Missional Thoughts
I went mountain biking yesterday with a couple of buddies from church. We ran into this guy out at the park that we had talked to previously for a few minutes. This guy and his son go riding quite a bit. He came up and said hi and we talked for a few minutes. He asked if he could ride with us sometime. He mentioned how he has a hard time finding guys to go riding with. Numbers were exchanged and I’m sure he will be riding with us soon.
It doesn’t seem like much, but I took some thoughts away from the experience. I hope you take away some things from this as well.
1) Consistancy opens doors. If we only went out once a month, we may have never ran into this guy and his son. Many community outreaches fail because of this. When people see you more than once, it builds familiarity. How many of you like when get the same cashier at the grocery store (granted if she friendly)? There are people who will wait in a longer line to deal with the same person. People get comfortable with you, and that in turn lowers defenses to allow opportunities to share your faith. Consistancy will win more hearts than a fancy outreach.
2) People want to belong to something. We have to provide something that someone feels like they can be a part of. Whether it be guys out mountain biking, a ladies get-together, or having people over to watch a football game, people want to belong to something. They want to be where people know their name. It’s a fact that people like to hear their name. Common interests will draw those who have an interest. Find something that you like to do and invite someone into “your world”. You never know what kind of impact you may have in a person’s life.
3) Missional Living Isn’t Rocket Science. There is more books about being missional out in Christian bookstores and websites than ever. Don’t let it scare you. It’s not complicated. It can start with something as simple as some guys going mountain biking. What do you like to do? Find a way to bring others in and share a piece of your life with them.
Hope these experiences and observations inspire you to step out and become more missional minded.
Kevin
The Pitfall of Worldliness
1 John 2:15-16 (English Standard Version)
15) Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16) For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.
James 4:1-3
1) What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2) You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.
In my last post, I talked about how God wants to give to us abundantly above all we can ask or think (Eph 3:20). I was sitting here thinking “why is it so above what we can ask or think?” He spoke to me very clearly and said ” we are too busy chasing after the things of this world and spend little time pursuing those things that are eternal.” The world has permeated the church like a thick fog that blinds and hinders from seeing things from God’s point of view. It keeps us chasing after our desires like the dog who chases the car but never catches it. It wears us out and consumes our energy till we have nothing left to pursue God with.
What is worldliness? Worldliness is the pusuit of trying to fulfill our needs, desires, and passions outside of the way Christ laid out for us in His Word. For example, when we are going through a rough time, we should turn to God in prayer and meditation of His Word. Many times that is not what most people do. Many turn to something (food, pornography, sex, drugs, alcohol, make others miserable, isolation) to “medicate” the negative feelings they are feeling. There are those who feel like they need to wear the trendiest clothes to feel good about themselves. There are those who will compromise their faith to fit in with a group of people. There are those who will say what they need to say to be accepted or to prove that they are what they believe God has called them to be. Whatever brings you validation outside of who you are in Christ Jesus is worldly, a substitute, a fraud.
The problem (especially in America) is that we are pursuers of pleasure. We want to do things that make us feel good. We fight hard to avoid situations that will bring discomfort of any kind. We want to be warm and filled and not be bothered with things like our character. We don’t want to change cause it is easier to stay the same. Unfortunately, this does not go in line with what the scriptures teach us. The “I’m ok, you’re ok” heresy that has been taught from America’s pulpits have produced a lazy, apathetic, unteachable, ungrateful, religious system that has emasculated Jesus into some type of Savior that noone fears, respects, or believes that He would actually want them to change. To these folks Jesus is no more than a heavenly “sugar -daddy ” that is around to give us what we want, when we want it, and how we want it.
