"I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away." And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?"--Mark 8:2-4
Whoah, stop the presses....did they really just ask that? Hop back not even two whole chapters, and you find Jesus feeding five thousand people--through the disciples' own hands! So why, when Jesus tells them that He has compassion on a hungry crowd of four thousand, do they give Him the "duh" stare? The best response they have is, "So what are you going to do about it, Jesus?"
Really, guys? What do you think He's going to do?
I don't mean disrespect to the disciples, because my point is that we all do the same thing. If we are believers who follow hard after Christ, we each have an amazing personal testimony to share. In times of challenge, it's important to look back on our own testimonies and remember that God is consistent and is going to deliver us again.
I started this blog to encourage people with the word of my own testimony, but recently God put it on my heart to publicize other people's testimonies as well in order to build up the body of Christ. So I will occasionally post praise reports, miracles, salvation testimonies, etc, on these pages so that we may encourage one another.
I started with someone I know very well. I know this dude is telling the truth, because this dude is my little brother. I asked him to type up his story for me, and it goes as follows.
Joey, Age 22
"I
have always had a relationship with God since I was a child. However, I have
had my times of running away from God in the midst of trials.
When I was four
years of age, my father lead me in the sinner’s prayer, and I was born again. At
age five, I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Needless to say, Jesus
came into my life at a very early age. However, when I was twelve years old, I
started battling OCD and depression. This would begin a very hard and long four
years of my life. My grades started dropping drastically in school and all I
could think about was how I hated myself and life in general.
Unfortunately, at
the same exact time as I was having these problems, my family was having
financial difficulty, and my dad lost his job. He began to work two jobs at a
time and was not home very much. It was hard on the family, and especially me.
At the time I needed him most, he was rarely there. In seventh grade, the
depression escalated, and I started cutting myself. It was a horrible time. My
mind was in constant torment from the OCD, and on top of that, I was depressed.
I was mad at the world, and especially God for having to deal with these
issues. I started running far from him and even dabbled a little in the occult.
I also started looking at pornography online. I not only was depressed, but I
was confused about my sexuality. I had feelings of lust towards other boys in
school and didn't know why. The devil took full advantage of this.These satanic
influences made me only more depressed as I delved even deeper into a spiral of
despair and hopelessness. I isolated myself from everyone and was a very mean
person. All along, my spirit was just longing for its creator, the only one who
could rescue me from this torment.
Finally, it got so bad I attempted suicide
and just wanted to end it all, still angry at God, yet feeling very guilty for
what I was doing and how I was acting. In the summer of my ninth grade year, I
finally gave it all up, fell to the floor one night and prayed. I prayed “God,
either I’m going to die, or you need to help me. I have nothing left at all.” I
suddenly felt his presence come over me and I wept. God had been pursuing me
the whole time. I grabbed the little Bible my sister gave to me as a present
and began reading. I realized this journey would not be easy.
For the next few
years, I had to rely on the help of Jesus to change my thought patterns and
heal my depression. I had been oppressed by demons for years, and it was time to
take back my spiritual ground. I am 22 now and in Bible college, studying to be
a minister. This is purely by the grace of the almighty God and because of his
loving pursuit of one stray sheep. Jesus has brought me through so much in my
life and I give him all of the honor and glory."
I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.--Psalm 118:17
Word.
This is the basic story, and there are many other details, but the main point is that God changed my brother's life in an instant. He didn't "grow out of it" or "work his way out of it," but rather, God did the work that no man could do.
When I look at Joey now, I am so overjoyed to have the funny, lighthearted brother back that I had lost for years. What medication, therapy, and punishment couldn't fix, God restored. What doctors and psychologists and even relatives and friends said was hopeless, God redeemed. He wasn't watching from a distance, but was in the midst of the battle, because He had Joey's name engraved on the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16). I can't wait to see how Joey's ministry will bring His kingdom to earth in crazy, exciting ways. This living, walking miracle is ONLY a product of God's love. Jesus Christ literally saved my brother's life.
I might not say so except that I saw it myself.
My aim in posting people's testimonies will not be to climb on any platforms or to try to sell you God like an infomercial with "testimonials." I just want to share real, true stories, and let them speak for themselves. It's important for us as believers to be reminded that He is a God who won't be stopped. I want you to be encouraged by these testimonies and reassured of His power, love, grace, and peace. They are very real.
Maybe your testimony is not as dramatic as Joey's, but it is still beautiful, and it is so precious to your Father. Have story time with the Lord today. It is a very real and very personal way to worship Him.
Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!--Psalm 9:11
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
An Excellent Wife
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
(Proverbs 31:10-31)
I could pick this bit of scripture apart, but you can do that yourself. Many people would read this passage and conclude that a wife is meant to work hard all the time and never sleep, but I don't think that's what it's getting at. I think the main point is that an "excellent wife" is a kind, love-filled bride who is not afraid to serve and work with confidence of success.
