Anything that you see that is good in me, I can't take credit for. You see the truth is I was dead in my transgressions and my sin, but God... while I was dead with no life left in me, bid me to come.
Come? How can a dead man come?
It is but by God that we come, as we were dead when he called us. He alone gives life and resurrection from the dead. Anything good that you see in me is simply Him at work. The Great Artist at work on the canvas of my life. He is at work in all of us who are being "renewed day by day." (2 Cor. 4:16) Each day, with a new picture.
There's just one more thing to note.
He is painting the same picture.
The canvas isn't the same...
The backdrop isn't the same...
But He's painting the same picture.
It's really beautiful, but to be honest it's really simple.
It only takes him two strokes.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Overwhelming thoughts this morning...
He is Wisdom was called a fool.
He of great worth became worthless.
He who is called blessed became a curse.
He who is fully accepted by the Father became rejected.
He who is Truth was called a liar.
He who is Righteous was called a sinner.
His Perspective is Redemption
He came to take up the cause of the orphan and the widow, for those of a despised race, for those who were known for their sin.
He came to look past the things that continue to blind us.
His perspective is far greater than ours.
His perspective is redemption of a fallen and broken world with people who are scared and broken leaving the effects of their brokenness on those around them.
His pursuit is them.
His pursuit is me…
You are after me
You are after me.
It is often hard to grasp, someone of infinite worth pursuing those of limited value.
But, so it is…
Your Spirit confirms it in me.
You are after me.
The hound of Heaven,
The pursuer of my soul,
The searcher of my inmost being,
You are after me.
Overwhelming it inevitably becomes,
The greater pursueing the lesser,
The justified pursuing the inexcusably guilty,
The righteous pursuing the sinner,
You are after me.
Faithful
You call me faithful and I am dismayed.
How can one of a wayward heart be called faithful?
How can one, who is the supreme example of faithfulness, call anyone else faithful?
I can but simply acknowledge that I pursue faithfulness to You because you are faithful, first.
I am faithful because you pursued me, first.
I am faithful because you loved me, first.
I am faithful because I have been forgiven much.
I am faithful because, like Peter said, “To where shall I go? For You have the words of life.”
THANK YOU, JESUS!!!
He of great worth became worthless.
He who is called blessed became a curse.
He who is fully accepted by the Father became rejected.
He who is Truth was called a liar.
He who is Righteous was called a sinner.
His Perspective is Redemption
He came to take up the cause of the orphan and the widow, for those of a despised race, for those who were known for their sin.
He came to look past the things that continue to blind us.
His perspective is far greater than ours.
His perspective is redemption of a fallen and broken world with people who are scared and broken leaving the effects of their brokenness on those around them.
His pursuit is them.
His pursuit is me…
You are after me
You are after me.
It is often hard to grasp, someone of infinite worth pursuing those of limited value.
But, so it is…
Your Spirit confirms it in me.
You are after me.
The hound of Heaven,
The pursuer of my soul,
The searcher of my inmost being,
You are after me.
Overwhelming it inevitably becomes,
The greater pursueing the lesser,
The justified pursuing the inexcusably guilty,
The righteous pursuing the sinner,
You are after me.
Faithful
You call me faithful and I am dismayed.
How can one of a wayward heart be called faithful?
How can one, who is the supreme example of faithfulness, call anyone else faithful?
I can but simply acknowledge that I pursue faithfulness to You because you are faithful, first.
I am faithful because you pursued me, first.
I am faithful because you loved me, first.
I am faithful because I have been forgiven much.
I am faithful because, like Peter said, “To where shall I go? For You have the words of life.”
THANK YOU, JESUS!!!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Are there any Excellent people in the church?
Before we get to excellence, I think we have a prerequisite...
What if we could operate with a clear conscious?
What if we weren’t constantly mentally tempted, hindered by thoughts that terminate on us?
What if we had a clear mind to pursue God and those things which are good?
Is this possible?
What if we attempted to operate like this by faith?
What if we attempted to do these things as if God will grant us this ability?
After all isn’t that the definition of faith?
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1
Think about what could be possible from one person who operated with a clear conscious and a clear mind in pursuit of God and the people around them?
Now imagine a body of believers who could operate like this?
There impact could be paramount!
