A person cannot simply ignore God. A decision needs to be made and once made we need to allow that decision to invade every aspect of our being. The basic question is, do we believe that we can trust God? I don't think that the basic question is, does God exist? Given the right circumstances, the vast majority of people on this planet believe there is a God. They may be deists but they won't deny the God part in our creation and well being.
Most people have yet to discover who this God is and may even think he is impersonal and out of our reach. They are wrong, but it may be what they believe. It still comes down to the question, do we believe we can trust God? Can we trust him to keep his promises? Can we trust he is who he says he is? Can we trust he is for us and does not secretly want to kill us? Can you believe that God actually answered this?
Let me move from the impersonal to the personal. God is real, present, compassionate and forgiving. His name is not God (a title), but "I AM who I AM". We translate this as Yahweh, Jehovah or LORD. Now Yahweh, who is far from impersonal, loves us very much and has done everything he can to bring us into an intimate relationship with him. Here is his answer to the question, "can he be trusted":
"God isn't a man that he would lie, or a human being that he would change his mind. Has he ever spoken and not done it, or promised and not fulfilled it?" (Numbers 23:19)
Every super hero we create we create with a flaw because we cannot stand perfection. Every god we have created we created with flaws; we cannot believe in perfection because of our own imperfection. Yahweh is not like that. He is not created after our image. He is the Creator, so far beyond us it is hard for us to accept him. He is perfect, flawless and trust worthy. He made a decision to love us at the very beginning and no matter what it has cost him he has not backed down.
He has proven himself over thousands of years to be as good as his word. When he promised blessings they were received. When he promised correction it came. But like any relationship, a person cannot be seen for who they are until you spend time with them. I can tell you that Yahweh is trustworthy because he has never failed me. That may be enough to start you seeking him but my testimony won't keep you strong; you have to have your own.
When you make the decision to repent of your rebellion against Yahweh and to follow Jesus Messiah, you receive the promise that he will be one with you, that he will never leave you and will be with you to the end. It's like a wedding vow. But that vow will be tested in the reality of life, with all its complications. It is in living your life in Jesus that you gain a testimony and discover that he is trustworthy. There is no easy way.
You cannot ignore Yahweh. Jesus told us there is no fence sitting, a decision must be made. He wants intimacy with you. He wants to know you and wants to be known by you. He has laid it all out for you, giving his very best and he says "I am as good as my word". Will we make the decision to trust him?
Showing posts with label decision. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decision. Show all posts
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
I Was Dying But I Decided To Live, part 2
Yesterday I was telling you of how I was dying but decided to live. I left my story with the paramedics taking me out of my home, paralyzed and fighting to stay alive. Needless to say, we made it to the hospital in what felt like seconds. I was not allowed to close my eyes, but I had no intention to do so. I knew it was given to me to live.
When they wheeled me through the double doors of the emergency entrance they hit a large button on the wall so that an alarm with a big flashing blue light started going off. People came running and before I knew it I was in the trauma room with things being plugged into me.
It seemed like a very busy time for everyone but for me it was a time of peace and great joy: Jesus was in that room with me.
The doctors were talking gravely. They kept testing the ability of my right side to move, which it could not. The resident neurologist came in, with the neurologist on the phone. They started talking to me about a drug that might give me a tiny bit of mobility back but 2% of people die from it and another 6% have bleeding of the brain. Nice. I would not be able to hold a pencil but I should be able to move my arm, somewhat.
Then they were wheeling me off for an MRI. All the time I was thanking Jesus for his presence and assurance. There was no further thought of death; I was going to live and I was going to be healed.
They took the MRI which was a weird experience. They wanted me to fold my hands on the center of my body but I told them I couldn't move my right arm. They told me to hold it with my left. But when I touched my right arm I almost vomited because it felt like touching someone else's dead arm. It was cold and I could not feel me being touched by my left hand.
When they were done the resident neurologist came bursting through the door. She tried to get the technicians to wheel me back to the trauma center but they said they would call someone. Her words to them were "This patient does not have time to wait", and she started wheeling me down the corridor herself.
I am very thankful that an orderly came along because I am not sure I would have survived her driving.
As we flew down the corridor something strange started to happen, I began to feel my fingers on my right side. In fact, I was able to move them slightly. If it were possible, my joy increased as the Lord manifested himself in my healing.
They put me back in the trauma room while the resident neurologist looked at the scans in the corner of the room. I couldn't see but I could hear her stating what would become a common word for her that morning: "Impossible. This is impossible." She was on the phone again telling the neurologist that nothing was showing up on the MRI scan. I heard the word "impossible" several more times.
That's when I turned to the attending doctor and told him I could move my arm. He asked me to show him so I did. I couldn't move it much but I did manage to lift my arm a bit. He had a surprised look on his face when he said, "You shouldn't be able to do that". He turned to the resident neurologist and told her I was getting sensation back. The "impossible" word was spoken again and she told me to show her. I lifted it, a little more now.
The attending doctor and neurologist had a conversation concerning the merits of the drug they wanted to administer. It was already out of the package and being prepared to be administered. The attending doctor was saying he did not think they should give it to me but the neurologist was explaining that the window of opportunity was closing. The attending doctor suggested that they should have me stand to see if I could walk. She answered that it wouldn't matter and promptly left to talk with the neurologist on the phone.
I liked the attending doctor. As soon as the resident neurologist was gone he turned to another doctor and said, "Let's get him up". I was able to put weight on my leg but I had to drag it to walk. I guess even this was impossible because as the resident neurologist entered the room she said as much.
They helped me back onto the stretcher and decided not to give me the drug. They were absolutely convinced that I had experienced a stroke but they could not understand my recovery. They decided to wheel me into the observation area and monitor me for a while before making any further decisions. What a busy place the observation area was with a full platoon of nurses. I was impressed.
I was doing much better now. My speaking was almost back to normal and much of my sensation and movement had returned. I was weak and very tired but I was completely healed and restored. What an amazing God we serve.
It was here that I was able to spend a few minutes with my wife, then my oldest daughter, Niki (who burst into tears when she saw me and made me cry too), and then my oldest son, Ian, who drove the others to the hospital. What a joy it was to see them and to assure them everything was okay.
At one point the attending doctor from the trauma room, who was no longer attending, came wondering through the observation area. He suddenly stopped at the end of my stretcher and, without saying a word, indicated he want me to lift my arm. When I complied, showing I had fully recovered, he broke out into a huge grin, gave me a thumbs up and, I swear, went skipping out of the room.