Here's an abbreviated list of attributes of an excellent wife in this passage:
The most important thing about the wife here, however, is that "the heart of her husband trusts in her" and "he is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land." An excellent wife makes her husband known simply by her existence, and he trusts her intimately with his whole heart.
As you might have guessed, I'm not really talking about earthly marriage here.
The Church is the excellent wife of Jesus. When we are walking out the courage, joy, peace, and simple blessedness He won for us at the cross, we can't help but achieve big dreams, because His dreams are big. And when the world sees us walking in the light of His love, He will become more and more known "in the gates," where people of influence sit, those who have the power to open the gates to the gospel.
Jesus didn't just die so we could get to heaven, or we would be taken up like Elijah at the moment of salvation. He died so we could bring heaven to earth.
Don't miss this: Jesus' excellent wife is confident in her success because she is fully persuaded that her husband, who gave her the commission and cover to do everything she does, will bring it to pass. He has given her everything she needs: His Spirit. What is more intimate than a God who gives His own Spirit to the ones He loves? Is there anything more precious He could give you to convince you of His love for you?
The problem with many of us in the Church is that we believe lies about our union with Christ. Somebody (cough cough...Satan) convinced us treat it like an arranged marriage. We walk down the aisle because someone told us we had to. Many of us pay about as much attention to Jesus as we do to our stocks and accounts, because we consider Him an investment. Many others are afraid to trust Him completely, because we believe that, at the last minute, He just might back out of the deal. Some of us come to the wedding ceremony counting the cash in our dowries, as if we are going to bring something to God that makes us worthy. We try to earn His favor because we think we are worthless. There are multitudes in the Church who simply don't know Him: we are married to a stranger. As a result, we treat our marriage to Him like a contract and not a covenant. We are scared to death of the moment our groom lifts the veil, because He might not like what He sees.
But Jesus doesn't want a cool, anesthetized, contractual concubine. He wants a passionate, devoted, till-death-do-we-part bride. Church, you are that bride. And, like a groom mad with love, He will pursue you to make you His own. (I realize that might sound kind of weird to the guys reading this, but hear me out.)
He is Savior, Redeemer, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Emmanuel, Righteous Branch, Prince of Peace...the list goes on and on. But I like to think that the role He derives the most joy from is Bridegroom, because it seals His relationship with His beloved. Jesus labels Himself "Bridegroom" because marriage is the most intimate realm of relationship that we can understand. Obviously it doesn't work the same way as earthly marriage, but He uses this metaphor to give the closest example of absolute devotion, familiarity, commitment, and communion He can.
Don't believe the lies. Jesus is not an abusive or distant husband. He is a passionate Bridegroom who gave His life for His Bride. He loves you, and He's in it for the long haul.
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
(Proverbs 31:10-31)
I could pick this bit of scripture apart, but you can do that yourself. Many people would read this passage and conclude that a wife is meant to work hard all the time and never sleep, but I don't think that's what it's getting at. I think the main point is that an "excellent wife" is a kind, love-filled bride who is not afraid to serve and work with confidence of success.
Here's an abbreviated list of attributes of an excellent wife in this passage:
- Strong
- Dignified
- Courageous, even in the face of scary things (1 Peter 3:6)
- Imagines big things, and is not afraid to carry them out
- Hardworking
- Kind
- Laughs a lot
- Good teacher
- Not afraid of the future
- BLESSED
The most important thing about the wife here, however, is that "the heart of her husband trusts in her" and "he is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land." An excellent wife makes her husband known simply by her existence, and he trusts her intimately with his whole heart.
As you might have guessed, I'm not really talking about earthly marriage here.
The Church is the excellent wife of Jesus. When we are walking out the courage, joy, peace, and simple blessedness He won for us at the cross, we can't help but achieve big dreams, because His dreams are big. And when the world sees us walking in the light of His love, He will become more and more known "in the gates," where people of influence sit, those who have the power to open the gates to the gospel.
Jesus didn't just die so we could get to heaven, or we would be taken up like Elijah at the moment of salvation. He died so we could bring heaven to earth.
Don't miss this: Jesus' excellent wife is confident in her success because she is fully persuaded that her husband, who gave her the commission and cover to do everything she does, will bring it to pass. He has given her everything she needs: His Spirit. What is more intimate than a God who gives His own Spirit to the ones He loves? Is there anything more precious He could give you to convince you of His love for you?
