Year: 2016

My life is the song I sing

Suffering.

Cheerful.

We expect these to be at opposite ends of the spectrum, don’t we?

James 5:13 ESV
Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

So we hear that if we are suffering,  we are to pray. And if we are cheerful,  we are to sing praise. And we are quite used to these two being separated by circumstances. This is something easy for even the minds of the worldly to grasp. Hurt and pain equals suffering, equals pray. Good and pleasurable equals cheerful,  equals praise. Right? Yes,  this is easy and simple logic for our carnal and logical minds to process and agree upon.

But what about a person who is cheerful about their suffering?

Now doesn’t that throw a wrinkle into the comfortable agreement in our thinking? Don’t we begin to ask,  well if someone is really suffering,  why would they be cheerful?

But Paul tells the Romans that rejoicing in suffering is exactly the kind of thing that Christians do.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.5.3-5.ESV

And Jesus promised his followers that they would face persecution and suffering and trials and tribulation in this world, so what’s with all the singing and praising?

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
2 Timothy 3:12 ESV
http://bible.com/59/2ti.3.12.ESV

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,
Philippians 1:29 ESV
http://bible.com/59/php.1.29.ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
1 Peter 4:12-13 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1pe.4.12-13.ESV

Yes, it can seem confusing and foolish to our carnal minds for there ever to be a reason for us to rejoice about suffering. Who would choose a life of “cheerful suffering”?

That’s quite difficult to understand,  isn’t it. So the Bible tells us –

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5 ESV
http://bible.com/59/pro.3.5.ESV

So we’re supposed to trust in the Lord, and do it with all of our heart. We’re supposed to use our heart instead of our mind. Hmm, that’s an interesting shift of perspective,  don’t you think?

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 ESV
http://bible.com/59/jhn.16.33.ESV

And we are learning about this new perspective so we might have peace. And this peace comes from trusting God with our whole hearts. This peace is meant to carry us through the sufferings. And again,  He mentions taking “heart”, not logic, not mind,  not thought, but “heart” and “trust” that He has overcome. This is quite a shift of perspective indeed.

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7 ESV
http://bible.com/59/php.4.6-7.ESV

So this peace,  this whole hearted trusting in the Lord,  guards us against worry so that we can live through everything in prayer and thanksgiving.

Prayer AND thanksgiving.
Prayer AND praise.
Suffering AND cheerful.

That’s quite a story there, don’t you think? This wise book of words is telling us something that is quite contrary to our own logical way of evaluating and reacting to the world around us. The wise of the world might say this is foolishness,  or they might claim that it is false and just trickery for the simple to ensure their control and oppression by the wicked. But the evidence piles up against these claims.

If this advice was just to help someone endure the hardships of their life,  offering the ruling elite a measure of moral control over the masses – would that advice empower people to choose suffering for themselves? Would that advice encourage people to rise up against the powers that be in order to advocate and fight for the weak,  the poor, the afflicted, the needy,  and the unwanted of this world in the face of the powerful?

And you are right that there are many who are religious who have no more care or concern for these “throw aways” of society than the ones who continue to oppress and take advantage of them. In fact, I would guess that many of the “religious” of the world use their own self righteous attitudes as an excuse to look down upon the cold, huddled masses from their big,  warm houses and their life safely protected from any suffering,  any trials, any tribulations. And they might be religious, but they are not righteous, they do not know the Lord, and sadly, they will meet the consequences of their actions because they have chosen their God and it is their belly.

Wow,  preacher,  you went on a tear there,  didn’t you?

Yes, because peace is not a full belly, a full bank account, or a full set of pews at a church on Sunday morning. Peace is a life of faithfully serving the Lord throughout the week. Peace is if we have enough, we give generously to help those who do not. Peace is that if we do not have sufferings of our own that we share in the sufferings of others around us. Peace is that through it all,  we cheerfully rejoice in our sufferings.

But how many miss out on peace because they are satisfied with comfort? How many of us sacrifice something Godly like peace, which passes all understanding – because we more comfortable trusting in ourselves and our wealth and our abilities to provide,  instead of trusting the Lord to provide?

