I sometimes read things in the Bible and think that was pretty harsh. As I read about Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 and their instantaneous death because they lied about what they were giving to God, it makes me shudder.
Peter tells them this land was yours to keep or sell. After you sold it the money was yours to keep or give. But you come traipsing into church, wanting everyone to think how generous you are as you give your money, but you are a liar. Why didn't you just say I'm going to keep some and give some? Why did you want everyone to think you were making such a big sacrifice when you knew what you were giving was not what you really got for he land? Boom! Dead! Both of them.
Acts 5:11 says "And great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things." It puts a little fear in me too when I remember times I've said God if you will just...then I will... Maybe I did and maybe I didn't uphold my vow. But then I also remember that "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)
No condemnation brings great comfort and peace but the big word in that sentence is not condemnation but IN. You must be IN Christ to get the benefits. Too many people in churches today are relying on their good looking clothes and pretending everything is great and doing lots of stuff to justify them before God rather than knowing Jesus.
When Samuel annointed David king, God told Samuel, "...man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). Jesus says that on "that day", the day of judgement, many will be cast out. Even though they did lots of stuff, even in Jesus' name, Jesus will say, "I never knew you." (Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:31-46).
Knowing Jesus is more than the things we do or the place we go on Sunday or how we dress. Jesus showed us how to serve, how to love, how to give. As His followers we should do the things He did. But being IN Christ is about being "a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17, Galations 6:15). And that new creation comes when one is "born again...of the Spirit..." (John 3:3-8)
Friday, May 31, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Witnesses
When we think about being eye witnesses to the works of Jesus Christ, many of us think too far back in time. We want to go all the way back to the time when Jesus walked on the earth. We think of the twelve who went everywhere with Jesus and saw all the miraculous things He did.
In Acts 4, Peter and John have been arrested and brought before the Council because they healed, in the name of Jesus, a man who had been lame from birth. This man was begging for money but Peter and John had none of that. They had something much better...the power to speak healing into this man's feeble legs and feet. And that annoyed the religious leaders.
When Peter and John came before them, the leaders saw that these were very ordinary, theologically uneducated men - just like us - but "they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (vs 13 ESV) They commanded Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus and particularly the the resurrection. "But Peter and John replied, 'Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard'." (vs 19 NLT)
We don't have to go all the way back there because the same should be true of us. If nothing else, we should tell everyone how Jesus raised us from the dead! "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins..." (Ephesians 2:1) Everyone of us - even if you never lived a life of debauchery - was DEAD before meeting Jesus. When we surrendered our lives to Christ, we were resurrected from the dead. "But God, being rich in mercy...made us alive together in Christ..." (Ephesians 2:4-5) That is something amazing that we witnessed and should tell people about.
I have seen the addicted set free from alcohol and drugs, homosexuals set free from same sex attractions, marriages and families restored, teenagers and unmarried adults living lives of sexual purity, and 1000's saying YES to Jesus as Savior and Lord! I MUST be a witness. I cannot stop talking about the amazing things I see Jesus doing in the lives of people I know and people I hear about.
Jesus is very much alive and still performing miracles! Tell everybody!!
"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He...I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:10-11 ESV)
In Acts 4, Peter and John have been arrested and brought before the Council because they healed, in the name of Jesus, a man who had been lame from birth. This man was begging for money but Peter and John had none of that. They had something much better...the power to speak healing into this man's feeble legs and feet. And that annoyed the religious leaders.
When Peter and John came before them, the leaders saw that these were very ordinary, theologically uneducated men - just like us - but "they recognized that they had been with Jesus." (vs 13 ESV) They commanded Peter and John to stop talking about Jesus and particularly the the resurrection. "But Peter and John replied, 'Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than Him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard'." (vs 19 NLT)
We don't have to go all the way back there because the same should be true of us. If nothing else, we should tell everyone how Jesus raised us from the dead! "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins..." (Ephesians 2:1) Everyone of us - even if you never lived a life of debauchery - was DEAD before meeting Jesus. When we surrendered our lives to Christ, we were resurrected from the dead. "But God, being rich in mercy...made us alive together in Christ..." (Ephesians 2:4-5) That is something amazing that we witnessed and should tell people about.
I have seen the addicted set free from alcohol and drugs, homosexuals set free from same sex attractions, marriages and families restored, teenagers and unmarried adults living lives of sexual purity, and 1000's saying YES to Jesus as Savior and Lord! I MUST be a witness. I cannot stop talking about the amazing things I see Jesus doing in the lives of people I know and people I hear about.
Jesus is very much alive and still performing miracles! Tell everybody!!
"You are my witnesses," declares the Lord, "and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He...I am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior." (Isaiah 43:10-11 ESV)
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Next Steps
Sometimes I think at this stage of my life I should be able to sort of coast through life. I've paid my dues in work and volunteering and service. Some days I just get tired. Some days I just want to have responsibility for only me. But the Bible teaches that is not the way to live a life pleasing to God. I am always to be looking for the next step God wants me to take.