The problem with many of us in the Church is that we believe lies about our union with Christ. Somebody (cough cough...Satan) convinced us treat it like an arranged marriage. We walk down the aisle because someone told us we had to. Many of us pay about as much attention to Jesus as we do to our stocks and accounts, because we consider Him an investment. Many others are afraid to trust Him completely, because we believe that, at the last minute, He just might back out of the deal. Some of us come to the wedding ceremony counting the cash in our dowries, as if we are going to bring something to God that makes us worthy. We try to earn His favor because we think we are worthless. There are multitudes in the Church who simply don't know Him: we are married to a stranger. As a result, we treat our marriage to Him like a contract and not a covenant. We are scared to death of the moment our groom lifts the veil, because He might not like what He sees.
But Jesus doesn't want a cool, anesthetized, contractual concubine. He wants a passionate, devoted, till-death-do-we-part bride. Church, you are that bride. And, like a groom mad with love, He will pursue you to make you His own. (I realize that might sound kind of weird to the guys reading this, but hear me out.)
He is Savior, Redeemer, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Emmanuel, Righteous Branch, Prince of Peace...the list goes on and on. But I like to think that the role He derives the most joy from is Bridegroom, because it seals His relationship with His beloved. Jesus labels Himself "Bridegroom" because marriage is the most intimate realm of relationship that we can understand. Obviously it doesn't work the same way as earthly marriage, but He uses this metaphor to give the closest example of absolute devotion, familiarity, commitment, and communion He can.
Don't believe the lies. Jesus is not an abusive or distant husband. He is a passionate Bridegroom who gave His life for His Bride. He loves you, and He's in it for the long haul.
Friday, March 13, 2015
G-Rated Life
If you don't want to settle for a boring life, keep reading. You have been chosen for a Mission Impossible.
Yesterday I saw a casino billboard that said, "Happiness is good food at a good price." There was a picture of a well-dressed elderly couple toasting each other with some larger-than-life crab legs creeping into the frame.
If you're going to buy into that lifestyle (which the casino marketing team would have you do), you might just as well ascribe to John Lennon's philosophy: "Happiness is a Warm Gun." Or, for a little less, um, violent approach, you could read Charles Schultz's children's book "Happiness is a Warm Puppy," and be filled with fuzziness. Because that's what life's all about, right?
Cartoonists, songwriters, and marketing teams all try to answer humanity's question: what is my life about? What is my purpose? Why was I born?
I like good food at a great price just as much as anybody. But is that the meaning of my life? Why do I get up every day? I think we all need to truly, honestly answer that question, especially as believers. The Word of God says that He created us for a much bigger purpose than what we usually settle for.
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
I have a feeling He wasn't talking about the buffet at the casino. (Sorry, Grandma and Grandpa Moneybags.) But what was He talking about?
I think when people think about Jesus, they think of this hippie-dippy doormat of a guy who just walked around living a perfect, G-rated life. They think of Him either as an impossible standard that they must, nevertheless, try (and fail) to live up to; or they think of Him as a goody-two-shoes who never offended anyone and did a bunch of good works like, you know, starting a homeless ministry or a food bank at His local synagogue. Some of the followers of Jesus try to do the same. While it's true that we should not go around being rude, and that starting homeless ministries and food banks at our churches is awesome, Jesus didn't really come to teach us how to live in a Disney movie full of rainbows and good feelings.
If you think that's what Jesus came to do, you need to go read your Bible. His followers were referred to as those "who turn the world upside-down" (Acts 17:6). This man taught us that a life lived in intimacy with God was a dangerous, thrilling, swashbuckling adventure that would destroy evil, as well as redefine our identities by the unfailing love of God, which is eternal. And He died to win that intimacy for us.
He's not a hippy or a polished, pressed businessman. He's a king, bro, and He comes with a sword (Matthew 10:34). Not only that, but He's here to draw you into a relationship with His Father that will ravage the kingdom of darkness.
John states it pretty straight-up: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). I don't think you can get any more plain than that.
He told us who He was that pivotal day when He unrolled the scroll in the synagogue at Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:17):
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
He basically told all the Nazarenes, His childhood playmates and elderly neighbors, that He was the Messiah. Ooooh....#dropthemic. Not only was He the Messiah, He didn't come to play around. He came to disrupt their comfortable little churchy lives and bring heaven to earth--like, literally. It's no wonder they wanted to throw Him off a cliff.
I kind of wonder--if Jesus showed up in our churches today, would we want to throw Him off a cliff too? Or would we be so excited by this good news about our purpose that we would drop everything and jump out of our boats to follow Him?
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked (Isaiah 11:1-4).
That don't sound like no G-rated doormat to me. Frankly, it sounds like a king. The King of All Kings, actually.
If you follow this guy, pay attention. He didn't come to earth to start a hippie commune or a sorority or a hobby club. He came as a warrior to take back the ground that had been stolen from His people, to rescue the oppressed and imprisoned, to lead the forces of good against the forces of evil. And this isn't like Star Wars. This battle is no-contest.
