The recent flurry of high-profile deaths has caused me to consider mortality and where these souls will spend eternity, but that actually is none of my business. It is, however, my business to spread the Truth of God's Word to those who are living to the best of my God-given ability.
"So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you." Matt 28.19-20a
So . . .
If you believe in God and believe that when you die there is eternal life for believers, please, please read the following. The time is NOW for us to "get right" with God!
The recent flurry of high-profile deaths has caused me to consider mortality and where these souls will spend eternity, but that actually is none of my business. It is, however, my business to spread the Truth of God's Word to those who are living to the best of my God-given ability.
"So wherever you go, make disciples of all nations: Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to do everything I have commanded you." Matt 28.19-20a
So . . .
If you believe in God and believe that when you die there is eternal life for believers, please, please read the following. The time is NOW for us to "get right" with God!
Every time someone dies we say things that imply that a person is in heaven "looking down on us" or "singing with the angels," etc. I was conflicted about this because of things that I have read in the Scriptures, so I did some research and what I found contradicts these conceptions.
(This is kinda long, but please stay with me, it's too important to miss!)
MYTH: Everyone who hasn't done something really bad goes to Heaven.
If this was so, that would make God a liar. Consider the Scriptures:
Romans 2:7-9a says that eternal life is only promised to those who "persist in doing good . . . There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on sinning . . ."
1 Cor 6.9 says ". . . those who do wrong will have no share in the Kingdom of God. Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, who are idol worshipers, adulterers, male prostitutes, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, abusers, and swindlers, none of these will have a share in the Kingdom of God."
Gal 6.7, "Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit."
More importantly, just believing in God is not enough! "You believe that there is one God. That's fine! The demons also believe that, and they tremble with fear. You fool! Do you have to be shown that faith which does nothing is useless?" (James 6.19-20)
So, if you believe in God and His Word, then you know that He can not lie and His Word does not change or become void. Therefore, those of us who go to church, who do more good than bad, who say that we believe and have never done anything really awful will still not be with God if we do not submit our lives to Him and serve Him in obedience.
MYTH: We go straight to Heaven after we die.
I do believe that upon death, everyone goes to "a better place." That place is sleep, in our graves . . .
Eccl 9.5-6, 10 ". . .but the dead know nothing. . . Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. . . for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom."
Daniel 12:2 "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."
John 5.28-29 "A time is coming when all the dead will hear his voice, and they will come out of their tombs. Those who have done good will come back to life and live. But those who have done evil will come back to life and will be judged. "
Acts 2:29, 34 "Let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.. .. For David did not ascend into the heavens."
John 3:13 "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven."
Plus, Paul discusses in 1 Cor 15 (the Resurrection chapter) how our bodies will rise upon Christ's return. There can not be a resurrection if we are already in Heaven.
And now, a question . . .
DO WE GET A SECOND CHANCE TO REPENT AFTER DEATH?
The Scriptures discuss resurrection of the dead that occurs what seems to be three times. The first is when Christ returns to set up God's Kingdom
(1 Corinth. 15.23, Rev. 20.4, 5b-6a), the second after the millennial rule of Christ (Rev. 20.5, 11-12) and the third after Satan is destroyed (Rev. 20.13).
Now those who rise when Christ returns are the faithful who will join with those who are still alive and spend the 1,000 years with Christ (they won't need to repent). Those who rise next, are apparently those who never received the opportunity to accept or reject salvation, i.e. those who died before Christ, those who lived in places that didn't allow for this knowledge to reach them, babies and those without the faculties to understand. They will be given the chance to repent and learn about God and be offered salvation . Finally, the remaining dead will arise and then EVERYONE will be judged and those whose life actions did not make the grade will be tossed (Rev. 20.14-15). I haven't found anything that says they will get a second chance.
I say all of that to say this: if you have heard the truth of God and you choose to rebel against this knowlegde and refuse to submit to His will, don't believe that you have a second chance. So many of us are "lukewarm believers" just going through the motions of doing church and saying the right things when are hearts are hardened to God. I know when I was living this kind of life, I always thought that I would have time to change later, when I was older. Just looking at your local news shows us that it can all be over in the blink of an eye.
