Year: 2015

Love my Brother

There is no darkness in Him

We are living examples

Most of us have someone in our lives that looks up to us. Whether it is a child, a friend, or even someone that just watches our life from a distance.

These people cannot see our hearts. They can only see our actions.

What are we teaching them with our actions?

Even if we tell them with our words to do one thing, but we show them with our actions by doing the opposite, aren’t we just teaching them to lie and deceive and deny the things in our lives that we know are bad – not teaching them to actually do good?

For each one of us, OUR LIVES ARE AN EXAMPLE TO SOMEONE.

So what kind of example is my life today?

I can’t change the example that I’ve been in the past. Yes, there is a lot in my past that was a shameful and horrible example to those around me. I led so many people down the wrong path with my choices, with my example.

I can’t change the past.

The past is done.

But what I can do, is live a life today.

I can make a choice for change in my life today.

And I don’t have to do this change alone.

For some that don’t believe me yet, and think that I’m silly and confused and naive – with my “Jesus this, Jesus that” talk – I understand.

Really, I understand.

I was there.

I made the same jokes.

I lived a life of example for all of the wrong things.

The excess and selfishness that was a part of my everyday life wasn’t good for me or anyone around me. In fact, I would never want my daughter to be a part of many of those same things – those guilty pleasures that I tried to hide and keep secret, but that were so obvious to anyone really watching my life. Doesn’t the fact that I wouldn’t want others to follow in my footsteps a sure sign that something is wrong?

I would never want my neice and nephew to be a part of those same things.

I would never want my friends and family to be a part of those same things.

But you know what? I led them into those traps with my example.

I even thought that I was showing them how to have fun – and YES, WE ALL NEED FUN IN OUR LIVES.

But, I led them straight to the slaughter of excess, we were laughing together all the way – until we started to see the evidence in one way or another that it wasn’t all fun and games. We started to find out that these bad decisions actually did have consequences – in the effect they have on others, in the effect they have on our lives, even in the effect they have on our health.

If you don’t see the cost yet, please just know that there is a cost.

But this is not a sad story.

This is a story of victory.

This is about change.

My eyes are now open.

Isn’t it clear that I was blind before? Don’t you see how I can now see the consequences that before, I wasn’t even aware of and didn’t even care about?

Yes, this is the type of healing that I’ve found.

The reason that I couldn’t see these consequences is because I was also deaf.

I couldn’t hear the truth in this message of a man named Jesus. A man who is not just a man, but who is God. Yes, God came in the flesh to this earth in the body of Jesus. I know, if you don’t believe yet – if you are deaf like I was – it sounds silly. It sounds like something along the lines of the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus – it sounds suspiciously like religion, that thing that has been a terror and an attrocity throughout history.

But I now know that Jesus isn’t a religion. It isn’t about practicing church on Sundays. It isn’t about pretending to be better than other people because you call yourself a Christian. It isn’t even about following a set of rules.

It’s about getting to know this God-man who is 100% man as Jesus, and is 100% God as Christ.

And Jesus Christ offered us each a promise. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” – Romans 10:14

And yes, you will say – “But that makes no sense. That makes no sense at all.”

And you might even ask questions like “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” – Romans 10:14

And I encourage you – don’t worry about trying to run before you learn how to crawl. If you don’t yet know Him, just hear this Good news. Just take Him at His word and seek Him. Be healed from your deaf ears, be healed from your blind eyes, and see that there is a need for change in our lives.

Go to a quiet place, determined to block out all distractions. Get still, quiet, and serious with God. Tell God that you are serious about what you are about to pray. He will hear you. Even if you have done this before, there is nothing wrong with asking again.

Please read this prayer and tell God either in these or in your own words –

“Jesus Christ, I want to know you. Please save me. Please come into my life and heal me and change me.”

