Who cares?

Everybody wants to go to heaven. But nobody wants to die.

Ahhhh it's been awhile. A visit to the hospital (bad flu), some sick days, a new cd or 2 and some God times later... I have some more thoughts to get out!

That first line is the first line on the new David Crowder Band CD... powerful. Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die to themselves here on earth.

Anyway, wholly unrelated (well maybe a little) to what is on my mind today... but I am listening to the cd right now. Yeah.

So... in all my infinate wisdom... I think I've solved some problems with the world, because that's what I like to do with my time. The church, more specifically. (nb: I do not actually think I have that kind of wisdom, if any... the above was simply a sarcastic introduction to possible lighten the atmosphere).

Uh huh. So these days those Christians who are generally on the fringes of mainstream Christianity (you know the type... the ones who think there's got to be something more than having a metal fish on your car, rocking out to the latest christian cd, or going to church sunday morning)... the "hardcore" ones. The ones that should realize that what really matters after the dream is over is how you're going to support a family, have a house, 2 cars, a nice retirement... Well they seem to think that there needs to be something more to this life. They think there's a spiritual dimension to life that would explain a lot of what's happening in the world today. Possibly that the church of today is largely in shambles, and that it's failing miserably at it's call to reach the world, and affect it for the better.

Well maybe the hardcores, you know, like that guy that turned down your invitation to that wicked party on friday night because he had plans to get up at 7 am on saturday to spend 5 hours with God out in the country... weirdo... well just maybe they have a point.

But if we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body, why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? (Casting Crowns).

Well. Why not? Could it be that, though we go through all the right motions, though we feel all nice and goose-bumpy after that rippin guitar solo during worship, though we proudly call ourselves Christians after we make sure there's no one around that would take offence.... Could it be that *gasp* *shock* we just really don't care?

OH WELL! Harumph! How dare you! I do to care! I give XX hours a week to do this or that in the church, to put up with bratty junior highs, or crying babies, or hand out bulletins, I DID A SHORT TERM MISSIONS TRIP FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!!!! how could you even say I don't care I so do... ahh.. what... I don't even know what to say!

How about... maybe you're right...?

How about... maybe if I take a closer look at my life, I really don't actually have any idea what it is that I should be even caring about, any idea what God is focused on in my church, workplace, city... Mabye I don't even care about my life or where it's going, as long as I'm comfortable. Maybe, just maybe, everything I "care" about and give my time to is simply to make me look better? Why do we choose to volunteer in a certain ministry? Because it's where God wants us? Or because it's the easiest... cleanest... safest... most important... _______....?

Maybe if we take a look at the hardcores, you know the ones, the real goody-goodies that have no life and are always changing the atmosphere when they enter a room... They just seem to bring down the level of fun, make us realize how "imperfect" we are without ever saying a word.

Well... could it be that these so labeled hardcores are doing something right? I'm pretty sure that when the atmosphere changes it's God... not that person directly. It just so happens that they're connected with God at a level where He is tangible in their lives. When they enter a room... so does God. And all that comes with God being present. For those that are right with God... peace, joy, communion. For those that aren't? Unease. Conviction. Fear.

I suppose the question could be asked... When we are in the presence of God... what do we feel? Overwhelming joy and peace? or uneasiness and conviction and fear? Maybe that's an indicator of your relationship with God. Do you jump at opportunites to go to meetings where you know God can and will show up? or do you find yourself making excuses, like "no, I'm not really feeling that event tonite." or, "no, that's not really my thing". I have news for you. If you're a Christian, and desire any sort of biblical relationship with God, coming into His presence to experience Him should be what we're feeling, and should be our thing. Especially when our physical self doesn't feel like it.

Well okay. So I don't care. I pretend to, but I really don't. I avoid God because I am scared of what it could mean to experience him. I settle for enough to make me feel good. Maybe the hardcores deserve a second look. So what. What does this mean. What do I do. Is there more? What will I have to do to get there? Do I have to?

Congratulations. You've made it... sort of. You have some idea that maybe what everyone and their mom is calling Christianity these days isn't quite what it was ever meant to be. Maybe I just lost you with that sentence. Either way, you'll probably keep reading, so I should probably say something profound so you can feel satisfied. Well ya know what? Maybe just to prove my point (which I'll get to) I won't say anything profound at all, so you don't feel good. So you get away from the lie that anything to do with Christianity should make you feel nice and special and happy.

