Why Everything?
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Imagine you have been searching for the perfect home. You finally find one you want to purchase and your offer is accepted! You are giddy with anticipation of moving in and decorating the new place with your preferences and personality.
As you walk into the realtor’s office to sign the papers, the seller’s agent greets you with three stipulations to the sale.
- The sellers would like to leave some of their belongings in the residence.
- The sellers would like to retain ownership and maintain the right to enter and use a portion of the property at will. Including one bedroom, two closets and the family room.
- The sellers would retain physical possession of this small portion of the home, but would like the buyers to provide all maintenance and pay all costs concerning mortgage and taxes and insurance.
Of course this would be the end of the sale! No one in their right mind would agree to such an arrangement!
Let’s ponder another scenario. Imagine you have made quite an impression on a boyfriend that you are dating and he proposes marriage. You accept the ring, but ask if he wouldn’t mind you maintaining a relationship with another boy who you are really having a lot of fun with. You tell your fiancé that you would love to marry him, but you just don’t feel you can be completely committed at this time. You would love to move into his home, and share his life…but you really are not quite ready to give up your current lifestyle.
Lastly, imagine a Military recruiter accepting the application of a recruit who only wanted to join the military if he could choose when and if he fought. Think about what kind of solder he would make if he could demand the ability to argue orders when he didn’t understand them, or be able to join only if he could come and go when he pleased. Better yet, imagine if the recruit wanted to remain as an active member of a terrorist organization part-time and also be an active solder in the military, because he liked the benefits!
As ridiculous as that sounds, many within our churches treat Salvation with this very same disrespect and partial commitment. They undervalue what it cost our Savior to provide our freedom! They have heard the gospel of, “Free Gift,” but have not bothered to learn of the conditional requirement… We must relinquish everything in order to receive it!
There are some people who just want to be able to go to heaven when they die, but still do as they please while they live here on earth. This does not bear witness to a life transformed by faith, but instead despises the grace given to rise above sin and its lifestyle. It says to the world that they would rather have the freedom to sin…and have Jesus pay the check when they are ready to leave the world.
This is a false gospel that embraces sin without any consequences. It portrays a weak god, in one of the many choices of religion, and in the end it glorifies self and all of its pleasures. No wonder the modern American church is such a confusing place!
Do we somehow feel that God is “lucky” that we acknowledge Him at all? Do we really believe that He is so desperate for our attention that He will settle for any part of ourselves that we are willing to give Him? Have we diminished His Sovereign authority in our minds and instead perceive Him as some low rent tenant that we might evict if He does not treat us the way we want Him too?
If we look for our answer in how the American culture does “church” it would seem so! If we allow this majority to rule our mindset, we may deceive ourselves into thinking that we have the right to be the gatekeepers to our Savior’s rightful possession of our souls. We will act as though we can lock Him out of whatever closet we want. We will believe we are able to invite Him in, or refuse Him access.
Within time, we will have no trouble calling Him Lord with our mouths, but feel we are under no obligation to submit to His Lordship wherever we are uncomfortable.
Could this be true? Many seem to believe so…or at least that is the outcome of much of their behavior. But before we judge others…let us look within our own hearts in order to judge ourselves…
This kind of partial commitment would never be tolerated in any other relationship. Why do we feel we can hand God the tattered and torn places in our lives but believe He will somehow ignore the rest? If He is truly Lord of everything… He will not settle for anything less than EVERYTHING!
This is scary for so many, yet it is such a great and joyous opportunity! God will not require us to surrender anything He will not replace from within His eternal storehouse!
We must release and empty ourselves in order to make room for what He intends for us!
What is the everything we are so afraid to let go of?
Is it…
Everything we struggle with?
Everything we hope for?
Everything we are ashamed of?
Everything we are proud of?
Everything we are hiding?
Everything we are displaying?
Why Everything?
Because keeping anything from the grace and purpose of God, makes it nothing but a stumbling block. It only becomes something valuable when it is offered up to Him!
It is only when we surrender all, that we are ready to be filled with all that God has prepared for us. Our deepest trust and faith is revealed at the moment we are asked to surrender…
Are you holding anything back today?
When we look in the mirror…Who do we see?
By · CommentsReflections of our Identity
Before we can go any deeper, we need to know where we are right now!
No matter how old, how young or spiritually mature we are, we need to stop every once and a while to take a look at our self, and our surroundings. We can get so focused on the tasks of our daily routine that we often put our inner spiritual life on auto pilot.
We need times of self-examination.
It can be a little awkward, like being in an unfamiliar mall. We need to come across the sign in the middle of the complex of stores and find the place marked “You are here!”
Ladies, I know we don’t like this. We would sometimes rather not see too clearly. But, the truth is that we are ripe for deception if we do not know the true condition of our souls or our stewardships.
Our marker that we must look to is the Word of Truth, and it is the only mirror we must compare ourselves to. It is also the clear sign that gives us the standard of what our expectations should be.
Unfortunately, the Word of God is not the only mirror in the world we live in. We are in fact in a maze of mirrors every day. It is very much like a funhouse experience where in one mirror we are short and fat, and in another tall and skinny. Depending on which reflection we like, we could walk away very pleased with ourselves, or very disappointed. However if the mirror we choose is not accurate, we will end up greatly deceived.
