Upcoming Post 052714

Jesus don't beg.

Is it your assumption that Jesus is begging you to follow Him?

You don't have to go somewhere to connect with God.

Do you think that going to a church building will make you a Christian?

Balance?

Should we try to find a balance in our spiritual life?

A year or so ago, i was with a group of men. Christian men. We were talking about how to live a christian life. You know, being a christian & working with a variety of people who have different interest & beliefs. A man who has been a christian for many years was answering this question, in his opinion. A recently converted christian was trying to understand how to be a christian in the workplace. You know, how do you actually pull that off sorta question. The man advised that your life had to be a balance. You had to balance between who you are spiritually & who your are in the work place. At the time that really gnawed at me. It made me uncomfortable. It didn't ring true. Well, that's what i want to talk about.

My issue here is that i don't think that we can balance our spiritual self with our social self or our work self or our anything else self.

Jesus told His disciples that if anyone would come after Him, they would have to deny themselves & take up their cross daily & follow Him. Then He said that whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Jesus' sake will save it. Then He asked what would it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses himself? And lastly in this passage He said that whoever is ashamed of Him & of His words, that He would be ashamed of that person when He comes in His glory & the glory of the Father & the holy angels.

So i guess for starters, i would have to ask, how can i deny myself, take up my cross (which actually means to die) & follow Jesus & also live a balanced life. Do you follow? In the first place, why are we in need of a balance. What are we balancing? Are we to deny ourselves, die & follow Jesus when we're in a spiritual setting? When we go to work, do we miraculously rise from the dead, stop denying ourselves & stop following Jesus for 8 hours?

And what about when He said that whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Jesus' sake will save it? i'm having trouble visualizing any sort of balance here. Is any more commentary needed? If you are trying to have a balanced life, you have come to the wrong place.

Continuing, i also read where Jesus asks what would it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses himself (or his sole)? Again, balance?

And the last thing He said to us in this passage is that if we are ashamed of Him, then He would be ashamed of us. Please keep in mind that the subject of this post is to try to find balance in the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ. i will have to say that in reading just 4 verses, i can't for the life of me see anyway that we can live a balanced life. Seriously, i'm at a loss.

scripture reference: Matthew 16:24-27

Have you read my post on the The Americanized & Westernized Christian or my post It's hard to get there from here? What i'm saying here is that for the most part we are blind to the word's of Jesus. What He said to us about following Him, about being His disciples. When you have time, please read Isaiah's description of Jesus in Isaiah 53:3. That's who we follow.

So understand, that i am clearly convinced that there is no balance in the Christian life.

Why i love the gospels

i believe that all scripture is God breathed, therefore i love it, believe it & cherish it.

The old testament tells about the creation of the world, the struggles of humanity, God's people & foretells of the great & holy King that will come to save His people.

The new testament letters, stories of the early church & the future of all things are great & necessary for our training & tells of the wonderful Savior that has come & will come again.

But let me tell you why i love the gospels

The gospels are my Jesus being born, my Jesus growing up, my Jesus walking, my Jesus breathing, my Jesus speaking, my Jesus teaching, my Jesus loving, my Jesus being a servant, my Jesus healing, my Jesus showing us the heart of God, my Jesus standing before the high priest, my Jesus standing before the governor, my Jesus being sentenced to death, my Jesus being beaten, my Jesus being spit upon, my Jesus being mocked, my Jesus nailed to a cross, my Jesus forgiving, my Jesus dying, my Jesus raising from the dead, my Jesus changing my life. Jesus is my everything. Period.

That's why i love the gospels

Blameless

Do you view yourself as blameless?

Do you rely on God's mercy & grace? Are you A disciple of Jesus? Is Jesus your everything? Are you unashamed of Jesus? Do you marvel at the fact that God came to earth & gave His life for you? Isn't all of this amazing? Yes it is & believe it or not, you are found blameless in God's eyes.

YOU ARE BLAMELESS!

Don't ever let anyone convince you that you are worthless or a failure. God is in love with you.

Zephaniah 3:17 - look it up. This is what God thinks about you.

Check this out. Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUsZsQ9CFEY

Important Numbers

The Creator Has Loved Me With A Love That Blows Me Completely Away!

