Balance

The world’s way of trying to tell us to keep one foot in the spiritual realms and one foot in the physical realms is by telling us we need balance. God can work through anything. I don’t deny that. In fact, I firmly believe it. One thing we have to realize though is how warped our Western, American worldview is and how it has caused us to be an individualistic, compartmentalized people.

In Jesus’ day, what they spoke to was the Jesus and the spiritual. What most people fail to acknowledge is the culture of the time. Everything was affected and influenced by the spiritual. It was the center of their lives. So when one person is changed into Christ, it affects the rest of their happenings. It affects the way they work, live, interact with family, deal with money, etc. Everything in life was integrated with everything else.

For Americans today, this isn’t so. We want to have our spiritual life in this box, family life in that box, work in another box, and whatever else there is in yet another box. Our boxes are so neatly lined up and displayed that they don’t even necessarily touch each other. If they do, they can only touch the ones that are closest to them but do not have an overall impact on ALL the boxes.

We, as followers of Christ, are called to have everything answer to Jesus. Everything in our lives are to be subjected to the Lordship of Christ. Taxes and money, relationships and sex, family and friends, business and pleasure. Everything is to be affected by Jesus Christ as our King and Lord.

We are to be in the world but not of the world. God can work however He wants and He uses people in many different ways but I caution you, brothers and sisters, to be very weary about the way you interact with the world. The world would have us live for itself. Live for money, drugs, sex, houses, possessions, money, pleasure, happiness, etc. All of these things are not intrinsically wrong, mind you. As a matter of fact God wants us to be blessed and joyful and live in HIS prosperity and blessings (see Ephesians 1:3-14). It is when these things take a place in our hearts and minds and lives above Jesus Christ that we NEED to take a step back and consider where our eyes are. Are they on Jesus or the world? Brothers and sisters those are your only two options. Jesus or the world. It’s not both/and but instead it’s either/or. If everything that we have and are about are not subjected to and submitted to the Lord Jesus, we are not using them as the Lord intends.

He intends for some of His servants to be good stewards of money that they may aid those brothers and sisters who are in need of HIS provisions. He may intend for some to have houses that will accommodate many in order that they may house brothers and sisters in NEED. When all of these are subjected to the Lordship of Jesus, they become instruments that are used for HIS glory and NOT our own. That is the difficulty with riches. That is why Jesus said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. (Matthew 19:16-30) It is so easy for us to get caught up in what we HAVE that we forget who we are to be in JESUS.

The world will take your eyes off of Jesus and it will do it using any means necessary. Everything we have is to be used for HIS glory and not our own. It is to be used for HIS name and not our own. Reread the story of Babel and see why God confused language and caused them to be dispersed.

Verse 4 states, “Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”"

Notice that it doesn’t say anything about God but it says everything about what they are doing for themselves.

Brothers and sisters, if we “balance” ourselves, we are not living the lives Jesus has called us to. Yes, in the world but NOT of the world. Yes, all things to all men but only so that we may meet people where they are, not so that we can immerse ourselves in the world. When in doubt, it always comes back to Jesus. How did Jesus live? How did the apostles live for Jesus? Jesus lived for people. He lived to meet those who were in need and for those who were hungering and thirsting for Jesus. Fact of the matter is entertainment caters to the rich and the majority of the time, the rich do not want to hear what Jesus has to say. They are comfortable with life and do not want to lose everything they’ve worked so hard for in order that they might follow Jesus. This isn’t to say that God doesn’t want to save rich people. He wants them to come to him just as desperately as those who are poor. God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and the rain to fall on the righteous and unrighteous (see Matthew 5:45). We are called to love everybody. Rich and poor, good and evil, righteous and unrighteous. We are to love everybody. Jesus came to find the lost sheep and bring them back to the Father through Himself. There are many people who will not want to follow all that Jesus is calling them to do (again see Matthew 19:22). The rich man did not want to give up all he had to follow Jesus. Jesus didn’t deny him or put him out or withhold His love from him but the man simply wasn’t willing to give up what was dearest to him in order to follow Jesus.