Some of us are stuck in the image of who we think we are supposed to be rather than the image we were created to reflect. Some of us are looking back at the reflection of wounds inflicted on us by others. Some of us refuse to look at ourselves at all for fear of never measuring up to the standard that has been set for us.
Let’s take a moment to pray, and cleanse our heart that we might see clearly. We turn now to the Word of God and see if we are in need of a little adjustment.
1 Peter 3:1 is our True mirror:
“Wives, likewise be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives…”
The deceptive mirror of “control”
This is one of the most damaging reflections that the world has offered women. Our created role is powerful, but not positional. Our influence is not effective in asserting strength…but in submitting obediently, and often sacrificially. The deception of trying to obtain power and authority by “Taking Charge” is seen in many a contentious woman tearing apart her own house with her words and actions.
Every daughter of Eve who is determined to “take matters into her own hands” has often been left holding nothing more than shattered hopes and broken dreams. Fears and frustration begin to drive her to act and react on impulse and emotion, rather than responding in faith and with patience and wisdom. When a woman begins to be a taskmaster in her home, she divides herself from the very things she longs for. She has little chance of being covered and cared for when she positions herself to be the one in charge.
Our True mirror continuing from 1Peter 3:2
“…when they (your husband) observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.”
The deceptive mirror of “sexual manipulation”
This reflection is the most common, and is seen almost everywhere. Our society knows that, “sex sells.” The curve of a woman’s body and the soft flow of hair swaying in slow motion have sold everything from cars to dishwashing detergent! Sex sells because there is great power in seduction. In relationships, however, using our sexuality as a weapon is a perversion of our beauty and distortion of our gift.
To “use” or “abuse” our ability (womanly wiles) to get what we want, or withhold sex because we are denied what we want, exposes fear at the heart of our actions. It says plainly that we are not trusting God, or respecting our husband. We are instead revealing we do not fear God or the consequences of manipulation, which is considered a form of witchcraft in God’s sight.
To clarify, witchcraft is using any means to obtain any thing apart from the will and way of God. Witchcraft is a form of rebellion. (1 Samuel 15:33)
For those ladies who are unmarried, understand that God’s desire for purity goes far beyond the visible ramifications of STD’s and pregnancy. Sexuality in our culture has been reduced as a toy for entertainment or as a woman’s determination of value. One young man told his girlfriend quite confidently that he knew of no man who would even consider marrying a girl he had not at least “tried out” once. The statement he made was not nearly as disturbing as the fact his misguided perception is not at all uncommon.
On the other hand, sex within the confines of marriage can be a delightful and satisfying gift! We are free within this boundary to explore and express intimacy that sets apart this relationship from every other. Our union can become a love that sets a friendship afire! Desire is quenched and rekindled as romance is fueled within this protected atmosphere.
Marriages in the “church” may not look much different than those in the world. But those marriages that truly represent the Kingdom of God should reflect the image of His design. Otherwise we profess with our mouths what our actions can not represent. This is double-minded and hypocritical to a watching world.
It is very interesting to me that the more casual we treat sex in our society, the less holy our matrimony. It bears paying attention to.
Wow! I don’t know about you ladies…but I think I am in more need of a little washing with the water of the Word!
1Peter 3:3 “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel…”
The deceptive mirror of “physical perfection”
Let’s make sure we understand what this is not saying… The Lord is not telling us we shouldn’t want to be pretty. Or that we shouldn’t find appropriate and affordable ways to be as attractive as we can. What this is saying is that physical beauty should not be our main focus.
Our world is driving us to obtain what is both impossible, and in the scheme of things unimportant. Some of our deepest insecurities and greatest credit card debts can be traced back to looking into this mirror and buying its image.
So what should be our focus?
1 Peter 3:4 “…rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.”
Ladies, when I read this my heart melts. I want a gentle and quiet spirit, but I do not always feel I possess one. This is the heart of our message today. If God desires to see my inner beauty shine outwardly through a gentle and quiet spirit…then nothing less than that will do.
I am afraid there is no simple formula to obtain a gentle and quiet spirit other than relying on God’s truth to be worked out in our daily lives. There will be opportune moments to walk out our faith in small but significant ways. Each time we choose to believe by responding appropriately, we allow God to bless our efforts with His favor.
Reflect:
Read the entire portion of 1Peter 3 today and be honest with your own reflection of God’s expectation
Re-mind:
As you pray, allow God to wash you with the water of His word and reveal one or two ways you could practice a gentle a quiet spirit in your home and world today
Relate:
Self-discipline your habits when you become aware of control, or manipulation in your words and actions. And begin to become attune to the hidden beauty within you.
May the Lord bless us with His beauty as we journey with Him this week!
Housekeeper or Homemaker?
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It was a beautiful fall-like morning, the breeze slightly crisp, the dogs excitedly weaving in and out of my legs wanting to be fed and loved on at the same time. I put the coffee on and threw a few remaining dishes from the night before into the dishwasher and thanked God for the marvelous appliances that make life so much easier. Bet even more, was my gratitude for the gift of the love and life I have tended in this home.