God gave next steps to Abraham and Moses when they were in their 70s and 80s, old by today's standards but maybe not so old when people lived well into their 100s. Nevertheless, God doesn't shut me down just because I get a little age on me. The key is to not get so comfortable doing what I'm doing that I don't hear or listen to the voice of God.
I am about to take a next step in my volunteer life at NewSpring Church. I have served with Sunday production/media for almost 20 years. This has always been so exciting as I've run cameras or operated computers or did whatever was necessary, including live TV at my previous church, to make the presentation of the Sunday service available to those in attendance. Although I believe this is a "front lines" effort in the presentation of the Gospel, the people who serve are generally out of sight behind doors and curtains and rather isolated from the rest of the Church in attendance.
Now God is moving me out of my passion for the last 17-20 years and sending me in a new direction. This Sunday will be my first with Guest Services, starting as a Greeter. I don't know what God is up to in my life or how new responsibilities will develop in this area but I do know this is definitely not a behind the scenes area of ministry.
For the past 10 months I have been caring for the Production Team without any weekly hands on responsibility. I have been responsible for scheduling, 1st serves, training, and generally encouraging the team. At first I was not sure I wanted to give up sitting in a chair and making things happen but I see now how God was using that time to prepare me for this transition to Guest Services.
I may be caring for a team there as well but more than that I may be caring for first time visitors. That is becoming my new passion; helping new people connect with NewSpring and know that we really are glad they are with us for the day. Another passion that is growing is actually being part of the 6pm service each week. Last Sunday night I got to do that and had the opportunity to pray with Linda who stood when the guest preacher asked for those struggling through a time of silence from God to stand and then asked those nearby to go pray for them.
I don't always know what God is up to in my life but I do know that I want to be obedient to every next step He puts before me.
God gave next steps to Abraham and Moses when they were in their 70s and 80s, old by today's standards but maybe not so old when people lived well into their 100s. Nevertheless, God doesn't shut me down just because I get a little age on me. The key is to not get so comfortable doing what I'm doing that I don't hear or listen to the voice of God.
I am about to take a next step in my volunteer life at NewSpring Church. I have served with Sunday production/media for almost 20 years. This has always been so exciting as I've run cameras or operated computers or did whatever was necessary, including live TV at my previous church, to make the presentation of the Sunday service available to those in attendance. Although I believe this is a "front lines" effort in the presentation of the Gospel, the people who serve are generally out of sight behind doors and curtains and rather isolated from the rest of the Church in attendance.
Now God is moving me out of my passion for the last 17-20 years and sending me in a new direction. This Sunday will be my first with Guest Services, starting as a Greeter. I don't know what God is up to in my life or how new responsibilities will develop in this area but I do know this is definitely not a behind the scenes area of ministry.
For the past 10 months I have been caring for the Production Team without any weekly hands on responsibility. I have been responsible for scheduling, 1st serves, training, and generally encouraging the team. At first I was not sure I wanted to give up sitting in a chair and making things happen but I see now how God was using that time to prepare me for this transition to Guest Services.
I may be caring for a team there as well but more than that I may be caring for first time visitors. That is becoming my new passion; helping new people connect with NewSpring and know that we really are glad they are with us for the day. Another passion that is growing is actually being part of the 6pm service each week. Last Sunday night I got to do that and had the opportunity to pray with Linda who stood when the guest preacher asked for those struggling through a time of silence from God to stand and then asked those nearby to go pray for them.
I don't always know what God is up to in my life but I do know that I want to be obedient to every next step He puts before me.
Monday, May 20, 2013
God Is Faithful
Over the weekend I had the privilege of joining up with 2000 or so owners of NewSpring Church from all over the state as we converged on the main campus in Anderson, SC for an event called Launch.
Our pastor shared the history of NewSpring as well as vision for the future. The very first thing he wanted us to understand was the faithfulness of God. He told us how God gave him the vision to start NewSpring in 1996. He showed us a picture of the living room where 15 people began to meet in 1999. As he shared the details of the uncertainty and fears that sometimes plagued him and the leadership, God was always faithful.
The statistics that amaze me the most are the growth. From those 15 original people God has done miraculous things. On Sunday, August 11, 2002, 506 people were at church at NewSpring. On successive Sundays the numbers were 970, 1096, 1247, 1505, 1548 and 1600. In six weeks the church tripled in size with no advertising, no social media, and no website to speak of. This was purely a God thing!
And God is still doing the miraculous. We now have eight campuses with plans for more. Why? Because God is bringing people who are far from Him and setting them free through faith in Jesus. And when they meet Jesus they begin to take their next steps. They get baptized, they join small groups, they serve others as volunteers, some eventually end up on staff.
The campus I attend is 50 miles from the home church in a community with a church on just about every block. Many church people don't like us and the way we do things, yet we have seen 910 people confess "Jesus is Lord" in the 15-16 months we have been here. God is faithful! He WILL do what only He can do when we submit to His leadership!
