Grace

“Then said they unto him, ‘What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?’  Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.’ ” (John 6:29)

People often ask me questions about their spiritual life.  I am somewhat addicted to inquiry so I usually indulge them.  Most of the questions I am asked fall into the “how” category.  Whether it’s, “how do I get free from (fill in the blank)” or “how do I get (fill in another blank) from God” most Christians I have met are either trying to do something for God or trying to get something from God.

We talk a lot about grace in our churches, in our sermons each week and at Christian gatherings but I wonder if our actions speak something different.  In the midst of a culture full of believers that are seeking to “do” something for God to “get” something from Him, I can’t help but wonder if we sometimes forget the basis of our relationship with God.  It is grace not works.  It has always been this way and it will always be.

I often wonder why so many Christians find this concept difficult to grasp.  Of course we all give verbal accent to the fact of grace but it is our actions…our very lives that tell the real story.

I think we, as human beings, really struggle to accept grace.  We have a hard time getting stuff we did not work for and did not earn.  It makes us feel uneasy when we get things for no reason and with no strings attached.  It goes against our human nature to have to work for everything we receive.

The Christian life is a life of grace…not works.  Jesus tells us each day to put our effort and energy into believing in Him or “abiding” as John 15 says.  If we do this, He will “do things” through us and we will not be in any sort of lack at all because the LORD will truly be our shepherd.

Rest in His grace today…believe in Him…do not strive to “do” or to please.  Rely on Him and remember that, “without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

 

A True Contribution

We have just moved from New York to Texas.  I was accepted into a national teaching program and placed in the San Antonio Independent School District.  One of the major things that comes with re-locating is meeting new people and reintroducing yourself all the time.

As I have been doing this I inevitably speak about my children (I have three under the age of three).  This fact might not draw attention in the larger populous, but in this organization which is made up of new college graduates in their early twenties; it is like a mark that I wear.  “O look, there goes the guy with all the babies…”  I do not expect them to view my children as I do.  However, their reaction to my having three small children has made me think about them a lot.  It has caused me to ask myself, “Just how do I view my children?”

Of course love, nurture and support are a given.  I was walking with my oldest yesterday (Lilly, who is almost three) and as we were walking around our neighborhood I began to study her.  She is so little.  She is so new to life and everything is interesting to her…she has figured very little out.  She fully engages in almost everything she does.  Best of all she is curious…she is full of questions and wants to be molded.

As these thoughts were going through my head, I realized that she is my contribution to this world.  I have the opportunity to mold and shape this little human being into whatever I want her to be.  I could equip her to make the world a better place or to destroy it.  In short, she is my legacy.  I had never thought of my children this way.

The bible says that we are to train up our children in the way they should go and by doing this we can ensure that we effectively utilize these great gifts that God has entrusted us with to make a contribution to this world on the behalf of God, His kingdom, and the Risen Son.

As we continued on our walk, I looked down at her walking with a resolute look on her face as she marched down the street and I felt the incredible excitement in anticipation of how the world would benefit from her existence.

Let’s leave this world, through our children, a godly legacy that will shine in the darkness.  This will not occur on accident.  It will take deliberate, focused planning and action.  It is our God-given responsibility.  With the aid of the Holy Spirit, let’s train, nurture and mold our children until they become the true God given gifts we know they are.

Blessings

Interesting Article…

(Re) Amazed

By S. Hyun

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“Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish; for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you so.”
Acts 13:41 TNIV

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THE CONTRAST BETWEEN early Church faith and Western contemporary “Christianity/Church-ianity” should amaze us. We have distanced ourselves so far from the Scriptures that we do not bear much resemblance to the first followers of Christ. Jesus’ first generation of devotees turned their world upside-down with their courage and sacrifice.

“Church-ianity” (or Christian culture) is when we get bored with God, and our life with Him is no longer dynamic and living. It’s going through the motions. It’s our limited vision. It’s our busyness with the unessential.

God’s activity amazes, astounds. It stirs passions worthy of life … or death. Are we looking for this kind of work? Or are we content with a pre-packaged, pre-digested church-ianity? These are mere shadows of what God wants to do in us.

To have a dynamic relationship with God is not a quick-fix program or formula. It’s a time-consuming process. It’s the constant plea: “God, there must be more about You, and there must be more about me!” Cultivating this hunger forces us to put down our PDAs and perk up our ears to hear God, because His words are the very bread that will satisfy our hunger.

Called Apart by Wade Taylor

 This is a short message written by Wade Taylor, a bible teacher and true lover of Jesus.  I have experienced the ministry of Jesus through this man personally and believe that he has insight worth sharing.  If you like what you read below, you can find Wade on the internet at www.wadetaylor.org 

John the Baptist was called apart into a desolate place for a very specific purpose.  Later, when asked who he was, his response revealed the deep work of preparation that had taken place during his time in the wilderness.

Because we are at the end of the Church Age, and at the beginning of the time of transition into the Millennial Kingdom Age, many are going through difficult and trying “wilderness” experiences.

Many are being “called apart” to the Lord Himself.  This is not so much a leaving of our place of fellowship with other Christians, but a separation into a higher level of personal relationship with the Lord, Himself.  The heart of this is our becoming a partaker with the Lord in the outworking of His purposes, and not a spectator of what He is doing.

The Lord is seeking to bring us to the end of our abilities, so we can tap into His ability.  We are being separated from, and dealt with concerning our natural abilities as these will not transition into the Millennial Kingdom.  We must come into the place of having a total dependence on the Lord.

Therefore, we are being “called apart” by the Lord to be “made ready” to fulfill our part in all that is about to take place, in both the Church and the nations.

“Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”  Luke 3:2

Jesus, Meek and Wild

When I read the following article, I was reminded of a scene from The Chronicles of Narnia, in which one of the children asks a Narnian creature about the nature of Aslan the lion.  The creatures response to the child perfectly sums up this article.  The child asked, “Is Aslan safe” to which the creature replied, “No, he isn’t safe…but he is good.”

This is an article from Relevant Magazine’s “Deeper Walk” section.  The author, Dave Roberts, points out that Jesus was many things and among them is wild!  You can check out more of Relevant at: www.relevantmagazine.com

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
Matthew 8:27 NIV

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GENTLE JESUS, MEEK and mild. It’s a distortion, but a pervasive one. Such is the power of song and poetry. It’s dangerous, however, because it is simply not true.

There were times when He chose to be meek. But He was never mild. He was born into conflict and remained in it His whole life. He jousted with the devil in the desert; He frequently exchanged words with the religious groups of the day. He risked life and reputation by spending time with housefuls of tax collectors and in the company of known prostitutes. He was not condemned to die on the cross because He was mild. He was sent there because He was wild.

Wild enough to turn over the tables of those who were fleecing the faithful as they came to the temple to worship. Wild enough to tame a storm. Wild enough to embrace the hated neighbors (Samaritans). Wild enough to touch the unclean leper.

Jesus was meek and wild. If we only ever speak of the tender Jesus, we will slip into sentimentality. If we only ever speak of the Jesus who challenged human hearts, we will end up sounding shrill. If we speak of both, we can bring words that will sustain and nourish a spiritually hungry, weary and brokenhearted generation.

Enjoy!

Quote of the Day

“The basic problems of the Christians in this country in the last eighty years of so, in regard to government, is that they have seen things in bits and pieces instead of totals. They have very gradually become disturbed over permissiveness, pornography, the public schools, the breakdown of the family, and finally abortion. But they have not seen this as a totality—each thing being a part, a symptom, of a much larger problem. They have failed to see that all of this has come about due to a shift in world view—that is, through a fundamental change in the overall way people think and view the world and life as a whole.”-Francis Schaeffer

A Portrait of Christ…

I first saw this on Donald Miller’s blog.  It’s really unique and imaginative…all true art is inspired by Him and glorifies Him!  I know you will enjoy this.

More Good Music…

Let this one sink in a while…I promise it’ll do you good!

Enjoy

A Recipe for the Fallen

We all know someone, whether a family member, or someone in our social circle who has “fallen away” from the Lord.  These situations are always difficult to go through.  In some instances the “fallen” person comes back to the Father like the prodigal son and in other cases they end up like King Saul…turned over to sin and a reprobate mind.  I have often wondered what the difference between the two outcomes is?

Personal experience and close observation have shown me that if a person has a solid, loving base and skills/gifts that have received some measure of nurturing during their formative years, they are far more likely to end up like the prodigal son.

Consider the following verse, “A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.” (Proverbs 18:16)  This “room” the Bible speaks of is a very real place that we all need.  To oversimplify, we all need room in this world…a place where we belong.  If we are denied this, we are left to dwell in the “pig pens” of this world and to consult the “witches of Endor” ( as King Saul did) in a desperate attempt to drink from the divine spring.

As one having spent my share of time in the “pig pen” and come out the better off, I am sensitive enough to realize that others did not.  In fact, not only are they still in the “pens” but they have been in so long…they think they are PIGS and take a level of comfort from this fact!

My heart goes out to these “lost ones” and I can’t help recalling the words of Jesus, “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”  He came for these “lost ones” and He loves them more than you or me.

So, how can we help?

We can definitely pray.  For people in the “pens” of this life and the ones who are going to counterfeit sources (drugs, alcohol, sex, success etc…) for fulfillment, they need our earnest prayers.  Prayer, love, and steadfast belief have opened the door of the pig pen and silenced the mouth of the counterfeit more than a few times before and allowed the Son of Man to come and make freedom.  I would not be writing this if it were not so.

We can also, in a proactive sense, help a person create “room” for himself or herself in this world.  Many times a person has been caught in the “pig pen” and wanted to get out but he/she has no real substantive connection with the real world.  They have no education, no understanding that they are exceptional at something, no character development, no real interest or desire apart from the pen.  This makes it hard for them to be in world in any normal sense of the way you and I experience it each day.

When I came out of the “pen” I had people who I knew loved me and cared for me.  I had skills that I knew I was good at and organizations that I knew I could belong to.  All of this helped me adjust to what a normal existence outside of the “pen” was like.  In other words, my successful exodus from the “pen” was predicated upon actions other had sown into my life years before.

People, no matter the age, are looking for encouragement, blessing and affirmation of who they are.  They are looking for someone to believe in them.  Could this person be you?  Could you help someone out of the “pen” of life?  Better yet, could you prevent someone from ever going in?

You can help create “room” in this world for another person.  You can give them all of the great things you have received from others(encouragement, blessing, skills, opportunity)…it’s a wonderful circle to be in.

You never know what awesome consequences your actions may have on that person or even the world.

Enjoy

Good Music

Around the year 2005, I was introduced to a worship artist named Jason Upton.  When I first heard his music, I was in my “honeymoon” phase with the Lord and I swear I thought I almost was translated!  Needless to say I have appreciated his work ever since and wanted to share some with you today.

His music can best be described as “his own.”  It is totally unique and fresh.  It is unusually honest and devoid of Christian presuppositions.  Time and time again it has been the vehicle for God encounters in my own personal life.  If you are familiar with Jason Upton, you can testify to this, if not I pray this will be the beginning of something wonderful!

Here is a sample, it’s called “In the Silence” it is Jason singing and a video slideshow accompanying.

Enjoy