If nothing else, I hope I say something that ruffles your feathers enough to get off your pedastal and do some serious searching in the bible to show me exactly where it says Christianity is supposed to make you happy and that it's all about you. At which point God may point you to some truth. In fact you may want to start in 2nd Opinions (props to Joel Hamm).

For those of you still with me who just wish I would get to the point and start making sense... sorry. I'll start trying.

1Co 4:1-13 "Think of us as servants of Christ who have been given the work of explaining God's mysterious ways. And since our first duty is to be faithful to the one we work for, it doesn't matter to me if I am judged by you or even by a court of law. In fact, I don't judge myself. I don't know of anything against me, but that doesn't prove that I am right. The Lord is my judge. So don't judge anyone until the Lord returns. He will show what is hidden in the dark and what is in everyone's heart. Then God will be the one who praises each of us.
Friends, I have used Apollos and myself as examples to teach you the meaning of the saying, "Follow the rules." I want you to stop saying that one of us is better than the other. What is so special about you? What do you have that you were not given? And if it was given to you, how can you brag? Are you already satisfied? Are you now rich? Have you become kings while we are still nobodies? I wish you were kings. Then we could have a share in your kingdom.
It seems to me that God has put us apostles in the worst possible place. We are like prisoners on their way to death. Angels and the people of this world just laugh at us. Because of Christ we are thought of as fools, but Christ has made you wise. We are weak and hated, but you are powerful and respected. Even today we go hungry and thirsty and don't have anything to wear except rags. We are mistreated and don't have a place to live. We work hard with our own hands, and when people abuse us, we wish them well. When we suffer, we are patient. When someone curses us, we answer with kind words. Until now we are thought of as nothing more than the trash and garbage of this world."

Hoah my goodness. Read that again. Maybe twice more.
I'm pretty sure Paul and his apostle buddies were hardcores. But they got it right. lets unpackage.

In a nutshell... Paul is about as hardcore as you can get. Read His description of himself in the above passage. (the last paragraph). Wow. That's going through a lot for God. But EVEN SO: He still says that even though he can't find anything wrong in Himself, it's still not good enough. ... Whaaat? ONLY GOD can judge the depths of our hearts... our motives... our purity. Even when we're airtight to our own view and to that of others... God can still find stuff.

Paul cared. Paul made Himself available to God. 100%. Nothing held back. His life was God's life to use. Paul didn't even stop when he couldn't find anything... ANYTHING bad in his life. He still would ask God to search him and convict him of wrong motives and thoughts. And through Paul, God visibly changed the world. To the point that we still talk about it 2000 years later. Maybe we're on to something.

But why do we get stuck on "oh but Paul, hey Paul did this, oh look at Paul"... He was a NORMAL PERSON. That God called. And he answered. And went.

We're normal people. That God has called. Have we answered? Have we went?

God has called His church to be something more than it is being today. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations! (Mt 28). How can we go therefore and do therefore if we aren't being what we're called to make! When Jesus told us to go make disciples, He assumed that we would care enough about Him (if we call ourselves by His name) to actually BE His disciples! And some of us are. I believe they're called the hardcores. And some of His church is going. And doing. And being. But a good lot of it is sitting. Happy. Content. Taking the nice things that come with Christianity, and leaving the rest behind.

The only problem is, what they are leaving behind is where all the power lies. And that power comes from the hard work. The "hardcore" life. Asking the God who knows us better than anything and anyone (especially ourselves) to continually point out our faults so we can right them in Him. Sacrificing everything we take pleasure in and offering it all to God. Giving our whole and very lives to God, to use when and where He pleases. The life of a disciple. I think I've written more in detail on this so I'll leave it here. Or go read your bible if you're more interested. Or some Tozer, or Oswald Chambers.

The fact is... If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body, why aren't His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? (Casting Crowns).

The fact is... the "church" is big enough and the world is small enough that there is no excuse for the world to be in the condition it is. There is no excuse for poverty. There is no excuse for world hunger. There is no excuse for people not having heard enough and seen enough of who God really is to make a decision for themselves, unbiased. Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

Because we, Church, don't care. We've lost the romance with God. We've lost the discipline, the discipling, and as a result... the Source. God Himself. Working in those who are pure and surrendered, with nothing to lose and everything to gain, because they've given it all to God, to use to His will.

We've stopped caring, simply enough. We're happy. What more do we need?

Well... God.

