I recently starting reading forgotten God by Francis Chan with our guys small group. Wow what a challenging book. it makes Crazy Love seem like baby food.
The more I read this book I am convinced we have so quenched the Spirit in our lives. We have gotten so use to the American way of life comfort and get whatever we want, that why in the world would we need God to provide. Let alone why would the Spirit need to work in our lives, we have all that we want. We have become entrenched into the world ever so slowly, that we did not even realize it was happening.
We justify ever way of life and comfort and neglect the Spirit and will of God.WHY? Because in my opinion we do not want to hear what God has to say, not really. We do not really want to obey him and give him OUR WHOLE LIFE. We are scared to where he might call us, what he might ask us to do, or what we might have to give up.
We have bought into the lie that a good Christians give 10%, goes to church a couple times a week and serves when it suits. In the meantime we pursue the career, house, cars, family, and toys and never ask God what he would have for us.
God wants our whole life and he wants to direct us by the Spirit in what He would have each of us do, but many of us do not want that in return, we want to serve God on our terms. As long as it does not interfere with our lives and hobbies.
I am more convinced today more than ever that the path is narrow and many will miss the point. Do not assume you are the good soil.
What is God asking of you, what is he calling you to. A friend of mine Adam Lehman wrote recently' would we still work for the church if we were not paid? interesting question yet a true one, we should serve God out of love and wanting to disciple not because of a pay check. Our early brothers and sisters did not get paid. they work there jobs and there evening hobbies were being the church not doing church.
So stop asking for God's will or his Spirit to lead you unless you mean it. If you are not willing to let go and do whatever he asks of you. Stop pretending and stop asking please. This is not a game. This is eternity we are talking about and God's plan, so lets stop pretending either we are in or out. God does not want this half sold out Christianity we have been giving him.We will mess up, it will be hard, but he promise to provide for us and help us through it and I promise the reward is better than any toy we can buy on this earth. So lets start living like we actually believe that.
In this together
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
our purpose
So I have figured out the purpose of life and it is very simple. we send so much time and money in the United states listening to the best leaders and speakers, so we can be the best. Well the purpose of our life is a simple thing we can find in scriptures.
It is found in Matthew 25:23 Jesus is telling the parable of the talents and when the master returns home he tells the servant " well done good and faithful servant". In case you did not know we are the servants and God's is the master who has returned after being away. We have been intrusted with talents and our job is to simply use them to further the kingdom. Our goal in life is to hear God say WELL DONE, that is it that is our goal.
It is so simple yet we let the distractions of the world get us off course all the time.
Our main purpose and goal is to simply here well done good and faithful servant. I told you it was simple, no the simple part is stating our goal. the hard part is living out our life so to obtain that goal. To obtain this goal we have to become people who are obsessed with God. we need to daily eat from his table, what do i mean by table? His spirit, the word, prayer, guidance from those wiser, decernment, and many other ways to deny our earthly fleash and tune into our spirtual needs.
God wants all or nothing he tells in revelations3:15 if we are lukewarm he will spit us out. you know that is the only time in scripture the word spit is used. This is an all or nothing job we have and the goal is to hear well done. I don't know about you , but there is nothing I dream of more than to hear out Maker say well done. Then and only then will my life actually be complete.
It is found in Matthew 25:23 Jesus is telling the parable of the talents and when the master returns home he tells the servant " well done good and faithful servant". In case you did not know we are the servants and God's is the master who has returned after being away. We have been intrusted with talents and our job is to simply use them to further the kingdom. Our goal in life is to hear God say WELL DONE, that is it that is our goal.
It is so simple yet we let the distractions of the world get us off course all the time.
Our main purpose and goal is to simply here well done good and faithful servant. I told you it was simple, no the simple part is stating our goal. the hard part is living out our life so to obtain that goal. To obtain this goal we have to become people who are obsessed with God. we need to daily eat from his table, what do i mean by table? His spirit, the word, prayer, guidance from those wiser, decernment, and many other ways to deny our earthly fleash and tune into our spirtual needs.