I hope that we will seek the cheerful praise in the midst of prayerful suffering that is peace. And if this is our life,  not just a one time effort,  but a change in perspective – then imagine the beautiful song of praise that will sing out to a world focused only on self and wealth and comfort and pleasure? Maybe they won’t be able to ignore the beauty of His glory and grace and power and wonder, shining in the light of a life truly touched by the hand of God.

Could we hope for a life where we might disappear and all that could be seen was a heart – foolishly, with so little understanding of the ways of this world,  running with abandon into the fiery trials and sufferings and tribulations of this short life, living and serving others who have nothing to give us in return – a heart that had overcome the battles of the mind,  because the victory was complete and the life was surrendered to a new Lord of the house? Could we hope for our life to be filled abs anointed with a type of song quite different to the world – almost as if we had been set apart for His Holy use,  anointed by the presence of His very Spirit and nature,  adopted into His family as a royal ambassador for God’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, as, an, example of His will being done?

Yes,  we can.
Yes,  we should.

What will your life’s song be today?

I hope you find a life filled with cheerful suffering, with prayer and rejoicing,  with the peace that passes all understanding,  with Christ.

I need help

Aren’t there times when we feel hopeless, discouraged, and stressed?

How often do we let our problems and struggles wear us down physically,  emotionally, or mentally?

Sometimes,  I find myself trying to “figure things out” and working my mind into a frenzy over how I’m going to handle the next big step or change in our lives. Our sometimes I can find myself overly burdened about whether or not I’m making the right decision for my family.

But there is something greatly helpful that happens when I allow my thinking to rise above the challenges and circumstances of today and past the anxiety of tomorrow. There is an empowerment that is available, an, annointing of peace and direction and clarity that I can experience when I lean to God for His guidance.

As a father loves and pities his children, so the Lord loves and pities those who fear Him [with reverence, worship, and awe].
Psalm 103:13 AMP
http://bible.com/8/psa.103.13.AMP

You see,  I can admit to you that I have a problem of forgetting at times that even these current situations and trials have a purpose – an amazing and eternal purpose. It’s easy to get caught up only in what we can see,  touch, taste, and feel.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5 ESV
http://bible.com/59/rom.5.1-5.ESV

Even the trials are an opportunity for growth,  for us to be changed, grace upon grace, glory upon glory,  situation after situation – to react in His ways instead of our own. And all it takes is trusting in Him, remembering the price paid, believing,  and following in His footsteps.

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you! 
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and give you support from Zion! 
May he remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah 
May he grant you your heart’s desire
and fulfill all your plans! 
May we shout for joy over your salvation,
and in the name of our God set up our banners!
May the Lord fulfill all your petitions! 
Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
he will answer him from his holy heaven
with the saving might of his right hand. 
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. 
They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright. 
O Lord , save the king!
May he answer us when we call.
Psalm 20:1-9 ESV
http://bible.com/59/psa.20.1-9.ESV

The Lord gives victory to His anointed.

“The Spirit of the Lord  is upon me,  because he has anointed me  to  proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives  and  recovering of sight to the blind,  to set at liberty those who are oppressed,   to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:18-19 ESV
http://bible.com/59/luk.4.18-19.ESV

My help comes from the Lord.

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 ESV
http://bible.com/59/psa.121.1-2.ESV

When we rely only on ourselves and our limited abilities and skills that we run into problems. Let’s remember where our help comes from today, friend.

It’s Training Day

We can all appreciate the benefits of eating right, exercising regularly, and sleeping adequately.

“Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
1 Timothy 4:8 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1ti.4.8.NLT

Training our bodies provides us with physical health,  which is good. We also need to train ourselves spiritual so that we are spiritually healthy,  which is godliness, righteousness.

If we are training to become physically fit, it helps if we know the different exercises to keep our bodies in shape. Knowing the right exercise regiment is extremely valuable in helping us reach our physical training goals. We also should know the value of God’s word for our own spiritual training.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple; 
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes; 
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether. 
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. 
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. 
Who can discern his errors?
Declare me innocent from hidden faults. 
Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. 
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight,
O Lord , my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:7-14 ESV
http://bible.com/59/psa.19.7-14.ESV

My dad is an Ironman, a triathlete who has trained and completed events that involve a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.2-mile run, raced in that order and without a break. He didn’t just decide on a Monday to compete in an Ironman competition and then participate in it that weekend,  he trained diligently for it. In fact, once he set his focus on that goal,  he found a personal trainer that could take his exercise regiment and fine tune it into his greatest opportunity for reaching his goal successfully.