It’s the same today. Insert anything that draws our attention away from Jesus instead of riches and it’s still the same. Those who can’t give up whatever is most dear to them be it riches, family, entertainment, relationships, etc, cannot follow Him. We are called to love with ALL (that’s all inclusive; everything; in totality) our hearts, mind, soul, and strength and anything that gets in the way of this gets in the way of us and Jesus.

Seek first the kingdom of God and the rest shall be added unto you. Again, God calls us all to follow Him in different ways. Seek Him first and He will lead you in the way you are to go. Just be willing to do whatever it takes to follow Him. It’s is costly but it is very worth it. It is LIFE!

“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” -Revelation 3:19

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” -Hebrews 12:11

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.” -1 John 2:15-17

Covenant of Love; My Only Hope is You

These two songs have been staple songs for me and pretty genuinely express the truth of God, our need for Him and our dependency on Him and His Son.

Covenant of Love

—————————–

O Lord God of Israel, there’s no god like You

In heavn’ or earth below

O Lord God of Isreal, there’s no god like You

In heavn’ above.

You keep Your covenant of love,

Your covenant of love,

O Lord, there is no god like You

In heavn’ above.

My Only Hope is You

—————————

My only hope is You

Jesus My only hope is You

From early in the morning to late at night

My only hope is You

My only peace is You

Jesus My only peace is You

From early in the morning to late at night

My only peace is You

My only joy is You

Jesus My only joy is You

From early in the morning to late at night

My only joy is You

All that I need is You

Jesus all that I need is You

From early in the morning to late at night

All that I need is You

My only hope is You

Jesus My only hope is You

From early in the morning to late at night

My only hope is You

From early in the morning to late at night

My only hope is You

————————

Isaiah 48

17 This is what the LORD says—

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

“I am the LORD your God,

who teaches you what is best for you,

who directs you in the way you should go.

18 If only you had paid attention to my commands,

your peace would have been like a river,

your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

19 Your descendants would have been like the sand,

your children like its numberless grains;

their name would never be cut off

nor destroyed from before me.”

20 Leave Babylon,

flee from the Babylonians!

Announce this with shouts of joy

and proclaim it.

Send it out to the ends of the earth;

say, “The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob.”

21 They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;

he made water flow for them from the rock;

he split the rock

and water gushed out.

22 “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

Psalm 33

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

even as we put our hope in you.

The TRUE beauty of a woman

There is an event called “Tell Her She’s Beautiful” on Facebook. I had considered joining it but decided not to. Not because I don’t want women to think their beautiful but rather to point to the source of beauty. Women were created in the image of God just as men were. Women were designed for grace and men built for strength. The real reason I did not want to join the group was because of this reason: women do not need to seek encouragement from men about your outer beauty. Your Lord and God created you to be beautiful. He is the source of your beauty, your radiance.

I understand the encouragement that comes with a complement but the problem is that in our American culture, compliments often times have hidden meanings and agendas. Not just this but many people, women and men alike judge themselves based on the superficial and artificial basis that media puts on them. Comparison is detrimental to inner beauty.

Perhaps it would be better for more women to speak on this issue than men because as a man, I can only understand and take this to a certain degree. I can, though, say this: the Lord has created each one of us and instilled us with His image and His likeness. He’s instilled in us a light that shines when each of us seeks the face of Jesus Christ.

So today, I do not compliment women based on their outer beauty. Instead, seek the face of Jesus and here is what is said about the beauty and design given for each and every one of you:

“The Lord has created your inmost being;
He has knit you together in your mother’s womb.

Praise be that you are fearfully and wonderfully made;
His works are wonderful,
We know this full well.

Your frame was not hidden from Him
when you were made in the secret place.
When you were woven together in the depths of the earth,

His eyes saw your unformed body.
All the days ordained for you
were written in His book.
before one of them came to be.”

