Please DON'T GET OFFENDED...

So I was getting ready for the blog and in my image search came across the following picture. The picture led me to an article that I could not resist. Please don't get offended. If you do...I'll just have to forgive you.

Bryan Berghoef wrote a book entitled Pub Theology. Personally, I haven't read the book nor it's companion Pub Theology 101 but I find his approach to creating an atmosphere to discuss God, the Bible, and faith to be very interesting. While many people will be offended at the fact that he discusses faith with people over a pint (or two), I think we are missing the whole point: He is having the discussions that we are not.

I recently had a discussion that has led to today's blog entry. Truth be told, I have been having an ongoing conversation with a close friend about the Bible. This friend absolutely loves the Lord and His Word. We have discussed ways to teach the Bible, see Scripture in context, etc. and have been dealing with some thoughts on common verses that are often misinterpreted (or at least misapplied). What I share with you now comes from my own understanding and life experiences. Here goes...

The Top 2 Reasons People Misinterpret a Verse:
#1 - They are viewing the verse out of context
In other words, they are lifting this particular verse off the page and viewing it by itself. This is especially true of how many people view the NT letters. We fail to recognize that these letters were written to address specific topics. Of course, verse & chapter numbers help to create much of the chaos in our understanding but that is for a different discussion. One verse in particular that we discussed was Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Most of us understand this verse to be the mantra for being able to accomplish anything. However, if we view the verse in context we discover that Paul is talking about finding contentment in every situation. With that being said, I will give you the #2 reason most people misinterpret a verse to show you how we have gotten to this point.

#2 - God often speaks to us in a way that sounds like a Bible verse
Let's say that you have a friend who is asking God for encouragement or strength to take the next step in their faith journey. Immediately the Holy Spirit speaks up: "You can do all things through Christ!" This person has just received a personal revelation from God and who can argue with it? WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST. It's consistent with His nature right? What happens next is how we tend to get the wrong view of a verse. This particular person writes a book, makes a bumper sticker, sells t-shirts, and teaches people this principle of doing all things. Where the error comes in is when they say "This is what Paul meant..." But when we look at the context of the verse we discover this isn't what Paul is saying at all.

The point that I'm getting ready to make will be difficult for some people to grasp so bear with me. Some people will immediately ask the question: Does the Holy Spirit use the Bible out of context? My answer would be "NO!" Will the Holy Spirit speak in a way that sounds like the Bible? My answer would be "YES!" In fact, He often speaks to me in this way. What we cannot do is change our interpretation of the Bible to match our personal revelation. While we can give encouragement to people and even teach our own personal revelation about the nature of God at work in our lives, we must be careful that they know the difference.

There have been times where I have shared a personal revelation of God and said "This is not what this verse means but here is how the Lord has encouraged me." My reason for doing this is two-fold: I want to protect the integrity of the Bible and I want to honor the way in which the Lord spoke to me. I believe there is a place in the church for both. I'm not trying to re-write or re-interpret the Bible. I'm simply trying to allow the Lord to speak into our lives.

What we often forget is that the Holy Spirit will most definitely speak in a way that is consistent with the language of the Bible. He helped write it didn't He? What He is doing is communicating in a way that you are used to hearing Him. There will be times that He will be sharing an exact quote (sounds funny to even say that) that will be in context. Then there will be times that it sounds like a Bible passage. It's a part of His language to us. It's on you to know the difference.

Why is this necessary? It's necessary for us to know the difference because we need to maintain the integrity of how God has spoken in the past while allowing Him the opportunity to speak to us now. It's not a matter of trying to change the Bible or necessarily our understanding of it. It's a matter of knowing the voice of God. It's a matter of being in a relationship where I hear Him and He hears me.

God can (and does) speak to us through many things. For some people, sitting in a pub discussing God and faith will be the most direct way for Him to speak into their lives. Others will encounter God through a movie, a book, etc. The point here is that our God is always speaking. The question is whether or not we are always listening. I am personally waiting to see how one of those "verse moments" plays out in my life. Last year the Lord spoke to me through a verse during our weekly prayer meeting. Very few people know about it because it can seem like I'm making an arrogant statement. God chose to use an OT verse that refers to the church to speak to me directly. Everything inside of me tells me that this was Him. It was consistent with how He has spoken to me in the past. While this encounter did not change my interpretation of the Bible, it has given me some great insight into what to look for next. I'm excited about the possibility of God using me at all. But THIS WORD...WOW!!!

Isn't this an incredible journey? Imagine how much greater when we open our eyes, our ears, and our hearts to hear Him.

Exposing Our Hearts

My friend Mark is a pastor in Pennsylvania. We met for the first time this past summer but his impact upon my life has been much deeper than I could have realized. The following is a letter he wrote to his church fellowship to help them understand the changes he has gone through and how it has altered his ministry. Enjoy!

An Open Letter to the Ones I Love

My journey over the last several years has been a rather extreme one–with some left wondering what is going on (including me). The only way I know to explain it is this: I met Jesus, again.

