks our souls. God knows if we are obeying Him, or if we are trusting in our abilities to make Him and others think we are. It is as simple as that really.
Proverbs 20:27 says , "The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all his innermost parts." Our God knows what is going on in our souls, whether we try to sneak around him or not. The only way that He can change us is if we stop hiding from the His authority and allow Him to shape us. It is just like with the cop. Our problem is not that he is trying to give us a ticket. Our problem is that we are breaking the law and according to Romans 13, we are rebelling against God in the process.
It is only when we truly admit that we are rebels against authority and must submit to it that we can please God. If you want to help me, please don't help me try to circumvent authority, help me submit to it instead. One helps temporarily , but hurts long term. One may seem harmful at first, but has lasting impact for the rest of your life. I'll choose the latter. That choice has been made available to me through the work of Jesus Christ.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Stolen Hearts
2 Samuel 15:6b "So Absalom stole the Hearts of Israel"
Have you ever stopped to examine how fickle you are? By this I mean have you ever stopped to think through WHO you allow to shape your thoughts and ideas? Have you stopped to think through WHY you allow them to speak in to your souls? In reflection of my life, many times I allowed people to speak into my life without much thought. I assumed a whole lot about some people because they were in positions of authority and leadership. It is amazing when you compare what I have heard, even from preachers, that is just dead wrong when you pick up the bible and read the actual accounts. Some of you, maybe most of you will think "Chad you are making much of nothing". I don't think that is the case.
In 2 Samuel 15 we see King David's son, Absalom, quietly and deceptively stealing the hearts of the people. He did not do it with a brash rebellion, but rather a quiet daily dose of half truths that seemed good in the eyes of the people. His plot was a subtle rebellion against his father King David. King David, though a sinner, was a man of great faith and ruled the people with grace and mercy. Absalom was a murderer, and one bent on using his positions of power for his own gain. Eventually Absalom's venomous statements about his own father stole the hearts of the people. It is amazing how these people forgot that the only reason they had peace was God working through King David. It is astonishing how they forgot the fact that David was chosen by the Lord, and anointed by Samuel, a prophet of the Lord. But Absalom was a charismatic and beautiful man (2 sam 14:25) who no doubt was using every bit of his charm to sway the people of course. And let's not overlook what he was using as bait to lure the people, more access to and affections from the New King, himself. He was offering what they wanted, not what they needed, and had in God's anointed, King David. They forgot the facts, ignored the truth and allowed a sinister, shady fellow bent on manipulating them for his own gain, to steal their hearts away from God's will that David would be their king.
Isn't this the history of mankind though? Clearly it is.
So how do we stay on course? Psalms 1:1-2 says it best " Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers: 2 But His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night". Put bluntly, if you want to walk in life with God seek him, and delight in God greatly, meditate on His word, and seek wise and righteous counsel.
Let us bring this in a little bit. Like the people that were led astray by Absalom's charm and beauty of speech, there are many being led away from the truth of Christ alone and His word as a light to your soul. Perhaps one of the healthiest questions you can ask is this: "Are the people that are pastoring and leading me in an obvious, passionate love with Christ and growing me by His word?" Are they giving you what you want or are they giving you what you need in Jesus Christ?
Do not let your heart is get stolen away in a quiet, casual rebellion against God. Think it through. It is important.
Have you ever stopped to examine how fickle you are? By this I mean have you ever stopped to think through WHO you allow to shape your thoughts and ideas? Have you stopped to think through WHY you allow them to speak in to your souls? In reflection of my life, many times I allowed people to speak into my life without much thought. I assumed a whole lot about some people because they were in positions of authority and leadership. It is amazing when you compare what I have heard, even from preachers, that is just dead wrong when you pick up the bible and read the actual accounts. Some of you, maybe most of you will think "Chad you are making much of nothing". I don't think that is the case.
In 2 Samuel 15 we see King David's son, Absalom, quietly and deceptively stealing the hearts of the people. He did not do it with a brash rebellion, but rather a quiet daily dose of half truths that seemed good in the eyes of the people. His plot was a subtle rebellion against his father King David. King David, though a sinner, was a man of great faith and ruled the people with grace and mercy. Absalom was a murderer, and one bent on using his positions of power for his own gain. Eventually Absalom's venomous statements about his own father stole the hearts of the people. It is amazing how these people forgot that the only reason they had peace was God working through King David. It is astonishing how they forgot the fact that David was chosen by the Lord, and anointed by Samuel, a prophet of the Lord. But Absalom was a charismatic and beautiful man (2 sam 14:25) who no doubt was using every bit of his charm to sway the people of course. And let's not overlook what he was using as bait to lure the people, more access to and affections from the New King, himself. He was offering what they wanted, not what they needed, and had in God's anointed, King David. They forgot the facts, ignored the truth and allowed a sinister, shady fellow bent on manipulating them for his own gain, to steal their hearts away from God's will that David would be their king.
Isn't this the history of mankind though? Clearly it is.
So how do we stay on course? Psalms 1:1-2 says it best " Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers: 2 But His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night". Put bluntly, if you want to walk in life with God seek him, and delight in God greatly, meditate on His word, and seek wise and righteous counsel.
Let us bring this in a little bit. Like the people that were led astray by Absalom's charm and beauty of speech, there are many being led away from the truth of Christ alone and His word as a light to your soul. Perhaps one of the healthiest questions you can ask is this: "Are the people that are pastoring and leading me in an obvious, passionate love with Christ and growing me by His word?" Are they giving you what you want or are they giving you what you need in Jesus Christ?
Do not let your heart is get stolen away in a quiet, casual rebellion against God. Think it through. It is important.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Keep your eye on the ball
2 corinthians 10:17 “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
2 corinthians 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
Galatians 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
My three year old, Eli, loves to hit. Well, he loves to hit until he gets frustrated. His whiffs ususlly occur as he gets distracted and stops watching the ball. Like many fathers before me, I repeat over and over, as I hold the ball up in front of me, "Eli watch the ball until it hits your bat". There are always mixed results, and he even gets lucky once in a while when he is just spinning around without ever looking at the ball and makes contact. Most of the time though, he ends up disgusted and just beats his bat on the ground saying "I can't do it".
