Word

Give a carpenter the tools, and he can create almost anything. When a chef concocts a meal, the most important thing to do first is to get all the ingredients. Given the right stuff, a person can accomplish almost anything.
God created the heavens and the earth in seven days. On the sixth day, he created man. Now, most people get this confused; when people ask ‘where did man come from?’, the routine answer is dust (And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7). But the truth is, God did not have to stoop to our level of creating something out of something.
There is an old joke that I have heard for years. A scientist studies life for years and years, and one day, he creates something living out of nothing but a partical of dust. He laughes at God and proclaims “See God? I am just as good as you!” God laughs down from heaven and replies “Go get your own dust”.
As funny as this may seem, it is so true. The something that God created everything out of was His own Word! And God said “Let there be light”. And guess what, there was light! God’s very word is living and active, sharper than any 2-edged sword; God’s Word has more than enough substance to create everything around you! Praise God for His never ending promises!
God’s Word wasn’t just used for creation. God did far more than create the world and let it wind down. He gave us His Word, and His Holy Spirit dwells in His followers. The Bible is so much more than just another book to collect dust on our bookshelf; if we realized just how much power that Word has, I doubt we would ever let that book out of our grip until we had memorized every single jot and tittle! God’s Word never fails, and it never returns to us void. When God promises us something in His scripture, He will fulfill it. When the impossible seems to loom above you, God’s very Word is more than enough to conquer it. He not only can provide for you, He will provide for you; not only is He able to heal you, is will heal you. When He says He has separated your sins from Him as far as the east is from the west, you no longer have to live in condemnation! And why is that? Because He promised so in His Word!
And then, He left His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, like He assured us with His Word. This is the very same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, and it lives in us! Not only do we have the life-breathing Word of God to guide us day to day, but we also have the full assurance of the dead-raising Spirit within us! Don’t ever tell me that something is too hard for God; He has conquered the grave, both physically and spiritually, within our hearts and in our lives.

So next time you can’t seem to find the right items to fill a need in your heart; next time you seem overwhelmed by the insurmountable, remember where each breath you breathe comes from. When you can’t seem to make sense of anything, remember that Christ made something of everything- when there was no possible way. It’s time we start living in the power that Christ gives to us, and we claim the victory His Spirit has already conquered.

Genesis 1
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Genesis 2:7For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:11-12
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. Romans 8:11
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. John 5:21I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper. He will give you this Helper to be with you forever. John 14:16I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:12

Gone Fishin'

Comfort zone

In your own little world all alone

The world is passing you by

Let’s just ignore that the time is nigh

We’re created of world-centered “me”

And we never just open our eyes to see

All that the Lord has planned for us

Because we fear it will create a fuss

Lord, break our hearts for what breaks Yours!

Don’t let life be about fulfilling all our chores;

Let’s see the world through the vision You do

Let’s start lighting our hearts for You!

People walk around us so lost in the dark

All we seem to care about is life as a walk in the park

Lord, destroy our comfort zone!

Let us only rely on You alone

This world is so lost without You.

Lord, sometimes it seems as though Your followers are too

Stir up Your Spirit within us again;

Help us become Your fishers of men.

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12
The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Matthew 5:16

Peculiarily Unified

Unity: Harmony or agreement between people or groups

In this day and age, people are told over and over to do what they want. The classic Disney theme is to “Follow your heart”. It seems to me as though much of the Christian church has also adopted that concept, although they rephrase it slightly: Do what you think is right, and God will honor that. Sometimes this overarching principal stretches to include other religions; I mean, after all, all roads lead to Rome, right?
Wrong. God has granted us with free will, and has gifted us with individuality. He has made us all unique- I mean, when has there ever been 2 matching fingerprints? But God has not given us different standards to live up to. He has never given people differing definitions on what was right and wrong in His eyes, and He has always help people accountable to them. When Moses wrote the 10 Commandments, God did not then give Moses the freedom of choosing 5 of those commandments to follow. Instead, He set people in charge who were to help everybody follow these laws so as to have a set standard. Why does God do this?
He brought His people to unity through this. Everyone was serving God; no one could serve their golden calves anymore because it was common knowledge that there was to be no other gods before God. Parents could lead their families better, because everyone knew to honor their father and mother. His people were of one mind.
And that’s how it is to be today. Our God does not change. So why would His calling for His people change? When the church of God has the same purpose, the same goal, the same heart, He is able to accomplish more through us. When we allow too much freedom for not being under the law, we are hindering the body of Christ by allowing more room for contention, division, and skism.
Don’t get me wrong here; we are no longer under the Law. However, sometimes people get what happened on that Cross mixed up. Christ’s coming did not break the Law- instead, Jesus fulfilled the Law to it’s greatest extent. In this way, we have redemption through His blood! However, that did not then give us the freedom to go and murder people, to commit adultery, to lie, and so on and so forth. While we are no longer under a law, we still are called to obey the law of Christ.
In following the law of Christ, people sometimes get concerned that this will overshadow the love and the freedom of Christ. This should not be the case; when walking in the Law of Christ, we experience the freedom of following God. However, freedom in Christ is different than what the world calls “freedom”. When following Christ, we will be different than those around us. We may be called odd, and we may not be able to do many of the things that the world promotes. But that is why God called us a peculiar people! Jesus stood out from others, and was even crucified because His differences rubbed people the wrong way.
Leonard Ravenhill puts it this way. "Why in God's name do you expect to be accepted everywhere? How is it that the world couldn't get on with the holiest Man that ever lived and yet it can get on with you and me? Are we compromised? Have we no spiritual stature? Have we no righteousness that reflects on their corruption?"
We will be different when we are unified under the Law of Christ. It won’t always be the most comfortable thing for our flesh. But, it brings peace to our souls. It helps us function together as one body, instead of being crippled by confusion.
In conclusion, Philippians 2:5 sums it up pretty well. "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus". Jesus followed God whole-heartedly, and had the mind of God in Him. Let's be unified in both heart and actions, with the mind of God.

