Tag: christianity

Worship

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What is worship?

There are many places to go in scripture to find information on worship. We find one of the clearest passages about this topic in Paul’s epistle to the Roman church.

Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Spiritual worship in verse 1 is also translated as ‘service’ or ‘divine service’.  The mercies of God are offered to us as an invitation to His family and true life and an escape from sin and death.  These mercies of God are also the motivations for us to worship Him because He is worthy of our lives since He has ransomed them by His blood and as our creator.

Right away we see a definition of what ‘spiritual worship’ is.  This is to present our bodies as a living sacrifice.  We are not left in the dark on what that is either.  It is to deny the world and to have our minds transformed by God.  That through our trials or testing, we will have opportunities to discern the will of God.

But why ‘spiritual worship’?

When Jesus was speaking with the woman at the well, He gave us the answer.

John 4:20-24

‘Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

There is a lot to unpack in this passage, but we will stick with the objective.  The Samaritan woman at the well starts to explain that they used to be able to worship God at their mountain but that the Holy of Holy’s was now in Jerusalem where God was to be worshiped.  Jesus responds with letting her know that the time is coming (present) when anyone from anywhere can worship the Father.  This was represented when the veil tore at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in Matthew 27:51. But that this worship was to be in ‘spirit and truth’.  The limitation of worship is not one of location but of heart.  Jesus sums this up precisely in the last sentence. “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

What does it mean to worship in ‘spirit and truth’?

In Romans 12 we see the call to a transformed mind, but we know that this is truly a call to a transformed heart.  This is what God promises, and this is what he is after.

Ezekiel 11:17-21

Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord God.”

Jeremiah 31:33-34

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Ezekeil 36:25-27

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

In all these verses we see not only what God promises but what He desires.  God wants our hearts back.  He promises to those who come back to Him that He will wash away their sins and make them clean.  He will take away the old heart and give us a new one.  One that resembles His.  And He will put in us a new spirit.  We will have a heart and Spirit that will desire the things of God and to do the will of God.  Why?  Because of His mercies.  He offers us a place. He will wash us clean.  He will give us a new heart.  He will put a new Spirit within us. God will dwell in us.

Romans 8:9-11

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

So how do we worship in Spirit and truth?  Let’s look at what we have learned so far and we can rephrase the question into a statement. 

‘Worship’ is defined as presenting your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

‘The Spirit’ is by and through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is offered to us by Christ Jesus and put there by God the Father.

But what about the ‘truth’? 

Romans 10:9-13

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”[ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

‘Truth’ is not of a false faith or one that you borrowed from a family member.  It is not about an intellectual ascent to knowledge but rather something deeper.  It is about knowing Jesus and Him knowing you.  Not just facts or bible verses but the personal intimate relationship He offers to you.  It is about your heart.

The word “worship” gets used in a lot of ways. It is not limited to any one specific act or function. It is a call for those who say yes to making Jesus their Lord and Savior to live as He did and asks them to do also.  To follow Him and to deny one’s own self and the world around them.  To love God and to love others.  It is to praise His Holy name and to repent from sin.  If we make ‘worship’ only something that happens at church or singing when chords are playing, we have missed the mark.  If you thought of your daily life as a form of worship, would you rethink how you live?  Would He find your worship acceptable if we took the definition offered through scripture within the context of what He calls us to?

Worship is a byproduct of the life of one who has been saved and knows the truth of the cross and the God who made a way for us.  I am by no means perfect, but this type of study has transformed my mind in a way that I now see what was once mundane as opportunities to lift up the name of Christ in all that I do. I love how this was stated in the verse below.

1 Corinthians 3:2-3

You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

Paul’s epistles have been mentioned a few times so far, and many brothers and sisters in the faith have found the work of the Holy Spirit through Paul’s writings to the early church as revolutionary for their theology and relationship with the one true God.  Your epistle may not be bound between Genesis and Revelation, but it is just as captivating to those around you and more readily accessible throughout their day.  If we can come to see that we are called to live in worship in order to glorify our God who raised us from the dead and as a witness to those that are around us, we will see the power of God in ways we never imagined.  Oddly enough, even though we worship God due to His worthiness, have you ever noticed how when you worship Him, you are also rewarded?  There is great joy that one feels when in the presence of a loving Father.  He is so good to us. Even when we do what we know we should to honor him, we are rewarded. It was not about us. Think about what Jesus told the woman at the well, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  We do nothing to make ourselves worthy of the gift God offers.  He pays the cost Himself.  Yet, we are rewarded with mercies and gifts that benefit us.  He is infinitely worthy without having done any of this. This makes worshiping Him from the heart so much easier.

