What are you looking at? – Pt.1

Have you ever been a dark room with a little bit of light?  You can’t really see anything, but the longer you focus, the more the light reveals and the better you can interpret and understand what your looking at.  You may be scared or worried and you may not understand a lot of the things you see, but slowly your fear and worry fades because the light invades the darkness and reveals it for what it is and you can see the truth of what’s actually there.

Welcome to Christianity.  We live in a dark world.  If you don’t realize it yet, all you have to do is turn on the t.v. and watch the news for a little while.  And on the commercial breaks you’ll get a side order of materialism and soft pornography.  But maybe you’re right, maybe it’s not dark, maybe it’s just me and the way I see things.  Only, then you have the problem of millions of other Christians claiming that they see the world similar to the way I’m describing it.  There’s one other problem that you’ll have to confront is that the Bible speaks to this issue as well, and it describes the world more severely than the way I described it.  So why do Christians see the world differently than everyone else? 

If I said it had to do with a blind man, Jesus, some spit, and trees walking around, would you believe me?  Well, that’s the story as recorded in the book of Mark 8:22-25.  It goes like so, Jesus comes to Bethsaida with his disciples.  Some people bring a blind man to Jesus, begging him to touch the man.  So Jesus takes the man by the hand and leads him out of the village.  Then surprise!, Jesus spits on the man’s eyes and puts his hands on him and asks “Do you see anything?”  

The man says, “I see people, they look like trees walking around.”  Then Jesus puts his hands back on the man’s eyes.  His eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.   

So why do Christians see things differently?  It’s because we we’re once blind and now we see.  But there’s a process that we’ve gotta go through and it’s gonna be messy.  Jesus doesn’t promise health and wealth, he promises enlightenment through the spit in our eyes.  We want to escape from our circumstances and Jesus wants to take us through our circumstances.  We’ve been in a dark room with no light our whole lives and then Jesus reveals the light to us.  We’re starting to see things we haven’t seen before and we don’t really know how to interpret what we see, we don’t really know how to live as Christians.  We live our lives according to how much we’ve learned about the world and what we’ve seen so far. 

The more we read the scriptures, hear the Pastor’s sermon, read the insightful blog or share the gospel with a friend, the more light enters the room and we understand a little more about what we’re seeing.  Then there will be a point when Jesus returns and everything will be revealed.  Our eyes will be opened, our sight will be restored, and we’ll see everything clearly.  

1 Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am known.”  John Wesley writes:

“Now we see – Even the things that surround us. But by means of a glass – Or mirror, which reflects only their imperfect forms, in a dim, faint, obscure manner; so that our thoughts about them are puzzling and intricate, and everything is a kind of riddle to us. But then – We shall see, not a faint reflection, but the objects themselves. Face to face – Distinctly. Now I know in part – Even when God himself reveals things to me, great part of them is still kept under the veil. But then I shall know even as also I am known – In a clear, full, comprehensive manner; in some measure like God, who penetrates the centre of every object, and sees at one glance through my soul and all things.”

There’s a true story about a scientific experiment for a blind man to be able see again.  After surgery he could see, but his brain couldn’t interpret what he was looking at.  If he looked at a cat he saw a paw, a tail , a head, but not the cat as a whole.  His brain couldn’t interpret the light signals that his eyes were sending. 

The blind man in the book of Mark could see, but he didn’t really understand fully what he was looking at – “I see people, they look like trees walking around.” We can see love, but we don’t know fully everything about love. Love is a truth that doesn’t change, but our understanding of love changes and so we change to conform to the truth. And then later, just as Jesus puts his hands back on the man’s eyes, so he will come back for us and we will see him face to face. We will see the truth and we will see it clearly. 

  

Is it enough for you?

What’s the deepest you’ve ever loved something?  How far would you go for the one you loved?  What if the one who loved you did so unconditionally, despite all your inadequacies?  What if that One was God, and then asked you, “What can I do for you?”  The God of the universe…asking you if He can do something for you…dwell on that thought and then answer the question.  What would you ask God for? 