In a way, I believe that is a perfect resemblance of the Church in America. We have taken our eyes of the ball, Jesus, and have been distracted by the work of the church itself. Our focus should be Christ. Our boasts should be Christ. We should be held captive by the awesome love of Christ. That is the total expression of Paul's heart, work and words.
Be honest and examine your actions, my actions, other christians actions and what is going on at your church. We invite people to church, brag about our pastor, even recommend the latest and greatest book that have edified our walk. When is the last time you bragged about Jesus to some one? When is the last time that someone left all of the church talk behind and edified you with praise, adoration and the Words of Christ alone? If someone were to walk in to your house, your small group or your church service would they immediately feel a humble, overwhelming passion for Christ or would they view a group trying to figure out how to use God to make their lives better? These are critical questions. How do expect anyone to ever uninhibitedly praise and worship Christ if they never see it? Have you seen it? Is He your boast?
We can look at the effect of the church in America and see that it is not having the same effect of what was happening in the book of Acts. Why? We have taken our eyes off of Jesus and put it on the things of the church instead, and much like Eli our experiences leave us unfulfilled saying " I can not do it", as we symbolically beat our bats to the ground with the spiritual maturity of a three year old. We are frustrated bacause we don't like the same music as others, others don't agree with our views of debt, or share the same missional world view. We become defensive and accusatory over how we should do church. All of this flies in the face of Christ's love. There is great need for you and I to focus on Christ, and Christ alone. There is a huge need for His word to be held in authority over us as we are sinful and evil Humans. If these needs are not met, our eye is off the ball, and we will be much like Eli, flailing in our own strength, spinning around and only "succesfully" sensing God occasionally.
Here are a couple of thoughts that God is working in to me:
> I need to have increased prayer time where I do nothing but praise Jesus (especially when I sense emptyness)
> I must engage people with Jesus alone, in the context of their life
> I must have a pastor and friends that apply the Word to my Soul constantly
> The Sabbath, Lord's Supper and fasting are great opportunities for heightened awareness of Christ, and my need for Him. I need to more intentionally apply them.
> I need to be constantly made aware of this fact : I need Him desperately.
He is my light my hope my strength my song
2 corinthians 11:10 As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be silenced in the regions of Achaia.
Galatians 6:14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
My three year old, Eli, loves to hit. Well, he loves to hit until he gets frustrated. His whiffs ususlly occur as he gets distracted and stops watching the ball. Like many fathers before me, I repeat over and over, as I hold the ball up in front of me, "Eli watch the ball until it hits your bat". There are always mixed results, and he even gets lucky once in a while when he is just spinning around without ever looking at the ball and makes contact. Most of the time though, he ends up disgusted and just beats his bat on the ground saying "I can't do it".
In a way, I believe that is a perfect resemblance of the Church in America. We have taken our eyes of the ball, Jesus, and have been distracted by the work of the church itself. Our focus should be Christ. Our boasts should be Christ. We should be held captive by the awesome love of Christ. That is the total expression of Paul's heart, work and words.
Be honest and examine your actions, my actions, other christians actions and what is going on at your church. We invite people to church, brag about our pastor, even recommend the latest and greatest book that have edified our walk. When is the last time you bragged about Jesus to some one? When is the last time that someone left all of the church talk behind and edified you with praise, adoration and the Words of Christ alone? If someone were to walk in to your house, your small group or your church service would they immediately feel a humble, overwhelming passion for Christ or would they view a group trying to figure out how to use God to make their lives better? These are critical questions. How do expect anyone to ever uninhibitedly praise and worship Christ if they never see it? Have you seen it? Is He your boast?
We can look at the effect of the church in America and see that it is not having the same effect of what was happening in the book of Acts. Why? We have taken our eyes off of Jesus and put it on the things of the church instead, and much like Eli our experiences leave us unfulfilled saying " I can not do it", as we symbolically beat our bats to the ground with the spiritual maturity of a three year old. We are frustrated bacause we don't like the same music as others, others don't agree with our views of debt, or share the same missional world view. We become defensive and accusatory over how we should do church. All of this flies in the face of Christ's love. There is great need for you and I to focus on Christ, and Christ alone. There is a huge need for His word to be held in authority over us as we are sinful and evil Humans. If these needs are not met, our eye is off the ball, and we will be much like Eli, flailing in our own strength, spinning around and only "succesfully" sensing God occasionally.
Here are a couple of thoughts that God is working in to me:
> I need to have increased prayer time where I do nothing but praise Jesus (especially when I sense emptyness)
> I must engage people with Jesus alone, in the context of their life
> I must have a pastor and friends that apply the Word to my Soul constantly
> The Sabbath, Lord's Supper and fasting are great opportunities for heightened awareness of Christ, and my need for Him. I need to more intentionally apply them.
> I need to be constantly made aware of this fact : I need Him desperately.
He is my light my hope my strength my song
Friday, April 16, 2010
Captivated
Colossians 3:1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Last week was basically a week long struggle that I don't wish to repeat. The weekend was much different though. Evie and I were able to go out on a date on Saturday night and man it was needed. Even though we just went to work out and to Chuck's our favorite place to eat, it was a special night for us. Why? I was captivated by her beauty. In a very real way, I needed time away from the drain of life to appreciate her as a blessing from God. I needed to be able to talk without being interrupted, I needed to hear her without multi tasking. I needed to be with her and admire her beauty as my wife.
If I were to ask you right now : "what are you captivated by", what would be your answer? Honestly? Perhaps a better understanding of the word captive would help. It comes form captured, meaning to be held by something. So what has captured your thoughts today? What are you working so hard through this Friday to excitedly enjoy over the weekend?
