Transformed Hearts

"And we? I doubt that many of us would go so far as to say we're transformed. Our names are written down somewhere in heaven, and we have been forgiven. Perhaps we have changed a bit in what we believe and how we act. We confess the creeds now, and we've gotten our temper under control...for the most part. But transformed seems a bit too much to claim. How about forgiven and on our way? That's how most Christians would describe what's happening to them. It's partly true...and partly untrue, and the part that's untrue is what's killing us. We've been told that even though we have placed our hope in Christ, even though we have become his followers, our hearts are still desperately wicked.

"But is that what the Bible teaches?" ~ John Eldredge, Waking the Dead, pg. 57

Missing Opporturnities

I recently took a trip which required some air travel. Flying is not something that I have done very much and it still has a very new feel every time I do it. This time as I looked around the different planes that I was on a thought struck me: each of us are going for different reasons. We may have been heading for the same airport, the same city, but our reasons for going there were not the same, though they might be similar. Some were business people traveling for business (is it just me or is that the majority of flyers?), others were on vacation, still others were traveling to see family, some may have been meeting a love, and a few were just catching a connecting flight to another city.

Whatever the reason that had us on that plane together for that brief period of time our lives were connected. Though we remained strangers for those few hours in the air our fates were tied together. Perhaps that is why I was moved to pray that the plane trips would be safe, so that anyone who did not know Jesus might be given an opportunity to put their faith and trust in Him.

Isn’t amazing how many people we come into contact with each day? Even in my small town I constantly see people. Whether it is walking by the lake, shopping at the grocery store, or having a white chocolate mocha my life intersects with other lives all the time. In those brief moments of time how can I impact the life of another person? How can we show the love of Jesus to other people in the check out line, on the sidewalk, or in an airplane? I ask this because I think too often I allow opportunities slip through my fingers because I am not seeking out opportunities to bring love into other people’s lives. May God forgive me for all the wasted chances to share His love with other people.

Here are a few things that I thought about as I have tried to answer the question. First and most basic I believe is just to be nice and respectful. Sitting in the shuttle bus with a few other people to return our cars that were in long term parking the lady across from me told me how she had meet a bunch of friendly people that day, which surprised her, because, according to her, so many people are jerks. There is no way we can share the love of God and brighten up the day for someone else if we are jerks. Simply being polite and nice to others opens the door to bigger opportunities. It might even cause people to ask: Why are you so nice?

Second is to offer to help people. We constantly come across people who are struggling with packages, flat tires, and lost items. Why not take some time and offer assistance? It is so easy to ignore the struggles of others simply because they are the struggles of others. They are not our struggles and so we move on and forget them, but what a wonderful opportunity to show love by stopping and helping. There is something in me that thinks that is exactly the type of thing that Jesus would do.

Third refuse to give into the temptation to live in your own world. MP3 Players, Ipods, cell phones, laptop computers, and all sort of other electronic devices can cut us off from the world that is all around us. They erect invisible barriers that say: I am busy don’t bother me. Perhaps if we just made ourselves approachable we would find ourselves in a conversation that we would never have had if we had earphones in our ears. For me it is so easy to absorb myself in writing or reading a book and in the process ignore the people around me. I am afraid that by doing this I may have robbed myself of great opportunities God has given me to impact the life of another person. May Followers of Jesus be more intentional in connecting with others rather than shutting themselves off in their own little world.

We are presented with opportunities all the time to touch the lives of other people. Yes it may be a brief moment, but we have no idea what that moment might mean in eternity. I hope that we will become more intentional and aware of the opportunities God has given us to make an impact for Him. Perhaps it will be at Wal-Mart, the side of the road, or hundreds of feet in the air, where it is doesn’t matter, what matters is what we do with the opportunity.

{15}Therefore be very careful how you live - not as unwise but as wise, {16}taking advantage of every opportunity, because the days are evil. {17} For this reason do not be foolish, but be wise by understanding what the Lord's will is. (Ephesians 5:15-17, NET)

Loving the Annoying

I am at camp right now (Junior 1, 5th and 6th grade, at Nebowa Christian Camp). Here is something I learned at camp a fear years ago.