So, dear departed souls Rest In Peace. There is nothing else that I can do for them, but there is something that I can do for us who yet live. After the resurrection of us all, I want to be sure that you AND I are given eternal life, which should be our ultimate goal - not prosperity, not acceptance, but ETERNAL LIFE. If you believe in God and you believe the Bible, please believe the He is coming back to judge us whether we are living or dead. And please believe that unless you accept God, commit yourself to Him and serve Him for the rest of you days on Earth, you will NOT spend eternity with Him.
Peace and Blessings . . .
(If anyone reading this needs prayer or wants to accept salvation, PLEASE send me a message and I will be more than happy to help you.)
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Remember Lot's wife . . .
"But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." Gen 19.26
Imagine being a famous person. Your picture on magazines and all over TV. You are given royal treatment everywhere you go - never having to stand in line, wait on others or be overlooked. Everyone knows your name and calls you friend. Then God tells you to give it all up. The fame, fortune and prestige you had become so accustomed to; how eager would you be to leave it all behind and never look back? Lot and his wife probably enjoyed similar standing in Sodom and she may have struggled with leaving the "fabulous" life behind.
There is debate over exactly what made Lot's wife disobey the command not to look back, but I think it is left this way because there are several lessons to be taken from her transgression.
In the New Testament, Jesus warns of loving the world more than God:
"Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." (Luke 17.32-33)
And John backs this up:
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." (I John 2:15-16)
It is possible that Lot's wife was so enamored of the charmed life she led as the wife of a wealthy and important man that the seduction of it forced her to stop and take one last look at what she was giving up. I personally understand the allure of "stuff". It was strong enough to bankrupt me and send my life spiralling. I recall that on the day I was forced to leave my life and possessions behind, I stopped and looked back as well.
Maybe there were friendships formed in Sodom that she didn't want to leave. I also understand the difficulty of leaving behind friends, physically and figuratively. When you leave a job or school or neighborhood, it can be a sad to say goodbye to people who've become fixtures in your life. I recall times when I almost changed my mind because the feeling was so great. Likewise, having to let go of unbelieving friends and associates when you decide to follow Christ can be difficult and cause you to have second thoughts.
Yet, maybe it's not material things, friends or even status that God is asking you to leave behind. One thing we must consider is that Lot and his wife had more than the two daughters they left the city with. . ."So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, 'Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!' But his sons-in-law thought he was joking." (Gen 19.14)The angel also says "take your daughters who are here" suggesting that there were other daughters who were not there. What if God was commanding you to let go of your child or parent or significant other? How easy would it be to walk away?
There are parents whose children just won't act right of whom God is telling them to let go. There are parents that somehow lost their way and won't listen to children who beg them to return to God. And there are new believers who find themselves in relationships that are not ordained by, nor approving to God. How do you find the strength to walk away and never look back?
People will say to you, "but that's your mom" or "that's your son;" "how can you just turn your back on them?" And I'm sure we are all acquainted with Love's call! The carnal desire to cling to that woman who had your children or that man you've been with since high school. Even if you are a woman being supported by a man and don't know how you'll survive without his help. Maybe your gay friends are all you know. They were there for you when your family turned away. How do you reconcile in your mind doing what God is telling you in your heart?
Look at what the Scriptures say:
"If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me." (Matthew 10:37-39 The MSG)
Our human nature tells us that leaving behind flesh and blood is wrong. Our carnal nature tells us that the world has so much more to offer than God. Our lack of faith tells us that we can't live without wealth, status and power. But God tells us He is all we need. So, Jesus reminded us to remember Lot's wife. Remember the sacrifice that was asked of her and what happened when she disobeyed.
Yet God made us a promise if we do obey:
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." (2Chronicles 7.14)
Imagine being a famous person. Your picture on magazines and all over TV. You are given royal treatment everywhere you go - never having to stand in line, wait on others or be overlooked. Everyone knows your name and calls you friend. Then God tells you to give it all up. The fame, fortune and prestige you had become so accustomed to; how eager would you be to leave it all behind and never look back? Lot and his wife probably enjoyed similar standing in Sodom and she may have struggled with leaving the "fabulous" life behind.
There is debate over exactly what made Lot's wife disobey the command not to look back, but I think it is left this way because there are several lessons to be taken from her transgression.