Think about the things that are a part of your life that need to be changed. These things are called sin. Sin is what we want help removing from our lives. Jesus Christ told us that if we call on His name and believe, that He will send us a guide and a teacher – a Holy Spirit that comes into our lives to help us. This Holy Spirit will show us the sin in our lives that needs to be removed – this is called “conviction”. It is like a conscience on steriods to help us clean up those things inside us that need to be corrected.

When we choose to listen to this voice of correction and guidance and choose to turn away from sin and instead seek a new and changed life – this is called “repentance”.

The Gospel – the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John teach us about the life of Jesus Christ. I cannot include the whole gospel in this post, so I encourage you to read the Bible and get to know this Truth for youself. Here are some of the essentials of the gospel –

Jesus Christ is the Son of God the Father. God the Father is 100% spirit. Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh to earth, who was born to his virgin mother Mary, who lived a blameless life of teaching hope, faith, truth and love, who was persecuted by the religious leaders of the day, who was innocent, but was tortured and crucified on a cross at Calvary for me and the sins of all others. After 3 days, He was raised from the dead to be seen by many witnesses, He ascended into Heaven, and He is alive today. His promise is that if we believe in Him, we will receive salvation, and He will come and live in us, and through us – changing us from the inside out.

Once you are comfortable with praying the above prayer and you mean it, and you are aware of those sins in your life that need to be changed, and you want to repent, try reading this prayer and telling God either in these words or in your own:

“Heavenly Father, I lift this prayer to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I confess that I am a sinner and that I have sinned against You. I ask You to forgive me for all of my sins and I repent for my sins and I choose to follow and obey and accept Your Son Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. I receive You now as my Lord and Savior with all of my heart. I believe that Jesus Christ is my King and my God and the Lord of my life. I believe that Jesus Christ is alive in me, and I declare that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life.”

Now that our salvation is firmly in His hand, we want to grow and learn in this renewed life in Christ that we have received. Time spent in prayer, time spent reading His Word in the Bible, time spent praising Him in songs and prayers and words and actions, time spent with other believers sharing and encouraging and learning with each other – all of these things will make us more aware of His presence and His change in our lives. This is what many will call being “drawn near to the presence of God”. The more that we seek Him and make Him a part of our daily lives, the more that we will be aware of His presence and His touch on our lives.

Unfortunately, not everyone that acts religious is actually alive with Jesus Christ in their lives. So, please, it is important to actively seek God for yourself in your daily life, and not to just fall into a practice of listening to religious teachers one day a week.

By actively seeking God for yourself, you are making Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in you your teacher. You will then become more aware and able to discern the truth of the Word of God for yourself instead of relying blindly on a religous leader. Our trust is in God and in the Truth of His Word, not blindly in someone that could either be leading us along the right path or along a path to destruction.

Find a place where others are gathering to seek God, and where you can see that they are teaching truth from the scriptures provided to us in the Word of God, the Holy Bible –

And be the life that is an example to those around you.

Don’t be a religious person, be a loving and renewed student of Christ.

Let your light shine with the change that you are seeking.

And step away from the old life of darkness that leads to consequences, guilt, shame, and regret.

Have a blessed day, friend. And I hope that you find a renewed and healed life, full of the things that matter, both for your life, and for those that see your life as an example for their own.

Be Last

Jesus is my Savior

Found on Yahoo questions – not my words (credit where credit is due):

What does, “Jesus is my savior not my religion”, mean?

It means Jesus is a living person, God come in the flesh, who was raised from the dead, and who personally guarantees eternal life to all who put their trust in Him; becoming true believers, born again by the Holy Spirit of God.

He said this:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” – John 5:24

and He left everyone this invitation:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30

You can come to Him by a simple humble prayer of faith…….

REF: http://www.campuscrusade.com/fourlawsflash.htm

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“Being a follower of Jesus Christ is not a religion to be followed or a social order to be lived. It’s not about tenets and practices. It’s not a set of laws to be obeyed, or a creed to be accepted.

Being a Christian means completely identifying yourself with the person of Jesus Christ; not following an organized religion or observing certain holidays or rituals. It means that Jesus means more to your heart than any person or institution on earth.