Jesus taught a gospel that is not for the faint of heart. He said that you would face various trials and tribulations ( Matt 5:11-12). Jesus said if you love Him, you will obey His commands (John 14:15). Jesus said that apart from Him you can bear no fruit (John 15:5). He also said that in this world you will have tribulation (John 16:33). This is not a pretty gospel. Jesus said that people would hate His believers and believe they were doing God a favor by killing us (John 16:1-3). There are believers who are experiencing this kind of persecution even now in different parts of the world while we get mad if we can’t WiFi at Starbucks. Give me a break! Persecution is not getting cut off in traffic cause you think it’s due to the fish symbol on your SUV or cause you are asked to turn down your worship music at work! We need to learn what it means to take up our cross and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23)!
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
16What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
17) Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you,
18) and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
God is calling His people to come out from the among the world and be separate. This is not talking about being separate from people who don’t know Christ, but to be separate from the world in what our hearts pursue and desire. He desires us to pursue Him with all our hearts, minds, and strength. He desires to be our consuming passion. The Father desires to mold and shape us into the image of His Son Jesus. This is not always pleasant and pleasurable. We need to be pruned and trimmed so we can bear fruit that is eternal and incorruptable. Will you turn from seeking for what will please you and instead seek after His heart and find out what you can do to please your Heavenly Father? He is worthy of so much more than we have given Him.
Kevin
True Abundance
Ephesians 3 (English Standard Version)
20) Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21) to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
I think sometimes that this is a tough pill to swallow. You look at your checkbook and it’s empty. You look at the calendar and there’s way too much time between now and the next paycheck. You look at the state of your marriage and there seems to be no hope. You see your kids acting as if they were spawned from Satan himself. The car is broken and you have no idea how you are going to get it fixed.
It’s times like these that make it hard to have faith. It’s times like these that make you throw up your hands in surrender. Your done. You quit. It’s over. Finished. “Take me home God, I’m of no use to You here!”
I know, I’ve said and done all these at one point or another, and on more than one occasion. There are times I am still tempted. I would be a liar if I said otherwise, but at some point something has to change on the inside of us. Something on the inside of us has to say “enough”!
Let me give you an example. I have seen zero in my checking more than once in my lifetime. One day, I was school shopping, cause kids need clothes for school. I knew that it was going to put us close to zero. Well, I saw this shirt that I liked and God told me he wanted me to get the shirt and give it to someone else! My first thought, naturally, is that if I’m going to spend my last few bucks getting a shirt I liked, it was going to be for me! My second was that I need to hold on to that money cause I was going to need it. God wanted to teach me a principle. This was a test, a test of the “are you going to be obedient and trust God system.” I decided to obey God. I felt like something changed inside of me. I felt defiant. I felt like I just walked up to the bully on the playground and spit in his face, and knocked his lights out! I felt like I gave the spirit of lack a superman punch to the temple. It felt good.
Let me just say it didn’t change the fact that I was broke, but it did change my mind-set, and that was worth more than it’s weight in gold! The freedom I felt didn’t fill my tummy much the rest of the week, but something very powerful happened that day. I’m sure some of you thought I was going to say that someone gave me money, or someone handed me the keys to a Rolls Royce or something. (Haha) I got something far more important; abundantly above what I would have thought to ask for! If I would have had a choice, I would have asked for money. What was imparted was better!
according to the power at work within us
God is trying to do a deeper work in us than money, or wealth, or cars could ever do. He is imparting His very nature inside of us. Things that neither moth, or rust, or decay could ever destroy. Things that are eternal, incorruptable, and immovable.
Romans 8:20-22
20) For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21) that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22) For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
God is trying to birth something in you greater than anything you can measure by weights and rulers. He is transforming our corrupted ways and thinking into the likeness of His Son Jesus. He wants to pour out His gifts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control in you and through you. Let His Spirit lead you into true abundance that only comes from an obedient and willing heart.
Kevin
Is It I?
Matthew 26
20) When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21) And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22) And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23) He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24) The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25) Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
I’ve always found it interesting that Judas asks this question, considering Jesus knew it was him. Besides it being God’s will, and that Jesus had to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament before He died, it blows my mind that someone who lived with Jesus and followed Him for the last 3 years would betray Him. We look at Judas as the ultimate betrayer. His name is cursed even to this day. Do you know anyone named Judas? There is no greater name that stirs up thoughts of betrayal than his. Even as Christ- Followers we look upon him with contempt and disgust.
