Reflections from a Sermon about Hacksaw Ridge

I wrote a devotion after hearing a sermon over a week ago. It is listed below.

After hearing a message in church and writing the devotion, I rented the Hacksaw Ridge movie. As I watched it, I began to realize that the film was based at the location where my grandfather was when he was killed in World War II. It prompted me to investigate, and I was so blessed to find the many details that were available in his story that I didn't know.  But below is the devotion written about the sermon.

The sermon Sunday morning began with a movie clip from the movie “Hacksaw Ridge.” Below is an excerpt of the clip.

 

“I can’t hear you, Lord,” [loud explosions all around and total chaos]

“What do you want from me?”

A distant cry for help is heard…

 

“Help me save one more.”

While the story was very applicable to the message to come, my mind was already going.  I began to converse in my heart and mind with the Lord as I processed this statement from the movie. 

 We are surrounded by many lost people who are dying in their sin as well as the wounded people all around us. The movie clip made me think of how the Body of Christ needs to head into the explosions of this life to help rescue those wounded in battle.  However, we do not do it on our own.  We do it as we cry out to our Lord to HELP us save one more.  We need Him to identify them, to find them, and to be able to help them.

As I reflected upon this point, I began to mull over the idea of what we would need to do before moving out on such a mission.  We need to focus on God and not the mission.  We need to be immersed in the reality of the love of God for us.  We need to see what great love He has lavished on us that we are now called the children of God.  The love is there, but we need to be aware of it and enter it. We need to meditate upon it.  The outcome of this effort will help produce our motivation and spur us on to overwhelming love for those who are lost and wounded.  We will not serve any purpose in our own sense of duty or obligation.  For that matter, none of us respond well when someone is serving us out of duty or obligation.  We must serve them out of our love. 

 As we proceed through the week, let’s begin by contemplating just how much God loves us, reminding us that God thinks about us; we are on His mind.  He loved us so much that He sent His most loved son to pay for our sin so that we could be in a relationship with the God of the universe.  Wow, meditate on that level of payment and sacrifice.  Allow that to settle over you today.  Then meditate on those who have not received this gift.  Ask God to put a face on the thought.  Once you have a face, begin to ask God to give you His eyes for that person.  Begin to pray for that person and ask for an opportunity to share the love of Christ with them.  Do it humbly, lovingly yet urgently.   Maybe start by asking as Pastor Michael mentioned he had done, “I’ll be praying later today, how can I pray for you?” 

Each one of us is invited to this wonderful relationship.  What if God wants you to be the living invitation, He is writing to someone today?  It is God’s will that they RETURN to HIM!  It is His will that they are reconciled with Him.   Once each of us is reconciled to God, we are to be about the Father’s business of reconciling others with God.  So, dwell on the love of God until you are filled with such love it begins to spill out onto this broken world.  Be the invitation sent with love from the Father to His lost sheep.

Are the Angels Bored

Are we boring our angels?

In the Old Testament, there is a story of Elisha and his servant in  2 Kings 6:8-23.  As an army approaches them, the servant is concerned. Elisha tells the servant "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  Elisha prays the servant's eyes would be able to see.  God
opened the servant's eyes so the he could see all of the chariots and horses all around to help them.  As this heavenly army of warring angels were ready to go to battle on Elisha's behalf, I believe we too have angels that are available to go to war in the heavenly realm on our behalf.

If that is true, what things would deactivate their activity in our lives?  I believe our own disobedience is a factor, our unbelief, our refusal to surrender to the Lord our God, and the lack of cooperation on our part with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

As a result, I wonder if angels are standing around with weapons in their holders and shields dangling to their side as they are bored silly.  I wonder if they stand by thinking "man I could help you with this battle or that trial if only you would obey, believe or just not resist the movement of the Holy Spirit."  I wonder if they are dumbfounded by our lack of cooperation.  I wonder if they are puzzled that we would have so much protection available to us, and yet we refuse to do that which would bring us victory.  I wonder if it is frustrating to them to stand by and watch while the people of God are defeated by the enemy when they are placed on the sidelines.

This is like a great team playing in a big important game, and the coach deciding to bench the 1st string.  No one would expect victory in this case.

Can you imagine if believers would release the angels to active status.  To call up the first string team to play on their part.  I wonder how much easier our trials would be, and how different our lives would be.  The war that exist in the heavenly realm is real.  I believe we will be most effective in our bringing about victory if we will choose to do what we know is right, walk in truth, obey the word of the Lord; follow, surrender and cooperate with the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit.  I believe our lives would be entirely different.  We would unleash a powerful force on our behalf, and I believe we would begin to walk in the victory that is ours because we are children of God.