I have been exposed to a Jesus who sees me as good, who loves me with reckless abandon–yet works with me at my own pace. He sees, understands and feels my pain. He doesn't hang the responsibility for it over my head as a mocking reminder of my failures. Instead, He says I know your pain and every wound you've experienced–self-inflicted or otherwise–has been put on Me.

Yes, He sees me as good. He sees my sin as a barrier, a mask, hiding the greatness designed into me by the imaginative creativity of my Father. He died to remove it, to reveal who I really am–His son.

I am continually pursued by His incredible love and Spirit. I cannot shake Him, cannot get away from His presence. One time He is a warm blanket providing shelter, the next, an encouraging voice to run toward the giant who wants to kill me. He is in the dark with me as much as He is when I’m in the light.

He IS love. He IS grace. He IS the word. He IS truth. He IS the anointing. These are no longer arbitrary nouns to work with, but are the living reality of the person of the Lord Jesus.

This Person I've encountered is transforming me a little each day into the same. With some hiccups and retreats along the way, I am surrendering to Him who is Love. I am not trying to be like Him. I am allowing Him to be Himself in me. Those two cannot be more different.

My prayer for all of you is simple: I pray you encounter the person of Jesus. I pray for your appetite. May nothing else satisfy you like the presence of the Lord. May this encounter and future ones ruin you for anything less. May a belief system and weekly obligation leave you so empty that you run to Him.

I repent to all of you for attempting to do ministry without an active and living encounter with Jesus. My past has some success and fruit, but it is marred by dry and cutting attempts to lay down truth without the Person of Love being involved.

I repent for thinking I was called to present the bible. I recognize now I am called to present Christ and allow the bible to reveal Him.

I repent for making Jesus a belief system to be mentally apprehended. I see now that He renews our minds as our hearts are healed. I know this because it happened in me.

I repent for trying, for striving, for demanding. It created performance and false religion in me and in others I relate to. Now, I realize that it is through surrender and a good death that true life, abundant life, comes forth.

I honor each of you who have endured my becoming. I know it hasn't been easy and I’m certainly still a work in progress. I hold no offense toward those who couldn't continue in close fellowship in this journey. Heck, there were times I wish I could have gotten away from myself.

I have a request of you: I ask that you send this letter to every person who has left our ministry or any other over a lack of His true Spirit. They might not know why they left, or why it didn't feel right, but this letter may help to explain it just a little.

I love you all deeply. May Jesus be our finish line.

In love,

Mark

*******************************************************************

My prayer for you is that you will be touched by his humility. May you be able to look into your own life, be willing to expose your own heart, and say "Lord, I want to encounter you here." And may you allow the Lord to be Himself through you.

Reconciling an Old Testament God with a New Testament Jesus (Good Cop/Bad Cop?)

My daughter approached me this morning with a very serious question. "Dad, why does God seem so mean in the Old Testament?" I'll be honest and say that I wasn't expecting that. However, her question did lead to a wonderful conversation that allowed her to work through what a lot of people have to work through: Reconciling an Old Testament God with a New Testament Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being..." What often gets lost in this type of discussion is the fact that Jesus was the exact representation of the Father. While most people tend to view God in the Old Testament as mean, judgmental, angry, etc.; Jesus comes on the scene and says "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father."

What does this mean for us? It means that we need to go back and read the Old Testament and see the Father through the lens of the Son. It means that we have to be willing to reconcile our understanding of the nature and character of God. Of course, this means we may have to change the way we perceive God. But who wouldn't want to do that?

My conversation this morning reminded me of a conversation we read in The Shack:
Mack - "But I always liked Jesus better than you. He seems so gracious and you seemed so..."
Papa - "Mean? Sad, isn't it? He came to show people who I am and most folks only believe it about Him. They still play us off like good cop/bad cop most of the time, especially the religious folk. When they want people to do what they think is right, they need a stern God. When they need forgiveness, they run to Jesus."
Mack - "Exactly"
Papa - "But we were all in Him. He reflected my heart exactly. I love you and invite you to love Me."
[page 186 - The Shack by William P. Young]

It's amazing to me that while most people in the Christian community believe in a Triune God (3 in 1), they have failed to allow their understanding of the nature of God to follow suit. God's Word tells us that He is the Lord and that He changes not [See Malachi 3:6]. In other words, what you see in the life of Jesus has always been consistent in the Father. He didn't change all of a sudden. He has always been this way. When God revealed Himself to Moses on the mountain this is what took place: "And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the Name of the LORD. and the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, the LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth . . ." [Read Exodus 34] Folks, if we fail to see the goodness of God through the Old Testament it may be because we are looking through the wrong lens.

Think about the times God revealed Himself through His name. Remember...the names of God reveal the nature of God:
Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
Jehovah Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
Do you see anything here that would lead you to think that God isn't merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth? Where our understanding of God often gets lost is when we allow others to define Him for us. Jesus' representation of the Father was radically different than what the religious leaders of the day were providing. The question you will have to answer is whose portrayal of the Father was correct? I think you know the answer.

I pray that over the coming days, weeks, months, and years that you will continue to reconcile your understanding of the nature of Father and find it totally consistent with the representation of the Son. Enjoy the journey!!!