And we are commissioned fighters--a people called to lay hands on the sick and see them healed, to cast out demons, to deliver those who are oppressed, to preach the good news of salvation and grace and freedom to all who have no hope, that they might enter into relationship with a Father who loves them. Just as Jesus modeled for us, we are to reach into heaven, grasp the heart of the Father, and bring His love to a world that is broken and stinks with death.
If you're going through a season of asking, "What is the meaning of my life?", I'd like you to take a moment, reread the above paragraph, and grasp the purpose for which you were created.
Jesus didn't come to star in a Disney movie. He came to reveal the heart of His Father through an R-rated death (just check the rating on The Passion of the Christ if you don't believe me).
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Swallow that. Think about the bloody wrath that Jesus endured on the cross; then think about what your Father did to the one thing--sin--that stood between you and Him.
No, it doesn't make sense. But that's how much He loves you: to wage an all-out war against the works of evil. Honestly, against the passion of our God, the devil didn't stand a chance. He kind of got flattened by the words of His lips.
And because he is already defeated, we get to walk in victory...and lead the lost to do the same.
You might say, "Well, I'm not a warrior!" You may feel inadequate, but you already have access to everything you need. Evil is afraid of YOU. That Spirit Isaiah talks about is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead--and who lives inside YOU, believer (Romans 8:11).
There are a lot of ways to rub the devil's face in the ground. It may be starting a homeless ministry, as I mentioned before, and praying these guys into the kingdom. It may be literally washing feet. It may be praying five minutes for a friend, or five hours for the nations. It may be leading God's people in humble worship, which the devil particularly hates. It may be becoming a missionary to the Middle East, or praying for someone in line at Kroger. It could be simply making a decision in line with God's righteousness: not cheating, giving money to someone in need, not having sex, joining a small group for brotherly fellowship. One thing's for sure: it all involves intimacy with the Lord through the Holy Spirit, who guides the troops into a battle that has already been won. I've heard it said many times: "We don't fight for victory. We fight from victory."
Why don't we pray for big things? Why don't we seek His face every day with the expectation that He will meet us? Why don't we really earnestly ask for what Jesus taught us to pray for in the Lord's Prayer: for "His kingdom to come," for God's righteousness and perfect love toward us to be "on earth as it is in heaven"?
I think we are afraid to hope for miracles because no one has ever taught us that we can go beyond friendship with Jesus (which is great in itself) and into marriage. (More on that in my next blog.) We are afraid to expect our G-rated idea of Jesus to show up with a sword. We are simply afraid because we don't realize we are already armed.
But "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). And no matter what other kind of "love" you've experienced in your life, and regardless of your own ability to love, believe that the Father's love toward you is perfect. (Just go read 1 John 4 if you want to know more.)
Why do you get up every day? If the true, honest answer is anything other than the Kingdom of God, you are settling for a less-than-abundant life, my friend. And I long for you to know the fulfillment that Jesus promised you when He said He came to set the captives free. If you've never asked Him to ignite you with the Holy Spirit like He did for the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), go for it! You can have as much of Him as you want!
This lifestyle has a cost...but so does a "clean" lifestyle. I don't know what God has called you to do--I can't even pretend that I know the crazy wild plans He has for you. But I can guarantee that He will get a twinkle in His eye when you ask Him, and He'll say, "Ready to have fun?" You see, He doesn't send you out into the forray to watch you get smashed by the enemy. What kind of general does that? He goes with you--and both of you get to have fun cracking devil heads with the joy of your love.
I didn't accept Christ so I could settle for a life of day trips, suburban bliss, and safety zones. I want to destroy the works of the devil too! If I go to the casino buffet, it's going to be with excitement in my heart to show and tell everyone there what He has done for me. I might even pray for somebody before I eat my crab legs. I want my daily testimony to be a refute for anyone who argues that God no longer moves. Don't you?
Disney movies at least sometimes get this part straight: I just can't settle for a life that's less than an adventure. Here's a billboard for you: I'm not married to a 2-D prince; I'm married to a warrior king.
Do I sound like a nut? Good, then I'm just like my King, Jesus.
And that's not my youth talking. That's the Bible talking, homie.
#dropthemic
Yesterday I saw a casino billboard that said, "Happiness is good food at a good price." There was a picture of a well-dressed elderly couple toasting each other with some larger-than-life crab legs creeping into the frame.
If you're going to buy into that lifestyle (which the casino marketing team would have you do), you might just as well ascribe to John Lennon's philosophy: "Happiness is a Warm Gun." Or, for a little less, um, violent approach, you could read Charles Schultz's children's book "Happiness is a Warm Puppy," and be filled with fuzziness. Because that's what life's all about, right?