"How easy it is to begin to assume that I should be comfortable. How quickly I can start to expect an easy and hassle-free ministry." ~ John Piper; A Godward Life

Her name is Kylee. I met her this past week as I spent a few days being a family leader and teacher at First Chance Camp. Kylee was in my family, and at first she was very quiet. By the mid-day on the first full day of camp she has attached herself to me, literally. It was an annoyance that she called me Baldy (I had to shave my head this on Saturday as the result of a hair cutting accident), stole my hat, and hung on me constantly. I was more than a little annoyed when she grabbed my hand on Tuesday night and pulled me to campfire so I could sit by her. I wanted to do what ever I could to get away from her.

On the way back from campfire God used this nine-year-old girl to remind me what is important. She told me that in April her dad was killed in an accident, and that I was her dad now. Talk about having my perspective adjusted. Now I understood why she harassed me (or as she put it, terrorized me). While I was so focused on my comfort, I totally missed the pain in Kylee's life.

We all have to deal with difficult people. There are some people who are so needy the drain the strength out of us. There are other people who for some reason just get on our nerves. There are other people who just can't seem to tell the truth to save their lives. Everyone has "unloveable" people in their lives. People we find impossible to love.

The problem is that the reason we believe they are "unlovable" is the side we have seen, the little we know about them. We can't know everything that has gone on in their lives. Tragedy, abuse, accidents, and family life all have a huge impact in making us the people we are. I would bet there is a reason why the annoying people in your life are annoying.

As we seek to tell people about God's love and minister to people in need, we will not always deal with people whose personality will be compatible with ours. Sooner or later as we follow Jesus we will run into people who make life uncomfortable for us. These people provide us with the ultimate test of love. It is easy to love the people we enjoy, but it is something totally different to love the people who get on our nerves and inconvenience our lives.

{31} Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."
{32} So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.
{33} But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
{34} When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. (Mark 6:31-34; NIV)

Jesus was being inconvenienced. People were coming from all over to take from Jesus. They were sick, lost, and poor. They had nothing to offer. They just wanted Jesus to help them. There were so many people Jesus hadn't even had time to eat. The desire of Jesus was to retreat, to go to a solitary place and rest. That didn't happen. Instead people discovered were He was heading, and met Him there. Jesus offers no rebuke or excuse. Instead He has compassion on them and He takes time to minister to them.

This is our example on how we need to act towards others. Yes we may be tired, we may be uncomfortable, and we maybe inconvenienced, but we should do our best to help the people who come to us for help. We have compassion on them, not because they have something to offer to us, but because they are in need of God's love.

On the last day of camp, Kylee's mom came to pick her up. She explained to me how Kylee's father died and apologized if she had been nuisance. I shook my head and said, "She was no problem." My perspective had changed. I know longer saw Kylee as an annoyance, but a little girl who needed to be loved. May we all show compassion to those inconvenient people in our lives.

Disappointment with God

I wrote this almost three years ago. It is amazing how God will get you to the right place if you will patiently follow His leading.

"It comes down to this: God's best is available only to those who sacrifice, or who are willing to sacrifice, the merely good. If we are satisfied with good health, responsible children, enjoyable marriages, close friendships, interesting jobs, and successful ministries, we will never hunger for God's best. We will never worship. I've come to believe that only broken people truly worship. Unbroken people (happy folks who enjoy their blessings more than the Blesser) say thanks to God the way a shopper thanks a clerk." ~ Larry Crabb, Shattered Dreams

It is easy to become disappointed with God. We have a plan for our lives and when our plan for happiness does not turn out the way we would like it to we put the blame on God. The disappointment we have with God is not because He broke His promise, but because He didn't conform to our expectations.

I have recently been disappointed with God. The dream I had for my life seemed to be within my reach, when it was suddenly pulled away. I cried out to God, "When will it be my turn to discover happiness?" I was disappointed and that disappointment overshadowed two very important realities in my life.

The first reality is the wonderful life God has already given me. To say that I haven't experienced happiness and joy in my life is to deny the blessings God has put into my life. I have much to be joyful about. I have a family whose love I can count on. I have a ministry in which I have the privilege of watching people grow in their relationship with God. I have food to eat and a place to sleep. The list could go on, but I am sure you get the point. My life is filled with sources of joy and happiness.

The second reality is what the future holds. Abraham spent years waiting for a child. At seventy-five God promises Abraham a child, yet time goes by and nothing happens. Abraham and Sarah decide they have to take matters into their hands and arrange for a Abraham to have a child by a servant. Though a son is born, he is not the son God promised. It is twenty-five years after God's promise of a child Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah. Through the disappointments of a planned life unfulfilled Abraham discovers the supreme joy of the good life God has promised. The best God has for my life is not discovered in the plan of happiness I have, but in trusting God to prepare me for the life He has in store for me.

