One of the things that must happen for Christian salvation to take place is Surrender. It is the realization that doing things your way, for your personal outcomes is not working and that you need the guidance of God and the Love of Jesus Christ to shift and change your life and your nature. Salvation seems like an unsolvable math equation until you experience it and live it.
But what happens when a Christian wants to debate God's Will with God? What happens when a Christian wants to walk in stubbornness? This is what the older generation would call a 'stubborn will', a place of not fully complete surrender. It can be a hard road because it puts the individual in a place of negotiation with God and even explaining to God why thing need to be done differently. It is the ultimate in arrogance. So how can arrogance truly serve God?
What has been on my mind for a few weeks now is the journey of Jonah. Everything that Jonah went through before and after his doing what God has assigned him to due is shadowed by his attitude. You would think that after all he went through over his assignment that his attitude would be one of surrender, but it seems that he had to keep dealing with the consequences of his stubbornness. But was it worth it? Isnt that always the question of watching someone walk in disobedience? Isnt that always the question that you want to ask someone who is determined to do things their way instead of walking in obedience to God's Will?
It is as if there is a doubt of God's ability. How else could you not fully trust what God is wanting to ask of you? How could you expect to come out with less by doing things God's way than trusting God's Plan?
So Jonah is stubborn to the point that everyone on the ship with him has to deal with the storm, until he is thrown off the ship. Can you imagine the emotional distress of the others on the ship? Can you imagine how disheartening it is to watch a person face the waves and the sea, and pending death? Is arguing with God worth it?
God in his mercy, and in intent that what was assigned to Jonah was in fact his assignment, not to be given to another lets Jonah live. Let's face it, God could have allowed Jonah to die in the sea and raise up another to fulfill the prophetic assignment, so why does God allow Jonah to live?
In saving Jonah's life, God puts him in a horrible situation - the stomach of a whale. Can you imagine the smell, the taste, the environmental hazards, etc? The toxic feel of stomach acid meant to digest food on his skin had to be horrible. But this was the place that his stubbornness got him to experience. He was alive, but surrounded by toxic filth. All at the price if disobedience and stubbornness.
Can you imagine being regurgitated by a whale? That has to be a hard life experience. But Jonah's attitude is still not completely right about his assignment. By this point, he is starting to have a better understanding of the seriousness that God has towards Jonah being obedient. And even in Jonah doing what was such a simple assignment, he still wants to have an attitude about the whole matter.
So then we see Jonah go into a mode a pouting about not being able to do things his own way. Still stubbornness, but from a different angle, but with the same argumentative spirit. The journey towards Christian obedience is one that each individual must take alone. Even though other Christians are on the journey with you, and it is important to be a part of a community of faith, the journey towards the blessings or correction of God is individual.
Jonah was set up to receive a prophets reward. He is still know as being a prophet of God, but his disobedient attitude and the outcomes of that are what he is most remember for. What more could Jonah's future had been besides sitting with his attitude, angry at God, not concerned about the souls of the people that he could have reached in Nineveh and possibly beyond if he had only developed the right attitude for ministry and let go of his stubborn will.
It is hard to watch those who want to wrestle with God's Will waste precious time in toxic disobedience that could be spent going further into the BLESSINGS of God's Will. Jonah did deliver the message to the city of Nineveh, but where does his life journey go after that? To take a spectator's seat to watch with attitude to see what will happen is not the ideal alternative to walking in one's calling to do great ministry where you have been assigned. It is to settle for a lot of land, when God is offering an empire.
Showing posts with label Sanctification. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sanctification. Show all posts
February 25, 2020
April 24, 2018
Gender and Salvation
Contrary to what our society wants to tell us, there are some distinct differences in men and women. God created humanity this way for a reason. The differences are to compliment each other, they are not to make one gender more valid than the other, they are designed to work together to create balance in the home, family, community and society.
Within this understanding there are some things that are part of the personality of the individual, but for the most part at the core there are certain things that are key characteristics. God's creation is intentional, with so much attention to detail that some times it is hard to even wrap one's mind around all of the intricate care that God lovingly set in order to create the world that we live in and our human bodies designed just right for the atmosphere and gravity of the Earth.
There are some cognitive differences in men and women. I wont bore with too much scientific fact, but I will say that in many cases men and women process information differently, and they respond to that information differently. Again, I will state that personality in the individual does play a key role in this, because each person has some unique qualities, as God did not create us as one clone, but part of the beautiful variety that is throughout creation. For example, all trees have the same basic features, but there are multiple varieties of trees, the same can be said of birds, flowers, on and on.... God clearly loves variety because it is expressed throughout creation. In this way, each individual is unique, but with some sameness of humanity.
Salvation is defined in the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms as follows:
"God's activities in bringing humans into a right relationship with God and with one another through Jesus Christ. They are saved from the consequences of their sin and given eternal life. Biblical images for salvation vary widely."
