"Take me to the place where you are. I love you. Lord, I love you"
"Just to be with you I would do anything. There's no price I would not pay.
Just to be with you Ive done everything. There's no price I did not pay" -Third Day, Love Song
Where has God been? Jesus was in the quiet. he was comforted by His disciples and the Spirit. He taught the disciples. He healed the sick. He made the blind to see. He had dinner with the prostitutes and tax collectors. He was betrayed in a much bigger way than any of us have been. He prayed until He sweat blood. But most of all, He suffered a painful, brutal, and gruesome death on the cross.
These are all these places He's been. He has been all things to all people. He experienced everything that includes suffering and comfort, mourning and joy, sadness and peace. He was a man of great sorrows. Ask yourself "am I willing to go to all of those places? For even Christ?"
He paid every price there was to pay to be with you, and bring you with Him. He asks the same of us. He demands the same of us. The only thing that could come between you and Him was sin, and He took care of that problem. His work to conquer sin is finished. There is forgiveness and healing for all who will choose to be chosen.
If your answer is "No, I'm not willing to do that," be honest. For most Christians it's not. Don't lie to yourself, and certainly don't try and lie to God. But, as you go about your life, don't expect anything more from Him than youre willing to give.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Daddy's Strong Arms
Daddy's Strong Arms
I'm on my way to Kansas City. My daddy is driving and I'm in the passenger seat. It's raining heavily outside, and my knees are on the seat, tucked into my chest. During normal weather conditions my daddy drives comfortably with just one hand on the wheel- but not right now. I look over to see that he has both arms firmly extended, both hands gripping the wheel, and both eyes constantly observing what's ahead.
In that moment it occurs to me that he is protecting me. Every decision he is making is in effort to protect me. Whether or not to turn the lights on and how bright, to slow down or resume normal speed, which lane to be in, all decisions he is making for my benefit-for my protection. He knows exactly where we're going and how to get there, and he didn't need my help to figure it out. He is my guardian until we arrive to safety.
My heavenly Father is the same but more so. He knows how to protect me and guide me. He knows how to be in control and the wisest decision to make. He doesn't require my knowledge or my guidance, just to be obedient and trust Him-to trust that He, Creator God, Yahweh, Father, the Glorious and Perfect One, has my best interest at heart. He may choose to slow me down, or speed me up. He may keep me in a season of winter where things are dormant, or to move into the growth and life of spring. He may remove others that I love from my life, and add those that test me to my life. But no matter what He does, it is out of a loe that's deeper than I can understand.
To the believer this is a great comfort. We are safe to know that His love is driving Him to be closer to us, to speak to us, but not to love us more. He could not love us more, and will not ever love us less. To the unbeliever this is a great conviction and invitation. It is an invitation to join the family of Christ, of Jesus who came in the flesh as a man and died to kill your sin, and was resurrected to save you. To be His son and have rights to see Him, hear from Him, and speak to Him.
I'm on my way to Kansas City. My daddy is driving and I'm in the passenger seat. It's raining heavily outside, and my knees are on the seat, tucked into my chest. During normal weather conditions my daddy drives comfortably with just one hand on the wheel- but not right now. I look over to see that he has both arms firmly extended, both hands gripping the wheel, and both eyes constantly observing what's ahead.
In that moment it occurs to me that he is protecting me. Every decision he is making is in effort to protect me. Whether or not to turn the lights on and how bright, to slow down or resume normal speed, which lane to be in, all decisions he is making for my benefit-for my protection. He knows exactly where we're going and how to get there, and he didn't need my help to figure it out. He is my guardian until we arrive to safety.
My heavenly Father is the same but more so. He knows how to protect me and guide me. He knows how to be in control and the wisest decision to make. He doesn't require my knowledge or my guidance, just to be obedient and trust Him-to trust that He, Creator God, Yahweh, Father, the Glorious and Perfect One, has my best interest at heart. He may choose to slow me down, or speed me up. He may keep me in a season of winter where things are dormant, or to move into the growth and life of spring. He may remove others that I love from my life, and add those that test me to my life. But no matter what He does, it is out of a loe that's deeper than I can understand.
To the believer this is a great comfort. We are safe to know that His love is driving Him to be closer to us, to speak to us, but not to love us more. He could not love us more, and will not ever love us less. To the unbeliever this is a great conviction and invitation. It is an invitation to join the family of Christ, of Jesus who came in the flesh as a man and died to kill your sin, and was resurrected to save you. To be His son and have rights to see Him, hear from Him, and speak to Him.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
The Wonder
Wonder: A feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable.
He is the sign. He is the wonder.
These lyrics point to something inexplainably amazing about God. He is the wonder. Notice it says "the" not "a" because He is the beauty above all beauties, and the perfection of all that we see and do not see. The more we know Him, the more we find this to be true. A boring God is no God at all.