It’s a love story written in blood on a cross of wood. All you have to do is believe it. The New Testament contains lots of guidance on how to return this love with words and actions but none of it is required for salvation and in fact it’s only desired as an expression of gratitude.”

REF: http://www.gracethrufaith.com

This Good News

Mark 8:34-35 NLT
Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY
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I enjoy comparing translations. The KJV uses the word gospel in verse 35. And both are a reference to the Greek euaggelion (Strong’ G2098).

This Greek word has meanings of:

1) a reward for good tidings

2) good tidings

Expanded deeper as:

A) the glad tidings of the Kingdom of God soon to be set up, and subsequently also of Jesus the Messiah, the founder of this kingdom. After the death of Christ, the term comprises also the preaching of (concerning) Jesus Christ as having suffered death on the cross to procure eternal salvation for the men in the kingdom of God, but as restored to life and exalted to the right hand of God in heaven, thence to return in majesty to consummate the kingdom of God

B) the glad tidings of salvation through Christ

C) the proclamation of the grace of God manifest and pledged in Christ

D) the gospel

E) as the messianic rank of Jesus was proved by his words, his deeds, and his death, the narrative of the sayings, deeds, and death of Jesus Christ came to be called the gospel or glad tidings

And when you consider that these are Jesus’ words, doesn’t it make sense that He would be speaking of this “good news” and “glad tidings” that He brings the world?

He didn’t just bring the world a religion of law and condemnation, but He brought the good news of mercy, forgiveness, love, and salvation. This Good News offers something that was not apparent to man in the written law. Men read the law and tried to obtain salvation through their own works, through their own striving to meet the requirements of the law – and failed.

But Christ is the Good News, He is the salvation. His grace is sufficient.

And all who accept this gift of grace by faith will receive salvation.

By faith, not by striving. Not by works. Not by the law, but through Christ.

Salvation is the reward we receive, both a free gift from God, and payment in full that far surpasses the value of any worthless works we claim as our own.

For if we are saved, and renewed, it is not our works, but His work manifest through us as a willing vessel. This is so we have no right to boast or compare ourselves to others. Because we all deserve the same fate, and that is death.
Anything we receive other than death is a gift, not earned, but accepted in faith.

So let’s give up these childish fantasies of earning our way into heaven, or doing enough to keep ourselves out of hell.

Let’s give up the tactics of scaring people into claiming a name under the duress of fear of punishment just so we can add another notch onto our “souls converted” belt.

If we say that Christ is our teacher, let’s grow to speak and act as He spoke and acted. But, yes. Unfortunately, there are some that love the law more than they love Christ. I too appreciate the law in the light of Christ, but I am under grace.

I was under the law up to that point that Christ came to live in my heart. I was under that law while I was in rebellion against God. And while I was under that law, I fought against it and I hated it, and I resisted it.

But now I am under grace, and I see the beauty of the law as it is meant to be. But the law in its faded glory has no comparison to the glory of Jesus Christ, my risen Savior.

So Jesus Christ is my teacher, and the law played a supporting roll in His glory. But Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life – and His grace is sufficient. Not so that I might be free to continue in sin, no. If that is what is heard, you do not hear my voice, but a twisting of my words.

Grace is freedom from sin. And when we know freedom, who wants to return to slavery?

And isn’t it my attitude, my heart that God examines, and doesn’t it guide my decisions and actions?

So who has faith –

Someone who wants to sin in their heart and to rebel against God but hides it so others won’t see?

Someone who wants to be free from sin and seeks God’s will but stumbles in ways visible to others?

Matthew 21:28-32 ESV
“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?”
They said, “The first.”
Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

We give up our lives to Christ through a broken, contrite, humble spirit – accepting that this salvation is not earned by what we do, but received through faith – through belief that only Good can offer forgiveness for the sinful life we have lived in rebellion and opposition to His will and His guidance for our lives. We do this by asking for forgiveness, through belief in the promise of grace and mercy and forgiveness extended to us through Jesus Christ.