Are you still struggling to get a practical application on how to understand how to worship?  I would encourage you to meditate on these verses in silent prayer. Ask for God to speak during this time.  Read from Hebrews 12:28 until you finish the book of Hebrews.  Spend some time understanding the fear of the Lord and the law of the Old Testament.  Look at the life and teaching of our Lord. Consider how our Savior Jesus Christ shows us to ask Him to reveal His will through His word.  Approach God personally. Tell Him that you accept His call to a deeper personal relationship and to the family of believers He adopts you into.  And in doing any of this, you are intentionally seeking Him at the cost of your time and life while renewing your mind, which is acceptable worship.

A Note to Image Bearers

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As image bearers we are not above one another but equal in value.  As those who bear the image of God, we are but a reflection and not God or gods ourselves.  God has gloriously, mercifully, and totally on His own doing offered us a place in His family under His headship to those who call Jesus Christ both Lord and Savior.  There is nothing that the image bearer themselves can or will do to earn this gift, since it is of grace alone. 

Though we bear His image, we are underserving due to our sin. God clearly and precisely warns that sin incurs a debt which can only be paid with death.  We also know that all debt must be paid since God is just, righteous, and holy.  That wage was paid for in the life and death of Jesus Christ, who is God’s Son and God Himself.  You may ask why “life” was included in the previous statement since death is the required payment.  This is because the sacrifice of Christ had to be without sin or blemish.  This had to be a perfect and complete sacrifice that would have endless value over the totality of debt sin could ever invoice.  The capital of Jesus’ work on the cross is inexhaustible. 

However, not everyone will accept the work of Jesus on their behalf for their own debt.  To those who do, they will have a place in the house of the Lord forever.  To those who do not, they will suffer under the weight of their debt and perish forever.  Woe to all who think they can pay their own way without understanding the severity of what they face.  But they will not be spared since they hardened their hearts to their Creator and chose to live as they wished and refused to call Jesus Christ Lord and Savior.  Woe to those who think they are saved by calling Jesus only Lord or Savior but not both.  For they will be turned away and told that He never knew them and suffer the same fate. 

As image bearers, we are called to be like God.  To be holy.  We can only be seen as righteous and holy if we are filled with the Holy Spirit who is God. This indwelling can only happen with the acceptance of the blood of Jesus Christ. When God dwells within you, you will be made to be like Him. You will desire to praise, please, and worship God.  He will finish what He has put in place and save all those who call His Son, Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.

A Day at Work

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It is the day after Christmas.  While many are off work today, my coworkers and I found ourselves still waking up around 4am to come into work for our shift.  Prior to my arrival, the material handler delivered my purchases to restock our inventory and I started stocking first thing.  I had very few disruptions and most of them were pleasant conversations that held steady smiles and ended with the customary “have a good one” in closing.  I was down to the last two boxes and realized that neither of them was purchased for my department.

This is where you start to see why I am writing this.

When the material handler gets the tote in the morning there are multiple potential delivery locations inside, and I often remind him to look for the receivers’ notations on the box or to double check the purchase order paperwork since this has been a reoccurring problem.  When I opened my office door to discard of some boxes I saw him leaning against his forklift eating a cup of pudding.  “YO” I proclaimed to get his attention. When he approached I informed him of the wrong delivery and he took the boxes with him.

As the day goes on, I get a phone call from someone whose location was marked for one of the previously mentioned packages.  He asks me why I sent the package down to his area, so I referenced the note on the paperwork stating the location.  After telling me that they do not belong there I start to explain that I did not purchase them and had only the paper work to go off of. He then stated they did not belon there again and before I could offer assistance he decided to hang up on me after what I interpreted as a passive aggressive tone.

“Who does he think he is talking to!?  Who does he think he is?!”

Ah. The old-self emerges. I can sense my self-righteousness and feel the need to pray.  I perform a “check off prayer” asking for patience and for this person to be called by God.

After a while I decided to walk to the upper shop and brave the cold weather rather than sous vide in my anger.  While walking back it made sense to stop by to speak with the person who hung up on me.  Shortly after making that decision, I find myself planning my attack if this person shows anything other than what I think would be an appropriate response.  I decided that I will explain that this is not how and adult acts, this is not how a man acts, this is not how a supervisor acts, and this is poor representation of a US Marine. 

After a physical head nod of approval to my plan, the revelation of my hope to hurt this man is presented.  I want to rob him of his character and respect.  I want to minimize his personhood in every way.  I am aiming to challenge his maturity, his masculinity, his title, and his pride.  I am thinking about how I can gut this man emotionally and leave him bleeding.  Not only that, but I hoped it would happen in front of his team so they could see the slaughter and also think less of him. 