His wisdom is infinite. His compassion is overwhelming. A greater love we could not find, for infinitude is above all things. The nature of our spirit is to desire His spirit, and we were indefinitely created to love and be loved. That is what it's all about; loving God due to the love He has shown us, then out of that love we desire to bring others to Him.
My end point is this. If God is boring to you, you must be worshipping the wrong God (or have the wrong definition of the right God). His very nature is to astound us and conform us to it. To motivate us to new revelations while still satisfying. This is an absolute truth.
The more I seek Him, the more I find Him
The more I find Him, the more I love Him.
He is the sign. He is the wonder.
These lyrics point to something inexplainably amazing about God. He is the wonder. Notice it says "the" not "a" because He is the beauty above all beauties, and the perfection of all that we see and do not see. The more we know Him, the more we find this to be true. A boring God is no God at all.
His wisdom is infinite. His compassion is overwhelming. A greater love we could not find, for infinitude is above all things. The nature of our spirit is to desire His spirit, and we were indefinitely created to love and be loved. That is what it's all about; loving God due to the love He has shown us, then out of that love we desire to bring others to Him.
My end point is this. If God is boring to you, you must be worshipping the wrong God (or have the wrong definition of the right God). His very nature is to astound us and conform us to it. To motivate us to new revelations while still satisfying. This is an absolute truth.
The more I seek Him, the more I find Him
The more I find Him, the more I love Him.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Intimacy
It's the fuel of Christ. All that we are to do is supposed to be motivated by intimacy. Consider this. The more intimate you are with a person, the more you talk about them-they naturally come up in conversation with anyone at anytime. Just talk to any newly weds. You cant talk to a new bride for very long without some story or characteristic of her husband coming into the conversation.
Also, we can hear that persons voice. Not only can we recognize it among all the other voices, but we can hear it anytime at all. I've even gotten to the point of being able to imagine how someone would say something. Furthermore, if it's a healthy relationship, their voice is comforting. We love to just hear the persons voice, and often it doesn't hardly matter what they say.
Sometimes He doesn't have to say anything at all.
This is intimacy. We can't love God until we know Him, and we can't know Him until we seek to know Him. We'll never want to know Him until we know how badly He is seeking to know us. That my friends is the gospel-that a perfect, loving, perfectly loving, strong, willing, and powerful God wants to know us intimately, and to help us radically.
The difference between those who walk in the Spirit and those who don't is not knowledge, not even scriptural. It isn't understanding. Shocker I know but most people who perform and see miracles have no way to describe what actually happened. The things of God are far beyond comprehension. His foolishness is our highest wisdom. The difference between those who are walking in holiness and those who aren't is those who are simply know him. How do they know him? They spend time with Him. The more they seek Him, the more they find Him. The more they find him, the more they love Him.
You truly cannot know him intimately without wanting to share Him, to talk about Him, to simply dwell in His presence, and to hear his voice. Seeking and discovering His love for you will naturally cause you to walk with Him, cast out demons, raise the dead, and lay hands on people for edification and healing. If you haven't before, start today.
Also, we can hear that persons voice. Not only can we recognize it among all the other voices, but we can hear it anytime at all. I've even gotten to the point of being able to imagine how someone would say something. Furthermore, if it's a healthy relationship, their voice is comforting. We love to just hear the persons voice, and often it doesn't hardly matter what they say.
Sometimes He doesn't have to say anything at all.
This is intimacy. We can't love God until we know Him, and we can't know Him until we seek to know Him. We'll never want to know Him until we know how badly He is seeking to know us. That my friends is the gospel-that a perfect, loving, perfectly loving, strong, willing, and powerful God wants to know us intimately, and to help us radically.
The difference between those who walk in the Spirit and those who don't is not knowledge, not even scriptural. It isn't understanding. Shocker I know but most people who perform and see miracles have no way to describe what actually happened. The things of God are far beyond comprehension. His foolishness is our highest wisdom. The difference between those who are walking in holiness and those who aren't is those who are simply know him. How do they know him? They spend time with Him. The more they seek Him, the more they find Him. The more they find him, the more they love Him.
You truly cannot know him intimately without wanting to share Him, to talk about Him, to simply dwell in His presence, and to hear his voice. Seeking and discovering His love for you will naturally cause you to walk with Him, cast out demons, raise the dead, and lay hands on people for edification and healing. If you haven't before, start today.
The Desires of Your Heart
In "The Seven Longings of the Human Heart" by Mike Bickle, he talks about how we are to delight ourselves in the lord, and he will give us the desires of our heart. Most people think this means "if im a good Christian, God will give me what I want. If I live a good moral life, give to charities and attend church once a week God will give me a new car and nice house and white pocket fence." I agree with him that most people think this is what it means.
