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Not my way. Please, not my way.

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Mark 14:36 ESV
http://bible.com/59/mrk.14.36.ESV

His will, not ours.

How many opportunities are we missing out on each day because we are satisfied living in our own will instead of seeking God’s will?

If Christ is our example of the way,  the truth,  and the life – an example of sacrifice, an example of being radically different and set apart from the ways of the world – why do so many “Christian” lives look more like the world or look more like the Pharisees and so few truly remind us of Christ who was willing to lay down His very life so that we might know a renewed relationship with God.

There are areas of my life where I have let bitterness creep in,  and it is because I haven’t surrendered that area and trusted that it is the Lord’s will. When I want to serve the Lord, provide for my family, and serve and witness to the world around me – at times, the sheer amount of work to be done can be overwhelming.

You see, the harvest is great,  but the laborers are few. I see many laboring hard to build a bigger house,  while the very beams cry out against them as others suffer in need and want and addiction and separation from the eternal salvation that they need to redeem and renew their lives. So few seem to actually be laboring for the Kingdom of God, instead gathering up treasures for their own kingdoms and pleasure and comfort. 

And many that appear to be laboring for the Lord are doing nothing more than acting as hirelings. They aren’t sold out to the will of God,  they aren’t gratefully serving the Lord their God, they are seeking reward for themselves. How many wolves are running in packs,  dividing the flock in dissention and division against each other so they might devour them?

How few will withstand the trials and sufferings ahead,  Lord?

How few will prove themselves faithful and true that call upon your name,  Lord?

If I count myself amongst the few,  is it through pride that I foolishly cling to such a reward? Or do I humbly and wisely claim it as a gift and a promise?

You alone are faithful and true,  Lord.

You alone are worthy.

Wash us clean,  oh Lord.

Let us know your presence in our lives.

Do not let us disgrace your Holy name.

Let us be set apart. Let us be the salt and the light.

Through the power of the Blood of the Lamb, let us be reconciled to your will. Let them see past us and see you. Let us lay down those things that are not honoring you,  Lord. Be the force of change in our lives that we so dearly need.

Let us pray for one another and be strengthened.

Let us share revelation with one another and be sharpened.

Let us serve one another and be loved and touched by the hand of God,  the very body of Christ, at work.

Come,  Lord Jesus Come!

Your will be done in our lives,  not our own.

All things are possible for you, Lord.

Be the power and strength overcoming those enemies in our lives that get in the way of our bringing you honor and glory.

Deliver us from evil,  lead us not into temptation – your will be done,  Lord Jesus.

Refine us, remold us into your image,  Lord.

We are your humble servants,  Lord. Even in our weakness, let your strength and mercy and glory and honor be evident. Your honor and glory,  not mine.

Praise be to God, may my life be a blessing unto the Lord!

Praise God,  He has heard my cry and all things are possible through Him who strengthens me.

Praise God,  He is sending laborers. Are you a new laborer,  friend? Are you seeking first the Kingdom of God? Are you ready to answer the call? Step out with us in crazy faith, drink of the cup of His will, and let’s see this world changed by the breath of God within His people,  rising up to new life in Christ.

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Nothing without You

God looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one!
Psalms 53:2-3 NLT
http://bible.com/116/psa.53.2-3.NLT

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good.
Mark 10:18 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mrk.10.18.NLT

Do we think that we are good?

Do we think that we deserve credit or reward for the good things that we have done?

Do we compare ourselves to others and say either, look how good I am compared to them – or look how much more good they are than me. Foolish pride and envious sinner, depart from us, satan.

Continue reading “Nothing without You” →

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What is important to you?

And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?  Is anything worth more than your soul?
Mark 8:36-37 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mrk.8.36-37.NLT

Is anything worth more than your soul?

Have we been taught the right answers to answer with our words when we are in Christian circles – but show with our actions throughout the day amongst the world what we really value?

Continue reading “What is important to you?” →

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Practicing Religion or Pouring Out

For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.” Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition.
Mark 7:8-9 NLT

http://bible.com/116/mrk.7.8-9.NLT

Traditions can be very dangerous.

I was on the way to a friend’s church last night to give my testimony. On the way, we stopped at a gas station so that I could get some water. I have a few practiced “openers” that I’ve used in the past to catch people of guard and to open up a conversation about Jesus. So I set my water bottle on the counter to pay for it, and I asked her, “Do y’all have any of that living water?” As is the usual response, she said she didn’t think so. To which I replied, “Have you ever heard of it? It’s good stuff.” The normal response of, “I don’t think so” came next. So I followed up with, “Jesus Christ gives us the living water. Do you know Jesus Christ?” To which I received a different response last night. Instead of the usual smile or nice response, I saw this lady at the counter visibly harden herself. So I said, “You know that Jesus loves you.” To which she now responded in disgust and borderline anger, “It’s not about that. I married into a Catholic family.” This all happened as I was paying, and I was shocked by this response just before leaving the store.