-Psalm 139:13-16 (pronouns rephrased)

“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.” -Proverbs 31:30

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” -1 Peter 3:3-4

Singles Awareness? Try…Appreciating Singleness!

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” -Romans 12:1-2

How are we different from the world? How are we as Christians standing apart from the world so that we may shine Christ? We cannot do it with Christian labels. We cannot do it with words alone. We cannot even do it with our actions. We are set apart from the world because we are set apart in Christ! Then people will know something is different. Then people will know we are followers of Christ. Then the light will shine through us into the darkness. Only in Jesus! No where else. No way else! And it will be evident to all!

Too often, especially here on Harding’s campus, people are looking and seeking relationships. There is nothing inherently wrong with doing so but if it gets in the way of seeking God, it should not be so. It should be removed from your vision and submitted before God. Anything that is being placed above or even equal to God in one’s life is an idol! It’s an idol! That means that God is not your primary focus and He is on the backburner. I dare say that the pursuit of relationships has become an idol.

I am free to say this as I have been held captive by the pursuit of a relationship for ten years ever since the idea that I could date someone has entered my mind. I seek companionship. I’m a people person. If it is the main focus of your life or the main pursuit, then things need to change. To me it had become an idol. If you had said that to my face, I probably would have been offended. As I am free in Jesus and “freed up hardcore”, I no longer have to conform to what the world tells me I should pursue. Does this mean that I don’t want a relationship? No. Does this mean I want to be single for the rest of my life? No! What it does mean is that I trust in Jesus to provide for me the perfect suitable helper that He has prepared for me. This will only be obtained by seeking Jesus first and relying upon and trusting in Him.

I had never heard that it was ok to be single. I had never heard that it is a blessing to not be in a relationship. Well, perhaps I did hear this from time to time, but how many people were actually living it out? How many people do you know that have said and lived that it’s ok to be single lived for Jesus in their season of being single? Me? I’ve met very few. Even then, Jesus had to free me from my bondage in order that I may actually hear the truth! I listened but I didn’t actually hear. My heart was never affected.

Paul talks about singleness as a blessing. He encourages those who are not married to not marry. On the same hand he is not saying that it’s wrong to be married. What Paul says is that the concern of each person should be their focus on the Lord. Those who are undivided can have an undivided devotion to the Lord. This means that you are able to focus on God with all of whom you are (Read 1 Cor. 7).

I by no means claim to be an expert on relationships but I do know the freedom that comes from focusing on Jesus. As Harding is having their own “Singles Awareness Day” tomorrow on my birthday (very appropriate) and as my group of friends will be having one this weekend, I just needed to say that being single is not “a curse to be remedied.” It is not bondage. You will not be complete in a dating relationship or in a marriage. You are completed only in Jesus Christ and He is the only one that can fill a hole in your heart. And get this! When you seek Him with all of your everything and you trust in Him, He adds all these things unto you! That means He will give you all you need when you need it!

Brothers and Sisters, be free in Jesus! He came to free us! He came to allow us to live life freely in His Spirit! Seek His face. Ask His will. Listen. Hear. Obey. Praise the Lord today where you are! I am not condemning if you are in a relationship, if you are married, or if you are seeking a dating relationship. What I’m saying is this: If you are single, Praise Him! If you are dating, Praise Him! If you are married, Praise Him! Praise the Lord for where He has you! Praise the Lord your God for the blessings He has given you and seek His face! I love you. Jesus loves you.

Bless-ed Freedom!

Jesus is Lord! He is the Messiah and has released the captives setting them free! He has set me free! Praise be to the King of Kings for His glorious blessings! He is gracious and abounds in mercy!

This last weekend I was convicted that I needed to bury the old man. My previous baptisms had been nothing more than ceremonial, religious rites. I hadn’t repented of anything nor had I turned from anything. I was still the same dead person I had been previously. Last Friday, the Spirit convicted me saying, “It’s time for an all or nothing relationship. Stop riding the fence and choose!” I choose Jesus. I prayed asking, “Ok. Now what? What is keeping me from being with you? What is between you and I?” Three things had been revealed. “Computer. Phone. Pursuit of relationships.” My response, “*Sigh* As you will.” So they’re all gone. The pursuit was the hardest to remove but God aligned a gracious and merciful end to the pursuit of a relationship with a dear sister.