As Paul says, if you are a Christian, you should seek the things that are above. You should seek Christ. Now the question for us all is are we dong that? Is the love of Christ holding you captive this moment or is he down on the list or maybe not even on it?
If he is not in the lead of your busy life today, then was the last time your thoughts were captivated by Christ? Not what Christ did for you, but Christ. Have you ever been captivated by Him?
Do not become fascinated with his gifts, be captivated by Him.....the things that are captivating you right now are the very things that stand in your way to Him. I know that life is a struggle, and I know that it is not an easy thing to do. But make no mistake about it, God desires to captivate us as we navigate intense schedules. I thank Him that I am able to experience the beautiful power of his captivating love in the middle of semi-impossible tasks and work loads. When he captures our affections, he turns the mundane in to majestic.
One of the most beautiful markers of a walk with Christ is a captivated thought life of Him alone, driven by His work on our behalf. If our thoughts are not held captive by the cross and atoned for by Him, what does that mean for us?
Last week was basically a week long struggle that I don't wish to repeat. The weekend was much different though. Evie and I were able to go out on a date on Saturday night and man it was needed. Even though we just went to work out and to Chuck's our favorite place to eat, it was a special night for us. Why? I was captivated by her beauty. In a very real way, I needed time away from the drain of life to appreciate her as a blessing from God. I needed to be able to talk without being interrupted, I needed to hear her without multi tasking. I needed to be with her and admire her beauty as my wife.
If I were to ask you right now : "what are you captivated by", what would be your answer? Honestly? Perhaps a better understanding of the word captive would help. It comes form captured, meaning to be held by something. So what has captured your thoughts today? What are you working so hard through this Friday to excitedly enjoy over the weekend?
As Paul says, if you are a Christian, you should seek the things that are above. You should seek Christ. Now the question for us all is are we dong that? Is the love of Christ holding you captive this moment or is he down on the list or maybe not even on it?
If he is not in the lead of your busy life today, then was the last time your thoughts were captivated by Christ? Not what Christ did for you, but Christ. Have you ever been captivated by Him?
Do not become fascinated with his gifts, be captivated by Him.....the things that are captivating you right now are the very things that stand in your way to Him. I know that life is a struggle, and I know that it is not an easy thing to do. But make no mistake about it, God desires to captivate us as we navigate intense schedules. I thank Him that I am able to experience the beautiful power of his captivating love in the middle of semi-impossible tasks and work loads. When he captures our affections, he turns the mundane in to majestic.
One of the most beautiful markers of a walk with Christ is a captivated thought life of Him alone, driven by His work on our behalf. If our thoughts are not held captive by the cross and atoned for by Him, what does that mean for us?
Monday, April 12, 2010
Don't force the issue
Samuel to Saul 1 Samuel 10:8 Then go down before me to Gilgal. And behold, I am coming to you to offer burnt offerings and to sacrifice peace offerings. Seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.”
1 Samuel 13:12 (Saul Speaks)I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.
Tom Petty says it best in His song: The waiting is the hardest part
The waiting is the hardest part,
Every day you see one more card.
You take it on faith, you take it on the heart,
The waiting is the hardest part.
Waiting on God. My biggest struggle. I believe it is one of the tallest hurdles we as Christians in a post modern, constant change society face in our walks. Why? We don't wait on anything else, so the discipline of waiting is not practiced and refined. We can easily be misled to think that our spiritual disciplines, like waiting, can be totally divorced with our actual life. But if we can not wait and listen to our children, friends, and people in our life that we can see, touch and feel; does it seem likely that we will do that before the throne of God who we can not engage with our natural senses?
When I look at the sin of Saul's unlawful sacrifice in the above verses, I can see shades of it all over my past life. This is what it looked like to Saul: His world demanded action, because a Philistines invasion was coming. Saul knows He has been told to wait 7 days and until Samuel arrives to sacrifice offerings to the Lord. Saul sees the fear mounting around him and figures that the 7 day part is good enough, so he does not wit for Samuel and "forces the issue" in his own strength and timeline. Saul was not a priest, and he was trying to operate in Samuel's calling from God. Saul, like many of us, tries to justify it as partial obedience which simply does not exist. Faith requires full obedience that allows God to move in our lives to accomplish His will. When we force the issues we are not followers of Christ, we are assuming His lead.
So let's stop for a second and think through the decisions and battles we face in our lives today. Are the decisions you are making your thoughts and directives or God's? If they are yours, are you willing to wait for God to lead you or will you simply just force the issue? Are the battles that you are fighting your's or God's?
How will you know unless you wait on Him to direct you?
1 Samuel 13:12 (Saul Speaks)I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” 13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you.
Tom Petty says it best in His song: The waiting is the hardest part
The waiting is the hardest part,
Every day you see one more card.
You take it on faith, you take it on the heart,
The waiting is the hardest part.
Waiting on God. My biggest struggle. I believe it is one of the tallest hurdles we as Christians in a post modern, constant change society face in our walks. Why? We don't wait on anything else, so the discipline of waiting is not practiced and refined. We can easily be misled to think that our spiritual disciplines, like waiting, can be totally divorced with our actual life. But if we can not wait and listen to our children, friends, and people in our life that we can see, touch and feel; does it seem likely that we will do that before the throne of God who we can not engage with our natural senses?
When I look at the sin of Saul's unlawful sacrifice in the above verses, I can see shades of it all over my past life. This is what it looked like to Saul: His world demanded action, because a Philistines invasion was coming. Saul knows He has been told to wait 7 days and until Samuel arrives to sacrifice offerings to the Lord. Saul sees the fear mounting around him and figures that the 7 day part is good enough, so he does not wit for Samuel and "forces the issue" in his own strength and timeline. Saul was not a priest, and he was trying to operate in Samuel's calling from God. Saul, like many of us, tries to justify it as partial obedience which simply does not exist. Faith requires full obedience that allows God to move in our lives to accomplish His will. When we force the issues we are not followers of Christ, we are assuming His lead.