Then I look in the mirror……….
I look at a guy who has failed him so many times, and so many ways. I may not have sold my Savior out for silver, but how many times have betrayed Him in my heart and turned away and did my own thing? How many times have I made other things God instead of Him? How many bad decisions have I made that has made Him look so much less than who He truly and rightfully is? How arrogant are you to think we have right to place judgement on Judas? The Bible says to remove the log from our own eye so we may be able to remove the speck from our brother’s. (Matt 7:5)
It is by His divine love and grace that we can live in forgiveness and mercy. Without the sacrifice that Jesus paid, we are all Judas; no hope, no forgiveness, no Savior. We remain our own god in which we have no power to deliver ourselves from our sins, our fears, and our past. We are doomed to live a life of regret of what could have been and the reality of what it truly is.
Is it I?
Yes.
Kevin
Frustration
I was in heavy traffic this morning. I could see what would normally take 10 minutes to get from “Point A” to “Point B” taking at least 30 minutes. Not cool when you are on your way to work. I started to get frustrated that I was going to be running late. I decided to take another route rather than stop and start for 30 minutes or more. This route would normally not be the way I would go, but I figured I would rather be moving to get where I need to than deal with the alternative. The end result is that I got to work at least 15 minutes quicker than if I took the road everyone else was taking.
If I had been satisfied with being late, I may have still been sitting in that traffic rather than in my office. I turned the thought of what would have been a time of weeping and gnashing of teeth in traffic, to an opportunity to think outside of my normal route and try something different. You might say “Ok, it’s just traffic. Why the hoopla?”.
Many of the greatest innovations in technology and industry came from the premise of doing something faster and better. It took someone pulling their hair out, fed up, irritated, frustrated, and annoyed enough to do something about something to change things.
Frustration is the fuel for innovation. Noone who is comfortable will look to change anything. Why should they? It’s not till you are uncomfortable, till you are tossing and turning, till you are hurting so bad, till you can’t sit still that you will be prompted to anything. At least this is the case for most people.
On a spiritual note, frustration can move us closer in our relationship toward God or further away. It depends on us. God uses frustration to move us to new levels of our realtionship with Him, ministry, and relationships with others. How many times have you felt frustrated cause you are not as close to God as you want to be? Has it driven you to start reading your Bible, or fast something, or pray more? Then you have reacted correctly. Frustration should fuel our passion for Him. It is when we are comfortable with things that we are vulnerable to apathy and atrophy. We think we are “ok” and we become lax in the spiritual diciplines that helped us get closer to God. It’s like not going mountain biking for a couple of weeks and trying to get back on the bike and take a double black diamond trail. You might make it (doubt it) but you will pay a price for being out of action for weeks.
Are you frustrated? Are you longing for change? Does it hurt? Then you are in a good place. Let our frustrations and pain drive us into the arms of our Savior. Let us find our satisfaction in His prescense. If you are not frustrated, I pray God would make you so frustrated that you will have to do something. Something that will shake you from your apathy and comfort zone! Something that will impact your families, friends, community, and world for the kingdom of God!
Kevin
The Pitfall of Folly
1 Samuel 4 (English Standard Version)
Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. 2)The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. 3) And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” 4) So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God………………..
10) So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers. 11)And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
This is such a crazy story. These elders should have been fired, or stoned to death or something. With elders like these, who needs enemies? Here we have Israel who just suffered a defeat at the hands of the Philistines. They immediately came to the conclusion that God was not happy with Israel about something. Did the elders repent or seek God to find out what the problem was? No, of course not! That would have made too much sense. Is that not like us? We can see there are problems and yet we find other reasons for why bad things happen in our lives, or why we aren’t where we want to be spiritually, or why our marriages are a mess, or our kids don’t listen. After all, isn’t it someone else’s fault? This is folly in all its glory!