In the New Testament, Jesus warns of loving the world more than God:
"Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." (Luke 17.32-33)
And John backs this up:
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." (I John 2:15-16)
It is possible that Lot's wife was so enamored of the charmed life she led as the wife of a wealthy and important man that the seduction of it forced her to stop and take one last look at what she was giving up. I personally understand the allure of "stuff". It was strong enough to bankrupt me and send my life spiralling. I recall that on the day I was forced to leave my life and possessions behind, I stopped and looked back as well.
Maybe there were friendships formed in Sodom that she didn't want to leave. I also understand the difficulty of leaving behind friends, physically and figuratively. When you leave a job or school or neighborhood, it can be a sad to say goodbye to people who've become fixtures in your life. I recall times when I almost changed my mind because the feeling was so great. Likewise, having to let go of unbelieving friends and associates when you decide to follow Christ can be difficult and cause you to have second thoughts.
Yet, maybe it's not material things, friends or even status that God is asking you to leave behind. One thing we must consider is that Lot and his wife had more than the two daughters they left the city with. . ."So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters. He said, 'Hurry and get out of this place, because the LORD is about to destroy the city!' But his sons-in-law thought he was joking." (Gen 19.14)The angel also says "take your daughters who are here" suggesting that there were other daughters who were not there. What if God was commanding you to let go of your child or parent or significant other? How easy would it be to walk away?
There are parents whose children just won't act right of whom God is telling them to let go. There are parents that somehow lost their way and won't listen to children who beg them to return to God. And there are new believers who find themselves in relationships that are not ordained by, nor approving to God. How do you find the strength to walk away and never look back?
People will say to you, "but that's your mom" or "that's your son;" "how can you just turn your back on them?" And I'm sure we are all acquainted with Love's call! The carnal desire to cling to that woman who had your children or that man you've been with since high school. Even if you are a woman being supported by a man and don't know how you'll survive without his help. Maybe your gay friends are all you know. They were there for you when your family turned away. How do you reconcile in your mind doing what God is telling you in your heart?
Look at what the Scriptures say:
"If you prefer father or mother over me, you don't deserve me. If you prefer son or daughter over me, you don't deserve me. If you don't go all the way with me, through thick and thin, you don't deserve me. If your first concern is to look after yourself, you'll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you'll find both yourself and me." (Matthew 10:37-39 The MSG)
Our human nature tells us that leaving behind flesh and blood is wrong. Our carnal nature tells us that the world has so much more to offer than God. Our lack of faith tells us that we can't live without wealth, status and power. But God tells us He is all we need. So, Jesus reminded us to remember Lot's wife. Remember the sacrifice that was asked of her and what happened when she disobeyed.
Yet God made us a promise if we do obey:
"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place." (2Chronicles 7.14)
Friday, June 26, 2009
Don't hate - imitate . . .
Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12.14 (NKJV)
If I tell someone I am trying to be holy, it is sometimes (maybe most times) perceived that I am conceited, arrogant and lying. Holiness seems to be a taboo status in the church despite the fact that we are called to holiness:
"You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." Leviticus 19.2
"For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and shall be holy; for I am holy." Leviticus 11.44
As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."
1Peter 1.15-16 (The Message)
So what does it mean to be holy? Now, in it's highest sense, only God is holy. Therefore, understand that the Scriptures say "pursue", "strive to be" and "try to be" not "become". Thus, the first understanding we should get is that God is telling us to "pursue", "strive for", "try for" the continuous, gradual change that leads toward holiness.
Holiness is further defined as the state of sanctity or consecration to God, i.e. the state of being "set apart" for His use. If we believe that God created us and were are the only beings that He blew breathe (or spirit) into, then we must believe that He created and set us apart for His use.
How do I pursue holiness? Simply by obedience. Actually, if I am obedient to God, I can't help but become holy. See, holiness is not the objective; OBEDIENCE is. The way God initially set Israel apart from everyone else was by giving them a set of laws to obey:
"Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession . . . a holy nation." Exodus 19.5-6
We do not become holy then begin obeying, we obey and that obedience, by design, brings about sanctification (holiness) because the law was created to set God's people apart from the world (a nation unlike the rest . . . a holy nation.)
So, if obedience brings us closer to God, disobedience separates us. Wordliness is "the love of that which one finds attractive, appealing, or desirable without a corresponding love of righteousness" (Forerunners Commentary). And we know that disobedience is of the world, not God. Of course, being of free will, God knows that the allure of the world would on occassion suck us in - that's why He gave us grace and mercy and a Savior. But it is our responsibility to not use this as a crutch but as a ladder to climb closer to God. Again, we are only commandeded to PURSUE holiness not BECOME holy. Only God can make us holy and TRUE holiness will not be reached until we are face to face with God.