These days, I like to start the day fresh and tidy. I wasn’t always like that. I use to live in a certain amount of chaos without too much care or thought about it at all. But I married a guy who needed an organized living space in order to function in peace…so I adapted! At first I struggled with all the housekeeping do’s and don’ts. I felt restricted and scrutinized. I wanted to please my husband, but with three small children, both of us working and with very little time or income between us, it seemed like a losing battle.
I didn’t really understand the point. My upbringing didn’t include a lot of housekeeping skills. I had learned to cook…that was about it. I wanted to be a good wife and mom, and somehow screaming at my kids for dragging out toys I had just put away seemed a little counterproductive. Yet, my husband really seemed to need me to get understanding in this for his own well-being.
It was about this time that I became a Christian and God put a little meaning into this madness; it is simply understanding the difference between purely, “Housekeeping,” and “Homemaking.” (Or the art of making a sanctuary within our home)
As I grew in my own understanding of who I was created to be in Christ, I began discerning the difference between simply cleaning up clutter, and providing an emotional and experiential environment that produced feelings of comfort and encouragement. I learned to create space for living that inspired life! It did not require anything more than I already had to use…and the results were appreciated…if not right away, certainly within time. Our children, now grown, often remembering with fondness their family home and all that it meant to them.
I have been in many dwellings over the years that could have been in a magazine. (One actually was!) They are picture perfect. Not a dust-bunny in sight! Color coordinated and sparkling bright, you feel like you are in a showcase…and sometimes that is exactly what it is. Immaculate, but emasculated, not a manly impression to be found. Some of these poor husbands exist among the floral and fauna, only to escape periodically into the world of football, or whatever seems inviting as they channel-surf. Even worse, are the husbands who are removed from the house altogether to listen to a baseball game in the garage.
The children of these residences are seen in pristine photographs on the walls, but not felt within the rooms themselves. Life, it seems in these places is less lived, and more choreographed. The personality of each child seems hidden beneath accomplishments and activities; even these, only portrayed within the design of the internal landscape.
Although the women who keep these homes are the “Queens of Clean,” they may be completely unaware that their primary role is to be gatekeepers of the sanctuary of their dwelling; making their home a safe place to retreat from the warfare and weariness of the world outside. This is how she contends and cares for her precious family. In this realm, she is to be the guardian, using all that she is, and all that she has, to nurture her family and provide the atmosphere needed to grow individually as well as interpersonally. The confidence and inner well-being that is fostered in healthy families is more precious than gold.
This is mostly a problem of deflection and not entirely a deception. Clean is good. People are messy. We need to be skilled at keeping a clean and organized house, but not as a substitute for relational responsibility. If we only cultivate an immaculate and orderly garden, but do not take the time necessary to nurture the seeds sown there, what is the point? This kind of house could be “staged” to sell, but not lived in well.
This, my sisters, is the highest call of womanhood! This is not simply stating the role of being a wife and mother, though certainly this is a part of who we are. But even deeper still, built into our intrinsic identity, is the creative beauty no HGTV home design show can match! We are uniquely wired for relational remodeling and restoration projects! We are often the only true connection and association between those we know in our sphere of influence. When our bond with others expresses the extension of our God given beauty, we create an environment of hospitality wherever we are. Our own homes should be the basket where the best of our “fruits” are sampled.
We, as women, have an interesting privilege. Yet so many of us have willingly abdicated our position in search of other fulfillments. So we busily attach check marks to tasks and chores at home, in order to hurry up and get into the “real” world where we hope to finally be valued, recognized and appreciated. Our calendars reflect our busy lifestyles, but the contentment with all we do is desperately lacking.
It has taken me many trials and failures to realize the only thing worthy in this world are the precious souls that dwell here. How gracious (or risky) is God who gives us husbands and children on which to practice love and mercy upon! Our response to the gift of our families should be to learn the science of housekeeping only as it benefits the art of homemaking. We do this in hope; in order that through our sometimes sacrificial offering, we may provide a home that is welcoming and inviting… A safe place toinfluence loving and healthy relationships.
Over the course of twenty five years of married life, I have learned that without my husbands’ need for order, I would never have ventured into the realm of homemaking. I would have strived for whatever the worldview told me was valuable. God has used the diversity within each member of our family to teach us all relational skills of conflict and resolution. Without the chaos and clutter of having children, I would never have known the joys of becoming a “Relational Architect” designing…and often re-designing the portrait of a family.
Being a Homemaker is more than being a wife. It is more than being a mother. It is the mantle worn by all godly women who know their position and who walk in their purpose…
This makes every woman, single or married, capable of creating a sanctuary of her home worthy of hospitality and refuge.
Proverbs 14:1
“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.”
Is it Garbage Day?
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This week, our Pastor talked about how he spent his vacation renting a dumpster and cleaning out 20 years of collected “garbage” out of his barn. Of course he and his wife knew they needed to set aside time to do this because they were anticipating a lot of sorting and sifting through everything they had accumulated. Not everything in the barn was rubbish. In fact, even some of the items they had to dispose of held memories that were extremely difficult to let go of…even though the usefulness of the actual object had long since gone.