By noon they decided to release me but gave me all kinds of reasons why they needed to do follow up and to study my case. I left the hospital with a limp, completely exhausted but so thankful that the Lord heard the desire of my heart and gave me more time on this earth so that I could support my wife and continue to be an influence in my children's lives. In the days that followed, he restored me to perfect health, with no limp, no after effect and filled with a love and appreciation for his presence.
What a joy knowing what it will be like in that moment of departure from this place. No pain. No fear, No regrets. No unfinished business. Only the overwhelming presence of the Lord, his joy and his peace and a great desire to worship.
Praise the Lord, oh my soul! Praise the Lord!
When they wheeled me through the double doors of the emergency entrance they hit a large button on the wall so that an alarm with a big flashing blue light started going off. People came running and before I knew it I was in the trauma room with things being plugged into me.
It seemed like a very busy time for everyone but for me it was a time of peace and great joy: Jesus was in that room with me.
The doctors were talking gravely. They kept testing the ability of my right side to move, which it could not. The resident neurologist came in, with the neurologist on the phone. They started talking to me about a drug that might give me a tiny bit of mobility back but 2% of people die from it and another 6% have bleeding of the brain. Nice. I would not be able to hold a pencil but I should be able to move my arm, somewhat.
Then they were wheeling me off for an MRI. All the time I was thanking Jesus for his presence and assurance. There was no further thought of death; I was going to live and I was going to be healed.
They took the MRI which was a weird experience. They wanted me to fold my hands on the center of my body but I told them I couldn't move my right arm. They told me to hold it with my left. But when I touched my right arm I almost vomited because it felt like touching someone else's dead arm. It was cold and I could not feel me being touched by my left hand.
When they were done the resident neurologist came bursting through the door. She tried to get the technicians to wheel me back to the trauma center but they said they would call someone. Her words to them were "This patient does not have time to wait", and she started wheeling me down the corridor herself.
I am very thankful that an orderly came along because I am not sure I would have survived her driving.
As we flew down the corridor something strange started to happen, I began to feel my fingers on my right side. In fact, I was able to move them slightly. If it were possible, my joy increased as the Lord manifested himself in my healing.
They put me back in the trauma room while the resident neurologist looked at the scans in the corner of the room. I couldn't see but I could hear her stating what would become a common word for her that morning: "Impossible. This is impossible." She was on the phone again telling the neurologist that nothing was showing up on the MRI scan. I heard the word "impossible" several more times.
That's when I turned to the attending doctor and told him I could move my arm. He asked me to show him so I did. I couldn't move it much but I did manage to lift my arm a bit. He had a surprised look on his face when he said, "You shouldn't be able to do that". He turned to the resident neurologist and told her I was getting sensation back. The "impossible" word was spoken again and she told me to show her. I lifted it, a little more now.
The attending doctor and neurologist had a conversation concerning the merits of the drug they wanted to administer. It was already out of the package and being prepared to be administered. The attending doctor was saying he did not think they should give it to me but the neurologist was explaining that the window of opportunity was closing. The attending doctor suggested that they should have me stand to see if I could walk. She answered that it wouldn't matter and promptly left to talk with the neurologist on the phone.
I liked the attending doctor. As soon as the resident neurologist was gone he turned to another doctor and said, "Let's get him up". I was able to put weight on my leg but I had to drag it to walk. I guess even this was impossible because as the resident neurologist entered the room she said as much.
They helped me back onto the stretcher and decided not to give me the drug. They were absolutely convinced that I had experienced a stroke but they could not understand my recovery. They decided to wheel me into the observation area and monitor me for a while before making any further decisions. What a busy place the observation area was with a full platoon of nurses. I was impressed.
I was doing much better now. My speaking was almost back to normal and much of my sensation and movement had returned. I was weak and very tired but I was completely healed and restored. What an amazing God we serve.
It was here that I was able to spend a few minutes with my wife, then my oldest daughter, Niki (who burst into tears when she saw me and made me cry too), and then my oldest son, Ian, who drove the others to the hospital. What a joy it was to see them and to assure them everything was okay.
At one point the attending doctor from the trauma room, who was no longer attending, came wondering through the observation area. He suddenly stopped at the end of my stretcher and, without saying a word, indicated he want me to lift my arm. When I complied, showing I had fully recovered, he broke out into a huge grin, gave me a thumbs up and, I swear, went skipping out of the room.
By noon they decided to release me but gave me all kinds of reasons why they needed to do follow up and to study my case. I left the hospital with a limp, completely exhausted but so thankful that the Lord heard the desire of my heart and gave me more time on this earth so that I could support my wife and continue to be an influence in my children's lives. In the days that followed, he restored me to perfect health, with no limp, no after effect and filled with a love and appreciation for his presence.
What a joy knowing what it will be like in that moment of departure from this place. No pain. No fear, No regrets. No unfinished business. Only the overwhelming presence of the Lord, his joy and his peace and a great desire to worship.
Praise the Lord, oh my soul! Praise the Lord!
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Has God Chosen Some To Be Saved And Some To Be Lost?
I trust what Jesus says. I find it interesting what some people say expounding on the Scriptures but when it comes down to them and Jesus' words I will always choose Jesus' words. I know a few people who have married themselves to certain doctrines that are not found in the Word, that fly in the face of what Jesus said. One of these things is that our loving Father has decided who will be saved and who won't be. This means that no matter what some people decide, salvation will never be available to them.
Can we just review here what Jesus said?
Look at it again. Jesus said "everyone" who has faith in him. Other translations says "whoever believes" in him. I don't need to go any further than these words. It is the promise I rely on, where I have placed my faith and trust, because of the one who said it.
My salvation is not a thing given to me because Yahweh has considered my favoured but because I believed in the one single act where Father sent the Son to die for the salvation of the entire world. Salvation is a free gift for everyone who decides to believe. We will be judged not according to our sins but according to whether we believed or not, whether we placed our faith in the Son of God, trusted his promises and accepted the gift.
Father has chosen to love the entire world of people, even in the midst of our rebellion, in all our ugliness, in all our guilt and shame. It is when we accept the promise that the promise is applied and everything is removed. None of this was done by me; my only part is to accept it, but it is my choice. Father has not chosen some to be saved and some to be condemned. He has chosen us all to be saved but it is up to us. He has given us a choice. That is what Jesus said and that is good enough for me.
Can we just review here what Jesus said?
"Then everyone who has faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life. God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them! No one who has faith in God’s Son will be condemned. But everyone who doesn’t have faith in him has already been condemned for not having faith in God’s only Son." (John 3:15-18)
Look at it again. Jesus said "everyone" who has faith in him. Other translations says "whoever believes" in him. I don't need to go any further than these words. It is the promise I rely on, where I have placed my faith and trust, because of the one who said it.