I am persuaded that holiness is where I wanna be. If I'm labeled a "holy roller," "holier than thou," or anything else that says I am set apart from the world, then I know that God's work is not in vain. The first thing I want people to see is the God in me and I hope that it inspires someone else to be in pursuit of being set apart to be used by God.
If I tell someone I am trying to be holy, it is sometimes (maybe most times) perceived that I am conceited, arrogant and lying. Holiness seems to be a taboo status in the church despite the fact that we are called to holiness:
"You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy." Leviticus 19.2
"For I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and shall be holy; for I am holy." Leviticus 11.44
As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God's life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, "I am holy; you be holy."
1Peter 1.15-16 (The Message)
So what does it mean to be holy? Now, in it's highest sense, only God is holy. Therefore, understand that the Scriptures say "pursue", "strive to be" and "try to be" not "become". Thus, the first understanding we should get is that God is telling us to "pursue", "strive for", "try for" the continuous, gradual change that leads toward holiness.
Holiness is further defined as the state of sanctity or consecration to God, i.e. the state of being "set apart" for His use. If we believe that God created us and were are the only beings that He blew breathe (or spirit) into, then we must believe that He created and set us apart for His use.
How do I pursue holiness? Simply by obedience. Actually, if I am obedient to God, I can't help but become holy. See, holiness is not the objective; OBEDIENCE is. The way God initially set Israel apart from everyone else was by giving them a set of laws to obey:
"Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession . . . a holy nation." Exodus 19.5-6
We do not become holy then begin obeying, we obey and that obedience, by design, brings about sanctification (holiness) because the law was created to set God's people apart from the world (a nation unlike the rest . . . a holy nation.)
So, if obedience brings us closer to God, disobedience separates us. Wordliness is "the love of that which one finds attractive, appealing, or desirable without a corresponding love of righteousness" (Forerunners Commentary). And we know that disobedience is of the world, not God. Of course, being of free will, God knows that the allure of the world would on occassion suck us in - that's why He gave us grace and mercy and a Savior. But it is our responsibility to not use this as a crutch but as a ladder to climb closer to God. Again, we are only commandeded to PURSUE holiness not BECOME holy. Only God can make us holy and TRUE holiness will not be reached until we are face to face with God.
I am persuaded that holiness is where I wanna be. If I'm labeled a "holy roller," "holier than thou," or anything else that says I am set apart from the world, then I know that God's work is not in vain. The first thing I want people to see is the God in me and I hope that it inspires someone else to be in pursuit of being set apart to be used by God.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I get so weak . . .
For me, it wasn't hard to begin a life of sexual abstinence. I wasn't in a relationship or involved with anyone and God had already begun dealing with me to get me back on track. I like to believe that He said to Himself, "sex is the FIRST thing that's got to go in order for this girl to gain focus." God knew my struggles and in the midst of tearing me down helped me out by taking away my sexual urges completely during that time. See, He understood that when I was crying out for reconciliation with Him, I needed to be relieved of some struggles until I was strong enough to handle them.
Growing up in church, I was baptized as a child and reared on Scriptural teachings. As I grew older, I did what most of us did: I strayed, then returned when I was in my twenties with marraige and children on my mind. I submerged myself in church (yes, church not God) and was soon tripped up when someone stepped on my achilles heel: men and sex. [And I must clarify: the real weakness was the desire for a man in my life. The sex came as a means to this end - but this is the topic for another blog (coming soon)].
So I strayed. After the first few times of giving in to transgression, the guilt was a distant memory and I waded on out into the deep end of it. Then before I knew it, I was knocked down on my back and begging for God's unchanging hand. So He accepted me back into the fold and I dove back into doing church (yes, again, church not God) just to have my old friend show up and step on my heel once more.
But this time, I decided that I would no longer play with God. I'd keep trying to change and working overtime to be the person He wants me to be with no results. I was wasting His time. I began to think that maybe there are just some of us who can't be saved. Some of us that aren't going to make it to eternal life status. But it seemed as if God kept bothering me. Putting stuff on my mind, guilt eating away at me. And the more I felt guilty, the further I extended myself into sin, especially my favorite sin: sex.