This definition uses some very active words. It also clearly states that salvation is more than just the relationship with God, but also with one another. This is very important to understand the Christian community of faith that develops among those who are saved. No where in this definition is a distinction of gender, which means that salvation is for both men and women. But when we look at the Christian community of faith, in almost all cases there are more women than men within congregations.
Salvation is available to all. How men and women process information can be very different, especially when it comes to self introspection. This is important because when presenting the Gospel to men and women, there is some need for intentional use of facts, because men get details and facts in a very different way than women do. This is often reflected in communication styles. Men want the bottom line fact first, and women can navigate through the details and eventually get to what should point to the facts.
For salvation to take place, one must be aware that one's relationship with God is not right. ... That one is a sinner. To acknowledge this fact in one's spiritual state of being requires conviction. Our legal system has lead us to think about conviction in a certain way, that relies on how the information is understood by others. But the type of conviction that leads one to realize they are in need of Jesus Christ and salvation, is internal. In other words, the facts have to be presented to the individual, not the group of peers. The group of peers may see the facts without a shadow of a doubt, but for salvation to take place the individual must see one's own sinful nature as based on the facts presented to one's own self. This level of self honesty means that the person must be humbled by the Holy Spirit of God opening ones eyes, to be honest with one's self about one's own actions and motives.
Conviction of sin is defined in the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms as follows:
"The sense of the reality of sin in one's life as known by the work of the Holy Spirit ( John 16: 8-9)."
When a person is unwilling to face the facts of their own wrong, it takes the Holy Spirit to show the individual how far way from God they truly are, how are away from doing right they truly are in their own way of being. Sinners and backsliders, are able to justify their ways, or the even ignore reasoning. But once one truly becomes aware of the fact that one is wrong, in word and deed, something has to change. Either the individual will take the "Romans Road" or will continue to reject God, Jesus Christ, and salvation.
In recent years, the preaching of the Gospel has become quite docile when it comes to stating the facts. And this is reflected in the lack of men who are active participants in church. This is reflective of the lower numbers of men who are accepting salvation in Jesus Christ. Maybe the "hell, fire, and brimstone" type sermon of the past seems a bit harsh, but some time the facts are harsh. Sin is harsh. The consequences of sin are harsh. What sin does to one's life is harsh. What sin does to one's physical body is harsh. What sin does to the state of one's soul is harsh.
Men must be presented with the facts. The church can not follow the trends of the world and sugar coat the truth. Men respect truth and honesty, even when it is not what they want to hear. No one will receive the truth or the facts, until they are willing to surrender their own self sufficiency and realize that what is needed can not be supplied by self. But salvation is available to everyone, both men and women. God is not hiding salvation from anyone, nor is God trying to make it an unsolvable riddle. The truth of the Gospel is plain and clearly states the facts.
Men may not like asking for help or directions, but when a man realizes that his soul is at stake, in danger, the urgency will become real. A sin sick soul can only be healed by the Power of God, through the blood of Jesus Christ. A man can not save his own soul, a woman can not save her own soul. We all need Jesus.
Within this understanding there are some things that are part of the personality of the individual, but for the most part at the core there are certain things that are key characteristics. God's creation is intentional, with so much attention to detail that some times it is hard to even wrap one's mind around all of the intricate care that God lovingly set in order to create the world that we live in and our human bodies designed just right for the atmosphere and gravity of the Earth.
There are some cognitive differences in men and women. I wont bore with too much scientific fact, but I will say that in many cases men and women process information differently, and they respond to that information differently. Again, I will state that personality in the individual does play a key role in this, because each person has some unique qualities, as God did not create us as one clone, but part of the beautiful variety that is throughout creation. For example, all trees have the same basic features, but there are multiple varieties of trees, the same can be said of birds, flowers, on and on.... God clearly loves variety because it is expressed throughout creation. In this way, each individual is unique, but with some sameness of humanity.
Salvation is defined in the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms as follows:
"God's activities in bringing humans into a right relationship with God and with one another through Jesus Christ. They are saved from the consequences of their sin and given eternal life. Biblical images for salvation vary widely."
This definition uses some very active words. It also clearly states that salvation is more than just the relationship with God, but also with one another. This is very important to understand the Christian community of faith that develops among those who are saved. No where in this definition is a distinction of gender, which means that salvation is for both men and women. But when we look at the Christian community of faith, in almost all cases there are more women than men within congregations.
Salvation is available to all. How men and women process information can be very different, especially when it comes to self introspection. This is important because when presenting the Gospel to men and women, there is some need for intentional use of facts, because men get details and facts in a very different way than women do. This is often reflected in communication styles. Men want the bottom line fact first, and women can navigate through the details and eventually get to what should point to the facts.
For salvation to take place, one must be aware that one's relationship with God is not right. ... That one is a sinner. To acknowledge this fact in one's spiritual state of being requires conviction. Our legal system has lead us to think about conviction in a certain way, that relies on how the information is understood by others. But the type of conviction that leads one to realize they are in need of Jesus Christ and salvation, is internal. In other words, the facts have to be presented to the individual, not the group of peers. The group of peers may see the facts without a shadow of a doubt, but for salvation to take place the individual must see one's own sinful nature as based on the facts presented to one's own self. This level of self honesty means that the person must be humbled by the Holy Spirit of God opening ones eyes, to be honest with one's self about one's own actions and motives.