Continue reading “Practicing Religion or Pouring Out” →

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Got your ears on, good buddy?

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I used to talk on the CB radio,  and you might catch us saying things like, “Breaker, Breaker. Hey, RC, you got your ears on, good buddy?” RC was my friend (Erich Stinson),  and that was me asking if he was listening to his radio so that we could talk together.

Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
Mark 4:9 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mrk.4.9.NLT

Anyone with ears. Do you have ears?

If I asked what are they for,  and you answered “to hear” – you would not be wrong, but your answer would be focused only on the physical. You would be acknowledging the obvious, physical truth about your ears,  but overlooking the greater truth and purpose.

Continue reading “Got your ears on, good buddy?” →

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Life starts with prayer

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.
Mark 1:35 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mrk.1.35.NLT

This world has many distractions. Our lives are fast paced and many things throughout the day stack up and require our attention. If we don’t commit to a specific time with God, we risk never making time for Him. If we don’t put Him first, we risk heading into battle without our armor and without His strength. Because the days that we need Him most are the days filled with chaos and distraction that leave little time for breaking away for quiet time with the Lord.

Continue reading “Life starts with prayer” →

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Love each other in all you do, and you will not sin.

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http://bible.com/116/jhn.15.13.nlt
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

When I see young men laying down their lives in service to their fellow citizens to defend them…

Continue reading “Love each other in all you do, and you will not sin.” →

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No fear? Is that the problem?

Ecclesiastes 8:9-13 NLT
I have thought deeply about all that goes on here under the sun, where people have the power to hurt each other. I have seen wicked people buried with honor. Yet they were the very ones who frequented the Temple and are now praised in the same city where they committed their crimes! This, too, is meaningless. When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. But even though a person sins a hundred times and still lives a long time, I know that those who fear God will be better off. The wicked will not prosper, for they do not fear God. Their days will never grow long like the evening shadows.

If we are not convicted of our own sins – if we say,  that XYZ is not a sin when the Word of God says that it is – how can we say that we are a humble servant of the Lord? The wicked argue over what is sin and what is not sin,  blinded by the curse of the law,  looking for a way to escape the conviction by saying,  “No, that isn’t sin. The law is of no use.”

Continue reading “No fear? Is that the problem?” →

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Can I have some water?

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Mark 9:41 ESV
For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

I read this and part of it makes me want to go door to door asking, “I belong to Christ, can I have a cup of water?”

Continue reading “Can I have some water?” →

hballingerLeave a comment

Forgiveness for the Undeserving

Forgiving isn’t about the other person deserving or not deserving forgiveness –

It is about whether we believe ourselves to be more worthy than another and therefore consider ourselves worthy of judging them –

OR

If we believe that we need mercy just as much as the next guy and understand that we can only receive our undeserved mercy and forgiveness if we are willing to extend undeserved mercy and forgiveness to others.

Yes,  it’s easy to say this.

But it isn’t always easy to practice when you see people hurting others,  when you see some taking advantage of others,  when you see some working hard while others stand by idly offering no assistance.

And this is because there is a voice that tells us that we want justice.

But have we forgotten so quickly where justice would land us? Have we forgotten what we deserve?

So let me be sure that I don’t want mercy for myself but justice for others – because yes,  that stinks like the familiar and deadly smell of pride that has tried to hide itself under religious indignation.

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,  but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Does a person have to be honorable in order to be honored? Where would we find such a person outside of Christ?

Ecclesiastes 7:20 ESV
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

Romans 3:10-12 ESV
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;  no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

Mark 10:18 ESV
And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

So we don’t seek out prefect people to honor – no, we would search forever and come home empty handed.

We honor each other even in spite of our weaknesses,  because God see fit to honor each and evert one of us with His free offer of Grace, and if Almighty God sees value in others,  shouldn’t I?

Matthew 18:10, 12-14 ESV
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always   see the face of my Father who is in heaven.  What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.  So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

So I should love and honor the brother and sister that I see and know –

as a reflection of the honor and grace and mercy of Christ who lives in me –

understanding their spiritual value either as a lost sheep or as a fellow child of God –

respecting that I have walked in both paths myself –

and that honoring or dishonoring another is a reflection of how I either value highly or disregard as common – this Amazing Grace and Salvation that God has extended to us all through Jesus Christ.

I really need to work on this. Your prayers are appreciated,  friend.