But why?  Because a part of me wants the conflict.  A part of me thinks I am better than him.  That I would not stoop so low to disrespect someone like he did.  But I am looking to do that same thing in return. In all actuality my goal is to be far worse and to publicize the event. (Notice all of the “I” statements so far)

We tend to justify a poor response if we feel betrayed or attacked. My return not only had to be worse that the action taken against me, but it had to be a “killing” blow. One that was hefty enough to make a statement. A response that would cause the passersby of what was seen or whispered about in breakrooms to make an impact. A statement needed to be made. This is all so petty, foolish, childish and disgusting. This is the reality of my pride. This is the plague of sin. 

Much like the Parable of the unforgiving servant I find myself wanting to hold someone else against the fire of my wrath while I was forgiven of far worse. I am being ungrateful of the mercy shown to myself for a far more egregious act against a incomparably more righteous God. Yet here I am, a fallible man reaching for a sword over a papercut to my ego. Meanwhile Christ took up the cross for all of the sins, including mine, against a Holy(x3) God.

And this gets even deeper. 

I was angry at the material handler in the same way.  I got tired of reminding him of this so when he took the item to the other location, and they asked him “why?”   What do you think he told them? “Oh, the nice guy at the tool crib said it went here” and that he explained the purchasing information to him.  No.  He probably said, “that the dick in the tool room told me it goes here.”  Even though today was an acceptable communication of this mistake, historically I have not always been so forgiving in these scenarios.  Now I am not responsible for how he works, reacts, or communicates, but my poor response does not influence a positive change in those areas for him.  My leaning into my sinful nature does not give glory to God and I am not being the light I am called to be.

As I get closer to his area, I find myself being urged to just stop and talk with God.  I shoot up another “check box prayer” and get my phone out to record the interaction in case something happens.  As I walk through the door, I see him with his employees and ask about the order he called me about.  As he directs me to the privacy of his office, I am both annoyed and glad that it will be a less publicized conversation.  He tells me that it was notated for his area but that it was done incorrectly, was not my mistake, and that it was delivered to the correct location. Without my conflict hunger pushing more I said okay and walked out of the office.  While leaving one of his workers asks me if “if I found out what I was looking for?”  Instead of just saying yes, I responded “there was nothing for me to figure out.” Another showing of my need to be heard even though it was over.

Much of my poor responses end up in my writings because I feel God showing me where I need to let Him in.  I feel that my failure is just a reminder that I am not Jesus but that I have Him and will always need Him.  That I am not righteous but find myself being deceived into thinking I am from time to time by myself and the enemy.  I know I am not the only one, so I hope it becomes contagious in the idea of self-reflecting on these moments and not allowing conviction to become shame.  These situations humble me and writing them gives me a deeper understand because it is almost like the Holy Spirit is proof reading these with me.  He leans in deep and pushes on areas that I look past revealing sin that I glanced over.  Revealing a sin against God that I thought was nothing or was taught by this world to be acceptable.  When you think of how we glance over sin but cannot overlook a mistake from a co-worker, a sassy reply from a loved one, or an expectation not met… it reveals how fallen the world is which drives me closer to God.  The trick is that conviction always drives you to God and shame will direct you away.  Let these lessons lead you closer to God.  Lean on Him even when you think you are right because we are often wrong with how we react to being right.  

Heavenly Father,

 Let your mercy and grace weigh heavily on me to remind me of how vast and deep your love goes.  Let me give forgiveness and love as freely as you do and to guide me daily.  Help me to bring glory to you in my walk and not just in my cartwheels.  Forgive me for my forgetfulness of your gospel and faithfulness.  Thank you for Your Son Jesus Christ and for His work on the cross.  Thank you for His resurrection and the promise of new life.  It is in Jesus’ name I pray all these things.  Amen.

Matthew 18:21-35

21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down [a]at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you [b]all.’ 30 And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. 32 Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

35 “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother [c]his trespasses.”

Romans 8:1-2

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Dangerous Deduction

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After a brief prayer session, I was thinking about all the things happening in the world and my heart was overridden with sadness to think about how others and even my old self, would utilize these types of egregious events happening today as proof that there is no way God could exist or that if He did, He was not loving. This dangerous deduction led me to wanting to speak with my old self and this was what came to pass.

There is an almost comedic paradox that those who by the grace of God’s just love demonstrated through free will choose to ignore or fight against His existence, will utilize examples of other people’s sinful nature allowed by that same free will as proof that He does not exist.  The sovereignty of God is not something we can fully understand but through His word we are told we have choices that have consequences while also being told He has conquered death which was our greatest fear.  Even though God is the arbiter of our faith, we are given the opportunity to choose to follow His commandments.  If a person perpetrates a heinous act, this is not evidence of God’s lack of love or existence but rather (1)  shows that humans are capable of evil (2) supports that morality exists (3) that we are in need redemption (4) we have free will.  All those points are biblical truths.  I am not arguing whether every tragedy has a divine purpose or does not, but rather a tragedy does not invalidate God as much as it can be argued that it does just the opposite.

