"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it." (Mark 8:34)
Throughout the gospels Jesus gives a very clear command to all of His disciples and that is "Follow Me." As much as all of us want to follow Christ in theory, we find that in practice this is sometimes an extremely difficult thing to do. We all want a Messiah without rejection and suffering. We all want the promise without any of the pain. We all want the reward but don't want to pay the price. When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die (Bonhoeffer).
Christ had to be a suffering servant before he could become a conquering king. Jesus had to remind Peter of this in Mark 8:33. As Jesus was teaching His disciples how the Son of Man must suffer at the hands of men and be rejected and killed and will on the third day rise again, Peter rebuked him. Jesus then replied by saying, "Get behind me, Satan!" For Peter couldn't understand why Jesus should have to suffer. He wanted things to remain the way they were and to have Jesus continue to teach him as he had been doing. He did not want Jesus nor himself to have to pay a price for our freedom. Jesus explained to His disciples that he must bear the cross and be crucified in order to fulfill the will of His Father. His disciples had no idea how great a sacrifice their teacher was about to make for them.
As disciples of Christ, we are called to the cross as well. The cross is not merely a metaphor that we are to gently ponder in our minds. We are called by Jesus to take up our cross and to die daily as Paul did. We must take up our cross but not until we have put the old self under, not until the old man is dead. For if we did it through our old self then it would be our own strength that would have to bear our cross. We could never bear a cross without the help of God. Even Jesus had to have His flesh crucified before he could die and be raised again. For every great reward there is a cost. That cost will always involve obedience. Obedience is not something that is typically cost free. We must all sacrifice knowing in our hearts that Jesus already paid the ULTIMATE sacrifice for us. So today I make the choice to die to flesh and to take up my cross and follow Him!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Craving Intimacy
Days like these make it hard to breathe. Not because anything bad happened in my life, but because of the love and joy that is in my heart. I am so overwhelmed with emotion when I think about Jesus and what He did for me. I know a lot of people say that Jesus is there Savior and that they love Him, but to many the words they speak never make it past their minds to penetrate their hearts. Everyday that I live my goal is to become more and more like Christ. In order to get to know someone intimately, you must spend time with them. Even more so, we desire to be around those we are intimate with. We crave it with every fiber of our being. This is how we should feel about our personal relationship with Christ. God longs for intimacy with each and everyone of us. Not in some distant, liturgical, mass production kind of way, but in an extremely personal, unique and intimate way.
I find that the closer I get to God and the more time I spend with Him, the more I desire and crave His presence in my life. I have withdrawal when I feel cut off from Him in any way whether it be because of the world or because of my own disobedience. I am so grateful to know that my feeling that way does not effect God's level of intimacy with me at all. Even though I may feel distant from Him, He is never distant from me. Yes my sin separates me from Him but that is because of me, not Him. He is holy and therefore can not be in the presence of sin. I get to make decisions everyday to either draw near to Him in obedience, or to run away in disobedience. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8) Below are some scriptures were God reveals His will for us to be intimate with Him.
God who as called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9)
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends... (John 15:15)
Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:1-3)
"You are my witnesses", declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he... (Isaiah 43:10)
God wants to know each and every one of us on an intimate level. He calls us friend. How awesome is that? The Creator of the universe calls us friend! That alone is enough to make my heart overflow with joy. Let us take time to get to know Him more, so that our hearts will long for Him the way He lovingly longs for us.
I find that the closer I get to God and the more time I spend with Him, the more I desire and crave His presence in my life. I have withdrawal when I feel cut off from Him in any way whether it be because of the world or because of my own disobedience. I am so grateful to know that my feeling that way does not effect God's level of intimacy with me at all. Even though I may feel distant from Him, He is never distant from me. Yes my sin separates me from Him but that is because of me, not Him. He is holy and therefore can not be in the presence of sin. I get to make decisions everyday to either draw near to Him in obedience, or to run away in disobedience. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8) Below are some scriptures were God reveals His will for us to be intimate with Him.
God who as called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9)
I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends... (John 15:15)
Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:1-3)
"You are my witnesses", declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he... (Isaiah 43:10)
God wants to know each and every one of us on an intimate level. He calls us friend. How awesome is that? The Creator of the universe calls us friend! That alone is enough to make my heart overflow with joy. Let us take time to get to know Him more, so that our hearts will long for Him the way He lovingly longs for us.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
We must stand in the gap
I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord (Ezekiel 22:30-31).
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him and his own righteousness sustained him (Isaiah 59:16).
