Posts
Lord, I want to see your face
1 week ago
Monday, June 21, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
Broken & Lost
Six years ago I was a different person.
I was broken.
I was with out direction.
I was lost.
In the Fall of 2004 I began to journeys. One for entertainment, the other of desperation.
A relationship that was bad from, "Hello," came to an end. An end I wanted, but was not strong, or willing enough to make happen.
So I cried out to God.
He heard me.
The relationship ended. So I began my journey back to God, rather, who he wanted me to be. I had taken many selfish roads away from who I thought I was, and what I was to be. Only to return broken and useless. But nothing is irreversible.
The other journey was with the characters of a show called Lost.
A story about broken, directionless people.
People who were lost.
It wasn't until tonight, after watching the series finale, that I saw the shows' parallel with my own journey.
The finale, to me, was about faith and fulfilling a purpose, and letting go. A purpose you may never have sought for yourself. A purpose of helping others. Watching how these characters have struggled for and against faith, and fate or destiny...only to have their eyes open in the end, and submit to the truth.
Six years ago I was doing everything wrong.
I struggled and fought.
But God is a patient and merciful teacher.
He corrects and disciplines those he loves. And I've been getting a lot of both. Watching the finale of Lost tonight, caused me to look back at the show, and in turn, my own life since 2004.
I was in a solid but dead end job. No motivation. No purpose. I simply existed. My dreams were gone, or hollow compared to what they once were. I had virtually exiled myself from friends and family.
And God.
I was selfish and unwhole.
But God was always there. I had just gotten good at ignoring him.
That changed, just as surely as Summer was changing into Autumn.
I changed.
Slowly, over the past 6 years, and I'll keep growing and changing until the day I die. We never run out of time or opportunities to grow and change. We can ignore them, or let them pass, but they are always there. We can, until we die.
And I'm not dead yet.
God has moved me, spiritually, physically...completely.
I'm here on the precipice of a dream, a calling that began 15 years ago. Africa.
I sidetracked myself for a goodly while. Chasing after one desire or another. Serving only myself. Yet God put me back on track. I've been allowed to discover, or have been given new talents and abilities. And opportunity after opportunity to grow.
I've messed up on them sometimes, a lot of times, but God was, is, and will always be here to guide me.
Sitting here, writing this I realize I'm coming to a finale of sorts. It's not here yet, but it's coming. What it is, I don't rightly know. It's a mystery. Many mysteries.
I do know that change is coming.
Movies reach the credits, a book eventually comes to the back cover, and periods of life come to an end. And in ending, present new beginnings.
Moving, changing, growing...it's a part of life. They are defining qualities of life.
And I am so ready for it!
I pray I can keep up, and that I will see beyond my own needs, my growth, my story. That I can be useful, and have a purpose besides consuming and existing. That I might live out God's purpose for me.
Jesus, you are my constant. When I am confused, tempted, lost...let me open my heart and see you, and know where I belong. Though I deserve nothing, save to be called your enemy, your Grace has changed all that.
You call me child, friend, Jesse. I pray I will be forever thankful.
Father, increase in my life for your glory. Decrease me, to your honor.
Jesus I love you, my words don't convey the depth and scope of how you have changed me, or what you mean to me.
But I thank you.
When the world is in chaos, let me hear your voice.
When it is still, let me know your presence.
Use me, when, where, and however you will.
Be glorified in my life, so that it may be Your life.
Amen.
(journal entry May 23rd 2010)
I was broken.
I was with out direction.
I was lost.
In the Fall of 2004 I began to journeys. One for entertainment, the other of desperation.
A relationship that was bad from, "Hello," came to an end. An end I wanted, but was not strong, or willing enough to make happen.
So I cried out to God.
He heard me.
The relationship ended. So I began my journey back to God, rather, who he wanted me to be. I had taken many selfish roads away from who I thought I was, and what I was to be. Only to return broken and useless. But nothing is irreversible.
The other journey was with the characters of a show called Lost.
A story about broken, directionless people.
People who were lost.
It wasn't until tonight, after watching the series finale, that I saw the shows' parallel with my own journey.
The finale, to me, was about faith and fulfilling a purpose, and letting go. A purpose you may never have sought for yourself. A purpose of helping others. Watching how these characters have struggled for and against faith, and fate or destiny...only to have their eyes open in the end, and submit to the truth.
Six years ago I was doing everything wrong.
I struggled and fought.
But God is a patient and merciful teacher.
He corrects and disciplines those he loves. And I've been getting a lot of both. Watching the finale of Lost tonight, caused me to look back at the show, and in turn, my own life since 2004.
I was in a solid but dead end job. No motivation. No purpose. I simply existed. My dreams were gone, or hollow compared to what they once were. I had virtually exiled myself from friends and family.
And God.
I was selfish and unwhole.
But God was always there. I had just gotten good at ignoring him.
That changed, just as surely as Summer was changing into Autumn.
I changed.
Slowly, over the past 6 years, and I'll keep growing and changing until the day I die. We never run out of time or opportunities to grow and change. We can ignore them, or let them pass, but they are always there. We can, until we die.
And I'm not dead yet.
God has moved me, spiritually, physically...completely.
I'm here on the precipice of a dream, a calling that began 15 years ago. Africa.
I sidetracked myself for a goodly while. Chasing after one desire or another. Serving only myself. Yet God put me back on track. I've been allowed to discover, or have been given new talents and abilities. And opportunity after opportunity to grow.
I've messed up on them sometimes, a lot of times, but God was, is, and will always be here to guide me.
Sitting here, writing this I realize I'm coming to a finale of sorts. It's not here yet, but it's coming. What it is, I don't rightly know. It's a mystery. Many mysteries.
I do know that change is coming.
Movies reach the credits, a book eventually comes to the back cover, and periods of life come to an end. And in ending, present new beginnings.
Moving, changing, growing...it's a part of life. They are defining qualities of life.
And I am so ready for it!
I pray I can keep up, and that I will see beyond my own needs, my growth, my story. That I can be useful, and have a purpose besides consuming and existing. That I might live out God's purpose for me.