Have we not been given the most awesome gift that anyone can receive? Actually, we have been given the most astounding gift ever. We have been invited to have a personal relationship with God & also the opportunity to spend eternity with Him. Jesus ripped us from the grips of hell. We have been set free! We are no longer a slave to the depravity of this world. All i can say is WOW!!! All i can do is love Him back with all i have in me & offer myself as His servant. His love is so sweet, so complete, that i am helpless to think that i can do anything to pay him back. That i can do anything at all worthwhile without Him. He is no doubt the beginning & the end, the creator & sustainer of all things. He is everything that is important. Does anything else really matter? Please take a minute to reflect on this. Does anything else really matter? If you know Jesus, you know this to be true.

i have talked a lot in past blog post about what Jesus has told us to do. i thought i needed to make a statement about why i think we even need to care what he said. As you have read above, i am bankrupt without Jesus. i have discovered that Life is in Him. Nothing else matters. Nothing can compare to the life i've been given. i want to follow Him. i want to know Him. i want to be His servant.

i want to share some numbers with you. These numbers are very uncomfortable numbers. They're numbers that we probably wish that we didn't know. They are numbers that haunt me. Numbers i can't get out of my head.

Did you know that there are 2.87 billion people in the world that have never heard about Jesus? That makes me squirm in my pew. That downright makes me uncomfortable with the life that i live. That makes we wonder if going to church, enjoying the fellowship of the believers, studying God's word & spending time in prayer is all that God wants me to do?

Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus has told us to go into all the world & make disciples of all nations. Jesus said that it is the churches responsibility to introduce him to all nations. i wonder, does any of the responsibility fall on our shoulders? We are the church. Who should do something about this? Should we? You don't have to have a certain gift, you don't have to feel led & you don't have to feel called to do something about this. Jesus said nothing about any of these things.

Okay, here's some other numbers that i want to share with you. 

Did you know that there are 20,864 people that die of hunger everyday? In case your wondering, that's 869 people that died while you were eating lunch today. Yes i know that that is strong & harsh, but it is the real numbers. Can we ignore them? Can we just go about our business & forget about all these people?

Luke 16:19-31

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family,28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

Which person do you identify with in the above story that Jesus told? Did you know if you have running water, a roof over your head, clothes to wear, food to eat & have some form of transportation, you are among 15% of the wealthiest people in the entire world?

If we follow Jesus, we cannot ignore these numbers. We cannot ignore what Jesus has said. Jesus is going to ask questions.

Please leave comments. Am i wrong? Have i been brainwashed by God's word? Am i not living in reality? Please tell me.

Isaiah 6:8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

It's hard to get there from here

Is the American Church really following Jesus?

Guess what? Lot's of people refuse to attend church or consider a relationship with Jesus because of the so called Christian's in the American church. They say if that's what a Christian is, then i sure don't want to have any part of it. i'm not making this up. i've heard it with my own ears many many times. You know what? They're right. The American Church as a whole is so far from being disciple's of Christ that it's going to be hard to get there from here.

i really don't want to be combative. i don't like conflict. i love peace. But i am so convicted that we have & are missing what Jesus said that it takes & what it cost to be His disciples.

i want to show you some examples of what Jesus said.

Matthew 5:43-48

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor[i] and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Love your enemies!

John 12:25-26

25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Wait a minute. Hate my life in this world? That's what He said.

John 15:18-25

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’[b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

Now this is interesting. The world will hate us? Christians? That's what Jesus said. i've got 2 perspectives on this one. No. 1 - Most of us look just like the world. We are not hated. We do exactly what the world does. Except for a couple of hours on Sunday morning. No. 2 - If the world hates us, it's because we are so self righteous & look down upon those who don't attend church. The world don't hate us because we follow Jesus.

Matthew 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Forgive everybody!

Matthew 5:3-12

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The words of Jesus. Seriously, do we look anything like this in the American Church?

Matthew 5:38-42

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h] 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

Wow. We are missing it here. Go back & read that one again. Please keep in mind that Jesus said this in the book that we claim is the word of God. Is it really? Do we as American Christians really believe it?

i just want to be clear. i don't think everyone is missing it. i just think that most of us are missing it. i believe that we are saved by grace. i have no doubt that this is true, but Jesus told us that we have great responsibility if we want to be his disciples. Do we think that He just walked around saying things that he didn't mean? i'll help you with this one. He didn't.

Jesus said many things. The above is just a few. The reason i say it's hard to get there from here is because we focus on so many things that totally contradict what Jesus tells us to do. Things that are not found in scripture, but we believe are in scripture. Jesus told us to deny ourselves & take up our cross & follow him. How is the American Christian doing with that one?

Seriously, our focus is on ourselves, our rights, our stuff, our comfort, our church property and much more. Man are we ever missing it. Our amazing Savior was homeless, forgiving the worst sinners & asked his Father to forgive his murderers because they didn't realize what they were doing.

Our Saviors love is deeper & more amazing than anything that we can imagine. Why do we choose the comforts & philosophies of this world over the great love & teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ?

Yeah, it's going to be hard getting there from here, but if we fall on our faces before God & ask him to show us the way, He will. Has Jesus called us to a Radical life? Yeah, i think so.

