Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” -John 4.13-14
Jesus has sat down by a Samaritan well in the heat of the day. His disciples have gone to buy food and so Jesus is left alone. A woman comes to draw water and Jesus asks her for a drink. She's probably a bit surprised to see anyone at the well at this time, and even more so when she see's it's a Jewish man; then he talks to her. Jesus asks her for a drink and she asks how He can do this, and after answering her he gives this statement.
Jesus offers something that goes beyond the essential physical need for water. He offers a spring that brings eternal life. Jesus offers a different quality of living, free from the cares and worries of the world because it falls back on trust in God. Jesus offers a satisfaction that is unattainable without Him.
Whatever we live for consumes us. If we live to make money, there is never enough, we have to keep going back to the money well for one more dollar. If we live for success, it is never satisfied, we have to keep going back to the well of success for the next promotion. If we live for stuff, we never own enough, we have to keep going back to the well of material for the newest and latest gadget or fashion trend.
When we come to Jesus, we shift our focus to living for Him. We find satisfaction through contentment and living for the glory of God. Our life does not become about accumulating more, but about worshiping more. Nothing brings contentment and satisfaction like being alone in the presence of God.
Christ offers a well of eternal life, God quality life, that brings the only true satisfaction.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, July 31, 2017
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Application to Me
It's been an exhausting weekend, but a good weekend. My second vision quest (http://proverbs1824brothers.blogspot.com/2017/07/vision-quest-by-will.html) did not go as planned, but God showed up and spoke, revealing something for me to focus on moving forward. It was a good weekend. I've put off writing this post out of exhaustion, but I have less than a hour of Sunday left.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. -John 3.3
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. -John 3.16-18
These verses are from the very mouth of Christ, pointing to the crucial importance of Christ. I'm a guy. I'm not very good at sharing my emotions and feelings. I don't cry a whole lot. I've felt like the weight of the world has been mine to carry, and that because of this I can't show any weakness. I've felt that I have to be perfect, an expectation that I've felt from others as well, which only made me feel the need to press on, suck it up, and hope everything worked out even more.
These verses tell me that I don't have to be that way. They show me that the weight of the world was never my burden to bear (I tried to get into writing poetry in an attempt to connect with my emotions, not sure how well I did, but one poem I wrote was about this). These verses show me my own need for a Savior. If I'm honest, this is a hard reality for me to accept at times. I hate that I need to be rescued. I hate that I need help with things, even from God. I feel that the expectation I've put on me, the expectation other's have put on me, is something God also expects of me, but He doesn't. God does not expect me to be perfect, in fact, He knows how imperfect I am. He came so that I could be born again. He came to rescue me, giving me eternal life, not judging me because I need Him, but loving me even when I don't want to need Him.
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.... He must increase, but I must decrease." -John 3.27, 30
These verses point back along this same line of thought, heaven never placed the weight of the world on my shoulders. Heaven didn't even place the need of me to provide my own salvation on my shoulders, let alone the salvation of anyone else. My purpose in this life is to point others to God, glorifying Him as I fade into His glory. For years I thought the only way I could serve God was in a church. I wanted to pastor a large church, not the biggest church in the world (that would be arrogant after all), but a decent sized church of a few hundred, maybe a thousand, people. I'm a good speaker, and I wanted to use my gift to preach to others, but that dream, though it seems noble and about God, was really focused on me. I was focusing on what I needed to do for God, in some ways to earn His favor and approval, but I don't have to do that, and God doesn't want me to go that route. I've stopped looking for church assignments, and honestly, I've found contentment and approval from God in simply obeying Him. I'm excited about the journey He has me on, and the opportunities He will bring to me to serve Him and love others.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. -John 3.36
This verse gave me a lot to think about. I've believed in the Son for as long as I can remember. I was raised in church, and though there had to be a time before I believed, I can't remember that far back. Believing is easy, but obedience is hard. I know the Bible, I can tell you what it says, and I can tell you what to do with it. I can encourage you and challenge you. But I've seen the promises of God, the assurances of the Bible as being true for everyone else. I've believed, but I haven't lived obediently by owning this message. Eternal life is not merely living forever, it is living with a different quality of life, God's quality of life, beginning here and now. Without living in obedience to the Son, this quality cannot be experienced. I've missed out on a lot of things because I was simply focused on believing and what believing meant I had to do. Obedience is freeing.
He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. And He had to pass through Samaria. -John 4.3-4
And now we come to the one that is the hardest for me. I'm an introvert, a really big one. At my brother Ty's wedding last year, while everyone was dancing I was working on tearing down tables (initially) with one other guy I knew. That's just me. I took a Facebook quiz recently called "What is the reason you'll go missing?" the answer made me smile, partly because it was funny, but more so because it was true "Got sick of people and moved to a mountain cabin." I don't know how many times I've said that I'd love to be a recluse. In some ways my personality drew me to pastoring. It's easy to speak to a large group of people, their just faces in a crow that you don't have to really interact with. But I'm called to more than that. I've called to intentionally be around people who need me.
God desires to rescue me, in order for me to be free from the false expectations I feel I have to fulfill. He calls me to believe and obey, receiving the freedom offered in His quality of life. Finally, He calls me to get out of my comfort zone, are reach out to people through the freedom His quality of life has given me.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. -John 3.3
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. -John 3.16-18
These verses are from the very mouth of Christ, pointing to the crucial importance of Christ. I'm a guy. I'm not very good at sharing my emotions and feelings. I don't cry a whole lot. I've felt like the weight of the world has been mine to carry, and that because of this I can't show any weakness. I've felt that I have to be perfect, an expectation that I've felt from others as well, which only made me feel the need to press on, suck it up, and hope everything worked out even more.
These verses tell me that I don't have to be that way. They show me that the weight of the world was never my burden to bear (I tried to get into writing poetry in an attempt to connect with my emotions, not sure how well I did, but one poem I wrote was about this). These verses show me my own need for a Savior. If I'm honest, this is a hard reality for me to accept at times. I hate that I need to be rescued. I hate that I need help with things, even from God. I feel that the expectation I've put on me, the expectation other's have put on me, is something God also expects of me, but He doesn't. God does not expect me to be perfect, in fact, He knows how imperfect I am. He came so that I could be born again. He came to rescue me, giving me eternal life, not judging me because I need Him, but loving me even when I don't want to need Him.
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.... He must increase, but I must decrease." -John 3.27, 30
These verses point back along this same line of thought, heaven never placed the weight of the world on my shoulders. Heaven didn't even place the need of me to provide my own salvation on my shoulders, let alone the salvation of anyone else. My purpose in this life is to point others to God, glorifying Him as I fade into His glory. For years I thought the only way I could serve God was in a church. I wanted to pastor a large church, not the biggest church in the world (that would be arrogant after all), but a decent sized church of a few hundred, maybe a thousand, people. I'm a good speaker, and I wanted to use my gift to preach to others, but that dream, though it seems noble and about God, was really focused on me. I was focusing on what I needed to do for God, in some ways to earn His favor and approval, but I don't have to do that, and God doesn't want me to go that route. I've stopped looking for church assignments, and honestly, I've found contentment and approval from God in simply obeying Him. I'm excited about the journey He has me on, and the opportunities He will bring to me to serve Him and love others.