The answer to that question reveals what’s in your heart.  If something came to mind that disturbed you, don’t waste time, get rid of it.  Challenge yourself and overcome your thoughts, otherwise you’ll become a slave to whatever you allow into your heart.  That’s who you’ll be, and that’s why your answer turned out the way it did.

Now if your answer was something that would glorify God, then congratulations.  Your heart is set on serving the Lord.  If not, it’s okay because if you’re still reading this it means you’re still breathing.  As long as you’re still breathing you can make a change.  But the longer you wait, the more time you’ll have to convince yourself you don’t need to change.  Remember though, your hindering the work in your heart that God has prepared for you through His word.  You’re also hindering the work in other people’s lives because we are told that we are to properly administer God’s grace. So act quickly to put what you’ve learned and what you know into use, application is key. “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

So let’s get back to my first two questions.  The first was:

What’s the deepest you’ve ever loved something? 

When you think about deep love, do your thoughts take you to a person who has captured your heart, someone that you’re attracted to(physically/spiritually/emotionally)?  Or is it a family member, brother, or son…mom or dad?  Or… do the words “deep love” resonate within your heart and beat with melodies of love for our Father in heaven?  After all, you’re thankfully returning the love he first gave you.  How deep is the well of your love for God, that when you cry out it echoes from the pit of your heart, through your mind and senses, releasing the floodgates of your eyes to rain down tears of joy?  You feel no fear, only the purest sense of completeness in the Father through Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit as you worship Him in spirit and in truth.  The truth is knowing who you are by the grace of knowing who God is.  

Don’t ever let anyone or anything hinder you from changing and growing into Christ-likeness.  You don’t want to have anything in your life that allows the love and glory to be hindered from flowing back to it’s originator.  Which brings me to my second question:

How far would you go for the one you loved? 

I can feel the tears coming as I point you to a bloody cross and to the One who said, “greater love has no one than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  

That was our friend Jesus who laid down his life for us, resisting sin to the point of shedding blood and dying on a cross, who is now resurrected and glorified.  And he asks us simply that we take up our cross and follow Him.  Our brother Paul says to the Romans, and says to you here right now, “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.”  How far are you willing to go with your love for God when someone tries to tempt you to sin after everything God has done for you?  How far will you go in the face of temptation, to hold onto what is good and get rid of everything evil, when Jesus says “I am with you always.”?

Solomon was the wisest man on earth who ever was and ever will be, but in the end he fell away from God.  That really bothered me.  Why?  Why did he fall away if he was so wise?  What hope is there for us? 

Solomon asked God for discernment so that he could justly govern the nation that God had given him to rule over.  He humbled himself before God, and God not only gave him discernment, but wisdom and great wealth, a vast and rich kingdom.  Despite his inadequacies, God was pleased with his request and Solomon was so greatly blessed by the grace of God.

The grace of God.  The love God has poured out on us that should cause us to lay down our lives for him.  But is it sufficient in your life, is God’s goodness, mercy, love…is his grace sufficient for you?  You’ll be able to tell by the way you live your life, which is why we should examine ourselves regularly.  I believe this is the key to why Solomon fell away from God.  In all of the wealth and vastness of the riches of his kingdom, with all of the beautiful women that accompanied such a fine king as himself, his pleasure and the depth of his love no longer resided in the glory of God but in the search for satisfying his own pleasures.  God even warned him that the women would lead him away to other gods, but the wisest man on earth fell in the face of temptation because God’s grace was no longer sufficient in Solomon’s heart. 

Let God rule in your heart and let everything inside of you praise God for his grace that is sufficient. This has been so awesome for me to write this and the only thing I want to do now is to live out God’s word for you, so pray with me the prayer that Paul prayed with the Ephesians:

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Let the words of this song captivate your heart in worship of our awesome God for his grace and love:

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
worth living for
And still more awesome than I know
All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough
You’re my sacrifice
Of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
You’re my coming King
You are everything
And still more awesome than I know
More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can say
You are more than enough for me   
 

Is Jesus God?

“But what about you? Who do you say I am?” – Matthew 16:15, Jesus asked this question to his disciples after hearing what everyone else was saying about him. This is a question that we too need to answer. But first answer this question, is Jesus God?