God wants all or nothing he tells in revelations3:15 if we are lukewarm he will spit us out. you know that is the only time in scripture the word spit is used. This is an all or nothing job we have and the goal is to hear well done. I don't know about you , but there is nothing I dream of more than to hear out Maker say well done. Then and only then will my life actually be complete.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
the Kingdom of Heaven
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it , he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought the field..... Matthew 13:44
I love this parable, this man found the ultimate gift. We live in a world that tells us what we need all the time and what will make us happy. All of that is a fleshly happiness, a happiness that will waste away, rust, and fade.
This man found the kingdom of heaven and sold everything he had, so that he could keep it. He was sold out so to speak, but honestly he gave up everything of the world so he could hang on to the one thing that mattered most.
We have the truth and know the way to the kingdom of heaven, but very few of us have this attitude. Not many Americans give up everything, so we can hold on to the one thing that matters. In fact quite the opposite is true; we hold on to the world and justify why it is okay. We have many false idols we ALL worship, if we are honest with ourselves.
Amazingly as I am typing the song just came on by Toby Mac Lose My Soul. The chorus echoes this " I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul"
I know I don't! Do you?
Our lives should look different we should be looking for what we can give up, so we can hang on to the kingdom of heaven. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's workmanship, it is kinds of like this. We are this little Lego project, we keep trying to build our lives and add the pieces we want. God has the directions and knows what pieces we need, we just need to let him build us into the masterpiece he intended.
We all have stuff we need to get rid of. What do you need to get rid of today, so you can hang on to the Kingdom of Heaven?
In this together
I love this parable, this man found the ultimate gift. We live in a world that tells us what we need all the time and what will make us happy. All of that is a fleshly happiness, a happiness that will waste away, rust, and fade.
This man found the kingdom of heaven and sold everything he had, so that he could keep it. He was sold out so to speak, but honestly he gave up everything of the world so he could hang on to the one thing that mattered most.
We have the truth and know the way to the kingdom of heaven, but very few of us have this attitude. Not many Americans give up everything, so we can hold on to the one thing that matters. In fact quite the opposite is true; we hold on to the world and justify why it is okay. We have many false idols we ALL worship, if we are honest with ourselves.
Amazingly as I am typing the song just came on by Toby Mac Lose My Soul. The chorus echoes this " I don't want to gain the whole world and lose my soul"
I know I don't! Do you?
Our lives should look different we should be looking for what we can give up, so we can hang on to the kingdom of heaven. Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's workmanship, it is kinds of like this. We are this little Lego project, we keep trying to build our lives and add the pieces we want. God has the directions and knows what pieces we need, we just need to let him build us into the masterpiece he intended.
We all have stuff we need to get rid of. What do you need to get rid of today, so you can hang on to the Kingdom of Heaven?
In this together
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Wow it has been a long time since I last wrote anything. my life has been a roller coaster ride this year, but I have learned a lot.
February was dominated by our mission trip to Honduras and Micah ending up in the hospital during the trip.
James chapter 1 was a great source of strength through that whole trial.
I can not believe it is already April man time flies.
I am going to try to blog once a week starting from now on.
February was dominated by our mission trip to Honduras and Micah ending up in the hospital during the trip.
James chapter 1 was a great source of strength through that whole trial.
I can not believe it is already April man time flies.
I am going to try to blog once a week starting from now on.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Everything is meaningless
I start my Bible reading today in Ecclesiastes 1 and was blown away that it started like this; everything is meaningless.
Solomon the man who had everything literally and he starts his writing with' it is all meaningless. i do not know if i never noticed this verse before or if it just stuck out for the first time.
We pursue and work but for what? It is like chasing the wind. Wow if this does not sum up America I do not what does. We are all chasing something jobs, career, success, acceptance, fame, and much more. The question is why? Why do we chase these things when will we learn the only thing that satisfies is Christ. The only thing that fixes that hole is our Maker.
Here is Solomon pouring out his soul that everything you can possible pursue in life I mean everything is meaningless and he know because he did and it brought nothing but pain and sorrow.
So what are you pursuing is it God or something else? Take some time this week and see where your priorities are at, where does your time go, and if God barley gets 15 minutes each day you may want to rethink your priorities.