So let's stop for a second and think through the decisions and battles we face in our lives today. Are the decisions you are making your thoughts and directives or God's? If they are yours, are you willing to wait for God to lead you or will you simply just force the issue? Are the battles that you are fighting your's or God's?
How will you know unless you wait on Him to direct you?
Friday, April 9, 2010
Rash I-ness
1 Samuel 14:24 And the men of Israel had been hard pressed that day, so Saul had laid an oath on the people, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies.” So none of the people had tasted food.
1 Samuel 14:27-30 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”
I am amazed at my own propensity to focus on myself instead of God, even after He has brought me a long, long way. There are many times when God's word unveils my weaknesses, and the story of King Saul in 1 Samuel 14 fits that bill. I know there have been many times in my life in which my hard headed sternness reacts to non-positive stimulation with a thunderous "I will show you so" attitude. I have acted quickly and foolishly as I have focused on myself only. Doesn't really mirror the model of Christ, does it? As I have grown in my faith, and older in age, these battles of self avenging take place more in my thought life than reacting negatively back to others, and I praise God for that grace, but I wish I could move past it all together. I hope that I will just stop worrying about me and give all of my efforts to Christ.
Look at what Saul did. He spoke an unnecessary curse on His own people because his focus was on himself and not God. He says in verse 24 "until I am avenged". The result? His own son Jonathan falls under that curse in ignorance of its establishment. Saul's hasty, senseless, self-glorifying curse comes back to bite him, as it falls upon the head of his beloved son Jonathan. It is pretty easy to see from this lesson that quick actions aimed at saving my image,at the expense of the Work of God in me, is a huge sin.
The ultimate result of every decision that we make in pride trying to preserve ourselves will have a two fold detriment to us. The first is that it will push us away from God, as we are designed to give Him glory not ourselves. When we operate outside of His design for us it is sin, and becomes a barrier to walking with Him. Secondly, our pride will always come back to bite us in this world as well. People who walk with arrogance often times have temporary positions of power, but that fades away just like it did with Saul in the next chapter in 15:26 :"You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being King over Israel".
Thank God that he forgives and re-shapes us through repentance. If you have been a result of me defending myself instead of God, I truly beg yoru forgiveness. If pride is in the driver seat of your life, it may be a good time to read what happens at the end of Saul's life. A little hint: It ain't good.
1 Samuel 14:27-30 27 But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint. 29 Then Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.”
I am amazed at my own propensity to focus on myself instead of God, even after He has brought me a long, long way. There are many times when God's word unveils my weaknesses, and the story of King Saul in 1 Samuel 14 fits that bill. I know there have been many times in my life in which my hard headed sternness reacts to non-positive stimulation with a thunderous "I will show you so" attitude. I have acted quickly and foolishly as I have focused on myself only. Doesn't really mirror the model of Christ, does it? As I have grown in my faith, and older in age, these battles of self avenging take place more in my thought life than reacting negatively back to others, and I praise God for that grace, but I wish I could move past it all together. I hope that I will just stop worrying about me and give all of my efforts to Christ.
Look at what Saul did. He spoke an unnecessary curse on His own people because his focus was on himself and not God. He says in verse 24 "until I am avenged". The result? His own son Jonathan falls under that curse in ignorance of its establishment. Saul's hasty, senseless, self-glorifying curse comes back to bite him, as it falls upon the head of his beloved son Jonathan. It is pretty easy to see from this lesson that quick actions aimed at saving my image,at the expense of the Work of God in me, is a huge sin.
The ultimate result of every decision that we make in pride trying to preserve ourselves will have a two fold detriment to us. The first is that it will push us away from God, as we are designed to give Him glory not ourselves. When we operate outside of His design for us it is sin, and becomes a barrier to walking with Him. Secondly, our pride will always come back to bite us in this world as well. People who walk with arrogance often times have temporary positions of power, but that fades away just like it did with Saul in the next chapter in 15:26 :"You have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being King over Israel".
Thank God that he forgives and re-shapes us through repentance. If you have been a result of me defending myself instead of God, I truly beg yoru forgiveness. If pride is in the driver seat of your life, it may be a good time to read what happens at the end of Saul's life. A little hint: It ain't good.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wisteria
1 Samuel 10:6 Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.
1 Samuel 10:9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart
The Easter season down South is my favorite time of the year. We celebrate and adore our Risen King, as flowers burst to fullness of life. One of my favorites is the lavendar colored Wisteria, which rapidly grows as its vines expand its territory. It is one of my favorites because of its beauty and lively aroma. Wisteria also reminds me of the innocence and simplicity of my childhood as I remember playing among the abundance of Wisteria that literally covered the roadsides of my mom's home town of Tyler, Al. Around Easter each year something amazing happens to a Wisteria vine. The vines that are a drab neutral color suddenly burst open with a vibrant life that looks and smells fantastic. It is impossible to notice the bringing fourth of life that occurs if you are near.
While reading through 1 Samuel this morning, God really stopped me dead in my tracks as I read what happened to Saul as he was anointed as king. Verse 6 says that the spirit's anointing literally changes him into another man. Verse 9 says that God gave him another heart. The spirit of God descends and anoints Saul and it turns him into a new man with a new heart.
2 Corinthians 5:17 is an almost identical description of a Christ follower: Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. As we submit to Christ the spirit indwells us permanently, which has the same permanent effect on us that the temporary anointing had on Saul. It is impossible for a perfect God in spirit to show up and not totally renew us and regenerate us into a newness of life. I think that is what I missed growing up in Church. I really believed what everyone was saying and preaching and wanted to do the right thing, but I guess I was more interested in being converted to a way of thinking that true newness of life. I receive regenerated newness of life at age 34 long after I knew what to say and when to say it.
If you keep reading in Judges 10 you will see in verses 11-13 that everyone who knew Saul was baffled at God's new life in Him. The question of the day is this, "Is everyone amazed at the newness of His life in you?" Does life and beauty spring fourth like rivers of living water from your soul and affect everyone around you?