Cartoonists, songwriters, and marketing teams all try to answer humanity's question: what is my life about? What is my purpose? Why was I born?
I like good food at a great price just as much as anybody. But is that the meaning of my life? Why do I get up every day? I think we all need to truly, honestly answer that question, especially as believers. The Word of God says that He created us for a much bigger purpose than what we usually settle for.
Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
I have a feeling He wasn't talking about the buffet at the casino. (Sorry, Grandma and Grandpa Moneybags.) But what was He talking about?
I think when people think about Jesus, they think of this hippie-dippy doormat of a guy who just walked around living a perfect, G-rated life. They think of Him either as an impossible standard that they must, nevertheless, try (and fail) to live up to; or they think of Him as a goody-two-shoes who never offended anyone and did a bunch of good works like, you know, starting a homeless ministry or a food bank at His local synagogue. Some of the followers of Jesus try to do the same. While it's true that we should not go around being rude, and that starting homeless ministries and food banks at our churches is awesome, Jesus didn't really come to teach us how to live in a Disney movie full of rainbows and good feelings.
If you think that's what Jesus came to do, you need to go read your Bible. His followers were referred to as those "who turn the world upside-down" (Acts 17:6). This man taught us that a life lived in intimacy with God was a dangerous, thrilling, swashbuckling adventure that would destroy evil, as well as redefine our identities by the unfailing love of God, which is eternal. And He died to win that intimacy for us.
He's not a hippy or a polished, pressed businessman. He's a king, bro, and He comes with a sword (Matthew 10:34). Not only that, but He's here to draw you into a relationship with His Father that will ravage the kingdom of darkness.
John states it pretty straight-up: The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). I don't think you can get any more plain than that.
He told us who He was that pivotal day when He unrolled the scroll in the synagogue at Nazareth and read from Isaiah 61 (Luke 4:17):
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
He basically told all the Nazarenes, His childhood playmates and elderly neighbors, that He was the Messiah. Ooooh....#dropthemic. Not only was He the Messiah, He didn't come to play around. He came to disrupt their comfortable little churchy lives and bring heaven to earth--like, literally. It's no wonder they wanted to throw Him off a cliff.
I kind of wonder--if Jesus showed up in our churches today, would we want to throw Him off a cliff too? Or would we be so excited by this good news about our purpose that we would drop everything and jump out of our boats to follow Him?
There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked (Isaiah 11:1-4).
That don't sound like no G-rated doormat to me. Frankly, it sounds like a king. The King of All Kings, actually.
If you follow this guy, pay attention. He didn't come to earth to start a hippie commune or a sorority or a hobby club. He came as a warrior to take back the ground that had been stolen from His people, to rescue the oppressed and imprisoned, to lead the forces of good against the forces of evil. And this isn't like Star Wars. This battle is no-contest.
And we are commissioned fighters--a people called to lay hands on the sick and see them healed, to cast out demons, to deliver those who are oppressed, to preach the good news of salvation and grace and freedom to all who have no hope, that they might enter into relationship with a Father who loves them. Just as Jesus modeled for us, we are to reach into heaven, grasp the heart of the Father, and bring His love to a world that is broken and stinks with death.
If you're going through a season of asking, "What is the meaning of my life?", I'd like you to take a moment, reread the above paragraph, and grasp the purpose for which you were created.
Jesus didn't come to star in a Disney movie. He came to reveal the heart of His Father through an R-rated death (just check the rating on The Passion of the Christ if you don't believe me).
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Swallow that. Think about the bloody wrath that Jesus endured on the cross; then think about what your Father did to the one thing--sin--that stood between you and Him.
No, it doesn't make sense. But that's how much He loves you: to wage an all-out war against the works of evil. Honestly, against the passion of our God, the devil didn't stand a chance. He kind of got flattened by the words of His lips.
And because he is already defeated, we get to walk in victory...and lead the lost to do the same.
You might say, "Well, I'm not a warrior!" You may feel inadequate, but you already have access to everything you need. Evil is afraid of YOU. That Spirit Isaiah talks about is the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead--and who lives inside YOU, believer (Romans 8:11).
There are a lot of ways to rub the devil's face in the ground. It may be starting a homeless ministry, as I mentioned before, and praying these guys into the kingdom. It may be literally washing feet. It may be praying five minutes for a friend, or five hours for the nations. It may be leading God's people in humble worship, which the devil particularly hates. It may be becoming a missionary to the Middle East, or praying for someone in line at Kroger. It could be simply making a decision in line with God's righteousness: not cheating, giving money to someone in need, not having sex, joining a small group for brotherly fellowship. One thing's for sure: it all involves intimacy with the Lord through the Holy Spirit, who guides the troops into a battle that has already been won. I've heard it said many times: "We don't fight for victory. We fight from victory."