I’ve been really wanting to write this to give people something to think about the next time someone asks you if Jesus is God. I have to tell you that I’m surprised at the answers I get when I ask people if they believe Jesus is God, even from well seasoned Christians. So, is Jesus God, and why is it important that we know? Follow me for a minute and you’ll see.

Now, I could go into all the times Jesus claimed to be God(they wanted to kill him for blasphemy), how people worshiped him, the Eternal Word who made everything and became flesh in John ch.1, how he is either Lord liar lunatic or legend, he fulfilled not some but all of the Messianic prophecies, he forgave sins, made a new commandment, told people to pray in his name, has his own kingdom not of this world, predicted his own death and resurrection on the third day and then died and resurrected to life on the third day (Luke ch.24), ascended into heaven with the Father while everyone worshiped him, and even though it’s still hard to believe by now I’ll even throw in that part in the Bible when Jesus says “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Okay all that being said(even though there’s so much more), this is what I want you to think about and remember for the rest of your life. If Jesus is the Truth, if Jesus was sinless and never lied or mislead anyone(because Jesus never “mis”leads anyone, he is the perfect Leader), then ask yourself this question:

Where in the Bible does Jesus say that he is not God?

You can focus on those red letters all day long, but the most profound statement that Jesus never made is “I am not God.” I believe that the Bible God gave us is sufficient for us. That’s why there is no mention of Jesus saying he’s not God because then we would have a savior who was insufficient. The Bible makes it clear that we require an eternal salvation, and only Jesus(who’s name means “the LORD saves” & “he will save the people from their sins”), only the sinless Eternal Savior can provide such a requirement for our condition that separates us from God. The Bible would contradict itself if Jesus wasn’t the Eternal God and Savior in Revelation 1:1-8. God is the Creator and everything apart from God was a creation, so if Jesus is not God that would mean Jesus is formed and created. I haven’t seen that mentioned in the Bible either, and in fact, that’s why the Nicene Creed was written becuase of false teaching that Jesus was not God.  

If Jesus wasn’t God, he wouldn’t be able to fulfill the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6, which would again contradict what the Bible says and teaches. So stick with that question and let it probe your heart and find a home there, “where in the Bible does it say that Jesus is not God?”  In fact, if Jesus wasn’t God there would be so many contradictions all throughout the scriptures, and we know the Bible doesn’t contradict itself.

So, I leave you with some powerful scriptures to hide in your heart. Colossians 2:9 -”For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…” I hope the scriptures have made it clear for, but like Jesus says, “But what about you? Who do you say I am?” - Matthew. 16:15   

I want to also remind you that even though the holiday to celebrate chocolate bunny’s…wait, I mean Jesus’ resurrection is coming up, I want to challenge you to celebrate every day the victory we have in Christ through His resurrection from death, securing our freedom to live. Click on this link and watch this quick video – Amena Brown “Resurrection”

Huh?

Since I became a Christian I’ve been undergoing some great changes in my life, and the next thing to change is my listening skills.  I don’t know about you but I’m A.D.D., I mean really bad…if you know me your probably laughing right now, but I love you anyways.  When my A.D.D. kicks in you can pretty much say goodbye to about half the conversation.  But since I’ve been looking into my mirror, AKA ”God’s word,” it seems to be showing me something I need to fix about my listening skills.  In fact, if I don’t, I’m not going to be used at my full potential, so I need to take action.  And that’s how this blog was born.

Have you ever been talking to someone and they’ve given you advice, but it just didn’t make sense with what you’re going through?  Or, have you been in a conversation with someone and because someone misunderstands something said, it turns into an arguement?  Have you ever read a Bible verse and walked away without trying to understand how it applies in your life, or ended up applying it the wrong way?  Or, have you ever ordered a double cheeseburger with no pickles, but when it showed up your sandwich had pickles on it? 