Jesus, you are my constant. When I am confused, tempted, lost...let me open my heart and see you, and know where I belong. Though I deserve nothing, save to be called your enemy, your Grace has changed all that.
You call me child, friend, Jesse. I pray I will be forever thankful.
Father, increase in my life for your glory. Decrease me, to your honor.
Jesus I love you, my words don't convey the depth and scope of how you have changed me, or what you mean to me.
But I thank you.
When the world is in chaos, let me hear your voice.
When it is still, let me know your presence.
Use me, when, where, and however you will.
Be glorified in my life, so that it may be Your life.
Amen.
(journal entry May 23rd 2010)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
In Defense of Our Dreams (a poem)
In Defense of Our Dreams
May 19th, 2010
inside our hearts we dare to dream
they grow and spread
waiting for a voice to give them flight
spoken in whispers
to loved ones and friends
our dreams begin to stand on clumsy, eager legs
step by step our confidence grows
we no longer speak in hushed voices
our dream is bold and now, so are we
we proclaim them aloud
for all to hear
our courage grown into great march
we cry out the louder
and the madness begins
our dream is our right
who dares to come against?
our hearts are enraged
we take up our arms
in defense of our dreams
we trample
we crush
we obliterate all
all who would stand
all who resist
in defense of our dreams
inside their hearts they dare to dream...
May 19th, 2010
inside our hearts we dare to dream
they grow and spread
waiting for a voice to give them flight
spoken in whispers
to loved ones and friends
our dreams begin to stand on clumsy, eager legs
step by step our confidence grows
we no longer speak in hushed voices
our dream is bold and now, so are we
we proclaim them aloud
for all to hear
our courage grown into great march
we cry out the louder
and the madness begins
our dream is our right
who dares to come against?
our hearts are enraged
we take up our arms
in defense of our dreams
we trample
we crush
we obliterate all
all who would stand
all who resist
in defense of our dreams
inside their hearts they dare to dream...
Monday, May 10, 2010
Broken Little Things
She reached up with her perfect arm, feeling her slender fingers wrap around the ripe fruit. It was cool and felt like it belonged in her hand. The wind blew gently through the trees, the smell of lilac and honeysuckle filled the evening air. She lifted the fruit to her mouth, her lips tingled as they touched it's skin. She took a bite, juice ran over her chin...and something inside of her, broke.
It broke inside of her. Then it broke inside of her husband. And their children, all the way down the lines of history to you and me. We are all broken. In more ways than one. Some of us more than others. No matter how we try to dress it up, conceal it, ignore it, deny it...it's there in all of us.
We as humans, were not meant to live as we now do.
This past weekend I went to the St. Louis Zoo. For those of you who don't know me well, or thought you did...I love animals. Animals have been something I've always been fascinated with since I was a kid. So I was looking forward to going to the zoo. It was a very nice zoo, with lots of animals. I was thoroughly impressed with all the animals and ability to clearly see them and appreciate their beauty.
Something happened though when I was looking at the great apes. Now, I'm not going to sit here and talk like I'm some sort of expert or that I've studied these animals for years or anything. I've read some books here and there and may know a few things, but I'm not well versed in all things ape.
The first apes I saw were the chimps. I could see one off a way in the "trees." Then I moved to the next window around the corner, and there was an older chimp sitting in the corner by the glass. There were lots of kids ignoring the "don't knock on the glass" sign. The parents weren't doing too good a job either.
I watched the chimp sitting in the corner, uninterested in anything. It's lip and jaw were slack and just hanging open. It just sat there, or slumped rather, leaning into the corner seemingly oblivious to what was going on. Staring at nothing.
It looked broken.
Like an old man in a nursing home who doesn't know who, or where he is. The lights were on, but nobody was home. This was not the life this chimp was meant to life. Granted it may have a great habitat, proper food and care...but is that the life it was born for?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not berating zoos or parks like this, I think they are great and fascinating. But I think that there's been enough studies and research done to show that animals in captivity are not the "same" as those in the wild.
As I walked around the zoo I started to see all the other animals in this light. Especially the bears (my personal favorite.) One of the grizzlies and one of the Malayan Sun bears just paced most of the time. Back and forth on the edge of their concrete enclosures. Like some mindless ritual or routine. The Amur Tigers, three of them, prowling about in an area greatly reduced from what their natural territory must be.
They were all broken.
Just like us.
We are broken by sin. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit they changed forever, they changed us forever.
A few of the things that broke were our relationship with God, our relationship to Creation, and our relationship with each other.
God created us to be with Him.
(The Whole Bible)
This idea is the basis for all the books of the Bible. God created us. He would walk in the garden with Adam and Eve, until they hid from Him. They were banished from the Garden, but God still spoke to them. To Noah. To Abram. And He is still talking to this day.
Look what he says in Ezekiel:
"My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people."
-Ezekiel 37:27
Throughout history God is showing us ways to draw closer to Him. Ultimately it is Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that makes that possible. God's son did that for us. I think it's evident that He wants to be with us.
God created man to cultivate the ground, and rule over the animals.
(Genesis 1:26-29)
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"
-Genesis 1:26
Adam was placed in the garden to work it and take care of it, Genesis 2:15. Then the animals were brought to him and he named them. Genesis 2:19-20.
God created Eve to be with Adam.
(Genesis 2:21-25)
"But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."
-Genesis 2:20-22
Eve was created from Adam, for Adam. They were made to be together. To help each other and keep each other company. I can't think of a greater human example of brokenness than that of the relationship between men and women.
Then, the serpent came.
They ate the fruit.
Everything changed.
We were broken.
Broken from God
The immediate response to sin was for Adam and Eve to hide. We don't want God to see us for what we really are. There are many ways people deal with this. Some will seek an easier answer to God, easier than faith. By doing works, things they can say, "Look what good things I did to earn my way here."
Others will deny God's existence. We can't admit to feeling separated from God if we don't think He exists. Yet others try to scientifically prove He is real. Or that we are all gods and shouldn't feel bad about anything if it comes from inside us. This list could go on and on with the things we do to fill that gap, that breach in our soul that is missing God.
