A Clear And Present Danger

How dedicated are we to the Lord? Jesus really challenges us on what dedication looks like when empowered by love. He told us that we can't love anyone, not even our own children, more than him. He asked us of what benefit it was to gain the whole world and yet lose our soul. James warned us against being double minded and even told us that being friends with the world systems is to be an enemy of God. But this idea goes way back to the beginning.

Eve demonstrated a double-mindedness. She was able to tell the serpent the truth when he tried to cloud the Creator's instruction, but knowing the truth is not enough. Knowing the truth she still considered the value of the fruit, meditated on it and with one swift act switched allegiances. Love empowers us to obey so it tells us there was a weakness in Eve's love and dedication.

The people of Israel constantly struggled with faithfulness. Even though they had clear evidence of Yahweh's presence and love they still longed to by like other nations. They were unique in their culture, society, laws and worship. The Lord told them that it was unheard of for a nation to change their god and yet here Israel was trading their glory for something that had no worth. Just as the enemy convinced Eve to reject the Creator to possess what she already had, so Israel was convinced to trade the invaluable for the worthless.

In the end Israel had shrines on every corner, was making sacrifices on every high place, had household gods in every home, was sacrificing children, had converted Yahweh's temple to accommodate the worship of other gods and yet were still bringing worthless sacrifices to him. Is it any wonder that he felt sick at the sight of them?

We have been redeemed from the failed state of the false prince of this world. We have been transformed so that we have the capacity to love by the principles of our King as citizens of his Kingdom. We are to live fully dedicated to him and his mission but it is a state of growth. This means our dedication increases as does our knowledge and our love. This is only possible because of love. Our love for Jesus empowers us to walk in a relationship of obedience, dedication and trust.

However, there is a reason why Jesus asked if he would find faith in this world on his return. It is not difficult to become double-minded, to try to live by two systems, two governments, two heads. We categorize some things as sacred and other things as common, some things as supernatural and other things as natural. So we live some activities to the Lord and other things to ourselves. When we do this there is a failure to understand the superiority of the Kingdom over the principles of this world. We live two minds and begin to limit our King's impact in our lives and the lives of other people.

We belong to the Kingdom of "all things are possible for him who believes" and the Kingdom of "I can do all things through him who gives me strength". He is the Father who desires everyone to be saved and paid the prices of his Son to make it happen. He has invited us to himself through his Son and invites us to join him in this great mission of redemption. And the King told us that obedience is a simple matter when it is empowered by love. We need nothing else but him. We do not live for ourselves but that our King may live through us.

We cannot afford to live with a desire for the Lord and a desire for the principles of this world. We are told to make a choice before Jesus has to spit us out of his mouth. Sitting on the fence will never make the cut. Make a choice and do not be deceived thinking you are okay just because it looks like you are a follower of Jesus. Dedication to the King requires everything that you are and everything that you have. Our Father cannot be mocked.

Make no mistake about it, God will never be mocked! For what you plant will always be the very thing you harvest.The harvest you reap reveals the seed that was planted. If you plant the corrupt seeds of self - life into this natural realm, you can expect to experience a harvest of corruption. If you plant the good seeds of Spirit-life you will reap the beautiful fruits that grow from the everlasting life of the Spirit. - Galatians 6:7-8

My Heart's Desire In This Brand New Year

Sometimes great things come out of New Year resolutions, especially when they are provoked by the Holy Spirit. A year ago I was challenged by the Spirit to write my blog every single day of the year. This was a challenge for me, especially on Sundays because often the blog was a separate subject from what I was preaching that day. I stuck to it and ended up writing my 369th blog of the year yesterday and I was blessed in doing it. Now, what about this year?

I woke up this morning with one thought in my heart and one prayer on my lips. I was speaking to the Lord even before I realized I was awake and what I heard my spirit say is, "Lord, I give to you all 365 days of this new year. My desire is to seek nothing for myself in these days but to only seek you and your will; to serve, love, and seek you with all my heart, mind, body and strength."

Almost from day 1 of 2010 I faced overwhelming challenges that threatened to destroy me and my faith. I identified with the psalmist as he wrote:

Do not cast me away when I am old; 
   do not forsake me when my strength is gone. 
For my enemies speak against me; 
   those who wait to kill me conspire together. 
They say, “God has forsaken him; 
   pursue him and seize him,    for no one will rescue him.” (Psalm 71:9-11)

I had a choice, I could hold on to my faith and trust my Lord or I could allow myself to be pulled down into despair and be lost to my God and those who love me. I chose the Lord because he is all I have known since my youth and he has never failed me, not even during those times I failed him. He always stayed close and covered me by his grace which sprang from his love. So as I look at what he has done for me over this past year my heart yearns with a desire to bless him will all my love and life. Again I find my words on the psalmist's tongue:

But as for me, I will always have hope; 
   I will praise you more and more. 
My mouth will tell of your righteousness, 
   of your salvation all day long, 
   though I know not its measure. 
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD;    I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. (Psalm 71:14-16) 

As I look at this past year I have no doubt that I accomplished nothing of any worthy yet God accomplished great things through me. I want to see more of that. Less of me everyday in this new year and more of Jesus. He has provoked such a song in my heart by his great acts of mercy and grace. He has revealed a greater portion of his heart and given me understanding to comprehend it. The more I understand the more I realize I want all of him and nothing of myself. My greatest worth is found in what he has done for me and what he has called me too. Nothing I have pursued for myself has stood the test of the fires and been of any benefit. All I know is I want to be faithful to him from my youth to my last breath, when I no longer have any strength in this feeble body to carry on:

Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, 
   and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. 
Even when I am old and gray, 
   do not forsake me, O God, 
till I declare your power to the next generation,    your might to all who are to come. (Psalm 71:17-18)

After all he has done for me in this past year, how could I have any other response than to give him my all in this new year. Every day, each moment of each day, in all that I pursue and desire, I pray his glory will shine as I follow his will. May this year bring you and yours even greater revelation of the depth of God's love and may the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ shine through you for all the world to see. May you be faithful to him in all that he desires for you and your family. May his praise be forever found on your lips in this brand new year.