These are examples of what can happen when listening skills would’ve helped your relationship with people or you relationship with God. You may not realize it at the time, but you end up unfulfilled and/or misdirected, and your need hasn’t been met. But the good news with God is that it doesn’t have to be this way, so here are some biblical principles to change our listening habits:

1. Our motivation for listening should be for the good of others.

First things first, in order to fix our listening skills we have to start by checking our motivation. 1 Corinthians 10:24 says, “Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” If your motivation for listening is “all about me” or “not about them,” then the conversation will be unfulfilled and misdirected.  Treat the word of God like it’s the most important words in your life, that’s why David treasured it in his heart.  Honor one another above yourselves, so don’t let the people talking to you speak in vain.  Make sure you show them love, honor and respect by listening to their words, but test everything against scripture.

2. Take the time to listen so that my choice words find a home.

Secondly, I have to check my actions, making sure that I’m listening effectively. James 1:19 says, “Everyone should be quick to listen, and slow to speak.” Patience is one of the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22. If others are to know that we’re Christians, we need to be renewing and challenging ourselves in our hearts and minds to display these fruits so we can be effective in ministry. If they don’t care what you know unless they know that you care, it’s important that we show them we care by listening to them. So good listening opens up the door for them to accept good advice.  There’s more likelihood that they’ll invite your words into their heart if you first listened with patience and compassion.

3. Seek compassionately to understand what I’ve heard.

The third is a principle in Proverbs 2:2. The verse says that you should be “turning you ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding.” I have to give my full attention and listen to God in His word, seeking compassionately to understand what I’ve heard. In the same way I have to take the time to listen to others so I can understand what they’ve told me, only then can I understand their true need. As a Christian, in order to have the fullest relationship possible with God and with people, you have to listen compassionately so you can understand, apply and relate.

Here’s how it applies: I have to take the time to listen to others so I can appropriately minister to them with the resources God has given me. But not with what I think is right at the moment, only after I’ve carefully reviewed their words and discerned their need can I properly be a loving channel of God’s resources. That way God gets the glory and nothing is confused about the resources given. For example, if I just tell someone what I want to tell them without truly listening they may be confused and go away without good counsel. Then they may not trust in coming back to me for advice, or they may not open up to me anymore. In either case God wasn’t glorified and they were left unfulfilled and misdirected.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 says it beautifully, “…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble… For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many , so that they may be saved.” So many people stumble because there is not enough compassionate listening involved in our relationships. Right now as you’re reading this you probably have something that you’d love to discuss with someone if you knew they would listen to you with an understanding heart. And in this city, if we’re going to reach people for Christ, we have to be effective listeners because everyone has a story. If we can relate to that story with God’s grace, love and truth, then God can use us to melt the heart of stone, “so that they may be saved.”

Increasing your listening skills in this biblical pattern will affect a positive change into every interaction you have with God and with people. But first God is calling you to respond and make a positive change in your heart and mind to be a good listener.  I know my A.D.D. self is ready to “make every effort” to be a good listener, what about you?  
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What do you see?

When I looked in the mirror this morning I had a thought, ”Why do we look at ourselves in the mirror?” 
(I’m not talking about those who stare  at themselves in the mirror) 

When we look in the mirror it’s usually because we’re examing ourselves to make sure everything’s all good.  Well if it’s not all good, if something’s not right, there’s usually 3 responses:

1. you immediately want to change it or fix it. 
2. you see it but go away without changing anything, eventually forgetting about what you saw.
3. you just cover it up.

The Bible tells us to examine ourselves, spirit soul and body, through the mirror of the scriptures that God uses to reveal what we need to change in our lives. When we notice something that’s wrong, we should immediately seek to change it and “make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”-2 Peter 3:14

When a person sees something wrong in a real mirror and does something about it, they end up with a better appearance, they have more confidence, they’re so thankful that they noticed what was wrong and they’re glad that they did something about it.

Similarly, when the person looks into the mirror of the scriptures and takes action to change the things that are wrong, they get closer to the image of God. He gives them more confidence that they can do all things through Christ. They are so thankful that God revealed another area in their life that they needed to change and they’re so glad that they did something about it, ultimately resulting in praise and glory to God. “Thank you God for not leaving me like you found me, but that you called me to change to be like you.”