So if we do indeed have available to us an army of angels to war on our behalf in the heavenly realm, let's stop boring them, and walk in a manner that releases them to do what they are designed to do.

No More Sterilization of Religion

One simple request if you are a believer in Jesus.  We live in a time where we are educated, dignified
and clean.  When we pray, worship and meet together in the name of the Lord, are we too educated, too dignified and has our cleanliness made us sterile?

Imagine for a moment the cost that God paid for us to be believing Christians.  That cost was to pay a price that we could do to do for us a thing that we could not do.  We cannot set our own selves free.  We can not make things right with God without the sacrifice of Jesus.  That should set up ablaze within.  We should be jumping for joy.

Even though I am not advocating making a spectacle of ourselves, I am advocating we do not become too dignified to worship a Lord that has done such a great thing for us.  I also do not believe we should be cleaned and sterile.  God has cleaned us up by Jesus and it is to create an environment for life.  A sterile environment is to kill all things.  We are to have life and have it abundantly.

So let's just hold on to this truth about what price was paid for us.  Remember what it cost Jesus and never take it casually.  Sing praise to Him with abandoned and get rid of the dignified persona and remember nothing grows in a sterile environment.  

So maybe we can be a little messy in worship, and even sing a little louder in our praise.  We can mess up while we pray... but pray anyway.  Allow ourselves to be moved by the thought of a God who loves us so much that He sent His Son from a place where they were in perfect unity, the Son was praised and adored as royalty and descended to earth to put on flesh to become our sacrifice in order to pay for our sin debt that we couldn't afford to pay.  He did this through the hours of torture and humiliation; rejection by many, the vilest of men taunting Him. All of that led to His agonizing death on a cross to pay for our debt so we may be filled with the Holy Spirit and join in unity with our God and Creator.  That ought to make our hearts sing.

Let's leave the sterilization process at the hospital where it is appropriate. but say NO MORE STERILE, DIGNIFIED, POMPOUS WORSHIP, PRAISE, PRAYER OR RELIGION FOR ME!  That is not what Jesus died to give us.  So do not settle for that.

The world does not need dignified, sterilized religion ...  It needs to know that Jesus loves them and we need to know that too.  We need a vibrant relationship with the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

Prodigal

The story in scripture about the son who went to his father to ask for his inheritance in order to go away and live it up is a familiar story to many people.  Some people refer to this prodigal as a black sheep, wild child or rebellious child.  The story is a heartbreaking story for this wanderer because he squanders all his inheritance and ends up with the pigs. The story is also heartbreaking for the father who is left behind wondering if his son is okay or will every return home.

I began to think about this scenario as the prodigal son's father waits at home hoping for his sons return. I imagined the other son who remained at home with the father returns home from a journey and tells his father that he has seen the prodigal.  Just imagine the father's excitement.  I imagine he would begin questioning the son. "Did you tell him I love him?"  "Did you tell him he was welcome to return home?" " Did you tell him that I can't wait to see him again?"

I also imagine that our heavenly Father is saying the same things to us when we encounter His wayward, wandering or lost children.  "Did you tell them I love them?"  "Did you tell them that I made a way for them to come home to me?"  "Did you tell them that I can't wait to be in communication with them?" "I have so much I want to tell them.  Did you tell them..."

Be on the look out for the prodigals that may just need to hear from you that the Father is longing for them to come home.

How Inspiring: The Martyr of Perpetua

Yes it has been a long time since I posted a blog.  I have been VERY busy, or should I say the Lord has been busy in me.  Last post was Oct. 2016.  Since then I have been studying the word, preparing for Christmas, ladies retreat at church and leading several small group bible studies.  All the while, being a wife, mom and fitness leader.  Any of you that know me, know that I take my responsibility as a citizen of the United States very seriously.  I believe it is a privilege and GREAT HONOR to be part of this nation's citizenship.  So you may also note that the election of 2016 fell in the middle of this time frame as well.  So yes it has been a while.

Today, I have been working on an online study with Lifeway, Mark, by Lisa Harper.  In her video, she mentions Perpetua, a Christian martyr in the third century.  I was so impressed by her story, I am sharing a link here  Story of Perpetua

While I will not say much more so that I do not take away from that amazing story, I was challenged by this story.

Having walked with the Lord a large portion of my life, I pondered this thought:  Do I live my faith the way she died in her faith?