"God I'm selfish. I neglect you and put my effort and energy into things that don't matter, or worse, things that grieve you. I offer up empty prayers and sacrifice the things I'm bored of, just to justify my life. I settle for "good enough" (when it really isn't at all), instead of straining for the best. I laugh at the hardcore at times, and then wonder why they world's going to crap.
But I'm sick of it all. I want you. I want all that comes with that. I want to know you like Paul did, and more importantly like Jesus did. I want to never be satisfied, but always pushing for the best in you. I want you to use me wherever and whenever I am. I want to be a hardcore. For you. And not care what others think and say, because I know you and I know that you know me. And that is what matters in the end. Because with that simple fact I can become all that you want me to be, for your glory. This is what I want, to the cross with all else. This is life. You... are life. Everything else will lead to death, if we don't send it there first. I want to care. In Jesus' name."

Are we really useful to God?

Well well... another day, another God time, another conviction... Another blog article.

The conviction today, in the form of a question, is whether we really are useful to God. Not whether God can use us or not; that answer is painfully clear throughout the scriptures and the world. But rather, the question is whether I (we) are MAKING OURSELVES useful and useable for God. God will use us if we present ourselves as useable... but are we? Maybe this is why we always feel like there should be something more, like God isn't as near as He should be, or as near as he could be.

Maybe it's because when we do things "for God" with a proud heart God is actually against us. Maybe it's because when we do things "for God" in our own strength, we tell God that he isn't needed. Maybe it's because when we're too busy with life we don't want God to interrupt with His schedule. Maybe it's because, even though Jesus said some interesting things, we still know better; I mean really now, times have changed over the past 2000 years. How can we honestly expect Jesus to understand our schedules and our priorities and our lives?

Maybe if you're like me and all those things listed above hit home a little too hard... you need to do some serious business with God.

1Co 1:26 - 31 "For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: that no flesh should glory before God. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

For behold your CALLING brethren... not many who are wise in the world, mighty, noble... are called. But the foolish, weak things are. Chosen by God. To shame the strong. To BRING TO NOTHING those that are something... that NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY BEFORE GOD.

We need to make ourselves nothing in the world for God to be able to use us! If we're too caught up in the things of the world... If we glorieth... let us glory in the Lord! As Oswald Says, "The only way any man or woman can ever be of service to God is when he or she is willing to renounce all natural excellencies and determine to be weak in Him - "I am here for one thing only, for Jesus Christ to manifest Himself in me." That is to be the steadfast habit of a Christian's life. Whenever we think we are of use to God, we hinder him."

But But But... what can we do if we're weak? We can't let others know we are weak! They'll tear us apart! How are we going to convert people to Christianity if they think we're a bunch of weaklings? If we're nothing what can we do? Why would God want us to become nothing? How is that loving? I thought we were SUPPOSED to want to serve God and be of use... now we can't even try to be? AHHHHH...

Now now... calm yourself. There are answers.

2 Co 12:5-10 "...On mine own behalf I will not glory, save in my weaknesses. For if I should desire to glory, I shall not be foolish; for I shall speak the truth: but I forbear, lest any man should account of me above that which he seeth me to be, or heareth from me. And by reason of the exceeding greatness of the revelations, that I should not be exalted overmuch, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, that I should not be exalted overmuch. Concerning this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he hath said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Wherefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in injuries, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Last I checked, Paul was one of the people in history that God unarguably used in very great ways. He lead or helped lead many to Christ. Heck, if it weren't for Him, we wouldn't even have most of the new testament! But look what He himself says in the passage above.

"I won't give glory to myself, except to my weaknesses. Let men make their opinions from what they see me do and hear me say, not what I say about myself. God gives me great revelations (half of the new testament). But so I won't over-exalt myself in that, I got a thorn in the flesh from Satan (a disease maybe?) to keep me humbled. I brought it to God 3 times, but all He said was 'My grace is sufficient for you, and my power is made perfect in your weakness'. Well, I suppose I'd rather take pleasure in my weakness so the power of Christ can be in me. I take pleasure now in weakness, injuries, necessities, persecutions, distresses for CHRIST'S SAKE... for when I am weak, I am Strong."

Read it in the message version too, it's good there as well (biblegateway.com if you don't have a copy).

We must stay humble. We must stay poor in our spirits. We must come to a place where we do nothing in our own strength. When we do stuff on our own, without God, we might as well be telling God that we don't need him. That we're better than him. "You sit this one out, God. You look like you could use a breather. I'll handle it."