As cruel as it might sound to us, God prepares us for the good life He has in store for us through the disappointments and the pain of life. When we are broken and realize that our only chance of true joy is found in our relationship with God then we are able to be the people God created us to be. The good life God has in store for us in found through the disappointments of dreams unfulfilled and trusting in our Heavenly Father to get us through to the other side.

I wish circumstances in my life would have turned out differently, but they did not. I am left with the disappointment of dreams unfulfilled, but I know that what God has in store for my life is better than what I could imagine. Instead of being disappointed with God I need to trust Him to lead me to the place He wants me to be. It is only there that I will discover the happiness He has for my life.

Narnia Character

You scored as Peter, You are most like Peter, the oldest sibling. Peter was entrusted with many responsibilities. He did his best to make things right, but sometimes ended up ruining them instead. Peter 81% Susan 75% Lucy 56% Edmund 38% Narnia ~ Which sibling are you? (pics) created with QuizFarm.com

The Shortcomings of Law

"Law is always external. It is always imposed from outside. It can never make man good. It can only make him wish he had been good." ~ W. Carl Ketcherside; The Death of the Custodian

Law is incapable of changing people. Yes, there is a certain segment obey the law because they are afraid of the punishment. The problem is these same people wouldn't hesitant to do evil if the negative consequences did not exist. By outward appearances they appear to be good their hearts are another story.

"You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the high council. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell" (Matthew 5:21-22; NLT).

"You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28; NLT).

"You have heard that the law of Moses says, 'Love your neighbor and hate you enemy.' But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!" (Matthew 5:43-44; NLT).

Jesus seems to be saying that more important than our obedience is the condition of our hearts. The Laws job is to show us the best way to live. It reveals to us God's standard. The Law, however, cannot fix a heart twisted by sin. Only the blood of Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, accepted by faith, can correct our sin problem. No amount of law keeping take away the consequences of sin in our lives.

What does that mean? It means that everyone is in the same boat, no matter how "good" they might appear. Without Jesus Christ in our lives there is nothing we can do to make up for the sin we have committed or restore our corrupted heart to purity. What the Church has to offer to a world plagued with sin and death is not law, but grace. This sick and dying world needs to hear the truth about God's grace. Change will only occur as people respond to God's grace and give their lives to Jesus Christ. We need to be people of grace rather than being people of law.

What Muppet am I?

You scored as Fozzie Bear, Please welcome fozzie bear. You try your best to be the entertainer but sometimes dont quite cut it. But don't let the criticisms of statler and waldorf get you down because your still a lovable fun guy/gal Fozzie Bear 69% Sam the eagle 69% Animal 50% Kermit the frog 50% Dr Bunsen Honeydue 50% Rizzo the rat 44% Beaker 44% Miss Piggy 38% Swedish Chef 38% The Great Gonzo 38% Statler and/or Waldorf 25% What is your muppet personality created with QuizFarm.com

A Clash of Kingdoms

This world is the battle ground of a great cosmic war. Satan and the Kingdom of Darkness are trying their best to lay waste to God’s great creation. God and the Kingdom of Light are restoring creation. In this war you on one side of the other. You cannot remain neutral. The way you live determines whether or not you are a soldier of Satan bringing destruction to the wonderful creation God has given us or a servant of the Living God working as an agent of reconciliation and restoration. You either belong to the Kingdom of Darkness or the Kingdom of Light.

I realize that it seems a little dramatic to use war language, after all it sure doesn’t feel like a way. There are no bullets flying and no D-Day invasions happening so it is easy to believe that our lives aren’t part of this war being fought in the heavenlies. But I think if we really took the time to examine our lives we would realize that the only explanation for the evil in the world, the oppressive regimes, and the twisted thoughts and philosophies being promoted is that there is an active campaign against the Sovereign God and His creation.