If we attempted this, if we tried to act out these things by faith, they are considered acts of righteousness!
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3
Some other scriptures for further encouragement in your pursuit…
“Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God.” Hebrews 9:14
“For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
Now for Excellence...
What happened to doing things for God with EXCELLENCE?
How come we have people in the world, like Apple for example, that do things to the utmost of their ability and we in the church are just amazed by what they do?
Or how about men in the Navy SEALS?
Why aren’t we inspired to do the BEST we can?
Have we ever given our very BEST?
Do we even know what it means to give our BEST?
What will it take for US to live with excellence?
What if we were so serious about GOD that people noticed just in our daily lives?
…By the way we treated people.
By the way we did our school work.
By the way we work.
By the way we love our spouse.
By the way we teach and train our kids.
By the way we provide and take care of our families.
What if we were excellent in the things of scripture?
What if we seriously pursued the life that scripture outlines for us?
I suggest that we don’t because we don’t believe!
We don’t believe that God’s way, as outlined in scripture, is the best way.
We think that our way is the best way!
How arrogant! How ignorant! That we have an unlimitedly intelligent God, who has given us direction, and we are going to do what we think is right…
We need a spirit of excellence in the church today.
We need a spirit of belief in God for who He is and what He has outlines for us to do in scripture.
Ask Him. He is faithful to provide, but also begin to act and strive as if he has already given you this ability of excellence. Believe and act in faith that you have already received. (Hebrews 11:1)
What if we could operate with a clear conscious?
What if we weren’t constantly mentally tempted, hindered by thoughts that terminate on us?
What if we had a clear mind to pursue God and those things which are good?
Is this possible?
What if we attempted to operate like this by faith?
What if we attempted to do these things as if God will grant us this ability?
After all isn’t that the definition of faith?
“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1
Think about what could be possible from one person who operated with a clear conscious and a clear mind in pursuit of God and the people around them?
Now imagine a body of believers who could operate like this?
There impact could be paramount!
If we attempted this, if we tried to act out these things by faith, they are considered acts of righteousness!
“Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:3
Some other scriptures for further encouragement in your pursuit…
“Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God.” Hebrews 9:14
“For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” Hebrews 10:14
Now for Excellence...
What happened to doing things for God with EXCELLENCE?
How come we have people in the world, like Apple for example, that do things to the utmost of their ability and we in the church are just amazed by what they do?
Or how about men in the Navy SEALS?
Why aren’t we inspired to do the BEST we can?
Have we ever given our very BEST?
Do we even know what it means to give our BEST?
What will it take for US to live with excellence?
What if we were so serious about GOD that people noticed just in our daily lives?
…By the way we treated people.
By the way we did our school work.
By the way we work.
By the way we love our spouse.
By the way we teach and train our kids.
By the way we provide and take care of our families.
What if we were excellent in the things of scripture?
What if we seriously pursued the life that scripture outlines for us?
I suggest that we don’t because we don’t believe!
We don’t believe that God’s way, as outlined in scripture, is the best way.
We think that our way is the best way!
How arrogant! How ignorant! That we have an unlimitedly intelligent God, who has given us direction, and we are going to do what we think is right…
We need a spirit of excellence in the church today.
We need a spirit of belief in God for who He is and what He has outlines for us to do in scripture.
Ask Him. He is faithful to provide, but also begin to act and strive as if he has already given you this ability of excellence. Believe and act in faith that you have already received. (Hebrews 11:1)
How can I sing to the Lord...?
I often think to my self, “I really like the way this person/group sings for God. I wish that I could sing like they can. Then I could really glorify God.”
Has God not gifted all? What are my gifts? In other words, how can I sing to Lord in a way that glorifies Him with the gifts that he has given me?
What are your gifts? How can you “sing to the Lord?”
Has God not gifted all? What are my gifts? In other words, how can I sing to Lord in a way that glorifies Him with the gifts that he has given me?
What are your gifts? How can you “sing to the Lord?”
Thursday, June 24, 2010
World View Shift #1
Ok, so I think I'm going to try and take a stab at the worldview shift that the church at large needs as well as myself.