How do we do this? Well, Oswald has the answer once again. Is your mind stayed on God... or is it starved?

Isaiah 26:3 "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

Focus on God, always. Ha easier said than done. But it's a habit that needs to be formed. Learn to constantly re-focus on God, no matter what you do. Keep the eyes above, and your mind on God, and everything you do on earth will begin to reflect that. Will you look like a fool most of the time? Probably. Will you see tangible results most of the time? Probably not. Will people mock you and take advantage of you? Probably. Will people think you're weak? Probably. Will you become weak, and injured and needy and persecuted and distressed? Most likely. But it will be for Christ's sake, and in YOUR weakness, Jesus is made strong in you. Which, according to my basic understanding, is the point of Christianity.

When we get to the place where we are continually focused on God, where we have given up our rights to all fleshly pleasures and desires, where we are content with weakness for Christ's sake... We will finally become fully useful to God. When we no longer try to do things on our own strength, when we no longer do things to glorify ourselves, but only to glorify God... We will be seen as useable in God's eyes.

And if we keep making this life-shaping and life-changing decision day after day, and NOT let it get to our heads...

We just might get to the end of our time on earth, and hear "Well done, good and faithful servent" as we enter into eternal life, with He who makes us alive.

Quotes to chew on

Welll I see it has been a little bit since I last posted, which is weird because it totally dosen't feel like it. Anyway. Post time!

And for today... Some sweet quotes from Oswald Chambers (I think they're all from 'Studies on the Sermon on the Mount') for you all to indulge in. Who knows, some of my thoughts may end up in here as well. I guess we'll wait and see.

"Don't bother about whether you are growing in grace or whether you are being of use to others, but believe on Jesus and out of you will flow rivers of living water."

I like this one specifically because I've had a number of prophetic words over my life about rivers flowing from me and stuff... And this is how; simply focus on Jesus.

"Refuse to be swamped by the cares of the world, cut out the non-essentials and continually revise your relationship to God and see that you are concentrated absolutely on him. The man who trusts Jesus Christ in a definate, practical way is freer than anyone else to do his work in the world. Free from fret and worry, he can go with absolute certainty into the daily life because the responsibility of his life is not on him but on God. if once we accept the revelation of Jesus Christ that God is our father and that we can never think of anything he will forget, worry becomes impossible!"

Yeah... don't worry about anything in the world. Just focus on your relationship with God and concentrate 100% on Him. Very freeing. Especially because I used to worry a lot about dumb things (and I guess still sometimes do).

"Always make allowances for people when they first enter into life; they have to enter on the fanatical line. The danger is lest they stay too long in the stage of fanaticism. When fanaticism steps over the bounds, it becomes spiritual lunacy. In the beginning of the life of grace we have to limit ourselves all round in right things as well as wrong; but if when God begins to bring us out of the light of our convictions into the light of the Lord, we prefer to remain true to our convictions, we become spiritual lunatics. Walking in the light of convictions is a necessary stage, but there is a grander, purer, sterner light to walk in, viz, the light of the Lord."

Wow, I love this one. It really shows what entering into new life is really supposed to look like. And how we as Christians who are "off the bottle (no, not alcohol, milk)" are to treat and help them. We must enter in as new Christians on the fanatical line, allowing God to completely begin to remake us. If we don't do this, nothing will change in our lives and we will likely fall away quite soon after. But we must not stay any longer than necessary at this stage, as we will get too caught up in our convictions than compared to God. There comes a time when we must walk away from our convictions as the be-all end-all and focus only on God. He will let us know exactly what to do and what not to do.

"Your father (God) is keenly and divinely interested in you, and prayer becomes the "chatter" of a child to his father"

Pretty self-explanitory. Go learn about God's father heart, it'll do you good if you havn't.

"We are inclined to take everything and everyone serious saving God; Jesus took nothing and no one seriously but his father, and teaches us to be as children before men but earnest before God."

I love this one too... (in fact I love all of these, that's why they're up here). Really puts things in perspective and stuff. Don't care what people think or say or do or how they act. Care about what God thinks and says and does and how he acts and acted. Be as uncaring about taking man seriously as children are. But be real before God.

These last four are my top favorites though.

"Innocence in a child's life is a beautiful thing, but men and women ought not to be innocent, they ought to be tested and tried and pure."