My salvation is not a thing given to me because Yahweh has considered my favoured but because I believed in the one single act where Father sent the Son to die for the salvation of the entire world. Salvation is a free gift for everyone who decides to believe. We will be judged not according to our sins but according to whether we believed or not, whether we placed our faith in the Son of God, trusted his promises and accepted the gift.
Father has chosen to love the entire world of people, even in the midst of our rebellion, in all our ugliness, in all our guilt and shame. It is when we accept the promise that the promise is applied and everything is removed. None of this was done by me; my only part is to accept it, but it is my choice. Father has not chosen some to be saved and some to be condemned. He has chosen us all to be saved but it is up to us. He has given us a choice. That is what Jesus said and that is good enough for me.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Dare To Be A Daniel
I think we need to follow James' advice and spend more time asking Yahweh for wisdom because it appears we don't have enough. We are an incredibly blessed people having great knowledge of Father through our King, Jesus the Christ. We have been given the keys to unlock great riches in the Word. We have blessings such as salvation, righteousness, holiness poured out on us. We have been given power through the Holy Spirit in us to operate in great spiritual gifts so we can serve Jesus with power. We are rich beyond our understanding and have great joy and peace. Yet, we either don't know how to use any of it or we refuse.
Yesterday we considered how Yahweh equips us for whatever he calls us to do and we used Daniel as an example. We read:
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (Daniel 1:17)
This is great to read and is encouraging for us but it would have been useless for everyone if Daniel and his friends failed to operate in it. It's great to be blessed in this way but we have to use the blessings. Right away Daniel and his friends were put to work using these tools. The king wanted someone to not just interpret his dream but to actually know what the dream was without being told. He wanted a word of knowledge. Because no one could do it he was going to kill all the wise men. But Daniel used his tools:
Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:14)
That was the tool of wisdom but Daniel followed this up with the tool Yahweh had given specifically to him:
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. (v. 17-19)
Daniel trusted Yahweh and used the tools/gifts he had been given and it resulted in a huge impact in this foreign kingdom. It revealed Yahweh to Nebuchadnrezzar:
Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret. (v. 47)
And it paid off pretty good for Daniel and his friends as well with the king placing Daniel as the ruler of the province of Babylon allowing Daniel to appoint his friends to high positions as well. Now they were in a place to protect the people of Israel.
I will be honest with you: I have received certain gifts that I have often avoided using. I am afraid of them because I am afraid of operating in my flesh instead of the Spirit. It is a trust issue that I have to work through because I have been given those gifts as tools, not to profit myself, but for the purposes of the Kingdom. Many of us are like this, failing to use the tools we have been given for the purpose and mission of Jesus. Some people ignore their gifts, others are timid and others misuse them for their own personal gain.
We have no excuse for the current state of affairs in the Body and in our personal lives. Jesus has made sure that we are equipped with everything we need to be his witnesses, to minister to a suffering world, to demonstrate his love with power and conviction. It is we who choose to fail; who choose to hide; who choose to seek for ourselves. We need to find our courage again; to rise up in the anointing of the Spirit and use the tools we have been given for the mission of our King.
As a little lad in Sunday School, I remember singing "Dare to be a Daniel" which was a great little children's chorus promoting the need to stand in our testimony concerning Jesus, no matter the cost. But we fail to grasp that there was more to Daniel than just taking a stand. There was also the willingness to be the man Yahweh needed at that time to represent him to the king. There was the willingness to operate in the gifts Yahweh had given him for the task. The interpretation of dreams is no small thing. Because of his reliance on Yahweh, his willingness to operate in the Spirit and the great amounts of time he devoted in prayer, he was also available to receive a ton of prophecy. Yet, we are greater than Daniel simply because we have made a decision for Jesus. We are better equipped. We have been called to a greater work. We are possessed by the Spirit. So I do ask, will you dare to be a Daniel in the full context of our relationship with Jesus? Will you do more than stand? Will you also work in obedience according to the will of Father with the tools that have been provided?
Yesterday we considered how Yahweh equips us for whatever he calls us to do and we used Daniel as an example. We read:
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. (Daniel 1:17)
This is great to read and is encouraging for us but it would have been useless for everyone if Daniel and his friends failed to operate in it. It's great to be blessed in this way but we have to use the blessings. Right away Daniel and his friends were put to work using these tools. The king wanted someone to not just interpret his dream but to actually know what the dream was without being told. He wanted a word of knowledge. Because no one could do it he was going to kill all the wise men. But Daniel used his tools:
Then with counsel and wisdom Daniel answered Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. (Daniel 2:14)
That was the tool of wisdom but Daniel followed this up with the tool Yahweh had given specifically to him:
Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. (v. 17-19)
Daniel trusted Yahweh and used the tools/gifts he had been given and it resulted in a huge impact in this foreign kingdom. It revealed Yahweh to Nebuchadnrezzar:
Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret. (v. 47)
And it paid off pretty good for Daniel and his friends as well with the king placing Daniel as the ruler of the province of Babylon allowing Daniel to appoint his friends to high positions as well. Now they were in a place to protect the people of Israel.
I will be honest with you: I have received certain gifts that I have often avoided using. I am afraid of them because I am afraid of operating in my flesh instead of the Spirit. It is a trust issue that I have to work through because I have been given those gifts as tools, not to profit myself, but for the purposes of the Kingdom. Many of us are like this, failing to use the tools we have been given for the purpose and mission of Jesus. Some people ignore their gifts, others are timid and others misuse them for their own personal gain.
We have no excuse for the current state of affairs in the Body and in our personal lives. Jesus has made sure that we are equipped with everything we need to be his witnesses, to minister to a suffering world, to demonstrate his love with power and conviction. It is we who choose to fail; who choose to hide; who choose to seek for ourselves. We need to find our courage again; to rise up in the anointing of the Spirit and use the tools we have been given for the mission of our King.
As a little lad in Sunday School, I remember singing "Dare to be a Daniel" which was a great little children's chorus promoting the need to stand in our testimony concerning Jesus, no matter the cost. But we fail to grasp that there was more to Daniel than just taking a stand. There was also the willingness to be the man Yahweh needed at that time to represent him to the king. There was the willingness to operate in the gifts Yahweh had given him for the task. The interpretation of dreams is no small thing. Because of his reliance on Yahweh, his willingness to operate in the Spirit and the great amounts of time he devoted in prayer, he was also available to receive a ton of prophecy. Yet, we are greater than Daniel simply because we have made a decision for Jesus. We are better equipped. We have been called to a greater work. We are possessed by the Spirit. So I do ask, will you dare to be a Daniel in the full context of our relationship with Jesus? Will you do more than stand? Will you also work in obedience according to the will of Father with the tools that have been provided?