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. -John 3.36
This verse gave me a lot to think about. I've believed in the Son for as long as I can remember. I was raised in church, and though there had to be a time before I believed, I can't remember that far back. Believing is easy, but obedience is hard. I know the Bible, I can tell you what it says, and I can tell you what to do with it. I can encourage you and challenge you. But I've seen the promises of God, the assurances of the Bible as being true for everyone else. I've believed, but I haven't lived obediently by owning this message. Eternal life is not merely living forever, it is living with a different quality of life, God's quality of life, beginning here and now. Without living in obedience to the Son, this quality cannot be experienced. I've missed out on a lot of things because I was simply focused on believing and what believing meant I had to do. Obedience is freeing.
He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. And He had to pass through Samaria. -John 4.3-4
And now we come to the one that is the hardest for me. I'm an introvert, a really big one. At my brother Ty's wedding last year, while everyone was dancing I was working on tearing down tables (initially) with one other guy I knew. That's just me. I took a Facebook quiz recently called "What is the reason you'll go missing?" the answer made me smile, partly because it was funny, but more so because it was true "Got sick of people and moved to a mountain cabin." I don't know how many times I've said that I'd love to be a recluse. In some ways my personality drew me to pastoring. It's easy to speak to a large group of people, their just faces in a crow that you don't have to really interact with. But I'm called to more than that. I've called to intentionally be around people who need me.
God desires to rescue me, in order for me to be free from the false expectations I feel I have to fulfill. He calls me to believe and obey, receiving the freedom offered in His quality of life. Finally, He calls me to get out of my comfort zone, are reach out to people through the freedom His quality of life has given me.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, July 28, 2017
Intentionality
He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. And He had to pass through Samaria. -John 4.3-4
Jesus heads north from Judea to Galilee, and He goes through Samaria. This is contrary to the practice of Jews at the time who would cross to the east side of the Jordan River, travel north, and then cross back over, bypassing Samaria completely. Jesus went against most cultural norms of the day, and so He also doesn't travel between Judea and Galilee in the normal way. Instead of making a double crossing of the Jordan, He intentionally walks through Samaria.
Jesus came to save the world, all of it. He came to show people who God was, and how to live as God intended. This message was not just for the Jews, but for Samaritans and the Gentiles as well. Jesus didn't by pass Samaria, but intentionally traveled through the land. He put Himself in the position to talk to people who were despised by His culture.
God loves everyone, even those we disagree with politically, or with different lifestyle choices. Jesus didn't avoid them, but intentionally put Himself in the position to meet with them. He did not seek to mingle with the politically correct, or the in crowd, but was willing to walk through a land that was taboo, in order to be in position to talk to people who desperately needed Him.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Jesus heads north from Judea to Galilee, and He goes through Samaria. This is contrary to the practice of Jews at the time who would cross to the east side of the Jordan River, travel north, and then cross back over, bypassing Samaria completely. Jesus went against most cultural norms of the day, and so He also doesn't travel between Judea and Galilee in the normal way. Instead of making a double crossing of the Jordan, He intentionally walks through Samaria.
Jesus came to save the world, all of it. He came to show people who God was, and how to live as God intended. This message was not just for the Jews, but for Samaritans and the Gentiles as well. Jesus didn't by pass Samaria, but intentionally traveled through the land. He put Himself in the position to talk to people who were despised by His culture.
God loves everyone, even those we disagree with politically, or with different lifestyle choices. Jesus didn't avoid them, but intentionally put Himself in the position to meet with them. He did not seek to mingle with the politically correct, or the in crowd, but was willing to walk through a land that was taboo, in order to be in position to talk to people who desperately needed Him.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Belief and Obedience
He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. -John 3.36
As Jesus concludes His conversation with Nicodemus, He issues this statement about belief and obedience. Believing in Jesus is the key to eternal life, but in order to receive that life, Jesus must be obeyed. It is not enough to simply acknowledge that Jesus exists, had good moral teachings, and loved people. The teachings of Jesus must be obeyed for His promised blessings to be inherited.
This is not a faith and works thing, works don't bring about salvation, but they are the result of a genuine faith transformation. Some of Jesus' final words to His disciples are recorded in Matthew 28, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt 28.19-20). Jesus instructs His followers to make disciples, those who believe and follow, to obey all of His teachings.
Obedience is the natural overflow of true belief. To see the life given through belief, Jesus must be obeyed. Without obedience to Christ, we have the wrath of God. It is not enough to believe that Jesus was real, that does not get you to heaven. Belief in Jesus means obedience to Jesus, and it is this obedience that brings us into eternal life.
Tertullian said, "When we come to believe, we have no desire to believe anything else; for we begin by believing that there is nothing else which we have to believe." When we come to faith in Christ, we commit to obey Him, because it is by the act of believing we say there is nothing else worth following.
To inherit the life promised in Christ, Jesus must be believed in and obeyed.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
As Jesus concludes His conversation with Nicodemus, He issues this statement about belief and obedience. Believing in Jesus is the key to eternal life, but in order to receive that life, Jesus must be obeyed. It is not enough to simply acknowledge that Jesus exists, had good moral teachings, and loved people. The teachings of Jesus must be obeyed for His promised blessings to be inherited.
This is not a faith and works thing, works don't bring about salvation, but they are the result of a genuine faith transformation. Some of Jesus' final words to His disciples are recorded in Matthew 28, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt 28.19-20). Jesus instructs His followers to make disciples, those who believe and follow, to obey all of His teachings.
Obedience is the natural overflow of true belief. To see the life given through belief, Jesus must be obeyed. Without obedience to Christ, we have the wrath of God. It is not enough to believe that Jesus was real, that does not get you to heaven. Belief in Jesus means obedience to Jesus, and it is this obedience that brings us into eternal life.
Tertullian said, "When we come to believe, we have no desire to believe anything else; for we begin by believing that there is nothing else which we have to believe." When we come to faith in Christ, we commit to obey Him, because it is by the act of believing we say there is nothing else worth following.
To inherit the life promised in Christ, Jesus must be believed in and obeyed.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
Content Submission
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.... He must increase, but I must decrease." -John 3.27, 30
As Jesus began His public ministry, John the Baptist began to lose his following. His disciples were concerned by sudden decrease of John's popularity, but John points out that a man can receive nothing that heaven does not give. John knew his place, he was the messenger sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. Now that Christ is on the scene, John's mission has been accomplished. He never sought his own advancement, when asked if he was the Messiah, he clearly declared that he was not. Now that Jesus is working towards His mission, John is content to step back, allowing Christ to take center stage. He tells his followers that Christ must increase while he must decrease. John knew that his purpose had been accomplished, he had fulfilled his mission, and was content to watch Christ take those who had followed him.
The point of all of this is Christ, and advancing Him. Life is given to us in order to glorify God, not to advance ourselves, but to advance His kingdom. Every gift we have, every dollar we make, every degree we earn, is a gift from heaven, and is meant to be used to glorify God and advance His kingdom here on earth.
Everything you have is a gift from heaven, something of God's that He has entrusted to you, how are you using it? Who are you advancing? Is your life seeking to make much of you or of Jesus? Is your mindset on personal advancement at any cost, or on content submission to the will of God?
I feel like this title/statement needs some clarification. Content submission does not mean inactive laziness. Content submission does not mean idle time wasting. Content submission is being satisfied with what God has entrusted to you and working diligently where you are for Him. To be contently submissive means that wherever God has placed me, I am going to look for how I can glorify Him. It means I am going to always look for more ways to serve Him, and look for the opportunities that He is opening for me. It is not sitting and waiting for life to happen because their is nothing we can do, but living fully alive and being grateful for what God has given. Content submission is not an excuse for inaction, but rather freedom to live where we are.