Conviction of sin is defined in the Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms as follows:
"The sense of the reality of sin in one's life as known by the work of the Holy Spirit ( John 16: 8-9)."
When a person is unwilling to face the facts of their own wrong, it takes the Holy Spirit to show the individual how far way from God they truly are, how are away from doing right they truly are in their own way of being. Sinners and backsliders, are able to justify their ways, or the even ignore reasoning. But once one truly becomes aware of the fact that one is wrong, in word and deed, something has to change. Either the individual will take the "Romans Road" or will continue to reject God, Jesus Christ, and salvation.
In recent years, the preaching of the Gospel has become quite docile when it comes to stating the facts. And this is reflected in the lack of men who are active participants in church. This is reflective of the lower numbers of men who are accepting salvation in Jesus Christ. Maybe the "hell, fire, and brimstone" type sermon of the past seems a bit harsh, but some time the facts are harsh. Sin is harsh. The consequences of sin are harsh. What sin does to one's life is harsh. What sin does to one's physical body is harsh. What sin does to the state of one's soul is harsh.
Men must be presented with the facts. The church can not follow the trends of the world and sugar coat the truth. Men respect truth and honesty, even when it is not what they want to hear. No one will receive the truth or the facts, until they are willing to surrender their own self sufficiency and realize that what is needed can not be supplied by self. But salvation is available to everyone, both men and women. God is not hiding salvation from anyone, nor is God trying to make it an unsolvable riddle. The truth of the Gospel is plain and clearly states the facts.
Men may not like asking for help or directions, but when a man realizes that his soul is at stake, in danger, the urgency will become real. A sin sick soul can only be healed by the Power of God, through the blood of Jesus Christ. A man can not save his own soul, a woman can not save her own soul. We all need Jesus.
December 2, 2017
CONVICTION
Sin is an addiction. The causes and affects are both spiritual and natural. Just like any other addiction, the addict feels justified because of their inability to believe that life could be better without the sin. For the person who is entangled in sin, it is the sin that they feel like makes one feel alive. The person can not imagine feeling more alive by a life without sin. This is what gives the sinner the joy of sinning, the urge to sin, and the sense of normalcy while living out their favorite sin or sins.
Just like any other type of addiction, the individual can change, can give up the addiction and live a life of normal activity that may actually include the chosen thing or behavior, but in a different context. The amazing thing about sin and sinful nature is that it is caused by a distortion of thought and a distortion of the context. Most sins are taking something that is a normal healthy behavior and causing it to have more control over the individual than the individual has over one's self. Sin at its core is a lack of self control that is guided toward what is outside of the Will of God.
Let's take Gluttony for example. I will not describe it because, depending on the individual, it can take on many forms of manifestation in one's life---- for this reason I will simply note the reference 1 John 2 and what is referred to as 'pride of life'. In this way, it can be said that sin is selfish, having little to no regard for others or how one's behavior or mindset affects others. In other words, having the same characteristics of any other addiction. I wont bore with talk of dopamine and neurotransmitters. But just like any other addiction, science has shown that the chemicals in the brain are released that make the individual feel like there is reward in fulfilling craved addiction. This is what makes the sin seem like a thrill, and makes the person feel alive. The problem is that the feeling wears off, and this make the need for the behavior to become repetitive/a cycle, in other words, a sinful lifestyle.
One's way of thinking has to be distorted to justify the sin. This is why you can point out the sin to the individual without the person ever giving any real thought or consideration to your words or the option to change. We all want to believe that human beings can self regulate and make some basic auto-adjustments, but when it comes to sin and immorality for real change to take place the person has to be convicted.
The legal system has given us a very different understanding of conviction than that which is actually true from a spiritual perspective. In the court system the individual is tried by a jury of their peers. In this way, the burden is on proving to the jurors enough evidence to make a decision about the individual's guilt or innocence. This is why people who are in a sinful lifestyle can engage the conversation about their sin, because they are waiting for someone to convince them that what they are thinking or doing is wrong. And this is also when you will hear someone say, 'you cant make me feel guilty', letting you know that the individual is untouched by your defense of what is right. This is also the reason why, if we are not careful, we as Christians can spend a lot of time and energy trying to convince someone to give up one's sin, in hopes that something that we say might be just what is needed to convince the person to see their ways and make the necessary changes on their own.
The individual can not even hear or give any validity to what is being said to them until they have found God. Until then the ways of thinking are distorted in favor of the sin. To spiritually auto-correct is not possible, as much as we would want for the person to auto-correct, change cant not happen until there is pneuma experience. If the individual could change on their own, then that would imply that the person could be self saving, which goes completely against the Christian understanding of conversion and salvation. But when the individual has a moment of clarity that can only come from an experience with the Holy Spirit of God, there is an awareness of one's ideas and behaviors as God sees them.