The person who sees what’s wrong but goes away without doing anything about it is like the careless man in James 1:23-24 who looks at himself and forgets about what he saw because he didn’t spend enough time carefully studying to seek to change anything that was wrong. So many of us don’t spend enough time in the scriptures to find out how God wants us to live, to allow Him to reveal the things we need to change. The more time we spend with God the more we realize our condition compared to His holiness and it convicts us to change. We wouldn’t want a mechanic to quickly glance at our car and send us on our way when we know there’s something wrong with it. You would definitely want a doctor to spend time with you to make sure that he found out what was wrong with you so you could be healed. Why should you believe that you don’t have to spend time in God’s word to find out how to live your life the way it should be lived?

It’s a little different for the one who notices something wrong and covers it up.  They’re going to have a similar outcome as the first one but with one difference, it’s only temporary.  Because they just covered it up, they’ll have to repeat the process over and over again, without ever fixing the real problem.  Which ultimately leads to a happiness that’s only on the surface when inside your not okay because you know the truth. They have exchanged the chance to be changed by God and reveal His glory with their own image to satisfy their own temorary pleasures (see Romans 1:21-23).

So what do you see when you look into the mirror? What are you going to do about it? James says that the one who looks intently into the scriptures that give freedom, not forgettting what they’ve heard but puts the word into practice and continues to do so will be blessed in what they do. So please, don’t just stay where you’re at in your walk with God. Read your Bible, and do what it says because it reveals life, “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.” – James 2:17 

Again I ask, what do you see in the mirror and what are you going to do about it?

Who says I’m too young?

I am an uncle to a new baby boy, his name is Austin Thomas.  I just wanted to write a quick blog proving that you are never too young to pray for Jesus to come into your heart…lol
Joseph and Trisha, you are my brother and sister in Christ! Love you guys, and whoever reads this, please take a sec and say a prayer for baby Austin that God would raise him up to be a servant of God, strong and healthy, faithful and full of love for God and for others. Thank you

What do Switchfoot and Movement have in common?

Switchfoot is a band with talented musicians, a great lead singer Jon Foreman, but most of all, sweet hairstyles…no really they’re lyrics are awesome.  They are so poetic, deep and meaningful.  They call you to examine yourself and respond in your heart.  It’s not just about the music for these guys, it’s about the condition of your heart and not leaving it unexamined. 

So what do we have in common, this blog is about a movement.  It’s about calling your faith into action.  They have an older song called “Dare you to move” and it’s about calling you to respond to God, getting you to examine the difference between who you are and who you are called to be.    Here are some of the lyrics:

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

So if you were to examine yourself right now, where do you think you stand with God? What are some things you believe God is calling you to change in your life? What’s stopping you? Don’t let the challenge of change stop you from fulfilling your purpose in Christ, “between who you are and who you could be, between how it is and how it should be.” “I dare you to move.”

Am I qualified to write this?

Most anywhere you go… churches, schools, authors, and things of that matter, you find people trying to qualify themselves with the works that they’ve done.  It’s hard to find someone people are behind who doesn’t have some great track record with all these credentials…but here’s something to note, that’s what they boast on.  Since when did God stop qualifying people?  Since when was learning from God’s word and giving him the glory not enough?  2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”  This is the person you would want to follow and learn from, and note it says “present yourself to God,” not to others.  Paul says that in everything we do we should do it as if working for the Lord and not for men.  So why do we try and prove ourselves to others by listing things that we’ve done or accomplished or a title we have?  I get this question a lot, “why don’t you go into ministry?”  And I think to myself I am in ministry, everyday.  Just because I’m not a pastor at a church doesn’t mean that I’m not qualified for ministry.  It’s only because they are basing their definition of ministry on things that we try to qualify ourselves with, my job in this example. 

I often see people immediately look at the back of a book to check the author’s credentials.  Hear me out for a second, what if all it said was “I love God, his word, and I always make sure I handle it correctly.”  Would you still follow them, or would you need them to have an M. Div or a more “qualifying” degree or achievement, title or job?  Or would God’s standards be okay enough for you?  Don’t misunderstand me about schooling either, I think wanting to increase your knowledge of God is great so long as you don’t qualify yourself with that schooling. Judging by most people’s standards I’ve seen, I shouldn’t be qualified to write this.  But what are God’s standards?  It says in 2 Corinthians 10:18 “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”  So can just some ordinary person be qualified to be a channel of God’s wisdom? 