If only words could express the freedom that came along with this. Imagine you have a ten ton weight on your shoulders that’s not affecting your physical posture but instead, your spiritual and emotional posture. When this is released, you are free to smile and be joyous and rejoice and laugh and have true peace. This release is what came of my submission to Him. Obedience has been rewarded with freedom. This isn’t the end, surely not!

The Spirit convicted me on Friday in the middle of a conversation saying, “You need to be baptized.” I was confused by this as I had already been “baptized” three times. Twice as an infant in the Catholic church and once when coming to Harding. The realization given about these though is that all were religious rites or even peer pressure. The ones in the Catholic church were religious rites. By God’s grace, somehow I was saved at birth for something bigger for His kingdom. This is a testimony all of it’s own so if you feel so led by the Spirit, ask me about it. My third “baptism”  was into the Church of Christ and, honestly, was only because the CoC didn’t recognize the Catholic baptism. So, in order to conform, I did.

Enter conviction to bury the old man. The Spirit leading me to this point, I buried the old man, repented of my dead self and former ways, and turned toward God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Am I perfect? Am I there? Surely not! I am far from perfect and I will be the first to admit that to you! Grace has been given to me in abundance by my Lord and Savior allowing me to walk His path. I am far from being complete in the fullness of the Lord but I praise God for the journey. As He works in me to bring about completion in His Spirit for the good of His Body.

Jesus is Lord! He is the King of Kings! I will forever praise His Holy Name! I am free in Jesus!

See John 8:31-32, 34-36

An Uncomfortable Truth…

I look around me and I see so many people who claim the name of Jesus but who are riding the fence. They proclaim Jesus with their lips but in their heart they serve mammon. It’s a fairweather faith. Our fruit is easily enough seen by what we do and what we say. It pains me to see people in such a state! I long for everybody to know the sweetness that comes in a full, intimate, all-out relationship with Jesus! There is freedom! Are we so dense to think that we can hide from God?

The Pharisees had the same thought.

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”
Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,’ he is not to ‘honor his father’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
” ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”

Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’ “

Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?”

He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”

“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’ “-Matthew 15:1-20

To continue the quote in Isaiah…

“The Lord says:
“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men.

Therefore once more I will astound these people
with wonder upon wonder;
the wisdom of the wise will perish,
the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.”

Woe to those who go to great depths
to hide their plans from the LORD,
who do their work in darkness and think,
“Who sees us? Who will know?”" -Isaiah 29:13-15

In the Book of Revelation, these are the words spoken to the church in Laodicea:

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” -Revelation 3:14-20

It is interesting to note that the apostle Paul worked with the church in Laodicea (see Colossians 4) yet this church struggled and eventually got to the point that they were luke warm.

I wish to give this message that you may be decided. Nothing is hidden from God. God will ultimately judge each and every one of us. It is not our place to judge others. We are, though, called to spur each other on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24). The whole purpose for Jesus is relationship. God called each and every one to a relationship with Him. He loves each and every one of us and desires that we enter into a deep relationshp with Him. You may think to yourself, “Everything you have said sounds condemning and narrow! How dare you say such things to me!”