Our pastor shared the history of NewSpring as well as vision for the future. The very first thing he wanted us to understand was the faithfulness of God. He told us how God gave him the vision to start NewSpring in 1996. He showed us a picture of the living room where 15 people began to meet in 1999. As he shared the details of the uncertainty and fears that sometimes plagued him and the leadership, God was always faithful.
The statistics that amaze me the most are the growth. From those 15 original people God has done miraculous things. On Sunday, August 11, 2002, 506 people were at church at NewSpring. On successive Sundays the numbers were 970, 1096, 1247, 1505, 1548 and 1600. In six weeks the church tripled in size with no advertising, no social media, and no website to speak of. This was purely a God thing!
And God is still doing the miraculous. We now have eight campuses with plans for more. Why? Because God is bringing people who are far from Him and setting them free through faith in Jesus. And when they meet Jesus they begin to take their next steps. They get baptized, they join small groups, they serve others as volunteers, some eventually end up on staff.
The campus I attend is 50 miles from the home church in a community with a church on just about every block. Many church people don't like us and the way we do things, yet we have seen 910 people confess "Jesus is Lord" in the 15-16 months we have been here. God is faithful! He WILL do what only He can do when we submit to His leadership!
Friday, May 17, 2013
New Creation
There are many times I find myself thinking about how unworthy I am to live a life so blessed by God. But this morning as I was reading Romans 8 I was reminded again that I am no longer a slave to the sinful life I used to live - even though I may still screw up from time to time - but that I am a child of God and an heir, along with Jesus Christ, to all of God's riches.
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:15-17 (ESV)
To say I am unworthy is to deny the work of Jesus on the cross and the love of God that sent Jesus to the cross to pay for my sins. EVERY person is unworthy! But "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
As a child of God, I am part of the family. Adopted intentionally and made a co-heir with Christ by my Father. Rather than dwell on my unworthiness and past sins, I should be dancing in the streets shouting hallelujah and thank you. How dumb would it have been to tell my earthly daddy I can't eat with you or go on vacation with you or accept this money for college because I once did things that hurt you. Because of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection and my repentance, God chooses to forget all my past sins (Isaiah 43:25) and I am worthy, because of Jesus, to accept every blessing God sends my way.
Even Paul had these acceptance issues as he called himself the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and a wretched man (Romans 7:18-24). But, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1). So I will choose to live each day in full confidence of my place in God's family.
"For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." Romans 8:15-17 (ESV)
To say I am unworthy is to deny the work of Jesus on the cross and the love of God that sent Jesus to the cross to pay for my sins. EVERY person is unworthy! But "God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
As a child of God, I am part of the family. Adopted intentionally and made a co-heir with Christ by my Father. Rather than dwell on my unworthiness and past sins, I should be dancing in the streets shouting hallelujah and thank you. How dumb would it have been to tell my earthly daddy I can't eat with you or go on vacation with you or accept this money for college because I once did things that hurt you. Because of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection and my repentance, God chooses to forget all my past sins (Isaiah 43:25) and I am worthy, because of Jesus, to accept every blessing God sends my way.
Even Paul had these acceptance issues as he called himself the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) and a wretched man (Romans 7:18-24). But, "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1). So I will choose to live each day in full confidence of my place in God's family.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Delayed Obedience Is Disobedience
Sometimes I want to just kick myself for when it is so hard for me to be obedient to God. It always leads to sorrow and regret!
About nine years ago I believed God was going to move me away from my hometown. I stopped seeing the guy I was dating, whom I knew was not God's best for me for a lot of reasons. But then I didn't move. I was sure, at first, that God was leading me away from my church of 20+ years but rather than leave the people I loved so much, I went on staff as an employee of the church.
For two years things were great. The ministry I was serving was growing. The people I served loved me and I loved them and my supervisor was extremely pleased with everything. Then, over a two week period, things began to fall apart. And it was not pretty. I left that church hurt, disillusioned, angry, blaming myself for things I could not control.
Knowing for some time that God wanted me to move, I had visited some surrounding churches just to check them out. Others I watched on TV. But I kept thinking, nope not it. As I allowed God to lead me, I quickly found the church He had been wanting to get me into for years.
It was a church 50 miles from home that I had no knowledge of except I'd heard it was for college kids. When I turned into the driveway, God spoke to my heart to say this is it. So I knew before I ever walked in the door, before I ever heard the preacher preach, before I ever knew the core values, NewSpring was to be my new church home. As I was greeted at my car and walked into the church, as I heard the message and watched the videos, as I participated in musical worship, I was blown away. Within 10 days I was a member and have never regretted a minute of it except that I didn't listen when God first tried to get me out of my comfort zone.
God had been prodding me with, "I'm doing things you're never going to see if you don't leave!" And that was truth directly from God. I have seen my son, grandson, and granddaughter all surrender their lives to Jesus. I have seen my daughter in law confess her addiction to alcohol, for the first time, to Care Room volunteers and seek the help she needed. I have seen 1000s more make the same kinds of decisions.