MMMM I love it. Innocence? No. Hiding from realities of life on earth does nobody any good. But being tested and tried and pure... now that's something worth going for.

"If Jesus is a teacher only, then all he can do is tantalise us by erecting a standard we cannot come anywhere near. But if by being born again from above we know him first as savior, we know that he did not come to teach us only; he came to make us what he teaches us we should be."

Yeaaaaah. Transformation and re-birth baby. Thank you Jesus for making this possible :).

"The only right a christian has is the right to give up [their] rights."

Ha. Love it. So true.

and lastly....
"We always say we do not know what Jesus Christ means when we know perfectly well he means something which is a blunt impossibility unless he can remake us and make it possible. Jesus brings us with terrific force straight up against the impossible, and until we get to the place of despair we will never receive from him the grace that enables us to do the impossible and manifest his spirit."

Wow. Powerful, puts my excuses (saying we don't know what he means) to shame, when that quote rings truer than true in my life.

Well, chew on those. Hopefully God can use them as a source of revelation in your life as he has mine. Oh, and when you get a chance go buy every book ever written by Oswald Chambers and read them all on your knees, begging God for some revelation from these amazingly anointed works.

Ciao.

The filth of the world

So this morning during God time I am prayin away and decide that maybe God wants to say something, so I figured I'd shut up for a few minutes and listen. And He gives me this picture.

Maybe I should preface this a little. So I've been on a journey of learning just what it means to be surrendered to God fully, to become His true disciple, dead to self and alive only in Him. Sanctification. Purity. Yadda yadda. So this morning I'm praying for a deeper understanding of what it means to be an intimate lover of Jesus Christ (I know, kinda weird; me, a guy, intimate lover of Jesus... That's why I need a deeper understanding :) ) and just a continuing deepening of my understanding of Lordship before Jesus. So back to the vision.

I see a wall of fire, like you know, the fire of *ohhh* "sanctification". The kind that when you step out into God fully you step into, and stay for the rest of your life. Where God can burn away all impurities, all crap, all sin... the refiner's fire. And so I'm like sweet, I know God's been burning away a lot of stuff in my life that shouldn't be there, and it's been good times. "I wonder what God is showing me about this fire". Then I see myself in the picture... standing outside the fire. Oh sure, I'm close enough that the flames can reach me to do a bit of cleaning and purifying... But I've yet to jump. wow.

So my answer... To discover how to become pure, sanctified, intimate lovers of Jesus Christ, surrendered to the Lordship of Christ... We have to jump in the fire. Being close to it and still seeing progress is not good enough. We have to suck it up and jump in! Yes, it will hurt. Yes, we'll get burned. Yes, we'll die. But so will all the crap in our lives. So will the sin; the selfishness, the 'need' for comfort, the judgements, the, well, sin. And then God will bring us back from the dead... but our sin will stay dead. And THAT is discipleship. That is what God desires. That we will willingly do what it takes to follow without exception. And life isn't perfect after we've been through the fire. The fire can take a long time. We can go back in numerous times... in fact maybe we should just settle permanently in the fire. Either way, this is the life we (disciples of Jesus Christ) have chosen.

To put Jesus at such a place in our lives that by comparison we hate those on earth we love... (family, friends, etc.). To have Jesus at a place in our lives where 100% of everything we are, have and do is His. And to confidently offer the rest to those we love in life, knowing that they won't necessarily understand. (Ha! Necessarily.) The narrow road is right.

Well. Wow. So I need to get my butt going. Start doing stuff for Jesus, physically jumping in to the fire of the disciple's life. And then I open my daily dose of Oswald and !OH! lo and behold, guess what Os has to say today. The title? "Becoming the Filth of the world." Well. This sounds like a good way to get going on that whole burning thing.

What's the first thing Os says? well, after quoting 1 cor 4:13 (here's from 10, in context)

"We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye have glory, but we have dishonor. Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling-place; and we toil, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things, even until now."

He says: These words are not an exaggeration. The only reason they may not be true of us who call ourselves ministers of the gospel is not that Paul forgot or misunderstood the exact truth of them, but that we are too cautious and concerned about our own desires to allow ourselves to become the refuse or "filth of the world."

Well Duh. Who would want to be called the "filth of the world"? Well nobody. Unless they are the radical disciples that Jesus is looking for.