I have spent the last five years riding the fence and there was no fruit in my life. All that was born of this lifestyle was death. There was nothing good that came from it. Just within the last week I have seen Jesus. Like, really seen Him! Not with the eyes of the physical but with the eyes of the spiritual. He has freed me from bondage with some of my devices and is giving me the strength to let go. If you wish to hear what all I have and am letting go, I would be glad to sit down with you and discuss it but let me just say that it’s everything I’ve been about for the past year and longer. Is it easy? No. It’s death. I have to die to myself. “Where’s the fun in that?!” you ask? Fun has little to do with LIFE. Fun is merely an off-shoot of JOY. JOY is eternal and it is more satisfying than any amount of fun one could ever have. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s necessary. You ask me how I can say such things? I tell you it is because I have lived that life. I have just begun to taste the freedom that is in Jesus but already it is so sweet that my tongue wants to taste nothing less than life with Him. It is full of forgiveness, love, mercy, and grace. The best part about it, I don’t have to do anything to receive all of this. I simply love Him and in return He provides everything I have longed for. Do I have it fully or completely? Abundantly. Am I finished on this journey? No. Not even close. A relationship is an ongoing, continuous process that must continuously be worked on. I have barely left the starting gates, much less arrived.

Jesus did not come to point the finger and cause guilt. That is Satan’s doing. Jesus came that we might have life and have it abundantly, fully (John 10:10). He came to rescue us from the captivity of sin. If you don’t think it’s captivity, why do you reason with yourselves to soothe your conscious? We are consumed by “things” and “stuff” and we are always seeking bigger and better. Even in our Christian atmosphere we are taught, “Seek a good degree that will give you good job security.” I’m sorry, but when did Jesus say that our security shall be found in a job? Never. We are to find ourselves fully in our Creator. Only then will our potential be realized. Listen for the relationship with the Creator we are called to in the words of Jesus.

“Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”" -John 6:35-40

Do not see this as condemnation or as judgement for it is not at all how it is intended. I love you. More importantly, though, Jesus loves you. Jesus desires you and I long to see you stare lovingly back into His eyes and realize the fullness of life that comes with Him.

Forgiveness, Love, Grace

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” -Matthew 5:23-24

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” -Matthew 5:38-48

“This, then, is how you should pray:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” -Matthew 6:8-11

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. -Matthew 6:22-24

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” -Matthew 7:1-6

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.” -Matthew 7: 24-29

I have heard some say that Jesus was radical back in his day. I would contend that he still is for many reasons. First, forgiveness. Do we forgive as he has taught and commanded we do? I think most of us do not. Most of us harbor any sort of bitter feeling and do not even attempt to ask forgiveness but instead rationalize it as “this person did me wrong so it’s only normal or fair or (insert any other equalizing statement here) that I be this way!” Jesus did NOT intend for it to be this way. This is the world. There is no good fruit in harboring any sort of ill feeling toward others. Jesus doesn’t simply ask us to know about forgiveness and love and mercy, which I believe are the core principles within these teachings of Jesus. He asks us, no, he commands us to put these into practice. It is essential that we practice and act upon what Jesus said! If we don’t, our houses will fall with a great crash. We will not stand up to the fire. I think this is what Paul was writing about in 1 Corinthians 3.

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” -1 Cor. 3:10-15

Do not mistake this “work” for your own righteous actions but instead they are the actions that are obedient to Jesus which, outside of Jesus, could never nor would ever be accomplished. I’m just trying to put to practice what Jesus has taught and commanded us. I do so not to keep the law but because the love and grace and forgiveness of Jesus has led me to the necessity of sharing it with others and living it out. The law was not meant to be a strict regiment but instead to bring us to a fuller relationship with God, which is now obtained through Jesus. I love Jesus and will lean upon him for his strength and mercy. I will be obedient to the desire and will of my Father in Heaven and to His Son, Jesus.

Fire in my bones!

For the last couple of weeks or even a month or so, I’ve had a few interesting thoughts go through my head. These such thoughts are about getting rid of those things in my life that I don’t need, that are there as a comfort to my physical flesh. The two main things that have been cycling through my head on this are my phone and my laptop. These are not new thoughts. During the Fall of ’08, I did give my laptop away. I gave it to one of my friends who had a laptop that had broken and essentially stopped working. She had it for the majority of the semester. Then I became heavily burdened with papers and needed it back in order that I might be able to finish school work on time. I did, however, go through the majority of the semester with out it. Some might wonder, “How’d you get along without a computer?” Quite well, actually. For all of my school work, I had the library and being limited to only using the library really made me more time efficient.