When I started there was one campus with plans for another (only 30 miles from my home). Now, in just five years, there are 8 campuses across our state with plans for more. We have gone from an average weekly attendance of around 8,000 to almost 25,000. There is now a campus in my community only a few miles from home. In 2013 at the local campus I now attend, we have seen 343 salvations and 292 public professions of faith through baptism. It just blows me away! I read and hear all sorts of things about the demise of the church, but the Church is still the Bride of Christ and His means to reach the world.
Because my previous disobedience ended so badly, I have tried hard to listen for God's direction. And God has chosen to honor me personally in ways I never would have believed when I first walked in the doors of NewSpring. I am so humbled that this grandma would be chosen to do and see the things God has allowed me to do and see. His grace is so marvelous. Obedience is so joyful. If God never, ever blesses me with anything else, He has done enough.
About nine years ago I believed God was going to move me away from my hometown. I stopped seeing the guy I was dating, whom I knew was not God's best for me for a lot of reasons. But then I didn't move. I was sure, at first, that God was leading me away from my church of 20+ years but rather than leave the people I loved so much, I went on staff as an employee of the church.
For two years things were great. The ministry I was serving was growing. The people I served loved me and I loved them and my supervisor was extremely pleased with everything. Then, over a two week period, things began to fall apart. And it was not pretty. I left that church hurt, disillusioned, angry, blaming myself for things I could not control.
Knowing for some time that God wanted me to move, I had visited some surrounding churches just to check them out. Others I watched on TV. But I kept thinking, nope not it. As I allowed God to lead me, I quickly found the church He had been wanting to get me into for years.
It was a church 50 miles from home that I had no knowledge of except I'd heard it was for college kids. When I turned into the driveway, God spoke to my heart to say this is it. So I knew before I ever walked in the door, before I ever heard the preacher preach, before I ever knew the core values, NewSpring was to be my new church home. As I was greeted at my car and walked into the church, as I heard the message and watched the videos, as I participated in musical worship, I was blown away. Within 10 days I was a member and have never regretted a minute of it except that I didn't listen when God first tried to get me out of my comfort zone.
God had been prodding me with, "I'm doing things you're never going to see if you don't leave!" And that was truth directly from God. I have seen my son, grandson, and granddaughter all surrender their lives to Jesus. I have seen my daughter in law confess her addiction to alcohol, for the first time, to Care Room volunteers and seek the help she needed. I have seen 1000s more make the same kinds of decisions.
When I started there was one campus with plans for another (only 30 miles from my home). Now, in just five years, there are 8 campuses across our state with plans for more. We have gone from an average weekly attendance of around 8,000 to almost 25,000. There is now a campus in my community only a few miles from home. In 2013 at the local campus I now attend, we have seen 343 salvations and 292 public professions of faith through baptism. It just blows me away! I read and hear all sorts of things about the demise of the church, but the Church is still the Bride of Christ and His means to reach the world.
Because my previous disobedience ended so badly, I have tried hard to listen for God's direction. And God has chosen to honor me personally in ways I never would have believed when I first walked in the doors of NewSpring. I am so humbled that this grandma would be chosen to do and see the things God has allowed me to do and see. His grace is so marvelous. Obedience is so joyful. If God never, ever blesses me with anything else, He has done enough.
Friday, May 10, 2013
Be Still
Most translations of Psalm 46:10 say, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The NASB says "cease striving".
I'm not sure our modern world knows how to be still, which also brings to my mind solitude and quietness. We have our busy lifestyles with work and kids and church. We are always on the go, eating meals in the car, as we multitask our lives away. We have music or TV or chatter almost non stop. And social media...how many HOURS do we spend on Facebook or twitter or pinterest or LinkedIn or...the list goes on and on.
And how many MINUTES do we use to sit quietly before God so that He might speak to us, so that we might get to know Him and His plans for us?
The "cease striving" speaks to me on two levels. Stop living life at such a fast pace, trying to achieve success in the world's eyes. But I also hear God saying stop trying to do more FOR me and just spend time WITH me. Be still, cease all your activity, turn off everything. Don't even open your Bible. Just sit, asking Me to speak to you. Listen, in the quietness, as I tell you what I want you to know. Make time for Me every day and our journey together through this life of yours will take on a whole new meaning.
I'm not sure our modern world knows how to be still, which also brings to my mind solitude and quietness. We have our busy lifestyles with work and kids and church. We are always on the go, eating meals in the car, as we multitask our lives away. We have music or TV or chatter almost non stop. And social media...how many HOURS do we spend on Facebook or twitter or pinterest or LinkedIn or...the list goes on and on.
And how many MINUTES do we use to sit quietly before God so that He might speak to us, so that we might get to know Him and His plans for us?
The "cease striving" speaks to me on two levels. Stop living life at such a fast pace, trying to achieve success in the world's eyes. But I also hear God saying stop trying to do more FOR me and just spend time WITH me. Be still, cease all your activity, turn off everything. Don't even open your Bible. Just sit, asking Me to speak to you. Listen, in the quietness, as I tell you what I want you to know. Make time for Me every day and our journey together through this life of yours will take on a whole new meaning.