Broken from Others
War. Hate. Violence.
Those things pretty much sum up this point. This one is violently demonstrated when Cain kills Able because Able obeyed God. It's no wonder that being broken from God, the one who created us, would cause us to be broken from each other. Adam blamed Eve when God found them after they ate of the tree.
Somehow we have it in our head that by disassociating with people we think are "less" than us, it makes us better. Which couldn't be further from the truth. Jesus told the disciples to be in the world not of it. He also said that he came to heal the sick, for the healthy do not need a doctor.
So, especially in Christian circles, we've got a mind set that we need to distance ourselves from sinners, the lost.
And we quickly forget that we are just as guilty. We think we're better, and we act it out.
We have issues with friends, children, parents, spouses, co-workers and on and on. No relationship we could ever have is the way it is supposed to be. We can work at them every day, but we are broken from each other.
Broken from each other because we are broken from God.
Broken from Creation
We are no longer in dominion of creation. And as much as I love nature, we were never in "harmony" with it. Read the Creation story again. God put Adam in charge of the animals and plants. But because of Sin, we are subject to them. We don't live in nature and creation as God intended.
We destroy nature to live. We consume everything. There is little awe and respect for what God made.
The work God made us to do, most people don't do, and wouldn't know how to do. Our bodies were not made to sit in plush office chairs 6 days a week. We were not made to spend our lives watching TV.
So what do we see? Obesity and other eating disorders. Health problems from working too much. Ergonomic cushions to prevent carpel tunnel. ADHD, depression, social anxiety. Addictions to fantasies that are not, and can never be real.
I honestly believe that these are things we have brought on ourselves with the way we live.
I'm not saying we all need to torch our houses, quit our jobs and go live in the woods. But we need to be aware that this isn't what we were made for.
The Fix
There is a solution to this. A cast to heal the break if you will. And that is Jesus. He came and gave us an opportunity to reconnect with God the Father. We can restore that relationship with Him. Through Jesus.
In restoring our relationship with God, we can allow Him to fix our relationship with others. Our relationship with His creation.
But like all breaks and wounds, healing takes time. You can set an arm after it is broken, but it takes time for the bone to heal. God fixes us, and He will work on us the rest of our life if we let Him.
We can't think that simply saying a prayer and returning to the life we know will do anything.
God changes us, makes us a new creation. We choose to reach up and pluck that fruit from the tree again. And God will correct us if we let Him. Or we can choose to ignore Him. Again.
Like with the broken bone, the doctor will tell you how to take care of it, to allow the best healing. God has provided all the instructions we need in the Word. Through the Word. It is there that we find the healing, the restoration we seek. It's in the Word, the living and active Word of God that we are mended.
Like that chimp I saw at the zoo. It was technically a chimp, but it wasn't living the life it was born to live. Perhaps as it sat there, slack jawed and staring it was dreaming. Of what life would be like to be free. Free of the broken life it was living.
Climbing trees living in it's natural environment. Playing, fighting, and defending. Seeking food when it was hungry, and unafraid to reach out for that next branch.
The Fear
There is a fear that comes from a break. A fear of it happening again. I know when I broke my collar bone in a car accident, I was overly cautious in making left hand turns for years after the accident.
Fear will cripple us. Prevent us from living.
A study published in 2008 suggested that 1 in 3 animals raised in captivity will survive upon release into the wild. They lack the survival skills needed to hunt, evade, and fight. It is much the same with us. We are living a life we weren't meant to live. Apart from God, apart from each other, apart from creation.
But if we trust in God, and seek Jesus, we can live a life that is so much more full than the life we live crippled by sin. We can enjoy a life of wisdom and instruction from God instead of floundering in the dark. We can live together and appreciate each other more instead of arguing and hating. We can walk outside and see the beauty of creation instead of the glow of a monitor.
Reach out to God.
Extend your broken soul to Him and he will heal you. We are all broken little things, but God is bigger and more powerfull than anything. He, and he alone can fix us, make us whole, unbroken.
"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."
-Isaiah 64:8
It broke inside of her. Then it broke inside of her husband. And their children, all the way down the lines of history to you and me. We are all broken. In more ways than one. Some of us more than others. No matter how we try to dress it up, conceal it, ignore it, deny it...it's there in all of us.
We as humans, were not meant to live as we now do.
This past weekend I went to the St. Louis Zoo. For those of you who don't know me well, or thought you did...I love animals. Animals have been something I've always been fascinated with since I was a kid. So I was looking forward to going to the zoo. It was a very nice zoo, with lots of animals. I was thoroughly impressed with all the animals and ability to clearly see them and appreciate their beauty.
Something happened though when I was looking at the great apes. Now, I'm not going to sit here and talk like I'm some sort of expert or that I've studied these animals for years or anything. I've read some books here and there and may know a few things, but I'm not well versed in all things ape.
The first apes I saw were the chimps. I could see one off a way in the "trees." Then I moved to the next window around the corner, and there was an older chimp sitting in the corner by the glass. There were lots of kids ignoring the "don't knock on the glass" sign. The parents weren't doing too good a job either.
I watched the chimp sitting in the corner, uninterested in anything. It's lip and jaw were slack and just hanging open. It just sat there, or slumped rather, leaning into the corner seemingly oblivious to what was going on. Staring at nothing.
It looked broken.
Like an old man in a nursing home who doesn't know who, or where he is. The lights were on, but nobody was home. This was not the life this chimp was meant to life. Granted it may have a great habitat, proper food and care...but is that the life it was born for?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not berating zoos or parks like this, I think they are great and fascinating. But I think that there's been enough studies and research done to show that animals in captivity are not the "same" as those in the wild.
As I walked around the zoo I started to see all the other animals in this light. Especially the bears (my personal favorite.) One of the grizzlies and one of the Malayan Sun bears just paced most of the time. Back and forth on the edge of their concrete enclosures. Like some mindless ritual or routine. The Amur Tigers, three of them, prowling about in an area greatly reduced from what their natural territory must be.
They were all broken.
Just like us.