"This world is not my home, i'm just passing through." Larry Norman, from the song Reader's Digest on the album Only visiting this Planet. (1972)

Rich or Poor?

Ready to get motivated into action? Let's do it together.

i right this blog to express what i believe & to discuss what i think about. But that's not all. My hope is that this will be a call to action for me & other believers in Jesus. i have come to a point in my life where i am taking a closer look at what Jesus said & did while he was on earth. i decided that my lukewarm life just wasn't getting it. If i really am a disciple of Christ, shouldn't i be spending time with him & taking what he said seriously? Sure, i've been going to church, talking the talk & believing the right things, but i've been lazy about the things of God.

My family is involved in an outreach ministry. We occasionally have outreach activities that we do in the neighborhoods that we are involved with & we have strong beliefs & feelings for the hurting, the poor & the ones who don't know Jesus. But we really don't look any different than any other american family striving to live the american dream. You know, gotta have my steak cooked to perfection, gotta wear the nicest clothes, gotta drive a cool vehicle, etc. My style is at stake here, right? Well, i'll just tell you, i know better. Jesus changed my life many years ago, but i forgot what my relationship with Him meant. Things got in the way. i got busy. You know what i mean, right?

Well, i've fallen on my face before God & confessed my lukewarmness. Guess what - God still loves me. That was really good news.

Please take time to read below what David Platt says in his book "Radical".

Excerpt from the book "Radical" by David Platt

THE RICH MAN

So is caring for the poor a serious matter to God?
Listen to the story Jesus told one day to a group of religious leaders who loved money and justified their indulgences because of the culture around them. He told them about a rich man who lived in luxury while he ignored a poor man, Lazarus, who sat outside his gate, covered with sores and surrounded by dogs, eating the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table. As we read in Luke 16, the day came when both men died. The rich man went to hell, and the poor man went to heaven. The rich man could see into heaven, and he cried out for relief from the agony of hell. The reply from heaven came. “Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.”

This story illustrates God’s response to the needs of the poor. The poor man’s name, Lazarus, literally means “God is my help.” Sick, crippled, and impoverished, Lazarus received compassion from God. Of course, just because someone is poor does not make him righteous before God and therefore fit for heaven. At the same time, though, a quick perusal through Scripture shows that God hears, feeds, satisfies, rescues, defends, raises up, and secures justice for the poor who trust in him. But this story also illustrates God’s response to those who neglect the poor. He responds to them with condemnation. Again, the Bible does not teach that wealth alone implies unrighteousness or warrants condemnation. The rich man in this story is not in hell because he had money. Instead, he is in hell because he lacked faith in God, leading him to indulge in luxuries while ignoring the poor outside his gate. As a result, earth was his heaven, and eternity became his hell.
Now I have to ask the question. When you hear this story from Jesus’ mouth, with whom do you identify more—Lazarus or the rich man? For that matter, with whom do I identify more?
In uncovering this blind spot in my life, God has made it clear that I look a lot like the rich man in this story. I don’t always think of myself as rich, and I’m guessing you may not think of yourself as rich either. But the reality is, if you and I have running water, shelter over our heads, clothes to wear, food to eat, and some means of transportation (even if it’s public transportation), then we are in the top 15 percent of the world’s people for wealth.
I am much like the rich man, and the church I lead looks a lot like him too. Every Sunday we gather in a multimillion-dollar building with millions of dollars in vehicles parked outside. We leave worship to spend thousands of dollars on lunch before returning to hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of homes. We live in luxury.
Meanwhile, the poor man is outside our gate. And he is hungry. In the time we gather for worship on a Sunday morning, almost a thousand children elsewhere die because they have no food. If it were our kids starving, they would all be gone by the time we said our closing prayer. We certainly wouldn’t ignore our kids while we sang songs and entertained ourselves, but we are content with ignoring other parents’ kids. Many of them are our spiritual brothers and sisters in developing nations. They are suffering from malnutrition, deformed bodies and brains, and preventable diseases. At most, we are throwing our scraps to them while we indulge in our pleasures here.
This is not what the people of God do. Regardless of what we say or sing or study on Sunday morning, rich people who neglect the poor are not the people of God.

Please think about this. If we believe in God & call ourselves christian, then we've got to take what Jesus said seriously. Don't we? i mean we have put our faith in him as the son of God. We believe that he suffered & died for us. We are known to the world as disciples of Jesus Christ. Why are we not all helping to feed the poor?

This is just one thing that Jesus said. There are many more. i am simply speaking the truth in love. Let's get to work. Jesus has called us to a dangerous & exciting life.

Please let me know what you think in the comments area. Also, please forward a link to this blog to all your church friends. 

By the way, Jesus never said anything about his children following after anything that remotely resembles the american dream.