Adversity
No one ever wants to face adversity. When it comes we often beg God to make it go away but there are times when we must endure. Since so many of our favorite Bible stories are about men and women overcoming adversity, perhaps adversity is a good thing. (Romans 8:28)
Joseph was a tattletale seventeen year old strutting around in his fancy coat as dad's favorite telling everyone about his dreams of grandeur. His dreams were accurate but he did not know that God's plan was for him to save his family and run the country of Egypt. To be ready for that he had to enter a time of pruning, getting a little pride taken out, and learning to see God's favor even in adversity.
Esther, Nehemiah, David, Paul...all these and others were put in situations they could not control. Sometimes it was facing enemies close at hand, sometimes foreign kings and armies, sometimes it was there own health. Hebrews 11 is a review of a bunch of people commended for faithfully serving God through adversity when they could not yet see the fulfillment of the promises of God. I like it that people in the Bible faced difficult circumstances so I can learn how to face them in my own life.
I don't know where we got the idea that life is supposed to be pain and conflict free, suffering free. We all have seasons of peace and rest and seasons of adversity. The Bible tells us that we must suffer as Christ suffered (Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:7-10) We very rarely have adversity, or suffering, for our faith. Rather much, but certainly not all, of our adversity and suffering is of our own doing with poor choices in finances, friends, lifestyle, or eating habits.
Joseph was a tattletale seventeen year old strutting around in his fancy coat as dad's favorite telling everyone about his dreams of grandeur. His dreams were accurate but he did not know that God's plan was for him to save his family and run the country of Egypt. To be ready for that he had to enter a time of pruning, getting a little pride taken out, and learning to see God's favor even in adversity.
Esther, Nehemiah, David, Paul...all these and others were put in situations they could not control. Sometimes it was facing enemies close at hand, sometimes foreign kings and armies, sometimes it was there own health. Hebrews 11 is a review of a bunch of people commended for faithfully serving God through adversity when they could not yet see the fulfillment of the promises of God. I like it that people in the Bible faced difficult circumstances so I can learn how to face them in my own life.
I don't know where we got the idea that life is supposed to be pain and conflict free, suffering free. We all have seasons of peace and rest and seasons of adversity. The Bible tells us that we must suffer as Christ suffered (Romans 5:3-5, Philippians 3:7-10) We very rarely have adversity, or suffering, for our faith. Rather much, but certainly not all, of our adversity and suffering is of our own doing with poor choices in finances, friends, lifestyle, or eating habits.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Abiding in Christ
This morning I was reading in John chapter 15 about Jesus as the vine. This is one of Jesus' seven I AM statements recorded in John. This is a familiar passage that I have read numerous times. I'm sure I've though about it before, but today I began to really think about what it means to abide in Christ.
Abide means to remain, stay, continue, dwell. I often dwell ON Jesus, thinking about, Him studying about Him. But Jesus continually says in this passage abide IN Me. I should live my life believing everything He says is true. Then He becomes my shelter where I dwell in the comfort of Him. He becomes my fortress where I dwell in safety from the ravages of sin and death. He becomes my hope, my peace, my joy where I can dwell in the knowledge that He loves me extravagantly no matter what my circumstances may look like.
How do I know He loves me extravagantly? In John 15:10 Jesus says, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." Jesus loves me in the same way, with the same passion, that God the Father loves God the Son. Wow!! A few verses later, in verse 16, Jesus even tells me that I did not choose Him but that He chose me! How great is that?!
I want always to abide in Christ. To know Him intimately. To love Him extravagantly. To trust Him completely. To obey Him joyfully.
Abide means to remain, stay, continue, dwell. I often dwell ON Jesus, thinking about, Him studying about Him. But Jesus continually says in this passage abide IN Me. I should live my life believing everything He says is true. Then He becomes my shelter where I dwell in the comfort of Him. He becomes my fortress where I dwell in safety from the ravages of sin and death. He becomes my hope, my peace, my joy where I can dwell in the knowledge that He loves me extravagantly no matter what my circumstances may look like.
How do I know He loves me extravagantly? In John 15:10 Jesus says, "As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." Jesus loves me in the same way, with the same passion, that God the Father loves God the Son. Wow!! A few verses later, in verse 16, Jesus even tells me that I did not choose Him but that He chose me! How great is that?!
I want always to abide in Christ. To know Him intimately. To love Him extravagantly. To trust Him completely. To obey Him joyfully.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Amazed by God
As I sit here this morning contemplating life and ministry and family and me, I am amazed and humbled at the thought that God cares for me. I don't doubt it, not for a second, but it still amazes me that He knows me personally and cares about me personally and speaks to me personally.