  Through that time of trying to write an indisputable response to my old self or others like it, I was shown remnants of my old self which I had assumed were long gone. Wisdom beyond my old thought process was given through scripture and prayer beyond what I had expected. I encourage you to ask God to highlight areas of yourself that have doubts or ask Him to challenge your current opinions with His word. This also implies that we must spend time in the bible because we have to fight our enemy and our selves with truth.

God seeks the heart of all and died for the world so we would be able to obtain salvation.  We will find ourselves in positions of choice to live as God has commanded or to rebel against Him and ultimately ourselves.  His mercy, love, and grace are deeper than we can imagine. We are not called to destruction but made for eternal life with Him. Do not let your heart be blinded by the battle over your mind through naturally flawed and sinfully bias human logic but allow your heart to be ravaged by what God has done for you through our lord and savior Jesus Christ, which will reveal the truth about your design in a way that will lift you above any situation and keep you content in all things. We can be free in Christ and in Christ alone.

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 ESV

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.

Deuteronomy 30:19-20 ESV

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV

This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

Roadside Assistance

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  Have you ever run out of gas or broke down on the side of the road?  How about several times?  What if you knew it was going to keep coming again and again on your trip?  On this journey with God, we can sometimes get turned around or take a wrong turn.  Often, I think I am heading a better route than what may have been set before me.  Even though God is talking through the GPS to redirect us we can choose to hit the mute button because the route adjustments are “killing the mood.”  For myself, the experience tends to cause the Lord takes out a tire or flash the check engine light while my engines rattle about.  This seems to happen ever month or so on my walk with Jesus Christ.  I know these seasons are for my best interest to bring Him glory, but I still get childish on the side of the road.  “Why can’t I just get to where I want to go!” I scream while kicking the bumper causing the sole of my shoe to stain the paint.  Then I throw my hands in the air and lean against the car while dialing up a tow truck mumbling about how lame my life can be at times.  But after the 5th or 6th time this year, I had found myself just laying on the road next to the car just wishing I did not have to keep going.   

  These past few weeks I knew something was going on inside and around me.  Darkness was coming like a storm, and I did not think I needed to turn to for shelter.  There I stood looking the other way as the cresting storm broke over me like a wave and I was tossed about.  I stumbled to my feet and was determined to get out of this cold abyss I found myself in.  I did not see it at the time, but I was determined to do this on my own.  This is where I failed.  This is why I was here on the side of the road.  After several days of loneliness, I had finally taken my prayers more seriously and expressed my confusion to God begging Him to spare me and show me what I was not seeing.  He showed me my lack of obedience.  My spiritual discipline had turned to an optional choice that feel far below the ranks of my own needs.  I had tried to put God in 3rd place.  Loved ones were in the hospital, sickness had damaged my income, I was setting up expectations, and my validation was being divvied up to others rather than solely seeking it from my creator.  I got lost in my own desires and was throwing a tantrum over the results. 

  With my heavy heart, slumped shoulders, and broken pride I bowed before God and told Him how unworthy I was.  I expressed that I had forgotten that I was just dust and ash in this story and that through Jesus Christ I am made righteous.  I may have not been pointing fingers and riding my high horse, but with just as much naivety I had thought I oversaw my life. I would say I humbled myself before God but honestly God humbled me back to the name of the Lord.  I was caught up in my own self worship without my knowledge and then I turned the wisdom God had given me against myself.  Accepting humility comes with its own fight.  Verses like Luke 9:62 crippled me as I looked at this living word through the paradigm of my own works and not through my savior.

Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 9:62 (NIV)

  For the past few days, I have been keeping my heart close to God’s promises because He is good, just, and holy.  My car is back on the road and heading in the right direction.  I may be on a scenic route that will take me longer than expected by I am going to keep going as long as I can until He sees fit for another heart check.  A verse that I came across today inspired me to write this in hopes that anyone new or accustomed to this walk would find some hope through God’s word and my experience with Him.  I had steered onto my own path that brought me to darkness.  In that darkness I thought I could light my own way and found myself lying down in torment.  I was humbled out of love and shown mercy in my folly. Next time I find myself heading towards darkness I will remember who is really driving the car.  God is deserving of our worship not just because He created us, but because He is good, just, and holy.

Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the word of his servant?  Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God.  But now, all you who light fires and provide yourselves with flaming torches, go, walk in the light of your fires and of the torches you have set ablaze. This is what you shall receive from my hand: You will lie down in torment.  