1 Samuel 10:9 When he turned his back to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart
The Easter season down South is my favorite time of the year. We celebrate and adore our Risen King, as flowers burst to fullness of life. One of my favorites is the lavendar colored Wisteria, which rapidly grows as its vines expand its territory. It is one of my favorites because of its beauty and lively aroma. Wisteria also reminds me of the innocence and simplicity of my childhood as I remember playing among the abundance of Wisteria that literally covered the roadsides of my mom's home town of Tyler, Al. Around Easter each year something amazing happens to a Wisteria vine. The vines that are a drab neutral color suddenly burst open with a vibrant life that looks and smells fantastic. It is impossible to notice the bringing fourth of life that occurs if you are near.
While reading through 1 Samuel this morning, God really stopped me dead in my tracks as I read what happened to Saul as he was anointed as king. Verse 6 says that the spirit's anointing literally changes him into another man. Verse 9 says that God gave him another heart. The spirit of God descends and anoints Saul and it turns him into a new man with a new heart.
2 Corinthians 5:17 is an almost identical description of a Christ follower: Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. As we submit to Christ the spirit indwells us permanently, which has the same permanent effect on us that the temporary anointing had on Saul. It is impossible for a perfect God in spirit to show up and not totally renew us and regenerate us into a newness of life. I think that is what I missed growing up in Church. I really believed what everyone was saying and preaching and wanted to do the right thing, but I guess I was more interested in being converted to a way of thinking that true newness of life. I receive regenerated newness of life at age 34 long after I knew what to say and when to say it.
If you keep reading in Judges 10 you will see in verses 11-13 that everyone who knew Saul was baffled at God's new life in Him. The question of the day is this, "Is everyone amazed at the newness of His life in you?" Does life and beauty spring fourth like rivers of living water from your soul and affect everyone around you?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Unchange you can count on!
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Malachi 3:6 6 “For I the Lord do not change"
1 Peter 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Have you ever noticed how much we demand change in our lives. Our last president was elected on that very platform, like it or not. Change seems to be at the core of our society as we want it better. We rarely stop and ask, " What is all of this change getting us?". Pause and think through the changes over the past decade. It is mind boggling that my 8 year old knows about the web, wikis, blogs and such. Who would of thought 30 years ago that it would be possible to get 200 emails to respond to each day? I think my Papaw would have laughed at any hint of taking time away from being with people to "surf the web". Doesn't it seem wise to ask "Why do we want change and what are the effects of it?"
Change can be healthy or unhealthy. The desire for change demonstrates either a lack of contentment or a desire for improvement. Both of those firmly point us back to Jesus through different paths.
True contentment only resonates from being firmly attached to the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ. It is pretty clear to me that he is the only thing that does not change. Why? he does not need to because He is perfect. If your desire to change springs fourth from boredom, personal preference or self advancement you can take it to the bank that the change you want will come back to haunt you.
The desire for improvement can look different for different people. Some want to improve science and some human advancement. For the Christian, healthy change only comes as we submit to Christ's war on our flesh and follow him lovingly and obediently. Our hope for change should be based on Him alone and the aim of our change should be that His name receives more honor and glory. That type of change is exactly what God wants in everyone and is ultra healthy.
Change can be really good. Change can be really bad. The deciding factor between good and bad for all of us will be our hearts. If God has changed our hearts, he will shape us and change us for His glory and our Joy. If our hearts are unchanged and remain sin focused, well, just look at the news from around the globe and remember that one sin in Gen 3 changed perfectness to what we have now.
Praise Jesus that we can count on Him to change us! Isn't it good to know that as the world seemingly spins out of control that he is unmovable? Isn't it great that through our problems, sins, and hurts we have a God in control of all of it that wants what is best for us - Himself!
Malachi 3:6 6 “For I the Lord do not change"
1 Peter 2:6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
Have you ever noticed how much we demand change in our lives. Our last president was elected on that very platform, like it or not. Change seems to be at the core of our society as we want it better. We rarely stop and ask, " What is all of this change getting us?". Pause and think through the changes over the past decade. It is mind boggling that my 8 year old knows about the web, wikis, blogs and such. Who would of thought 30 years ago that it would be possible to get 200 emails to respond to each day? I think my Papaw would have laughed at any hint of taking time away from being with people to "surf the web". Doesn't it seem wise to ask "Why do we want change and what are the effects of it?"
Change can be healthy or unhealthy. The desire for change demonstrates either a lack of contentment or a desire for improvement. Both of those firmly point us back to Jesus through different paths.
True contentment only resonates from being firmly attached to the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ. It is pretty clear to me that he is the only thing that does not change. Why? he does not need to because He is perfect. If your desire to change springs fourth from boredom, personal preference or self advancement you can take it to the bank that the change you want will come back to haunt you.
The desire for improvement can look different for different people. Some want to improve science and some human advancement. For the Christian, healthy change only comes as we submit to Christ's war on our flesh and follow him lovingly and obediently. Our hope for change should be based on Him alone and the aim of our change should be that His name receives more honor and glory. That type of change is exactly what God wants in everyone and is ultra healthy.
Change can be really good. Change can be really bad. The deciding factor between good and bad for all of us will be our hearts. If God has changed our hearts, he will shape us and change us for His glory and our Joy. If our hearts are unchanged and remain sin focused, well, just look at the news from around the globe and remember that one sin in Gen 3 changed perfectness to what we have now.