Why don't we pray for big things? Why don't we seek His face every day with the expectation that He will meet us? Why don't we really earnestly ask for what Jesus taught us to pray for in the Lord's Prayer: for "His kingdom to come," for God's righteousness and perfect love toward us to be "on earth as it is in heaven"?
I think we are afraid to hope for miracles because no one has ever taught us that we can go beyond friendship with Jesus (which is great in itself) and into marriage. (More on that in my next blog.) We are afraid to expect our G-rated idea of Jesus to show up with a sword. We are simply afraid because we don't realize we are already armed.
But "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). And no matter what other kind of "love" you've experienced in your life, and regardless of your own ability to love, believe that the Father's love toward you is perfect. (Just go read 1 John 4 if you want to know more.)
Why do you get up every day? If the true, honest answer is anything other than the Kingdom of God, you are settling for a less-than-abundant life, my friend. And I long for you to know the fulfillment that Jesus promised you when He said He came to set the captives free. If you've never asked Him to ignite you with the Holy Spirit like He did for the believers at Pentecost (Acts 2), go for it! You can have as much of Him as you want!
This lifestyle has a cost...but so does a "clean" lifestyle. I don't know what God has called you to do--I can't even pretend that I know the crazy wild plans He has for you. But I can guarantee that He will get a twinkle in His eye when you ask Him, and He'll say, "Ready to have fun?" You see, He doesn't send you out into the forray to watch you get smashed by the enemy. What kind of general does that? He goes with you--and both of you get to have fun cracking devil heads with the joy of your love.
I didn't accept Christ so I could settle for a life of day trips, suburban bliss, and safety zones. I want to destroy the works of the devil too! If I go to the casino buffet, it's going to be with excitement in my heart to show and tell everyone there what He has done for me. I might even pray for somebody before I eat my crab legs. I want my daily testimony to be a refute for anyone who argues that God no longer moves. Don't you?
Disney movies at least sometimes get this part straight: I just can't settle for a life that's less than an adventure. Here's a billboard for you: I'm not married to a 2-D prince; I'm married to a warrior king.
Do I sound like a nut? Good, then I'm just like my King, Jesus.
And that's not my youth talking. That's the Bible talking, homie.
#dropthemic
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Ask Anything
The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.--Isaiah 11:6
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."--Matthew 18:3
One of my third-graders asked me the other day, "How many people are in the world?" I told him, "Billions." Later he came back and asked, "Is infinity, um, is it, like, a real number?" Like a good language arts tutor, I told him to go ask his math teacher.
But he got me to thinking about more than numbers and world population. Like most children, he wasn't afraid to ask difficult questions.
When you work with kids, you get asked all kinds of crazy things, from "Where would we be if God didn't create the earth?" to "Are you from Mexico?" to "Are we going to recess today? Are we? Are we? ARE WE??" (These are all real-life examples.) Kids are full of questions, to the annoyance of many adults.
But Jesus received little children on His knees--and that means He accepted them--cowlicked hair, pigeon toes, questions, and all.
I think that, by the time we're adults, the world has taught us to avoid difficult questions. We've picked up the idea--through experience or simply by listening to other people who have been disappointed--that God doesn't care enough about us to answer our questions. Some believe God doesn't exist at all. The overwhelming majority of humans, however, believe that a god (or gods) do exist, but that we are too insignificant to approach him/them with questions. In "Christian" American culture, if people really think about God at all, they conclude that He doesn't want to share His knowledge, His plans, or Himself with us. They say, "Oh, it's just God's will," in the most self-deprecating of ways, then secretly burn with resentment toward Him for imposing a "no talking" rule in class. They take it for granted that He is some mysterious being floating in space, doing whatever He wants in ways that make no sense, and hitting us in the head with lightning if we ask Him about it. Some of this has made its way into doctrine; we call it the "faith like a child" answer for everything, which, to be frank, is simply an excuse to ignore their children's hard questions--and their own hard questions.
The Bible does say we ought to have faith like a child. But "faith like a child" may not be what we think.
I can say that as a teacher, I am not annoyed when my little students ask questions, but rather delighted. It gives me an opportunity to teach them something new--something that will probably stick, since they were the ones who asked about it in the first place. I eagerly get out my phone or laptop to search for answers. Just yesterday, I tapped Wikipedia for information about Willie and Tad Lincoln. (Don't judge me...Wikipedia is acceptable for third grade!) I almost can't contain my excitement when they are interested enough in something to ask me about it.
God doesn't need a smartphone or a laptop--He's the creator of everything, He has been around since before time existed (He created it, in fact), and He has all the answers. How much more delighted is He when His children ask Him questions?
Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks reveives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11).