Just like in this story, the folly of the elders not looking at themselves led to even greater folly. I sincerely believe if those elders had sought the Lord and looked at what they were doing, they would have repented of whatever they were doing, and thirty-thousand men would not have had to die, and the ark of the covenant would not have been captured, and they would have had the victory. Instead of doing this, they decide to dishonor God all the more by taking the ark, the very prescense of God, possibly not even carried on the shoulders of the priests (which is required by the Law of Moses), accompanied by the two sons of the high priest Eli, whom the prophet Samuel prophesied God would punish for blaspheming God!
There are things that aren’t blatant sin, but they are not good decisions. These actions are folly, or foolishness. For example, a person is diagnosed with high blood pressure. The doctor prescribes medicine to help control it. The person decides not to take it cause they don’t like taking pills. That is folly, or foolishness. There are those who have been corrected about certain things they are doing at work by bosses, things at home by spouses, things in their spiritual lives at church and yet rather than listen, they choose to continue doing what they are doing. The book of Proverbs says a lot about folly:
Proverbs 26:11 (English Standard Version)
11) Like a dog that returns to his vomit
is a fool who repeats his folly
Proverbs 5:23
23) He dies for lack of discipline,
and because of his great folly he is led astray.
Proverbs 17:12
12) Let a man meet a she-bear robbed of her cubs
rather than a fool in his folly.
Folly is a lot like sin. It can be just as much of a bondage as sin. It can be a never-ending cycle that can destroy your life!! If you trust in Christ, and you are a part of a local body of believers, He has placed people in your life to help you recognize the folly and sin in your life. What you choose to do in response is a choice you have to make. Many will turn right back to their folly, like the dog returns to its vomit.
Proverbs 19:3
3When a man’s folly brings his way to ruin,
his heart rages against the LORD.
Unchecked folly will lead to bitterness toward God. Despite the fact that God has warned you and tried to reveal your folly to you, there are those who will blame God for the problems in their life. They will blame their families, They will blame their friends, but in the end, the only one to blame is ourselves. We are responsible for our actions. Fools will never look in a mirror, will never be accountable, will never repent or turn away from our folly.
Not everyone is living in sin, but everyone has behaviors, habits, and things in their life that need to be exposed that we need to repent and turn away from. The question is whether or not you will alow God to expose and help you to turn away from your folly. We all have to ask ourselves that question.
Kevin
The Pitfall of Too Many Voices
In the past few years, I have been amazed at the amount of resources that are available for Christ-Followers these days. From a bazillion blogs, (including my own) to church podcasts, to websites focused on almost every Christian topic you can imagine. It is great to see these kind of resources being offered. The competitive attitudes of ministries is giving way to attitudes of cooperation where you will see churches share resources and strategies and even help train church planters and help them succeed. It is an exciting time we live in!
I want to share today about a pitfall that if you are not careful, you can slip into it and not even know it. It’s the pitfall of too many voices. Blogs and podcasts and websites are very helpful, but if not handled correctly, they can take the place of spiritual authority in our lives. I think this happens more often than not. I know people that can tell you what Joyce Meyer talked about on tv the other day, but don’t remember what their pastor said on Sunday. This is out of order and spiritually out of balance!! The minute a blog, tv preacher, or podcast has a greater voice than those whom you are in spiritual submission to, you are in a dangerous place. The scriptures say:
Hebrews 13:17 (English Standard Version)
17) Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
This scripture is speaking of your local church leaders. You can not be in submission to Pastor Joe’s podcast. Pastor Joe has his own people that are in submission to his spiritual authority. Sister Jane’s blog post might minister to you greatly, but your pastor and leadership knows where you really need to be challenged and corrected. Here’s a couple of questions you need to ask yourself before you read that next blog or listen to that podcast.