Thousands of years ago, David asked the question that is sometimes on my lips, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4 ESV) I think he probably wrote this when still a shepherd, sitting on a hillside at night watching over his father's sheep. I think I know what David was feeling because in the Caribbean on a very small island with no city and no street lights, I have looked up at a night sky so full of stars it took my breath away.
I am overwhelmed that God who created all those stars and set them in place and calls them by name also created me and loves me and calls me by name. He has a plan for me to help fulfill His purposes on this earth. I was created to live right now, as Esther was told, "...for such a time as this." (Esther 5:14)
I don't ever want to lose the sense of awe that comes from knowing the Creator of the universe. I don't ever want to lose sight of my need for relationship with Him. I don't ever want to take for granted the punishment Jesus bore for my sins. I want to obey Him when He asks me to do anything. I want to gratefully accept and acknowledge the blessings God pours into my life, realizing that everything I have and everything I am is from Him.
Thousands of years ago, David asked the question that is sometimes on my lips, "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:4 ESV) I think he probably wrote this when still a shepherd, sitting on a hillside at night watching over his father's sheep. I think I know what David was feeling because in the Caribbean on a very small island with no city and no street lights, I have looked up at a night sky so full of stars it took my breath away.
I am overwhelmed that God who created all those stars and set them in place and calls them by name also created me and loves me and calls me by name. He has a plan for me to help fulfill His purposes on this earth. I was created to live right now, as Esther was told, "...for such a time as this." (Esther 5:14)
I don't ever want to lose the sense of awe that comes from knowing the Creator of the universe. I don't ever want to lose sight of my need for relationship with Him. I don't ever want to take for granted the punishment Jesus bore for my sins. I want to obey Him when He asks me to do anything. I want to gratefully accept and acknowledge the blessings God pours into my life, realizing that everything I have and everything I am is from Him.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Nothing Changes Much
I was reading in Genesis about Jacob and Laban and all the shady dealings that went on between them. I have to admit I sometimes question why God puts this stuff in the Bible.
Jacob, with his mother's help, cheated his brother Esau. Esau wants to kill Jacob so Mama Rebekah gets Papa Isaac to send Jacob to Laban. Laban was Jacob's uncle; his mother's brother. Jacob was looking for a wife among his family and when he saw Rachel it was love at first sight. He worked for his uncle for seven years and on his wedding night...ta da...the bride was the older sister Leah. Although Jacob gets Rachel, too, a week later, he works another seven years for her. Then he works another six years before he finally packs up his family to go home. Jacob is now wealthy with flocks and herds and children - 11 of them by 2 wives and 2 servants. What a mess! Still God is planning to use these eleven sons and another to be born later to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
I read this and think these people were really dysfunctional. But as I look around at our world today, we haven't changed much. More children in the US are in single mom homes than ever before with no dad in sight; most of these born out of wedlock. For those who do marry, divorce is more the norm than a for a lifetime marriage. There are over 27 million adults and children enslaved around the world, including the US, in sex trafficking and forced labor. People lie and cheat, like the Barney Madoff's of the world, to steal money from friends. Others swindle money from those who want to help in times of tragedy. We are a mean, selfish, greedy people.
Thank You, God, for using Jacob to prepare the way for our Savior! Thank You, God, for telling us stories of redemption so that we don't have to feel hopeless in our sins. Thank You, God, for showing Your love to us despite our sinfulness.
People in the Bible are real people, with real problems, and with real sins, just like me. When I read their stories I see myself and see that God can also use imperfect me, perfected through faith in Christ Jesus, to accomplish His will for my little sphere of His world.
Jacob, with his mother's help, cheated his brother Esau. Esau wants to kill Jacob so Mama Rebekah gets Papa Isaac to send Jacob to Laban. Laban was Jacob's uncle; his mother's brother. Jacob was looking for a wife among his family and when he saw Rachel it was love at first sight. He worked for his uncle for seven years and on his wedding night...ta da...the bride was the older sister Leah. Although Jacob gets Rachel, too, a week later, he works another seven years for her. Then he works another six years before he finally packs up his family to go home. Jacob is now wealthy with flocks and herds and children - 11 of them by 2 wives and 2 servants. What a mess! Still God is planning to use these eleven sons and another to be born later to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.
I read this and think these people were really dysfunctional. But as I look around at our world today, we haven't changed much. More children in the US are in single mom homes than ever before with no dad in sight; most of these born out of wedlock. For those who do marry, divorce is more the norm than a for a lifetime marriage. There are over 27 million adults and children enslaved around the world, including the US, in sex trafficking and forced labor. People lie and cheat, like the Barney Madoff's of the world, to steal money from friends. Others swindle money from those who want to help in times of tragedy. We are a mean, selfish, greedy people.
Thank You, God, for using Jacob to prepare the way for our Savior! Thank You, God, for telling us stories of redemption so that we don't have to feel hopeless in our sins. Thank You, God, for showing Your love to us despite our sinfulness.
People in the Bible are real people, with real problems, and with real sins, just like me. When I read their stories I see myself and see that God can also use imperfect me, perfected through faith in Christ Jesus, to accomplish His will for my little sphere of His world.