Praise Jesus that we can count on Him to change us! Isn't it good to know that as the world seemingly spins out of control that he is unmovable? Isn't it great that through our problems, sins, and hurts we have a God in control of all of it that wants what is best for us - Himself!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Riley Girl and Loving Obedience
Leviticus 16:34 ...And Moses did as the Lord commanded him
My Riley Girl is a 12 year old chocolate lab, who is as patient and sweet as they come. She still jumps around and wags her tail with excitement every time I enter the house. It is always good to greeted with such love and honor. In the early morning during my quiet time, she accompanies me and my coffee into the den to read and pray. On more than one occasion during these quiet times, God has shown me the simple beauty of Riley's desire to be in my presence and her desire to be obedient to me. In a weird sounding way, Riley has modeled how I should interact with my Lord and Savior, Jesus. God has shown me the beauty of simple and constant obedience and a desire for His presence are the truest markers of a Christ follower. Why? It shows a commitment to bring Him honor and glory! Before you think I have lost my mind, stop and really think through the picture of obedience and desire for closeness. With every wag of the tail and every rub against my leg, Riley is showing how glad she is to be Mine.
The partial verse from Leviticus 16 above seems easy to pass over at first sight. When read in context, it almost seems like an after thought. It appears over and over, as Moses obediently carried out the will of God. Throughout the OT the patriarchs and prophets were exceedingly obedient. Check out Hebrews 11 and you will not find anyone with a semi casual, lukewarm obedient heart in the "Hall of Faith". In the new testament we see Jesus being obedient to death. We see the faithful disciples with an intense obedience as well. Why? They were so amazed at God that following Him was the only logical choice. Go check out what Jesus says in John 14. He basically equates faith and obedience by linking them together four distinct times saying "if you love me, you will obey my commands". With a God centered perspective, and an audit of Jesus model set before us, we can easily see that obedience to God's will brings Him glory, as we gladly share Christ with others. He is not a genie in a bottle that immediately fixes everything, but rather a loving God that draws us near to HIM by His grace as He shows His strength through our trials to our souls and the world who is watching.
I do believe that the devil wants us to see obedience to God as misery, the way we would view a musty dungeon with chains. The truth is that obedience in Him, by Faith in Him, is the only way to escape that dungeon and those chains.
So how do you look at obedience to God? Is it a chore or a privilege?
Do you desire closeness with Him?
Do you understand what a Joy it is to be HIS?
We don't have tails to wag, but we have hearts that can leap. I pray that mine leaps to be in His presence and at the chance to be obedient.
My Riley Girl is a 12 year old chocolate lab, who is as patient and sweet as they come. She still jumps around and wags her tail with excitement every time I enter the house. It is always good to greeted with such love and honor. In the early morning during my quiet time, she accompanies me and my coffee into the den to read and pray. On more than one occasion during these quiet times, God has shown me the simple beauty of Riley's desire to be in my presence and her desire to be obedient to me. In a weird sounding way, Riley has modeled how I should interact with my Lord and Savior, Jesus. God has shown me the beauty of simple and constant obedience and a desire for His presence are the truest markers of a Christ follower. Why? It shows a commitment to bring Him honor and glory! Before you think I have lost my mind, stop and really think through the picture of obedience and desire for closeness. With every wag of the tail and every rub against my leg, Riley is showing how glad she is to be Mine.
The partial verse from Leviticus 16 above seems easy to pass over at first sight. When read in context, it almost seems like an after thought. It appears over and over, as Moses obediently carried out the will of God. Throughout the OT the patriarchs and prophets were exceedingly obedient. Check out Hebrews 11 and you will not find anyone with a semi casual, lukewarm obedient heart in the "Hall of Faith". In the new testament we see Jesus being obedient to death. We see the faithful disciples with an intense obedience as well. Why? They were so amazed at God that following Him was the only logical choice. Go check out what Jesus says in John 14. He basically equates faith and obedience by linking them together four distinct times saying "if you love me, you will obey my commands". With a God centered perspective, and an audit of Jesus model set before us, we can easily see that obedience to God's will brings Him glory, as we gladly share Christ with others. He is not a genie in a bottle that immediately fixes everything, but rather a loving God that draws us near to HIM by His grace as He shows His strength through our trials to our souls and the world who is watching.
I do believe that the devil wants us to see obedience to God as misery, the way we would view a musty dungeon with chains. The truth is that obedience in Him, by Faith in Him, is the only way to escape that dungeon and those chains.
So how do you look at obedience to God? Is it a chore or a privilege?
Do you desire closeness with Him?
Do you understand what a Joy it is to be HIS?
We don't have tails to wag, but we have hearts that can leap. I pray that mine leaps to be in His presence and at the chance to be obedient.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sleeping through the Greatest Class ever
Mark 13:33 Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.
Mark 13:35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Mark 14:Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
I remember the days in high school when I used to invent ways of propping my head up so that I appeared to be awake, but was really fast a sleep. There were many hours where my desire to sleep overtook my NEED to learn. That could be the reason why comma splices and dangling modifiers fill my writings....because English class was the least interesting and where I caught most of my cat-naps.
Most everyone knows about Peter's denial of Christ. I have not heard a lot of talk about the lesson Peter sleeps through before His denial: Make war with your flesh! Jesus is in Gethsemane,and He knows the Spirit vs. Flesh battle that will take place, so He takes the "inner 3" disciples and says y'all come over here and watch. I am going to make war against the flesh. Jesus asks them 3 times to watch and they sleep through it all. All of this just after Jesus teaches them the importance of being on guard and awake bacause you never know when the Son of Man will come in His Glory. He wants them, and us, to be alert to the constant need for warfare against our flesh. Why? Our sin nature blinds our need of Him and overestimates our worthiness.
I hate to theorize, but I can not help but ask to myself what if Peter had been as intentional to Jesus's "warfare lesson" as Jesus was to inviting him? Could Peter have skipped the flat out denials of His Lord? I know Jesus gracefully has used many of my failures to enlarge my urgent need of Him, but even more so, He desires that I passionately desire Him without so many failures. That is where the Cross moves in to full view. The Cross is a symbol of our salvation indeed, but it also the instrument that God uses to put our flesh to death. The same instrument that literally put Jesus of Nazareth to death, is the instument that can surgically remove sin in our daily lives. When Jesus asks us to "pick up our cross and Follow Him", it is a death march of the sin flesh, and a life transforming march of the spirit as we are sanctified into His will and Love.