1) Are the things I am reading and listening to strengthening the message I am hearing in the local church I am attending?This is huge. If the two messages don’t agree, then you need to make a decision. Either you need to find someone you can listen to that is in line with what you are hearing in your local church, or you need to find a new local church to attend. Why would you attend a church that you cannot get behind the beliefs, vision, and mission of? It’s spiritual schizophrenia. Don’t do it to yourself!
2) Do I study the bible outside of the time I am listening to podcasts and reading blogs? It is true that God can use people to minister to you, but in order for your relationship with God to grow stronger, you need to have your own personal prayer and study time. The Holy Spirit is the greatest teacher we have. When we don’t spend time with Him, we have a knowledge of Him but not a relationship with Him. This defeats the whole reason Jesus came and died and rose again. Take time to study and pray. Get to know Him. Let Him reveal himself to you in ways you couldn’t imagine!
One last note of caution. There is a lot of stuff that is taught out there that is just plain wrong. Don’t take whoever’s word that they are teaching sound biblical doctrine. If something you have heard or read raises questions and doesn’t sit quite right, don’t hesistate to bring it to your pastors and elders. They are watchmen of the church. They are there to help you. Run it by them. I just want to leave you with one more passage of scripture out of the book of John:
John 10:10-13
10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12) He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
Be careful of the voices you let speak into your life.
Kevin
The Pitfall of a Non-Missional Mindset
I have been in church since I was a kid. I saw the same people every Sunday. The same people came to the church events. The same people came to home group. Every so often, a new family would come. Depending on how they looked, would most likely determine whether they were welcomed in to the church, with the same people, who went to the same groups, and the same events.
As a kid, I didn’t understand this mind-set. It went against what I was being taught in children’s church. They taught us about Jesus and the disciples who went out and preached about how Jesus died on the cross for our sins. I was always telling my schoolmates what I learned in children’s church and tried to get them to ask Jesus in their hearts. At some point I realized that the adults weren’t doing this. At least, I never heard anyone talk about it.
Now as an adult, I am once again confronted with this issue. I am no longer the cute little kid asking the adults why we don’t talk to people about Jesus. I am adult, looking into the faces of other adults, including my own sometimes, and asking a question that hasn’t changed a whole lot since I was a kid: “Why don’t you care about those who are far from God?!!!”
Matthew 18 (English Standard Version)
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12) What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13)And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14)So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
I have heard a million excuses about why people don’t share Jesus with others and used about half of them at one point or another. When people think of missions, they think of going to the jungles of Africa, preaching to half naked people. That is only a part of what it is. Jesus declared in Acts Chapter 1:
8 ) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The first place Jesus mentioned was Jerusalem. Right where they were staying. Right where they were living! You may not be called to the end of the Earth, but we are all called to Jerusalem. We are called to share Christ to our friends, coworkers, neighbors, and relatives.
You might not be able to explain the fine doctrinal points of salvation from the fall of man in Genesis to the resurrection of Christ, but you can invite your friends to go with you to a source group, or church, or mountain biking. There are ways of getting those you know in an enviornment where they can hear the gospel of Jesus. That is what being missional is all about. It’s not about standing on a street corner with a sign that says “turn or burn”. That’s just a stupid waste of time.( it is, and it makes Christians look like idiots) How bout inviting someone over and grill some burgers and watch a football game, or do something nice for someone (preferably someone who doesn’t know Christ)else to show them the love of Christ.
There are endless ways to be missional. The first thing we must do is shake this deadly mindset that it is someone else’s job to tell people about Christ. It is deadly cause that is the way a church, even one that may be doing well right now, will eventually become a country club for Christians, and not a refuge for the repentant. If we are truly Christ-Followers how can we ignore the last words of Jesus Christ before He ascended? How can we be so comfortable with people dying without the opportunity to hear the gospel? How can we say we are too scared to tell our loved ones or friends? How can we not invite them to church, or source group, or a men’s breakfast?