Monday, April 22, 2013
I Love My Church
I am so glad God brought me to NewSpring Church in 2008. God is doing amazing things and I get to be part of it. I think that is the most amazing part!! King David said in Psalm 8, "...what is man that You are mindful of him..." and I would say who am I that You have blessed me with such favor?
As my Father, God wants to give me good things! One of the very good things He has given me is NewSpring Church. I call it "my" church because it is the one I attend but this church, like THE Church - with a capital C - of course is His. It was established by Jesus when He gave His life for sinners and rose from the dead to conquer sin and death and then ascended to the right hand of the Father to intercede for me, for us.
What I love so much about NewSpring is no one cares how you dress or wear your hair. No one cares about your age or your race or your past. No one gets upset when lost people act like lost people. We want the addicts and sexually impure and the gossips and the liars and the drunkards because everyone DOES care that you have a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus went after the lost, the outcasts of society, those shunned by the religious leaders as unclean and unworthy. Since Jesus did, we do too.
People all over South Carolina, and even the world, are submitting their lives to Jesus through the teaching and ministry of NewSpring. We have seen people from just about every scenario of sin you can imagine be set free from the chains of bondage that have held them captive. Not only are they meeting Jesus, they are being baptized and getting into small groups and giving money and serving others through volunteering.
I am so encouraged when I read stories of this life change in people I don't know. I am encouraged when I see people I do know experience life change. I am encouraged when my own life is changed as my relationship with Jesus grows and expands. God is so good to me that I overflow with joy!
As my Father, God wants to give me good things! One of the very good things He has given me is NewSpring Church. I call it "my" church because it is the one I attend but this church, like THE Church - with a capital C - of course is His. It was established by Jesus when He gave His life for sinners and rose from the dead to conquer sin and death and then ascended to the right hand of the Father to intercede for me, for us.
What I love so much about NewSpring is no one cares how you dress or wear your hair. No one cares about your age or your race or your past. No one gets upset when lost people act like lost people. We want the addicts and sexually impure and the gossips and the liars and the drunkards because everyone DOES care that you have a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus went after the lost, the outcasts of society, those shunned by the religious leaders as unclean and unworthy. Since Jesus did, we do too.
People all over South Carolina, and even the world, are submitting their lives to Jesus through the teaching and ministry of NewSpring. We have seen people from just about every scenario of sin you can imagine be set free from the chains of bondage that have held them captive. Not only are they meeting Jesus, they are being baptized and getting into small groups and giving money and serving others through volunteering.
I am so encouraged when I read stories of this life change in people I don't know. I am encouraged when I see people I do know experience life change. I am encouraged when my own life is changed as my relationship with Jesus grows and expands. God is so good to me that I overflow with joy!
Saturday, April 20, 2013
The Will of God
I recently heard a great message on the will of God by Pastor Steve Furtick from Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC. What he said I already believed but had not been able to articulate well.
His message was based on Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (ESV)
Too many times we are much too concerned with the when, where and what of life. So we stress over where should I go to college and what job should I take and is he or she "the one" I should marry?
God is more concerned with the how, why and who of my life. How do I live my life? Is it characterized by integrity, generosity, and love? Why do I want certain things? Are my motives godly and God honoring or are my motives selfish and greedy? Who am I becoming? Who do I get counsel from? Am I becoming more like Christ? Are those who speak into my life - my influencers - people who love me and love Jesus?
Augustin said love God and do as you please. God will take the "whatever you do" and use it. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans that ALL things work together for good. (Romans 8:28) That means all things. The good things and the bad things. My great choices and my poor choices. Inside the will of God and outside the will of God. When I submit to Him, He can and will use it all.
As someone who had a lot of years of wrong choices, wrong motives, wrong influencers, I understand this well. My past no longer binds me because Jesus has and is using it in my own life and the life of others to glorify Himself. When I submitted my life to Jesus I no longer wanted to live my life apart from Him. I no longer wanted to live in that valley of sin and death. I can do as I please because I have been set free by Jesus but because my heart is new, as I please means pleasing Jesus.
His message was based on Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." (ESV)
Too many times we are much too concerned with the when, where and what of life. So we stress over where should I go to college and what job should I take and is he or she "the one" I should marry?
God is more concerned with the how, why and who of my life. How do I live my life? Is it characterized by integrity, generosity, and love? Why do I want certain things? Are my motives godly and God honoring or are my motives selfish and greedy? Who am I becoming? Who do I get counsel from? Am I becoming more like Christ? Are those who speak into my life - my influencers - people who love me and love Jesus?
Augustin said love God and do as you please. God will take the "whatever you do" and use it. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans that ALL things work together for good. (Romans 8:28) That means all things. The good things and the bad things. My great choices and my poor choices. Inside the will of God and outside the will of God. When I submit to Him, He can and will use it all.