When we read scriptures like “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) and “How foolish can you be? He is that Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say to the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid?” (Isaiah 29:16) These are just a couple examples of the overarching message in the Bible - simply, God is of chief importance and deserving of all glory. My conclusion, ultimately, God is ALWAYS right and the only time that we are as mankind is if we are on his side.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) God is first, mankind is second. God is creator, mankind is created. Very simply and very plainly God provides food, shelter, relationships, and eventually clothing to mankind. After creation and absolute provision, mankind sins against the creator God in the Garden of Eden. When man, of his own volition, sins and disobeys God he is deserving of death. God clearly told Adam, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden – except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Here we IMMEDIATELY see the grace of God! He could have, justly, killed both Adam and Eve right after they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
After the sin of Adam and Eve as well as the serpent, God carries out His judgment. The serpent is told, “You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live.” Notice the serpent, which initiated the sin, is told that it would crawl on its belly as long as it lives. The judgment is meant for all serpents as they all crawl on their bellies, but is addressed specifically to this serpent. In the same way when the judgments on Adam and Eve are laid out, they are for all men and all women. The judgment for Eve, and women, we are told, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” The judgment for Adam, and men, we are told, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food and eat until you return to the ground from which you were made…” In the same way the judgments of Adam and Eve were passed down to every man and women, so was the nature of sin passed down to all mankind. The sin nature is a part of human nature, we are born with it. This is obvious if you are around small children at all. (“That’s mine!” “Give me!” “No, I don’t want to!”) These children aren’t taught this type of language, or desires. They naturally want to be selfish and to be mean to anyone that comes in between them and what they want.
Remember not only is mankind effected by the sin here, but the serpent. In the same way, all of creation is negatively effected by this sin. Paul says it like this, “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” (Romans 8:20-21) He later mentions, “for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.” Again, here we are staying with this idea that we are in bondage to this sinful nature that has been passed down from Adam and Eve in the beginning.
To be continued...
When we read scriptures like “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?” (Romans 2:4) and “How foolish can you be? He is that Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay! Should the created thing say to the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”? Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid?” (Isaiah 29:16) These are just a couple examples of the overarching message in the Bible - simply, God is of chief importance and deserving of all glory. My conclusion, ultimately, God is ALWAYS right and the only time that we are as mankind is if we are on his side.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) God is first, mankind is second. God is creator, mankind is created. Very simply and very plainly God provides food, shelter, relationships, and eventually clothing to mankind. After creation and absolute provision, mankind sins against the creator God in the Garden of Eden. When man, of his own volition, sins and disobeys God he is deserving of death. God clearly told Adam, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden – except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Here we IMMEDIATELY see the grace of God! He could have, justly, killed both Adam and Eve right after they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
After the sin of Adam and Eve as well as the serpent, God carries out His judgment. The serpent is told, “You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live.” Notice the serpent, which initiated the sin, is told that it would crawl on its belly as long as it lives. The judgment is meant for all serpents as they all crawl on their bellies, but is addressed specifically to this serpent. In the same way when the judgments on Adam and Eve are laid out, they are for all men and all women. The judgment for Eve, and women, we are told, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” The judgment for Adam, and men, we are told, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweat of your brow will you have food and eat until you return to the ground from which you were made…” In the same way the judgments of Adam and Eve were passed down to every man and women, so was the nature of sin passed down to all mankind. The sin nature is a part of human nature, we are born with it. This is obvious if you are around small children at all. (“That’s mine!” “Give me!” “No, I don’t want to!”) These children aren’t taught this type of language, or desires. They naturally want to be selfish and to be mean to anyone that comes in between them and what they want.
Remember not only is mankind effected by the sin here, but the serpent. In the same way, all of creation is negatively effected by this sin. Paul says it like this, “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay.” (Romans 8:20-21) He later mentions, “for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.” Again, here we are staying with this idea that we are in bondage to this sinful nature that has been passed down from Adam and Eve in the beginning.
To be continued...
Thursday, June 10, 2010
No Quit in Me
This is part of my effort to shift some worldview...
Have you ever been so tired and exhausted that you just wanted to quite? So frustrated with your “performance” as a Christian that you want to throw in the towel? So aware of the wickedness of your heart that you really question the ability of the Holy Spirit to help you “be holy as I AM holy?”