And then we find that it isn’t a religion of rules – that is there for condemning the unveiled – while this Holy Spirit of Christ in us is now present to convict us and teach us and guide us –

in a renewed life of purpose, of repentance, of fruitfulness, of faithful preparation, and of humble service in His Kingdom.

There are those that will read this and use the argument about who is greatest or least in the Kingdom of God. Isn’t it clear that if everyone receives the same equal payment that those who thought themselves first would now consider themselves last and those that considered themselves last would see that they are first?

If you expect that you have “earned” a place at the front of the line, be careful not to be upset when that homeless sinner is standing equal before God.

And if you consider yourself the last worthy, how much more radiant will your joy be when you find yourself in glory beside your fellow saints?

Because is it better that I be considered the least in the Kingdom and share this Good News and grace abundantly – caring more about the fate of my brother’s and sisters?

Or is it better that I make it difficult for my brother’s and sisters so that I might earn a spot of greater preference in the kingdom?

Matthew 5:19 ESV
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

So let us all be satisfied by our own works and our own measure of faith.

And the unfaithful would say, but if we aren’t going to earn anything more for our works, then why would we work?

If you work, it is either in vain as your own works, or it is your due if you consider yourself under the law. But who can meet the requirements of the law?

So I encourage you to find grace.

I work under grace because I am grateful, I am renewed, and I am repentant. I am a willing vessel equipping myself for His use – just in case He sees fit to use me.

Matthew 20:1-16 ESV
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.”

So you ask me if I have counted the cost?

And you say, but why would you pay a cost, why would you go through persecution? Why would you face being martyred if it came to that?

And I answer with the only reason there has ever been that is strong enough to inspire a man of flesh and blood to such courage –

Love.

A hired hand will abandon the sheep in times of trouble, and he will run for fear of his own life.

But the good shepherd looks after the sheep and is willing to lay down his own life. This is the way of Christ, this the life example of Christ, this is the truth of His love.

John 10:7-18 ESV
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

Don’t misunderstand. I do not call myself the Christ, but He is my teacher.

Luke 6:40 ESV
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

I simply use this as a proof to explain why teachers should be in this for love and not to “earn favor” – because one is a disciple and the other is a hired hand.

This was a pretty cool lesson for me, because it put so many things in a different light for me. I don’t know that it offers any help to anyone else, because it is mainly me chasing a rabbit – but it really helped me put some of the pieces together for the first time.

Vain discussion

Who is a sinner?

1 Timothy 1:15 ESV
The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY
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I heard a conversation recently that this Scripture reminded me of tonight.

It was a question about “What is a sinner?” This question was asked on the program “Ask the Pastor”.

The discussion revolved around the table until at one point, it turned into a discussion about being a saint versus being a sinner. At the end, only one of the pastors held firm to the assertion that we must be careful to not separate ourselves from the idea of being a sinner, because of the pride that it could allow us to slip into – while the rest of the panel held to “once we are saints, we may sin, but we are no longer sinners” and literally gave each other high fives for their answers. I could see the humbleness and reverence of God in the one man’s face and his almost shock in the behavior that accompanied the others’ answers. I tried not to see their actions at the moment as prideful, but it didn’t sit right with me, even though I moved on and didn’t focus on it at the time.

I had long forgotten about that moment until I read this scripture tonight. Paul, an apostle, here in his letter to Timothy, in this, a letter to a young pastor where he would be carefully choosing and weighing every word for how it might be received by its intended audience – he calls himself a sinner. And he doesn’t just call himself a sinner, but he makes the claim that he is the foremost sinner.

This is the example that Paul gives in his guidance for this new pastor – An example of a humble and contrite sinner saved by grace. He doesn’t warn him to never call himself a sinner and to only consider himself a bold and renewed saint. No, he gives the clear explanation of himself as a sinner. And he says it in the present tense, not in the past tense. And yes, this is clearly after he had proven himself as a Holy Spirit filled apostle of Jesus Christ, who was chosen and called.