We should have the same focus and determination of we have a spiritual goal and destination that we are seeking to reach. Paul in Philippians tells us that we are in a race and that there is a destination – that we are in the midst of this process – that we are being called by God to turn and run to Him.

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:12-14 NLT
http://bible.com/116/php.3.12-14.NLT

And we are promised a personal trainer for our spiritual goals:

Acts 2:38 ESV
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

John 14:15-17 ESV
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:26 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.14.26.NLT

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.
Romans 8:26 NLT
http://bible.com/116/rom.8.26.NLT

Isaiah 11:2 ESV
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

So someone might ask, how do I get this personal trainer?

Ask.

Luke 11:13 ESV
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Know what you will receive.

Acts 1:8 ESV
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

1 Corinthians 2:13 ESV
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

Romans 15:13 ESV
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

And this change, this birth of new life within you, this decrease of your old nature and an increase of His nature overcoming your life – it is described by Jesus as being born again.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’  The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
John 3:3-8 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.3.3-8.NLT

And if we are born again,  He lives in us.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1co.6.19-20.NLT

So this is our goal,  to be alive in Christ,  not dead in sin.

When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6:20-23 NLT
http://bible.com/116/rom.6.20-23.NLT

Are you listening to someone who tells you that you are free from the obligation to do right? Do you not see that the Word of God calls this type of person a slave to sin? There are many false teachers who see playing religion as a means of gaining money,  power and authority over others by making false promises and selling lasciviousness for a pocket full of silver.

I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. So I want to remind you, though you already know these things, that Jesus first rescued the nation of Israel from Egypt, but later he destroyed those who did not remain faithful. And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and serve as a warning of the eternal fire of God’s judgment. In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings.  But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse the devil of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (This took place when Michael was arguing with the devil about Moses’ body.) But these people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction. What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion. When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots. They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness. Enoch, who lived in the seventh generation after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, “Listen! The Lord is coming with countless thousands of his holy ones to execute judgment on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These people are grumblers and complainers, living only to satisfy their desires. They brag loudly about themselves, and they flatter others to get what they want.
Jude 1:4-16 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jud.1.4-16.NLT

Don’t rely on a man as your teacher,  get into the previous and valuable Word of God, listen to your one true teacher, Christ the Messiah, the Holy Spirit that lives in you,  and test everything against the Word of God.

And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah.  The greatest among you must be a servant.  But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Matthew 23:10-12 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.23.10-12.NLT

For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
Colossians 1:27 NLT
http://bible.com/116/col.1.27.NLT

Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.
1 John 4:1 NLT
http://bible.com/116/1jn.4.1.NLT

Does that sound like work? Does that sound like training? Would you be happier with a destination that is easy and broad?

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way.  But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.
Matthew 7:13-14 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.7.13-14.NLT

Is your destination worth training for? Is it valuable in your eyes? What do you desire?

May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.
Psalms 20:4 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.20.4.NLT

The world has a tale to tell…

We all know the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words”.

And isn’t this true of the beautiful creation that surrounds us? Can’t we grasp just a faint bit of the awe and wonder for the creator by seeing the beauty of His creation? Doesn’t this world itself demonstrate to us both the beauty and warmth of the light in contrast to the cold, separation of the darkness?

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.
God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end.
Nothing can hide from its heat.
Psalms 19:1-6 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.19.1-6.NLT

Isn’t it so true that an example live out in front of us speaks louder to our hearts than words or instruction spoken to us?

So it shouldn’t be a surprise to us that God reveals Himself in the creation itself. It shouldn’t surprise us that His best way for instructing us want just a written set of laws,  but to come in the flesh and walk it out as an example of what the law alone never quite demonstrated in words. And it shouldn’t surprise us that it is not quite as important that we know how to talk about Jesus as it is that the example of our life’s actions demonstrate Him to others.

