What to Give?

What to give? I wonder how many of us have wondered about this questions much lately. I would like to think it has been a common thought due to the holiday coming up in less than two weeks. I know here at our house the shopping has been finished for awhile and I didn't go into debt doing so either. I still am thinking though, about what else to give. It shouldn't be a surprise this time of year most of us are happy to give and some try to even out give each other. I know for our family we have latched on to the idea of less is more. I'm not sure if you have heard of this thing called the Advent Conspiracy but we have embraced the idea and would hope other believers would check it out and see what it is all about, or should I say what it is not about. I could try to explain but I would rather just send you to their link and you, yes you earnestly check out what they are inspiring us all to consider and possibly do. Now go and see. Then see what you might do! http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

With all that I am

Rambling in the middle of the night is where I find myself. I am listening to the new Derek Webb album and am challenged by the lyrics presented. It's not the first time I have listened to them nor will it be the last time. I am challenged not because they are controversial or they say something new. It's because apparently I needed to hear them and begin thinking again about where I am. I am a fallen man who earnestly want to follow Jesus. When I read the scriptures I am made acutely aware of who I am. I recognize my limits and even know that despite my willingness to be a believer and follow after Christ I will screw up. I think about what Paul says that he does the things he doesn't want to do, yet does them anyway. It cannot excuse me and allow me to continue screwing up so that grace might increase. Then there is another element, more than that, a real message that should be consuming me. It's that blasted commandment that tells me I am to love God with all that I am. Did you hear that. Love God with all that I am! This somehow to me seems pretty important in the life of a believer and follower of the God of the universe. What is even harder is that this commandment is tangible. Jesus said that the second greatest commandment besides the one mentioned above is that I need to LOVE MY NEIGHBOR as myself. This actually means that I need to do something to show love. This is a verb, an action word. To love! So even though I can talk about how I screw up on a daily basis. I need to really focus on what I am to be DOING as a follower. I can honestly say that yesterday I was able to something, nothing world changing but I reached out my hand to show and give love to another human being besides myself. It opened my eyes to see the face of Jesus here on this earth. These actions were simply in love and obedience to the call of Christ. So if you have read this and wonder what the point is I'll tell you. Jesus wants us to live out our lives loving those He loves. That means everyone! He even went further to say that we should love them like ourselves. If we take care of ourselves, guess who else needs to be cared for... everyone. If we are hungry, guess who else needs to be fed...everyone. I could go on and on. Think about someone. Think about their life and their story. It doesn't happen instantly. I'm learning myself how to do this thing I'm talking about. I'm taking each day to try and live the Jesus life. I simply hope that I somehow, someway will point those I encounter to the greatest love of all. If I am an accurate description of what Jesus would say and do then great. That's how they will know we are who we say we are. Showing His love, mercy, grace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, patience, self-control etc... Being what we say we believe.

Do You Get It?

Sometimes I just don't get it. Usually on a daily basis. To me God is real and Jesus Christ is the foundation of my faith. I read, I pray, I go to church, yet sometimes I just don't get it. I honestly can't put my finger on it but I know a couple of things. I know that Jesus Christ has called me to follow Him. I believe this. I cannot see Him, I cannot hear Him, yet I know I am to follow Him. The other thing I know is that Jesus' mission has not changed. He said it clearly. Love one another. We are to love each other and do thing that demonstrate His love in and through our lives. So there it is, follow and love. I guess they sort of go hand in hand. It's what Jesus did. He walked upon this earth and showed us what love looks like. Insomuch that He took the cross meant for me and bore my sins as well as all of those who are guilty of the same. Each day I am to love. In doing so, I live. Tomorrow or I guess later today, I want to love, I mean Live, oh I really mean love. Anyway, do you get it?

Getting to Know Him

1 Peter 1:3 esv Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
The idea is simple. You're going to live forever. It's not a question. It's reality. I am going to live forever. I believe with all that I am that I will spend my eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ. I figure right now I've got at least as many years left as I've lived thus far. Some may question the statement of living forever. That's Okay, I can understand. I will not, and cannot try to convince anyone of you of anything. I can only tell you what I am believing, thinking, understanding, living etc... I believe simply that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe that I have a personal relationship with Him. I know God. Does that make sense to you. My hope is that you know God or that you come to know who He is. My relationship consists of talking to Him and more important listening. Some will think that how is that possible. Well, God has given me a deposit, that is the Holy Spirit. This is God's Spirit that lives in and through me. This also may sound crazy, but this is what I believe. This may sound strange and if you are not a believer I would not expect you to just say, Oh. I get it! There is this element of faith involved. Believing without ever seeing. Yet, I know that God is real. Again, I could never convince anyone that God is real. It's something YOU have to believe. There are various ways that you can learn and experience who and what God is. There are tools i.e. the Bible, the local church, believer's testimony etc.,. Still YOU have to believe without seeing. For me the word of God is real. The Holy Spirit is real and lives within me. I believe that when the time comes I'll be in the presence of Almighty God. Until then I will continue to build relationship with God. I will Listen to the words of Christ Himself through the Holy Scriptures that are the Bible, God's word. I will continue to live my life in such a way that is showing the fruits of the Spirit...love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness & self-control. These things are help me to realize who God is, what His will is, and how I am to live here in this world around me. It is just clear to me who Jesus is and why I follow Him. He said that...“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14: 1-7
I don't know of any other philosophy in history that claims this truth. My prayer is simple. God loves you. He desires to have a relationship with you. He(Jesus) says simply, believe in me and I will give you eternal life. I know that it doesn't sound like much, but it is the truth. Salvation is a gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Believing is more that what you say, or even what you do. Believing means you are now and forever His. Your life is not your own. You are now a disciple of Jesus. You begin a relationship and in doing so you begin to realize who and what Jesus is about. This reality will rock your world and change you forever. So I simply ask, Do you know Jesus, or just about Him. Unfortunately, there will be many, even church members who will just know about Him. You have the opportunity to decide. I pray that these words are a enough to get you, the reader, to think and find out where you fall. There's no maybe here. When I read I am blown away by how Jesus loves and has made a way for me. Taste and see for yourself how good and how great the Lord really is. I know He wants to get to know you.