This is the reason why we keep telling the Truth of God to individuals who brush it off or just dont want to do what is right. This is the Great Commission (Matthew 28), and this is what motivates the preacher to continue to preach.
Conviction, in the context of Christianity, is when the individual, internally, is convinced that self is guilty of sin. Then the individual is able to hear the evidence as presented according to God's true knowledge of the details, which brings about the desire to change. This change is to completely turn away from the sinful nature, through repentance. True repentance (action of change) can not happen until the person has been convicted (found self guilty), and makes an intelligent decision to completely surrender to God and be converted (persuaded to change).
Change is possible. Sinners can give up sin. This belief is at the core of Christianity because Christianity is build around the understanding of Salvation. And Christian salvation requires Jesus Christ. To accept Jesus Christ is to admit to God that there is a need that is bigger than self and what one can do or provide for one's self. It is this reliance that gives the Christian the strength to live a life that is not controlled by the addiction of sin. It is to be humbled, to let go of the pride of life. It is to realize that one needs God more than the sin. It is to realize that God is the giver of life, and makes one not just feel alive briefly, but to live truly alive with New Life that spans eternity.
As a little girl, I can remember people literally walking in off the street and proclaiming with a loud voice that they wanted to be saved. Often times this would happen during the altar call, when the preacher would say, 'if your soul should be required of you today, this very hour, would you be ready to answer the call?'
Someone walking down the street could hear what was going on inside, but this day something happened that had never happened before. Many of them had walked by the church often because it was in their neighborhood, but when blinders were removed and the soul was willing to hear what God had been saying, the individual became aware of their guilt of sin and wanted to change, wanted to be free from the thing that had control over their life. The individual was able to see that the feeling of being alive that they were experiencing by being controlled by their sin was no longer as appealing as the search to find out what it was really like to be free from the bondage of sin and know truly what it was like to be alive, to be born again, given a new life in Jesus Christ.
Just like any other type of addiction, the individual can change, can give up the addiction and live a life of normal activity that may actually include the chosen thing or behavior, but in a different context. The amazing thing about sin and sinful nature is that it is caused by a distortion of thought and a distortion of the context. Most sins are taking something that is a normal healthy behavior and causing it to have more control over the individual than the individual has over one's self. Sin at its core is a lack of self control that is guided toward what is outside of the Will of God.
Let's take Gluttony for example. I will not describe it because, depending on the individual, it can take on many forms of manifestation in one's life---- for this reason I will simply note the reference 1 John 2 and what is referred to as 'pride of life'. In this way, it can be said that sin is selfish, having little to no regard for others or how one's behavior or mindset affects others. In other words, having the same characteristics of any other addiction. I wont bore with talk of dopamine and neurotransmitters. But just like any other addiction, science has shown that the chemicals in the brain are released that make the individual feel like there is reward in fulfilling craved addiction. This is what makes the sin seem like a thrill, and makes the person feel alive. The problem is that the feeling wears off, and this make the need for the behavior to become repetitive/a cycle, in other words, a sinful lifestyle.
One's way of thinking has to be distorted to justify the sin. This is why you can point out the sin to the individual without the person ever giving any real thought or consideration to your words or the option to change. We all want to believe that human beings can self regulate and make some basic auto-adjustments, but when it comes to sin and immorality for real change to take place the person has to be convicted.
The legal system has given us a very different understanding of conviction than that which is actually true from a spiritual perspective. In the court system the individual is tried by a jury of their peers. In this way, the burden is on proving to the jurors enough evidence to make a decision about the individual's guilt or innocence. This is why people who are in a sinful lifestyle can engage the conversation about their sin, because they are waiting for someone to convince them that what they are thinking or doing is wrong. And this is also when you will hear someone say, 'you cant make me feel guilty', letting you know that the individual is untouched by your defense of what is right. This is also the reason why, if we are not careful, we as Christians can spend a lot of time and energy trying to convince someone to give up one's sin, in hopes that something that we say might be just what is needed to convince the person to see their ways and make the necessary changes on their own.
The individual can not even hear or give any validity to what is being said to them until they have found God. Until then the ways of thinking are distorted in favor of the sin. To spiritually auto-correct is not possible, as much as we would want for the person to auto-correct, change cant not happen until there is pneuma experience. If the individual could change on their own, then that would imply that the person could be self saving, which goes completely against the Christian understanding of conversion and salvation. But when the individual has a moment of clarity that can only come from an experience with the Holy Spirit of God, there is an awareness of one's ideas and behaviors as God sees them.
This is the reason why we keep telling the Truth of God to individuals who brush it off or just dont want to do what is right. This is the Great Commission (Matthew 28), and this is what motivates the preacher to continue to preach.