Isaiah 50:10–11 (NIV)

Interviewing A Season

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This writing is a little abstract since it was a tool used intended for me break down my own season I am currently in. My hope is that this encourages you to ask yourself some open ended questions to respond to in an effort to evaluate your hearts current position with the Holy Spirit.

Q:  What keeps you going with your faith?

A:  Sometimes I feel like I am just playing the part.  That I have enough information to get through the conversation but couldn’t pass the test.  But then I remember all the times I felt this way before and how God has always been there for me.  Certain things I have experienced or seen unfold before my eyes were just too well constructed to not have intervention.  Also, having believed to have internally heard God speak is quite a powerful reminder that it will never be easy, but He will always be with me.

Q:  What is your current season like?

A:  Not the most joyous weeks of my life but not the worst.  I am seeing a lot of people I care about in bad shape physically.  Some are struggling mentally and spiritually.  A few are crushing under the weight in all three areas.  When one section of our life is being weighed down then the other two areas need to step up to counter the gravity change.  If two areas of your life are struggling, then you better hope the one that isn’t is the spiritual side because your physical and mental strengths are limited.  As we experience the crushing, we hope to come out stronger, but we struggle to find the joy in it. 

  As James 1:2-4 states “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  If we could see the potential wine that will be made with the crushing we endure, it would make the process feel useful and not like a punishment.  John 15:2 says, “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.”  Pruning is just like cutting away the split ends, so your hair grows more.  Also, if God spared this pruning, He would not be loving us as the children we are to Him since in Proverbs 13:24 it states, “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who lives him disciplines him promptly.”  If God spares us the rod, then we should worry more.  This all goes back to support what was previously mentioned in James.  But I have kind of yammered my way into the weeds in this response. 

  My current season is a reminder of my old self always trying to take over.  The battle with the old heart continues.  I recently got to look at it from a different perspective which brought much clarity.  Sitting in the theatre I see pride and ego enter stage left.  The curtain has not moved yet but they were so eager to be seen they had to step out before the show started.  The theatre is rented, tickets sold, and seats filled and the curtain lifts.  There were clearly opportunities to practice before now but this obviously unpolished performance fumbles onward.  The crowd endures until finally the curtain is called to drop.  I sit reminded of how much time I do not spend in God’s word, how selfish I am with my time, and how scared I am when I am finally “on stage.”  Preparedness is something I struggle with in life.  I tend to ride the tide until I must make a change and at that point the work is twice as hard.  God is showing me where my heart is still falling short, and my physical struggle is not aiding my much needed spiritual growth.

Q:  Do you trust God to have your best interest in mind?

A:  I trust that God knows what is better for me than I do since He created me and has plans for me.  Where my doubts and fears lay are in the moments where I feel pushed against what my sinful heart wants to do.  When God comes knocking, I think it is important to open the door but that is easier said that done lately.  I know what I should do but I lean into comfort.  Romans 7: 19-20 talks about this.  “I want to do what is good, but I don’t.  I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway.  But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.”  Paul goes on to explain that He loves God’s law but is still a slave to sin and that Jesus is the answer to this conundrum.  I am nervous that I am falling back into sinful ways, but I feel strongly that this is common on a walk with Jesus.  However, I am concerned this puts distance between God and myself.  He showed me that there was a crack in the walls to my city that I overlooked it as a small detail and is now a gapping whole for the enemy.  I am told to retreat to the name of the Lord in these moments as encouraged in Proverbs 18:10. I can trust God at His word regardless of my own shortcomings.  He is the only one I can fully trust. 

Forged Through Forgiveness

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Is it hard for you to forgive someone? How about asking for forgiveness from someone else? Which one is harder for you? First thought for most would be forgiving another. The thoughts of those who wronged, slighted, deserted, or abused you comes to mind. Those strong and painful memories come up for me while I am drafting. Those failed expectations to meet basic requirements of upholding ones responsibility combined with a lack of remorse or an unwillingness to admit their wrongdoing burns inside like a fire. One person might show up in your mind repeatedly fueling the raging fire within. How could they (this) or how dare they (that), may echo throughout your mind. We may even feel justified for some or all of the actions we made in response to their betrayal. While you’re probably flashing back and forth between reading this and gazing at the inferno, can I tell you that you make or made someone else feel this same way?

  That fire died down a little didn’t it?  We are so quick to point the finger and judge others that we do not notice the scorch marks we left in other people’s lives.  Think of all the fires you have started and walked away from without ever saying “I am sorry” let alone asking to be forgiven.  Sometimes we have even rushed a lackluster apology to get out of the situation before they smelled the smoke leaving them to tend to the fire all in an effort that we could feel blameless for the results. Are you owning up to your wrong doings or do you lack that same humility you wish others had?