The real reason I sought to get rid of it at the time was to get rid of temptation. My computer was a window into the virtual world of sin. I have no trouble admitting my former faults as Jesus has freed me from them and continues to provide me the grace and strength not to fall back into those traps. Those months away from the computer saved me and brought about such a stark difference in my relationship with Jesus.

So why now? I’m thankful to say that it isn’t because of temptation this time, though certainly the temptation is still there (thank you Jesus for continued strength and renewal!). This time, it’s because of the consumption of my time and energy. I am so easily distracted by my phone and my computer. While, yes, they do lead to communication with people it is not nearly as whole as communication that takes place in a face-to-face setting. I would be getting rid of my computer as I am continuously distracted by inoccuous, meaningless, not-LIFE-building things. Often I will be playing games or surfing the web just to pass the time. Hence the reason I feel the need to remove the laptop from my life.

I do the same on my phone. Many people argue about whether texting is negative or not but the fact is that you lose so much in it. There’s intonation, inflection, pitch, humor, body language, etc. It isn’t for this reason that I would get rid of my phone though. It’s for the same distractions of games and distraction by internet that I would get rid of my phone. Anytime I hear somebody say, “Hey! Nice phone!” instead of being proud about it, it makes me cringe. I can’t even describe why. I don’t want to be known for my possessions or for what I wear or for how I speak. What I want to be known for is my pursuit for God and my dedication to living solely for Him. When I carry around this phone I feel like it screams, “Look at me! I’m of the world!” People don’t remark at me having my phone and think, “Something’s different about him.”

I feel as though the time spent on these two things even keeps me from spending time with God. This time that is so consumed by technology keeps me from continuously seeking my Savior and King that much further. My relationship with God right now is better than it has ever been but it could be better. This time that I’ve been distracted could be devoted to God.

‘Why go to the extreme of giving them away?’ you ask? ‘Why not simply discipline yourself?’ Well, because I know me better than that. I know myself well enough to know that these things are extremely hard to resist so the only way to free myself from said burden is to cut myself off from them.

Matthew 5:29-30 states, “If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.”

You might think this Scripture to be a little over the top or insane or perhaps even not apply to this situation, but I would disagree. While Jesus was referring to the causes of lust and removing ourselves from all such causes, I think it would be safe to say that He would say the same about anything that is preventing us from turning fully toward God.

Nothing can seperate us from the love of God except our own decisions. God gave us free will. In Romans 8:38-39 is a frequently used verse to site that nothing can come between God and us. I suppose one thing I’ve just never heard is that this is conditional and is reliant upon our relationship with God and us being found in God. Let’s go back and review the beginning of that section.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” v.28-30

I want to be found in Jesus. I desire to follow Jesus with the deepest desire of my heart. It’s burning inside of me. Jeremiah 20:9 refers to the word of God being so intense in Jeremiah that he describes it as a “fire shut up in my bones”. He cannot even hold it in, that’s how intense it is. God is calling me to live a more meaningful life than sitting in front of my computer and being consumed. His desire for me is creating a desire in me that is causing me to desire the only thing that can bring about true meaning and purpose and LIFE! Jesus free me to be who I was created to be! Help me to continue to fall madly in love with the author of Love and Life!

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1

1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus: 2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. 9And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. 11In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. 15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

I think it’s important for us to understand that the purpose of God’s will is relationship. God desires to bring everything under heaven and on earth under one head. Everything should be united in order that God may be glorified through Jesus. What I love most about this first chapter is the emphasis that Paul is placing on knowing God and having an intimate relationship with Him. It is in the relationship with God that we are found and we are blessed. It is through Christ that we are enlightened and know the hope to which we are called.