Conviction, in the context of Christianity, is when the individual, internally, is convinced that self is guilty of sin. Then the individual is able to hear the evidence as presented according to God's true knowledge of the details, which brings about the desire to change. This change is to completely turn away from the sinful nature, through repentance. True repentance (action of change) can not happen until the person has been convicted (found self guilty), and makes an intelligent decision to completely surrender to God and be converted (persuaded to change).
Change is possible. Sinners can give up sin. This belief is at the core of Christianity because Christianity is build around the understanding of Salvation. And Christian salvation requires Jesus Christ. To accept Jesus Christ is to admit to God that there is a need that is bigger than self and what one can do or provide for one's self. It is this reliance that gives the Christian the strength to live a life that is not controlled by the addiction of sin. It is to be humbled, to let go of the pride of life. It is to realize that one needs God more than the sin. It is to realize that God is the giver of life, and makes one not just feel alive briefly, but to live truly alive with New Life that spans eternity.
As a little girl, I can remember people literally walking in off the street and proclaiming with a loud voice that they wanted to be saved. Often times this would happen during the altar call, when the preacher would say, 'if your soul should be required of you today, this very hour, would you be ready to answer the call?'
Someone walking down the street could hear what was going on inside, but this day something happened that had never happened before. Many of them had walked by the church often because it was in their neighborhood, but when blinders were removed and the soul was willing to hear what God had been saying, the individual became aware of their guilt of sin and wanted to change, wanted to be free from the thing that had control over their life. The individual was able to see that the feeling of being alive that they were experiencing by being controlled by their sin was no longer as appealing as the search to find out what it was really like to be free from the bondage of sin and know truly what it was like to be alive, to be born again, given a new life in Jesus Christ.
October 16, 2017
Parts and Divides
This past weekend something came to my mind that I really hadnt thought much about in years. It was a very hurtful and devastating phase of my life. It doesnt take up much space in my thoughts because it is in the past; and God got me through the situation and beyond the situation.
But today, as I reflect, I think about how faithful God was to me in the midst of a great trying time in my life. Against all odds, God provided for me as a single mother. There were times and challenges, and there still are, but through it all God has been faithful. My testimony is a very amazing one. It causes me to stand in awe of how great God truly has been to me. It has given me such a grateful heart. It has also shown me how to be ok with and without over the years.
Just thinking about how badly things could have gone for me is enough to make what I survived even more amazing. God's hand of protection was with me through some things that seem to be more dramatic than anything in a movie plot. But sometimes reality is more extreme than anything a movie writer can formulate for the big screen.
Even some of the things that I am currently dealing with fall under the category of 'troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.' Adversaries thought I would be destroyed, but what they found out was that God has created me to be formidable. Storms have been brewing all around me and God has given me so much grace that I am watching it all take place as if I have a great seat in a theater in the round.
When I think about the characteristics of God, I have to remember that along with being a Creator and Sustainer, God is also a Divider and a Separator. Initially these may seem to be negatives, but when we read God's Word, we see in the the very beginning of creation God divided light from darkness. This can lead to a plethora of theological and homiletic themes. Much of the biblical text carries out this theme of separation that God makes dividing lines, if you will.
The parting of the Red Sea is talked about in terms of its miracle quality, but we must not forget the logistical components of God being able to divide. This is proof that God can part or separate anything that God so desires. This kind of divide meant that not only did the water divide, but every creature and composition within the ecological environment of the sea. What was created by God, must submit to God's command. What an awesome thought. What a humbling thought.
Whatever the situation, all that is needed is for God to speak. God clearly makes distinctions at times to accomplish the Will and Purpose of God. It may be temporary and it may be permanent. But it is God's pleasure that the creation must obey. This has been true in many of the fine details of my life. I thank God for keeping me separated from foolishness. God has done some things that can only be credited to the ONE, the TRUE, and LIVING GOD.
But today, as I reflect, I think about how faithful God was to me in the midst of a great trying time in my life. Against all odds, God provided for me as a single mother. There were times and challenges, and there still are, but through it all God has been faithful. My testimony is a very amazing one. It causes me to stand in awe of how great God truly has been to me. It has given me such a grateful heart. It has also shown me how to be ok with and without over the years.
Just thinking about how badly things could have gone for me is enough to make what I survived even more amazing. God's hand of protection was with me through some things that seem to be more dramatic than anything in a movie plot. But sometimes reality is more extreme than anything a movie writer can formulate for the big screen.
Even some of the things that I am currently dealing with fall under the category of 'troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.' Adversaries thought I would be destroyed, but what they found out was that God has created me to be formidable. Storms have been brewing all around me and God has given me so much grace that I am watching it all take place as if I have a great seat in a theater in the round.
When I think about the characteristics of God, I have to remember that along with being a Creator and Sustainer, God is also a Divider and a Separator. Initially these may seem to be negatives, but when we read God's Word, we see in the the very beginning of creation God divided light from darkness. This can lead to a plethora of theological and homiletic themes. Much of the biblical text carries out this theme of separation that God makes dividing lines, if you will.