The Bible is filled with examples of God searching for those willing to fight the spiritual battle for their land. The Lord is earnestly seeking those who are obedient and are willing to stand in the gap and intercede on the behalf of others. He doesn't care who it is that stands in the gap, just that somebody does. It is our job as Christians to intercede for others just as Christ intercedes for us. I know this sounds like a difficult task, and many feel that they are not equipped to do such a thing, but we know that God has equipped His saints for ministry and He always prepares us to do the work He has set out for us to do. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will(Romans 8:26-34).
Just as God spoke the following words to Solomon, he was also speaking them to us, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from my wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:2 to Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.) He also says the following in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. This is good and please God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
It is our job to intercede and stand in the gap. The Bible reminds us that Jesus is constantly interceding for us, Now there have been many of those priests , since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:23-25) Who is He that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34). If we are to be Christ like, we must follow His example and intercede for others in need.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). So let us be obedient to God and please Him; Let us stand in the gap today!
The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him and his own righteousness sustained him (Isaiah 59:16).
The Bible is filled with examples of God searching for those willing to fight the spiritual battle for their land. The Lord is earnestly seeking those who are obedient and are willing to stand in the gap and intercede on the behalf of others. He doesn't care who it is that stands in the gap, just that somebody does. It is our job as Christians to intercede for others just as Christ intercedes for us. I know this sounds like a difficult task, and many feel that they are not equipped to do such a thing, but we know that God has equipped His saints for ministry and He always prepares us to do the work He has set out for us to do. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will(Romans 8:26-34).
Just as God spoke the following words to Solomon, he was also speaking them to us, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from my wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Paul reminds us in Galatians 6:2 to Carry each others burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.) He also says the following in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all goodness and holiness. This is good and please God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
It is our job to intercede and stand in the gap. The Bible reminds us that Jesus is constantly interceding for us, Now there have been many of those priests , since death prevented them from continuing in office, but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them (Hebrews 7:23-25) Who is He that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34). If we are to be Christ like, we must follow His example and intercede for others in need.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16). So let us be obedient to God and please Him; Let us stand in the gap today!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
In the Silence You are Speaking
"Elijah came to a cave where he looked for shelter. Then the Lord said to him, 'Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord; the Lord will be passing by.' A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks -- but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake -- but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire -- but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave" (I Kings 19:9,11-13).
Sometimes I get really frustrated and feel like no matter how hard I am listening, God just isn't speaking to ME. I know He is speaking, I just feel like He's speaking to everyone except me. I am so grateful that the truth is that this kind of thinking is all WRONG. God is always speaking to me, just as sure as He is always speaking. I just happen to drown out His words with the noises of this world. I get so caught up in listening to my music, my friends, my family, my boss, my t.v., my radio, my ... my.... You get the point. Now granted, God uses other people, music, etc. all the time to minister to us in each of our lives, however, He is also constantly speaking to us through His Holy Spirit that dwells in those who believe. He sent The Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, our Counselor, the One that tells us whether to go to the left or the right, the One who directs our paths and orders our steps. This is the voice that I sometimes have a hard time hearing because I am constantly drowning it out by not only my problems, but sometimes by doing good things like listening to praise and worship music, or a good sermon.
Tonight as I was praying about some decisions I need to make, I heard God speak to my inner man and say, "In the silence, I am speaking, all you have to do is tune in to a new station... listen to the silence and You will hear Me whisper in your ear." I realized then that I am constantly avoiding the silence. One of the things I dreaded more than life before I found Christ was being surrounded by silence. I found that in those times, if my mind wasn't constantly being distracted by the things in this world, then I would be left alone with my own destructive and ominous thoughts and that would lead me into an endless pit of despair. I guess, now that I have Christ in my life, I am still very weary to get caught in the silence for fear of repeating my past.
It is so good to know that silence no longer equates with destruction in my life and that God is forever working on changing me, rearranging me, and taking me from glory to glory. He loves me too much to leave me the way I was when I found Him. He is constantly showing me the habits and thought patterns in my life that are in need of change. He is constantly pointing me towards Himself and saying "this is the way, walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21) I will do my best to not fear the silence anymore, after all, I don't want to miss a single thing that my God would take the time to whisper in my ear. One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Theresa when she said, "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer." Praise the Lord!
Sometimes I get really frustrated and feel like no matter how hard I am listening, God just isn't speaking to ME. I know He is speaking, I just feel like He's speaking to everyone except me. I am so grateful that the truth is that this kind of thinking is all WRONG. God is always speaking to me, just as sure as He is always speaking. I just happen to drown out His words with the noises of this world. I get so caught up in listening to my music, my friends, my family, my boss, my t.v., my radio, my ... my.... You get the point. Now granted, God uses other people, music, etc. all the time to minister to us in each of our lives, however, He is also constantly speaking to us through His Holy Spirit that dwells in those who believe. He sent The Holy Spirit to be our Comforter, our Counselor, the One that tells us whether to go to the left or the right, the One who directs our paths and orders our steps. This is the voice that I sometimes have a hard time hearing because I am constantly drowning it out by not only my problems, but sometimes by doing good things like listening to praise and worship music, or a good sermon.
