sometimes there is no bow

I was reminded last night as I told the Bible story what a disney culture we really have. What do I mean by that, well that there is always a nice, clean, or happy ever after ending. As I told the story I was told it was scary, mean, and not nice. It was recommended to dumb it down. I sat there shocked. Really dumb down the Bible, that is the last thing we need to do. We have been doing that for far to long.

Instead I think we need to remember in life sometimes there is no neat ending, sometimes what happens just does not make sense. Some things we just can't complain and put a nice neat bow on it. We should not be surprised by this the Bible is full of stories that don't make sense and so is life. The one thing I do know is that God promised if we following him will not be easy. Persecution always follows kingdom proclamation. If you want an easy life do not talk about the Bible. I also Know that God promises to take care of us and that in the end no matter what if we follow him it will be worth it.
The Bible is full of amazing, unique, mind blowing stories of God showing his power to the world. Some end with great endings and some do not. In fact all but one apostle was killed for his faith, there is no bow there from a human standard, but from our spiritual nature there is nothing better.
So I think it is time to let God's word be God's word. Please stop dumbing down the stories, if there is no happy ending be okay with that, maybe there was and we just don't know the whole story. God has a plan and in the end there is a happy ever after for all of us who love him and follow him.

Who has forgotten who?

I hear a lot that God has forgotten me or won't forgive me. I have come to wonder how many times it is reversed where it is actually us who forget God. We stop believing he loves us and will always forgive us. The Lord has promised us in the old testament and reminds us in Hebrew 13:5 If we obey him he will never leave us or forsake us.
If we obey him, oh how we forget that key part. God may correct us or even punish us, as any good father should do to children he loves. We see this example several time in the life of David, but he never left David. He does this because he loves us, and his mercy and grace in this is far better than what we deserve.
I think far to many times those of us who claim God left me or doesn't love me have in fact walked away from him first. We have decided too many times that the ways of this world are better and more satisfying.  We forget God or how much he loves us, we stop obeying him and his commands, and then when things get bad and we are not rescued we instantly blame God. Instead of taking responsibility for our part in turning away from him to chase a path that leads to death. Proverbs 16:25 reminds us of this truth, there is a path that may seem right to US, but that leads to death, because it is not God's path.
1 John 2:15-17 again reminds us that the love of the world does not come from the father and those who love the world cannot have the Father's love in them. All these things will pass away, these desires will fade, but the man who does the will of the Father will live forever. Amazing how all the Bible always works together. going right back to the promise if we obey him he will never leave us or forsake us.

So I again ask the question who has forgotten who? Who has left who? Who has truly forsaken who? Is it God breaking a promise, which has yet to happen or is it us falling in love with the world and chasing things that will give us only gratification in the short term.
Lastly lets us not confuse or father correcting us as leaving us. I need me father's correction and at time rebuke. In those times as much as it may hurt I never feel abandoned if anything I feel loved and wanted instead of shame. I know my Father loves me enough to correct me. I know left to myself I will follow the path Proverbs 16:25 talks about, I will follow the path that leads to death.
So next time you get ready to say God left you do a heart check, look to see if it is you who walked away first. Own it if you have and humbly ask for forgiveness. Brokenness and humility bring us closer to God, not pride and self assurance. Again look to David how many times did he seek God's forgiveness and it was always granted and he was always loved never forsaken. Don't' let your love for anything but God and pride convince you that God left you, instead take a look inside and see if it was you who started walking away for the path God has marked out for each of us.

Dad where did you go?