So today, I am sending that question out to each of you too!  (Keep in mind, this is not for condemnation, but for revelation and inspiration:  Hopefully spurring us on to a more meaningful faith walk with our Lord)

Praying blessing on you today.

What if I am Right and You are Wrong about Eternal Matters???

I had an image or dream in my head of a conversation I was having with someone of power who was

taunting me for all that I professed to believe to be true in life.  In essence, my beliefs were being put on trial.

As this thought/dream would not leave my mind, time would pass and it would hang out just underneath the surface of my consciousness.  Almost as if I was slightly aware of it still dangling in my thoughts.

So today I decided to try to put it into words.

I believe that I have a purpose for my life.  I believe I was created to know my Creator.  I believe He wants to enter into a personal connection with me and do life with me.  As this progresses, I begin to enjoy life even if my circumstances are not enjoyable.  Continuing on with that, I then become a different person.  I become one that desires to behave in a way that contradicts my inner fleshly desires and self-centered pursuits.  I begin to long to rise above myself and proceed to do that which may not be even in my own best interest.  In all that I do, I begin to bring attention and glory to the one that Created me and the one that is continually refining and perfecting me.  My goal becomes
"to know God, to be known by God and to make Him known to others."

The image in my head was me conveying this information to another.  This other person didn't believe in the existence of God nor did this person think I had any right to believe this for myself.  Also, my intelligence was called into question as was my character and credibility.  I was being taunted as a redneck, bigotted idiot.  So here is what stuck with me.  I simply said that if what I believe to be true is indeed wrong, what did I loose.  I am pursuing right living.  I am pursuing a desire to love those I encounter.  I long for others to not be held captive by lifestyles and choices that can rob them of a happy life.  BUT here is what stood out the most to me...  WHAT IF I AM RIGHT AND YOU ARE WRONG...  What will you loose?  complete and utter separation from your creator and maybe separation from those you love,  Hell for eternity will be your eternal existence yet never be able to escape it not even in death.  In the meanwhile, you will miss out on the full life that is in Christ.  It doesn't promise to be pain free or easy, but I can tell you in the midst of bad circumstances, we can be filled with hope, love, peace, joy and strength.

I have to ask  if there are any who read this that may say "there has to be more to life than this". There has to be those who ponder purpose and meaning that extends beyond our own selfish existence.  What if I am right?  What if there is a better way of living and what if you are wrong?  Would you want to know?

Are there those in your life that may want to know?

If you are in Christ, I challenge you to not share this message with another but be the message.  Live a life dependent on God, filled with the Holy Spirit.  Not filled with condemnation but responsive to inner conviction prompted by walking with Christ.  Prompted even more as you pursue living a life that pleases the Holy Spirit that lives within you and guides you.  And living a life that lines up with the scripture because it helps you navigate a hostile world.  I personally do not want you to get puffed up with knowledge of the word but just be transformed into a loving, compassionate, gracious, pure, kind, and holy child of God.

Ever Wonder How to be Obedient?

I am overwhelmed in the best way.  I spent the last several days at a leadership workshop entitled YOU Lead and a women's conference with Beth Moore and I feel as if I have been at an informational buffet.  I feel spiritual stuffed with the finest foods which were carefully prepared just for me.

I wish I could do justice to all I received.  I would love to be able to share it all here.  But just as it takes time to digest a large meal, I too will be digesting all I received over the last several days for some time.

The best thing is that it didn't end there.  God just graciously kept giving to me.  At church this morning the message, the worship and the prayer time was so great and uplifting.  My cup is overflowing.  This week we are beginning the fall women's bible study program in our church. I am excited that we are starting up a second study for the day time which we have not had in a while.

I am praying for the Lord to fill each of us during this time.

Through the training and conference, I was reminded more than I was taught new concepts.  One concept I began the chew on was this question:  "For those of us who do regular study in the scripture, ARE WE DOING WHAT WE LEARNED?"  Are we obeying what we have already studied?  We really do not need to move forward just to gain more information if we are not putting what we have already learned into place.  Like James says, "Be doers of the word".  There is no need to continue to study the word for study's sake.  We have to be obeying it. What exactly would be the purpose of studying God's word otherwise?

So how exactly are we able to do the OBEYING of the word? I believe the simplicity of the gospel is in this, we focus on God, who He is and what He has done for us, ask Him to equip us to love Him with everything that is within us.  If we love Him we will obey Him.  That love will be our propellant to obey Him.