Tonight as I was praying about some decisions I need to make, I heard God speak to my inner man and say, "In the silence, I am speaking, all you have to do is tune in to a new station... listen to the silence and You will hear Me whisper in your ear." I realized then that I am constantly avoiding the silence. One of the things I dreaded more than life before I found Christ was being surrounded by silence. I found that in those times, if my mind wasn't constantly being distracted by the things in this world, then I would be left alone with my own destructive and ominous thoughts and that would lead me into an endless pit of despair. I guess, now that I have Christ in my life, I am still very weary to get caught in the silence for fear of repeating my past.
It is so good to know that silence no longer equates with destruction in my life and that God is forever working on changing me, rearranging me, and taking me from glory to glory. He loves me too much to leave me the way I was when I found Him. He is constantly showing me the habits and thought patterns in my life that are in need of change. He is constantly pointing me towards Himself and saying "this is the way, walk in it." (Isaiah 30:21) I will do my best to not fear the silence anymore, after all, I don't want to miss a single thing that my God would take the time to whisper in my ear. One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Theresa when she said, "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer." Praise the Lord!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The choice is yours
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).
The greatest strength that we as believers have is to be aware of our absolute dependency on God. Without that, we are lost. For until we are completely dependent on Him, we will spend our time striving towards impossible goals that will forever be out of our reach. We were created to need God. It wasn't an accident, or a fluke, God made us that way. Therefore we can continue to try to build our own kingdoms outside of what He wants for our lives, or we can just admit that we need Him and allow Him to move the mountains in our lives.
I have come across many stumbling blocks in my life in the past few weeks. Satan has really tried to take advantage of me in my weak emotional state. But thankfully, I serve an amazing God is who more powerful than anything the darkness has for me. I am filled with His light and His strength in me. Whenever we are stressed out, or physically ill, the enemy will use that time to try and move in for the kill. The same holds true for when God is trying to do really big things in our lives and we are about to break through to a new level in our walk with Him. It is up to us to forge through these tough moments and persevere. That way we can claim the prize that awaits us both in this life and in heaven. We have the choice to fill our lives with either problems or His Presence. The choice is ours. Let's choose Him today!
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
The greatest strength that we as believers have is to be aware of our absolute dependency on God. Without that, we are lost. For until we are completely dependent on Him, we will spend our time striving towards impossible goals that will forever be out of our reach. We were created to need God. It wasn't an accident, or a fluke, God made us that way. Therefore we can continue to try to build our own kingdoms outside of what He wants for our lives, or we can just admit that we need Him and allow Him to move the mountains in our lives.
I have come across many stumbling blocks in my life in the past few weeks. Satan has really tried to take advantage of me in my weak emotional state. But thankfully, I serve an amazing God is who more powerful than anything the darkness has for me. I am filled with His light and His strength in me. Whenever we are stressed out, or physically ill, the enemy will use that time to try and move in for the kill. The same holds true for when God is trying to do really big things in our lives and we are about to break through to a new level in our walk with Him. It is up to us to forge through these tough moments and persevere. That way we can claim the prize that awaits us both in this life and in heaven. We have the choice to fill our lives with either problems or His Presence. The choice is ours. Let's choose Him today!
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
Friday, February 22, 2008
The way I've dreamed for you
How many times have we heard the term "it's like a dream come true"? And most of the time we say this because something we had dreamed about or wanted actually came to pass in our life. Think about how amazingly happy you feel when this happens to you. Think of the indescribable joy you have when you know that your master plan is unfolding in front of your very eyes and when everything is going exactly the way you planned it...
Now, imagine how God feels each and every time we take a step towards fulfilling His plan and His dreams for our lives? Think of the smile He must have on His face every time we further His kingdom and His master plan. Think of what it must be like to hear God say the words, "it's like a dream come true," every time His plans for our lives come to pass. Selah.