I decided to "use what I got to get what I want," that I "don't need no man" and began treating men like conquests just to get the next fix and cover up the real desire burning inside of me. My life played out like a Trina rap lyric.
But God . . .
The Father has a plan for me. He wants my love and he has work for me to do. Now, He could get anyone to do His bidding, but He picked out something just for me, if I am willing. So, He sent someone to my house who spoke some things into my spirit that literally saved my life. And when I prayed through tears that I didn't want to go back to that old life like I've done many times before, He gave me access to books that explained why I kept falling and what I needed to do differently. He showed me that I can't change my heart, only He can. He showed me that I can't change overnight, rather, salvation is a process filled with trials and error. He helped me see that all I have to do is commit to Him, each day when I rise and each night before I go to sleep and He will do the changing for me. After all, if I could change myself why would I need Him?
The desire for sex returned shortly after I got myself on track but it doesn't make me feel discouraged. Because I indulged in fornication, I kept myself from having the one He prepared for me. So, now I must wait for Him to prepare us to meet again and if I'm ready this time, it will happen. During the waiting period, I suffer from the residue of sins past but God doesn't leave me hanging. He uses my weakness to make me stronger. I now surrender, daily, all of my shortcomings, struggles and strifes to my Elder Brother who promised to bear my cross as His own. Yes, I have encountered some opportunities that left me weak, but because I stay "prayed up" I am able to fight off failure until the weak moment passes.
I've said all of this to say, sexual abstinence may be the hardest struggle that Christian singles face. It has been drilled in us for years that it's okay, by our friends, our family and even our churches. But, God forbade it and He never set the law aside. So we must now stand firm on His Word, with His power, and be who He made us to be: "not conformed to this world, but transformed" (Rom 12.2)
Growing up in church, I was baptized as a child and reared on Scriptural teachings. As I grew older, I did what most of us did: I strayed, then returned when I was in my twenties with marraige and children on my mind. I submerged myself in church (yes, church not God) and was soon tripped up when someone stepped on my achilles heel: men and sex. [And I must clarify: the real weakness was the desire for a man in my life. The sex came as a means to this end - but this is the topic for another blog (coming soon)].
So I strayed. After the first few times of giving in to transgression, the guilt was a distant memory and I waded on out into the deep end of it. Then before I knew it, I was knocked down on my back and begging for God's unchanging hand. So He accepted me back into the fold and I dove back into doing church (yes, again, church not God) just to have my old friend show up and step on my heel once more.
But this time, I decided that I would no longer play with God. I'd keep trying to change and working overtime to be the person He wants me to be with no results. I was wasting His time. I began to think that maybe there are just some of us who can't be saved. Some of us that aren't going to make it to eternal life status. But it seemed as if God kept bothering me. Putting stuff on my mind, guilt eating away at me. And the more I felt guilty, the further I extended myself into sin, especially my favorite sin: sex.
I decided to "use what I got to get what I want," that I "don't need no man" and began treating men like conquests just to get the next fix and cover up the real desire burning inside of me. My life played out like a Trina rap lyric.
But God . . .
The Father has a plan for me. He wants my love and he has work for me to do. Now, He could get anyone to do His bidding, but He picked out something just for me, if I am willing. So, He sent someone to my house who spoke some things into my spirit that literally saved my life. And when I prayed through tears that I didn't want to go back to that old life like I've done many times before, He gave me access to books that explained why I kept falling and what I needed to do differently. He showed me that I can't change my heart, only He can. He showed me that I can't change overnight, rather, salvation is a process filled with trials and error. He helped me see that all I have to do is commit to Him, each day when I rise and each night before I go to sleep and He will do the changing for me. After all, if I could change myself why would I need Him?
The desire for sex returned shortly after I got myself on track but it doesn't make me feel discouraged. Because I indulged in fornication, I kept myself from having the one He prepared for me. So, now I must wait for Him to prepare us to meet again and if I'm ready this time, it will happen. During the waiting period, I suffer from the residue of sins past but God doesn't leave me hanging. He uses my weakness to make me stronger. I now surrender, daily, all of my shortcomings, struggles and strifes to my Elder Brother who promised to bear my cross as His own. Yes, I have encountered some opportunities that left me weak, but because I stay "prayed up" I am able to fight off failure until the weak moment passes.