The message from Beth Moore this weekend was all about the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The profound statement she made was regarding how we often manufacture the filling of the Holy Spirit and how ironic it is that we do this  The Holy Spirit filling us to overflowing produces in us fruit that is undeniably Him.  When we fake it or attempt to manufacture Jesus in our own flesh, we are empty,  and others are at best entertained and at worst repelled.  We miss out on the best part of following Jesus when we do it this way which is experiencing His power in us, intimacy with Him and the joy of doing it with Him.  The question I ask is why would we want to counterfeit the manifestation of the Holy Spirit when it is so easy to allow Him access and just be available for the real manifestation.  It will be for our good, for His glory and a benefit to all around us that are seeking hope.

Be doers of the word only by the filling of the Holy Spirit by dwelling on the attributes, awesomeness, and wonders of God.

I am His and He is mine!!!  Dwell of that.

Beth pointed out that blessed is the man whose sins are not counted against him.  She noted that in this scripture the word blessed actually could be translated happy here.  She also noted that there are a lot of unhappy Christians.  Dwell on the fact that if you have received Christ, your sins are no longer counted against you.  That should make us all shout hallelujah.  That should make us jump for joy. Get a spring in our step!!!!!!

So we have the ability to be witnesses of the Lord to a world that needs it.  We have the ability to be hope to a world with no hope.  We have the ability to demonstrate Jesus by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in us.  The world needs us to be filled.  As I said, it will be for our good, God's glory and the benefit of those seeking.  See the burden is not on us to manufacture anything, to come up with cleaver messages, to say the "right thing" or to be anything for anyone.  What we need to be is surrendered vessels to our Holy God to use, to fill, and to pour out. (this is when we are authentic instruments of righteousness)  That should cause each of us to have a sigh of relief.  We should not be holding back in anyway.  Obedience is just Him shining His light on the next thing and us following. (like Blackaby says in Experiencing God, go where you see God already at work)  We still need to be in the word so we will be able to discern His voice to us because He will not speak in a manner that contradicts His word.  We also need to be devoted to time in prayer.

In my pastor's sermon, he talked about how life sometimes overwhelms us and we feel overcome. But God can take that situation or even season and make us overcomers.  Through that, we than can be available to walk with others who are in the midst of life's trials as they go from being overcome to an overcomer. So if you are in a season of despair or feel overwhelmed with life's punches, I want to share this wonderful video from Mandisa and hope you find encouragement from it.  You're an Overcomer by Mandisa

The True Definition of Worship

Last year I posted the following: Cloud of Witnesses

I think frequently how although we are free in Christ and not to be bound by legalism; we ought to care how we reflect Christ and represent Him to the world.  We do have a cloud of witnesses watching and we really ought to care about that.

I was thinking and pondering the word worship.  I looked up the definition and this is what I found on Christianity Today website.  I just had to share it.  I included most of the article below so I take no credit:

Psalm 96:9 "O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth" (KJV). The Book of Psalms is filled with hundreds of poetic anthems used in the religious celebrations of the children of Israel that clearly instructed them (and us) how to worship God. Yet, even though I heard the word worship in conversation, testimonies, songs, and Scripture, I didn't completely understand what it meant.

The Priority of Worship

Worship is not the slow song that the choir sings. Worship is not the amount you place in the offering basket. Worship is not volunteering in children's church. Yes, these may be acts or expressions of worship, but they do not define what true worship really is. There are numerous definitions of the word worship. Yet, one in particular encapsulates the priority we should give to worship as a spiritual discipline: Worship is to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission (Webster's Dictionary,1828).

True worship, in other words, is defined by the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness. Thus, if your lifestyle does not express the beauty of holiness through an extravagant or exaggerated love for God, and you do not live in extreme or excessive submission to God, then I invite you to make worship a non-negotiable priority in your life.

We worship God because he is God. Period. Our extravagant love and extreme submission to the Holy One flows out of the reality that God loved us first. It is highly appropriate to thank God for all the things he has done for us. However, true worship is shallow if it is solely an acknowledgement of God's wealth. Psalm 96:5-6 says, "For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary." In other words, our worship must be toward the one who is worthy simply because of his identity as the Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent One, and not just because God is wealthy and able to meet our needs and answer our prayers. We must focus our practice of worship on the worthiness of God and not his wealthiness.

The Person We Worship

Think about this: Would you continue to worship God if, from this day forward, God's miraculous signs and wonders were not so profoundly evident in your life? Would God still be worthy of your worship? Or is your worship completely dependent upon the abundance of God's blessings upon your life? Do you only worship God for what he can do for you?