Col 1:24 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church;"

First Paul says he rejoices in His sufferings. Then, as evidence of his consecration, or separation to the gospel of Jesus, asks to be filled with the afflictions of Christ in His flesh. Well that might not mean much at first glance. But let's see what my friend Webster has to say about the word "Afflict".

Afflict: 1. To give to the body or mind pain which is continued or of some permanence; to grieve, or distress; as, one is afflicted with the gout, or with melancholy, or with losses and misfortunes.
Affliction: 1. The state of being afflicted; a state of pain, distress, or grief

SO: First, Paul rejoices in His sufferings. Then He askes for the affliction (the bodily and mind pain which is continued and permanent) of Christ in Him. Well. The pain Christ went through was excruciating. And Paul is rejoicing in sharing that with Him. Almost as if it is a necessary part of discipleship... Well that seems kind of strange, no? Well lets see what Peter has to say about strange things.

1 Peter 4:12 - 14
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

Hmm... Not so strange anymore. And then Os Says:

We pay such close attention to our own interests and desires that we stay out of the mire and say, "I won't submit; I won't bow or bend." And you don't have to - you can be saved by the "skin of your teeth" if you like. You can refuse to let God count you as one who is "separated to the gospel..." Or you can say, "I don't care if I am treated like the 'filth of the world' as long as the gospel is proclaimed." A true servant of Jesus Christ is one who is willing to experience martyrdom fo the reality of the gospel of God.

Just read the beatitudes in the beginning of Matthew 5; see what Jesus tells us to be, and what the reward is. The majority of them will have us wind up as the filth of the world.

"Whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple" - Jesus (Lk 14:27)

Well to me it's clear. It's time to step into the fire, following radically and passionately after Jesus. It's going to hurt. We're going to get burned. We're going to die. It's not going to be fun a lot of the time.

But we'll learn to live lives of purity. We'll learn the true meaning of "affliction", "sanctification", "Intimate love with Jesus" and what it means to have Jesus as the true Lord of our lives. We will learn to share in the Joy of the Lord and be counted "separated to the gospel" by God.

I'm sick of salvation by the skin of my teeth. I'm sick of weak faith because the works are not attached. I'm sick of living a meaningless, mediocre, boring and uselessly painful existence! I want Jesus to be the center of everything, and for that to give life new meaning, and new substance. I can't wait to die in the fire, even though it's going to hurt and not be pretty. Because once I die, God can give me new life. Separated from the world. Separated to the Gospel. Separated to God.

"Jesus I want to radically follow you as you call us. It's going to hurt. I'm going to have to let go of things I love to hold on to. I'm going to have to give everything to you and keep nothing for anyone else, including myself. But it's going to be worth it. And I am ready. I'm jumping in. Do your worst. I love you."

Shameless plugs, Huckabees and Marriage.

Well today we'll have a bit shorter of a post, nothing too incredibly burning on my heart today :).
So first of all, every one of you should go out and get a copy of "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers... it's a daily devotional, a page or less each day. But it's the most anointed devotion I've ever read, and it's ridiculously challenging and amazing. If you're up for it.
Oh Oh and download E-Sword (Link is on the left), best free bible program ever. Tons of versions, tons of commentaries, dictionaries, graphics, plus a HUGE amount of extra resources, enough to keep you reading and studying for, well, several years, if you don't go into any detail :). VERY Solid program.
And read "Pursuit of God" by A.W. Tozer. Actually anything by him. And by Oswald Chambers.

Well that's about enough of that.

So I watched "I Heart Huckabees" for the first time yesterday. Quite an interesting but very well made movie. I enjoyed it. And other than one... sort of... sex scene (you don't actually see any nudity, but it's still awkward... close your eyes) and some language (which i must say does kinda fit the movie... in a weird way) it's definately a recommender. It's basically all about existentialism and nihlism, but not really promoting it... in the end it kinda shows that neither are good, leaving the door open for Jesus (though I doubt that was their intention). Anyway. yeeeah.

Oh and I was reading and thinking a bit about marriage this morning during "God Time" and realized that its not going to be all that easy to be married and a serious disciple... I guess the key is to find a wife with the same views... so we can both hate each other for the sake of Jesus (not literally, don't worry, I'm not a nut... but compared to our love for Jesus :). Read Luke 14:26 and on). But hey. The point of life is not to be completely devoted to your wife (or husband). The point of life is to be completely devoted to Jesus, and if you have a wife that shares that with you then all the power to you.