What made me really pay attention to this story is the fact that I had watched an episode of “Obsession” earlier in the week. “Obsession” is a program that deals with people’s Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorders, or OCD’s. This particular program dealt with a man who “hoarded.” His entire home, garage, and back yard were stuffed and stacked with everything from furniture to junk-mail. He couldn’t throw anything away…but even worse, he continued to bring things home.
At first, as a viewer, I was horrified! How could anyone live like this? Didn’t someone care enough about this guy to help him, I wondered? But then as the story unfolds we begin to understand how this came to happen.
This guy associated every piece of paper…every old magazine subscription…every old bottle of medicine, as a piece of his memory. Throw it away, and devalue the memory. For him, it was as if he would be throwing the person, or place or event itself in the garbage can. He couldn’t let a single thing go, because everything held the same significance. Everything was that important. He could not discern the emotional difference between what was sacred…and what was junk.
Throughout the program, we see the slow, but continual progress he makes with the help of some very intensive therapy. What the therapist needed to accomplish with this man was the release of the importance of what each item represented in his heart, before he could surrender the item itself into the trash. This was made evident in the beginning when the therapist “made” him throw something away…only to have him retrieve it again from the dumpster once she had left for the day.
This wasn’t a case of hiring someone to help him clean up his clutter, because the real chaos was within him. Even if someone had cleaned his house every day for the rest of his life, he would have continued to “hoard” his experiences through the accumulation of “things,” big or small…costly or cheap, always needing something tangible to remind him of his life.
To tell you the truth…the whole thing really disturbed me. But I also need to say that I am grateful that I can still be haunted by such images.
For too many of us, these reality shows and constant tabloid news footages begin to de-sensitize us. Dysfunction becomes normal. We become too comfortable to what should trouble us concerning the souls that surround us daily. We might not know the exact person being portrayed, but it is likely we know someone caught in similar circumstances. We might even be caught a little ourselves.
The more I thought about this “hoarding” thing, the more I realized how common it is. Maybe not in its extreme form, but even in the testimony of our pastor who had allowed 20years to accumulate in his barn before he finally addressed it… all of us, to some degree, gather and protect things we do not need—that represent memories we are not ready to let go of—that begin to imprison us over time.
The man in the “obsession” episode had basically entombed himself within his own walls. He left no room to walk, rest, eat or live in any normal way within his own home. He was paralyzed emotionally, mentally and physically. He was only ready to begin therapy because he wanted to share his life with someone else…and there was literally no room for her!
The scary thing is that you don’t have to be “old” to be affected by this behavior. These programs, “Obsession”, “Intervention” and others like them have featured very young, very dysfunctional individuals who are trapped within these behaviors. The truth is, if these belief systems and associations are not rightly dealt with, a person in their mid-twenties can be completely incapacitated within the walls their own choices build.
It doesn’t matter what we name it… “Obsessive Compulsive Disorders” “addictions” or any other destructive lifestyle preferences, these habits will eventually lead to separation from others as well as shame, loneliness, guilt and despair…If they are not altered at their source.
The grim reality is that most of the participants in these documentaries do not find complete deliverance, restoration or freedom. Although some do get a little better with help, most return to their old ways with a vengeance.
What makes these shows popular is not just the extreme behavior, but the story underneath. Of course no sane and rationally thinking human being would self-destruct and separate themselves from living a happy productive life on purpose…so how do they get “there?”
As I prayed about this the Lord revealed one word, “Relationships.”
How we receive the way we process “value” usually comes first from our relationship with our parents. What they deemed important will shape the way we value people and things in our lives. If they had healthy and clear boundaries as to what was “trash” and what was “treasure” in their lives, we are more likely to learn balance from their example.
If the way we respond in our own relationship with people and things is not healthy, we must re-learn at that same point of reception; recognizing our trust and hope in that reality was wrong. However, from here, we must receive the true-truth in order to reform new perceptions. That is the heart of what repentance really is!
This is not merely a difficult task…. It is impossible without the grace of God. That is why all the worlds’ wisdom and techniques do not seem to “work” for most of these individuals. These are soul issues being expressed. Without genuine love and restoration, there can be no true change.
These shows are in some ways, testimonials for absolute truth. Reading between the layers we can see why our world is such a hurting place. We can witness in these snapshots of desperation, that religion without relationship with Christ is just as useless as therapy without genuine theology. (Or the knowledge of God) Only the true Creator and Author knows how to mend the wounded soul or fix the brokenhearted. We can have facts and formulas, programs and procedures, but without the divine healing revelation from God Himself, there will be no lasting deliverance. No real transformation.
If we learn from these examples of human suffering we can be better prepared to offer a “living hope” to those who are hurting. Not just a quick clean-up so they are more presentable to our sterile and churchy expectations.
However, before we are helpful to others, first we need to take a good look at ourselves…
Are we hindered or tripping over the clutter of unimportant things?
Are we living in the present moment…or are we stuck in wounds of our past?