The Promise of Worship

Because of our God's unimaginable generosity toward us, God, in all of his glory, chooses to respond to us through our worship. This is the promise—that when we worship God with extravagant love and extreme submission, God will come and commune with us. The promise is not that we will feel great or that our heavy load will be lifted, but that God will come. And when God comes in his own time as a response to our worship, Psalm 96:13 declares, "Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness."

Our Needs and God's Answer!

I want to take a look at the concept of our needs.  God created us with these needs and they are valid.

 For instance, hunger is a response to the body letting your brain know that you are in need of nutrition.  At that moment you have an option and a choice to make, to choose junk or healthy food.  You can have a Big Mac and fries, or you can have a healthy, nutrient rich salad that is full of fresh vegetables combined with a healthy protein choice and balanced out with a healthy fat. Both will respond to the body's demand of hunger, but only one of them will satisfy the nutrient demand of the body.

Just as we have this need for food, the body has so many other types of needs, i.e. companionship - removal of loneliness.  Our Creator said it is not good to be alone.  We were created to be connected both with others and with our Creator.  We can satisfy it with healthy connections with both, or it is possible to falsely satisfy it with other things.  But you will not feel truly satisfied.  We however demand this need be met with man made options that give an illusion of satisfaction but really never delivers just like the Big Mac.  Isn't it strange that the God of the Universe wants to be in connection with us, and we choose instead to relate to a man made option that can only leave us feeling either the same amount of loneliness or worse.

So the truth is I can choose and am free to choose to eat the Big Mac and fries, but if I do this for a longer period time, I will be full each time I consume it without ever meeting my nutritional demands.  Can we all see that this is a recipe for disaster. We will compromise our health. This is true for all of our other needs as well.  Any need met in the short term without regard to what you really need, will bring about long term issues.  These needs are legitimate and God longs to provide for all our needs, but we settle all too often for the world's Big Mac answer.

God's answer for our needs is Him just like the nutrient rich salad meets our physical need for nutrition.

What if we start trusting God to meet our needs?  What if we bring our perceived needs to Him?  Then trust Him to answer as He sees fit.  He knows us and our needs.  What if we allow the needs to drive us to God?  Sometimes our perceived needs are just that... perceived.  What if they are just wants in disguise?  He is able to satisfy our needs and we can find rest and peace in that.  Any unmet need can robe us of our peace.  So go to Him.

Sexual activity is a real need.  However, mankind has found an abundant way of satisfying this desire/need with all manner of perversion/activity which lies outside of God's design.  When this need is met according to God's plan and design, can be wonderful, beautiful and satisfying.  I know in this day and time it is not popular to say and most will call me old fashioned, but the truth remains that what God did when He set aside this pleasurable activity for marriage between one man and one woman, it was to connect them in oneness in such a precious intimate way.  I believe that is why the commitment of marriage is SOOO important.  Knowing that person is in the relationship, choosing to connect only with you, being committed and dedicated to love you for a lifetime. The commitment gives you a level of trust with the other person and a confidence in knowing they will be there tomorrow and the next and the next... (I know there are exceptions, but I am referring to design)  When it is done right, it is intended to bring forth the deepest level of connection we can have with another human, and this truly will take away the feeling of aloneness.  This brings forth a deeper love, a deeper commitment, and a deeper intimacy.  The only relationship that can surpass this experience is the one we can have with God Himself by His Holy Spirit which was carved out for us by His Son Jesus Christ.

When you consider the one-night stand, it can result in a pregnancy. It can satisfy the primal physical demand, but it cannot take away aloneness.  It cannot meet our need to connect and be truly intimate with another.  I believe the sexual experience for anyone outside of the committed relationship is not truly meeting the deeper needs because you are connecting sexually with another that is not required to be there tomorrow and the next... In this scenario, we are meeting the perceived need of sexual physical desire without addressing the deeper true need of connecting, intimacy and trust.

This all can happen in marriage.  Does it?  Not always but it can!  Why doesn't it?  Perhaps it is because marriage is made up of two humans who can be self-centered and self-focused.  I think a start here would be to think of the needs of your partner above your own.  Taking inventory of your own sin and issues.  However, we often keep our eyes on the sin and shortcomings of our partner and our own needs.  We take a stand and say we have the right.  Well if that is the stance you take, often times you will find yourself standing alone with your rights to keep you warm.

So here I have laid out several of our needs and ways that we have tried to satisfy each.  God created us with needs and if we will seek Him and trust Him to provide for our needs, we can be fully satisfied.  He has all the nutrients we require.  He has the RIGHT answer.  It will not be artificial flavoring. It is going to be good, perfect, and we are going to satisfied, peaceful and at rest/ at ease.