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Who Will You Serve?
I realize that I seem to be repeating myself for the last couple of weeks but I am sharing with you a clear message that came out of my period of Fasting to the LORD. The message is simple: Yahweh has set his standards and has called us to a relationship of obedience, so make a decision. I think the reason this message is so important is because many leaders and teachers have been muddying the waters with human reasoning. There is much apostasy that is spewing from the mouths of those who promised to love and obey Jesus Christ.
Let's make this as simple as possible by looking at one piece of Scripture to understand our Father's heart on his expectations of those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It is at it's essence the same expectations he had for Israel:
Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! (Joshua 24:14)
The other way this was put was to love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength. It means we get to know him, what delights him and what offends him. We must know his heart and then desire to walk in obedience to him. It doesn't mean doing whatever you think is best to serve him. That's what Israel tried to do during the times of the judges and it got them in a lot of trouble, as it is getting people in trouble today.
No, we don't get to do what we want. Jesus repeated these same kind of words but a little more directly:
If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
Not what you think is best but what Jesus commanded. We live according to the righteousness of our holy LORD not according to the supposed righteousness of man. We have been given standards, statutes to live and they are higher than the cesspool of sin that we are witnessing transpire from the hearts of man in our societies today.
Joshua made it clear that there is something we need to do:
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
No one on the face of this planet is forced to serve Jesus Christ. Men of demented thinking tried to use the Church in the past to hold power over people but it failed. Yahweh does not even force his desire upon us but he freely offers it. He freely offers his mercy and grace, his love and forgiveness, his compassion. He freely offers us adoption into his family and rescue from the destructive course that we have chosen. But we have to make that decision.
The only thing we are warned is that we can't have it all. We can't have the sin of this world and the righteousness of our LORD. Jesus asked the question, what is the point of gaining the whole world if we lose our soul? If we make the decision for Jesus then there are expectations we will live by the Spirit who places the Word of God in us. We cannot take part in the unholy things of this world and be possessed by the Spirit. It doesn't work that way.
Make a decision: is the music of this world more important than Jesus? Are those favorite sin-filled television shows more important than Jesus? Are those misleading movies more important than Jesus? Is the dangerous place of social networking more important than Jesus? If you lack the discipline to turn things off when they go terribly wrong, then get rid of that thing from your life; deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. The choice is clear and a decision is demanded of us: Who will you serve?
Let's make this as simple as possible by looking at one piece of Scripture to understand our Father's heart on his expectations of those who accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. It is at it's essence the same expectations he had for Israel:
Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! (Joshua 24:14)
The other way this was put was to love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul and all your strength. It means we get to know him, what delights him and what offends him. We must know his heart and then desire to walk in obedience to him. It doesn't mean doing whatever you think is best to serve him. That's what Israel tried to do during the times of the judges and it got them in a lot of trouble, as it is getting people in trouble today.
No, we don't get to do what we want. Jesus repeated these same kind of words but a little more directly:
If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)
Not what you think is best but what Jesus commanded. We live according to the righteousness of our holy LORD not according to the supposed righteousness of man. We have been given standards, statutes to live and they are higher than the cesspool of sin that we are witnessing transpire from the hearts of man in our societies today.
Joshua made it clear that there is something we need to do:
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
No one on the face of this planet is forced to serve Jesus Christ. Men of demented thinking tried to use the Church in the past to hold power over people but it failed. Yahweh does not even force his desire upon us but he freely offers it. He freely offers his mercy and grace, his love and forgiveness, his compassion. He freely offers us adoption into his family and rescue from the destructive course that we have chosen. But we have to make that decision.
The only thing we are warned is that we can't have it all. We can't have the sin of this world and the righteousness of our LORD. Jesus asked the question, what is the point of gaining the whole world if we lose our soul? If we make the decision for Jesus then there are expectations we will live by the Spirit who places the Word of God in us. We cannot take part in the unholy things of this world and be possessed by the Spirit. It doesn't work that way.
Make a decision: is the music of this world more important than Jesus? Are those favorite sin-filled television shows more important than Jesus? Are those misleading movies more important than Jesus? Is the dangerous place of social networking more important than Jesus? If you lack the discipline to turn things off when they go terribly wrong, then get rid of that thing from your life; deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus. The choice is clear and a decision is demanded of us: Who will you serve?
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Decisions Have To Be Made: Who Will You Serve?
As we come off our Fast we need to ask the question, "What now?" We have had a time of intimacy, of setting ourselves aside, of drawing close to our LORD, of making ourselves available and open to our God. We have withheld certain foods from our body, changed our appetite, cleansed our palate, lost weight, washed our system and feel good. Now e have to decide what we take back on ourselves spiritually and physically.
For me it has become clear that there are far too many distractions that take me away from my relationship with Jesus and the calling I have received. It is like I wanted all the Jesus offered but all the entertainment of the world. My attitude after a long day was that I deserved to relax, failing to understand that they only rest of any worth was resting in the LORD. I'll tell you, I was a man greatly distracted.
During my Fast I gorged myself on the Word and will continue to do so, and the more I ate of it the more the Spirit corrected me. I realized just from the Scriptures of the Old Testament that if I want to serve the Lord with all that I am, my mind and heart must only be occupied by him. We can't say that we do this because if we were there would be a lot more things happening. Currently it is as if we are worshiping our God from a distance whereas he demands an intimate worship from us.
We are too occupied by evil. We are like the Israelites of old who maintained Yahweh's holy temple but also worshiped other God's in the high places. We worship Jesus but we also serve the gods of this world as we chase after money, fame, leisure. We even put family on a pedestal next to Yahweh. This blof is too short to go into all the details of how we are not what we are suppose to be but I think the Spirit is already convicting you on this matter. Consider the Scripture that says:
Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:7)
Evil is anything that is contrary to the character of Yahweh. As we watch murder after murder on our television, we are assaulting the character of Jesus in us. As we listen to the lyrics of those songs, letting them sink into our heart, we are running contrary to the character of Jesus. As we read those words, see those images and allow our mind to be entertained by sin, by the things contrary to the holiness of our God, we are giving ourselves over to the gods of this world.
Do you want to be filled by Jesus, to feel his presence, to know his will, to know his strength and power? Do you want to be overwhelmed by his joy and peace despite the circumstances of your day? Do you want the concern for others to be greater than your concern for yourself? Then shun evil, throw away the things that occupy your time and fill your days with Jesus:
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
Sometimes I think we forget where we are, what we are doing, and who we belong to. We forget that we are in hostile territory and it takes great discipline to walk with and serve Jesus in this place. It takes a singleness of mind and a heart so filled with love, renewed daily, to stay the course. We need to be strong and courageous. We need to embody the words of Yahweh to Joshua:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
We need to remember that blessings flow with obedience. Every king of Israel was told that if they walked in the ways of Yahweh and kept his statutes blessings would be theirs. Every King failed. Decisions have to be made; hard decisions. Jesus told us it is better to cut off a hand our pluck out an eye than to enter hell whole. If something is causing you to sin, to do evil, to separate you from Jesus then learn to live without it.