Dear God, please forgive us for not being Christ-Followers. Break our hearts for the souls of those who are far from you. Help us to take advantage of the opportunites you give us to share Jesus with others. Break mindsets that make it feel ok to not do whatever we can to show your love for others. Help us to not grow complacent, but fan the fire of passion for reaching those far from Christ. Amen
Kevin
The Pitfall of Self-Righteousness
Matthew 26 (English Standard Version)
30) And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31) Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32) But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33) Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34) Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35) Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.
In one ear, out the other. I find it interesting that they had been with Jesus long enough to know that everything He said would take place, would take place. They all said ” Listen Jesus, I know you’re the Son of God, but we think we know better in this case! There’s just no way we are going to betray you!” Of course, if you read on, you see that the disciples scattered like sand on the beach, and Peter, the one who so boldy proclaimed his loyalty, denied Him three times.
I find it funny how we find so many ways to fool ourselves into believing how righteous we are.
” I go to church”.
” I tithe.”
” I don’t drink”.
” I don’t smoke”.
” I don’t do what that person does”.
” I would never say that!”.
Those are some of the more common statements I have heard, and used at one point or another. There are millions more I’m sure. If you don’t do these things or do the things you are supposed to do, that is great. The pitfall we get into is when we think that what we do or don’t do determines if we are in right standing with God or not. We can do the right things and our hearts can be far from Him. We can do the wrong things and be closer to God than those who are doing the right things. The determining factor is the attitude of our heart. Check this out:
Luke 18
9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10) “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11) The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12) I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14) I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
My church background taught me that I was righteous because of what Jesus did on the cross, but not so much that I was a sinner in need of a savior. I think it is folly to teach others about how “we have become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21), before we grasp the corruptable, fallible, lost, utterly wicked state that we are in, without His mercy and grace! How can we understand and appreciate what He has done for us, or the mercy He has bestowed, until we truly understand what He has done for us? This righteousness is not from our right actions, but the indescribable, unfathomable love He has shown us!
Let us ever be on our guard from thinking that we are all that and a bag of chips. Be aware that there is no good in you but His righteousness moving in and through your life. Even the apostle Paul said this:
Romans 3:9-13
9) What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10) as it is written:
11no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive.”
”The venom of asps is under their lips.”
Galatians 2:20
20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Let us remember from where He has brought us, so we may remain humble in His sight and not fall into the trap that we did something to deserve His love and salvation. Let us operate from a stance of humility, so we don’t fall into pride and self-exhaltation.
Kevin
Wait
Wait……………………………………………………………..
We have all heard this word before. It is one of the most hated words in the dictionary. Colonoscopy is a more positive word than “wait” in many people’s minds. It is related with denial, rejection , injustice, delayed gratification, hatred, cruelty, and sadism. For a child, this word stings more than the word “no”. They know whatever it is, is going to happen, but they have no idea when. If we have to wait too long for our food at a restaurant, we feel like we have suffered a great offense. For many this word is to blame for us not fulfilling our hopes and dreams.
I know so many people waiting for so many things. People waiting for their dream jobs, their dream spouse, some people are waiting till they are a certain age, some are waiting for different circumstances in their lives to change. The things that people are waiting for are absolutely endless! At any given time in our lives, we are waiting for something.