As someone who had a lot of years of wrong choices, wrong motives, wrong influencers, I understand this well. My past no longer binds me because Jesus has and is using it in my own life and the life of others to glorify Himself. When I submitted my life to Jesus I no longer wanted to live my life apart from Him. I no longer wanted to live in that valley of sin and death. I can do as I please because I have been set free by Jesus but because my heart is new, as I please means pleasing Jesus.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Evil
I've been seeing all the reports from the bombing at the Boston Marathon. Someone asked today why doesn't God just stop it.
Once He did decide to stop it and start over. Genesis 6:5 let's us in on what God thought of mankind in the days of Noah when He said, "...every intention of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil continually." And then God destroyed everyone and everything except those in the ark with Noah because "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." After the flood Noah planted a vineyard, made wine, got drunk, and passed out naked in his tent. Only evil, continually.
Unfortunately as long as we live on this planet, as long as people can choose, people WILL choose evil. Some evil, like this bombing, physically hurts so many people so publicly. It hurts us all as we ache at the loss and the senselessness of it.
Some might say I've never killed anyone. And I would counter with have you ever been really angry with someone? Have you ever called someone a fool or an idiot? Jesus said that can get you a ticket to hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)
Have you ever gossiped or told a little white lie or had a little too much to drink or used the name of God or Jesus as an exclamation? Welcome to the world of evil. We are all sinners by nature and by choice. (Romans 3:23)
The only "cure" for evil as we await the return of Jesus, is to surrender to Him as Lord and Savior. We have the responsibility and the privilege to tell others about Jesus so that they might be receptive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. There is NO ONE beyond God's ability to save. Does that mean everyone will be saved? No, but we don't know who will and who won't be saved. So we need to tell everyone we can.
One thing I love so much about NewSpring are the stories of life change that we hear. Stories of radical change in people some might have thought were hopeless.. www.newspring.cc/blog
Once He did decide to stop it and start over. Genesis 6:5 let's us in on what God thought of mankind in the days of Noah when He said, "...every intention of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil continually." And then God destroyed everyone and everything except those in the ark with Noah because "Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." After the flood Noah planted a vineyard, made wine, got drunk, and passed out naked in his tent. Only evil, continually.
Unfortunately as long as we live on this planet, as long as people can choose, people WILL choose evil. Some evil, like this bombing, physically hurts so many people so publicly. It hurts us all as we ache at the loss and the senselessness of it.
Some might say I've never killed anyone. And I would counter with have you ever been really angry with someone? Have you ever called someone a fool or an idiot? Jesus said that can get you a ticket to hell. (Matthew 5:21-22)
Have you ever gossiped or told a little white lie or had a little too much to drink or used the name of God or Jesus as an exclamation? Welcome to the world of evil. We are all sinners by nature and by choice. (Romans 3:23)
The only "cure" for evil as we await the return of Jesus, is to surrender to Him as Lord and Savior. We have the responsibility and the privilege to tell others about Jesus so that they might be receptive to the voice of the Holy Spirit. There is NO ONE beyond God's ability to save. Does that mean everyone will be saved? No, but we don't know who will and who won't be saved. So we need to tell everyone we can.
One thing I love so much about NewSpring are the stories of life change that we hear. Stories of radical change in people some might have thought were hopeless.. www.newspring.cc/blog
Life Is Good
That's all I really want to say. Life IS good! I am content with what I have, where I am, and where I am headed. God overwhelms me with His love and I just want to bless His name!
Friday, April 12, 2013
Time
Wow...I can't believe it's been three and a half months since I wrote something. It's not that things haven't been happening in my family or God and I haven't been having conversations as I read my Bible, it's just, well, time. I should have all the time in the world but it just seems to slip away.
When I was reading in Genesis this week about Abraham, and specifically about Ishmael, one little phrase in Genesis 17:20 caught my attention. Abraham was talking to God about the son to be born to him. He was asking for Ishmael to be the one God would bless. God said nope, the child will be yours and Sarah's, a miracle child of their old age. But God also said, "I have blessed him..." speaking of Ishmael. Although this blessing would not take place for some years, to God it was a done deal.
I know intellectually that God is not restrained by time, but sometimes I forget that He sees ALL of time as now. Even if I can't see the blessing or the fulfillment of a promise or the salvation of a friend, when God declares it will be done it has already happened in His mind. So I need to rest in that knowing that God will always fulfill what He says.
When I was reading in Genesis this week about Abraham, and specifically about Ishmael, one little phrase in Genesis 17:20 caught my attention. Abraham was talking to God about the son to be born to him. He was asking for Ishmael to be the one God would bless. God said nope, the child will be yours and Sarah's, a miracle child of their old age. But God also said, "I have blessed him..." speaking of Ishmael. Although this blessing would not take place for some years, to God it was a done deal.
I know intellectually that God is not restrained by time, but sometimes I forget that He sees ALL of time as now. Even if I can't see the blessing or the fulfillment of a promise or the salvation of a friend, when God declares it will be done it has already happened in His mind. So I need to rest in that knowing that God will always fulfill what He says.
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