We are broken by sin. When Adam and Eve ate of the fruit they changed forever, they changed us forever.
A few of the things that broke were our relationship with God, our relationship to Creation, and our relationship with each other.
God created us to be with Him.
(The Whole Bible)
This idea is the basis for all the books of the Bible. God created us. He would walk in the garden with Adam and Eve, until they hid from Him. They were banished from the Garden, but God still spoke to them. To Noah. To Abram. And He is still talking to this day.
Look what he says in Ezekiel:
"My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people."
-Ezekiel 37:27
Throughout history God is showing us ways to draw closer to Him. Ultimately it is Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that makes that possible. God's son did that for us. I think it's evident that He wants to be with us.
God created man to cultivate the ground, and rule over the animals.
(Genesis 1:26-29)
"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'"
-Genesis 1:26
Adam was placed in the garden to work it and take care of it, Genesis 2:15. Then the animals were brought to him and he named them. Genesis 2:19-20.
God created Eve to be with Adam.
(Genesis 2:21-25)
"But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man."
-Genesis 2:20-22
Eve was created from Adam, for Adam. They were made to be together. To help each other and keep each other company. I can't think of a greater human example of brokenness than that of the relationship between men and women.
Then, the serpent came.
They ate the fruit.
Everything changed.
We were broken.
Broken from God
The immediate response to sin was for Adam and Eve to hide. We don't want God to see us for what we really are. There are many ways people deal with this. Some will seek an easier answer to God, easier than faith. By doing works, things they can say, "Look what good things I did to earn my way here."
Others will deny God's existence. We can't admit to feeling separated from God if we don't think He exists. Yet others try to scientifically prove He is real. Or that we are all gods and shouldn't feel bad about anything if it comes from inside us. This list could go on and on with the things we do to fill that gap, that breach in our soul that is missing God.
Broken from Others
War. Hate. Violence.
Those things pretty much sum up this point. This one is violently demonstrated when Cain kills Able because Able obeyed God. It's no wonder that being broken from God, the one who created us, would cause us to be broken from each other. Adam blamed Eve when God found them after they ate of the tree.
Somehow we have it in our head that by disassociating with people we think are "less" than us, it makes us better. Which couldn't be further from the truth. Jesus told the disciples to be in the world not of it. He also said that he came to heal the sick, for the healthy do not need a doctor.
So, especially in Christian circles, we've got a mind set that we need to distance ourselves from sinners, the lost.
And we quickly forget that we are just as guilty. We think we're better, and we act it out.
We have issues with friends, children, parents, spouses, co-workers and on and on. No relationship we could ever have is the way it is supposed to be. We can work at them every day, but we are broken from each other.
Broken from each other because we are broken from God.
Broken from Creation
We are no longer in dominion of creation. And as much as I love nature, we were never in "harmony" with it. Read the Creation story again. God put Adam in charge of the animals and plants. But because of Sin, we are subject to them. We don't live in nature and creation as God intended.
We destroy nature to live. We consume everything. There is little awe and respect for what God made.
The work God made us to do, most people don't do, and wouldn't know how to do. Our bodies were not made to sit in plush office chairs 6 days a week. We were not made to spend our lives watching TV.
So what do we see? Obesity and other eating disorders. Health problems from working too much. Ergonomic cushions to prevent carpel tunnel. ADHD, depression, social anxiety. Addictions to fantasies that are not, and can never be real.
I honestly believe that these are things we have brought on ourselves with the way we live.
I'm not saying we all need to torch our houses, quit our jobs and go live in the woods. But we need to be aware that this isn't what we were made for.
The Fix
There is a solution to this. A cast to heal the break if you will. And that is Jesus. He came and gave us an opportunity to reconnect with God the Father. We can restore that relationship with Him. Through Jesus.
In restoring our relationship with God, we can allow Him to fix our relationship with others. Our relationship with His creation.
But like all breaks and wounds, healing takes time. You can set an arm after it is broken, but it takes time for the bone to heal. God fixes us, and He will work on us the rest of our life if we let Him.
We can't think that simply saying a prayer and returning to the life we know will do anything.
God changes us, makes us a new creation. We choose to reach up and pluck that fruit from the tree again. And God will correct us if we let Him. Or we can choose to ignore Him. Again.
Like with the broken bone, the doctor will tell you how to take care of it, to allow the best healing. God has provided all the instructions we need in the Word. Through the Word. It is there that we find the healing, the restoration we seek. It's in the Word, the living and active Word of God that we are mended.
Like that chimp I saw at the zoo. It was technically a chimp, but it wasn't living the life it was born to live. Perhaps as it sat there, slack jawed and staring it was dreaming. Of what life would be like to be free. Free of the broken life it was living.
Climbing trees living in it's natural environment. Playing, fighting, and defending. Seeking food when it was hungry, and unafraid to reach out for that next branch.
The Fear
There is a fear that comes from a break. A fear of it happening again. I know when I broke my collar bone in a car accident, I was overly cautious in making left hand turns for years after the accident.
Fear will cripple us. Prevent us from living.
A study published in 2008 suggested that 1 in 3 animals raised in captivity will survive upon release into the wild. They lack the survival skills needed to hunt, evade, and fight. It is much the same with us. We are living a life we weren't meant to live. Apart from God, apart from each other, apart from creation.
But if we trust in God, and seek Jesus, we can live a life that is so much more full than the life we live crippled by sin. We can enjoy a life of wisdom and instruction from God instead of floundering in the dark. We can live together and appreciate each other more instead of arguing and hating. We can walk outside and see the beauty of creation instead of the glow of a monitor.
Reach out to God.
Extend your broken soul to Him and he will heal you. We are all broken little things, but God is bigger and more powerfull than anything. He, and he alone can fix us, make us whole, unbroken.
"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand."
-Isaiah 64:8
Monday, April 26, 2010
79 Days
I can't believe it.
In just a little over 2 months I will be getting on a plane to go to South Africa. It seem so unreal. I'm sure to some folks out there, you're wondering, "Why is he so excited?" Well for me this is like the moment Jordan got drafted into the NBA, or Armstrong getting into NASA.