The parting of the Red Sea is talked about in terms of its miracle quality, but we must not forget the logistical components of God being able to divide. This is proof that God can part or separate anything that God so desires. This kind of divide meant that not only did the water divide, but every creature and composition within the ecological environment of the sea. What was created by God, must submit to God's command. What an awesome thought. What a humbling thought.
Whatever the situation, all that is needed is for God to speak. God clearly makes distinctions at times to accomplish the Will and Purpose of God. It may be temporary and it may be permanent. But it is God's pleasure that the creation must obey. This has been true in many of the fine details of my life. I thank God for keeping me separated from foolishness. God has done some things that can only be credited to the ONE, the TRUE, and LIVING GOD.
October 10, 2017
Sea of Forgetfulness
As I attempted to settle down for the night, I thought about all that has been going on with me lately. And to be completely honest, this thought process includes some people that I truly wish I had never met. In the midst of my thought process, I had to face the fact that I cant just un-know these people. Instead, I have to figure out how to move on from this phase to the next, and hopefully just move on to what is ahead for me in my life, both naturally and spiritually.
This doesnt mean that I was not trying to figure out the most perfect solution to the hurt and disappointment that has been the effect of betrayal and disloyalty. In my mind, I really wanted there to be a way to truly just forget that I ever knew these people that have had this negative impact on my attempt to be a friend. I thought if there were really a way for me to put all knowledge of these people into the sea of forgetfulness and never to remember that I ever met them at all.
The more I thought about it, I began to realize that this is not very different from what is being talked about in Micah 7. We always want to use the concept of the Sea of Forgetfulness as this wonderful blessing that we get from God. Which is true. ... and here comes the conjunction...... BUT.
But what we dont want to face is the fact that something is going on in the text that we must make not of. The attitudes and behaviors that God expected from the People of God were not how the people were living. God had high expectations and high hopes for the People of God. That is still true today. God has high hope and high expectations of God's People. So when the behaviors of the individual, of the community of faith fall short, God is disappointed. Then there is something worse than just disappointing God, it is disgusting God.
Abomination is much more than disappointing God, it is being completely disgusting to God. As I thought about how disgusted I am with those who have disappointed me, I also had to think about how God views abomination. How is God able to tolerate dealing with a human who is living so far below God's expectations? I had to search out a way to understand that what God has to do is just put the sins of humanity into a place to be forgotten so that God can remain able to be available to humanity.
It is the mercy of God. It is the patience of God when God's patience has run out. It is God wanting to stay in relationship with the People of God, even though the people have lost sight of the value of the relationship with God. The kindness of God reaches much farther than we realize. God is so willing to forgive us of our sins. When we dont even try to do right, knowing that God is watching, we are disappointing God, and we are disgusting God.
So more than bragging about how God will forgive and forget, the more important concern should be why would we want to be such a disappointment to God that we disgust God? What if we just decided to live right, so that we could be intentional about pleasing God?
After all, isnt that what being given another chance is about?
This doesnt mean that I was not trying to figure out the most perfect solution to the hurt and disappointment that has been the effect of betrayal and disloyalty. In my mind, I really wanted there to be a way to truly just forget that I ever knew these people that have had this negative impact on my attempt to be a friend. I thought if there were really a way for me to put all knowledge of these people into the sea of forgetfulness and never to remember that I ever met them at all.
The more I thought about it, I began to realize that this is not very different from what is being talked about in Micah 7. We always want to use the concept of the Sea of Forgetfulness as this wonderful blessing that we get from God. Which is true. ... and here comes the conjunction...... BUT.
But what we dont want to face is the fact that something is going on in the text that we must make not of. The attitudes and behaviors that God expected from the People of God were not how the people were living. God had high expectations and high hopes for the People of God. That is still true today. God has high hope and high expectations of God's People. So when the behaviors of the individual, of the community of faith fall short, God is disappointed. Then there is something worse than just disappointing God, it is disgusting God.
Abomination is much more than disappointing God, it is being completely disgusting to God. As I thought about how disgusted I am with those who have disappointed me, I also had to think about how God views abomination. How is God able to tolerate dealing with a human who is living so far below God's expectations? I had to search out a way to understand that what God has to do is just put the sins of humanity into a place to be forgotten so that God can remain able to be available to humanity.
It is the mercy of God. It is the patience of God when God's patience has run out. It is God wanting to stay in relationship with the People of God, even though the people have lost sight of the value of the relationship with God. The kindness of God reaches much farther than we realize. God is so willing to forgive us of our sins. When we dont even try to do right, knowing that God is watching, we are disappointing God, and we are disgusting God.
So more than bragging about how God will forgive and forget, the more important concern should be why would we want to be such a disappointment to God that we disgust God? What if we just decided to live right, so that we could be intentional about pleasing God?
After all, isnt that what being given another chance is about?
April 19, 2017
I Haven't Ask God For Enough
This evening I had a conversation with a friend who is a single parent like myself, and we were talking about the challenges of even meeting a potential companion. We are both single parents and our lives are built around the activities of church and our children. We attend a large church, that is probably about 85% or more married couples, and most of the singles are females.