Are we free…or living in the prison of our own making?
It is not just a matter of cleaning out the closets…but also sweeping out the soul.
It is good to set aside time to do some deep cleaning…both of the home and of the heart.
Is Today garbage day?
Maybe it’s time to rent a dumpster…
What “Gospel” do we really believe?
By · CommentsLike most people, I look to others for advice on things I’m not sure about. So when I received a few opinions about how I could make this blog better, (or more effective) for those who read, it I was happy to listen. After all, I am a novice on all social media, and only recently learned how to upload photos for facebook! I’m the first to recognize I could certainly use a little help!
But as I processed some of the opinions offered, I became a little overwhelmed with statistics and polls that apparently rate the success of your media out reach based on the constant flow of content. “Content is Currency” they claim and I would heartily say “Yes!” and “Amen!” to that…but they aren’t talking about quality…they are talking about quantity.
They tell me the more often you “tweet” daily, the larger your Twitter audience. The more often you post your blogs, the more people will want to see what you are saying. To me, this seems to be more of a reflection of our society’s 30 second attention span than it is a blueprint to really benefit anyone.
Recent… refashioned …re-evaluated information, products and service. This is what I am told the “cyber-surfs” want. If you want their traffic, you need to give them what they are interested in– quick! They are click, clicking away, spending seconds, not minutes deciding if the site they are on is worthy of their attention. This bothered me in more ways than I could process in a 3o second window! So I took the week to think about it.
The first thing I concluded was that hopefully, surfing the web is something you do…not who you are! It kind of makes it sound like a sci-fi android movie, when we calculate the motives of cyber-space users to anything less than human.
The next thing I decided was that I don’t really care how many people visit this site. I’m not trying to introduce as many issues as fast as possible, trying to hit upon a hot enough topic to hold your interest.
My goal must always be to present a Relevant, Credible and Effective dialog to discern the Truth, and reflect a genuine witness to that reality. Anything less than that objective is a violation to my relationship with God…and my relationship with you as my reader. On that I will not compromise.
Because of this, I cannot guarantee that I will post often enough for anyone to read or care about what I write about. However, I hope that those who do, will be provoked to search the Scriptures for themselves to better understand God’s will for them and be motivated by love to obey what He has said; for their sake…and the sake of their witness of Christ.
The last (and most important) thing I have decided was that only the right and true opinion matters. …Whose report will we believe? We shall believe the report of the Lord! (Rom 10:16.) The report of the Lord is found in His Word. Not just a verse or two that can be wrapped around my point of view, but the consistent and whole counsel of God.
The trouble is that too many people use the Bible to verify their own opinion, rather than adjust their opinion to the truth found in scripture. Or worse, they do not read and study the Word of God at all.
Absolute Truth is also easy to twist. It is as pliable is our deceptive heart can manipulate. (James 3:13-4:3) If our desires are anything less than purely motivated…we can easily wring out a doctrine to suit our own agenda.
As hard as it is to accept, God allows this to clearly divide the ones who are truly seeking His will…from the ones who are not. It is clear from Scripture itself that He will not interfere with our free will to choose. He will however, make known His will to us and allow us to respond accordingly.
I used to think that as long as you really loved Jesus…everything else would fall into place. The Holy Spirit would teach you Truth, and help you discern the written Word, and all the while, the Father would guard and guide the process of your life-journey until the day you met Him face-to-face.
I still believe this.
Yet…the genuine outcome of this is entirely dependant on which Jesus you love, what spirit you receive, and who your real father is! (Gal 3:1-13,1Jn 4:1-6, Jn 8:13-59)
Jesus is another name for “Savior” Unfortunately; many people put their hope in something other than the True Jesus for their salvation.
These people follow doctrines of men that enable them to trust in deceptions that prevent them from receiving true transformation in their daily lives. They may be active in their churches…but their homes and closest relationships are more likely to resemble graveyards or battlefields. There is no real “fruit” to verify that their faith is genuine.
The longer I walk with God, the more evident I see this in most of our churches. The high cost of discipleship is nearly non-existent, save for the few radicals who believe in various causes worthy of their passion.
In a recent independent poll of young college girls who professed to love Jesus, most stated that “yes,” they would make out with another girl if it would turn on their boyfriend. They found nothing compromising in their faith to make such a statement. We may find that disturbing…and we should! But it is only representative of a culture of “Christians” who believe and hope in different “Christ’s.” Those, whose Jesus’ understand and graciously tolerate modern thinking.
I am hoping that whomever “out there” surfing the web is searching for more than a 30second sound bite that tickles and entertains. I am writing to those who are looking for more than just the answers to their questions, but the real reasons that they ask them in the first place!
I am not writing as an expert, but as a seeker myself, who will not be satisfied with anything less than “true Truth.” I know that there are a lot of opinions out there to what that is…There always will be. But if God is really God, and His Word is really Truth, we can rest in certainty that He will reveal His ways to us through His written Word in ways we can understand and obey.
It is our responsibility, however, to seek to know Him.
That is what we are going to endeavor to do here in this forum.
So here is my question to you dear reader…
“What Gospel (or good news) do you hope in?”