It's the beginning of something for me. Something I've been dreaming about for 15 years.
And it's less than 3 months away. It hardly seems to be enough time. I'm still raising funds, and it's going great. About 2/3rds to go officialy.
But...we had our first group fundraiser yesterday (Sunday,) and it went really well!
"Cuts for a Cause" was a 5(+) hour event at Bella Capelli Salon in Joliet. Stylists, Masuses, Manicurists(?) came and donated thier day off, and services for free. All the money that was paid for hair cuts etc went to the group who was there helping out.
No, I didn't cut anyones hair, or do nails. I took photos of the event, helped with set up and some tear down, and got to talk with the other team members, and a lot of guests about the trip. Most were very happy to be donating to support the team, more for the end result of helping kids on the other side of the world.
It was a great day. Tiring...yes even taking photos all day can get tiring. But a good day. I'm looking forward to the next event "Summer Bash" some time in June.
Funny things leading up to the event yesterday. While purchasing the Coke (which I don't enjoy much, and wishing I could buy something else)I was asked to bring, I saw a 24 pack of the brown elixer and it was emblazoned with "South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup."
How cool is that? Not that I need anymore signs or encouragement to go...it was right there. And the 1/3rd of the trip that I have in the bank...almost all of that is donations/support!
I've also been doing a bit of research and light study on the history and culture of South Africa. May check out a book or two from the library if I can find some.
I hope to be doing more updates about the trip as it draws closer. Thanks for reading!!
-Jesse
In just a little over 2 months I will be getting on a plane to go to South Africa. It seem so unreal. I'm sure to some folks out there, you're wondering, "Why is he so excited?" Well for me this is like the moment Jordan got drafted into the NBA, or Armstrong getting into NASA.
It's the beginning of something for me. Something I've been dreaming about for 15 years.
And it's less than 3 months away. It hardly seems to be enough time. I'm still raising funds, and it's going great. About 2/3rds to go officialy.
But...we had our first group fundraiser yesterday (Sunday,) and it went really well!
"Cuts for a Cause" was a 5(+) hour event at Bella Capelli Salon in Joliet. Stylists, Masuses, Manicurists(?) came and donated thier day off, and services for free. All the money that was paid for hair cuts etc went to the group who was there helping out.
No, I didn't cut anyones hair, or do nails. I took photos of the event, helped with set up and some tear down, and got to talk with the other team members, and a lot of guests about the trip. Most were very happy to be donating to support the team, more for the end result of helping kids on the other side of the world.
It was a great day. Tiring...yes even taking photos all day can get tiring. But a good day. I'm looking forward to the next event "Summer Bash" some time in June.
Funny things leading up to the event yesterday. While purchasing the Coke (which I don't enjoy much, and wishing I could buy something else)I was asked to bring, I saw a 24 pack of the brown elixer and it was emblazoned with "South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup."
How cool is that? Not that I need anymore signs or encouragement to go...it was right there. And the 1/3rd of the trip that I have in the bank...almost all of that is donations/support!
I've also been doing a bit of research and light study on the history and culture of South Africa. May check out a book or two from the library if I can find some.
I hope to be doing more updates about the trip as it draws closer. Thanks for reading!!
-Jesse
Friday, April 9, 2010
Call to Arms
"This is a call to arms, gather soldiers
Time to go to war
This is a battle song, brothers and sisters
Time to go to war."
- Vox Populi, by 30 Seconds to Mars
Did you know that as followers of Jesus we are called to war?
Well, we are.
But we are not called to fight with guns and bombs. We do not fight against other people, or religions, or nations.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Ephesians 6:12
But we do have an enemy. The Enemy. He's been our enemy since the beginning in Eden. He's been working against God ever since. Jesus said this in John 8:44
"...He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for
he is a liar and the father of lies."
There are many other places in the Word that give other descriptions of the Enemy and his character. One other I'll mention here is also from Jesus
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..."
John 10:10
So we know we are in a battle. We know who are Enemy is. What now?
We take up arms.
Paul lines out in Ephesians 6 what these arms are. (verses 10-18)
The Belt of Truth
"...Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,..."
The belt. It holds everything together. And what does Paul call it?
Truth.
"A verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like" is one of the definitions in the dictionary. But truth being verified, is not where it stops for us. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life..." So for us, Jesus is Truth. Jesus is a verified or indisputable fact. He is what holds everything together. He holds us together.
So if we are buckled with truth, we must live in truth. Lying does not become a follower of Jesus. We must live out what we claim to be. If we are Christians, let us be Christians. And to do that we have to know who Jesus is. How? Well that's coming up later.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
"...with the breastplate of righteousness in place,..."
The breastplate covers and protects our vital organs. Not least of which is our Heart. Paul is telling us that we cover and protect our heart with Righteousness. How do we get this Righteousness?
"...the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it."
Romans 9:30-31
Through faith in Jesus, in what he taught, lived, died and resurrected for, we can be covered with Righteousness. It is defined as: 'acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous." How do we do that? How does that protect our heart?
We strive to live upright, morally, virtuous...we do so by living like Jesus, and having faith in Him that he is the ultimate example of righteousness. This protects us because Jesus didn't do things that would hurt his heart. He wasn't sneaking around doing things that were questionable. He didn't talk back to his parents. He spent most of his time seeking God. The rest of the time he was teaching what he knew to others, helping them, caring for the poor, healing the sick.
And isn't that exactly what he told the disciples (and us) to do? And look what word is used at the beginning:
"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’"
Matthew 25:37-40
When we seek to serve others, and not ourselves, we guard our heart by living in righteousness. Righteousness that comes from Jesus.
Readiness from the Gospel of Peace
"...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."
Peace. The Gospel or Good News of Peace. It's the story of Jesus. What he accomplished on Earth, through the Cross and Resurrection.
Paul says in Ephesians 2:14-18
"For he himself (Jesus) is our peace, who has made the two one
and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and
regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man
out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to
reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he
put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you
who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through
him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
So this piece of weaponry is not as "obvious." The readiness comes from the Good News, the Cause if you will. The whole story of Jesus. By knowing it we should be eager to share it, eager to move and proclaim it. We shouldn't be content sitting still in our office chairs, and recliners! We should be ready to move to go when the opportunity comes to share Jesus.