In our conversation we both agreed we didnt have any brilliant ideas about where to add meeting new people to our lives. I mentioned some of the possible activities that we might explore to meet new people in general, activities that would be co-ed and not just full of more single women. We tossed around a few thoughts, but didnt come up with anything that would be an Aha! moment. So we left the conversation with continue on as usual as the stopping point of our discussion.
I went home thinking about all that I needed to do to settle in for the evening and to get ready for tomorrow. As I reflected on our conversation, in my mind, I went through what was wrong with the last person that I attempted to consider allowing into my life. I thought about all of the disappointment and the betrayal that was the package that this person brought with him. I had tossed and tossed in my mind about what was the problem, because after all he was saved. So a saved man would be trustworthy and dependable and full of integrity - or so I thought.
This is when it dawned on me. This was when I had the AHA! moment. I had been making an amateur's mistake in my prayer for a life companion. When I went down through all of the thoughts in my mind about what I didnt want to have to deal with at this phase in my life, it occurred to me that I was making the assumption that someone considering himself a Christian, meant that he was the whole package. I was absolutely wrong! This actually only meant that he had completed step one, in a life long, three step process.
What I was not asking for in my prayers was someone who was more than saved. No, I am not taking about his material gain, or his education level, or even what was in his past. But what I was missing was something extremely essential to his present state of being in his walk with Jesus Christ = Sanctification and being filled with the Holy Ghost. I have been around the church world of Pentecostals most of my life and these three works of Grace are considered essential for maintenance of a Christian Life of Holiness. I had forgotten, that everyone who considers to be Christian is not trying to become more like Christ. Some people are willing to take the just enough approach to having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I dont want someone in my life who is taking the minimalist approach to Christ.
It takes wanting to go to another level in relationship with Christ, to live Godly and walk away from the sinful nature, giving up the things in life that are contrary to a life of holiness. I am not claiming to be perfect, so I dont expect my future companion to be perfect, that would be unrealistic and self deception. But do want someone who is working on being a better man, and who in his heart, truly wants to live a life that is pleasing to God. For that to happen, he will have to want more of God, more of God's Holy Spirit. The person has to have a hunger for the things of God. The person has to realize that everything else that he has tried has not cured the uneasiness in their being. It is when the person has come to the conclusion that there has to be a better way, and be willing to give up everything that hasnt worked, for what God has to offer. He will have to have already come to the conclusion that what he is thirsty for can not be found in a sinful lifestyle, but only in the 'wells of salvation' where there is joy and peace beyond compare to anything that sin has to offer. He has to have a thirst for what is right. He has to want to be right with God. This is the place of no longer wanting to struggle to maintain a life of sin, a life that goes against God plan for LIFE.
All of the things that I dont want to deal with in a relationship, and especially in a future companion wont be a problem with a man who wanting to go in the same direction that I am going, and who has no interest in going backwards spiritually. So I now realize that I have been very minimal in my prayer. I don't just want someone in my life who is saved. I want a man in my life who is SAVED, SANCTIFIED, and FILLED with the HOLY GHOST. I want the whole package. I want God's best for my life.
In our conversation we both agreed we didnt have any brilliant ideas about where to add meeting new people to our lives. I mentioned some of the possible activities that we might explore to meet new people in general, activities that would be co-ed and not just full of more single women. We tossed around a few thoughts, but didnt come up with anything that would be an Aha! moment. So we left the conversation with continue on as usual as the stopping point of our discussion.
I went home thinking about all that I needed to do to settle in for the evening and to get ready for tomorrow. As I reflected on our conversation, in my mind, I went through what was wrong with the last person that I attempted to consider allowing into my life. I thought about all of the disappointment and the betrayal that was the package that this person brought with him. I had tossed and tossed in my mind about what was the problem, because after all he was saved. So a saved man would be trustworthy and dependable and full of integrity - or so I thought.
This is when it dawned on me. This was when I had the AHA! moment. I had been making an amateur's mistake in my prayer for a life companion. When I went down through all of the thoughts in my mind about what I didnt want to have to deal with at this phase in my life, it occurred to me that I was making the assumption that someone considering himself a Christian, meant that he was the whole package. I was absolutely wrong! This actually only meant that he had completed step one, in a life long, three step process.
What I was not asking for in my prayers was someone who was more than saved. No, I am not taking about his material gain, or his education level, or even what was in his past. But what I was missing was something extremely essential to his present state of being in his walk with Jesus Christ = Sanctification and being filled with the Holy Ghost. I have been around the church world of Pentecostals most of my life and these three works of Grace are considered essential for maintenance of a Christian Life of Holiness. I had forgotten, that everyone who considers to be Christian is not trying to become more like Christ. Some people are willing to take the just enough approach to having a relationship with Jesus Christ. I dont want someone in my life who is taking the minimalist approach to Christ.