I've said all of this to say, sexual abstinence may be the hardest struggle that Christian singles face. It has been drilled in us for years that it's okay, by our friends, our family and even our churches. But, God forbade it and He never set the law aside. So we must now stand firm on His Word, with His power, and be who He made us to be: "not conformed to this world, but transformed" (Rom 12.2)
Friday, June 19, 2009
I got two mouths to feed. . .
There lives inside of each believer two "men" - the carnal (or natural) and the spiritual. The carnal man is who we are born with, i.e. the flesh that is referred to in the Scriptures as "the old" (2Cor 5.17). The carnal man is steeped in sin. The spiritual man is the "new creation" spoken of in 2Cor 5.17 that is given upon conversion to a life with Christ. Since good and evil can not dwell together, as light and dark can not exist at the same time, these two are at constant war with each other for a place in our heart. Furthermore, just as our physical bodies need nourishment to grow, so do these two men.
I am reminded of two fish I bought my daughter. Every time we fed them, one would quickly eat up all of the food before the other could get any. Soon, the slow fish died from the lack of nourishment and the quick one grew quite large and had the aquarium all to himself. This is exactly what occurs with the two warring men inside of us.
When I fed myself with music, TV, books and people full of cursing, negativity, sex, drugs and greediness, my carnal man grew big and strong. So, it is no surprise that I was living a life of cursing, negativity, sex, drugs and greediness. And because of this life I was depressed, broke, hopeless and alone. When I ran to God for help and began to feed myself with music, TV, books and people talking about Scriptures, hope, purity, cleanliness and giving, my spiritual man grew big and strong. During these times I experienced joy, peace, hope and comfort. But, somehow the carnal man always showed back up.
This is the place I found myself several times during my walk with God. I would start out on fire and soon the flame would fizzle. I figured out that just as skipping meals will starve the body, skipping spiritual meals will starve the spiritual man. Growth is a process that continues until we die. Each day I must make a conscious decision to grow a little more. The Scriptures tell us so: 2Pet 3.18 "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord . . ." Grow is defined as a process meaning something that takes place over time. So even if I am the pastor or the oldest member, I must continue on in the process until the end.
So, when I find myself repeating the same prayers to God or feeling frustrated and unhappy, I take a look at what I'm feeding my spiritual man. Maybe I'm sick and tired because I'm still snacking on the Word when I should be feasting on it. Maybe I'm still in the same economic situation because I'm nickle-and-diming God instead of trusting him to give till it hurts. And maybe I haven't started that venture God placed in my heart because I'm still asking someone else to pray for me instead of praying for others.
I am reminded of two fish I bought my daughter. Every time we fed them, one would quickly eat up all of the food before the other could get any. Soon, the slow fish died from the lack of nourishment and the quick one grew quite large and had the aquarium all to himself. This is exactly what occurs with the two warring men inside of us.
When I fed myself with music, TV, books and people full of cursing, negativity, sex, drugs and greediness, my carnal man grew big and strong. So, it is no surprise that I was living a life of cursing, negativity, sex, drugs and greediness. And because of this life I was depressed, broke, hopeless and alone. When I ran to God for help and began to feed myself with music, TV, books and people talking about Scriptures, hope, purity, cleanliness and giving, my spiritual man grew big and strong. During these times I experienced joy, peace, hope and comfort. But, somehow the carnal man always showed back up.
This is the place I found myself several times during my walk with God. I would start out on fire and soon the flame would fizzle. I figured out that just as skipping meals will starve the body, skipping spiritual meals will starve the spiritual man. Growth is a process that continues until we die. Each day I must make a conscious decision to grow a little more. The Scriptures tell us so: 2Pet 3.18 "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord . . ." Grow is defined as a process meaning something that takes place over time. So even if I am the pastor or the oldest member, I must continue on in the process until the end.
So, when I find myself repeating the same prayers to God or feeling frustrated and unhappy, I take a look at what I'm feeding my spiritual man. Maybe I'm sick and tired because I'm still snacking on the Word when I should be feasting on it. Maybe I'm still in the same economic situation because I'm nickle-and-diming God instead of trusting him to give till it hurts. And maybe I haven't started that venture God placed in my heart because I'm still asking someone else to pray for me instead of praying for others.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Seek me and live . . .