Let the focus be on living fully for God, submitting to His will, and advancing His kingdom.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
As Jesus began His public ministry, John the Baptist began to lose his following. His disciples were concerned by sudden decrease of John's popularity, but John points out that a man can receive nothing that heaven does not give. John knew his place, he was the messenger sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. Now that Christ is on the scene, John's mission has been accomplished. He never sought his own advancement, when asked if he was the Messiah, he clearly declared that he was not. Now that Jesus is working towards His mission, John is content to step back, allowing Christ to take center stage. He tells his followers that Christ must increase while he must decrease. John knew that his purpose had been accomplished, he had fulfilled his mission, and was content to watch Christ take those who had followed him.
The point of all of this is Christ, and advancing Him. Life is given to us in order to glorify God, not to advance ourselves, but to advance His kingdom. Every gift we have, every dollar we make, every degree we earn, is a gift from heaven, and is meant to be used to glorify God and advance His kingdom here on earth.
Everything you have is a gift from heaven, something of God's that He has entrusted to you, how are you using it? Who are you advancing? Is your life seeking to make much of you or of Jesus? Is your mindset on personal advancement at any cost, or on content submission to the will of God?
I feel like this title/statement needs some clarification. Content submission does not mean inactive laziness. Content submission does not mean idle time wasting. Content submission is being satisfied with what God has entrusted to you and working diligently where you are for Him. To be contently submissive means that wherever God has placed me, I am going to look for how I can glorify Him. It means I am going to always look for more ways to serve Him, and look for the opportunities that He is opening for me. It is not sitting and waiting for life to happen because their is nothing we can do, but living fully alive and being grateful for what God has given. Content submission is not an excuse for inaction, but rather freedom to live where we are.
Let the focus be on living fully for God, submitting to His will, and advancing His kingdom.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
The Point of Jesus
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. -John 3.16-18
John 3.16 is the most searched for Bible verse. It is one of the first Bible verses I remember learning. This passage of Scripture presents a message of hope, but more than that, it gives us one of the most direct explanations of Jesus. The Church has pushed people away from God because of the attitude it has adopted. Sadly, people see the Church as condemning and judgmental, and in turn, they associate these traits to Jesus. The message of John 3 does not present this view of Jesus.
Jesus came to give life, not death. Jesus came to give forgiveness, not condemnation. Jesus came to give love, not judgment.
Humanity is already facing eternal death. We are cursed with sin and must pay the price of that. Jesus came to save us, and bring life in place of death. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, the whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Jesus does not send people to Hell, He came to rescue humanity from Hell. In Jesus is life, not death. We have death already, we need Jesus to have life.
Humanity is already condemned. We are enslaved to sin and bound for Hell. Jesus came to change that offering forgiveness from condemnation. "God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." Jesus does not condemn, He forgives. Condemnation is the current state humanity is in, and it is the result of rejecting the forgiveness of Christ. Condemnation is the state of our existence, Jesus offers a different course.
Humanity is already judged. We are sinful and must be held accountable for our sin. Jesus came to bring love in place judgment. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Rejecting Jesus brings about judgment, that is the state of life apart from Him. In Jesus is love, and freedom from judgment.
Humanity is already headed to destruction, but God loved the world too much to abandon it in this state. Jesus was not given to point out how bad we are, but to rescue and transform humanity, bring redemption and restoration. All of the negative perceptions of Christ are mankind placing the blame of our condition on Jesus. He is not at fault for where we are, but is the only hope that exists for change. Christ is not the reason for war and division; He is not at fault for judgment, condemnation, and death, He is the solution.
Mankind is already messed up without Jesus, He did nothing to make the situation worse. The only hope is in what Christ offers, life, forgiveness, and love. That is the point of Jesus.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
John 3.16 is the most searched for Bible verse. It is one of the first Bible verses I remember learning. This passage of Scripture presents a message of hope, but more than that, it gives us one of the most direct explanations of Jesus. The Church has pushed people away from God because of the attitude it has adopted. Sadly, people see the Church as condemning and judgmental, and in turn, they associate these traits to Jesus. The message of John 3 does not present this view of Jesus.
Jesus came to give life, not death. Jesus came to give forgiveness, not condemnation. Jesus came to give love, not judgment.
Humanity is already facing eternal death. We are cursed with sin and must pay the price of that. Jesus came to save us, and bring life in place of death. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, the whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." Jesus does not send people to Hell, He came to rescue humanity from Hell. In Jesus is life, not death. We have death already, we need Jesus to have life.
Humanity is already condemned. We are enslaved to sin and bound for Hell. Jesus came to change that offering forgiveness from condemnation. "God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." Jesus does not condemn, He forgives. Condemnation is the current state humanity is in, and it is the result of rejecting the forgiveness of Christ. Condemnation is the state of our existence, Jesus offers a different course.
Humanity is already judged. We are sinful and must be held accountable for our sin. Jesus came to bring love in place judgment. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Rejecting Jesus brings about judgment, that is the state of life apart from Him. In Jesus is love, and freedom from judgment.
Humanity is already headed to destruction, but God loved the world too much to abandon it in this state. Jesus was not given to point out how bad we are, but to rescue and transform humanity, bring redemption and restoration. All of the negative perceptions of Christ are mankind placing the blame of our condition on Jesus. He is not at fault for where we are, but is the only hope that exists for change. Christ is not the reason for war and division; He is not at fault for judgment, condemnation, and death, He is the solution.
Mankind is already messed up without Jesus, He did nothing to make the situation worse. The only hope is in what Christ offers, life, forgiveness, and love. That is the point of Jesus.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, July 24, 2017
Essential Transformation
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” -John 3.3
In John chapter 3, Jesus reveals some of the most direct and insightful statements about Himself, and what God desires to do. The dialogue begins with this statement, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." If you continue in the text you see that He is not speaking of a physical birth, but a spiritual one.
God must do a work of transformation in the heart of every man. The only way to see the kingdom of God, to enter it, or understand it, requires God making us new. God must gives new eyes, new hearts, and new minds, and when He does we can begin to see what He intended from the very beginning. Being born again means being transformed, and this transformation is essential, because without it, we cannot see the kingdom of God.
God must do His work in us in order that we are fit to enter His kingdom. This is the work that Jesus came to accomplish. He modeled life as God intended for it to be lived, displaying the results of transformation; He died on the cross and rose again so that this transformation could be accomplished.
Jesus died, just as we must die to the old way of life. Because He rose, we can rise, being born again. Just as He was glorified, so shall we be glorified when we enter the kingdom having been born again.
God's eternal kingdom awaits those who undergo the essential transformation. It begins now, and goes on for all eternity.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
In John chapter 3, Jesus reveals some of the most direct and insightful statements about Himself, and what God desires to do. The dialogue begins with this statement, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." If you continue in the text you see that He is not speaking of a physical birth, but a spiritual one.
God must do a work of transformation in the heart of every man. The only way to see the kingdom of God, to enter it, or understand it, requires God making us new. God must gives new eyes, new hearts, and new minds, and when He does we can begin to see what He intended from the very beginning. Being born again means being transformed, and this transformation is essential, because without it, we cannot see the kingdom of God.