So, why don’t we ask to be forgiven? Is it a fear of giving control over to someone else? Well, if that was the case, then we should be the ones to forgive ourselves, right? In my experiences and through conversations with others, that is even harder to do. If we had full control of this process, then wouldn’t that shame or guilt we hold onto no longer be an issue? Therapists would be in way less demand now a days. On the other hand, some “forgive” themselves too quickly never actually learning what they did wrong and leaving a trail of fires in their wake leaving them feeling isolated and desperate for those “real” relationships. Whether it is the shame, guilt, or hiding from our feelings the result is typically the same. We fill the void with something else, whether it be alcohol, weed, drugs, or any other culturally acceptable addiction. So, we do a pretty bad job of forgiving ourselves so let us circle back to, why not just go to the person we wronged? Maybe it is a fear of rejection.  What if they don’t forgive us? What if they are still mad at us? Do we want to walk into the room we set ablaze?  If we end up with shame or guilt as a possibility what was the point?  The point, is humility.  

Earlier, when thinking of those who have wronged you, the ember left by a previous memory was growing into a wildfire since we gave it oxygen and fuel, but humility stoked that fire when mentioning that we are no better. Those that are forgiven are more likely to forgive others. Don’t believe me? Start forgiving others and see the results for yourself. This is not only a great example of how God’s grace impacts our lives but how we can unhook ourselves from the anchors of shame through Jesus. Recently, I was about to be engulfed by flames and God used that fire to prune me. A good friend and I were both being hardheaded, and everyone knows that when two stones clash a spark can be made. This spark landed on a dry haystack of memories piled up in a dark corner of my mind. My response, regardless of how justified I may have felt at the time, was poor and unacceptable. As we started to argue I could feel my words and his inciting the fire more and more. Next thing I knew, I was standing up and threw something at his hands while yelling over him to express dominance. As the fires grew so did my volume and my words were like a volley of flaming arrows impacting him as well as the other 3 people in the room. As I approached a line that our relationship may have never recovered from, my wife said my name. This snapped me out of the anger long enough to see the faces of everyone around me. My rage was not as isolated as I had thought and now I saw the casualties of my battle. I sat down ashamed of myself and then the comments continued from the other hardheaded person in the room. I looked at my wife and asked her “am I supposed to just sit here and take this?!” and that flame was coming right back up my throat. I believe the Holy Spirit talked directly through my wife and said “Yes. Yes, you are.”

After a few minutes had passed I was still in shock. What have I done? Why have I reacted this way? I am supposed to be a man of God and I… I was ready to have a physical altercation with my friend over a board game. Yes, I said board game. I felt the Lord telling me that I should apologize but I was defiant at first thinking that the other party should apologize to me first. Two things came to mind. First, I thought of Jesus. All that He had done for me and how He had forgiven me. The price He paid for me and how I was cheapening that sacrifice. Secondly, I was thinking of Mark 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. I prayed for help to swallow my pride and then apologized to my friend in front of the group. He forgave me right away and I later apologized to every person at the table separately. The next day was a quiet day for me. I remember my wife asking me if I was okay, but I was in a counseling session with the Holy Spirit. Much like after a fire, there was a lot to clean up. The soot and smoke damage is one thing but so is the water damage from the rescue. I walked into that once dark corner and saw all the potential damage that could have happened had the fire hit the gas line behind the wall. I saw how close I was to that proverbial line that could have really cost me. God spent 4 days with me cleaning up my mess but that new corner is better than ever thanks to Him.

So, who can we give the power to forgive? The same person who gives us the strength to forgive. Who else could we trust with the power and weight of this responsibility other than the only one to ever be righteous and holy? No one else has paid the price for our sins and we could never afford the bill anyway. The Gospel has a way of penetrating through all the darkest spots of our lives if we just let Jesus in. It may seem foreign to some, but that conflict was used to humble me and has increased my relationship with those involved and God. Do you want to let go of the shame or guilt? Do you want to be forged through forgiveness? If you want true strength and freedom then just ask for Jesus to come into your life.

Be Honest

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Genuine honesty is hard to come by in this day and age. Words are either carefully chosen to bypass any potential opportunity to offend or they are ridden with malice while guided with animosity. Regretfully, I have been known to be heavy handed with my honesty. Once, I was called hawkish which ended with me taking a trip to dictionary.com to find out what I was being accused of at that moment. This word along with the rest of their response, led me to realize people saw my honesty as a militant demand of action or as a passive accusation with some truth at the core of the comment surrounded with unnecessary judgment. For others, they reduce the strength of truth in hopes to ease the assumed sting of persecution for the sake of the person on the receiving end. This tip toe act of warming the pot to slowly boil usually ends with the desired temperature never fulling being achieved thus resulting in fruitless results or an undercooked lobster. There have been beneficial results using these methods; however, they are typically not recommended as everyone receives information differently. I call this the “cell phone” effect. The signal on both ends must be up to par to have a clear line of communication. For many, this is a commonsense idea that has no need to be in an article on my page or on anyone else’s. My response would be, how often are you honest with yourself? How often are you honest with God? Today, I will be honest with all of you.