Exodus 20:1-17
How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalms 133
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 1 Corinthians 1:10
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 1 Corinthians 12:25
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Philippians 2:1-3
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Philippians 2:5

Leaving the Nest

A bird has to move beyond it’s comfort zone in at least 2 ways in its life.
When a bird is first laid in its egg, it has all the provisions it needs. The place he is growing in is perfect to nurture and develop the young bird. It grows stronger and larger, until one day, he grows too large for his shell. And he cracks that shell open, little bit by little bit, to face a whole new world.
Once the new chick has hatched, he is still surrounded by things just right for him. He has parents there to provide food, and to teach him important things. He has warmth when surrounded by his family. He has safety in the center of his nest. He grow stronger and larger, until one day, it’s time for him to fly off on his own.
However, a strange phenomenon often happens when his time to leave the nest occurs. This young bird will stand at the edge of his nest. He will watch his parents fly off, and maybe flap his wings once or twice. But, most of the time, he will not step off into the vast unknown areas before him. In fact, most of the time, his parents have to push him right out of the nest into nothing but a free-fall before he gets the courage to fly! How’s that for parenting…
Now, I’m not usually a nature freak. I’ve tried bird watching, and I fall asleep, oh, about 100% of the time. So why am I talking to you about the habits of birds?
I was sitting on my couch praying; I was seeking the Lord for a number of things that I needed direction on. I opened my eyes and saw my mother’s bird cage with her small finch inside of it, and I felt a correlation line up between the habits of birds, and the habits of Christians.
God sets us up in the ideal situations for growth. When we are babies, He gives us the true milk of the Word- even tells us to desire it. He nurtures us through His Spirit, until we get to a point where we need to break out of our shell, and continue seeking Him actively. It may be scary at first, but when we get out of the shell, we realize that once again, God has placed us in a perfect place for where we are in Him. He surrounds us with brothers and sisters in Him, in church families, and continues to feed us. Sure, things may not be perfect. The storms may come and drench our nests; the enemy may slither up the tree unexpectedly. But God is still in control, and He meets all of our needs.
But the time comes when God asks us to leave our comfort zones. He calls us out of everything we may have known, or have been comfortable in. Whether that’s in a physical move, a new job setting, a different school selection, a new church body, or any other thing the Lord is laying on your heart- God is calling us to move. He wants us to fly out and discover the new things He has for us every day!
But, we stand at the edge and wait. We sit, we squawk. We make every excuse not to move. The Lord doesn’t want to have to push us out- He desires children that are strong in Him, and will to walk by faith, and not by sight.
I was sitting there again, and I began to think of what happens when a bird isn’t willing to move. In order for a bird to survive, he must first break out of his egg. Just to get the all important breaths he needs for simple life- he must first leave all that he knows. Otherwise, he suffocates from the inside out. And a bird needs to leave his nest to grow! To live on the inside, he needs to find what’s in store for him. Otherwise his nest becomes like a cage, and he becomes content to play with the little toys stuck inside, and to eat the processed foods to keep him alive. Yet he’s dead to all else.
And for a young believer, it’s much the same. One can be starved to death if all they are is content with the milk that God provided for them. They are meant to grow to eat the meat of His Word! And the become too content to sit through Sunday morning services, to pay $10 into the plate as it passes, and to go back to their everyday ordinary life.

Come and find your life in Christ! Take the step of faith into the vast unknown! God always has the perfect place for you to grow in Him! It’s time to stop being content with what’s being served to us on a silver platter.
It’s time to grow up!