I spent the better half of yesterday at the Milton High School, helping deal with the grief of a lost student. I was blow away by the brokenness of not just the situation but of life for many students. I talked with many students throughout the day. Of all these students only 2 had intact families, 2 students where has the sanctity of marriage went? I talked to numerous young women hurting and crying out for attention, love, and help. You know the common denominator in all these girls, dad was gone. He had left for another women or family. They all claimed to hate there father, but yet truly where crying out to be loved and accepted instead of the rejection they had felt and experienced.
So Fathers where are you? Where do you spend your time? When was the last time you actually spent quality time with your children or told them you loved them? I am reminded of the last scene in the movie courageous where the main character challenges the fathers to step up. So men of God if you know God I also encourage you to step up. Let us stop the question of where is daddy and set an example for the world to follow.

leftovers

So yes I have been reading Crazy Love again and yes it rocks my world again. I have read this for various reasons and groups I have lead a total of 5 times. I never get sick of it, it stretches me and hurts ever time, but I walk away each time more in love with my Father and asking over and over, why do we think God deserves our leftovers.
God is God he decides everything and every time we try to justify ourselves and behavior we are minimizing God, and his call for our life. We are trying to make it easy. Scriptures is clear it is not easy, it was not suppose to be easy. God demands our all our very life. We need grace and God saves us from ourselves, because by ourselves we cannot do it. He forgives and love when we fall short, but why do we continue to think giving him our leftovers is okay. I don't serve him to get out of hell or because I think I have to. I serve God because I love him, because he saved me, because he is God, because I am in awe of him, and because frankly he deserves it.
God does not want our leftovers, but yet we are filled with to many excuses and we give him our leftovers all the time. As much as I am not saying fear your salvation, I do agree with two statements in the book. Do not assume your are on good soil and on the narrow road. Check your life. Has your relationship with Christ actually changed your life. Just because you are comfortable and have a good life does not mean your heart does not need a tune up. Laodica assumed they where good, and Christ let them know he wanted to spit them out. Don't fear your salvation and have confidence in his grace, but don't let your pride lead you to assuming because you have the good life that is enough. Our life for Christ will actually be marked with suffering, trials, and persecution. God will sustain us through these, but by his grace and strength not ours.

What has changed

Has your relationship with God really changed the way you live your life? Or are we to busy chasing something to make us happy we will never find in the world. This is only a question that you can answer personally and you have to be honest with yourself to do so. So I encourage you to look at your life since you began to claim Christ and ask yourself am I any different than before I knew Christ.
If the answer is no then it is time to search deep within and find out why. In the parable of the sower how many of us assume we are the good soil. We grew up in church and have a good family, so how could we be anything else. We should never assume we are the good soil, that only leads to pride. Look at your life, what does the fruit of your spiritual life say. Be honest with yourself who do you serve? Who is number one really?
Proverbs says without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest. Are we just trying to stay clean or are you serving God, obeying him, taking risks for him. When was the last time you actually either left the stable and got dirty or cleaned up the stable from things that only you and God know are there. At the end of the day do you realize who God is and why you need him? Or are you only after what you get from God. A man found a treasure in a field and went and sold all that he had and bought that field. Do we have that Joy with Christ are we willing to give up all we have to gain the thing that only matters or are we giving up our soul to gain the world? Christ is all we need, so back to the original question has your life changed since your relationship with God or is it the same. Take some time and get quiet with yourself and God and do some heart surgery to answer this questions today.
This is something I do periodically and each time God reveals stuff in me that needs chiseled away, it hurts but is worth it in the long run. We are in a marathon not a sprint, so prepare for the long run as well as the short sprints.

Help me

Lord as I read about Balaam this morning help me to never become so set on what I want that I miss your directions or word of truth. Lord help keep me humble and always listening to you and what you would have for me and my family. Lord keep me form becoming the ostrich with my head in the sand. Lord I love you and all of my life is yours, I will obey and follow whatever you ask us to do.
Lord in the same aspect if I need a donkey to get my attention, please grab my attention as you see fit.

excited

In C4 2 years ago we read a little book called Crazy Love, wow if I would have know the impact it would have had on the student ministry at my church I would have read it sooner. We most of those high schoolers are gone it is neat to see those who took the challenge of scripture and according to culture are doing crazy things for Jesus. Well we are going to do it again with a new group of students. I realize we will have vastly different results, but am curious how this group will deal with the challenges simple laid out in scripture. I am praying that if nothing else many more C4 students will radically follow Christ whatever that will mean to their own life. Every time I go through this book I an truly overwhelmed by God.