God must do His work in us in order that we are fit to enter His kingdom. This is the work that Jesus came to accomplish. He modeled life as God intended for it to be lived, displaying the results of transformation; He died on the cross and rose again so that this transformation could be accomplished.
Jesus died, just as we must die to the old way of life. Because He rose, we can rise, being born again. Just as He was glorified, so shall we be glorified when we enter the kingdom having been born again.
God's eternal kingdom awaits those who undergo the essential transformation. It begins now, and goes on for all eternity.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Saturday, July 22, 2017
Application to Me
I'm still in the process of trying to figure out exactly how this blog is going to function, or rather how to fulfill the function is was created for. I am on a journey of personal healing, and recovering, or maybe claiming is a better word, the identity God has for me. This journey involves personal study as well as action. Over the past week I've felt that I've been sharing what the Bible says, but neglecting what it means to my life and this journey. So my plan is to write on the weekend, applying the previous week to my own life, and sharing some of my journey as I'm able, and ready, to.
John 1.5 says, "The Light shines in the darkness,and the darkness did not comprehend it." God's way is not the human way to live life. His expectations go against the human desire for self-preservation and force vulnerability. I'm not a big fan of vulnerability. I've been hurt a lot in relationships, ministry, by friends, coaches, and mentors. I've learned that by not opening up it protects me from that kind of pain, but with it comes a whole new level of pain that results form bitterness and isolation. I've realized that this lack of vulnerability has extended to God, and this lack of vulnerability keeps me from comprehending the Light. Exposure to the light makes me have to deal with things. It makes me have to explore the areas of wounding and seek healing. In the darkness you can ignore the blood soaked bandage, but once the light exposes it, you have to peal it off and begin to let God stitch up the wound.
I'm in the middle of a couple of difficult stitches right now, and I'm not looking forward to dealing with them. One involves reaching out to someone from the past, one involves returning to a place of significant wounding, but these are things I have to do, because an untreated wound never heals. Focusing on the pain of these wounds, hidden in the darkness, has kept me from fully believing in God and claiming my identity in Christ.
John 1.12 declares, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name". I am a child of God, that is what the Bible says. This is a reality I have struggled with. As the daddy of two girls I get the unconditional love of a father for his daughters. I understand the desire to bless them, and often have to restrain myself so they don't end up selfish and spoiled. I understand the protective nature, one of my closest friends has requested to be present when my girls go on their first dates, just to see how I ensure that the young man in question understands how precious my girls are. There is no good thing I would not give to my girls, and when my girls are with me there is nothing in the world that can touch them. I have trouble owning the reality that this is the attitude God has towards me. Right now the struggle I am having is realizing that God is allowing everything that is happening because it will result in my good. This is hard to accept, and even unclear as to how, (more explanation on this sometime in the future). I have to realize that as a parent you have to let your children face things on their own, always being there for support, but eventually letting go of the bike, and letting them try on their own. It isn't a lack of love or protection, but a release. The hardships of healing and initiation are the results of a loving father's plan for me to grow into who He created me to be.
The only way for me to continue to trust God, continued to grow and develop, is by growing closer to Christ. John 1.18, "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." Everything that is true about God is seen in Jesus. If I want to know God, I can only do that through Christ, and the only message to believe is that of Christ. I've listened to other voices, those that have not been rooted in the truths of Scripture, or spoken in genuine love. Sadly, these voices are often the loudest and most discernible. Learning to tune them out and focusing only of the truths of God as seen in Jesus is difficult. Knowing the voice of Christ is only possible when I am actively searching for Him.
John the Baptist did not sit idly by waiting, "I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." (John 1.31) He had a mission and diligently went about that mission as he waited for Jesus to show up. I don't feel like I've been doing the same. I've found myself frustrated and discouraged by where life has brought me. The result has been a lot of sulking, complaining, and time wasting. I don't even want to think about all of the time I've spent doing nothing of eternal value when I should have been seeking God and His healing and initiation. I've spent too much time waiting for everything to just fall into place, but that isn't how life works. Again, I think about the time I've spent covering up the wound, and the negative results because of it (more on this on PR. 18.24 in the next week or two). Healing and initiation only happen through active participation. Comprehension of the light only happens from active exposure.
All of this is hard for me because it involves vulnerability, which again is something I'm not a huge fan of. I don't like the risk because I forget about the promise. Jesus said, "Come, and you will see." (John 1.39b) This is not simply an invitation, but an invitation with a promise. Come, and you WILL see. It doesn't say might, it doesn't simply say come, but it says Come, and you will see. There is a promise. Jesus does not disappoint and He does not forsake us. If I am willing to trust Him and follow Him, I will find what I am searching for. If I will be vulnerable, letting Him have access to the wound, He will heal it. If I am vulnerable and submissive to Him, He will give me my true identity, allowing me to live fully from a healed and true heart of strength.
I need to realize that it is safe to trust God. Just as He met the unknown needs of a newlywed couple in Cana, a need they weren't even aware of, God is working now in ways I don't even know. I have to remember that God is not limited to the present, but is working now for next week, next year, and even three decades from now. God is doing things now that I am not even aware of, and I have to try and see my present circumstances in that light. I cannot afford to allow myself to get bitter in the moment, throwing away the future, just because God isn't doing what I think He should.
Finally, I have to realize that sometimes God has to do some cleansing in order to bring about healing. Before a festering wound can be sewn up, it needs to be cleaned. Dead skin needs to be cut away, infection needs to be treated. Sometimes there are things in life God has to drive out, tables He needs to overturn, and hard truths He must remind me of in order to get my attention and bring me back to a place of humble worship. I can get angry at God because He made a big mess and disrupted the way I do business, but that only places me above Him, and prevents everything He is trying to do.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
John 1.5 says, "The Light shines in the darkness,and the darkness did not comprehend it." God's way is not the human way to live life. His expectations go against the human desire for self-preservation and force vulnerability. I'm not a big fan of vulnerability. I've been hurt a lot in relationships, ministry, by friends, coaches, and mentors. I've learned that by not opening up it protects me from that kind of pain, but with it comes a whole new level of pain that results form bitterness and isolation. I've realized that this lack of vulnerability has extended to God, and this lack of vulnerability keeps me from comprehending the Light. Exposure to the light makes me have to deal with things. It makes me have to explore the areas of wounding and seek healing. In the darkness you can ignore the blood soaked bandage, but once the light exposes it, you have to peal it off and begin to let God stitch up the wound.
I'm in the middle of a couple of difficult stitches right now, and I'm not looking forward to dealing with them. One involves reaching out to someone from the past, one involves returning to a place of significant wounding, but these are things I have to do, because an untreated wound never heals. Focusing on the pain of these wounds, hidden in the darkness, has kept me from fully believing in God and claiming my identity in Christ.
John 1.12 declares, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name". I am a child of God, that is what the Bible says. This is a reality I have struggled with. As the daddy of two girls I get the unconditional love of a father for his daughters. I understand the desire to bless them, and often have to restrain myself so they don't end up selfish and spoiled. I understand the protective nature, one of my closest friends has requested to be present when my girls go on their first dates, just to see how I ensure that the young man in question understands how precious my girls are. There is no good thing I would not give to my girls, and when my girls are with me there is nothing in the world that can touch them. I have trouble owning the reality that this is the attitude God has towards me. Right now the struggle I am having is realizing that God is allowing everything that is happening because it will result in my good. This is hard to accept, and even unclear as to how, (more explanation on this sometime in the future). I have to realize that as a parent you have to let your children face things on their own, always being there for support, but eventually letting go of the bike, and letting them try on their own. It isn't a lack of love or protection, but a release. The hardships of healing and initiation are the results of a loving father's plan for me to grow into who He created me to be.