At best, you'll find a few people who think it means "as I get closer to God, He will change my desires to be his desires. Before I wanted to get married, but once I'm closer, I'll want to be single. Before I wanted to be rich, but God will make me content with just enough." while I think this is closer than the first option, it's still not quite right. This concept seems like God is undermining us or manipulating us, making his love conditional, as if he's saying "if you loved me, you'd want this instead"
The reality is this. No dream is a bad one. Sex is a beautiful thing when inside the context of marriage. Marriage is a beautiful thing when the first love is Christ, and the second love remains as the spouse. You should not try to kill your dream, and many times you really don't even need to change it- you just need to pursue it in a righteous way. God would not give you a dream just to kill it.
The reality is that if your dream is to be a great mom, God probably wants you to be a great mom. If your dream is to own a big business, God probably wants you to own a big business. No dream is bad, and our God is a good God. However, the first and most important mission of our hearts should be to know Him, to grow in intimacy and passion for our Savior and Friend. Secondly, you are to let His love shine through you in such a way that others want what you have, so that as many as possible may be saved. So cling to your dream of that business, but remember that it is not simply an end, but a means for you to show the world how people of God run honest businesses. Cling to that dream of being a great mom, but remember that its another way to glorify him. Show all the other moms what it means to love their children with the love of Christ by loving your own children with His love.
All things were created by and for him, for his good pleasure. Thus, no dream is a bad dream, it just may be being pursued in a bad way. Pursue it by, through, and because of Him, through the power of the Spirit that works in you.
At best, you'll find a few people who think it means "as I get closer to God, He will change my desires to be his desires. Before I wanted to get married, but once I'm closer, I'll want to be single. Before I wanted to be rich, but God will make me content with just enough." while I think this is closer than the first option, it's still not quite right. This concept seems like God is undermining us or manipulating us, making his love conditional, as if he's saying "if you loved me, you'd want this instead"
The reality is this. No dream is a bad one. Sex is a beautiful thing when inside the context of marriage. Marriage is a beautiful thing when the first love is Christ, and the second love remains as the spouse. You should not try to kill your dream, and many times you really don't even need to change it- you just need to pursue it in a righteous way. God would not give you a dream just to kill it.
The reality is that if your dream is to be a great mom, God probably wants you to be a great mom. If your dream is to own a big business, God probably wants you to own a big business. No dream is bad, and our God is a good God. However, the first and most important mission of our hearts should be to know Him, to grow in intimacy and passion for our Savior and Friend. Secondly, you are to let His love shine through you in such a way that others want what you have, so that as many as possible may be saved. So cling to your dream of that business, but remember that it is not simply an end, but a means for you to show the world how people of God run honest businesses. Cling to that dream of being a great mom, but remember that its another way to glorify him. Show all the other moms what it means to love their children with the love of Christ by loving your own children with His love.
All things were created by and for him, for his good pleasure. Thus, no dream is a bad dream, it just may be being pursued in a bad way. Pursue it by, through, and because of Him, through the power of the Spirit that works in you.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Cigarettes
So I recently went through a pretty serious separation from a close friend and romantic interest. It's amazing though how looking back on it I see things so much clearer than I did when I was actually going through them. It's almost like I couldn't see the forest for the trees. Hinesight is 20/20 as they say. My friends have been telling me how much more stable and even restful I seem, and I actually agree with them (don't get me wrong. there is a certain sadness and mourning that comes, and I don't mean to downplay that). Two of my friends today have used the word toxic in reference to the relationship. Also, they both pointed out how I revert back to my normal self when that toxin is no longer there.
So, of course with my analytical and allegorical mindset, I started to relate the whole experience to quitting smoking. Firstly, despite how unhealthy and unattractive it is, most smokers can't give it up. You can tell them a million times that it's killing them and yet, their addiction usually stays with them. They can't refuse it. If and when they finally do decide to quit, the first few days (about 5) are absolute hell. They're beyond stressed and worn out. It impacts every part of their life for those few days. Here's the part I'm really interested in though. If that (now) ex-smoker has just one cigarette, the odds of him getting addicted again are tremendously high. Furthermore, his odds are higher than if some one who had never smoked before smoked one.
One more point. After a great amount of time (usually 1 year or more), the smoker can be around other smokers and control himself, even be fine.
I think this is a lot like sin. At first it may seem fun, attractive, and even addictive. We can get so stuck and so ruled by fear that we can't even see it for what it is anymore. It's killing us but we're blind. Then, if we ever do give it up and refuse it, the first few battles are the hardest to win. Once we've one them though, we experience part of the life of a conqueror. You can't however, ever return to that sin and expect to not be overwhelmed by it- or at least not until a lot of time has passed. It's like you're on the edge of a steep hill. Once you take one step, you're likely to fall all the way down.