Solomon the man who had everything literally and he starts his writing with' it is all meaningless. i do not know if i never noticed this verse before or if it just stuck out for the first time.
We pursue and work but for what? It is like chasing the wind. Wow if this does not sum up America I do not what does. We are all chasing something jobs, career, success, acceptance, fame, and much more. The question is why? Why do we chase these things when will we learn the only thing that satisfies is Christ. The only thing that fixes that hole is our Maker.
Here is Solomon pouring out his soul that everything you can possible pursue in life I mean everything is meaningless and he know because he did and it brought nothing but pain and sorrow.
So what are you pursuing is it God or something else? Take some time this week and see where your priorities are at, where does your time go, and if God barley gets 15 minutes each day you may want to rethink your priorities.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Storms why do we run from them? I do not mean storms in the natural sense, but the storms of life. The storms we face mold us, shape us, and define our character, so why do we run?
I believe it is because to face storms we have to depend on God. We do not like that we like to be in control, comfortable, and map out our life, so when these storms of life come along we have to admit we are not in control, we have to let The Father lead and totally surrender.
This a hard thing to do yet it is something we all can work on. God wants us to depend on him to call out his name to fully rely on his support.
So the next time you have a storm in your life call on Jesus, surrender, and be broken. You never know you might learn something and even grow a little bit.
I believe it is because to face storms we have to depend on God. We do not like that we like to be in control, comfortable, and map out our life, so when these storms of life come along we have to admit we are not in control, we have to let The Father lead and totally surrender.
This a hard thing to do yet it is something we all can work on. God wants us to depend on him to call out his name to fully rely on his support.
So the next time you have a storm in your life call on Jesus, surrender, and be broken. You never know you might learn something and even grow a little bit.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Crazy Love
I have been reading Francis Chan's book Crazy Love. Wow you want a challenge and stretched i suggest you pick this book up.
Today as i read there was a verse from Isaiah 64:6 " All our righteous acts are like filthy rags"
the rags, refers to the rags from a woman's menstrual cycle; that stop me dead in my reading. In God's eyes all my good intentions deeds are used tampons, yet we try so hard to earn God's love by what we do, who we serve, and how much we give.
This is a problem we humans have struggled with forever; i guess that is why Francis calls the book crazy love. All our good ideas are filthy rags yet God loves us anyway, that is crazy. I really do not think we can begin to ever understand this love, but i believe as a parent we get a glimpse of it. If you are not a parent i am not sure you can begin to grasp this. I still remember the birth of Jada my oldest; I cried like a baby and have cried at every birth of my five children. Gifts from above that I have been in trusted to raise and render for our Maker.
As these little ones grow and begin to test the waters of discipline, it is amazing that everything they have done I never stop loving them. I get angry, frustrated, laugh, bury my face, but the love never fails and I never want to give up on them.
I think this is how God feels when he watches over us from above every emotion must go through him as he watches us stumble and fall yet he never stops loving us and providing forgiveness. That is crazy love and I am glad he models it for us.
Today as i read there was a verse from Isaiah 64:6 " All our righteous acts are like filthy rags"
the rags, refers to the rags from a woman's menstrual cycle; that stop me dead in my reading. In God's eyes all my good intentions deeds are used tampons, yet we try so hard to earn God's love by what we do, who we serve, and how much we give.
This is a problem we humans have struggled with forever; i guess that is why Francis calls the book crazy love. All our good ideas are filthy rags yet God loves us anyway, that is crazy. I really do not think we can begin to ever understand this love, but i believe as a parent we get a glimpse of it. If you are not a parent i am not sure you can begin to grasp this. I still remember the birth of Jada my oldest; I cried like a baby and have cried at every birth of my five children. Gifts from above that I have been in trusted to raise and render for our Maker.
As these little ones grow and begin to test the waters of discipline, it is amazing that everything they have done I never stop loving them. I get angry, frustrated, laugh, bury my face, but the love never fails and I never want to give up on them.
I think this is how God feels when he watches over us from above every emotion must go through him as he watches us stumble and fall yet he never stops loving us and providing forgiveness. That is crazy love and I am glad he models it for us.
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