Where are you artificially meeting your own needs?  The Big Mac answer is not going to truly satisfy your needs.  Am I saying you should never eat a Big Mac? No.  But you need to be fully aware that it cannot meet your nutritional need.  Enjoy it. But it should never be your standard diet.  Your health depends on it.  This is true for all of our other needs as well.

If we could allow God to meet our needs, we could be so satisfied that we become a beautiful example to the world.  And there we can truly reveal God's glory to the world.

We can extravagantly honor him. We can submit to Him. We can choose His way so that the world can see hope in us.  For those that are lost and going to hell for all of eternity, they can see Christ manifested in the lives of His followers.

WE Christians get so wrapped up in our right to be right and our own perceived needs, our need to be comfortable, even our desire to be catered to by our choice of music or worship styles that we cannot see the true needs of the lost world that is headed for eternal damnation.  Honestly when we are in this place, we have played right into the hands of the enemy.  We have fully cooperated with his plan to take as many to hell as he can grasp.  Well how about we say NO MORE!!!  We seek God to meet our needs, HIS WAY!!!  We walk in obedience and submission and take our eyes off our perceived needs and look around us at those lost without hope.  We can then live lives in a manner that can be seen as different.  And be ready to offer up an answer when asked to the hope that we have.

We need to crucify our fleshly needs, allow God to meet the real underlying needs, rip the bandage off our pitiful hurts and wounds and allow God to heal them once and for all.  Then we can go serve our ONE TRUE GOD by reaching out to the broken lost world around us.  We need to STOP being another excuse for the lost to deny Jesus as the ultimate eternal answer.  Is it really worth the eternal life of another person for you to do as you please.  Stop being a stumbling block, stop saying you are free in Christ to do as you please.  Well if it causes another to remain lost without hope, do you really want to take that excuse before God one day?  I know I don't.

You see God will heal our wounds if we will take them to Him because He is Jehovah Rapha.
He will provide for our needs because He is Jehovah Jireh.

Let's honor Him with our lives and live glorified lives so that others can know Him.

Spend time with Him.  He will heal you and He will meet your needs!

He created us.
He knows what we need...

He has the answer we are looking for.

When the Body of Christ Loves Well!!!

Typically, I only post a blog if I have something to say.  Over the course of many months, I have had very little to say.  Lately I have done a lot of reading, studying, ministering to others and been very quiet. Several studies ago, I did the Armor
of God study by Priscilla Shirer. She placed a challenge to the reader "for the next seven days, try not to say or do anything in response to feelings of insecurity, fear, or really anything that is out of alignment with your true identity in Christ.  You might be surprised at how quiet you become."  The challenge to the author herself was "not to say or do anything that originates from a place of insecurity... before I choose to accept an invitation... respond to a tweet...add a comment to a conversation, I stop and make myself consider the motivation behind it. Am I doing this because I want validation or the approval of a person, group or people? Or am I doing this from a posture of value and worth in Christ? I want to train and discipline myself not to placate old feelings that the enemy is dredging up from my past."

So I took the challenge seriously and since then, I have been much quieter in general.

However, lately, I have sensed it was time to begin speaking again, write again.  My mind is flooded with stuff again.

I had lunch with several ladies the other day, and I was reminded of some truths that no one in the body seems to want to discuss, face and admit.  The truth of the matter is the body of Christ is made up of human beings!  There in lies the biggest issue. If the Triune God had left that one thing out of the body, it would be absolute perfection.  It would not have all the issues that face Christians.

• I cannot tell you how many times I have heard others or thought it myself, "I can love and trust God, it is His followers I have problems with."
• Trouble with this thinking is scripture tells us to love one another and to bear with one another's burdens.

So now that I have spoken the obvious, let's take a look at what may be the root of the issue. It is me, it is you, and it is any other human that has responded to the drawing of the Holy Spirit, accepted the price God paid to settle the sin debt that we owed by sacrificing His son Jesus, and welcomed the Lord's activity into their life.

Is it ok that I am flawed as a follower of Christ?  Will you allow me to admit that without God, I am an absolute mess.  I would not be someone any of you would care to be around.  At best, I would be self motivated to be kind. I would treat people better if there was something in it for me otherwise, I would do what is best for me.  I would say hurtful things if I thought it would make me feel better.  I would think of my self more than I do of others.  I would not love very well if at all. However, I have to choose to allow the Holy Spirit to help me, enable me and equip me so that I do not follow my nature of self-centeredness.