The only way for me to continue to trust God, continued to grow and develop, is by growing closer to Christ. John 1.18, "No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him." Everything that is true about God is seen in Jesus. If I want to know God, I can only do that through Christ, and the only message to believe is that of Christ. I've listened to other voices, those that have not been rooted in the truths of Scripture, or spoken in genuine love. Sadly, these voices are often the loudest and most discernible. Learning to tune them out and focusing only of the truths of God as seen in Jesus is difficult. Knowing the voice of Christ is only possible when I am actively searching for Him.
John the Baptist did not sit idly by waiting, "I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water." (John 1.31) He had a mission and diligently went about that mission as he waited for Jesus to show up. I don't feel like I've been doing the same. I've found myself frustrated and discouraged by where life has brought me. The result has been a lot of sulking, complaining, and time wasting. I don't even want to think about all of the time I've spent doing nothing of eternal value when I should have been seeking God and His healing and initiation. I've spent too much time waiting for everything to just fall into place, but that isn't how life works. Again, I think about the time I've spent covering up the wound, and the negative results because of it (more on this on PR. 18.24 in the next week or two). Healing and initiation only happen through active participation. Comprehension of the light only happens from active exposure.
All of this is hard for me because it involves vulnerability, which again is something I'm not a huge fan of. I don't like the risk because I forget about the promise. Jesus said, "Come, and you will see." (John 1.39b) This is not simply an invitation, but an invitation with a promise. Come, and you WILL see. It doesn't say might, it doesn't simply say come, but it says Come, and you will see. There is a promise. Jesus does not disappoint and He does not forsake us. If I am willing to trust Him and follow Him, I will find what I am searching for. If I will be vulnerable, letting Him have access to the wound, He will heal it. If I am vulnerable and submissive to Him, He will give me my true identity, allowing me to live fully from a healed and true heart of strength.
I need to realize that it is safe to trust God. Just as He met the unknown needs of a newlywed couple in Cana, a need they weren't even aware of, God is working now in ways I don't even know. I have to remember that God is not limited to the present, but is working now for next week, next year, and even three decades from now. God is doing things now that I am not even aware of, and I have to try and see my present circumstances in that light. I cannot afford to allow myself to get bitter in the moment, throwing away the future, just because God isn't doing what I think He should.
Finally, I have to realize that sometimes God has to do some cleansing in order to bring about healing. Before a festering wound can be sewn up, it needs to be cleaned. Dead skin needs to be cut away, infection needs to be treated. Sometimes there are things in life God has to drive out, tables He needs to overturn, and hard truths He must remind me of in order to get my attention and bring me back to a place of humble worship. I can get angry at God because He made a big mess and disrupted the way I do business, but that only places me above Him, and prevents everything He is trying to do.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, July 21, 2017
Hindered Worship
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” -John 2.13-16
Jesus has gone to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover, and once in the city, He enters the temple. There, in the central place of Jewish worship, He finds money changers and vendors selling animals for sacrifice. The thing that drives Jesus to action is that the selling is taking place in the outer court of the temple, the only place that Gentiles were allowed to enter.
Gentiles who were seeking God were not permitted to enter the temple, but could enter the outer court for prayer. Gentiles seeking God were given access to the outer court where they could pray, but this very court has become a market place for the Jews to purchase their animals for sacrifice. Those seeking a place of quiet solitude are instead met with chaotic noise, and this is what prompts Jesus to act. He makes a whip out of cords, flips tables, dumps bags of money, drives these merchants from the temple. Jesus is opposed to anything that hinders worship.
When worship is hindered by distractions the anger of God is aroused. When those who desire to seek God are prevented from doing so, Jesus makes a whip, flips tables, and drives people out. This needs to be our reaction as well. What things prevent worship in your life? What keeps you from reading the Bible? What keeps you from prayer? What keeps you from living in trust and obedience to God? What tables need to be overturned? What distractions need to be driven out?
Anything that hinders worship angers God. Anything that hinders worship needs to be driven out.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Jesus has gone to Jerusalem for the celebration of the Passover, and once in the city, He enters the temple. There, in the central place of Jewish worship, He finds money changers and vendors selling animals for sacrifice. The thing that drives Jesus to action is that the selling is taking place in the outer court of the temple, the only place that Gentiles were allowed to enter.
Gentiles who were seeking God were not permitted to enter the temple, but could enter the outer court for prayer. Gentiles seeking God were given access to the outer court where they could pray, but this very court has become a market place for the Jews to purchase their animals for sacrifice. Those seeking a place of quiet solitude are instead met with chaotic noise, and this is what prompts Jesus to act. He makes a whip out of cords, flips tables, dumps bags of money, drives these merchants from the temple. Jesus is opposed to anything that hinders worship.
When worship is hindered by distractions the anger of God is aroused. When those who desire to seek God are prevented from doing so, Jesus makes a whip, flips tables, and drives people out. This needs to be our reaction as well. What things prevent worship in your life? What keeps you from reading the Bible? What keeps you from prayer? What keeps you from living in trust and obedience to God? What tables need to be overturned? What distractions need to be driven out?
Anything that hinders worship angers God. Anything that hinders worship needs to be driven out.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Unknown Need
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.” ... When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” -John 2.1-3, 9-10
The wedding in Cana marks the first miracle of Jesus, but it is a miracle that is done on behalf of those who didn't even know they had a need. Jesus is at a wedding when the wine runs out, a situation that would have been greatly humiliating for those giving the feast. Jesus is made aware of the issue, and acts on behalf of those in need.
In light of His mission, this is a seemingly insignificant issue, but it was a problem that would have mattered if it became public knowledge. Jesus cares about the little things, and so He acts on behalf of those who don't even know they have a need.
Reading this passage has reminded me that God is always at work, even when I am not aware of it. The headwaiter has no idea where the wine came from, he is unaware that there was ever a shortage of wine. God is always at work, and there are problems He deals with before I am even aware that they exist. It is easy to get distracted by the big things that are right in front of us, the things that we worry about and get frustrated over when God doesn't act. But what about all of the issues that are avoided because God deals with them before we even know they exist?
I don't know why God deals with some issues before they become big problems, and allows others, that we wish He would have dealt with that way, to hit us, but this passage serves as a reminder that God is always at work. God is meeting needs we didn't even know we had.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The wedding in Cana marks the first miracle of Jesus, but it is a miracle that is done on behalf of those who didn't even know they had a need. Jesus is at a wedding when the wine runs out, a situation that would have been greatly humiliating for those giving the feast. Jesus is made aware of the issue, and acts on behalf of those in need.
In light of His mission, this is a seemingly insignificant issue, but it was a problem that would have mattered if it became public knowledge. Jesus cares about the little things, and so He acts on behalf of those who don't even know they have a need.
Reading this passage has reminded me that God is always at work, even when I am not aware of it. The headwaiter has no idea where the wine came from, he is unaware that there was ever a shortage of wine. God is always at work, and there are problems He deals with before I am even aware that they exist. It is easy to get distracted by the big things that are right in front of us, the things that we worry about and get frustrated over when God doesn't act. But what about all of the issues that are avoided because God deals with them before we even know they exist?