Break it down…look it up…think about it…
“Where are you compromising…where are you unclear?”
“What is it worth to you to gain the freedom of true salvation in every way you can receive it?”
“Who is Jesus to you?”
Shiny Lamps
By · CommentsThis verse in Matthew 25:1-13 has always bothered me.
“…The Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the Bridegroom. Now five were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps…”
As I read this parable, I notice three things that trouble me…
All ten were virgins–All ten had lamps–all ten slumbered and slept.
It seems that appearances can… and will be deceiving to the church and to the world in these last days. There is nothing visible to distinguish between the five who are wise, and the five who are foolish.
But from God’s perspective, it is all about the presence of the oil!
Strong’s Concordance #1636-1637 tells us that this oil is the “fruit” of the olive.
There are two kinds of olive references in Scripture, wild olives, (or natural) and cultivated, (or spiritual.) This leads me to believe that this parable is all about the “fruit of the Spirit!”
Let’s look at this again…
All ten were virgins, or set apart to wed the Bridegroom.
All ten had shiny lamps to trim, or gifts and abilities that they used within their churches and communities. They were outwardly beautiful and capable of lighting the way…
And they all grew weary and tired of waiting. And they all fell asleep.
It is in this time of waiting where it seems that the wise are separated from the foolish. Five are wasting time…and five are somehow purchasing oil.
How are they purchasing the oil? How are they collecting this hidden essence that turns faith into substance?
I believe purchasing oil, is another way of saying being “fruitful” How can we translate that into understanding for our own lives?
Before we respond to that question, we need to define what the “fruit of the Spirit” is:
(Galatians 5:22) : Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
The challenge of this Truth is:
It is in the time of in-between (the promise of our redemption and the fulfillment of our salvation) where we are given opportunity to cultivate authentic fruitfulness in Christ. It is how we spend our time each day as we wait on the return of our Lord.
It is in our daily relationships and casual encounters where we choose to “buy” oil… or refuse the purchase price.
Yes…It squeezes us.
And Yes…It hurts.
But this is not a hard truth…this is a heart issue.
The price we must pay to buy the oil of genuine fruitfulness, is:
Obedience to God’s Word…
Self-sacrifice to our personal preference and pleasure…
And trust in God’s purpose and plan for our lives…
When Christ returns…
Will He find faith in the earth? Will He find genuine love, or patience or peace among His Beloved? What fruit will he find burning in the vessels He has given us to shine forth for Him?
Or will we be caught unaware in a moment we are not expecting…
Holding empty vessels…and Shiny lamps.
Lest we forget that on the Day that the Bridegroom appears…it is too late to buy oil.
Today, let us be like wise virgins…
Living, and loving well…and not just looking good!
Forgiving those who have trespassed us.
Feeding the hungry and tending to the poor.
Peacemakers and friends to the lowly of heart and the tender among us.
Let us spend everything we have …to gain an oil that will burn for eternity!
Amen!
Risk vs Reward
By · CommentsThere is something so amazing about that moment you decide to take a risk…
It is a flash of excitement that sends adrenaline surging through your veins! It is a momentary experience of passion being practiced, without certainty of it’s outcome. It is Willy Wonka trying out his own inventions. It is Christopher Columbus setting sail on a flat sea towards the cliffs on the horizon. It is every time we move out beyond our comfort zone into the glorious unknown!
There are really only two kinds of risk takers…Those who are willing to sacrifice themselves in the pursuit of a greater reward for the benefit of all…and those who in the pursuit of self-indulgence, lay the cost and consequence of their actions at the feet of those around them. I call this group the “Thrill Seekers”
Thrill seekers are not simple roller-coaster enthusiasts, or those who pay to ride the class five rapids of the mighty rivers. They cannot settle for adventure…they are ravenous for danger. This group puts other people at risk for the momentary pleasure of a dangerous ride.
Some rides are much more dangerous than others. Drugs, alcohol, promiscuous sex, as well as crimes of fraud and embezzlement have taken their toll on society. But even worse that the obvious outcome of lives affected by these tragedies, is the trust that has been obliterated in today’s relationships.
No one trusts anybody…fully. Oh we say we do, but we are conditioned, at least beneath the surface, to self-protect against those who might hurt us whether intentionally or not. This is because the damage is already done. The news and the tabloids are clear: you are not safe…you are not loved…you are not valued. This is the world in which we live. A world of fear and uncertainty.
Even so…
We do not have to participate in this world’s economy…it’s philosophy, or it’s morality. While the world seems to have given in to sin and settled for the consequences, Christ has set us free! We can now choose differently. We can choose to trust! We can also take the risk of helping others. We can make a way for relationships to be restored…with God, and with one another.
These are the peacemakers, and mediators, and those who bring the ministry of reconciliation! they have a passion more rewarding than any base-jumper could perceive!
These are those who risk rejection, face their fears, and take a leap of faith….
Great is their reward
What does it mean to be engaged?