All these articles I write have one thing in common… these are areas where I have failed. It happens and is expected. Having my brutal type of honesty is also reflected internally so subtle reminders are needed often. I once read a meme that said “satan says you are a disappointment to God, and you should give up; while God says I knew everything you would do before you were born, and I still called you. I am not done with you yet.” This is such a powerful example of my own battles. After my last article, I made a common mistake due to my old wound of rejection. I questioned myself. A mentor of mine gave me an amazing complement on my writing. He called it “spiritually brilliant.” But as I started to feel that pride lift, I knew there was more to come as God calmed me to brace for impact. When he finished his brief pause, he looked me right in the eyes and stated, “but you, are not.” This was not said to hurt my feelings but to regulate my ego. He even told me God asked him to tell me that. It took time but I came to find this was to remind me of what I already knew but forgot at crucial times. That God was sharing this wisdom through me and I had taken credit. The enemy knew this and made me feel like a plastic Christian. My faith came into question. I was spiritually rocked for a day or two, but I am just now getting back to my fight. My strength has always been to show my own weakness.

When writing I am not pursuing praise or adoration. The feeling of conviction and responsibility from God is what gets me to log on and start writing. Putting these thoughts into paragraphs often help me walk through the season I am in. Honestly, I wish I did it more often. But if I am to be genuinely honest, I do not want to write which leads me to a confession. God may be the reason I write but He is not the motivation I always seek after I write. I tend to chase the fruits of my labor much more than I enjoy doing them for God. These writings start humbly and end with me looking at ratings and comments. My fulfillment of a calling or purpose becomes what comforts me while God has been put on the waiting list for my time. I have thanked God for a gift by praising the results of that gift above him. This is like loving the response you get from others when posting pictures of the dog your father gave you that you never wanted and do not care for. Now that I have seen this fleshly side of me, I must crucify it every day. I have to remember who Jesus Christ is, what He has done for me, and what He continues to do for me every day. Anything less than that is a disservice to His sacrifice and grace.

This brings me to the question that God has placed on my heart these past few days. This is a question we all must ask ourselves and answer with genuine honesty. Is God enough? Before you answer that, quickly think of these partnering inquires that weighed heavy on my heart while I chocked down the gravity of what was asked of me. Will you inconvenience yourself for God? Do you need a reward to follow through? Did you really surrender? Is God really your motivation?

What are you not being honest about in your life.

Getting in Position

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  Practice makes perfect is a common phrase heard in any training scenario. We all know that if we continue to push past our aches and doubts, we can achieve immense things beyond our original expectations. We are shown this through all forms of media including movies, books, video games, sports, and more. But I have found, in my own experiences and those who share with me, when we are walking with God, seldom do we feel as though we are up to the task or that we are making any advancement. The common method of seeing God as a transactional vending machine of our own will and desires within the confines of His law has sullied our ability to hear Him or fully have faith in God’s plan over our own agenda. This is common amongst the most attended church goers along with those who are just opening the door to Jesus. Once we hit a snag, the stumble that may not lead to a fall could result in an about face from the only thing we know can give us joy. With the knowledge of perseverance producing results, we still find ourselves running on the field while it feels like the game just happens around us. 

  Recently, I came to understand it in a way like American football. The quarterback has asked me to run out 4 yards and make a left slant and to be in position and available to catch the ball. The huddle breaks and I sprint to the line eager to make an impact. “Hike” catches me off guard and I panic and just play defense in hopes to protect the ball. The whistle blows and I hear “same play” as I run back to the line reminding myself of the play. The second snap is made but I ran too short, hooked left, and the ball is thrown to someone else. In my arrogantly dutiful mood, I shake my head and get back in line. “Same play” is said again in the brief huddle. I run an almost perfect route, but my focus was on the route and not the ball, so it was thrown to someone who was available. Now frustrated with myself I wait for another play to be called but again I hear “same play.” I slowly walk to the line convicted to do it perfect. I run out 4 yards and slant left all while keeping my mind on the gameplan but instead, a run up the middle scores us another few yards. At this point when I get to the huddle I am irked and frustrated. I hear “same play” and throw my hands in the air and think why do I bother. I run that route a few more times with no passes coming my way. Convinced that the defense is on to my route, I decide to make my own routes for the rest of the drive. 