If you think about such things I would behoove you to dwell on the character of God. A God that “is Love” has not only decided to create you, but desires to be sincerely involved in your life. (1 John 4:16) So intimately and so closely…”O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me... And when I wake up you are still with me!” (Psalm 139:1-18) Remember this is a God that doesn’t need anything, for “all the world is mine and everything in it.” (Psalm 50:12) He doesn’t have mixed motives. He doesn’t need you to help Him or to be his friend. Yet He chooses for whatever reasons that He may, to create us and step down from a lofty heaven to us. He chooses to, He doesn’t have a responsibility to us after the miracle work of creation. This is His personal choice.
We read “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.” (Psalm 18:30) Here we have a perfect God that desires to be a part of our lives every second of every day, a God that has never quit on us and has put up with all of our imperfects. What should be our response to such a God? Our response should be to honor a God that hasn’t quit on us by not being discouraged by people or circumstances, by striving for perfection in thought and action, by continuing to press into Him even if we don’t feel that He is attentive, by having no quit in us.
Have you ever been so tired and exhausted that you just wanted to quite? So frustrated with your “performance” as a Christian that you want to throw in the towel? So aware of the wickedness of your heart that you really question the ability of the Holy Spirit to help you “be holy as I AM holy?”
If you think about such things I would behoove you to dwell on the character of God. A God that “is Love” has not only decided to create you, but desires to be sincerely involved in your life. (1 John 4:16) So intimately and so closely…”O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me... And when I wake up you are still with me!” (Psalm 139:1-18) Remember this is a God that doesn’t need anything, for “all the world is mine and everything in it.” (Psalm 50:12) He doesn’t have mixed motives. He doesn’t need you to help Him or to be his friend. Yet He chooses for whatever reasons that He may, to create us and step down from a lofty heaven to us. He chooses to, He doesn’t have a responsibility to us after the miracle work of creation. This is His personal choice.
We read “As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless.” (Psalm 18:30) Here we have a perfect God that desires to be a part of our lives every second of every day, a God that has never quit on us and has put up with all of our imperfects. What should be our response to such a God? Our response should be to honor a God that hasn’t quit on us by not being discouraged by people or circumstances, by striving for perfection in thought and action, by continuing to press into Him even if we don’t feel that He is attentive, by having no quit in us.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
True Happiness
Happiness for the believer and for the non-believer is very different. When someone is granted by God eyes to see and the faith to believe we are, at that point, redeemed. One thing that happens when you are redeemed, is your desires change. You shift from secular worldly desires that might have to do with money, sex, or some kind of altered state of self medication from drugs or alcohol, but I would contest that if you truly assessed these habits you would agree that they aren’t nearly as enjoyable as they may once have been. Truth is, they probably have the opposite effect.
Your happiness begins to be found in things that are lasting and selfless. Accomplishing things for others becomes attractive. You start to value people and have more of a desire to be productive with your time. There tends to be a conflict here because you have old habits and ways that you remember enjoying and people around you still enjoy, but you no longer enjoy. You’re basically trying to combat your mind telling you where to find happiness and your heart telling you where you’re really going to be happy.
The reason I write this, is because we can go back and forth on happiness between the two for our whole time on this earth! We can miss it! We can be infants in the faith for the remainder of our time here or we can GROW UP. There must be a point where, like Peter in John 21, we leave the fishing boat, where we feel comfortable, and jump in to what Jesus really has for us. There comes a time where we have to “forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. To win the prize to which God called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)
Ultimately God holds your happiness and what this world holds is just a temporary imitation. Why would you continue to seek after the imitation? Don’t you want the real thing?
Your happiness begins to be found in things that are lasting and selfless. Accomplishing things for others becomes attractive. You start to value people and have more of a desire to be productive with your time. There tends to be a conflict here because you have old habits and ways that you remember enjoying and people around you still enjoy, but you no longer enjoy. You’re basically trying to combat your mind telling you where to find happiness and your heart telling you where you’re really going to be happy.
The reason I write this, is because we can go back and forth on happiness between the two for our whole time on this earth! We can miss it! We can be infants in the faith for the remainder of our time here or we can GROW UP. There must be a point where, like Peter in John 21, we leave the fishing boat, where we feel comfortable, and jump in to what Jesus really has for us. There comes a time where we have to “forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. To win the prize to which God called us heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)
Ultimately God holds your happiness and what this world holds is just a temporary imitation. Why would you continue to seek after the imitation? Don’t you want the real thing?
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