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation. 1 Peter 2:2For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for  the mature, who because of practice have their senses  trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:12-14So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Prisoner of Hope

Though my tears may fall
     Still I will praise
Though I can't see far
     Still I will pray
Though I fall down again
     Still I raise my hands

     For You, oh Lord
Have enraptured me in Your love
     In You, oh Lord
I am Your prisoner of hope

Let me not shake these shackles
     Though the winds of despair ensue
Help me sing in this prison
     Through the howls of doubt
I will forever set my eyes upon You
     Though the darkness of confusion engulfs

     For You, oh Lord
Have enraptured me in Your love
     In You, oh Lord
I am Your prisoner of hope

Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. Zechariah 9:12
The Lord roars from Zion and utters His voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth tremble. But the Lord is a refuge for His people and a stronghold to the sons of Israel. Joel 3:16
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Hebrews 6:19

Failing God?

“You were never holding Me up. I uphold you with my victorious righteous right hand. In this relationship, I hold you up.”
I was sitting in a chapel service at my school, and the speaker showed a video by a group called The Skits. The clip was about God chiseling us into His image, and how God has created us for good. In the skit, the man was telling God that he could never become like Him, saying, “But God, I’ve let You down so many times!”
I thought to myself, how many times have I said that? How many people do I know who are constantly struggling with how they are always failing God? And with that thought, another comes right after. “God, how can You still love me?”

I’m not about to tell you that we can ever be perfect. Because the fact of the matter is, we, as humans, will always fail. We can never ever reach the perfection of God. But what I am about to tell you is that God knows this. This is the very reason He sent His Son for us- so that when we fail over and over and over again, and we feel like the worst trash in the world, we can see that through Jesus Christ, we are made whole again.

Yes. We will fail. But who are we failing? Can we ever let God down?
In the video, God’s answer was short, and to the point. “You were never holding Me up. I uphold you with my victorious righteous right hand. In this relationship, I hold you up.” How can we let God down, when He is the only reason we can stand? What does a father do when his children fall down? He picks them up, and sets them on their feet again. He guides them along so they can learn how to walk and not fall; how to run, and not grow weary!
So what does God expect from us, if He already knows that we can’t make it on our own? Paul states His mission many times throughout the New Testament. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” God requires us to press on towards Him. He expects from us that when we do fall, we take His hand and accept His forgiveness; that we walk with Him, and learn to run in our faith.

God does not call us to a condemnation in spirit, but He calls us to true repentance. Repentance is the turning away from our sin, that which displeases God; true repentance makes an impact in one’s daily living. And God wants us to run with Him, every moment of every single day.

So remember, the next time you fall, reach for God’s hand to get back up again; He will never let you down.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:28-31
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus: Philippians 3:14
Psalm 23

 

Flag-rant

The sun was in rare form this afternoon, actually daring to show it's face upon this winter "wonderland". I curled up in my perch along side a window to soak up a few precious sun rays; outside I could see just about everything from my view. There was a school, a parking lot, a small forest of trees; I could see much of a small town. But right outside my window was a bright flagpole, brilliantly waving the stars and stripes to all who would look.
The beauty of this scene just made my heart praise God; in my praise I began to pray that God would continue to reveal His direction for my life. God sometimes has an odd way of replying to our prayers; as I looked again at the flagpole, and analogy came to mind.
The flag is strongly anchored to the pole. The pole it resides upon is actually what is continually holding that flag up, giving it support and strength. Yet the flag doesn't just hang there; it's still free enough to move where it needs to move, and to wave when the wind blows. Its brilliant colors attract the world that it's in, and not of, to show the message it stands for. The flag never compromises. When the sun is shining, the flag still waves. When the sky is crying, the flag still stands.
What would a flag for Christ look like? What implications would that hold for a believer?
1)If we lose hold of our flagpole (Christ), we fall to the ground as a battered piece of cloth. We are henceforth useless to the calling to which we have been called; we become of this world, instead of merely in it. A flag has no life outside of the pole it has been fixed to; Christ is our breath of life.
2)If we stop being sensitive to the calling of the Spirit (the wind for us flags), we instead become stagnant in our faith. The world sees a beaten piece of fabric drooping on a lonely staff, and lose interest in the message we proclaim.
3)We are always proclaiming the Gospel. A flag is woven with intent to show some message. Whether it's calling all Harley riders together, holding a vision for world peace, or declaring pride in a nation, every flag has significance. Everybody who looks at it sees that message. Our message is the Jesus is the way; our demeanor should be proclaiming that to everyone who looks at it.

Let this be your prayer:
Lord, whatever I'll be doing, wherever I'll be going, whomever I'll be with, make me like that flag.  I want to be Your flag, proclaiming Your message of peace to the whole world. I want to be fixed to You, to stand upon Your grace and strength. I want to be willing to move to wherever You lead me, sensitive to the calling of the Holy Spirit. Lord, I'm Yours.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Mark 16:15
For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death. Psalm 48:18