If you encounter me and find any redeeming value in me, it is the work of the Holy Spirit.  If you have experienced the me that I mention in the previous paragraph, I am so sorry.  That is truly the me that walks by the flesh.  That is the me that blows it and misrepresents God in the process.  In as much as I will die to myself everyday is as much as I can reflect the image of Christ in my life to each of you.

Anyone of us can wound and injure others either intentionally or unintentionally.  We need to be aware of the weightiness of our action and take responsibility for them.  We do not want to be like the diciples when they were trying to keep the little children from bothering Jesus, and Jesus scolded them for it.  He said do not keep them from coming to me.

Any of us who claim to be a follower of Jesus and yet walk out the desires of our flesh, need to remember that we may be preventing someone from coming to Christ based on the way we are living. I for one do not want to be a roadblock for someone else.

This is a great reason and motivation for us to walk dependent on the Holy Spirit in our lives and obey each thing He places on our hearts.  There are so many who have been hurt and wounded by the body, and they are staying away from Jesus because of His followers.  If you are one who is hurt, on behalf of the body, I am so sorry.  On behalf of Jesus, His arms are open wide to heal your hurts. On your behalf, please forgive and find a place to fellowship with other believers.  According to Hebrews we are not to forsake the gathering together and especially as we see the day of the Lord approaching.

We all need each other.  The word says the world will know we are Jesus' disciples by our love for each other. Let's love each other well.  Let's cut each other some slack.  Let's recognize that we are all imperfect vessels in need of help, guidance, love, forgiveness, compassion, and a huge dose of grace.

Let's desire to love one another, let's resolve to be unified in Christ and in love, putting others interest ahead of our own.  Can you imagine what a church operating in this manner would be like.  I for one love to see it.  It is not perfect, but it is good.  I love my church.

The Sweetest Love Story

John's love for her began before he knew who she was. It was the mere idea of her that created the love that he had in his heart.  There was nothing to compare to it. He longed to share his life with the idea of her.

From the beginning, he had dreamed of a person who would know him, I mean REALLY know him. Someone who would be a witness of his life, and with whom he could share everything. He dreamed of the day that they would share such a deep knowledge of one another that they would in essence become one due to the deep intimacy they would share.

His longing for her ran deep. It would remain on his heart and in the back of his mind continuously.

Then the one day, after all his searching, he met Beth.  He knew without a doubt that he had encountered the "one".  She was all his heart had hoped for and so much more. She would be the one that would complete him and make him fulfilled and satisfied. The longing and emptiness would finally be filled.

Yes, he was certain she was it. But there was only one problem, Beth was not convinced. John now would need to win her over, show her that he was what was best for her and persuade her that he was what she had been searching for all this time. 

Unfortunately, she was not easily convinced. She had come to believe that her happiness would come from her independence, personal pursuits, gaining personal fame and glory for herself.  All Beth would give John was friendship and kindness. She relegated him to a place of consultant in her life when she needed him.  He would try to give her advice and even warn her at times of unhealthy connections only to be met with her look of scorn.

Although he longed to hold that special place in her heart, he would settle for being a part of  her life as her friend.

For years, John watched as Beth would go from one relationship to another. Always, choosing the wrong guys. The way she chose them was so bizarre to him. He would observe as she would be drawn to the bad boy, the star athlete, the emotionally aloof guy, or any guy that just needed her to rescue him and reform him by her love. 

It was so painful for him to watch, and he could see how each one of them would never be worthy of her. Eventually each guy would wound Beth and break her heart.

As he would watch season after painful season, the only thing John could count on was that each one would drive her back to him. He was the faithful friend that was there to pick up the pieces when the bad boy broke her heart because he dumped her for another (because that's what bad boys do; that's why they are called bad boys). He was there when the star athlete never had time for her. He was there when she realized the emotionally aloof guy made her feel more alone when she was with him than when she was by herself. He was there when the guy who needed to be rescued didn't want to be rescued, and she couldn't handle his unhealthy behavior any longer. He was always there for her.

John also saw that with each painful relationship a little piece of Beth was tarnished. She developed unhealthy attachments, behaviors and desires. The sweet purity and innocence of Beth was fading.

He ached in his heart as he watched her make one bad decision after another; season by season and year by year. Every year she spent chasing after these failed pursuits was one less year they would have together; one more year wasted. He knew that what she was longing for was right in front of her, and all she had to do was accept it and say yes. Oh it was so simple but yet, what was it that drove her to this mindless and empty pursuit? Why was she so determined to go after all of these options that brought her so much pain and emptiness, when love is waiting right in front of her.