I don't know why God deals with some issues before they become big problems, and allows others, that we wish He would have dealt with that way, to hit us, but this passage serves as a reminder that God is always at work. God is meeting needs we didn't even know we had.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Come and See
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. -John 1.39
John the Baptist has made his declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God twice, on two different days. On the second day two of his disciples hear this declaration and begin to follow Jesus. The text says Jesus turns and saw them following, painting the image that they were at a distance trying to figure out what to say, or maybe even just watching Him. Jesus asks them "What do you seek?" They respond by asking Him where He is staying, and Jesus responds with an invitation, come and see.
Jesus could have just given them an answer, but He doesn't; He extends to them an invitation, come and see. This is how Jesus works. He extends an invitation, accompanied by a promise, "Come, and you will see." As He is trusted, Jesus is able to reveal things about Himself to us, but Jesus will never force us to come. If we choose to accept Jesus' invitation, we will see.
This invitation is repeated in John 1.46, Philip tells Nathanael that they have found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael asks if anything good can come from Nazareth, a town with no prophecy made about it, and Philip invites him, "Come and see". Coming to Jesus is always by invitation, an invitation into the unknown, but it is an invitation that comes with a promise. Come and see.
Jesus doesn't force, He invites. Following Jesus does not offer certainty of security, of assurance of success, but it comes with the promise that we will see Jesus for who He is. Come, and you will see.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
John the Baptist has made his declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God twice, on two different days. On the second day two of his disciples hear this declaration and begin to follow Jesus. The text says Jesus turns and saw them following, painting the image that they were at a distance trying to figure out what to say, or maybe even just watching Him. Jesus asks them "What do you seek?" They respond by asking Him where He is staying, and Jesus responds with an invitation, come and see.
Jesus could have just given them an answer, but He doesn't; He extends to them an invitation, come and see. This is how Jesus works. He extends an invitation, accompanied by a promise, "Come, and you will see." As He is trusted, Jesus is able to reveal things about Himself to us, but Jesus will never force us to come. If we choose to accept Jesus' invitation, we will see.
This invitation is repeated in John 1.46, Philip tells Nathanael that they have found the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Nathanael asks if anything good can come from Nazareth, a town with no prophecy made about it, and Philip invites him, "Come and see". Coming to Jesus is always by invitation, an invitation into the unknown, but it is an invitation that comes with a promise. Come and see.
Jesus doesn't force, He invites. Following Jesus does not offer certainty of security, of assurance of success, but it comes with the promise that we will see Jesus for who He is. Come, and you will see.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Searching for God
The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” -John 1.29-34
The story of Jesus is full of people searching for God, waiting for the Messiah, and missing Him when He shows up. John the Baptist was the one who was sent before Christ to announce the coming of the Messiah, and prepare the people for the coming of Jesus. John was actively waiting, searching and longing for the moment when God would reveal the Messiah. By his own confession, He did not recognize Jesus until the God revealed to Him that this was the Christ who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
We can only know God to the extent He chooses to reveal Himself, and He only reveals Himself to the extant we are longing for and searching for Him. The people were waiting for their Messiah, but the Messiah as they would have Him. The result is the Jews missed Him when He came on the scene, and they are still waiting for Him to come. The people were expecting the Messiah. The Jews even send people to inquire of John if he is the one they have been waiting for (John 1.19-22). They are waiting for the Messiah as they have imagined He will be, and as a result they miss Him when He shows up.
God does not change in order to fit human expectations; God is God. If we would come to know God, we must seek Him for who He is, not who we would have Him to be. God reveals Himself to those who search for Him, to the extent that they search for Him. The Jews were looking for a political Messiah, one who would rise up in military strength and overthrow Rome. John the Baptist was searching for the Messiah who would come and take away the sin of the world, transforming the hearts of people. The latter found God, the former is still waiting for Him to come.
Searching for God means surrender and submission to Him. It meas setting aside everything in pursuit of Him. It means actively looking, not simply sitting idly by, waiting for Him to show up. The times in my life that have been the most enriching are the times I have searched like John the Baptist, searching and sharing. The rest of the time has been when I've acted like the Jews did back in the days leading up to Jesus' appearance, waiting for Him to show up in the way I think He should.
To find God we must seek Him for who He is, and what He desires to do in our lives. That search will not be unsuccessful.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The story of Jesus is full of people searching for God, waiting for the Messiah, and missing Him when He shows up. John the Baptist was the one who was sent before Christ to announce the coming of the Messiah, and prepare the people for the coming of Jesus. John was actively waiting, searching and longing for the moment when God would reveal the Messiah. By his own confession, He did not recognize Jesus until the God revealed to Him that this was the Christ who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
We can only know God to the extent He chooses to reveal Himself, and He only reveals Himself to the extant we are longing for and searching for Him. The people were waiting for their Messiah, but the Messiah as they would have Him. The result is the Jews missed Him when He came on the scene, and they are still waiting for Him to come. The people were expecting the Messiah. The Jews even send people to inquire of John if he is the one they have been waiting for (John 1.19-22). They are waiting for the Messiah as they have imagined He will be, and as a result they miss Him when He shows up.
God does not change in order to fit human expectations; God is God. If we would come to know God, we must seek Him for who He is, not who we would have Him to be. God reveals Himself to those who search for Him, to the extent that they search for Him. The Jews were looking for a political Messiah, one who would rise up in military strength and overthrow Rome. John the Baptist was searching for the Messiah who would come and take away the sin of the world, transforming the hearts of people. The latter found God, the former is still waiting for Him to come.
Searching for God means surrender and submission to Him. It meas setting aside everything in pursuit of Him. It means actively looking, not simply sitting idly by, waiting for Him to show up. The times in my life that have been the most enriching are the times I have searched like John the Baptist, searching and sharing. The rest of the time has been when I've acted like the Jews did back in the days leading up to Jesus' appearance, waiting for Him to show up in the way I think He should.
To find God we must seek Him for who He is, and what He desires to do in our lives. That search will not be unsuccessful.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Monday, July 17, 2017
To Know God
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. -John 1.18
God exists outside of time, and has eternally existed. He has no beginning or ending. He has no creator, but is the creator of all things. God is eternal. He is perfectly righteous and holy. To the finite human mind, God is beyond comprehension. No one has seen God at any time because He is God. The Old Testament says that no one can see God and live (Ex. 33.20). Enter Jesus.
The Word, who was with God and was God (Jn. 1.1), became flesh and dwelt among us, explaining God to man. One who intimately knows God on a level that is impossible for humanity to ever understand has come to reveal and explain God to man. Only God can explain God, and man can only understand man. So God became man to show humanity was He is like. In Jesus man sees who God is.
The only way to know God is through Jesus. Everything that is true of Jesus is true of God because Jesus is God. To know God, we must know Jesus. Man cannot get to God, and man cannot comprehend God, but man desperately needs God. God solved this by becoming man so that man could not only begin to understand Him, but also enter into a relationship with Him.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
God exists outside of time, and has eternally existed. He has no beginning or ending. He has no creator, but is the creator of all things. God is eternal. He is perfectly righteous and holy. To the finite human mind, God is beyond comprehension. No one has seen God at any time because He is God. The Old Testament says that no one can see God and live (Ex. 33.20). Enter Jesus.