Peter, James and John might of skipped out on the lesson in Gethsemane, but by God's grace and their faith they learned their lesson like most of us, in the hard knock school of life. They learned to wage war against their flesh through the Cross of Jesus.
As we elevate Jesus in our Hearts and soul and see our greater depth of depravity, the Cross gets bigger and bigger. That will only happen as we follow Christ's lead in allowing the Cross to put our flesh to death.
Are you doing that?
Mark 13:35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”
Mark 14:Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
I remember the days in high school when I used to invent ways of propping my head up so that I appeared to be awake, but was really fast a sleep. There were many hours where my desire to sleep overtook my NEED to learn. That could be the reason why comma splices and dangling modifiers fill my writings....because English class was the least interesting and where I caught most of my cat-naps.
Most everyone knows about Peter's denial of Christ. I have not heard a lot of talk about the lesson Peter sleeps through before His denial: Make war with your flesh! Jesus is in Gethsemane,and He knows the Spirit vs. Flesh battle that will take place, so He takes the "inner 3" disciples and says y'all come over here and watch. I am going to make war against the flesh. Jesus asks them 3 times to watch and they sleep through it all. All of this just after Jesus teaches them the importance of being on guard and awake bacause you never know when the Son of Man will come in His Glory. He wants them, and us, to be alert to the constant need for warfare against our flesh. Why? Our sin nature blinds our need of Him and overestimates our worthiness.
I hate to theorize, but I can not help but ask to myself what if Peter had been as intentional to Jesus's "warfare lesson" as Jesus was to inviting him? Could Peter have skipped the flat out denials of His Lord? I know Jesus gracefully has used many of my failures to enlarge my urgent need of Him, but even more so, He desires that I passionately desire Him without so many failures. That is where the Cross moves in to full view. The Cross is a symbol of our salvation indeed, but it also the instrument that God uses to put our flesh to death. The same instrument that literally put Jesus of Nazareth to death, is the instument that can surgically remove sin in our daily lives. When Jesus asks us to "pick up our cross and Follow Him", it is a death march of the sin flesh, and a life transforming march of the spirit as we are sanctified into His will and Love.
Peter, James and John might of skipped out on the lesson in Gethsemane, but by God's grace and their faith they learned their lesson like most of us, in the hard knock school of life. They learned to wage war against their flesh through the Cross of Jesus.
As we elevate Jesus in our Hearts and soul and see our greater depth of depravity, the Cross gets bigger and bigger. That will only happen as we follow Christ's lead in allowing the Cross to put our flesh to death.
Are you doing that?
Friday, April 2, 2010
Roadsigns
Marks of the True Christian
Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, [7] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, n “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Ususally geography and directions are one of my stronger areas. I have rarely been lost, geographically speaking. About seven years ago, my wife, Cal and I were on a trip to go see her dad,Wink, in Northern Lousiana. From Birmingham it is pretty much a strait shot on I-20 West through Mississippi. Well, we were having a great time talking about things and enjoying a rare nap of Cal's, when something started feeling out of sorts. Something did not feel right. We passed a sign that said: Hattiesburg 27 miles. Uh-Oh! We were on I-59, not I -20 and we were headed in the wrong direction. What went wrong? In Meridian, there is a fork in the Interstate. I-20/59 splits into I-20 and I-59. I was off course, because I did not read the signs that should have been my guide.
When you look at what Paul is saying in Romans 12 above, he is giving us clear markers of a life walk with Christ. The markers of a true Christian if you will. Just as the road signs on a highway guide you, they identify where you are as well. The I-59 sign proved I was off course, because it is just a marker that stands beside I-59. So when we examine these markers, we should ask ourselves: Are these markers of my life? If not, am I on another road than the one with Christ or are there some sin issues that I need to deal with?
The markers are:
>Let your Love be God's genuine Love
>Hate evil
>Cling to God, for he alone is good
>Love others deeply and loudly
>constantly humble yourselves, be content in lowness
>Do not lazily approach your walk with God
>Serve God and others with unbridled passion
>Rejoice that you have hope in Christ
>Be patient
>Constantly pray
>Use money to help meet others needs JOYFULLY!
>Be hospitable and welcoming
>Bless and Love your enemies
>Meet people in their are of need in Christ, whether sad or joyous
>Be at peace, do not promote strife
>Associate with all people regardless of socio-economic status
>Do not overesteem your wisdom
>Leave vengeance for God alone, it is not our role, He is the judge
>Understand that as Christians, our actiosn should represent Christ as we rep his name
>Overcome evil with good
Wow! How does that strike you? Are you on the right road? Or a different one?
Hopefully there are some of these markers in your life. If not, please email me or call me at 205.837.2573 as soon as possible. Chances are there are some areas that these markers will identify as sin issues in all of our lives. Will we crucify those areas or stray off the road that leads through the narrow gate of Christ?
As we think about today, Good Friday, and towards Resurrection Sunday, we should all shout an Amen to the one marker that changed all of eternity for mankind: THE CROSS OF CHRIST!
Romans 12:9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, [7] serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation,be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. 17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, n “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Ususally geography and directions are one of my stronger areas. I have rarely been lost, geographically speaking. About seven years ago, my wife, Cal and I were on a trip to go see her dad,Wink, in Northern Lousiana. From Birmingham it is pretty much a strait shot on I-20 West through Mississippi. Well, we were having a great time talking about things and enjoying a rare nap of Cal's, when something started feeling out of sorts. Something did not feel right. We passed a sign that said: Hattiesburg 27 miles. Uh-Oh! We were on I-59, not I -20 and we were headed in the wrong direction. What went wrong? In Meridian, there is a fork in the Interstate. I-20/59 splits into I-20 and I-59. I was off course, because I did not read the signs that should have been my guide.