God has made a home in His children for the Holy Spirit to dwell. And if we are His, if we have this annointing of the very nature of Christ alive in us, shouldn’t it burst forth from us bearing the fruit of His nature into our lives each day?

Ephesians 5:18 tells us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And it doesn’t mean to just be filled once. It doesn’t mean that we are to be a glass of still,  stagnant water – but that we should constantly be flowing and stirring within these living waters. And doesn’t that have an impact on more than just our words? Doesn’t that have an impact on more than just a few hours of our life that we “tithe” to God? Doesn’t it make us an athlete eager to train and prepare and run this race to the finish?

If we are rising up from death and running our course through this life, how could our life not be a picture that speaks a thousand words through our actions?

Have you been trying to run under your own power,  friend?

Yes, this is our prideful nature to strive in hopes of earning credit or favor or reward so that we might boast about ourselves – but that is the very flesh that we are escaping as He becomes greater and we become less. Let go of that old man and His ways, friend.

Know the eternal treasures like hope, faith,  love,  joy,  peace,  patience, kindness,  gentleness,  goodness,  faithfulness, and self-control. Know those eternal treasures that only the Lord God Almighty can offer you, and understand the foolishness of trading eternal blessings for those temporary things the world calls blessings.

What do you want your life to be filled with, friend?

What story do you want the motion picture of your life to tell the world?

What do you truly desire most in your life?

Where is your life taking you?

You might as well be honest with yourself and figure out the answer today, friend – rather than reaching the end of your race and being surprised by where your life has taken you.

Are you wandering around aimlessly, or do you have a clear direction and focus and purpose?

We don’t have to have it all figured out,  but we do need to decide on our final destination and start taking steps in that direction.

Will you walk with me,  friend?
Are you going my way?
Can we blaze a trail together?
Could the light from the actions of our lives together shine brightly across the sky of this life – demonstrating the path to the only final destination worth reaching?

Yes, a picture is worth a thousand words. Then isn’t a life example walking in the Spirit instead of the flesh worth so much more than words?

Filled with…

Aren’t we filled with joy this morning?

Aren’t we excited to tell others about what He has done for us?

Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!
Psalms 126:3 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.126.3.NLT

Hasn’t He done amazing things for you, too?

He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
Psalms 18:16-17 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.18.16-17.NLT

Can’t we see the difference in our lives?

Aren’t we filled with joy?

Don’t we remember the cords of death that once wrapped around our necks?

The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. But in my distress I cried out to the Lord ; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears.
Psalms 18:4-6 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.18.4-6.NLT

He has heard our cries and He has delivered us from death. We have so much to be grateful for.

For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true.
Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:8-20 NLT
http://bible.com/116/eph.5.8-20.NLT

Or maybe everything that I’m talking about seems foreign and far away and unbelievable?

Maybe you are seeking,  but you have not yet found an answer to your persistent knocking at the door of the Lord?

Or maybe you are curious, but not so much as to actually seek the Lord with an open mind and surrendered heart?

My hope is that He will draw you closer,  friend. My hope is that you will know Him who loves you. He is not far away,  friend. Listen for His still,  quiet voice, and hear Him calling you. He does want you to come home. He does want you to wake up. He does want to draw you closer.

Come,  enter through the narrow gate,  and walk this narrow path with us – and sing His praises today of an abundant life, filled with His presence.

For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.
John 6:44 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.6.44.NLT

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.
John 14:6 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.14.6.NLT

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7-8 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.7.7-8.NLT

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.  And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.  All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.  But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants. ”
John 3:16-21 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.3.16-21.NLT

Yes, I was once cute…

There was a time in my life that the girls thought that I was cute.

And for a while that was very important to me. So I paid attention to their cues,  their coy openings for my advances,  and I played the part giving those puppy dog eyes to open doors that were better left closed.

And there was drama and there were consequences from my fluttering around from blossom to blossom like a busy bee, but at the time I was intoxicated by the pollen, as I gathered up the treasure of my conquests.

That was what my foolish heart desired above pretty much everything else. Yes, the Lord made my flesh, as a man, to appreciate the enticements of a woman. And in my foolishness and in my pride,  I looked not just at the enticements of A WOMAN, but I was hungry and thirsty for more,  more,  more. I heard that voice telling me,  “if one is good, two is better – and why stop at two, the world is your playground.” Yes,  I got very familiar with that voice, that spirit that urged me on deeper and deeper into the trap – luring me with that bait that was so difficult for me to resist.