We should know that story inside and out. Not just in our heads, but our hearts. To know what Jesus did for all mankind and for us individually. Know your story. Let it be ready to share with others so that they can encounter (maybe immediately, or in time) Jesus, and be restored to the Father.
The Shield of Faith
"...take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."
The shield. An ancient weapon known throughout most of history. Some were small, some large but all had the same purpose. To prevent weapons of the enemy from getting to you. Shields would take the brunt of the initial attacks. Be it stones, arrows, swords, or spears...the shield, if made well would deflect these things. Epesians 6 says that it will extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
How cool is that?! Not only does it stop them, it puts out the fire!
Fire consumes.
When used as a weapon fire is devastating. But when you pick up the shield of Faith, the flames are quenched. What did we already establish our faith in? Jesus. Our trust in him as our Savior, our King, our God. It is our faith in Him the creates this shield, this barrier protection. Something God has consistently told us He is.
Psalm 91:1-2
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.'"
Another thing about the shield, it has to go in front of you or it is useless. So, our Faith in Jesus should go before us, otherwise we are vulnerable to attack. Keep your Faith before you, keep Jesus as your goal, and He will protect you.
Helmet of Salvation
"...Take the helmet of salvation..."
The helmet protects our head. And what is inside out head?
Our mind.
So Salvation is what protects our mind...if we keep it on. When we think, remember what Jesus did. Hebrews 2: 3-4 says:
"...This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord(Jesus), was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."
When our minds start to wander. When we think of the nasty response. When we think of yelling and swearing...remember Salvation. Remember Jesus. Even when he was dying on the cross for us, bearing all our sin...he forgave us. All wrongs have been righted in his death. All blood owed has been paid. All the things we feel we are justified to have...have already been given.
"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation..."
Isaiah 12:2
Not only should we guard our thoughts from evil, but allow it to Trust and not Fear. God has already won. The only things we can loose (if we cling to him) are our earthly possessions, and our earthly body.
The Sword of the Spirit
"...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Earlier I asked how do we get to know Jesus. The sword is the answer. The sword is the Word of God, Jesus is also the Word.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
'Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light
shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."
John 1:1-5
The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is all about God, and His love for us, and the plan of redemption that was laid out for Jesus. The Word is full of instructions, hope, song, stories, and love. And there is only one way to know it...and that's by digging into it. Read it. Let the words of scripture fill your heart, and Righteousness will come. Saturate your mind with the words of Jesus, and Salvation will guard it. Allow your faith to rest firmly on the promises of God that come from the Bible, and he will protect you.
Prayer
"...And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests..."
Prayer. It's how we communicate with God. And communication in a battle is vital. If you can't hear what God is telling you...you can't move, you can't act, you can't fight.
Prayer doesn't have to be eloquent and lofty. It doesn't have to be full of the right words or said in just the right way. Let it come from your heart, your spirit. Jesus tells us how to pray in Matthew 6:5-14. You can also look at the other prayers Jesus makes throughout the four gospels. God knows what you need before ever you go to Him.
The War
We have a clear and present Enemy. We have been given our arms and are equipped. There is open lines of communication to Jesus. But we do not fight to draw blood. We do not fight to kill.
We fight on our knees in prayer.
We fight in song with worship.
We fight in actions by serving others.
We fight by laying down our lives for Jesus.
So I call out today, April 9th to all Christians in every city, in every country
Take up your arms!
Lift up the Sword of Truth!
Put on the Armor of God!
The Enemy is at hand.
Fall to your knees and pray!
Raise up your voice in Worship!
Call on our Savior to pour out His Spirit!
God stir our hearts to action.
Raise up our spirits in Strength and Courage!
Shelter and protect us,
Lead and guide us Father!
Time to go to war
This is a battle song, brothers and sisters
Time to go to war."
- Vox Populi, by 30 Seconds to Mars
Did you know that as followers of Jesus we are called to war?
Well, we are.
But we are not called to fight with guns and bombs. We do not fight against other people, or religions, or nations.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."
Ephesians 6:12
But we do have an enemy. The Enemy. He's been our enemy since the beginning in Eden. He's been working against God ever since. Jesus said this in John 8:44
"...He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for
he is a liar and the father of lies."
There are many other places in the Word that give other descriptions of the Enemy and his character. One other I'll mention here is also from Jesus
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..."
John 10:10
So we know we are in a battle. We know who are Enemy is. What now?
We take up arms.
Paul lines out in Ephesians 6 what these arms are. (verses 10-18)
The Belt of Truth
"...Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,..."
The belt. It holds everything together. And what does Paul call it?
Truth.
"A verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like" is one of the definitions in the dictionary. But truth being verified, is not where it stops for us. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life..." So for us, Jesus is Truth. Jesus is a verified or indisputable fact. He is what holds everything together. He holds us together.
So if we are buckled with truth, we must live in truth. Lying does not become a follower of Jesus. We must live out what we claim to be. If we are Christians, let us be Christians. And to do that we have to know who Jesus is. How? Well that's coming up later.
The Breastplate of Righteousness
"...with the breastplate of righteousness in place,..."
The breastplate covers and protects our vital organs. Not least of which is our Heart. Paul is telling us that we cover and protect our heart with Righteousness. How do we get this Righteousness?
"...the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it."
Romans 9:30-31
Through faith in Jesus, in what he taught, lived, died and resurrected for, we can be covered with Righteousness. It is defined as: 'acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous." How do we do that? How does that protect our heart?
We strive to live upright, morally, virtuous...we do so by living like Jesus, and having faith in Him that he is the ultimate example of righteousness. This protects us because Jesus didn't do things that would hurt his heart. He wasn't sneaking around doing things that were questionable. He didn't talk back to his parents. He spent most of his time seeking God. The rest of the time he was teaching what he knew to others, helping them, caring for the poor, healing the sick.