Decisions have to be made if we are going to be a nation of royal priests:
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
For me it has become clear that there are far too many distractions that take me away from my relationship with Jesus and the calling I have received. It is like I wanted all the Jesus offered but all the entertainment of the world. My attitude after a long day was that I deserved to relax, failing to understand that they only rest of any worth was resting in the LORD. I'll tell you, I was a man greatly distracted.
During my Fast I gorged myself on the Word and will continue to do so, and the more I ate of it the more the Spirit corrected me. I realized just from the Scriptures of the Old Testament that if I want to serve the Lord with all that I am, my mind and heart must only be occupied by him. We can't say that we do this because if we were there would be a lot more things happening. Currently it is as if we are worshiping our God from a distance whereas he demands an intimate worship from us.
We are too occupied by evil. We are like the Israelites of old who maintained Yahweh's holy temple but also worshiped other God's in the high places. We worship Jesus but we also serve the gods of this world as we chase after money, fame, leisure. We even put family on a pedestal next to Yahweh. This blof is too short to go into all the details of how we are not what we are suppose to be but I think the Spirit is already convicting you on this matter. Consider the Scripture that says:
Do not be wise in your own eyes;Fear the Lord and depart from evil. (Proverbs 3:7)
Evil is anything that is contrary to the character of Yahweh. As we watch murder after murder on our television, we are assaulting the character of Jesus in us. As we listen to the lyrics of those songs, letting them sink into our heart, we are running contrary to the character of Jesus. As we read those words, see those images and allow our mind to be entertained by sin, by the things contrary to the holiness of our God, we are giving ourselves over to the gods of this world.
Do you want to be filled by Jesus, to feel his presence, to know his will, to know his strength and power? Do you want to be overwhelmed by his joy and peace despite the circumstances of your day? Do you want the concern for others to be greater than your concern for yourself? Then shun evil, throw away the things that occupy your time and fill your days with Jesus:
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
Sometimes I think we forget where we are, what we are doing, and who we belong to. We forget that we are in hostile territory and it takes great discipline to walk with and serve Jesus in this place. It takes a singleness of mind and a heart so filled with love, renewed daily, to stay the course. We need to be strong and courageous. We need to embody the words of Yahweh to Joshua:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
We need to remember that blessings flow with obedience. Every king of Israel was told that if they walked in the ways of Yahweh and kept his statutes blessings would be theirs. Every King failed. Decisions have to be made; hard decisions. Jesus told us it is better to cut off a hand our pluck out an eye than to enter hell whole. If something is causing you to sin, to do evil, to separate you from Jesus then learn to live without it.
Decisions have to be made if we are going to be a nation of royal priests:
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)
Monday, May 13, 2013
In The Face Of Discouragement, Dance
Discouragement comes in many different forms and for many different reasons. It can come due to finances, relationships, lost opportunities, unrealized dreams. It can result in depression, lose of sleep, irritability, lack of energy, quitting, lost focus, self-centered thinking. Discouragement can be a destroyer of worlds if we allow it to be.
Discouragement has many different triggers but we have a choice in it. We can't stop it from knocking on the door but we can decide not to invite it in. Just because it comes looking through the window does not mean we have to allow it to take up residence. Discouragement will come but we have the power over what to do with it when it does.
Discouragement will take up residence and set about in it's destructive nature when we decide to dwell on circumstances instead of faith. Because of Jesus we do not believe "what you see is what you get". Our life, hope and the actions we take are based on the promises of Jesus, our Lord and King. When we realize these promises and place our hope in them instead of the strength of man, the door becomes locked against discouragement. There may be a knock on the door but we are too busy praising our God to answer.
That is the only real and proper response to discouragement: praise. We know this as a fact because the Word tells us and we have already experienced it for ourselves:
Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
I trust you!
And I will praise you again
because you help me, and you are my God. (Psalm 42:11, CEV)
It is a decision, a conscience act of faith, to turn our back on the facts of this world and say to Jesus, "I trust you". It is when we decide to turn away from the welcoming darkness of discouragement and fill our soul with the sweet praise of Jesus. It is when we choose to remember his goodness, what he has done and what he has promised to do. It is when we decide to dance instead of sit down. It is when we decide to laugh instead of cry. It is when we decide to press on instead of lie down and sleep.
Discouragement and depression are soul destroyers but Jesus is the lover of our soul. You are a child of God and have no part in discouragement. Nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus. Nothing can stop you from dwelling in him. He has given you peace and joy that no one and no thing can take from you. It is all a matter of choice and decision. Who will you choose to trust? Who will you decide to serve? Who will receive your praise today? For the sake of your peace let your choice be Jesus.
Discouragement has many different triggers but we have a choice in it. We can't stop it from knocking on the door but we can decide not to invite it in. Just because it comes looking through the window does not mean we have to allow it to take up residence. Discouragement will come but we have the power over what to do with it when it does.
Discouragement will take up residence and set about in it's destructive nature when we decide to dwell on circumstances instead of faith. Because of Jesus we do not believe "what you see is what you get". Our life, hope and the actions we take are based on the promises of Jesus, our Lord and King. When we realize these promises and place our hope in them instead of the strength of man, the door becomes locked against discouragement. There may be a knock on the door but we are too busy praising our God to answer.
That is the only real and proper response to discouragement: praise. We know this as a fact because the Word tells us and we have already experienced it for ourselves:
Why am I discouraged?
Why am I restless?
I trust you!
And I will praise you again
because you help me, and you are my God. (Psalm 42:11, CEV)
It is a decision, a conscience act of faith, to turn our back on the facts of this world and say to Jesus, "I trust you". It is when we decide to turn away from the welcoming darkness of discouragement and fill our soul with the sweet praise of Jesus. It is when we choose to remember his goodness, what he has done and what he has promised to do. It is when we decide to dance instead of sit down. It is when we decide to laugh instead of cry. It is when we decide to press on instead of lie down and sleep.