Something I have a hard time with and that I know our culture places a lot of emphasis on is servitude to others. The hard thing isn’t serving others or knowing how but that service to others gets in the way of one’s relationship with God. Service to others is not a bad thing, by any stretch of means. Through prayer and reading in Scriptures like this one, though, I’m coming to better understand that it’s only through Christ that it truly matters. It’s only through Christ for God that anything matters. The difficulty with this is that if we don’t know Christ, how can we do something in His name? Are we not called first to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength and then love our neighbors as we love ourselves? It would seem to me that loving our neighbors comes with the conditions that we first must love God then love ourselves and from that, we shall be able to love others. Both of these facts make much sense as you think about it. First, if you do not know the source of Love how can you give true love without expecting anything in return? Second, if you don’t love yourself, how do you expect to love others? If you are in a bad mood is it generally not projected onto others? This isn’t to say that bad moods can’t occur it’s just perhaps a poor example of being mindful of the needs of others and helping them out for the sake of Love before anything else (and yes, the capital L was intentional).

This being said, it’s all about relationships. It always has been. Even the law was God’s attempt at relationship and keeping His people’s focus on Him. Jesus may my eyes be on you and may you graciously impart the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know you better. I pray also that the eyes of my heart may be enlightened in order that I may know the hope to which you have called me. Use me for Your perfect will and glory. Give me the sensitivity of Spirit and courage of heart in order that I might reach out to others in Your name. Your blessings are truly eternal and without ceasing. Praise!

Learning about God’s role for me

Yesterday, shortly after it happened, I learned about the tragic earthquake in Haiti. The thoughts that went through my mind were numerous. Everything from “I hope Oneal and John and Karl are ok. I need to pray for them.” to “I wonder what extent the destruction among the buildings is and how that will affect people.” So many things. This morning I heard the death toll could reach up to 500,000. What an incredible number of life lost. Unfathomable. I couldn’t help but want to go and help out in Haiti. Asking God what it is He is wanting to teach me, He led me to a conversation in which this Scripture was brought up.

“He said: “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me; they and their fathers have been in revolt against me to this very day. The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and stubborn. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them. And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.”" -Ezekiel 2:3-8

“He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel- not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. But the house of Israel is not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for the whole house of Israel is hardened and obstinate. But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious house.”" -Ezekiel 3:4-9

“I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be silent and unable to rebuke them, though they are a rebellious house. But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says.’ Whoever will listen let him listen, and whoever will refuse let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.” -Ezekiel 3:26-27

I must admit I’ve always had trouble reading through the Old Testament prophets. I just feel like there has been so much history and background information that I had missed. But today, when someone read this to me, it stood out. It was alive and active. At this point, my job is not specifically to go overseas but be where I am. I have desired to go overseas again for a while now. But the fact is, that is not where I am. I am here. I am in my homeland. People understand me. We speak the same language.

Something that has always been hard for me is wanting to share Jesus with people but they don’t want to accept Him or hear about Him. I want them to as He is Life, True Life! but they don’t always want to hear this. So how long do I pursue these people to share Jesus with? The answer is to keep living my life for Jesus and only for Jesus and pray that God opens their hearts. Pray that God puts people in my path who are hungering and thirsting for Jesus that we might have fellowship and build up one another. It isn’t my job to make them accept Jesus. It’s my job to fix my eyes on Jesus and let Him do what needs to be done. Tell people about Him and live life with Him. That’s so easy to say but it hurts my heart to think about those who may not accept Jesus and thereby may not have eternal life. But it is for God to decide who will live with Him eternally, not me.

This is my desire: that God may use my life for His glory. That people may see, through my living life with Jesus, the Savior and not me. And when necessary, that God may grant me the wisdom to know when to speak and when not to. That he may make my tongue stick to my mouth to keep me silent when necessary and open my mouth when He prompts me to speak. I want to know God so intimately that I cannot take my eyes off of Him amidst the world. I want to be so in love with God that nothing else matters but pleasing Him no matter what the cost. Faith without works is dead but one has to have faith before the right works will come along. Only works through faith produce the right fruit. The hard thing about that is, there is no one way that this fruit looks. It is of the Spirit and that is the only way one can tell.

“Teacher,” said John, “we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”

“Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward. -Mark 9:38-41