I doubt this one blog post will change your mind about the word “wait”. The point of this post is to drag your mind, if only for a brief moment, out of now, and bring it into place of perspective for but a moment. I don’t promise that you will like it. I honestly don’t believe you will, but truth combined with the power of the Holy Spirit will bring revelation and change. I just want to share a few points about the positive side of the word “wait”, and we will both try to convince ourselves that it is a good thing. :)
Waiting can bring maturity.- If God had fulfilled His calling on my life when He called me, I would have blown it so big. I had things I needed to learn and attitudes worked out of me that would have hurt me and others. Time is agreater test of your character than any written assessment. Life will reveal what kind of person you really are. If you think you are spiritually mature, you probably aren’t. You probably need to repent of pride and wear your hats a little looser. (Just sayin)
Waiting makes you appreciate what you have achieved. – Rome wasn’t built in a day. All good things come to him who waits. You’ve heard the cliches. I always encourage my children to save their money to get the things they want. It makes them vlaue what they bought. It cost them more than money. It cost them time. I remember when I was a kid. I would get a toy that I really wanted. I was so excited! Then, a friend of mine on the same street would see that I had toy he didn’t and would go and ask his grandmother to get him the toy and she would. It cost him nothing so he never valued what he had. No amount of toys was ever enough. I valued what I had cause I could not get it right away. Time is a precious commodity because we are here on this planet for a brief time. Instant gratification feeds selfishness, imparts a spirit of entitlement, and leads to unhealthy stewardship and poverty in lots of cases.
Waiting reveals a life submitted to God.-
Psalm 39:6-8 (English Standard Version)
6Surely a man goes about as a shadow!
Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;
man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!
7“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
My hope is in you.
8Deliver me from all my transgressions.
Do not make me the scorn of the fool!
Psalm 62:1-2 (English Standard Version)
1For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2 He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken
Waiting on God shows our submissiveness to God. We are declaring that His will is supreme when we stop complaining, fretting, worrying about what God said He would do. This is not easy always. I have failed this test many times. There are times when God will reveal to you just a glimpse of what He wants to do in your life. It is just enough to drive you nuts sometimes! It is not to torture those He loves. It is to provoke you, to stir your faith, to raise your level of thinking. It is to provoke us to seek Him all the more, to desire to be near Him more. There is a purpose in everything He does, even if we don’t understand. What He wants to know is if we will trust Him with the desires of our heart. He never disappoints if we will wait.
I pray that God would lift our way of thinking higher than our circumstances dictate. I pray that the word wait would take on a new meaning for you.
Kevin
What I Am Learning From Mountain Biking V
5) The lighter you are, the higher and faster you can climb.
I recently changed a part on the bike I was riding. One thing I noticed is how much heavier the part I replaced was compared to the new part that I was replacing it with. I immediately noticed the difference when I was riding. The difference in how I rode and climbed hills and inclines was quite amazing! It had gotten a lot easier!
I recently got a newer bike, and this bike is quite a bit lighter than the one I have been riding. I noticed the bike would seem to just lunge forward with every turn of the pedals. It took less energy to do the same things I was doing on the other bike. Climbing is a lot easier because I don’t have to carry as much weight up hills.
Do you feel like your relationship with God is going nowhere? Do you feel like you are taking one step forward in your walk with Him and two steps back? Do you suffer from shame, guilt, unforgiveness, past hurts, or past failures? These are sure signs that you are carrying things that you need to let go of. These are weights that will hold you back from so many things that God wants you to have. They are weights that if you carry around long enough will kill you spiritually and leave you frustrated, bitter, and lost.
We can all sit in front of the mirror and spend hours listing our faults and short-comings. I know I could. What I want you to do is to ask yourself and God, what is the ONE THING that trips me up every time? What is the ONE THING that keeps me from pursuing God with all my heart?
The reason I say the ONE THING is because I have noticed that a lot of bad things stem from one event, one attitude, one mindset. If that ONE THING is eliminated, so many other things begin to wither up and die. You will notice a new momentum , a new shift, a new momentum that will build in your life and many of the other things will no longer seem so hard to overcome.
I am not saying that ONE THING is not going to fight you. I’m not saying there will not be difficulty. What I will say is if you humble yourself, seek accountability, and ask God for His help, He will be there and He will give you the strength to let those things go. We cannot do it alone or in our own strength. The scriptures say:
Psalm 121:1-3 (English Standard Version)
1I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
2My help comes from the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
3He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
Be encouraged today! Let the weights begin to fall off your life! Let God heal your heart and mind! Let Him do what only He can do! You will climb to new heights and He will be glorified in your life!
Kevin