Discouragement and depression are soul destroyers but Jesus is the lover of our soul. You are a child of God and have no part in discouragement. Nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus. Nothing can stop you from dwelling in him. He has given you peace and joy that no one and no thing can take from you. It is all a matter of choice and decision. Who will you choose to trust? Who will you decide to serve? Who will receive your praise today? For the sake of your peace let your choice be Jesus.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
I Have Decided To Say No To Evil
When someone is acting immature we often hear them being told to act their age. If we recognize this can be an issue emotionally and mentally why don't we recognize the same problem spiritually? Why are we afraid to tell people to "grow up" spiritually? Apostle Paul never seemed to have this problem as he often told people to "grow up".
If we were to do this the best place to start is in the mirror. Following Jesus requires some mature decision making. It means setting aside whatever we want, to follow the instructions of the King. Maybe that's the first problem. Maybe we see him too much as a friend and forget he is King. His commands are not suggestions. He doesn't tell us to follow his commands if we feel like it. He tells us to obey because we love him. Love does not demand less of us but more. There is no stronger motivator in life than love. Some would say fear is the strongest motivator but I think that's because they have not experienced real love.
Here's the thing: You were called to be holy, set apart, special, for God's use. I can't stress that last part enough: You are intended for God's use. God's holy instrument. His servant. His warrior. His man. His woman. His child. Paul explains it to Timothy:
In a large house some dishes are made of gold or silver, while others are made of wood or clay. Some of these are special, and others are not. (2 Timothy 2:20)
Some of you will understand this. There are dishes that you use every day and then there are the special occasion dishes. There is the flatware and then there is the silverware. If one of the daily use dishes gets broken you may be a little upset but that is nothing compared to how upset you would be if one of the good dishes was broken. You place special value on these for special events.
That’s also how it is with people. The ones who stop doing evil and make themselves pure will become special. Their lives will be holy and pleasing to their Master, and they will be able to do all kinds of good deeds. (v. 21)
Stop doing evil! Turn from it. Run from it! You know what tempts you and causes you to fall, so stay away from it. Some would say, "But only God can keep me from evil". Jesus has made it possible for you to make that decision. He has opened the door. He has sent us the Holy Spirit. But we have to make the decision. We have to turn from it. He has made it possible for us to have the strength to say "no" but we are the ones who have to say "no". So say it already.
We are not intended to be common. We are not intended to be dailyware. We are intended for God's holy purpose and we will step into that the moment we stop doing evil and make ourselves pure. We are made pure by the blood of the Lamb. We remain pure by daily walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit. It is as simple as that. Make the decision not just to accept the cross but to live in obedience to the King.
The Church is a family of believers, filled by the power of the Holy Spirit to do God's will on this earth. But we can't operate in that power if we are double-minded, prostituting ourselves, trying to hide the evil we do in the dark. That power can only flow freely when we walk away from everything that is not part of God and immerse ourselves in Jesus every moment of the day so we are always available to him whenever and wherever, however he wants to use us. We should desire to have the power to fulfill God's will daily.
You know the things that you do, the things you decide to do that are not acceptable to God. Anything he says is not acceptable is evil. Make the decision right now to walk away from that thing. Repent, which means to go in the opposite direction. Don't just stop but cry out to God. Run to him. I mean run fast to him, with all your energy. He will forgive you and will allow you to step into his holiness, set aside exclusively for his use. Stop prostituting yourself to another and realize you uniquely belong to the King, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Who Does God Hate?
Who does God hate?
No one!
But that doesn't mean he will not judge those who are in rebellion to him. That is the tragedy in this whole thing: God's love is so great it has produced a grace that will cover any sin, but most people reject this love. Listen to these words and understand the depth of the love from which they come:
‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?' (Ezekiel 33:11)
Who does God hate?
No one!
Is there a day of judgement for those who chose themselves over God?
Sadly, yes.
And God's heart will break on that day as it breaks every day we choose wickedness over life. But there will be judgement. And, listen to these words that came from the most beautiful lips, words that speak of grace and death in the same breath:
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:17-18)
Those who stand and preach that there will be no hell because in the end God's love will win out are calling Jesus a liar. Oh, it can be our desire that everyone on the face of this planet will realize the brilliance of God and his great love for us and will make the right decision, but the decision over heaven and hell is entirely ours.
Who does God hate?
Absolutely no one!
He went to the cross for us. He spilt his blood for us. His love drove him to pay the ultimate price for us. But even that wasn't enough because he has planned more for us. The grave is empty for a reason. He has called us to him for eternity. He has even given us a taste of that by sending us his Holy Spirit; a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. But there is still a choice to be made.
Understand fully what it means to make that choice. It means being crucified on the cross with Jesus. It means dying to yourself. It means rejecting anything that is not from God. It means not pursuing your selfish desires but the will of God. Too often we use the love and grace of God to mask our selfish desires and sins, but it is still rebellion and a decision against Jesus. Those who advocate the acceptance of sin, the rebellious acts of the unsaved, calling the holy common and the common holy, need to wake up to this fact. God's judgement is as real as his love and grace.
Who does God hate?
No one.
Now the decision is ours.
No one!
But that doesn't mean he will not judge those who are in rebellion to him. That is the tragedy in this whole thing: God's love is so great it has produced a grace that will cover any sin, but most people reject this love. Listen to these words and understand the depth of the love from which they come:
‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die?' (Ezekiel 33:11)
Who does God hate?
No one!
Is there a day of judgement for those who chose themselves over God?
Sadly, yes.
And God's heart will break on that day as it breaks every day we choose wickedness over life. But there will be judgement. And, listen to these words that came from the most beautiful lips, words that speak of grace and death in the same breath:
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:17-18)
Those who stand and preach that there will be no hell because in the end God's love will win out are calling Jesus a liar. Oh, it can be our desire that everyone on the face of this planet will realize the brilliance of God and his great love for us and will make the right decision, but the decision over heaven and hell is entirely ours.
Who does God hate?
Absolutely no one!
He went to the cross for us. He spilt his blood for us. His love drove him to pay the ultimate price for us. But even that wasn't enough because he has planned more for us. The grave is empty for a reason. He has called us to him for eternity. He has even given us a taste of that by sending us his Holy Spirit; a deposit guaranteeing what is to come. But there is still a choice to be made.
Understand fully what it means to make that choice. It means being crucified on the cross with Jesus. It means dying to yourself. It means rejecting anything that is not from God. It means not pursuing your selfish desires but the will of God. Too often we use the love and grace of God to mask our selfish desires and sins, but it is still rebellion and a decision against Jesus. Those who advocate the acceptance of sin, the rebellious acts of the unsaved, calling the holy common and the common holy, need to wake up to this fact. God's judgement is as real as his love and grace.
Who does God hate?
No one.