It takes wanting to go to another level in relationship with Christ, to live Godly and walk away from the sinful nature, giving up the things in life that are contrary to a life of holiness. I am not claiming to be perfect, so I dont expect my future companion to be perfect, that would be unrealistic and self deception. But do want someone who is working on being a better man, and who in his heart, truly wants to live a life that is pleasing to God. For that to happen, he will have to want more of God, more of God's Holy Spirit. The person has to have a hunger for the things of God. The person has to realize that everything else that he has tried has not cured the uneasiness in their being. It is when the person has come to the conclusion that there has to be a better way, and be willing to give up everything that hasnt worked, for what God has to offer. He will have to have already come to the conclusion that what he is thirsty for can not be found in a sinful lifestyle, but only in the 'wells of salvation' where there is joy and peace beyond compare to anything that sin has to offer. He has to have a thirst for what is right. He has to want to be right with God. This is the place of no longer wanting to struggle to maintain a life of sin, a life that goes against God plan for LIFE.
All of the things that I dont want to deal with in a relationship, and especially in a future companion wont be a problem with a man who wanting to go in the same direction that I am going, and who has no interest in going backwards spiritually. So I now realize that I have been very minimal in my prayer. I don't just want someone in my life who is saved. I want a man in my life who is SAVED, SANCTIFIED, and FILLED with the HOLY GHOST. I want the whole package. I want God's best for my life.
March 9, 2017
STRONGHOLDS
I have had a lot on my mind the past few days. And for some reason, I went to bed last night thinking about the buoyancy of a duck. This lead me to wonder if a duck could actually drown. So I went to Google and Youtube to find out. It turns out that a duck can actually drown. Furthermore, other ducks can and do intentionally drown fellow ducks.
Now in my head, I had decided that ducks would not be able to drown because they are full of oil. If you have ever eaten duck, which I do highly recommend, by the way, if not prepared well it is greasy because the flesh of the duck holds a lot of oil. So in my mind, the duck was so full of anointing, if you will allow me, it would not sink. All though it sounds great, it is not accurate.
What actually keeps the duck afloat is a combination of a waxy coating on its feathers and air pockets that give ducks the ability to float. Ducks are not heavy birds, so they do have some advantages to this in their ability to float and swim.
This made me think about how often we take for granted what we think is holding us up in life. Most of us could do more in focusing on what we have on our outer layers that are keeping us afloat. Way to often, we let things outside of one's self have control and influence over our actions and motives. This is why recognizing strongholds is so important for the Christian.
Anything that has more power over you or influence on your behavior than the Holy Spirit and Word of God can become or already is a stronghold. It is important to put on the Whole Armor of God. This is the protective barrier that keeps outside forces from having control in one's life. Most of the time, the things that control the individual, whether it be addiction, or immoral behavior, is rooted in in unhealed hurts. It is rooted in a thirst for the healing that can only come from the Power of God being active in one's life. It requires surrender, not sort of or partially, but complete surrender. It requires wanting to be nourished by God and find healing to the point that nothing else matters as much. In this sense of crisis and urgency, one finds the desire to become sanctified, cleansed from things that are not right in the Eyes of God.
You can not take control over what has a hold on you. You can not take authority over what has authority over you. One can not take authority over what one feels sorry for - this will only cause you to make excuses for it. And one can not take authority over something that has the ability tempt one with an offer- this will cause you to be in fellowship with it. If you try to take authority over what has authority over you, at the same time that what has authority over you is trying to maintain authority over you, then you are wrestling with that stronghold.
(Ephesians 6:10-20).
As long as living sinfully appears to have more to offer than living for Christ, the individual is not at a place of surrender. That means that the stronghold is still actively controlling the motives and behaviors. We can overcome those things that want to hold us back from our godly potential. We have to be intentional to shut down access to our lives of anyone and anything that brings distance to our relationship with God. We must not allow strongholds to have access to our mentality and our desires.
This past week, I read a good bit of Entire Devotion to God by Phoebe Palmer and one of the things that I noticed was her sense of urgency toward sanctification and holiness. This sense of urgency was once a major theme in holiness churches, but in recent years has taken a back seat to other more popular topics. But Palmer makes the point that we are not guaranteed to have more time to fix or repair the damage that we are doing to our eternal potential, nor should we become too relaxed about taking control over the sin in our lives.
Strongholds rob us of our potential in the Kingdom of God. They drown us in misguided priorities. Physically, Mentally, and literally, we have to respond well spiritually so that the natural manifestation in one's life reflects the determination to live according to God's Word. We have the authority of God's Word as grounds for changing our attitude and mindset, so that we can walk away from sinful behaviors and become intentional about raising our own standards. Strongholds reflect lowered standards. Living according to God's Word reflects higher standards. Through the Power of Jesus Christ, we have the ability to overcome challenges and weakness in our lives and to be healed and made whole.
- We dont have to sink in sin.
- We dont have to die in our sins.
- We can be free.
- We can be made whole.
- We can be saved.
- We can be healed.
- We can be delivered.
- We can be filled with the Power of the Holy Ghost.
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