The Way is the way to Go!

Interesting week. Today is Saturday the last day of the week. I could say that this week has been eventful, but in reality it was just stuff. The best part of this week was spending a day with my wife and thinking and praying about what God wants to do with the rest of our lives. She and I are hearing and trying to follow after what God desires for us as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. We are making sweeping changes in our routines and realizing that no matter where we are or what we are doing it is to bring Glory to God. We want to be people pointing others to Jesus. Using this forum is a tool that allows me to share with you, the reader, how and who God is to me and my family. Jesus has opened our eyes and we see that there is definitely more to this life than the status quo. We are understanding that being believers is more than church membership. We are literally the body of Christ. We understand that evangelizing is every believers calling. It it the great commission. We understand that the world in which we live in is not our home. We are aliens and strangers in a foreign land. We know that we are to be set apart. We are a peculiar people living in the knowledge that God is all, knows all, and that His will is for us to have relationship with Him. We can encounter Jesus every single day when we just follow the greatest commandment. People will see Jesus when we produce the fruits of the Spirit. The world will not understand us. Even many church members will not understand it. Christ will make Himself known to us. He will join us. His Holy Spirit lives in those who know Him. If we are to be His followers. If we are to be His workmanship. If we are to be His servants. We must deny ourselves. We must give up our will. Our desires must match His. Our will must be His. Simply put, our lives in Christ our not our own. We believe with our lives that Christ has transformed us. He is sovereign. God wants all of us. We are apart of the Way. We follow after Christ.

Who is your God?

Who is your God? May sound like a silly question, but really, who or what is the one thing that you wake up thinking about? What is the thing that consumes your thoughts? What is it that makes you burn with passion? I have spent most of my life giving lip service to my God, yet serving other gods each and every day. Do you really think about what and whom you are serving? What are you thinking about right now? What have you been looking at before reading this and even after? What takes up most of your time? Today we really don't want to call them gods or idols, yet they are. It could be t.v., your job, sex, money, power etc... The list could go on and on with the people and things that get your attention. I know that as I said before God has not always been number one and unfortunately I need daily reminders that this life is not my own. It's not as though people purposefully choose to serve other gods, they get caught up in the illusion that whatever it is will bring them satisfaction, fulfillment, and happiness. I know I could even read this and think that I'm alright, yet I know if allowed I can make anything my god. Whatever you treasure, whatever has your heart, That is what or who you live for. That is your God! Scriptures are quite clear about idol worship. It's not allowed for the believer. It's not allowed for the follower of Christ Jesus. Still we choose daily to give our time, money, heart, love to things or others that are not of God. So I simply ask the question again, Who is your God? I pray you serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Having given your life over to Him. Allowing Him to be the treasure you seek. To give all of who you are to Him and His service. In doing so you will have life, not what we may think of in this world, but life that is transforming, precious, glorifying God, the one true God.

I'm Beginning to See

Just the other day our family was out and about after school trying to get home and out of the rain. We happened to come across a woman who was in need and we gave her some assistance. During the experience a realization hit me. This is my "neighbor." I know that in the situation it didn't seem like much, but she thanked us for helping, but something inside was still stirring. I don't know how to describe it except that I desired to do more. This feeling I know was coming out my relationship with Christ. I was seeing with new eyes and a new heart for those who are in need of the love of Christ. I don't mean they need to come to church or that they need me to preach to them. They need the love that comes right out of scripture. Love is PATIENT, love is KIND...etc... I was experiencing something that was beyond human nature, or even the love that I have for others. It was Christ loving through me. My eyes are beginning to see and my ears are beginning to hear Christ. I am seeing this world for what it is...Fallen and in desperate need of grace and mercy that can only come when I lay down my "life" and allow Christ to move my hands and feet to do His will. I understand that my steps are purposeful. Each one of them is designed to bring glory to the one who gave Himself for me. A song comes to mind...have thine own way Lord, have thine own way, You are the potter I am the clay, mold me and make me, after Thy will, while I am waiting yielded and still. In those moments when I see with clarity and hear Jesus speak I pray I will get out of the way and let Him move.