The apostle Paul wrote of this conflict in his second letter to the Corinthian Christians. This is what he wrote 2 Corinthians 10:3-5:

{3}Of course, we are living in the flesh, but we do not fight in a fleshly way. {4} For the weapons of our warfare are not those of the flesh. Instead, they have the power of God to demolish fortresses. We tear down arguments {5}and every proud obstacle that is raised against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive in order to obey Christ. (ISV)

In this passage Paul provides us with a principle to remember. - Vs. 3
We may be human and living in these bodies of flesh, but that doesn’t mean we fight this war in the same way wars are fought amongst each other. This is a different type of fight and it isn’t about killing and destroying other people. It is about bringing God’s love and restoration to the world. This war requires different tactics and different weapons.

This War of Kingdoms should not be equated with the “culture war” that is being fought in this country. We are not at war with the atheist, the Muslim, or the Hindu but with those things that keep them in bondage to sin and death. Sure other people will oppose us because they have been tricked into serving the enemy, but our fight is not with them but with the Kingdom that keeps them in darkness.

In order to fight this war Paul tells us that God has given us a provision to use. - Vs. 4
The weapons God has given us are different from the guns, swords, missiles, and bombs used in our warfare. They are even different from the propaganda and slander that are used to fight the “culture war” that is being fought through the media.

Jesus provided us with two great weapons for this war. These weapons are unconditional love and revealed truth. When we love unconditionally the result will be hatred from those people who want to see other remained oppressed. When we speak the simple truth of God we will be labeled as intolerant and ignorant by those who rather live a lie. Yet for those searching for real life the love of God and the truth of His word will be beacons of light penetrating the darkness.

Paul also provides us with a procedure to follow. - Vs. 5
In this war we are not to attack our fellow man, but to attack the philosophies and lifestyles that hold people in darkness. When we insist on attacking other people it shows that we are not following God’s battle plan for this war and are willing to use the weapons of the flesh to achieve victory.

The only way we can free people from the control of the Kingdom of Darkness is to level the light of God’s Word at the lies Satan has given to mankind and to love people so they can realize that there is a better way to live. People will not abandon their kingdom until they understand that God’s Kingdom is the best kingdom. They will not leave their way of living until they know that following Jesus is the best way to live.

We are in the middle of the clash of kingdoms. This cosmic war is being fought, not over physical territory, but for the human heart. It is of the up most importance that we learn to guard our hearts and enter the battle to fight for the hearts of those we love, for those people Jesus died to save. It is time to go to battle. Let’s follow Jesus to victory.

I have been a bad blogger...

...recently. Between being pleasantly distracted (and she knows who she is) I have had my mind full of my sermon, a lesson for camp (next week), plus 5 campfire devotions (for that same camp). I will try to write something of substance tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by and reading my thoughts.

Sunday Quote: Growing in Spiritual Maturity

"A person who is growing in spiritual maturity is developing emotional health. A person who is growing in spiritual maturity is healing broken relationships and building healthy ones. A person who is growing in spiritual maturity begins to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and no longer allows imaginations of the heart to run riot. A person who is growing in spiritual health begins to treat his or her body as the temple of the Lord and establish personal disciplines that result in overcoming such vices as gluttony. A person who is growing in spiritual health dreams great dreams with God." ~ Erwin McManus, An Unstoppable Force, pg. 109

After the Fact

One day Moses was watching his father-in-law's sheep when something caught his eye. It was a bush that was burning, but it was not being consumed. Moses decided to investigate this strange sight. When He approached the bush spoke, or rather a voice called from the bush. It is at this moment God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt.

Moses asked, "But who am I to appear before Pharaoh? How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"

God answered, "I will be with you. And this will serve as proof that I have sent you: When you have brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you will return here to worship God at this very mountain." (Exodus 3:11, 12; NLT).

I find it odd that the evidence God offers to Moses is after the fact. It is after the Israelites are free from the Egyptians that Moses will know it is God who sent him.

Now did Moses lack proof that his calling was from God? No, God provided proof. There was the burning bush, the voice of God, and God gave Moses two signs: the staff into a snake and the leprosy of his hand. Moses saw the ten plagues, the Red Sea divide, the pillar of cloud/fire which led Israel, plus other miracles. All through Moses' experience God showed him that He was with Moses.

Why was worshiping at Mt. Sinai the proof that God sent Moses? While all the miracles pointed to God and showed Moses and the people God was with them, it wouldn't have met anything if God did not make a covenant with the people. It was at Mt. Sinai when God established a covenant with Israel, which set them apart as God's people and prepared the way for Jesus to come. If God delivered Israel from Egypt and then never established a covenant with them, Israel might as well have been back in slavery. It was the covenant, the promise of God at Sinai which made all the difference.