Go...and Sin No More!!!

Hebrews 4:15, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."

A few years ago, a campaign was started to reach out to people struggling through various issues. I am Second is a movement meant to inspire people of all kinds to live for God and for others. Actors. Athletes. Musicians. Business leaders. Drug addicts. Your next-door neighbor. People like you. The authentic stories on iamsecond.com provide insight into dealing with typical struggles of everyday living.


I want you to consider the phrase in bold up above: "People like you." Have you ever considered that an actor, an athlete, a musician, a business leader, or a drug addict is just like you? What about a pastor? Of course, I can't speak for everyone out there but...
Like you - I struggle at times.
Like you - I need forgiveness.
Like you - I rely on strength from others.
Like you - I need affirmation.
Like you - I stand in the grace of God.
Like you - I marvel at the love of God.
And just like you - I need Jesus.

Hebrews 4:15 has always been a special verse for me. Words cannot express how grateful that I am to know that Jesus is able to sympathize with my weaknesses. He was tempted in every respect just like me. Of course, He was without sin but He never brings it up. Instead...I have found Him to be so faithful to forgive, faithful to encourage, and faithful to strengthen me.

I want you to consider how wonderful it is to know that Jesus took on flesh, took on temptation, took on sin and won. I want you to consider that He who was fully God yet fully man is now seated at the right hand of God. I want you to consider that you have a high priest who doesn't leave you to your weaknesses. He doesn't walk away because you fail. He doesn't condemn you because you struggle. He's there to help.

What is true about Jesus should be true about His Body. We need to be grace givers rather than stone throwers. We need to be able to look past the character defects of people around us and call out their true identity in Christ. We need to be able to tell the person who was caught in the act of adultery - "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."

Have you ever considered the power that Jesus released in that woman's life? Think about it:
"He who is without sin cast the first stone..." - Everyone walks away.
"Where are those who would condemn you?" - There are none.
"Neither do I condemn you..." - Jesus' response.
"Go and sin no more." - This is the most powerful line.
While many people find it amazing that Jesus doesn't condemn, I find it amazing that He refused to allow her to live in shame. Shame is such a powerful tool in the hands of the enemy. Jesus could have said something about her sin could He not? I mean...He's got her all to Himself. He could have spent some time dealing with the reason why she was brought before Him. He didn't. He let her go. But more than that, He released her to live in grace.

I realize that today's blog is a little choppy. I can't really explain why but to say that my mind is swirling with the thoughts of Jesus as my High Priest continually saying "Go and sin no more." Every time I go to Him for mercy. Every time I ask Him for grace. Every time I have failed and choose to approach His throne. And every time I come before Him before I make a mistake. He's there...He understands...and He says "Go and sin no more."

If you are going to get caught up in anything today get caught up in His grace. It is always available.

Learning to Live from Our Testimony

I heard a statement the other day that has stuck with me. Today...that statement became even more powerful.
"Your testimony is not who you used to be. That's your history. Your testimony is who Christ is for you and how you encounter Him on a continual basis."

Over the years I have heard people share their testimony and it typically went something like this: "My name is ______________ and I was a ________________...this is how I came to know the Lord...etc." Their testimony, in other words, had more to do with who they used to be rather than who they were in Christ. The danger in this is that it causes us to live out of our past rather than live out of the reality of who we are in Christ.

Earlier today I was having a conversation with the Lord about battles that we face as believers. For the most part, we believe that the war was won at the Cross but we struggle to get through some of the battles. We may be secure in the love of God and believe in our identity in Christ but we fail in the same areas over and over again. These failures are different for everyone. Some will fail in relationships, others in the areas of addiction, but regardless of the area of our problems/mistakes we are stuck with the question of "WHY?" If I believe I am loved, and if I am secure in my identity in Christ, AND...if I know the war has been won then why am I still struggling?

Now back to why the earlier statement became so powerful. I was having this conversation with the Lord and this is what I heard him say (the reason why we struggle): "It's because we live out of our history rather than our testimony." Revelation 12:11 talks about those who overcome the accuser of the brethren. How did they do it? "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." WOW!!!

Let's be honest by saying that the first part of this verse makes perfect sense. "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb" registers in our religious mindsets because we know how powerful the blood of Christ is for us. We have banked everything on the blood. However, John did not stop there. He heard another word. It wasn't just the blood of the Lamb but the "word of their testimony." What was the word of their testimony? "They loved not their lives so much as to shrink from death." They had discovered such a relationship with Jesus that it didn't matter what they endured or went through. THEY WOULD OVERCOME!!!

This is important so please pay attention. When you live out of your history rather than your testimony then it's really easy to go backwards. What used to have power over you still has power over you. What used to control/dominate your life can still control/dominate your life today. However, when you live out of your testimony, you will always live with the awareness of what Christ has done and who He is for you on a continual basis. This is what we need to learn.