So being a saint and being a sinner are not mutually exclusive. This is because being a saint is about accepting Jesus Christ into our hearts through faith. This is a change within our spirit, that part inside us that guides and controls us. Being a sinner is part of our flesh, it is part of our “human/flesh nature”. It is a result of the desires of our bodies.

So if we are only driven by our bodies and are not yet renewed in our spirits, we are sinners.

If we are renewed in our spirits, but are also still in our earthly bodies, we are both saints (in spirit) and sinners (in flesh).

Once we are out of these bodies and with the Lord in spirit (to be absent of the flesh is to be with the Lord) – we are then purely saints.

And once we are saints free from these bodies, we will receive new bodies free from the sin that corrupts these current bodies.

The only way for this to happen, is for us to accept and receive this renewed Holy Spirit while we have an opportunity while living in the flesh bodies we have now. We do this by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, by calling on His name for forgiveness and salvation. It isn’t our works, it isn’t our attending church, it isn’t any of the religious practices that earns our salvation.

The things we do after receiving our salvation are no longer done for ourselves (because our salvation is complete), but they are done for the benefit of others. Because if we believe and have received, we will love others and want to share this gift with them as well. If we do not love others, we should examine ourselves and be sure of our salvation, because if we don’t have love, we don’t have Christ.

So let’s call on the name of Christ for forgiveness and salvation.
Let’s be assured of our salvation by our faithful service.
Let’s have grateful faith that we are saints because His promises are true.
Let’s remember that we are still sinners in this flesh – remembering the humble and contrite heart of repentance that God desires.
Let’s remember that the Christ in us is stronger than the disease of sin in our flesh, and He can overcome the sinful desires of our flesh when we lean to Him as our strength.
Let’s remember that our renewed lives are about being an equipped and ready vessel for Him to use to serve and touch the lives of others around us.

Who is my brother?

Forgiven or Unforgiven

Exodus 34:7 NLT
I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.”

PERSONAL COMMENTARY
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Yes. There are only two places that we can be. We are either forgiven or unforgiven. There is no middle ground.

Even in this the original covenant, God proves His never changing nature – He is merciful, gracious, long suffering, good and true to those that are His:

Exodus 34:6 KJV
And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord , The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

And He proves this throughout history as He is willing to be patient with those who receive Him, even forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
Psalm 78 gives us a history and view of God’s patient love and guidance in the example of His dealings with Israel, and it is the same with us today.

If we are a child of God –

As we walk closer to God as His chosen and redeemed, we are not only forgiven, we encounter the blessings and purpose that are our God ordained life as a part of His Kingdom. And this new life will have lasting and positive impacts on our family for generations to come. If my daughter sees an example of love, patience, peace, faithfulness, and goodness in my life instead of selfishness, anger, dishonesty, and wickedness – isn’t it clear how much of a difference that is going to have for generations to come?

But if we only follow in our words, but not in our actions – what kind of example does that teach?

Or if we are satisfied to live lives without love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, long suffering, or self control – are we blind to the consequences? Or do we not care about anything beyond self, no matter the cost or consequences?

If we were unveiled to the impact that we have on those around us by our choices – whether for good or for evil, would we care enough to make real change in our lives?

And we start making real change in our lives with a broken spirit. Acknowledging this problem, this disease in our lives, and coming to God and asking for His forgiveness and c His help.

Psalm 51:16-17 ESV
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Let’s remember that our choices have real consequences, friends – and those consequences don’t just affect ourselves.

Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Draw near to Him, get to know Him. See change in your life by not just learning, but being convicted to change your life and make choices that are for good. And see the positive change in yourself AND in those around you AND those that look to you as their example.

I love you friend. This message was for me, but if it helps you in any way, praise be to God. Have a wonderful day, and I encourage you to let the world see Christ in you.