We know that the knowledge of God’s will comes from God.  We know that the fruits of the Spirit come from God.  We know that Solomon’s wisdom was a gift from God.  Why then do we try and qualify ourselves with our own achievements like it was of our own power that we gained the wisdom to know great things about God?  He is the revealer, the teacher.  Even though someone teaches you something great about God, do you think that the teaching came from his own wisdom, or was the person being used by God as a channel of God’s wisdom?  Everything true we have ever learned about God must have first come from God.  So he deserves all of the credit, not universities or achievements, jobs or anything else we place as our qualifiers.

Warren Wiersbe wrote a definition of ministry based on an account in Acts 3 where Peter heals a crippled beggar at the temple gate called Beautiful.  The definition he gives is “ministry takes place when divine resources meet human needs through loving channels to the glory of God.”  Peter recognized this mans real need, had compassion for him and uses himself to be a channel of God’s resources. It results in praise and glory to God, opening up an opportunity for the gospel to be shared and for about 2,000 people to be saved. Ministry doesn’t take place without God, we are bankrupt without him… we have no wisdom, love, life, breath… so we have to recognize our need.  Peter says in Acts 3:12-13, “Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?  The God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus.”  You see, they recognized where the true power comes from and where the glory belongs, God, the great I AM.  When the Sanhedrin(high priests and court officials) ”saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus“(Acts 4:13).  Do people take note that you walk closely with the Lord?  If so, is it because you had to tell them and/or boast of who you are or what you’ve done… or was it because you represented Jesus to them through your actions, through your faith displayed?  Remember, it said that the Sanhedrin “saw their courage.”

So, no matter whether you are a “professional christian” or just an ordinary, unschooled person…what counts is your relationship with God and his word, allowing yourself to be a loving channel of God’s resources, and giving the glory to God where it rightfully belongs.  God can use anyone he wants to, so don’t feel like just because you have an “ordinary job” and an “ordinary life” that God can’t use you to do great things for his glory.  I believe God is calling our faith away from a ”look at what I’ve done” Christianity to a “thank you God for what you’re doing through me” Christianity.  Which one are you?  Be a loving channel of God’s resources, he is calling us to respond.       

Are you where you wanna be?

Ya know, I’ve had some strange things happen to me, and I figure it’s just God’s way of grabbing my attention sometimes.  But yesterday at work I was talking to an older woman, Southern Baptist, probably mid 60′s-70′s, and we were sharing our thoughts on the theological standpoints of Christian rap.  Ok, I know where you think this conversation is going, but hear me out.

That was one of the 18 other random conversations her and I had in a 10 minute time period, when she said something that really impacted me…in fact I’ve been dwelling on this thought for a while now, sharing it with others and asking what they think about it.  Her one little statement out of the 10 minutes of conversation (not that talking about America’s govt. and her brother, and aunt Sylvia weren’t important) helped me understand the personal application of the scriptures that talk about being ready.

Literally, she interrupted herself and so randomly said, “you know, I lived a long time…and I always want to make sure that I’m where I want to be when the Lord returns.”  What God spoke to me in so few words was, “Brian, are you where you wanna be when Jesus returns…when you’re walking out your faith, and I send my Son, are you going to be found doing the work I called you to do?”  I instantly thought about the arguement I had with my wife the other week, and then another time when I got frustrated with my circumstances…then so many other instances of when I’ve sinned, and thought “what if Jesus had come in that moment?”

I want to always be found doing what God has called me to do.  What about you?  In Luke 12:35-40 Jesus says that we are always to be ready to serve, that it will be good for the servants that He finds ready.  He says, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”  Jesus didn’t just come to earth to talk about what He was going to do, Jesus came to “do the will of the one who sent me.”  Jesus came to “serve and not to be served.”  He set the example with the way, the truth and the life he lived, and told us, “My Father is always at work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” 

Talking about the Day of the Lord, 2 Peter 2:13-14 says, “But in keeping with his promise we are to be looking foward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.  So then, dear friends, (sorry to get off topic, but I love how he calls us dear friends…do you have anyone in your life that calls you dear friend?)  since you are looking foward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”  So if you asked me how should I live my life out in a way like that?  I’d answer, Psalm 119.  It says in verse 9 that in order to keep your ways pure, you have to live according to His Word.  Like I said in my last blog, you have to live by the directions we’ve been given, cause they’re the only way to get us home, the “home of righteousness.”