It may require going a little deeper in your understanding of why you used to do the things you did but it's worth understanding. If you find yourself resorting to actions of self-preservation it may be because you have yet to understand the Lord as your defender or provider. Knowing this will allow the Lord to become those things for you. Then your testimony of Christ changes. He's not just the One who saved you. He's the One who keeps you, defends you, and provides for you. Allow your testimony to become more powerful than your history. You cannot allow who you used to be to undermine who the Lord is and what the Lord has done in your life.

May prayer is that each of us will encounter the power of these statements. Living from our testimony will help us to see clearly through the battles of life. I don't have to give in to "this" temptation because the Lord is my provider. I don't have to resort to the things I used to do because the Lord is the One who sustains me. I don't have to give in to the lies of the enemy because the Lord continually speaks to who I am in Him. Does this make sense? How I have encountered the Lord in the past and how I continue to encounter Him to this day becomes the foundation for me to experience His reality in my life. I may not be perfect but thank God I'm not who I used to be. This is my testimony: I am LOVED, I am ACCEPTED, and I am HOLY in Christ. And nothing the enemy says or does can change that.

Try A Different Approach...

One of my favorite Proverbs sums up the typical approach to life: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." [Proverbs 16:25 ESV]

I don't know how many of you have played the Angry Birds game but the concept is simple. You take various types of birds (each with their own unique function), shoot them out of a slingshot, and destroy blocks and pigs in a particular setting. Kids and adults alike love this game. For those who are a little bit more competitive, each level has up to a three star completion. You can win the level by gaining one star but to master the level you need three. It's up to you to find the right approach.

How many times have we approached life and relationships like an Angry Birds game? We do the same thing over and over again thinking we will get a different result? Most of the time we just end up beating our heads against a wall, a rock, or some other object thinking we are doing it right. The reality of it is that if we would take a different approach, we could learn how to master every area of life.

If what seems like the right approach isn't producing life in a situation, it may be a good indicator that we need to take a different route. This old saying regarding insanity often rings true: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result." I'm just always amazed at the amount of people who do the same thing over and over again expecting just that. Maybe it's time that we acknowledge that Proverbs 16:25 is very much true to our lives.

Not only is it insane to think I can get something different from the same approach. It's exhausting. There's a lot of exhausted people in this world. They grow tired in relationships, tired in their faith, and in whatever other endeavor they have because it just doesn't seem to work. I've been down that road myself. And the only way to get out of that type of rut is to consider that there has to be a better way. The good news: THERE IS A BETTER WAY!!!

God's Word has plenty to say in regards to relationships. It has plenty to say about how we lead our lives. The only way that we will see the effectiveness of the Word in our lives is when we choose to agree with it. Yes...it's true that a "soft answer turns away wrath." Yes...it's true that "love covers a multitude of sins." Regardless of the situation and regardless of my emotions, I find that God's Word will always ring true in my life when I am willing to agree with it. The point in all of this is that we have a choice. I can choose to love, choose to control myself, choose to forgive, and choose to submit to the nature of Christ within me. Each of these approaches will produce life. It's when I choose to walk in anger, bitterness, and a lack of control that I produce death instead.

Folks, if covering up an issue doesn't work then stop doing it.
If leaving things unresolved means that I'm going to have to face it again then stop doing it.
If being angry, shouting, or trying to get my way doesn't produce life then I need to stop.
It's at this point we have to learn how to tap into the life of Christ within me so that I can resolve the issues, offer forgiveness, and walk in love. In essence...Try A Different Approach...TA-DA!!!

To get the most out of life we must remain connected to the Creator of life. To get the most out of our faith then we must remain in fellowship with the Author and Finisher of faith. God has the perfect design on lasting relationships. He has demonstrated love, forgiveness, and mercy through Jesus Christ. His Spirit in us makes every good thing possible in our relationships, in our lives, and in our faith. But we must make the initiative to give Him control then learn how to take our directions from Him.

My heart for you (for each of us) is that we experience the same quality of life that Jesus enjoys. Scripture teaches us that we are partakers of His Divine Nature. If we are missing out on that - it's not His fault. Only the truth we experience has the possibility to set us free. When we agree with His Word and His nature in our lives then possibilities are endless. I think it's time that we learn how to give Him everything. It's time we learn how to approach life from His perspective. I think it's time that we stop following after what seems to be right in our own eyes and learn how to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." [Proverbs 3:5-6]

Enjoy the Journey!!!

A Crazy Little Thing Called Love

When Jesus was asked about the greatest commandment in the law, His response was immediate:
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." ~ Luke 10:27. While these verses are widely known, they are rarely lived out.

I'm going to keep this short and to the point. While our love for God is to be the single greatest love in our lives, we cannot allow ourselves into thinking that it means we can shortchange people. In fact, when you look at some of the similar conversations that Jesus had you hear Him say that the "second" or "other" is like the first. It carries much of the same weight.

John asked the church how they could possibly love God whom they have not seen and not love their brother whom they have seen. How can we? How can we possibly display love for God and yet not love those who are made in His image? The answer is quite simple: Religion allows it. That's right - organized religion is one of the chief culprits as it relates to living out these words of Jesus. It allows us to compartmentalize our lives in such a way that we tend to grade ourselves in particular areas. Whichever area we deem as most important will outweigh every other area. How many times have we heard stories from people who had a father, mother, grandparent, etc. in their life who was a devout "Christian" on Sunday morning but when it came to how they dealt with the family...not so much. How is this possible? It's possible because religion comes with masks.