Like any good parent, I think He would rather we ask Him our questions than run around the world, seeking answers from people who have just as much knowledge as we do. People's opinions are limited by their own human experience, and everybody has one. Just do a Google search if you don't believe me. But God knows WAY more than Wikipedia or About.com. Not only did He create the entire universe, He also knows even deeper things than that: why you were created, how He formed you, where you have been, where you are going. He knows things that nobody else knows about you, even yourself.
Another thing about kids is that, when you don't answer their question immediately, they don't give up. They keep asking. Incessantly. Many times annoyingly. And when one kid in the class starts asking, everyone else starts asking too! (Especially if the question involves going to the bathroom or sharpening your pencil.) There is truth in this, though. If you don't get the answer right away...keep asking. God loves it when we seek Him. Believe it or not (and I am sensitive to the fact that, for many, this is hard to believe), His object is always, always, always to be known by us, just as we are known by Him (Hosea 6:3).
I do believe that there are some things we are not meant to know right now, since many of God's thoughts would explode our brains. (Ask any Old Testament prophet--or any believer in modern-day who's had the smallest revelation from Him, for that matter.) It is true that we don't have the capacity to see the whole picture and understand everything--even science will tell you that. And I do believe that we are not to reject God just because we don't like the answers He gives us. However, I do think that He wants us to ask questions. We don't need to be disrespectful about it, but like children, we can approach Him with childlike simplicity, unafraid to ask the biggest, hardest question we can think of. (I've heard some whoppers in my day.)
And that gets me to my last point: children ask questions with full assurance that they will be satisfied with an answer. Even if the adult they ask doesn't know the answer, children still feel sure that there is an answer...or they wouldn't ask in the first place.
I think many of us stop asking questions because we are afraid that there isn't an answer; that, somewhere out there, our idea of infinity is just a floating void in the blackness. So we stop asking.
It is highly unlikely that the little boy Jesus picked up as an example for His disciples was sitting angelically at the Teacher's feet, criss-cross-applesauce, with his lips zipped. I like to imagine him as the loudest of the bunch, the child singing worship songs painfully off-key, failing to use his "inside voice," and chasing people with spiders--and he was probably the one asking all the questions that stumped the adults. Silence is useful in the classroom (ever wonder why "the quiet game" was invented?), and there are times to be silent before the Lord. But children know the value of opening their mouths to ask a good question.
I want to encourage all of you who feel hopeless because people are telling you that life happens randomly, that you have to make it on your own, that you have to wake up every day with your fatigues on and your gun in your hands because the world is out to get you. I want to encourage all of you who expect failure, who expect disappointment, who are stressed out because you believe your life depends on your own skills and abilities. There is a man who made it His mission to preach the truth to the people of the world (billions of them, in fact): that God is seeking those who seek Him (Psalm 14:2). They called Him "Teacher" because He used parables, actions, prayers, and so many other modes of communication to reveal the heart of a Father toward His children. This man gave up His life in the cruellest and most violent of ways just to prove the love He was preaching. He is not far from any of us (Acts 17:26-29).
Some teacher probably got frustrated with you and told you you asked stupid questions; some adult in your childhood shut you up by ignoring you. But I can assure you that the Father isn't like those people.
"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear," He says (Isaiah 65:24).
There are no silly questions with God. He wants every "who, what, when, where, how, why" you can throw at Him, even things you're afraid to ask other people. Newsflash: He's not afraid of your questions. He knows just how much infinity is. And, if you let Him, He will show you that even the word "infinity" fails to quantify His love for you.
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."--Matthew 18:3
One of my third-graders asked me the other day, "How many people are in the world?" I told him, "Billions." Later he came back and asked, "Is infinity, um, is it, like, a real number?" Like a good language arts tutor, I told him to go ask his math teacher.
But he got me to thinking about more than numbers and world population. Like most children, he wasn't afraid to ask difficult questions.
When you work with kids, you get asked all kinds of crazy things, from "Where would we be if God didn't create the earth?" to "Are you from Mexico?" to "Are we going to recess today? Are we? Are we? ARE WE??" (These are all real-life examples.) Kids are full of questions, to the annoyance of many adults.
But Jesus received little children on His knees--and that means He accepted them--cowlicked hair, pigeon toes, questions, and all.
I think that, by the time we're adults, the world has taught us to avoid difficult questions. We've picked up the idea--through experience or simply by listening to other people who have been disappointed--that God doesn't care enough about us to answer our questions. Some believe God doesn't exist at all. The overwhelming majority of humans, however, believe that a god (or gods) do exist, but that we are too insignificant to approach him/them with questions. In "Christian" American culture, if people really think about God at all, they conclude that He doesn't want to share His knowledge, His plans, or Himself with us. They say, "Oh, it's just God's will," in the most self-deprecating of ways, then secretly burn with resentment toward Him for imposing a "no talking" rule in class. They take it for granted that He is some mysterious being floating in space, doing whatever He wants in ways that make no sense, and hitting us in the head with lightning if we ask Him about it. Some of this has made its way into doctrine; we call it the "faith like a child" answer for everything, which, to be frank, is simply an excuse to ignore their children's hard questions--and their own hard questions.