I suppose it's just wise to heed Paul's warning in 1 Cor 7 and make sure that if you get married it won't make life harder for you trying to follow Jesus. Find a spouse with the same burning passion for Jesus and the same calling, and make sure you stay grounded in Jesus in all you do. Easier said than done I would suppose, I've never been married... but hey, it sounds nice in theory. Better in my eyes than not getting married at all like Paul suggests (though needless to say that would make following Jesus easier... But where's the fun in that?)

Well I suppose that's all for now. Later y'all.

Life? What's it all about?

Well well revelation has hit again... this time in the form of Oswald Chambers' "My Utmost for His Highest", with a healthy dose of John, Romans and James. (this is long, hope you have a few minutes :) )

I've been thinking and praying a lot about where intimacy and relationship with God fits in to the Christian life, and just how it really comes about. I've discovered that it is the key to any sort of meaningful walk, and one of the ways if not THE way to step into all that God has for us, daily.

But this morning during ... "God Time"... (Ha I love that name... it sounds so lame, but it's so awesome!) God gave me some new revelation that I'm going to try to piece together and understand here. Enjoy!

1 Cor 1:17 - For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

For Paul, the thrust of His ministry, His calling, was to simply preach the gospel, to anyone who would listen. (Jews and Greeks alike). But we must remember that Paul's definition of "the gospel" is basically "The revelation of God's righteousness from faith to faith, bringing with it the power of God for salvation". (Rom 1:16 - 17).

Huh. What? Well, as Oswald pointed out, we are often inclined to make salvation or sanctification, or many other things for that matter, the point or goal of our preaching of "the gospel". For me, sanctification has been a big one, as that is what God has been working at a lot lately. But the point Paul, and later Oswald, and now I have made, (okay I am making, tenses are hard in lists), is that as Christians our call is to preach the gospel that Paul described; the revelation of God, simply put. Everything else will follow that, if we allow God to make that revelation real through our preaching.

Now, not to say sanctification isn't important, but taking a fresh look at it, isn't focusing first on sanctifying ourselves a little selfish? We aren't commanded to preach personal sanctification to people as the be-all end-all to Christianity, so why do we (I) treat it like it is? We're human, we'll never be 100% sanctified except through the power of Christ, so why worry so much about it?

We are called and commanded to lift up the name of Jesus, to preach "the revelation of God's righteousness" (the gospel) to everyone. Well wait a sec, that's not new news at all, is it? "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature"... sound familiar? (mk 16:15) Oh Oh tangent, which leads nicely to my next point! What does verses 16 - 18 say? well, that those who believe and are baptized (publicly professes their faith, being "reborn") will be saved... yeah okay... then, And these signs will follow those who believe, In MY Name they will cast out demons, speak with new tounges, take up serpents and drink anything deadly and it won't hurt them... they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover... yeah... wait. We can do that!?

Yes, yes we can. So why don't we? Well, if we've accepted this gospel of Christ, this "revelation of God's righteousness from FAITH to FAITH"... "as it is written, the just (righteous) shall live by faith".

Experienced the power of salvation... Check.
Experienced God's righteousness in our own lives through Faith and the power of God... ohhh... snap?

Yay more from Romans. Chapter 2! Wait let's back it up. from 1:18 to 32 Paul describes a lot of people who do a lot of bad things... who are... unrighteous. Oh, there's that word again... (read it if you want). Then back to chapter 2, he warns against judgement of others (those we are "bringing the gospel to", maybe?) because it is the goodness of God that leads people to repentance... not being judged by us stupid humans! (that turns people away from God, if you didn't catch that... Let God do the judging, or be judged in the same way, as a sinner, yadda yadda). BUT 2:6-8, God will render to each one according to his deeds (what, we can't just accept God then go back to our old life to get to heaven!?!?):
ETERNAL life to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption(immortality) and...
INDIGNATION AND WRATH to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unRIGHTEOUSNESS...

Hmm that word again. But, self-seeking... does that not remind us of our self-sanctification focus? I mean maybe if your efforts are completely selfless in motive... but I mean lets be real for a minute. We're human.

So what to do? vs. 10 : But glory, honor and peace to everyone who works what is Good... Well those are all good things... but from WORK? I thought salvation by grace was a gift? Yeah. It is. Last I checked the grace of salvation is free. to anyone who wants it. But once we have accepted that gift, the life of Christianity begins. Work. Faith by works... wait, here comes a connection.