The reality of the Christian faith is seen in our relationships. Didn't Jesus tell His disciples that there was ONE MAJOR area that would tell the whole world that they were followers of Him? Why...yes He did!!! He said, "If you love one another." This "crazy little thing called love" became the proof text of their lives. If there was ever a question about who they were (or were not) it could be seen in the love they walked in with one another.

Let's bring this home.
Is there enough evidence in your home to convict you of being a follower of Christ?
What about the workplace?
How about in the community, at the recreation field, or in the grocery store?
Regardless of where you go or what you may be doing - LOVE is always the litmus test of where we are in our relationship with Him.

While I haven't counted the number of times that Jesus said these things in Scripture, it seems to me that He was just as adamant about how we treated others as He was about our relationship with God. The story of "The Good Samaritan" is one such instance. You had the religious folks who passed by the injured man on the road. Why...their devotion to the rules of religion kept them from intervening in this person's life. The one who was considered a true "neighbor" was the Samaritan who stopped to help the man, care for him, and make sure that he recovered. This is where each of us need to pay close attention. It's all too easy to get wrapped up in ministering to other people thinking we are fulfilling our duty as a Christian and yet miss out on showing love to the ones who are closest to us. For the sake of the next generation - this needs to stop.

Love God with everything you've got. Then take that same love and give it to everyone around you. Give that love to your spouse. Show that love to your children. Make sure that the people you come in contact with on a daily basis experience the love of God through you. Help the stranger in need, give a cup of water in His name, and be willing to go the extra mile. Regardless of what the task or situation may call for, you have an awesome opportunity to give love. And if you are a follower of Jesus, you get to allow Him to love people through you. It's simply a matter of tapping into the nature of Christ that dwells within.

My hope and prayer for each of us is that we will stop categorizing our lives.
Stop separating things as spiritual/non-spiritual.
Stop looking at things as sacred/secular.
Start seeing everything from a Kingdom of God mindset.
Maybe then we will understand the power of our words, our actions, and our love.

Enjoy the journey and LOVE everyone along the way!!!

Allow God to Prosper You

Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." NKJV

When you hear the word prosperity, what is the first thing that comes to mind? A majority of people will say money. Then when there hear someone talking about the Lord prospering you, they automatically think they are hearing a "prosperity gospel". In other words, God will give you riches, fame, etc. The truth of the matter is that the Lord DOES want to prosper you. However, if we are going to walk in genuine & biblical prosperity, we must understand what it means.

Prosperity - as defined from the Hebrew word means - to push forward, in various senses (literally or figuratively, transitively or intransitively): - break out, come (mightily), go over, be good, be meet, be profitable, (cause to, effect, make to, send) prosper (-ity, -ous, -ously). [According to Strong's Concordance]. Now...my question for you is this: Who doesn't want this kind of prosperity? Who doesn't want to experience God pushing them forward, allowing them to break out, overcome, and be prosperous?

What we see in Joshua 1 is that God is interested in Israel's prosperity in the Promised Land. What we discover when we look at the verse is that God had placed prosperity within their grasp: If they would follow after the commands of God then they would experience the best that life had to offer. Do you see it? It's not that different from what Jesus announced to His followers in Matthew 6:33, "...seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." What things would be added to them? They would everything they would need. They didn't have to worry about the necessities of life. They didn't have to concern themselves with anything other than the Kingdom of God.

David's relationship with the Lord taught him that if he would delight himself in the Lord that God would give him the desires of his heart (see Psalm 37:4). He believed it so much that these words became a part of the praise and worship of Israel. The point I want to make is this: God enjoys blessing your life especially when it is your heart to bless Him. When we learn to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, strength, and our neighbors as ourselves...When we learn to delight ourselves in the Lord...When we learn how to seek the Kingdom first - He's got us covered. I'm not saying that you will be rich. I'm not saying that you will own the biggest house and drive the nicest car. I'm not saying that you will own everything that you want to own. What I am saying is that God will prosper you. I am saying that God will bless your life. It's a part of His nature to give to us. In fact, He has already given us everything we need for life and godliness through His Divine Nature!!!

I have said ALL OF THAT to say this: What is keeping you from pursuing your dreams?

Have you ever considered that what you have in your heart was actually in God's heart first? Have you ever thought that maybe the reason you are thinking the things you are thinking is because God was thinking them first? Could it be that God planted something inside of you when He created you and that you will never be satisfied until you are no longer dreaming the dream but living in the reality of it?

You know the Lord wants to prosper you. You can see in Scripture that He will provide for you. You now understand that if you will seek His Kingdom first that all the necessities of life will be taken care of. Why then would you settle for anything less? The reality of life is that many people never pursue their dreams because of their current reality. They have a small vision of life. They have a limited perception of their own ability. AND they have a very limited view of God. When you combine all of that, it's real easy to settle for the job that will keep your family afloat, provide insurance, etc. and never do what you have always wanted to do.