The Word, who was with God and was God (Jn. 1.1), became flesh and dwelt among us, explaining God to man. One who intimately knows God on a level that is impossible for humanity to ever understand has come to reveal and explain God to man. Only God can explain God, and man can only understand man. So God became man to show humanity was He is like. In Jesus man sees who God is.
The only way to know God is through Jesus. Everything that is true of Jesus is true of God because Jesus is God. To know God, we must know Jesus. Man cannot get to God, and man cannot comprehend God, but man desperately needs God. God solved this by becoming man so that man could not only begin to understand Him, but also enter into a relationship with Him.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Friday, July 14, 2017
Believing
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name -John 1.10-12
When Jesus came, He was rejected by many. The people who were waiting for Him had a different idea of Messiah. The Religious leaders of the day rejected Him because He didn't live by their self-righteous standards. The people who had been waiting for their Messiah, the ones who should have known and recognized Him, did not welcome Him, and rejected the life that He offered. But those who did receive Him, and even those who believe in His name, He welcomes them as children of God.
Look again at the verb tense, received is past tense, believe is present. The act of believing in the name of Jesus, believing He is who He says and can do what He promised, is the same as having physically welcomed Him when He walked on earth. The act of truly believing brings the same rights and blessings as those who saw Him and followed Him 2,000 years ago. Believing in Jesus makes you a child of God.
The relationship Jesus had with the disciples, with those who put their faith in Him, is the same relationship available to those who believe in His name today. The absence of Jesus' physical presence does not reduce the promises, or blessings, He has offered. The same Jesus who walked the earth, offering life, is still giving life to those who believe. The physical absence of God does nothing to diminish the reality of His promises.
This a reality that I need to own. I am God's child.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
When Jesus came, He was rejected by many. The people who were waiting for Him had a different idea of Messiah. The Religious leaders of the day rejected Him because He didn't live by their self-righteous standards. The people who had been waiting for their Messiah, the ones who should have known and recognized Him, did not welcome Him, and rejected the life that He offered. But those who did receive Him, and even those who believe in His name, He welcomes them as children of God.
Look again at the verb tense, received is past tense, believe is present. The act of believing in the name of Jesus, believing He is who He says and can do what He promised, is the same as having physically welcomed Him when He walked on earth. The act of truly believing brings the same rights and blessings as those who saw Him and followed Him 2,000 years ago. Believing in Jesus makes you a child of God.
The relationship Jesus had with the disciples, with those who put their faith in Him, is the same relationship available to those who believe in His name today. The absence of Jesus' physical presence does not reduce the promises, or blessings, He has offered. The same Jesus who walked the earth, offering life, is still giving life to those who believe. The physical absence of God does nothing to diminish the reality of His promises.
This a reality that I need to own. I am God's child.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Thursday, July 13, 2017
Light and Darkness
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. -John 1.4-5, NASB
The prologue of the Gospel of John sets the tone for the rest of the fourth Gospel. The very first words declare that Jesus, the Word, is both eternal and divine, and that He is the Creator of everything. Then John says that in Christ was life, and that life was the light of men. Jesus is the source of life, and that life is a light in the darkness. Verse 5 is what has really stood out to me on this reading. "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Look at the tense used. Shines is in the present tense, did not comprehend is in the past tense.
The Light is eternal and constant; it always shines. The darkness is temporary, and it cannot comprehend the eternal. When Jesus came on the scene, the light entering the darkness, no one knew what to do with it, this theme is clearly shown through the entire Gospel.
Think about your reaction to light first thing in the morning. After hours of having your eyes closed, in the dark, you turn on a light, and at the very least, you squint. You may shut your eyes and turn your head, or bring your hand up to shield them from the blinding brightness that now fills the room. Your eye's accustomed to the dark, cannot handle the brilliance that is light, and so you look away. But as you expose yourself to the light, your dilated pupils contract, allowing you to see clearly. It takes time to fully adjust, I've been up for forty-five minutes and I'm still squinting, but the longer we are exposed to the light the more we can take in the light.
The only way to adjust to the light is to be exposed to it. The only way to understand and benefit from the light, is to embrace it. Darkness cannot comprehend light because it is the absence of light, and darkness is temporary because the light banishes it.
Jesus, the source of life who gives Light to men living in darkness, is eternal. The Light is overwhelming and incomprehensible at first, but living in the light allows our eyes to adjust, see what the light exposes, and receive eternal life.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
The prologue of the Gospel of John sets the tone for the rest of the fourth Gospel. The very first words declare that Jesus, the Word, is both eternal and divine, and that He is the Creator of everything. Then John says that in Christ was life, and that life was the light of men. Jesus is the source of life, and that life is a light in the darkness. Verse 5 is what has really stood out to me on this reading. "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." Look at the tense used. Shines is in the present tense, did not comprehend is in the past tense.
The Light is eternal and constant; it always shines. The darkness is temporary, and it cannot comprehend the eternal. When Jesus came on the scene, the light entering the darkness, no one knew what to do with it, this theme is clearly shown through the entire Gospel.
Think about your reaction to light first thing in the morning. After hours of having your eyes closed, in the dark, you turn on a light, and at the very least, you squint. You may shut your eyes and turn your head, or bring your hand up to shield them from the blinding brightness that now fills the room. Your eye's accustomed to the dark, cannot handle the brilliance that is light, and so you look away. But as you expose yourself to the light, your dilated pupils contract, allowing you to see clearly. It takes time to fully adjust, I've been up for forty-five minutes and I'm still squinting, but the longer we are exposed to the light the more we can take in the light.
The only way to adjust to the light is to be exposed to it. The only way to understand and benefit from the light, is to embrace it. Darkness cannot comprehend light because it is the absence of light, and darkness is temporary because the light banishes it.
Jesus, the source of life who gives Light to men living in darkness, is eternal. The Light is overwhelming and incomprehensible at first, but living in the light allows our eyes to adjust, see what the light exposes, and receive eternal life.
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
How I got here
For the past few years I've been struggling. Since I was 12 I felt that God was leading me into ministry, and at that time (and for almost two decades afterwards) my idea of ministry was church. I entered college and earned a BA in Pastoral Ministries, graduating at the top of my class and with great encouragement from my professors, and pastors I had interned with. Everything was pointing to a positive future in ministry.
Long story short, the church scene has not worked out for me. I've served as a youth pastor, and lead pastor since graduating, but my last church assignment ended almost five years ago. I looked for a while, but nothing that was offered to me was very promising, and so I decided to take a break from the search and focus on my education. I recently finished my Masters of Arts in Religion with a Biblical Studies focus, and this morning registered for my first classes to continue with my Masters of Divinity, also in Biblical Studies. In the past year I've come to realize that serving God is not limited to the four walls of a church, and through the guidance of a counselor I've come to see that my strengths and passions point towards the class room. I am currently focused on pursuing my PhD in Old Testament, and hope to teach at the college level. I feel like I actually have a real goal, and a plan to get there, for the first time in my life.