Now the decision is ours.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The Problem With Complaining
What are you complaining about today? What is the thing that is disturbing your peace and joy? For me it is the fact that I am being accused of not attending an online training session yesterday. I got up at 4 am so that I could attend a 5:30 am session. However, the company had made a mistake and I was unable to sign in for the 5:30 am session so I tried the 6 am with the same result. They resolved that problem but then the room would not load at 6:30 am. Finally at 7 am I was able to get in. Then this morning I received an email accusing me of not being in attendance. As soon as I saw it that complaining spirit rushed through the door and filled my heart.
The problem with complaining is that it doesn't leave room for anything else. It also goes contrary to the Spirit of God. Complaining robs us of our thankful heart. If there is one attitude that should be constantly ours it is the attitude of thanksgiving, no matter the circumstances. Thanksgiving is provoked in us when we make the decision to trust Jesus with everything, and I mean everything.
There is a lot to complain about in this world and in our life. We could find things to complain about all day long but what does it do for us other than disturb our spirit, turn us into an ugly person and seed terrible things in other people. Complaining constantly got the Israelites in trouble. Complaining tells God that you do not trust or appreciate him. It also promotes ourselves above the needs of other people.
We are told time and again in the Word of God to be a thankful people. It is when we let go of the negative stuff, trusting God to deal with it, while we concentrate all the good things God fills our day with. You will find it throughout the Word but in Ephesians Paul wrote:
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20)
"Always giving thanks to God" keeps us where we need to be, in that place of peace and joy. Giving thanks is a decision that gets easier every day as we begin to recognize, more and more, the good things God is pouring out into us. Giving thanks leads to a life of rejoicing:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)
In fact, it is in that same section that Paul writes:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Notice the place of thanksgiving With thanksgiving, not a spirit of complaining, present your requests to God. There is the promise of peace.
Complaining does nothing but destroy the peace that Jesus promised to us. However, thanksgiving benefits not only us but everyone around us. Check yourself today. Is it a complaining spirit that fills your mouth or a spirit of thanksgiving? Are those complaints falling off your tongue or the sweet praises of our loving Father. No matter the situation, trust that Jesus has your back and rejoice. I repent of my complaining spirit this morning and pray blessing upon the company that God is using to provide for me and my family. Rejoicing because of the blessing of work today.
The problem with complaining is that it doesn't leave room for anything else. It also goes contrary to the Spirit of God. Complaining robs us of our thankful heart. If there is one attitude that should be constantly ours it is the attitude of thanksgiving, no matter the circumstances. Thanksgiving is provoked in us when we make the decision to trust Jesus with everything, and I mean everything.
There is a lot to complain about in this world and in our life. We could find things to complain about all day long but what does it do for us other than disturb our spirit, turn us into an ugly person and seed terrible things in other people. Complaining constantly got the Israelites in trouble. Complaining tells God that you do not trust or appreciate him. It also promotes ourselves above the needs of other people.
We are told time and again in the Word of God to be a thankful people. It is when we let go of the negative stuff, trusting God to deal with it, while we concentrate all the good things God fills our day with. You will find it throughout the Word but in Ephesians Paul wrote:
Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-20)
"Always giving thanks to God" keeps us where we need to be, in that place of peace and joy. Giving thanks is a decision that gets easier every day as we begin to recognize, more and more, the good things God is pouring out into us. Giving thanks leads to a life of rejoicing:
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4)
In fact, it is in that same section that Paul writes:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
Notice the place of thanksgiving With thanksgiving, not a spirit of complaining, present your requests to God. There is the promise of peace.
Complaining does nothing but destroy the peace that Jesus promised to us. However, thanksgiving benefits not only us but everyone around us. Check yourself today. Is it a complaining spirit that fills your mouth or a spirit of thanksgiving? Are those complaints falling off your tongue or the sweet praises of our loving Father. No matter the situation, trust that Jesus has your back and rejoice. I repent of my complaining spirit this morning and pray blessing upon the company that God is using to provide for me and my family. Rejoicing because of the blessing of work today.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Making A Decision About Intimacy
HELLO! Things have changed. They should not be like they were before.
Are you a Christian because your parents are? Are you a Christian because it is a family tradition? Are you Christian because you go to church on Easter and Christmas.? Christianity is not that kind of a religion; it is a personal decision.
You can't call yourself Christian and then do whatever you want to do. If this is how you live you have reduced a very intimate relationship to a mere title. It is like a woman taking the name of her husband but never moving in with him.
Becoming a Christian, a follower of Jesus, means an entire life change. It doesn't mean that we change ourself but that the Spirit of God transforms us. Without the Spirit we do not have Jesus and without Jesus we have nothing. Without the Spirit we are fakes and fakes will not inherit eternal life with God.
How can you be a Christian and still be intimate with the darkness that once possessed you? You can't. You have changed. That darkness no longer has any power over you unless you give it power. When darkness comes to your door to court you again, if you have changed and are possessed by the Spirit, you have the power and authority to tell it to go away because you are now with Jesus.
There are no loop holes in this. You can't have Jesus and the supposed pleasures of the dark as well:
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ... (Ephesians 5:8)
North America just celebrated Halloween. Christians participated out of pure ignorance. They don't believe in ghosts, witches or mediums, even though they exist in the Bible. God didn't tell us to have nothing to do with them because he was trying to protect our pocket book but because they are real. However, Halloween is an extreme example. Christians participate in evil every day as we lie, cheat and gossip. Christians have sex outside of marriage all the time and excuse it away. Men participate in pornography. Christians make excuses for abortion and defend homosexuality. But Christians, those who follow Jesus and are possessed of the Spirit, cannot live like this; it's just not in them:
Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. (Ephesians 9-10)
See what the light consists of? Goodness, righteousness and truth are now at the core of our being and if they are not then you have to seriously ask yourself the question if you even understand what it is to be saved. Truth is not as we define it but as it is revealed in the Word of God and found in Jesus. Do you know Jesus? Have you died to yourself and been raised to life in him? Are you possessed by the Holy Spirit?
Christians only have one desire: To find out what pleases the Lord and doing it. The words that stick with us are when he told us that if we loved him we would do what he said. Obedience is what God is looking for, not sacrifice. He wants relationship with us not some form of man made religion. And when you have intimacy with God you are changed. When you are intimate with the Light you no longer desire intimacy with the dark. If you still desire the dark there is something wrong in your intimacy with the Light.
A relationship with Jesus is a personal decision not something you were born into. It is a decision that transforms and changes everything. You cannot stay the same. And if you do, you have't really made the decision. Those of the Light no longer participate in the activities of the dark. It's a decision. Which do you choose?
Are you a Christian because your parents are? Are you a Christian because it is a family tradition? Are you Christian because you go to church on Easter and Christmas.? Christianity is not that kind of a religion; it is a personal decision.