The fact of the matter is that you have to allow God to prosper you. He has already put you in the perfect position to experience it (in Christ). But we rarely give that reality an opportunity to manifest itself in our lives. Folks, we will never walk in the newness of life with an old mindset. This means that we have to be willing to change our mind. We need to be renewed in the spirit of our thinking. And for me it means to stop dreaming and start doing. I have to give God something to partner with in me. Why not allow God to partner with you? Allow Him to radically alter the journey and be amazed at how He prospers you in the process.

It All Goes Back To Relationship

I have a question that needs to be answered. I'm not sure that I have the answer but I will ask the question anyway: Why is it that we always have the notion that God needs _______________ from me rather than the idea that God wants a relationship with me? I think it's time for us to allow everything we do FOR God to flow from our relationship WITH God. The rest will take care of itself.

This past week, I shared a message with our PBC Family about what it means to be a follower of God. I loved Paul's words to the believers in Ephesus "Be imitators of God as beloved children." It provides a beautiful picture of what a true follower looks like. However, way too many see the work aspect of this type of following rather than the relational aspect. Let me see if I can explain.

Those of you who know me, know that my mother left the home when my brother and I were teenagers. That meant there were 3 men living together in the house. Due to our circumstances, there were a lot of things that needed to be taken care of that our mother used to handle: washing the dishes, washing the clothes, cleaning the home, etc. This wasn't the set-up because my father was lazy, it's just the way it was. He had his own to-do-list of things that he managed. We had an agreement. My brother and I would take turns washing the dishes, vacuuming, cleaning the bathrooms, dusting, and so on. Our dad would take care of the laundry, cooking, and grocery shopping. Between the 3 of us we would share in the outside chores. Why do you need to know this? It's quite simple really. My brother and I did what we did in the home because of our relationship with our father. In other words, because we were his sons, we labored with him to make sure these things were accomplished. Our father wasn't dogmatic. He allowed us to work at our own pace. He provided insight and at times would encourage us to go ahead and take care of some of the items. But we were never forced into a position of "do this or else". There wasn't a need. We were in a relationship with a loving father and it was in our heart to work with him.

That example (although very simplistic) isn't that different from our relationship with God. We have a loving Father. We are His children. Everything that we do for Him should flow from the relationship rather than the command. As my Father, He has every right to make demands. He has every right to give instructions. He has every right to ask something of me. But in my 21 years of living in my relationship with Him, I have never experienced Him being dogmatic. He has never said to me "Do this or else." He has always been loving toward me. In turn, what I do, flows out of my relationship with a loving Heavenly Father.

Now...let's go back to Paul's illustration of what it means to be an imitator of God. He says that we should do this as beloved children. Children often mimic their parents. The way they talk. The way they walk. Some of their actions. It's a part of the growing process. As we grow in the Lord it is quite natural for us to imitate the ways of God as we see it in the life of Christ. We try to walk as He walked, talk as He talked, etc. The difference is usually in the mindset. If we do not see ourselves as beloved children then we will do what we do out of fear or expectation. This is true of many people because they do not have a loving relationship with a parent to fall back on. Or their concept of love was twisted to think that they are only loved when they do certain things or behave a certain way. Quite honestly, most people have never experienced unconditional love and this wreaks havoc on our relationship with God. Read the words of the Apostle John:
"God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgement, but we can face Him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world. Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgement, and this shows that His love has not been perfected in us." {1 John 4:16-18}

When God's love is perfected in our hearts then we do not have to live in fear. My dad is not a perfect man and yet I never question his love for me. My Heavenly Father is perfect in His love for me so why would I ever fear? Why would I ever seek to live a life controlled by serving God rather than living in relationship with God? You may say "But God expects..." I would ask you where you heard such a statement? And most of you would say "Well...our pastor said...or our church says..." This is where our understanding of a relationship with God must be founded upon His unconditional love and nothing else. "But didn't God give commands? Yes - but when you read the reasons behind them you will find that He wasn't just looking for obedient servants. He told Moses that the reason for the commands was that "it will go well for you" and to Joshua "that you may prosper." His commandments are a guide to a fulfilling life. They flow from who He is - unconditional love - so that we may experience all that this life has to offer.

I realize that this flies in the face of religion. I see it all the time. I've seen people who are never moved by a series of messages on the love of God get excited about a message on discipleship. Why? Because this is how we have been conditioned. We are conditioned to believe that we MUST perform, we MUST obey, and we MUST do. And what gets lost in all of this is that if we will allow ourselves to be perfected in the love of God that we never have to hear the "MUST" of religion. There's no need for it. When we learn to live out of His love for us, we will discover the reality of who we are in Christ and who He is in us. We will discover that we are partakers of the Divine Nature. Then our imitation of God doesn't flow from an idea of service but the very nature that dwells inside of us. There's no work to it at all. It will always flow from the relationship.

Equality at the Cross

I have read the articles, listened to many conversations, and have seen the red equal sign on facebook. And to be quite honest with you...I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being labeled as a bigot because I believe in the biblical definition of marriage. I'm tired of being lumped together with the Westboro Baptist crowd. I'm tired of having to "cover the bases". And the sad part in all of this is that the people who want to label me because of my beliefs will not listen to my heart in the matter.