The Bible does say we ought to have faith like a child. But "faith like a child" may not be what we think.
I can say that as a teacher, I am not annoyed when my little students ask questions, but rather delighted. It gives me an opportunity to teach them something new--something that will probably stick, since they were the ones who asked about it in the first place. I eagerly get out my phone or laptop to search for answers. Just yesterday, I tapped Wikipedia for information about Willie and Tad Lincoln. (Don't judge me...Wikipedia is acceptable for third grade!) I almost can't contain my excitement when they are interested enough in something to ask me about it.
God doesn't need a smartphone or a laptop--He's the creator of everything, He has been around since before time existed (He created it, in fact), and He has all the answers. How much more delighted is He when His children ask Him questions?
Jesus said, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks reveives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:7-11).
Like any good parent, I think He would rather we ask Him our questions than run around the world, seeking answers from people who have just as much knowledge as we do. People's opinions are limited by their own human experience, and everybody has one. Just do a Google search if you don't believe me. But God knows WAY more than Wikipedia or About.com. Not only did He create the entire universe, He also knows even deeper things than that: why you were created, how He formed you, where you have been, where you are going. He knows things that nobody else knows about you, even yourself.
Another thing about kids is that, when you don't answer their question immediately, they don't give up. They keep asking. Incessantly. Many times annoyingly. And when one kid in the class starts asking, everyone else starts asking too! (Especially if the question involves going to the bathroom or sharpening your pencil.) There is truth in this, though. If you don't get the answer right away...keep asking. God loves it when we seek Him. Believe it or not (and I am sensitive to the fact that, for many, this is hard to believe), His object is always, always, always to be known by us, just as we are known by Him (Hosea 6:3).
I do believe that there are some things we are not meant to know right now, since many of God's thoughts would explode our brains. (Ask any Old Testament prophet--or any believer in modern-day who's had the smallest revelation from Him, for that matter.) It is true that we don't have the capacity to see the whole picture and understand everything--even science will tell you that. And I do believe that we are not to reject God just because we don't like the answers He gives us. However, I do think that He wants us to ask questions. We don't need to be disrespectful about it, but like children, we can approach Him with childlike simplicity, unafraid to ask the biggest, hardest question we can think of. (I've heard some whoppers in my day.)
And that gets me to my last point: children ask questions with full assurance that they will be satisfied with an answer. Even if the adult they ask doesn't know the answer, children still feel sure that there is an answer...or they wouldn't ask in the first place.
I think many of us stop asking questions because we are afraid that there isn't an answer; that, somewhere out there, our idea of infinity is just a floating void in the blackness. So we stop asking.
It is highly unlikely that the little boy Jesus picked up as an example for His disciples was sitting angelically at the Teacher's feet, criss-cross-applesauce, with his lips zipped. I like to imagine him as the loudest of the bunch, the child singing worship songs painfully off-key, failing to use his "inside voice," and chasing people with spiders--and he was probably the one asking all the questions that stumped the adults. Silence is useful in the classroom (ever wonder why "the quiet game" was invented?), and there are times to be silent before the Lord. But children know the value of opening their mouths to ask a good question.
I want to encourage all of you who feel hopeless because people are telling you that life happens randomly, that you have to make it on your own, that you have to wake up every day with your fatigues on and your gun in your hands because the world is out to get you. I want to encourage all of you who expect failure, who expect disappointment, who are stressed out because you believe your life depends on your own skills and abilities. There is a man who made it His mission to preach the truth to the people of the world (billions of them, in fact): that God is seeking those who seek Him (Psalm 14:2). They called Him "Teacher" because He used parables, actions, prayers, and so many other modes of communication to reveal the heart of a Father toward His children. This man gave up His life in the cruellest and most violent of ways just to prove the love He was preaching. He is not far from any of us (Acts 17:26-29).
Some teacher probably got frustrated with you and told you you asked stupid questions; some adult in your childhood shut you up by ignoring you. But I can assure you that the Father isn't like those people.
"Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear," He says (Isaiah 65:24).
There are no silly questions with God. He wants every "who, what, when, where, how, why" you can throw at Him, even things you're afraid to ask other people. Newsflash: He's not afraid of your questions. He knows just how much infinity is. And, if you let Him, He will show you that even the word "infinity" fails to quantify His love for you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)