Flash forward a few hundred years. Jesus has turned water into wine. He has cleared the Temple and has begun to teach with authority. The religious leaders demand,

"What right do you have to do these things? If you have this authority from God, show us a miraculous sign to prove it." Jesus replied, "All right. Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:18, 19; NLT)

We know Jesus was talking about his death and resurrection. Jesus continued to teach, heal people, feed thousands, walk on water, and calm storms. Jesus gave signs and evidence that He is the Messiah, the Son of God. But the sign which He pointed to, the final proof into who He is, is the resurrection. All the miracles Jesus performed, all the teachings He taught, everything about Jesus, even His death, means nothing without the resurrection. If Jesus didn't rise from the dead we are still in our sins, and we are wasting our time.

That is not just me speaking but that is what the apostle Paul says as well in 1 Corinthians. 15:12-19...

{12} But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
{13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
{14} And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
{15} More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised.
{16} For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.
{17} And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.
{18} Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
{19} If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.(NIV)

Here is the point. The central truth of Christianity is not the cross, but the resurrection. Just as the covenant established at Sinai gave meaning and significance to everything which happened before it, the resurrection gives meaning to everything Jesus did before His death. All the teachings and miracles find there meaning after Jesus' death. The Resurrection of Jesus is what gives meaning and hope to Christianity.

What does that mean for us? It means that while we need to remember the death of Jesus, because it was His sinless life that made Him the only sacrifice for our sins, our real focus must be on the Resurrection. It is the Resurrection which sets Christianity apart from other religions and philosophies of the world. The Resurrection is the final evidence that Jesus is our Lord and Savior.

To Love God is to Worship Him

"Do you know what God desires most from you? It's the one thing no other person on earth can give Him--your affection. Although thousand other people can do the work, give the bucks, fill the gap...no one else can give God the unique affection that only you and He can share." ~ Louie Giglio; The Air I Breathe

One of the great desires of our hearts is to be desired by someone else, to be loved and cherished. I don't know about you, but one of the goals I have for my life is to find someone who will love me just for who I am. This is the great hope of every person who has ever walked down the aisle to be married: to be loved and cherished. Every marriage begins with the hope that this is the relationship that will produce the love they long to have.

The reality is that most marriages fail to live up to the hope. The reason is because the only relationship which can really fill this desire to be loved unconditionally is our relationship with God. He created us with this longing so we would seek Him. Without God in our lives no relationship or activity will satisfy our desire to be loved.

As we are overwhelmed by the love of God, there is only one response that is worthy: love Him back. God wants us to desire Him, not because He has a great need to be loved, but because that is what is best for us. He allows us to feel empty and our lives to be meaningless so when we discover Him we will desire Him as our All in All.

{9} God showed how much he loved us by sending his only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. {10} This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. (1 John 4:9-10; NLT)

God's love for us always precedes our love for Him. It is God's desire for us to know Him and be in a relationship with Him that is both real and personal. It is amazing to think about, but when we are in a personal relationship with God it brings Him pleasure:

{4}Long ago even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. {5}His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure. (Ephesians 1:4-5; NLT)

The desire of our hearts is to be accepted for who we are. God extends unconditional love to us through Jesus Christ. When we experience God's love there is only one response we can make and that is to love Him back. Simply by responding to the love God has given us, we give Him what He desires: our affection.

When we have an emptiness in our heart the thing to do is not find a new relationship. No matter how exciting or wonderful that might be. In time the excitement will wear off and it too will become unsatisfying. The thing to do for the lonely heart is to start giving God our affection. For this is the only relationship which is able to satisfy the desire of our hearts.

Grace: Making Us New

The grace of God. It is one of fundamental differences between following Jesus Christ and every other religion and philosophy of the world. God’s grace means that salvation is not dependent on anything that we do, but simply on the love of God as seen in the death and resurrection of Jesus. He paid the price for our sins. This gift of Grace should put joy in our hearts and love into out lives. Our lives should be different because God has poured His grace into them.

The apostle Paul reminded his disciple Titus the importance of God’s grace. This is what Paul wrote:

{11}For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people. {12}It trains us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, {13}as we wait for the happy fulfillment of our hope in the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. {14}He gave himself for us to set us free from every kind of lawlessness and to purify for himself a people who are truly his, who are eager to do good. (Titus 2:11-14; NET)

When God’s grace is a part of our lives it has the power to change us. No longer are we doomed to live life the way the rest of the world lives. Now we can live lives that follow the example of Jesus and are guided by the Holy Spirit. Our lives become new!