The road to this point has not been easy. Since leaving college so many things have felt like a constant struggle, and all of the difficulties have led me question certain things about God. I have never lost my salvation, I've always believed in God, but I've chosen to listen to the chaos, the discouragement, and the lies of the enemy, and my relationship with God hasn't been the dynamic fire it was in the sheltered cocoon of college. Since graduating, I've gone through periods of constant Bible reading and prayer, followed by times of nothing that would last for months. It got to the point where I would share my frustrations, and get even more frustrated when people would quote the Bible at me, or point me to Scripture. I know what the Bible says, I do have a Master's in Biblical Studies after all, but I didn't know if I believed the words of the Bible were true for me.
In 2015 a much longed for moment occurred at the first birthday party of the son of one of my best friends. A group of us decided to go camping, and from that trip, the fellowship of men who write Pr. 18.24 (proverbs1824brothers.blogspot.com) was formed. On this past retreat (http://proverbs1824brothers.blogspot.com/2017/06/retreat-2017-by-will.html) we were sitting around the campfire Saturday night, and one of the guys shared thoughts that were very similar to my own about God and the Bible. In that moment I felt validation that what I was thinking was ok, but after sharing this with a pastor who I have been meeting with for nearly two years, he pointed out that these feelings were just an excuse not to look at the real issue.
Over the past week as I've thought about his words, and my own feelings over the past decade, I've come to realize that nothing is going to change if I'm not intentional about it. The words of Scripture, God's promises contained in the pages of the Bible, are not going to be true for me if I don't own them and believe them. Belief is not going to happen if I don't have a proper view and understanding of the Promise Maker, and my view is not going to be correct if I am not focusing on the best source to reveal God to me.
I've wrestled with the idea of starting another blog. I've been writing for over seven years on four different blogs, but I wasn't feeling God's leading in continuing with any of the past blogs I've written. Right now my focus is mostly on our men's group, and seeing the direction that is going, a direction I am really excited about and encouraged by, I realized that I could create a personal blog off of that one. Pr. 18.24 functions as an online small group for our fellowship that is spread between Cleveland, Columbus, and Chicago, and I don't want to dominate that site. Fighting Lions is going to be my personal outlet, allowing me to share the things I feel like God is leading me to share, on this journey of recovery, healing, and ultimately ministry.
Where did the name come from? For over two years now I've been working on an idea that I'm hoping will eventually turn into a book, but more than that, it comes from the personal identity that I believe God wants me to claim. 1 Peter 5.6-11 says:
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.
In my life there have been many Bible verses that I have claimed as my life verses, but to this point they all have seemed to be most relevant for a specific season. At this point in life, 1 Peter 5.6-11 has been of great significance to me. The enemy is very real, and he prowls like a lion, searching for prey to devour. But, he is not all powerful, and he is to be resisted by one who is alert and ready, firm in their faith, knowing that the fight is temporary, and that God will deliver them from the attack into victory and eternal glory.
The struggle is very real, I've been living in it for years, and I'm guessing you have too, but I'm tired of giving in to despair and discouragement. I want to stand firm and resist, being strengthened by God, so that He may be glorified in my life.
The biggest struggle I've faced with this is, where to begin? Last week I was reminded that many new believers are pointed to the Gospel of John, and I feel that that is the place for me to begin as well. The way to really own the truths of God is by looking to Christ, the perfect revelation of God to man. God is who Christ reveals Him to be, and the truth of who Jesus is, is the truth of who God is.
That's how I got here, that's where this begins.
Fight the lion
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
Long story short, the church scene has not worked out for me. I've served as a youth pastor, and lead pastor since graduating, but my last church assignment ended almost five years ago. I looked for a while, but nothing that was offered to me was very promising, and so I decided to take a break from the search and focus on my education. I recently finished my Masters of Arts in Religion with a Biblical Studies focus, and this morning registered for my first classes to continue with my Masters of Divinity, also in Biblical Studies. In the past year I've come to realize that serving God is not limited to the four walls of a church, and through the guidance of a counselor I've come to see that my strengths and passions point towards the class room. I am currently focused on pursuing my PhD in Old Testament, and hope to teach at the college level. I feel like I actually have a real goal, and a plan to get there, for the first time in my life.
The road to this point has not been easy. Since leaving college so many things have felt like a constant struggle, and all of the difficulties have led me question certain things about God. I have never lost my salvation, I've always believed in God, but I've chosen to listen to the chaos, the discouragement, and the lies of the enemy, and my relationship with God hasn't been the dynamic fire it was in the sheltered cocoon of college. Since graduating, I've gone through periods of constant Bible reading and prayer, followed by times of nothing that would last for months. It got to the point where I would share my frustrations, and get even more frustrated when people would quote the Bible at me, or point me to Scripture. I know what the Bible says, I do have a Master's in Biblical Studies after all, but I didn't know if I believed the words of the Bible were true for me.
In 2015 a much longed for moment occurred at the first birthday party of the son of one of my best friends. A group of us decided to go camping, and from that trip, the fellowship of men who write Pr. 18.24 (proverbs1824brothers.blogspot.com) was formed. On this past retreat (http://proverbs1824brothers.blogspot.com/2017/06/retreat-2017-by-will.html) we were sitting around the campfire Saturday night, and one of the guys shared thoughts that were very similar to my own about God and the Bible. In that moment I felt validation that what I was thinking was ok, but after sharing this with a pastor who I have been meeting with for nearly two years, he pointed out that these feelings were just an excuse not to look at the real issue.
Over the past week as I've thought about his words, and my own feelings over the past decade, I've come to realize that nothing is going to change if I'm not intentional about it. The words of Scripture, God's promises contained in the pages of the Bible, are not going to be true for me if I don't own them and believe them. Belief is not going to happen if I don't have a proper view and understanding of the Promise Maker, and my view is not going to be correct if I am not focusing on the best source to reveal God to me.
I've wrestled with the idea of starting another blog. I've been writing for over seven years on four different blogs, but I wasn't feeling God's leading in continuing with any of the past blogs I've written. Right now my focus is mostly on our men's group, and seeing the direction that is going, a direction I am really excited about and encouraged by, I realized that I could create a personal blog off of that one. Pr. 18.24 functions as an online small group for our fellowship that is spread between Cleveland, Columbus, and Chicago, and I don't want to dominate that site. Fighting Lions is going to be my personal outlet, allowing me to share the things I feel like God is leading me to share, on this journey of recovery, healing, and ultimately ministry.
Where did the name come from? For over two years now I've been working on an idea that I'm hoping will eventually turn into a book, but more than that, it comes from the personal identity that I believe God wants me to claim. 1 Peter 5.6-11 says:
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen.
In my life there have been many Bible verses that I have claimed as my life verses, but to this point they all have seemed to be most relevant for a specific season. At this point in life, 1 Peter 5.6-11 has been of great significance to me. The enemy is very real, and he prowls like a lion, searching for prey to devour. But, he is not all powerful, and he is to be resisted by one who is alert and ready, firm in their faith, knowing that the fight is temporary, and that God will deliver them from the attack into victory and eternal glory.
The struggle is very real, I've been living in it for years, and I'm guessing you have too, but I'm tired of giving in to despair and discouragement. I want to stand firm and resist, being strengthened by God, so that He may be glorified in my life.
The biggest struggle I've faced with this is, where to begin? Last week I was reminded that many new believers are pointed to the Gospel of John, and I feel that that is the place for me to begin as well. The way to really own the truths of God is by looking to Christ, the perfect revelation of God to man. God is who Christ reveals Him to be, and the truth of who Jesus is, is the truth of who God is.
That's how I got here, that's where this begins.
Fight the lion
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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