Connect verse 10 with Paul's thoughts 4 verses earlier, and we find that eternal life goes to those who patiently continue working and doing good seeking glory, honor and incorruption or immortality. Fastforward back to verse 10, glory, honor and peace will go to those who work what is good. Glory, Honor. Peace. Incorruption. Sounds like some products of self-sanctification to me.

Focus on working the good deeds that God would have us do, and self-sanctification will come as a by-product! Possibly one of the most important by-products, but nonetheless... The more we work for God His good works, the more sanctified we become, allowing us to do more for God, which will in turn sanctify us more! What a sweet circle!

God is the only one who can make us righteous. Through Christ Jesus. And He will do so in His timing. If we have surrendered our lives to God, God realizes that. And He will, at His leisure, keep us on our toes and moving toward righteousness. We can't keep doing great things for Him if He isn't remaking us and re-building our character. But He uses SITUATIONS to do that. If we surrender our life to God, as great as that is, but just sit around waiting for Him to make us perfect and sanctified before we go out and do His work... wow we've missed the point. And we'll miss the sanctification.

For in [the gospel of Jesus] the righteousness of God is revealed, from FAITH to FAITH; as it is written "The just (righteous) shall live by faith". Rom 1:17...

But in James 2 we learn that Faith without Works is ... DEAD. 2:14: What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him?

Wow. Faith leads to Righteousness leads to Sanctification. But Faith without works is Dead. and not just that...

James 2:19-24 Thou believest that God is one; thou doest
well: the demons also believe, and shudder. But wilt thou
know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he
offered up Isaac his son upon the altar?
Thou seest that faith wrought with his works, and by works
was faith made perfect [righteous]; and the scripture was
fulfilled which saith, And Abraham believed God, and it was
reckoned unto him for righteousness; and he was called the
friend of God. Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not
only by faith.

Huh. Well you have faith that God exists. Great. So do the
demons. And they have a proper fear of the Lord too (ohh i feel that'll be another blog soon). Don't you see! FAITH IS MADE WHOLE BY WORKS. which leads to RIGHTEOUSNESS. which leads to being called a FRIEND OF GOD. Intimacy. Wow. I love this stuff.

So let's try to tie this all together and make it coherent with a final thought and scripture. John 12. See what Jesus has to say about the whole matter. Read the whole chapter if you want context, but I'm just going to pull out my points. Unless you DIE you will not bear fruit. If you love your life, you will lose it. Give it up, hate the selfishness, greed, sin that comes with it... and let it die. Let Jesus nail it to the Cross. God will give you a new one. (Jesus said that).

Verse 26... If anyone serves Me, let him FOLLOW me; and where I am, there My servant is also. If anyone serves me, Him my father will honor.

If we are Christians, we must Follow Jesus, as we are Servants to Christ. That is the price we pay for the Christian life. But if we follow Him, We should be where He is. Not expect Him to come to us. We want to work with Jesus to make whole our faith. But we have to do the work that Jesus wants us to do, where He wants us to do it. We may not always want to, but it's necessary!
Verse 27 - JESUS SAID!: "Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? (in other words I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS!) BUT for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, Glorify your name."

Wow. *cough*. Well doesn't that make my excuses for not talking to that guy on the bench look stooooopid. Jesus died on the cross for all of us. Did he want to? uhmmm nope. But God wanted Him to. And He wanted what God wanted (like we should). So He did. And he didn't complain about it. He said "Father, Glorify Your name!". And later we see God in turn Exalts Him and gives Him the name above EVERY Name. That at His name every knee shall bow (Phil. 2:9). Because He did what God wanted where He wanted Him to.

Jesus' faith was made complete by works. He did EVERYTHING he saw the father doing, because He always saw the father. The Righteous shall live by faith (and works). Jesus was the only human to ever be perfect, sinless and completely righteous.

Maybe we should take the hint.

"God, I want to be righteous, I want to be sanctified and called your friend. I want intimacy, and I want you to glorify me as I glorify You. But I don't want to chase these things because that is self-seeking! But You tell us to want these things. It's confusing but you've given me clarity.
Father help me to focus on You all my days, and be where You are, and do all I see you doing. Through my works given to You my faith will be made complete, and from there the gospel has its full effect, for as it has revealed your righteousness and made it obtainable, I shall obtain it through Jesus!

Thank you that you know what you're doing, and that you show us every now and again. We'd be lost without you. All the Glory to You. In Jesus' Name."