You can't call yourself Christian and then do whatever you want to do. If this is how you live you have reduced a very intimate relationship to a mere title. It is like a woman taking the name of her husband but never moving in with him.
Becoming a Christian, a follower of Jesus, means an entire life change. It doesn't mean that we change ourself but that the Spirit of God transforms us. Without the Spirit we do not have Jesus and without Jesus we have nothing. Without the Spirit we are fakes and fakes will not inherit eternal life with God.
How can you be a Christian and still be intimate with the darkness that once possessed you? You can't. You have changed. That darkness no longer has any power over you unless you give it power. When darkness comes to your door to court you again, if you have changed and are possessed by the Spirit, you have the power and authority to tell it to go away because you are now with Jesus.
There are no loop holes in this. You can't have Jesus and the supposed pleasures of the dark as well:
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ... (Ephesians 5:8)
North America just celebrated Halloween. Christians participated out of pure ignorance. They don't believe in ghosts, witches or mediums, even though they exist in the Bible. God didn't tell us to have nothing to do with them because he was trying to protect our pocket book but because they are real. However, Halloween is an extreme example. Christians participate in evil every day as we lie, cheat and gossip. Christians have sex outside of marriage all the time and excuse it away. Men participate in pornography. Christians make excuses for abortion and defend homosexuality. But Christians, those who follow Jesus and are possessed of the Spirit, cannot live like this; it's just not in them:
Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. (Ephesians 9-10)
See what the light consists of? Goodness, righteousness and truth are now at the core of our being and if they are not then you have to seriously ask yourself the question if you even understand what it is to be saved. Truth is not as we define it but as it is revealed in the Word of God and found in Jesus. Do you know Jesus? Have you died to yourself and been raised to life in him? Are you possessed by the Holy Spirit?
Christians only have one desire: To find out what pleases the Lord and doing it. The words that stick with us are when he told us that if we loved him we would do what he said. Obedience is what God is looking for, not sacrifice. He wants relationship with us not some form of man made religion. And when you have intimacy with God you are changed. When you are intimate with the Light you no longer desire intimacy with the dark. If you still desire the dark there is something wrong in your intimacy with the Light.
A relationship with Jesus is a personal decision not something you were born into. It is a decision that transforms and changes everything. You cannot stay the same. And if you do, you have't really made the decision. Those of the Light no longer participate in the activities of the dark. It's a decision. Which do you choose?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
It's All Or Nothing
You can't serve two masters. You can't be double-minded. You can't have a divided heart. It is either all or nothing.
There is nothing "normal" to being a follower of Jesus Christ. There is nothing about it that the world can accept and reconcile it's thinking toward the Church. Jesus was totally radical in everything he did which was contrary to the heart of man. Love your enemy? Pray for those who persecute you? Those who are last will be first and the first last? Those who try to hold on to their life will lose it but those who give it up will save it? Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him? If you are luke warm he will spit you out?
This is not the foundation of some new humanity make over. It is not some new world order. It is the Kingdom of God in the hearts of man. It is the visible outward sign of an incredible inward transformation. A transformation not achieved by good thoughts and good deeds but brought about by the transforming power of the blood of Jesus Christ applied to those who make the decision to give up their lives for Jesus.
I hope you heard that: Who give up their lives. Repeat: give up .
There are no half measures with Jesus. He said we are either with him or against him. To make a decision not to make a decision is to have made a decision against him.
There can be no mistaking what the Word of God clearly tells us. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot have the world and Jesus. We have to decide which master we will follow and obey. If you say to yourself, "I will serve no one. I serve myself and humanity", then you have chosen the world; you have chosen rebellion; you have chosen death. If you choose Jesus then you have chosen light, life, and love. You have chosen a new birth, a transformation, a radical change:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
It is a decision.
It has always been a decision.
We make the decision to accept Jesus' invitation to follow. We make the decision to step into his love which gives us the power to decide to put off our old self and to put on the new self. It is nothing we can do but it is a decision we make. A work of art cannot create itself. It is our Father who transforms us through the blood of Jesus but we have to allow the transformation. We have to make the decision. We have to deny ourself to take up the cross to follow Jesus.
We can try to serve two masters but we are only lying to ourselves because the Son of God has told us that we can't do it. We can try to have both Jesus and our desires but we will be total failures because Jesus told us that it can't be done. He told us plainly and simply, it is all of us or nothing. Either everything is surrendered or nothing is. Either he has all of our heart or none of it. There are no half measures. There are no moments of our day that belong only to us. Jesus cannot accept a portion of our life, he has to have the whole thing.
And when you truly know his love, you wouldn't want it any other way.
There is nothing "normal" to being a follower of Jesus Christ. There is nothing about it that the world can accept and reconcile it's thinking toward the Church. Jesus was totally radical in everything he did which was contrary to the heart of man. Love your enemy? Pray for those who persecute you? Those who are last will be first and the first last? Those who try to hold on to their life will lose it but those who give it up will save it? Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow him? If you are luke warm he will spit you out?
This is not the foundation of some new humanity make over. It is not some new world order. It is the Kingdom of God in the hearts of man. It is the visible outward sign of an incredible inward transformation. A transformation not achieved by good thoughts and good deeds but brought about by the transforming power of the blood of Jesus Christ applied to those who make the decision to give up their lives for Jesus.
I hope you heard that: Who give up their lives. Repeat: give up .
There are no half measures with Jesus. He said we are either with him or against him. To make a decision not to make a decision is to have made a decision against him.
There can be no mistaking what the Word of God clearly tells us. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot have the world and Jesus. We have to decide which master we will follow and obey. If you say to yourself, "I will serve no one. I serve myself and humanity", then you have chosen the world; you have chosen rebellion; you have chosen death. If you choose Jesus then you have chosen light, life, and love. You have chosen a new birth, a transformation, a radical change:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
It is a decision.
It has always been a decision.
We make the decision to accept Jesus' invitation to follow. We make the decision to step into his love which gives us the power to decide to put off our old self and to put on the new self. It is nothing we can do but it is a decision we make. A work of art cannot create itself. It is our Father who transforms us through the blood of Jesus but we have to allow the transformation. We have to make the decision. We have to deny ourself to take up the cross to follow Jesus.
We can try to serve two masters but we are only lying to ourselves because the Son of God has told us that we can't do it. We can try to have both Jesus and our desires but we will be total failures because Jesus told us that it can't be done. He told us plainly and simply, it is all of us or nothing. Either everything is surrendered or nothing is. Either he has all of our heart or none of it. There are no half measures. There are no moments of our day that belong only to us. Jesus cannot accept a portion of our life, he has to have the whole thing.
And when you truly know his love, you wouldn't want it any other way.
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