And isn't that exactly what he told the disciples (and us) to do? And look what word is used at the beginning:
"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’"
Matthew 25:37-40
When we seek to serve others, and not ourselves, we guard our heart by living in righteousness. Righteousness that comes from Jesus.
Readiness from the Gospel of Peace
"...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."
Peace. The Gospel or Good News of Peace. It's the story of Jesus. What he accomplished on Earth, through the Cross and Resurrection.
Paul says in Ephesians 2:14-18
"For he himself (Jesus) is our peace, who has made the two one
and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,
by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and
regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man
out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to
reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he
put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you
who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through
him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."
So this piece of weaponry is not as "obvious." The readiness comes from the Good News, the Cause if you will. The whole story of Jesus. By knowing it we should be eager to share it, eager to move and proclaim it. We shouldn't be content sitting still in our office chairs, and recliners! We should be ready to move to go when the opportunity comes to share Jesus.
We should know that story inside and out. Not just in our heads, but our hearts. To know what Jesus did for all mankind and for us individually. Know your story. Let it be ready to share with others so that they can encounter (maybe immediately, or in time) Jesus, and be restored to the Father.
The Shield of Faith
"...take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."
The shield. An ancient weapon known throughout most of history. Some were small, some large but all had the same purpose. To prevent weapons of the enemy from getting to you. Shields would take the brunt of the initial attacks. Be it stones, arrows, swords, or spears...the shield, if made well would deflect these things. Epesians 6 says that it will extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
How cool is that?! Not only does it stop them, it puts out the fire!
Fire consumes.
When used as a weapon fire is devastating. But when you pick up the shield of Faith, the flames are quenched. What did we already establish our faith in? Jesus. Our trust in him as our Savior, our King, our God. It is our faith in Him the creates this shield, this barrier protection. Something God has consistently told us He is.
Psalm 91:1-2
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.'"
Another thing about the shield, it has to go in front of you or it is useless. So, our Faith in Jesus should go before us, otherwise we are vulnerable to attack. Keep your Faith before you, keep Jesus as your goal, and He will protect you.
Helmet of Salvation
"...Take the helmet of salvation..."
The helmet protects our head. And what is inside out head?
Our mind.
So Salvation is what protects our mind...if we keep it on. When we think, remember what Jesus did. Hebrews 2: 3-4 says:
"...This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord(Jesus), was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will."
When our minds start to wander. When we think of the nasty response. When we think of yelling and swearing...remember Salvation. Remember Jesus. Even when he was dying on the cross for us, bearing all our sin...he forgave us. All wrongs have been righted in his death. All blood owed has been paid. All the things we feel we are justified to have...have already been given.
"Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation..."
Isaiah 12:2
Not only should we guard our thoughts from evil, but allow it to Trust and not Fear. God has already won. The only things we can loose (if we cling to him) are our earthly possessions, and our earthly body.
The Sword of the Spirit
"...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
Earlier I asked how do we get to know Jesus. The sword is the answer. The sword is the Word of God, Jesus is also the Word.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
'Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light
shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it."
John 1:1-5
The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is all about God, and His love for us, and the plan of redemption that was laid out for Jesus. The Word is full of instructions, hope, song, stories, and love. And there is only one way to know it...and that's by digging into it. Read it. Let the words of scripture fill your heart, and Righteousness will come. Saturate your mind with the words of Jesus, and Salvation will guard it. Allow your faith to rest firmly on the promises of God that come from the Bible, and he will protect you.
Prayer
"...And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests..."
Prayer. It's how we communicate with God. And communication in a battle is vital. If you can't hear what God is telling you...you can't move, you can't act, you can't fight.
Prayer doesn't have to be eloquent and lofty. It doesn't have to be full of the right words or said in just the right way. Let it come from your heart, your spirit. Jesus tells us how to pray in Matthew 6:5-14. You can also look at the other prayers Jesus makes throughout the four gospels. God knows what you need before ever you go to Him.
The War
We have a clear and present Enemy. We have been given our arms and are equipped. There is open lines of communication to Jesus. But we do not fight to draw blood. We do not fight to kill.
We fight on our knees in prayer.
We fight in song with worship.
We fight in actions by serving others.
We fight by laying down our lives for Jesus.
So I call out today, April 9th to all Christians in every city, in every country
Take up your arms!
Lift up the Sword of Truth!
Put on the Armor of God!
The Enemy is at hand.
Fall to your knees and pray!
Raise up your voice in Worship!
Call on our Savior to pour out His Spirit!
God stir our hearts to action.
Raise up our spirits in Strength and Courage!
Shelter and protect us,
Lead and guide us Father!
Friday, April 2, 2010
Please allow me to introduce myself...
It's "Good Friday."
A day Christians around the world honor in appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice. The day that was the catalyst for the final stage of Jesus' life on Earth. Jesus, the living Son of God, lived his whole life, about 33 years, for this day.
He was arrested in secret in the night. Put on trial seveal times, and found innocent by those in secular authority. But God had other plans. Redeption required a sacrifice. A sacrifice that had been in God's plan since (at least) Eden.
Jesus lived a sinless life. A claim no other person can make. This is important because animals used for sacrifice were to be unblemished, spotless, pure. Jesus was that. He knew what was going to happen. Knew he was going to die. It's why he came. Partly.
There was nothing anyone could have done different. If Jesus wasn't killed...the redemption would still be waiting to happen. We would still be waiting to be restored to God.
But it did happen. It wasn't any one person's fault, any one group of people. It was all of us. From Adam to now to the end of the Earth. We are all responsible. But don't get hung up on that because his act of sacrifice and the resurrection is Jesus crying out "I FORGEIVE YOU!" And we all need it.
He was flogged, beaten, riddiculed, mocked, spat on, humiliated, and he carried the Sin of the world with him as he died. Nailed to the cross, flesh torn to pieces he cried out with a weakened voice, in triumph he said, "It is finished." He gave up his spirit, laden with the Sins of all Mankind.
But the story doesn't end there.