And what did this chase after lustful things do to my perception of the world? I didn’t care about marriages touched with the stain of adultery by my playtime. I didn’t care about purity lost at the hand of my own enticements. I didn’t care about whether they liked or even knew who I was. I was living out a Limp Bizkit song,  testifying what I was doing it all for.

You see,  I was trying to fill a void of rejection from earlier in my life. And not just one rejection,  but a series of rejections, of betrayals,  of the pain from a broken heart tossed in the blender. So I turned my back on the idea of love being faithful and true,  because so many proved to me that it just wasn’t so – by the way their empty hearts had left me abandoned.

I realized that the ones with the cold detached hearts didn’t seem to be the ones getting hurt,  but they were the ones either avoiding the hurt or dishing it out – and that seemed on the surface to be much easier, much safer, so much less… messy.

But I didn’t realize that the most painful injuries run deep like a dagger into our heart, doing long lasting damage, but may only leave a small puncture wound visible – while a rug burn or rash may be more visible and evident and widespread,  but it will be over soon enough after it scabs and heals.

And this direction in my life led into a world of darkness – into a world of partying, drunkenness, immorality, drugs, criminal activity, jealousy,  drama,  quarrels,  fights, pornography, and all kinds of things that I’m surprised to have escaped. If I was a betting man, I would have expected the house to win – I would have expected the prince of this age to keep me as a general in his army leading more and more into the darkness alongside me like I always had before by my foolish example.

But I was offered another job. I was offered a position in another house. And even though it is a position as a lowly servant,  washing the feet of those who might decide to enter this narrow gate into my new master’s house – it’s the best job available. Even though it isn’t the loud, visible, big house on the street corner with the big parking lot and the broad door open for everyone to come in and join the loud, racous party – it’s the best job available. Even though it doesn’t fill my pockets with silver and gold and prosperity and wealth and the treasures of this world – it’s the best job available.

Because that other house is on fire. And I’m standing at my narrow gate,  warning others to come away from the fire, to not go in, but they are distracted by the loud music and celebration near the entrance to that other house – unaware that it hides the sounds of the screams of those already trapped inside and burning in the fire. They won’t listen to my “foolish warnings”. Like me when I was blind to the truth, they pile in,  wave after wave,  like goats to the slaughter.

And I cannot look down on them,  because I once was blind as well. I can’t call them any more of a fool than I have been myself. But that won’t stop me from trying to tell them there is a better way,  from hoping their eyes will become open to the destruction that lies just inside that other door.

My hope is that the Lord who was merciful towards me might make His grace known to them,  that He might draw them near just as He has been merciful towards me. I know that there is a job available,  because we need more laborers. We need more who are willing to sound the alarm and plead with those heading off into destruction.

But why would they listen? Because we have Good News. There is love that doesn’t abandon us even though we have abandoned Him. There is an example shown to us of God’s amazing and sacrificial and faithful and true love towards us in the life of Jesus Christ.

That emptiness that we’ve tried to fill with all the wrong things that just don’t fit right and that left us still lacking – there is something that fills it perfectly and fully. We are made to be vessels of the Holy Spirit of God, of Christ who lives in us. So is it any surprise if we believe this, that nothing else could ever adequately fill that aching void in our heart?

We choose each day how we fill the void. And the Bible tells us that we can either fill our lives with sin,  with things that are desires of the flesh for the enticements of this world – or we can choose to walk in the Spirit of God,  bearing fruit like love,  joy,  peace,  patience,  kindness,  goodness,  faithfulness,  and self-control. And couldn’t our lives handle more fruit? Couldn’t the world us more of this type of fruit that nourishes the soul?

We aren’t too be like zombies,  like the walking dead,  hungry for “just a little more flesh”!

Wake up. Let Him breathe new life into the dying, decaying flesh suit that you are walking around in.

Come, let me wash your feet,  friend,  so that you might enter into this narrow gate and follow this narrow path up to the big house of the master who invites you into an abundant life.