John's love for Beth is available to her at any time she chooses to receive it. He is even willing to forget all of the other guys, all the wasted years and start fresh. All she has to do is turn around and agree with John in order to be happy.

What makes Beth so determined to go after all of the other guys?

We want this story to have a happy ending, but Beth gets to choose how it will turn out. It is up to her to continue down the path that not only causes her pain, but also the path that she thinks will satisfy her longing, make her happy and remove her loneliness. 

As you read this story, what do you think she will choose?

Will there come a point where she surrenders to John and finally enters into a relationship with him?

Will she instead, keep him at a distance in the friend zone; only consulting with him when life is just too painful?

Will John ever leave her, stop longing for her or finally give up on her?

This story demonstrates the heart of God toward man, but it also demonstrates man's heart toward God. We run after our own gods. We pursue all the things that we believe will fill our void and make us happy. We chase after the things of this world and relegate God to a place of bystander and consultant on an "as needed" basis just like Beth does to John. 

We see the great love that John has for Beth, but the greatest love story ever written is in the Bible. It is a story of unaltered love and sacrifice to a "Beth" that will never be fully faithful. A "Beth" that will chase after other loves.

The story from beginning to end, is a beautiful story about a loving and perfect God who longs to be with his creation even before they are born. He has such a strong desire to know them and be known by them. He longs to connect with His creation. He created mankind to be a witness of His existence, to connect in close communion with Him to produce intimate togetherness and oneness. The relationship is intended to meet all of our needs, to satisfy our desires and to make life worth living. 

This is why  we were created. Yet often, we choose to go it alone, or do it our own way. Just like John and Beth, what we are looking for is right before us, and all we have to do is accept it and say yes. 

The Bible is a story of God and man. God being perfect, man being imperfect. However, the imperfection of man is the very thing that separates him from a perfect God. 

Throughout the stories, the common theme is God and man together. God sets parameters and warns man of the dangers for man's sake, man doesn't believe God, man does what he thinks is best, and man and God separate...  Man realizes that God was right, begs for reconciliation,.. so the cycle repeats.

But through it all, the deficiency and inadequacy was always within man. The perfection and completeness was within God. 

The story of redemption throughout the history of mankind and God is that man cannot remain in relationship with God without God. God has to equip, enable, and establish him.

We are flawed and imperfect, but a perfect God wants and desires to be in a relationship with us. We are His Beth and He is our John. John was ready to do whatever it took to be with Beth, but Beth had to be willing. 

God is willing and scripture says that He wants all to come to repentance and that none would perish. It also says that if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. We believe with the heart and it is counted as our right standing with God, and we confess with our mouth resulting in our salvation.

So the imperfectness of man is made right by God so that we can be in that perfect relationship, we can commune with God as we were created to do, and the Holy Spirit will dwell richly within us and in essence we will be one with Him.  His thoughts will be our thoughts.  Our minds will be transformed so we will be able to know the will of God. 

It is truly the sweetest love story ever told.  He loves us so much that He made a way for us to be together even with all of our imperfections and sins.  All that was falling short of His standards in us, He made up the deficit Himself.  He was willing to pay for our deficiency in order for us to be united in relationship with Him. He did it by sacrificing His only son who was a perfect spotless lamb. His blood was shed and poured out to cover our deficiency. That was the payment, and it is done; finished. The blood is enough to cover all our deficit so that we can be united with God in wholeness as it was designed to be. He knows that He is what we need and that He is best for us.

So what makes us so determined to go after the things of this world instead of God?

We all need this story to have a happy ending, but WE gets to choose how it turns out. It is up to us to continue down the path that not only causes us pain, but also the path that we think will satisfy our longings, make us happy and remove our loneliness. Oddly enough, the world never delivers on its promises. We end up more dissatisfied, unhappy and even more lonely than before. 

What will you choose?

Was there a point in your life where you surrendered to God? Or will there come a point where you will surrender to God and finally enter into a relationship with Him?

Will you instead, keep Him at a distance, chase after the things of this world and relegate Him to a place in your life where you consult with him when life is just too painful or on an "as needed" basis. 

Will God ever leave us, stop longing for us to choose Him, or finally give up on us? The answer is ... No and Yes! Eventually He will but it will be "ONLY WHEN WE ARE DEAD!"

Just like John and Beth, what we are looking for is right before us, and all we have to do is turn to Him, accept Him and say yes. 

Remember: The Greatest Love Story ever told is in the Bible. It is a story of unaltered love and sacrifice to a "Beth" that can never be fully faithful. But if she says yes, it is about a wonderful life of love, joy, peace, hope, and fulfillment.