  Down after down I feel less like a part of the team and eventually the quarterback pulls me aside. “What is wrong?” he asks as I throw my helmet down and sit on the bench. “You are not doing what you said! You said YOU were going to throw ME the ball” I exclaim with fury. He sits down next to me and asks me “have you not noticed all the gains we have made? We just scored and you are pouting. When did I tell you I would throw it to you?” “You said if I ran out 4 yards and slanted left you would pass me the ball” I mumble as he puts his arm around me. “Did I tell you that you had to be in position and available?” he asks, and my head drops down. “Yes, but..” falls from my lips as he slaps me on the back and throws me my helmet saying “get ready. We are up.” 

  Often, we find ourselves thinking we are in position and available when we are not. This has caused us to doubt God’s promises since it is not meeting the expectation we have set with our own agenda in mind. For some, this leads to running their own routes like I have recently. When I was younger, I turned away from God for the same exact reasons. With our corrupted nature this is not something we just read or experience once without repetition but with due diligence and perseverance combined with the guiding hand of God and strong community of believers we will progress with Christ. The next time we ask ourselves why we are not hearing God or feeling the Holy Spirit as robustly as previously experienced, do not make assumptions but ask yourself if you are available to Him and in position.  

What Are We Waiting For?

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  One thing I know for certain, is God seeks us with immense patience and love. Earlier in my journey to accept God back in my life, I had asked one of my mentors a question thinking it would take a while to answer. I could not imagine there would be such a clear concise response when so many people have claimed there is no evidence of God. I asked him, “what do you hold on to that makes you so sure this is all real? What keeps you believing?”  He responded after only one deep breath and said, “the tomb was empty.” The interesting part about my mentor’s response was that it appeared he knew I was going to ask this question. He also knew I was not really questioning God’s existence but pleading with him for something my simple brain could process so my heart could seek God. This is akin to giving a dog a chew toy so you could cut the dogs nails. 

  God is currently walking me through a trial that I thought I understood fully. A man came to me after finding out about my faith and told me he has trouble forgiving God for taking his son. After a few minutes he explained he knew it was not that God killed him, but he was allowed to be taken for reasons that may have been for the benefit for both. I was humbled to see this type of response, but I knew we were not out of the woods yet. As the conversation continued, he stated he was the last of his friend group, which was filled with addiction and violence, but believed he was the worst of all of them. I asked him how he found God in his life, and he claimed God saved him from the depths of hell. I replied that God must really love him so why are you hiding from him? This is when he finally told me what was really keeping him from growing closer to God. This large man looked at me while fighting back the tears and said, “I don’t deserve to be saved” and my heart floated into my throat. 

This writing is not about this man who spoke to me but the heart of many of us that suffer with this same acceptance of the gift of Jesus. To the ones who feel too broken or previously wicked that they cannot accept this sacrifice. As a reminder you are going to fail along the way, and we can always reach back out to our savior, but the death of Christ was not the true feat. His death was not what his disciples preached about after his resurrection. They preached about the resurrection because that was the fulfilled promise. God promised us a new heart and life. Ezekiel 36:36 says, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” John 3: 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. All these directly point to the idea that we are not who we once were after we accept Christ. To reject the death because we feel unworthy is to deny yourself the life Jesus died for you to have. I am by no means saying forget about the sacrifice. The blood of Jesus washes over us to absolve us from our sins but let us look at it a little differently.

George Herbert authored a poem titled ‘The Sacrifice’ which helped me understand the beauty in God’s plan after the fall of man. O all ye who passe by, behold and see; Man stole the fruit, But I must climb the tree; The tree of life to all, but onely me. When the serpent told Eve, she would not surely die from eating from the forbidden fruit and they ate, the doubt of God’s integrity was cast upon all humans’ hearts in a hereditary like fashion. This explains why we must choose God and why no one is default in that heart posture. Adam ate from the tree, so how does God fix it? He sends His son to climb another tree and take the full weight of our sins for us. With the resurrection we see the gift of new life fulfilled. This came full circle to me earlier this weekend after I spoke with the man I previously mentioned who was battling with not feeling worthy of God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice. When it was presented to me, I realized it started with man and a tree, was solved with man and a tree, and how do we know it was true? The tomb was empty. The sacrifice was made, and the gift was delivered. All we must do is open our hearts to accept it and be renewed by it. As someone who also struggles with feeling undeserving of God’s love, I can say with the utmost certainty that we are all sinners saved by grace. We may not deserve it, but God loves us and that is why it is called a gift. With the acceptance of this gift comes the death of our own sin so we can live the new life we were designed to live. The answer to all the questions about life’s meaning, purpose, and destiny are all within the acceptance of that gift. So, for anyone who wants a fresh start or hopes to find their calling, I simply ask what are you waiting for?