Thanks to God working through Pastor Steven Furtick, he taught me to “eat the fish, leave the bones” (essentially 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22).  It basically means to learn from the good and the bad but, leave the bad…”hold on to what is good.”  So out of that whole conversation I had with the older woman, God allowed me to learn and share simple but biblical insight about being a servant of God, ready for Him…”waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can immediately open the door for him”(Luke 12:36). That’s love.

I’ll close with this story, when I was about 16 or 17, I used to party a lot…drinking, drugs. (no, I wasn’t a Christian yet…even though there are Christians who still do those things)  So one weekend my parents went out of town…party time.  I had one of the biggest parties ever and left proof.  We made a beer can pyramid on the dining room table that almost reached the ceiling.  Well, parents came home early and found my brother and I doing exactly what they told us not to be doing.  Pretty stupid huh?  Well what do you think God is going to find when He comes to get his children, when He comes to get you?  I’m so thankful it was my parents who came home early, and God gave me time to believe in His Son. In every situation that you find yourself in, are you where you wanna be when Jesus comes back?

“Do you love me?” – J.C.

Thanks for stopping by, this site is still under construction.  While your here, I’ll give you some insight to what drives this blog.  James 1:17, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action is dead.”  James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”  John 21:17, Jesus said, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, ”Do you love me?”  He said, “Lord you know all things; you know that I love you.”  Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”…”follow me!” John 10:27, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they follow me.”

These verses clearly point out that God wants us to put our faith into action, if we really love God, we would do what He says.  So, to make this more personal Jesus is asking you, ”(put your name here), do you love me?”  And if we can say that we love him, he tells us to put that love into action…it’s not just enough to say that we love him, Matthew 15:8.  To many Christians today hide behind “I love Jesus” masks… when really they haven’t picked up their Bible in weeks and their daily devotion is covered on the ride into work when they say, “God I hate this traffic.”  If you love him, feed his sheep…if you love him, obey his word…Jesus wants us to respond, not to be comfortable…we can’t grow unless we change to conform to God’s will for our lives. (yes, you should call that in for the longest sentence ever)

It’s like this, if you we’re lost, and someone helped you get directions to find your way home…you wouldn’t just stay lost and continue in your lostness (I made that word up, but it works)…you would be thankful for the directions and follow them, take action and drive home.  God has given us directions, your not just going to continue living without the directions are you?  Be thankful for the directions…in fact love them… read them, take action and press on until we get to our home in heaven.

Jesus says in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” So do you live your life out by God’s Word? That’s a tough challenge but it’s what we’re obligated to do because we know what God has done for us. Roll over to Psalm 119:1-37 and check out the passion we should have for God’s word, coming from David, the “man after God’s own heart.”

I have a challenge for you in these verses 1 John 2:3-6, 1 John 3:16-18, to give you greater insight.  Just a warning before you do though, be honest with yourself and prepare to be humbled…maybe even have your feelings hurt…but remember, God calls us to turn to him, no matter where we’re @ in our journey, so there’s always hope in Christ who is faithful to restore us. 

I’ll close it out with Luke 8:4, which is part of a great illustration.  We see that a large number of people were gathered together to hear Jesus out of every town.  I believe Jesus perceived this and knew (because he’s God) that many, if not most of them, would be hearers only, and not doers of the word. Which is why I believe Jesus then tells them the parable of the sower.  Afterward he tells the disciples the meaning behind the parable and ends with, “But the seed that fell on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” What kind of soil are you? Again, when Jesus asks, “Do you love me?”, what are you going to do with that question? Ignore it, or confront it?  In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.”  He’s knocking on your door, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”  Are you going to eat with him?  God is calling you to respond.