Now this is what the Lord says . . . Seek me and live. -Amos 5.4
My pastor gave us homework for Bible Study: write out a personal plan of action for spiritual growth. He wants us to consider our spiritual lives and discover the areas that need strengthening. As I contemplated my plan I knew the first place I needed to go was The Scriptures. God has given us a complete instruction manual for our lives in Christ and I would be remiss if I didn't use it.
Now, as we discussed our relationship with God during Bible Study, I recalled the one thing that kept me from growing spiritually: a lack of understanding. Although I was baptized at age 9 and grew up in the Church, just a couple of years ago I was prepared to walk away from God for good. I thought that He was wasting His time with me. Every time I got close to Him, something would change and I wound up back in the world, totally immersed and loving it. I knew verses and passages and church etiquette but I didn't know the only thing that mattered: "No it's not I, but the Christ that lives in me."
The first step to spiritual growth is understanding that a changed heart, a changed mind and changed behavior do NOT come from within yourself. God did not say change the way you act and come to me. All He requires us to do is love Him (Matt 22.37), believe in Him (Acts 16.30-31) and He will do the rest. Gal 2. 19 - 21 explains it perfectly . . .
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. (The Message Translation)
But how do you let go and let God? Seek Him daily:
Seek the Lord and live . . . Amos 5.6
Seek good and not evil . . . Amos 5.14
Seek first His Kingdom . . .Matt 6.33
Ask . . . Seek . . . Knock . . . Matt 7.7
Seek is defined as strive after, go to, aim at. The Message translation says "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions . . . Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now. . ." So in order to let God be in control we must immerse ourselves in God: what He's doing, what He's done, what He says and who He is.
When we finally dive into God's presence and let it envelop every aspect of our living, we will then see the Holy Spirit in action, urging us, guiding us, comforting us, calling things to our remembrance, bracing us, calming us and completely leading us down a different path. Our will and desires will begin to align with God's purpose for our lives. Soon we will stop serving God just for the next blessing and start living for God so that we can spend eternity in His presence.
My Spiritual Growth Action Plan
Get in God's presence upon awaking each morning through devotion and prayer
Practice tithing my time in addition to my money
Journal my thoughts, observations and knowledge gained from devotions and study
Pray for others when I feel down or stand in need
Practice being silent before God
(Please feel free to add suggestions or share your plan with me.)
My pastor gave us homework for Bible Study: write out a personal plan of action for spiritual growth. He wants us to consider our spiritual lives and discover the areas that need strengthening. As I contemplated my plan I knew the first place I needed to go was The Scriptures. God has given us a complete instruction manual for our lives in Christ and I would be remiss if I didn't use it.
Now, as we discussed our relationship with God during Bible Study, I recalled the one thing that kept me from growing spiritually: a lack of understanding. Although I was baptized at age 9 and grew up in the Church, just a couple of years ago I was prepared to walk away from God for good. I thought that He was wasting His time with me. Every time I got close to Him, something would change and I wound up back in the world, totally immersed and loving it. I knew verses and passages and church etiquette but I didn't know the only thing that mattered: "No it's not I, but the Christ that lives in me."
The first step to spiritual growth is understanding that a changed heart, a changed mind and changed behavior do NOT come from within yourself. God did not say change the way you act and come to me. All He requires us to do is love Him (Matt 22.37), believe in Him (Acts 16.30-31) and He will do the rest. Gal 2. 19 - 21 explains it perfectly . . .
What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God's grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily. (The Message Translation)
But how do you let go and let God? Seek Him daily:
Seek the Lord and live . . . Amos 5.6
Seek good and not evil . . . Amos 5.14
Seek first His Kingdom . . .Matt 6.33
Ask . . . Seek . . . Knock . . . Matt 7.7
Seek is defined as strive after, go to, aim at. The Message translation says "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions . . . Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now. . ." So in order to let God be in control we must immerse ourselves in God: what He's doing, what He's done, what He says and who He is.
When we finally dive into God's presence and let it envelop every aspect of our living, we will then see the Holy Spirit in action, urging us, guiding us, comforting us, calling things to our remembrance, bracing us, calming us and completely leading us down a different path. Our will and desires will begin to align with God's purpose for our lives. Soon we will stop serving God just for the next blessing and start living for God so that we can spend eternity in His presence.