By · CommentsWhat does it mean to be “engaged?” The dictionary says: “to occupy the attention or efforts of…to involve… to secure for aid, or employment, or hire…to attract and hold fast…to lease…to bind, or make pledge of promise, make liable…to betroth…to enter into conflict with…to cause gears to become interlocked with(as with a clutch)…entangle or involve…pledge one’s word, assume obligation…to cross weapons…
I am thinking that we have become a people who have “disengaged.”
We do not rely on one anther to keep our word, our pledges are fickle and self serving. We are not even under that liability of obligation ourselves when we speak a promise to someone else! Even our wedding vows seem to be less significant than the price of the ring…we attract, but do not hold fast. This should not be so.
As Christians, we are called the “Bride of Christ.” We are His betrothed. It is a privilege to know that God Himself has sworn an oath over us to redeem us as His promise of engagement. He has made Himself liable for our iniquity and assumed the obligation for our sin. He has gone to war over us..and will enter into conflict with us if it is necessary for our good. He is engaged.
What will it take for us to comprehend the magnitude of this promise? When we will learn to trust as well as to submit? Why do we resit the very thing that will save us?
When will we become a people who are engaged?
I am burdened to write this letter concerning our current common affliction. We are facing an unprecedented time of urgency, yet I am afraid the focus of our attention has been misplaced upon our circumstantial situation rather than our most obvious resource. I am amazed at the calls I have received in utter panic as to what we should be doing right now. Because of this I have decided to share my heart with you all.
It is said that crisis never develops character–it only reveals whatever character has already been established. The word, “established” is particularly relevant here because it means “to put into place or practice something that is permanent in motion.” Said another way, this particular moment in our history is only revealing habits and lifestyles, as well as what we truly believe in our heart-of-hearts. So we must ask ourselves: As we are being squeezed…is it faith or fear that is being expressed?
If it is fear, be honest! Praise God for His divine interruption in your life! He is able to transform fear into faith. The problem with human nature is that we would sometimes rather hide in our fear, and deny its severity. But the truth is, when we do not confront our truest selves in the presence of God in order to deal honestly with our fear, we are likely to take in its children…Disobedience and Unbelief as well!
Fear at its very core is mistrusting God’s goodness, His love and His capacity to work on our behalf. If we do not tackle this head-on, we are apt to try and solve our own problems in our own wisdom, and in our own strength. This is not wise; and definitely not a good testimony for those outside.
I have heard that there are those among us who profess to be of the household of faith, yet are living as though there is no Provider! This should not be so! The current financial situation can not be countered by hoarding and stockpiling, or taking extravagant measures in ensuring security! The Word of God tells us that when we do such things we are in danger of losing even what we think we have! (Luke 12:16-21, Luke 12:33, James 1:27, Matthew 25:14-30) There are principles governing prosperity that are given by the mouth of God. (Malachi 2:8-12) Tithing, stewardship, and generosity are a way that the heart can learn to trust Him and the hand can be disciplined in order to distribute His wealth. Remember it is all His anyway! I promise, we will not be put to shame if we trust God on this point. We will not be seen begging bread either. (Psalm 37:35-26)
Yes, some of us are losing homes, or jobs. (Remember Job, Daniel, Joseph, and John to name a few who suffered likewise) For some of us, this is a course correction, for others it is something else. However, if we are willing, either way we will see God’s provision in the midst of our greatest need. Remember, our stories are still being written! God is after our wholeness, and He is relentless. He is not pacified with half-hearted followers who serve Him as is convenient. He desires All-in, no plan B disciples who are yielded to the transformation process. If we are truly His, we must remember He will not settle until we are wholly His.
Often times we really have no idea what we are lacking until the time of our testing. Many of us have faced these trials in previous times and can boldly testify to the goodness of God that we experienced. (Luke 21: 10-19, Psalm 139:23-24) Do not lose heart! Do not lose faith! God sees. God is still with us! His plan is being perfected even as we speak.
These are serious times, but they should not be taking us by surprise. There are hard decisions to be made, but we, who have been so richly blessed, should also be amply equipped. Why are we living as though we were never going to be tested? As I have already said… what we are experiencing is a common affliction. It is found in all places; it is global, nondenominational, interracial, secular and sacred. It is a real situation with real consequences. However the principles for a faithful covenant with our Creator still apply!
If we claim that Jesus is all we need, but have peace only in the absence of conflict– what difference is there between us and the world? And if we only experience joy in the abundance of our provision and comfort, why would the world stop to ask us what the hope is within us? I am sorry if this is brand new information…but suffering is a part of the “Life-on-Earth-package!” Anyone who tells you otherwise is lying to you. These are not my words, but His Word. We will all suffer…either we will suffer justly—or unjustly. (1 Peter 4:12-19)
The “Serenity Prayer” is a beautiful example of learning to discern between the parts of life we are responsible for, and what part we need to trust God for. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Oh how I wish this were a common exercise! It is said that 100% of Life can be divided into two parts: 10% is the “stuff” that happens to us-and the remaining 90% is how we handle the 10%! We are not responsible for the 10% what happens to us…but we will certainly be held accountable for the 90% of how we respond!