Sunday, he rose from the dead! Not only did he take our sins away, but he came back so that through him, not just his death, but his resurrection we had a way, The Way to a restored life with the Father. Creator of all things! What was once broken was restored.
So you may be wondering why I used a Rolling Stones lyric as my title. Espceially one that comes from a song titled "Sympathy for the Devil."
The song is from Lucifer's point of view. Talking about all the things he's done. Defending what he did, in a way. But those first and repeated lines, "I'm a man of wealth and taste..."
It's so like him to appeal to our "finer sensibilities." He appears to be good and right leading us to thoughts of, "Why shouldn't I have this?" "Why not live this way?" "Why not go after what I want?" and on and on. He convinces us of what we think we deserve. But it's not because he wants us to be happy. It's because he wants to destroy us.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." - Jesus (John 10:10)
I'm not saying having nice things is a sin. Nor is having interets in things that aren't the Bible. But we have to becareful that our pursuit of those things doesn't come at the cost of our witness, our faith, or our understanding of being a servant. The enemy will trick us, decieve us into thinking that things are ok. We will rationalize ourselves into things we know are bad, or at least not what we ought to be doing. I know this full well in my own life.
It's ok to take care of yourself. But don't fall victim to the concept that everyone should be able to take care of themselves. We as Christians are called to help, to serve, to love.
He (Jesus) answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
That is a hard thing to do. But it is what we are meant to do. Worship God. With EVERYTHING. And to love our neighbors. In loving our neighbors we are doing part of the "Everything." Love God, love others. Show love to God by helping others. A lot of what Jesus taught was outward, away from self. Toward God, and others. Not self. It's a narrow road.
The Enemy's road is easy and wide. Anyone can walk it. Do what you want, when you want, how you want. If you want something, buy it...or just take it. Please yourself. Serve yourself. Indulge yourself. But remember this,
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have "life, and have it to the full." - Jesus (John 10:10)
You want a full life? Seek Jesus. He made the way for us to have it. And it is the only way to have that life.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - (John 14:6)
Beware of the Enemy for he will come deceptively to entice you. To lure you gently away from the embrace of God. He's a man of wealth and taste...he's got money and stuff...nice stuff that you can have. But he can't offer eternal life after death, or even Full life on Earth.
The roads are both there to walk. We just have to choose which we will journey on.
ps - the song "With Everything" from Hillsong is really on my heart while writing this so here's a link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSCE8uLuTJY
A day Christians around the world honor in appreciation for the ultimate sacrifice. The day that was the catalyst for the final stage of Jesus' life on Earth. Jesus, the living Son of God, lived his whole life, about 33 years, for this day.
He was arrested in secret in the night. Put on trial seveal times, and found innocent by those in secular authority. But God had other plans. Redeption required a sacrifice. A sacrifice that had been in God's plan since (at least) Eden.
Jesus lived a sinless life. A claim no other person can make. This is important because animals used for sacrifice were to be unblemished, spotless, pure. Jesus was that. He knew what was going to happen. Knew he was going to die. It's why he came. Partly.
There was nothing anyone could have done different. If Jesus wasn't killed...the redemption would still be waiting to happen. We would still be waiting to be restored to God.
But it did happen. It wasn't any one person's fault, any one group of people. It was all of us. From Adam to now to the end of the Earth. We are all responsible. But don't get hung up on that because his act of sacrifice and the resurrection is Jesus crying out "I FORGEIVE YOU!" And we all need it.
He was flogged, beaten, riddiculed, mocked, spat on, humiliated, and he carried the Sin of the world with him as he died. Nailed to the cross, flesh torn to pieces he cried out with a weakened voice, in triumph he said, "It is finished." He gave up his spirit, laden with the Sins of all Mankind.
But the story doesn't end there.
Sunday, he rose from the dead! Not only did he take our sins away, but he came back so that through him, not just his death, but his resurrection we had a way, The Way to a restored life with the Father. Creator of all things! What was once broken was restored.
So you may be wondering why I used a Rolling Stones lyric as my title. Espceially one that comes from a song titled "Sympathy for the Devil."
The song is from Lucifer's point of view. Talking about all the things he's done. Defending what he did, in a way. But those first and repeated lines, "I'm a man of wealth and taste..."
It's so like him to appeal to our "finer sensibilities." He appears to be good and right leading us to thoughts of, "Why shouldn't I have this?" "Why not live this way?" "Why not go after what I want?" and on and on. He convinces us of what we think we deserve. But it's not because he wants us to be happy. It's because he wants to destroy us.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy..." - Jesus (John 10:10)
I'm not saying having nice things is a sin. Nor is having interets in things that aren't the Bible. But we have to becareful that our pursuit of those things doesn't come at the cost of our witness, our faith, or our understanding of being a servant. The enemy will trick us, decieve us into thinking that things are ok. We will rationalize ourselves into things we know are bad, or at least not what we ought to be doing. I know this full well in my own life.
It's ok to take care of yourself. But don't fall victim to the concept that everyone should be able to take care of themselves. We as Christians are called to help, to serve, to love.
He (Jesus) answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
That is a hard thing to do. But it is what we are meant to do. Worship God. With EVERYTHING. And to love our neighbors. In loving our neighbors we are doing part of the "Everything." Love God, love others. Show love to God by helping others. A lot of what Jesus taught was outward, away from self. Toward God, and others. Not self. It's a narrow road.
The Enemy's road is easy and wide. Anyone can walk it. Do what you want, when you want, how you want. If you want something, buy it...or just take it. Please yourself. Serve yourself. Indulge yourself. But remember this,
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have "life, and have it to the full." - Jesus (John 10:10)
You want a full life? Seek Jesus. He made the way for us to have it. And it is the only way to have that life.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." - (John 14:6)
Beware of the Enemy for he will come deceptively to entice you. To lure you gently away from the embrace of God. He's a man of wealth and taste...he's got money and stuff...nice stuff that you can have. But he can't offer eternal life after death, or even Full life on Earth.
The roads are both there to walk. We just have to choose which we will journey on.
ps - the song "With Everything" from Hillsong is really on my heart while writing this so here's a link) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSCE8uLuTJY
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