Our lives are new because God gives us new life. - Vs. 11
While many of the aspects of our lives will remain the same: we will have the same family, same job, and the same problems, God gives us a new life which will extend into all eternity. Salvation is ultimately the giving of new life. Sin brought the reality of death to all of mankind. So not only were our old lives slowly ticking away to the day of our deaths, but they are also enslaved to sin. Sin has a hold on us, and without the salvation brought to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus there would be no hope of breaking free. This promise of a new life isn’t just about the wonderful life we will have in Heaven enjoying an eternal relationship with God and each other, but it is also about giving us a life right now that isn’t controlled by sin, but is freed to do good works. God’s grace makes it possible for everyone to live a life of significance and of purpose.

Our lives our new because God gives us new limits. - Vs. 12
I know that limits doesn’t sound very appealing. We live in a culture that doesn’t want to be tied down to limits. We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it. We want to buy what we want to buy when we want to buy it. Limits are opposed to the good life we have been told is the way to live. This is one of the ways that life has been twisted. By living a life with no limits people allow themselves to become slaves to sin, and limit what the can do and what they desire. They are powerless to break free and live the way they were created to live. In His amazing grace God provides us with limits which are designed to help us avoid sin and to live the lives that God created us to live. It is by living within these limits that we are able to become the people God created us to be.

Our lives are new because God gives us new longings. - Vss. 13-14
Our hope is no longer confined to the here and now. It isn’t about achieving the American Dream or fulfilling one of our puny dreams, but it is about eternal relationships. A relationship with God and a relationship with fellow believers. Our longings are about creation being restored and life being what God originally intended it to be. We have grown so sick of the evil and tragedy that dominates life now and we long for the day when God will make all things new, and so we put our effort into bringing God’s Kingdom to earth and waiting for the day when Jesus will return in power to make everything right. That is the desire that dominates our hope.

God’s grace is amazing because it makes our lives new. This new life is hard to explain to someone who has not experienced it, but for us who have it has totally changed the way we live. I hope and pray that we don’t take God’s grace for granted and that we will take time to praise Him for the difference He has made in our lives. Thank You God for your amazing and wonderful grace.

The People of God

It feels good to belong. Few are the people who are comfortable living on their own in self-imposed seclusion. Most of us have a desire to be involved with other people. We start families, join clubs, and are active in a local church partly because of desire to be with other people, to be part of the group.

What we discover in the second chapter of 1 Peter is that as Christians we do belong to something. In verses 4-8 we discovered that we are living stones which God is using to construct a spiritual blessing. In verses 9-12 Peter switches metaphors. Not only are we God’s building, but we are also God’s people.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

"Once you were not a people; now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God’s mercy; now you have received his mercy.”

Dear brothers and sisters, you are foreigners and aliens here. So I warn you to keep away from evil desires because they fight against your very souls. Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the world. ~ 1 Peter 2:9-12; NLT

Apart from God life is a struggle to fit it. To belong requires the right clothes, the right income level, cheering for the right team, and the list could go on. With God we belong simply because God says we do. He has a plan for our lives.

God is in the process of saving, not a person, but a people. When we give our lives to Jesus we become part of the people God has chosen in advance to save. That means we are God’s Chosen People!

We are also a Kingdom of Priests. The primary function of a priest is to act as a mediator between God and man. To be a priest means we have the privilege of standing in the gap between people and God and allowing them to see God’s love through our lives. We offer them a Word from God and we offer up prayers to God on their behalf. It means that we are conscious of the fact that we are God’s representatives on earth and that His works of love and mercy will often happen through our hands. To be part of God’s people means to be priests.

Not only are we called to priests, but we are also called to be foreigners and aliens. While we experience acceptance (at least on God’s behalf) at being part of the Church, we will experience rejection by the world. Not only will the World reject us because of the way we live, but we will also begin to reject more and more of what the world has to offer. We will begin to recognize that what we truly desire is not of this world, but rather it is a relationship with God. The desire of a far distant country, the Promised Land, and Eternal Rest, will grow in our hearts.

We may be just passing though this world, but God still expects us to live in a way that will bring honor to Him. It is important to God that we live in such a way that people who have chosen to reject Him will honor Him when the right time comes. Our lives will be the testimony of whether or not what we said is true.