WAKE UP! Christians! There has never been a greater time to get real with God! He is so patient with us. His grace and mercy are ready to make our miserable mistakes into majestic masterpieces! But we need to be honest with where we really are right now. Let this crisis shine the light brightly on the true state of our relationship with Him…and with others.
REPENT! If need be. Things are not going to get better with a change directive from any political system. It is our God who is Sovereign! He is setting the stage for a change so swift and certain; it is likened to the coming of a thief in the night. (2 Peter 3:10-18, Matthew 24:36-51, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, Revelation 3:3) But we, who are His, do not need to be taken so unawares…we should experience this unstoppable event more like the pregnant woman in labor, than as the thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:3) A pregnant woman knows her time is soon to come. She is ready. She is prepared.
RESPOND! My encouragement, and my hope, is found solely in the Word of God. These Scriptures I have listed for you are life! I am praying more fervently than ever for the household of faith. We are in a very critical time! (Luke 21:34-36, 2Thessalonians 2:1-12) We need to watch and pray lest we fall into the same temptations towards sin and self, as the world. The comfort and convenience of compromise is always just one decision away. Keep company with those who will hold up truth like a mirror. We need the wounds of a true friend more than the flattery of pretense.
Those who claim they do not need to self-examine their own hearts are easily deceived by their own confidence. The Word provokes us to continually test our own hearts to see if we are in the faith. (2 Corinthians 13:5-7, 2 Corinthians2:9, 2Corinthians8:8, 1Corinthians3:13, Romans 12:2. James 4:1, Galatians 6:4, 1 Thessalonians 5:21) It is not a matter of “loosing our salvation,” It is a matter of obedience which verifies our love is genuine. (John 14:15-18)
I am writing to you who are living all across this great country where our freedoms have given us both a license to sin…as well as the liberty to worship our God as we choose. The time is now passed to keep private our personal belief system. This is spiritual Spring Cleaning! Get rid of the snares that stumble and the thorns that choke out the truth! Be ready! Be watchful! Be available to live out what God had poured in!
And if by chance you find yourself standing with a very shiny, (but empty) oil lamp….( Matthew 25:1-13) Praise God the call has not yet sounded that the Bridegroom has come! So go! Go out and buy what is real, what is pure and what is genuine, that the day will not take you unawares.
Read the Word. Not for memorization—but transformation! Let the Word of God pour into your heart, mind and soul. Obey what you hear. There are no shortcuts to holiness. It is hard, but keep pressing on. Pray! Nothing is too big, or too little! It is the communion with our Father that pleases Him. He is with you…will you be with Him?
No matter what—We Are In This Together!!!!!!!! We may stand alone in our decisions, but we stand together in the household of faith. Remember the community suffers alongside us. We really do need each other to be genuine and transparent. It is scary to be vulnerable, but the consequence of self-protection is just too high.
I am being vulnerable in sending this out, but the conviction in my soul must also trust God with how this is received. I am not perfect, and I struggle too, but I know as sure as I live and breathe, we had better raise the standard we see displayed before us to a lost and dying world. Will you stand with me?
Gratuity vs. Gratitude
By · CommentsAs we prepare our hearts to minister in this season of giving, I began to give careful consideration to what it means to be a servant. Of course our worship to the Lord is a service to Him. We wait on Him, and attend to Him in our songs and our tithes and our obedience to His word. But, often, in a greater way, our best service to God is in the way we attend to the needs of a lost and hurting world.
What if in our worship to God, He only blessed us with His provision of mercy, grace, and love, according to our performance? What if, when we offered Him a meal of our worship, it was partially cold because of self-doubting? Or what if we served the wrong meal entirely because we were new and inexperienced? What if because the meal that we served God was not perfect, He paid us with a tract of rebuke and a dollar of disgust! Thank God He does not give us what we deserve! He tips us instead in abundance…He tips us in GRACE!
In these next few weeks many of us will be out buying gifts, or enjoying a meal out with friends. As Christians, we will have a blessed opportunity to reflect the giving nature of our Heavenly Father. Many restaurants in our area, however, cringe at the thought of having to serve the “Christian Crowd” because they are known to be stingy. Instead of showing our displeasure by tipping with a dollar bill and a tract, we could use even a time of poor service as an opportunity to brighten someone’s day and soften their hearts. Who knows, maybe our poor service was due to the rude customers before us and ruined our server’s day. Should we not be the vessel that could turn things around? Isn’t that a part of the plan of redemption to overcome evil with good?
Our pony-tailed server is likely to be making a mere $2.13 an hour. The minimum wage for a dedicated server is much lower than state wage requirements. They are working in hopes of gratuity. Imagine only getting paid if our customers were completely satisfied with our work! On the other hand, the cooks in the kitchen are being paid reasonably by the hour. If they burn your steak they will not be penalized, nor will they be upset that your tip reflected your displeasure.
Gratuity by its very nature is a deserved bonus. But as people of grace we should not be so ruled. We of all people should not live in the boundaries of “Just Deserts” especially in the season of celebrating the birth of our Savior who came to deliver us from a Hell we so justly deserved. Let us instead be ambassadors of Love; being patient and understanding, and serving the needs others…of even those who serve us!
Serving alongside you in the season of Grace