God has more love for us than we could ever possibly comprehend and takes such joy in His children when they make decisions that glorify Him. Do you know how precious to the Lord you are? Even when we feel like we have missed the mark and "fallen off the Jesus train" He is always standing there with arms wide open waiting for us to come back to Him. Even when we fill our minds with thoughts of not being good enough, not being strong enough, not being "Christian" enough, that is not how Jesus sees us. He sees us as strong even when we feel weak. We are mighty warriors to Him. Jesus suffered for us, not because He had to, but because He wanted to. God sent His only son so that we wouldn't have to live our lives as slaves to condemnation, or anxiety or fear. God has such enormous dreams for our lives but we have to get past these negative emotions and move into His love in order for those dreams to come true.
So if you're in a situation when you're tempted to take the wrong road, instead of just thinking about the consequences of your decision, I challenge you to think also about the sheer joy you will bring to God by making a decision that will help His dreams for you come true. Picture Him smiling and singing over you. Think of how good you feel when your plans all work out and then give God the chance to share in that same feeling with you. Let God's dreams for you become your own dreams for you. I know from experience how hard it is to resist temptation and how easy it is to give in to it. I'm hoping that maybe I will do the right thing knowing that the right thing brings God joy and helps to fulfill His dreams. My goal is to start living my life according to the way God dreams for me. Next time you are faced with temptation, remember Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Now, imagine how God feels each and every time we take a step towards fulfilling His plan and His dreams for our lives? Think of the smile He must have on His face every time we further His kingdom and His master plan. Think of what it must be like to hear God say the words, "it's like a dream come true," every time His plans for our lives come to pass. Selah.
God has more love for us than we could ever possibly comprehend and takes such joy in His children when they make decisions that glorify Him. Do you know how precious to the Lord you are? Even when we feel like we have missed the mark and "fallen off the Jesus train" He is always standing there with arms wide open waiting for us to come back to Him. Even when we fill our minds with thoughts of not being good enough, not being strong enough, not being "Christian" enough, that is not how Jesus sees us. He sees us as strong even when we feel weak. We are mighty warriors to Him. Jesus suffered for us, not because He had to, but because He wanted to. God sent His only son so that we wouldn't have to live our lives as slaves to condemnation, or anxiety or fear. God has such enormous dreams for our lives but we have to get past these negative emotions and move into His love in order for those dreams to come true.
So if you're in a situation when you're tempted to take the wrong road, instead of just thinking about the consequences of your decision, I challenge you to think also about the sheer joy you will bring to God by making a decision that will help His dreams for you come true. Picture Him smiling and singing over you. Think of how good you feel when your plans all work out and then give God the chance to share in that same feeling with you. Let God's dreams for you become your own dreams for you. I know from experience how hard it is to resist temptation and how easy it is to give in to it. I'm hoping that maybe I will do the right thing knowing that the right thing brings God joy and helps to fulfill His dreams. My goal is to start living my life according to the way God dreams for me. Next time you are faced with temptation, remember Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
We Can't Escape Him
Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way (Psalm 2:10-12).
No matter what we do or how we act in our lives, we can't escape the mighty hand of God. He is ever present and always watching. Even when we don't feel like He is, He is right there watching over our every thought and action. This can either inspire us to clean up our acts and serve Him with a fear of the Lord, or it can cause us to try and run the other direction. The truth is, regardless of what you or I believe, we can't out run the mighty hand of God. He has promised to lift up the righteous and to love those who follow his commands, but he has also promised His rod to those who reject His ways. We have to remember to take this in context and know that 1) there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1), and 2)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). When God talks about His wrath for those who will not listen, He is not talking to the believer who finds himself ensnared in sin and is trying to break free, He is talking about those who reject His son, or those who say they accept His Son but then bear no fruit to back up their confession. He is talking about those who bear no fruit.
As believers, we have a decision to make everyday, and that is to either live for Christ or to die to sin. It is not something that you decide once, by accepting Jesus as your Savior, and then just go on living in the world as though nothing has changed. Our actions show our obedience. If our actions our not lining up with our words then we have a serious problem. I'm talking about a consistant pattern here, not an isolated circumstance where someone keeps falling into the same stronghold over and over and knows it is sin and is trying to overcome it. I am talking about those who confess that they love Jesus but then do nothing to make that known to the world, or when asked about it, deny Him completely. God knows our hearts, and it is very dangerous ground to take your relationship with Jesus lightly. As Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me , 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'
As Christians we are commanded to share our love for Jesus with the world, we are told to go out and preach the good news to all. If we deny Jesus to the world, then Jesus promises to deny us to His Father.
Again, there is NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST. This blog is meant to wake us up to the reality of the Gospel, not to condemn us for the mistakes we have made. We need to be pursuing the kingdom of God, not trying to build our own kingdoms in His name. If we build our own kingdoms THEY WILL FAIL! I'll leave you with a song that Jason Upton wrote about Psalm 2:12 which is very near to my heart and I listen to it often as a reminder that God will not compromise His kingdom in any way for my own; to remind me of my fear of the Lord:
Ladies and Gentlemen
People of the darkness
You've been running for a very long time
Hear the call from the city on the hilltop
the wave is coming can you feel the riptide
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Some say I'm the man of the evening
Others say I'm the lady of the night
God says I'm your creator
Nobody's faster than the speed of light, I'm coming!