For Christians who were facing persecution and death because of what they believed these were encouraging words. It reminded them that even though the World had rejected them they were still God’s Chosen People.

I believe this is also a reminder that we need to take to heart. While this World can offer us many distractions, and though our hearts may begin to burn with desire for them, they are just temporary. This World is ultimately just the route we have to take to get to our ultimate destination. If we treat it that way and live our lives trusting in Jesus Christ then we will one day find the desire of our hearts.

We are God’s Chosen People journeying together. What a wonderful place to be!

Tuesday Link: Orphans and the American Church

Anthony Bradley has a blog post at Resurgence in which he ponders why there are so many children in the care of the state and what it would mean to the rest of the world if Christians took the risk to adopt these children. Here is part of what he had to say:

Why Does America Have Orphans If It Has Christian Churches?

America has nearly 115,000 orphaned kids in foster care waiting to be adopted. Some wonder how this is possible in a country with Christian families. Surely, there are 115,000 missional families in America, right? Missional families, for example, embrace the redemptive mission of God and practice "true religion" in their local communities (James 1:27). Missional Christians in America could eliminate the foster care system tomorrow if we would stop "shootin' up" with the American Dream (heroine) in order to get high on a lame life lived for the sake of comfort and ease.

I am sure we could come up with reasons and excuses about why we are not following the example of the early church (or perhaps how we are, but how it looks different). I would like to suggest that perhaps the Church could have a greater impact in this country if we backed out of politics and began to concentrate on serving the world around us.

Sunday Quote: Faith and Baptism

"There is no magical power in the water or in the act itself. Baptism without faith is a futile dipping in water. No burial into Christ accompanies the burial into the water; no resurrection with Christ accompanies the lifting out of the water. Without faith the person's spiritual state after baptism is no different from what it was before." ~ Jack Cottrell, Baptism: A Biblical Study ,pg. 133

Worship is a Lifestyle

"It's a lot easier to sing a song than it is to stop and touch the broken. It's a lot less taxing to go to church than to take 'church' to the world. But sharing with others is a sacrifice of worship that makes God smile." ~ Louie Giglio; The Air I Breathe

Worship isn't just about music. Worship isn't an activity that is planned and programmed. Worship is glorifying God with out lives. When we seek to honor God, we worship Him.

Worship happens anytime and anyplace. It happens Sunday mornings at church. It happens Wednesday night at Bible Study. It happens when we chat with our neighbor. It happens when we serve those in need. It happens when we show love to the lonely. Worship is what being a Christian is all about.

Worship is a life lived in response to God. God has given us so much. We owe Him every breath we breathe. He is responsible for our talents. He has given us blessing after blessing. Only a life of continual praise can honor God's gifts to us.

{15} With Jesus' help, let us continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by proclaiming the glory of his name.{16} Don't forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing go God. (Hebrews 13:15-16; NLT)

This passage in Hebrews we see three important aspects of worship:

1. Worship is done through Jesus. A person cannot truly worship God unless he has first given his life to Jesus. It is Jesus who makes us acceptable in God's sight, and thus makes our worship acceptable. It is also Jesus' life which models the life of worship we are to live. Jesus made it clear that His life was about glorify God; "I brought glory to you here on earth by doing everything you told me to do" (John 17:4; NLT). By using Jesus as an example we begin to understand what it means to live a life of worship.

2. Sacrifice is essential to worship. In order to worship God we have to give up things that are important to us. God doesn't expect us to do this to make our lives miserable, but because He alone can make our lives truly happy. Sacrifice is an indication of the love we have for God. We only worship what we value the most. If we are unwilling to sacrifice money, entertainment, time, relationships, or hobbies for God then it is proof we love something else more than we love God. Sacrifice reveals where our hearts are.

3. Helping others is worship. Serving those in need is a primary part of worship. The reason is because it gives other people the opportunity to praise and honor God. So many people don't praise God because they don't know the love He has for them. Through our service we become vehicles of God's love and thus allow these people to experience God's love.

If we are really interested in worshiping God we will want others to join in that worship.If we relegate worship to a once a week activity of singing and communion then we have missed the bigger picture of what worship really is. Worship is about honoring our Creator in everything we do. It is a response to God for all that He has given to our lives. The time for worship is now.

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