When you look at what Paul is saying in Romans 12 above, he is giving us clear markers of a life walk with Christ. The markers of a true Christian if you will. Just as the road signs on a highway guide you, they identify where you are as well. The I-59 sign proved I was off course, because it is just a marker that stands beside I-59. So when we examine these markers, we should ask ourselves: Are these markers of my life? If not, am I on another road than the one with Christ or are there some sin issues that I need to deal with?
The markers are:
>Let your Love be God's genuine Love
>Hate evil
>Cling to God, for he alone is good
>Love others deeply and loudly
>constantly humble yourselves, be content in lowness
>Do not lazily approach your walk with God
>Serve God and others with unbridled passion
>Rejoice that you have hope in Christ
>Be patient
>Constantly pray
>Use money to help meet others needs JOYFULLY!
>Be hospitable and welcoming
>Bless and Love your enemies
>Meet people in their are of need in Christ, whether sad or joyous
>Be at peace, do not promote strife
>Associate with all people regardless of socio-economic status
>Do not overesteem your wisdom
>Leave vengeance for God alone, it is not our role, He is the judge
>Understand that as Christians, our actiosn should represent Christ as we rep his name
>Overcome evil with good
Wow! How does that strike you? Are you on the right road? Or a different one?
Hopefully there are some of these markers in your life. If not, please email me or call me at 205.837.2573 as soon as possible. Chances are there are some areas that these markers will identify as sin issues in all of our lives. Will we crucify those areas or stray off the road that leads through the narrow gate of Christ?
As we think about today, Good Friday, and towards Resurrection Sunday, we should all shout an Amen to the one marker that changed all of eternity for mankind: THE CROSS OF CHRIST!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Ascending to new heights ???
Tower of Babel Gen 11: 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
Romans 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Something about the May 10,1996 catastrophic summit attempt on Mount Everest captivates me in a large and lasting way. Best selling author John Krakauer chronicles the disaster that claimed the lives of eight people in his book Into Thin Air. The account grabbed me so hard that I literally read the book in one day. Afterward, I found myself asking why to a lot of things. Why was I fascinated with the story? Why would anyone want to try to kill themselves by climbing to 29,000feet? Why are people famous for doing something so dangerous and deadly?
Just like the tower of Babel, our lives will testify that there is an urge in our sin nature to elevate ourselves in the sight of our fellow man. History, and a quick look at our fashionable culture will quickly point to the fact that everyone wants to be noticed. People want power, respect and ultimately we want attention. There is one huge problem with this though. We were not made to call attention to ourselves, we were made to call attention to God by reflecting his glory. I am amazed at my own sin nature's ability to stealthily curtail the praise of men for Chad and not God.
Before I was saved, it was real obvious as I was in just as lost as could be and loudly and rebelliously drew attention to me. After I was saved, this desire to elevate myself cloaked itself a little bit as I wanted to gain positions of power in the Church. Even now as God blesses me so immensely, I have to battle the urge to ever so gently steal His glory as I teach and preach His word. Only through prayer and intentional confession am I able to see how huge a sin that glory grabbing is and how easy it can grab you. It is safe to assume that I spend more than a little time fighting my flesh and repenting in this area before God's throne.
When you put our sin nature on the operating table and shine the light on it, its desire is to master us by elevating ourselves instead of God. This is what Paul is addressing specifically in terms of salvation in Romans 10. He says that his fellow Jews were trying to establish a man made righteousness. They wanted to invent a way in which they were both the justifier and judge of their own moral eternity. They had falsely elevated themselves to a position of power in which they had no authority or right to do. There are striking similarities between the fate of those who try to elevate their own righteousness to the level of Jesus and those who try to stay on top of Mt. Everest too long.
They shrivel up and die. Why? God did not design them to be in that position in the first place. He did not design you our Me to elevate ourselves either. Are you?
Praise God for Jesus and His grace for those who repent and call on His name!
Romans 10:3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Something about the May 10,1996 catastrophic summit attempt on Mount Everest captivates me in a large and lasting way. Best selling author John Krakauer chronicles the disaster that claimed the lives of eight people in his book Into Thin Air. The account grabbed me so hard that I literally read the book in one day. Afterward, I found myself asking why to a lot of things. Why was I fascinated with the story? Why would anyone want to try to kill themselves by climbing to 29,000feet? Why are people famous for doing something so dangerous and deadly?
Just like the tower of Babel, our lives will testify that there is an urge in our sin nature to elevate ourselves in the sight of our fellow man. History, and a quick look at our fashionable culture will quickly point to the fact that everyone wants to be noticed. People want power, respect and ultimately we want attention. There is one huge problem with this though. We were not made to call attention to ourselves, we were made to call attention to God by reflecting his glory. I am amazed at my own sin nature's ability to stealthily curtail the praise of men for Chad and not God.
Before I was saved, it was real obvious as I was in just as lost as could be and loudly and rebelliously drew attention to me. After I was saved, this desire to elevate myself cloaked itself a little bit as I wanted to gain positions of power in the Church. Even now as God blesses me so immensely, I have to battle the urge to ever so gently steal His glory as I teach and preach His word. Only through prayer and intentional confession am I able to see how huge a sin that glory grabbing is and how easy it can grab you. It is safe to assume that I spend more than a little time fighting my flesh and repenting in this area before God's throne.
When you put our sin nature on the operating table and shine the light on it, its desire is to master us by elevating ourselves instead of God. This is what Paul is addressing specifically in terms of salvation in Romans 10. He says that his fellow Jews were trying to establish a man made righteousness. They wanted to invent a way in which they were both the justifier and judge of their own moral eternity. They had falsely elevated themselves to a position of power in which they had no authority or right to do. There are striking similarities between the fate of those who try to elevate their own righteousness to the level of Jesus and those who try to stay on top of Mt. Everest too long.
They shrivel up and die. Why? God did not design them to be in that position in the first place. He did not design you our Me to elevate ourselves either. Are you?
Praise God for Jesus and His grace for those who repent and call on His name!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