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Forgive us Lord for holding hands with darkness
Forgive us Lord for idolatry
Forgive us Lord for playing games in Your presence
We yearn for Your intimacy
My prayer is that each and everyone of us, no matter where we are in our walk with God, would seek a deeper, more personal relationship with our Creator. That we will embrace the love He has for us by sharing it with others. I break off the spirit of rebellion, the spirit of condemnation, the spirit of depression, the feeling of not being good enough, the spirit of pride, the spirit of rejection, in the Name of Jesus. We are free to live in Christ, free of all bondage to sin, in the Name of Jesus. I break off the spirit of fear and hopelessness that tries to loom over our lives, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. And I speak the love of God over each every one of our lives, may He bless us and keep each and everyone of us in His righteous right hand. I speak blessings over our lives and I thank You, Lord for your unfailing love. With all thankfulness, I give You honor and praise. Amen!
No matter what we do or how we act in our lives, we can't escape the mighty hand of God. He is ever present and always watching. Even when we don't feel like He is, He is right there watching over our every thought and action. This can either inspire us to clean up our acts and serve Him with a fear of the Lord, or it can cause us to try and run the other direction. The truth is, regardless of what you or I believe, we can't out run the mighty hand of God. He has promised to lift up the righteous and to love those who follow his commands, but he has also promised His rod to those who reject His ways. We have to remember to take this in context and know that 1) there is no condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1), and 2)If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). When God talks about His wrath for those who will not listen, He is not talking to the believer who finds himself ensnared in sin and is trying to break free, He is talking about those who reject His son, or those who say they accept His Son but then bear no fruit to back up their confession. He is talking about those who bear no fruit.
As believers, we have a decision to make everyday, and that is to either live for Christ or to die to sin. It is not something that you decide once, by accepting Jesus as your Savior, and then just go on living in the world as though nothing has changed. Our actions show our obedience. If our actions our not lining up with our words then we have a serious problem. I'm talking about a consistant pattern here, not an isolated circumstance where someone keeps falling into the same stronghold over and over and knows it is sin and is trying to overcome it. I am talking about those who confess that they love Jesus but then do nothing to make that known to the world, or when asked about it, deny Him completely. God knows our hearts, and it is very dangerous ground to take your relationship with Jesus lightly. As Jesus says in Matthew 7:21-23: "Not everyone who says to me , 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'
As Christians we are commanded to share our love for Jesus with the world, we are told to go out and preach the good news to all. If we deny Jesus to the world, then Jesus promises to deny us to His Father.
Again, there is NO CONDEMNATION IN CHRIST. This blog is meant to wake us up to the reality of the Gospel, not to condemn us for the mistakes we have made. We need to be pursuing the kingdom of God, not trying to build our own kingdoms in His name. If we build our own kingdoms THEY WILL FAIL! I'll leave you with a song that Jason Upton wrote about Psalm 2:12 which is very near to my heart and I listen to it often as a reminder that God will not compromise His kingdom in any way for my own; to remind me of my fear of the Lord:
Ladies and Gentlemen
People of the darkness
You've been running for a very long time
Hear the call from the city on the hilltop
the wave is coming can you feel the riptide
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Some say I'm the man of the evening
Others say I'm the lady of the night
God says I'm your creator
Nobody's faster than the speed of light, I'm coming!
We can't run from the mighty hand of God
Either kiss His Son or receive His rod
Forgive us Lord for holding hands with darkness
Forgive us Lord for idolatry
Forgive us Lord for playing games in Your presence
We yearn for Your intimacy
My prayer is that each and everyone of us, no matter where we are in our walk with God, would seek a deeper, more personal relationship with our Creator. That we will embrace the love He has for us by sharing it with others. I break off the spirit of rebellion, the spirit of condemnation, the spirit of depression, the feeling of not being good enough, the spirit of pride, the spirit of rejection, in the Name of Jesus. We are free to live in Christ, free of all bondage to sin, in the Name of Jesus. I break off the spirit of fear and hopelessness that tries to loom over our lives, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. And I speak the love of God over each every one of our lives, may He bless us and keep each and everyone of us in His righteous right hand. I speak blessings over our lives and I thank You, Lord for your unfailing love. With all thankfulness, I give You honor and praise. Amen!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