How do we avoid falling down? Don't take the first step. What if you've already taken the first step? Find a brother or sister to help you up. Bring your sin to light, for sin can not dwell where light dwells. What if you're stuck in sin right now? Our God is an awesome God. A God of abundant grace and redemption. Seek Him in humility, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness, and get around people who will encourage and strengthen you. After all, even Jesus needed 12 men to keep His strength up.
I do pray that this entry finds you in good times and good spirits. If not, I have seen and firmly believe in the Master who sets slaves free, and in the Spirit whose perfect love casts out fear. If you'd like to meet them, ask me about it :)
So, of course with my analytical and allegorical mindset, I started to relate the whole experience to quitting smoking. Firstly, despite how unhealthy and unattractive it is, most smokers can't give it up. You can tell them a million times that it's killing them and yet, their addiction usually stays with them. They can't refuse it. If and when they finally do decide to quit, the first few days (about 5) are absolute hell. They're beyond stressed and worn out. It impacts every part of their life for those few days. Here's the part I'm really interested in though. If that (now) ex-smoker has just one cigarette, the odds of him getting addicted again are tremendously high. Furthermore, his odds are higher than if some one who had never smoked before smoked one.
One more point. After a great amount of time (usually 1 year or more), the smoker can be around other smokers and control himself, even be fine.
I think this is a lot like sin. At first it may seem fun, attractive, and even addictive. We can get so stuck and so ruled by fear that we can't even see it for what it is anymore. It's killing us but we're blind. Then, if we ever do give it up and refuse it, the first few battles are the hardest to win. Once we've one them though, we experience part of the life of a conqueror. You can't however, ever return to that sin and expect to not be overwhelmed by it- or at least not until a lot of time has passed. It's like you're on the edge of a steep hill. Once you take one step, you're likely to fall all the way down.
How do we avoid falling down? Don't take the first step. What if you've already taken the first step? Find a brother or sister to help you up. Bring your sin to light, for sin can not dwell where light dwells. What if you're stuck in sin right now? Our God is an awesome God. A God of abundant grace and redemption. Seek Him in humility, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness, and get around people who will encourage and strengthen you. After all, even Jesus needed 12 men to keep His strength up.
I do pray that this entry finds you in good times and good spirits. If not, I have seen and firmly believe in the Master who sets slaves free, and in the Spirit whose perfect love casts out fear. If you'd like to meet them, ask me about it :)
Monday, February 13, 2012
The Mountain
It’s long been said and known that God is in direct opposition by comparison to the nature of man. Even most theists, deists, agnostics and atheists agree that if God does indeed exist, He is incomparably better than the world. Some of those people will use this very argument to conclude that God does not exist, or does but is very hands off about it. However, I’m not getting into that argument today.
My purpose in this entry is to give you another analogy or allegory that strives/attempts to express the amazing story of grace.
It has become a popularized idea that all religions worship the same God, and we’re all going to heaven but taking different paths to get there. It’s like God is at the top of the mountain, and each of us is hiking towards Him, each taking our own path to the top. Some of us have harder paths while others have easier paths. Some have longer paths while others have shorter paths. No matter how toilsome or rugged, a spirit of pride has told us we each deserve to get to heaven and we will.
Christianity completely disagrees with this concept. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me.” –Jesus
What if I told you that God, instead of you working your way to Him, worked His way toward you? Selah.
What if I told you that God’s compassion so strongly compels Him to save you that He, in humility, approaches you? What if I told you that it’s not based on anything you have ever done, and nothing you ever could or will do? “While we were yet still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Grace. In the beginning God created The Mountain. There were 3 men, 1 women, and 1 spirit in perfect harmony as God the Father created it to be. After some unkown time, the woman was deceived and fell down the mountain, and the man after her.
One important note- Before the fall , God had perfect plans, a Word that made man perfect, and in man was a spirit God created to be loved, to dwell in perfect love and harmony. It was not simply that you were created to be loved, but God had plans to be with you in eternal bliss, and after He lost you, He would do anything to get you back. When Adam and Eve fell, not only did they fall but so did all of mankind, and the Father grieved.
The only thing that could keep them from God was the exact thing they committed- sin. In agony indescribable and compassion unbearable, the Father upheld justice- that the punishment for sin is death.
Again, in perfect love, God sent His Son to the bottom of the mountain to remind us of who He is, and make a way for us to once again dwell in purity and holiness with Him. And that way was death, followed by a wonderful resurrection. This was also to symbolize our own death to sin, and resurrection through grace.
This is where our story begins. This is where we find that God is at the bottom of the mountain with an outstretched hand, motivated by love to ask you to take it and follow Him.
God does not see your sin and condemn you. He does not punish you in revoltion, but disciplines you in love. He is just. Love is here to bring us back to where we started, and that place is beautiful.
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