Matthew 4:4, "But He answered and said, 'It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'"

Rather than just give you my take on the whole controversy, I wanted to share with you a letter that says so much more than I ever could. This letter was sent to me from a friend. As far as I know the original letter was posted first by Hunter Baker. It will give you some incredible insight. In the end...I pray that we can see our equality at the Cross of Christ.

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An Astonishing Message from a Gay Sister in Christ
(You must make it to the third paragraph in order to understand)

To the churches concerning homosexuals and lesbians:

Many of you believe that we do not exist within your walls, your schools, your neighborhoods. You believe that we are few and easily recognized. I tell you we are many. We are your teachers, doctors, accountants, high school athletes. We are all colors, shapes, sizes. We are single, married, mothers, fathers. We are your sons, your daughters, your nieces, your nephews, your grandchildren. We are in your Sunday School classes, pews, choirs, and pulpits. You choose not to see us out of ignorance or because it might upset your congregation. We ARE your congregation. We enter your doors weekly seeking guidance and some glimmer of hope that we can change. Like you, we have invited Jesus into our hearts. Like you, we want to be all that Christ wants us to be. Like you, we pray daily for guidance. Like you, we often fail.

When the word “homosexual” is mentioned in the church, we hold our breaths and sit in fear. Most often this word is followed with condemnation, laughter, hatred, or jokes. Rarely do we hear any words of hope. At least we recognize our sin. Does the church as a whole see theirs? Do you see the sin of pride, that you are better than or more acceptable to Jesus than we are? Have you been Christ-like in your relationships with us? Would you meet us at the well, or restaurant, for a cup of water, or coffee? Would you touch us even if we showed signs of leprosy, or aids? Would you call us down from our trees, as Christ did Zacchaeus, and invite yourself to be our guest? Would you allow us to sit at your table and break bread? Can you love us unconditionally and support us as Christ works in our lives, as He works in yours, to help us all to overcome?

To those of you who would change the church to accept the gay community and its lifestyle: you give us no hope at all. To those of us who know God’s word and will not dilute it to fit our desires, we ask you to read John’s letter to the church in Pergamum. “I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Repent therefore!” You are willing to compromise the word of God to be politically correct. We are not deceived. If we accept your willingness to compromise, then we must also compromise. We must therefore accept your lying, your adultery, your lust, your idolatry, your addictions, YOUR sins. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

We do not ask for your acceptance of our sins any more than we accept yours. We simply ask for the same support, love, guidance, and most of all hope that is given to the rest of your congregation. We are your brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not what we shall be, but thank God, we are not what we were. Let us work together to see that we all arrive safely home.

A Sister in Christ

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There's an old saying that is appropriate to end with: "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross."

In other words, there is equality at the Cross of Christ. It was there that God demonstrated His love for all for all mankind - once and for all. We are equally loved. We have equal access to the grace of God. We have an equal opportunity at the abundant life of Christ. You may not agree with my stance on the issues of the day anymore than I agree with yours, but I believe in HIS LOVE we have all our answers.

Embracing the Fullness of the Gospel

John 4:35, "You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest." ~ NLT

Several years ago someone asked me if we were a "full gospel" church. My response? "Yes - we preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus!" Little did I know that this wasn't what they meant. Since those early days I have come to discover that what most people mean by "full gospel" is operating in the gifts of the Spirit. While I understand their point of view, I have never bought into the idea that anyone is full gospel just because they believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by certain kinds of gifts. In fact, my attitude has changed even more as it relates to this kind of labeling. While there has been much focus on reclaiming the fullness of the Gospel as it relates to the power of the Kingdom, I think it's just as important (if not more) to reclaim the fullness of the Gospel as it relates to the SCOPE of the Kingdom.

It's time for the church to reclaim what has been provided through the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. It's time that we began to see the world through His finished work. Then, and only then, we any of us be "Full Gospel." You see, it's not enough that we embrace the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's not enough that we function in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The fullness of the Gospel is discovered in all that Christ came to do for us, in us, and through us.

When was the last time anyone looked up at the people of the world and said, "The fields are already ripe for harvest."? I mean...if the fields were ripe in Jesus' day...what does that mean for us now? He made that statement pre-crucifixion. We live post-resurrection and still see the world tainted through the fall of Adam rather than through the finished work of Jesus. What Jesus accomplished through His sacrifice is far greater than what many have believed. What Jesus did through His death reaches further than what many have been willing to understand. What happened to humanity through the Resurrection of Christ is of a far greater scope than what many have been willing to see. The question we must answer is whether or not we are going to believe what the New Testament reveals? Are we willing to embrace the truth that all of humanity was placed in Christ in His death, in His burial, and in His resurrection? Are we willing to change some of our doctrinal stances to reflect the finished work of Christ?

You have read my statements on this blog about Paul presenting Jesus as the "Last Adam" {1 Corinthians 15:45}. This is where many have failed to make the transition in their thinking. Hear the words of Paul:

- "For if many died through one man's trespass, MUCH MORE have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for the many."