My Spiritual Growth Action Plan
Get in God's presence upon awaking each morning through devotion and prayer
Practice tithing my time in addition to my money
Journal my thoughts, observations and knowledge gained from devotions and study
Pray for others when I feel down or stand in need
Practice being silent before God
(Please feel free to add suggestions or share your plan with me.)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
No, really, it's not okay . . .
It's funny how people react to my declaration of abstinence: slacked mouths, bucked eyes and (yes)shaking heads. I've become the brunt of jokes, the receiver of rejection and (I'm sure) the topic of many discussions. To most of us, sex is essential to life - like air, food and water - and even the thought of going without can make the strongest among us tremble. But there is one thing opposers say that I agree with: not having sex is "unnatural." Wellll, yeah . . .
Not fulfilling my flesh's desire is VERY UNnatural, because the desire itself is carnal, i.e. of the flesh . . .NATURAL. In Galatians 5's listing of the manifestations of the flesh, sexual immorality is dealt with first (adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness) and I am commanded not to give in to the desires of the flesh but to be clothed in Christ (Rom 13.14). Yet - even in the church - fornication is seen as okay, just a minor infraction. Something that God understands and has to forgive.
Yet, when a girl or woman gets pregnant outside of marriage, or two men decide they want to be together, or you see the preacher gambling away the offering, or the Sunday school teacher cusses somebody out . . . we grab our chests in disbelief. We talk about the person who hasn't been to church since Easter and roll our eyes at the dope smokers and club hoppers, but we sit next to our live-in mates every Sunday on the third pew and never even flinch. All because somewhere along the way the world's view of sexuality replaced what the Word says about it in the hearts of believers.
The Word says that none of us who practice unrighteousness will join in His Kingdom
(1Cor 6.9-10). And this passage lists more than just homosexuals, thieves and liars - the sexually immoral are included, too. Rev 21.8 says that not only will the unbelieving have a place in hell, but so shall the whore mongers. So, if the Bible tells us sex outside of marriage is wrong, why do believers think it's okay? Did I miss the memo God sent overriding His Word? NO! God doesn't change (Mal 3.6a) and neither do His principles for our lives.
So, I take a stand for God and His Word. I choose to honor Him with my body by abstaining from sex while I am single. I will be tempted and my fleshly desires will rise up, but I will "stay awake and pray for strength against temptation" (Matt 26.41) and God has promised me a way of escape (1Cor 10.13). Yes, even after two babies and years of indulgence, I embrace redemption and change. And, yes, even if He never allows me to be married, I will live out my life for Christ. Do you really think He won't give me the power to do it?
Not fulfilling my flesh's desire is VERY UNnatural, because the desire itself is carnal, i.e. of the flesh . . .NATURAL. In Galatians 5's listing of the manifestations of the flesh, sexual immorality is dealt with first (adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness) and I am commanded not to give in to the desires of the flesh but to be clothed in Christ (Rom 13.14). Yet - even in the church - fornication is seen as okay, just a minor infraction. Something that God understands and has to forgive.
Yet, when a girl or woman gets pregnant outside of marriage, or two men decide they want to be together, or you see the preacher gambling away the offering, or the Sunday school teacher cusses somebody out . . . we grab our chests in disbelief. We talk about the person who hasn't been to church since Easter and roll our eyes at the dope smokers and club hoppers, but we sit next to our live-in mates every Sunday on the third pew and never even flinch. All because somewhere along the way the world's view of sexuality replaced what the Word says about it in the hearts of believers.
The Word says that none of us who practice unrighteousness will join in His Kingdom
(1Cor 6.9-10). And this passage lists more than just homosexuals, thieves and liars - the sexually immoral are included, too. Rev 21.8 says that not only will the unbelieving have a place in hell, but so shall the whore mongers. So, if the Bible tells us sex outside of marriage is wrong, why do believers think it's okay? Did I miss the memo God sent overriding His Word? NO! God doesn't change (Mal 3.6a) and neither do His principles for our lives.
So, I take a stand for God and His Word. I choose to honor Him with my body by abstaining from sex while I am single. I will be tempted and my fleshly desires will rise up, but I will "stay awake and pray for strength against temptation" (Matt 26.41) and God has promised me a way of escape (1Cor 10.13). Yes, even after two babies and years of indulgence, I embrace redemption and change. And, yes, even if He never allows me to be married, I will live out my life for Christ. Do you really think He won't give me the power to do it?
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