- "The judgement following one man's trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification."

- "For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, MUCH MORE will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through one man Jesus Christ."

- "Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men."

- "For as through the one man's disobedience the many were constituted sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many shall be constituted righteous." {literal translation of verse 19}
{Read Romans 5:15-21}

Paul took the time to show the Church the significance of the finished work of Christ. Just before he chose to contrast what was accomplished through Christ versus what had been done through Adam, he made this statement: "God showed His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." {Romans 5:8-11}

The point is this: To embrace the fullness of the Gospel means that we must embrace the full scope of what God has accomplished. God has reconciled Himself to the world. He chooses to view all of humanity through the finished work of Christ. The payment for our sin has been made. The work of atoning for the sin of humanity has been finished. The entire human race now has it's lineage in the Last Adam - not the first. They have been born from above (born again/reborn) through the resurrection of Christ {see 1 Peter 1:3}. The problem is that most people don't understand what God has done for them. They see themselves outside of the grace and unconditional love of God. They do not know, have not accepted, or have not heard that if they would believe in the resurrection of Christ and confess Him as Lord that they would be saved (or come into the wholeness of life that Jesus provides).

If the Church doesn't embrace the fullness of the Gospel then how can we expect the rest of the world to embrace it? If we cannot see them in Christ then they will never see themselves in Christ. If we cannot rest in the finished work of Christ then they will never rest in it either. That is why we must embrace it with everything we have. We must see the scope of God's love, His grace, His mercy, and His kingdom so that we will enter into those ripened fields and harvest those that Jesus gave His life to redeem. They have already been purchased and it's up to us to claim them. Lift up your eyes!!!

Relational Christianity

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God." {Matthew 15:8-9 NLT}

I was praying yesterday when this thought crossed my mind: Praying (just like any other faith practice) needs to be relational. While I understood the truth of this statement, it dawned on me how much we do things out of practice, duty, and discipline.

Think about it. What if we approached reading the Bible from the standpoint of allowing the Lord to speak to us rather than just seeking to back up what we already believe? I believe God is more interested in our ability to be teachable than our ability to be indoctrinated. I understand how difficult it will be for many people to accept this statement but this has been my heart for some time. In the end, I have learned much more about the Word and the Lord when I stopped trying to enforce my doctrinal stances and simply started asking God to speak to me through the Bible.

Prayer, Bible reading, Worship, Giving, Etc...all of it needs to be tied to my relationship with the Lord.
Relational Prayer sounds more like conversation than a laundry list.
Relational Bible Reading opens up a dialogue from the Lord to us rather than approaching the Bible like a textbook.
Relational Giving allows the Lord to dictate how we give of our resources than simply asking Him to bless our 10%.
Relational Worship will bring us into an encounter with the Lord rather than going through the motions.
And the list goes on an on.

Adam & Eve were tempted in this very area. They had an open relationship with the Lord. He spoke with them, would fellowship with them, and walked with them in the cool of the day. The temptation came in such a way that caused Eve to think this was not enough. She chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, gave the fruit to Adam as well, which ultimately led to the fall of man. Locked in this relationship with God based on right/wrong, good/evil, law/liberty - it was difficult to embrace true and genuine relationship. Christ came into the world to right the wrongs, allow good to triumph over evil, and fulfill the law to set us at liberty. Now it is our opportunity to go further in our relationship with the Lord. But we will have to fight the idea that knowledge is greater than relationship. We will have to fight the temptation to turn our relationship into a religion.

Can I be real with you? Discipline is good when passion is missing. However, if our passion for the Lord is overrun by discipline then all we have is a working relationship with God. There are plenty of people in this position. From the members that enter into the congregation to those who stand on the stage. We have developed a sort of professional intimacy. And the last time I checked, we had a name for those who specialized in this type of "intimacy."

The only way that we can guard ourselves from these trappings is to guard our hearts. We must guard ourselves against a "form of godliness that denies the power" of God at work in our lives. Sure...you can read the Bible, pray, worship, etc. out of a form of godliness but what does it accomplish? A form of godliness will only accomplish a form of Christianity. True and genuine faith is always (ALWAYS) about relationship.

It is my prayer for every person that claims faith in Jesus Christ that they never fall short of a genuine, intimate, relationship with Him. It is my hope that the church will reclaim the passion of what it means to know the Risen Savior. That we will be willing to give everything to Him because He gave everything to us. That we will never allow religion to override the relationship. That we will know what it means to be the sons/daughters of the Most High God. May we never embrace form over power. May we never be indoctrinated with the philosophies of man but with the true nature of God. May we never allow our worship of God to be in vain. Let's return to a Relational faith that embraces the journey of being conformed to the image of the Son.

Thought for the day...

Splitting wood with my Dad today...

Here's a thought that I would love for you to carry this week:

Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life."

When we learn to live from the blessings of life rather than the disappointments, we discover that joy, thankfulness, and peace are constant companions.

Application? Feed yourself on what God HAS DONE. There's life in it!!!