Scars

How come old wounds can tear open when you least expect it too? And with it comes a range of emotions: bitterness, anger, hope, forgiveness, peace, and unrest, all at the same time. It is as if your emotions have no idea what to feel and your mind and your heart are playing all sorts of games with you. Old wounds tend to bring old insecurities, old habits, and old fears.

The rip is easy. A phrase, or a memory, can rip the wounds straight open and sometimes it feels that the second time it rips comes complications with its healing. In moments like this, in moments when life is chaotic, and you literally feel like you suck, and you feel everyone thinks you suck (even the ones you love), you can rest in this promise: God is the ultimate healer. He is the great physician. Old wounds, deep, messy, bloody wounds are no match for God. When those insecurities come there is only one that can ultimately heal them and seal them so they never have to open again and that is Christ.

As a personal testimony, I know what it feels like to be hurt over and over again, by know fault of others, but my neglect to seek help from the True physician. If you neglect the medicine, you will never get better!

I pray that you will always seek Christ as the one who came brings calm to the storm, and bring life to your soul.

Some insight from Jon Edwards

“Our external delights, our earthly pleasures, our ambition and our reputation, our human relationships, for all of these things, our desires are eager, our appetites strong, our love, warm and affectionate. When it comes to these things our hearts are tender and sensitive, deeply impressed, easily moved, much concern and greatly engaged. We are depressed at our losses and we are excited and joyful about any worldly success or prosperity. But when it comes to spiritual matters, how dull we feel. How heavy and hard our hearts. We can sit and hear of the infinite length and height and breadth and love of God in Christ Jesus, of His giving of His infinitely dear Son, and yet sit there cold and unmoved. If we are going to be excited about anything, shouldn’t it be our spiritual lives? Is there anything more inspiring, more exciting, more lovable and desirable in heaven or on earth than the Gospel of Jesus Christ? We should be utterly humbled that we are not more emotionally affected than we are in the church.” Jonathan Edwards

You are a Failure...

It is time to be honest. I feel like a failure. All the pain and frustration has led me to this point of feeling lonely and feeling like my best efforts weren't good enough. Even with God by my side, I feel like I have no more strength than if an ant tried to lift a mountain. I feel as if all my plans have fallen by the waist side, exposing the insecurities I try to hide. Pride. Pride is Sins best friend. Pride is what makes the strongest of men...crumble, it makes the wisest of men...foolish, and it makes the most passionate men...dormant.

It would be hard for me to explain all that has happened in the last 7 or 8 months of my life. It has been the most challenging moments in my personal life, my ministry, and my relationship with God. It has been the good-bye of someone who I loved, a good-bye to a ministry that I passionately served, and a desperate effort of clinging to Christ when I felt most uncertain of what lie ahead for me. By cultural standards, I was dumped, I work at a job (though I am thankful) that reminds everyday of how I long to be in full time student ministry, and the fact that I can't seem to find a job in ministry anywhere I feel like God may be leading me. I feel like a failure. I failed to be the type of person for someone I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, I failed to get a job that I actually had, and I failed to trust in Christ in the midst of all of it.

I once heard from a Pastor that the thing you run to when life is chaotic is the thing in which you have the most hope. When all this happened: I ran to myself. I bottled it up. I let deceit and decention have room to run in the chasms of my heart. I let self-pity and self-loathing use my mind as a playground. I allowed Christ a front row seat as I decided to not lean to him for comfort but to lean away. It is crazy to think that I felt like a failure so I steered clear of Christ, when it is Christ that said, "fall all have fallen short of the Glory of God," God has declared me a sinner, declared me as someone who by human strength will fail 100 percent of the time if not were by the strength of Christ working through me. I am a failure. I fail to see God's plan that is unfolding right infront of me, I fail to hear God's direction in my life because I am so preoccupied but my wants and needs, I fail to understand that the character of God is faithful and kind when life gets crazy, I fail to see the bigger picture is something that I will never see, I fail at being content when I know the truth is God is in control, I fail at recognizing that man's ways are not God's ways, I fail at pursuing Christ as much as I do other things on earth.

I dont believe it is just me who fails. I believe we all do. I thank God that He is Faithful and Kind! I praise Him for the blessings He puts in my life even when the storm comes. Many times we want to complain about the rain and the wind, but we dont think to thank God for the life vest! If you feel like you are a failure, it is probably because you are. You have been trying to do things on your own, away from God. You have been trying to be the best, do the right thing, and ended up in the doghouse. It is time you turn your comfort and insecurities to God. It is time to trust in Him completely and stop relying on yourself.

My prayer for today was:

Lord, help me to recognize the strength you give me to complete each day and help me not forget who created the air for me to breathe. Help me to remember that at times I may feel like a failure but that is because I tried doing things on my own and didnt rest in your grace and in your plan. I need you to continue to work in me, because outside of you I fail. Outside of you, I have no one to comfort me when I am disappointed. Outside of you, I am lost. God, thank you so much for your loving sacrifice and unconditional love that you give me each day even though my words and actions could never amount to the price that you paid for me on the Cross.

Amen.

HEAVEN AND HELL

Below is a link from a sermon that Marc Driscoll preached on Heaven and Hell. This will help you if you are confused after reading Love Wins. Pastor Driscoll talks about the traditional view of Heaven and Hell and why the Scripture supports this view, instead of exalting one attribute of God above the rest, like Love, and forgetting all together wrath and holiness. I wouldnt be able to put it better than him.

Blessings,

Jon Spallino

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/heaven-and-hell

Love Wins and Justice Loses

^"1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,^[a] putting them in chains of darkness^[b] to be held for judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; ⁶ if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; ⁷ and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ⁸ (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— ⁹ if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. ¹⁰ This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh^[c] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings;¹¹ yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from^[d] the Lord. ¹² But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.^{[e] 14}With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! ¹⁵ They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer,^[f] who loved the wages of wickedness. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

¹⁷ These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. ¹⁸ For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” ²⁰ If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. ²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. ²² Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”^[g] and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”" 2 Peter Chapter 2

I know this is a lot to read but I believe in reading whole books, chapters, etc in comparison to picking a few verses to support my idea. A common theme in Love Wins, that has probably drawn the most controversy, is his idea of heaven. I want to make it clear that Pastor Bell is not completely wrong. I believe that He uses truth from the Scriptures but then expounds and draws the wrong conclusion. Pastor Bell writes that Jesus died for all creation. I agree. I agree that the blood of Jesus was shed for all people so that we (believers in Christ) can truly live in Grace. Pastor Bell would say, "What Jesus does is declare that he, and he alone, is saving everybody." It sounds great. Pastor Bell is not a universalist, He believes in one way to heaven. Here is where I disagree: He believes at the heart of every man is good, He believes that once you get to hell you have a chance to accept Christ. If what Pastor Bell preaches is true, then judgement wouldn't be so bad after all. Passages of Scripture like the one above would lose there sting. Verse 4, "⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,^[a] putting them in chains of darkness^[b] to be held for judgment..." Who cares if the whole passage is talking about God's judgement and alluding to the the Lake of Fire in Revelation and He wants to say that it is not true!

Let me ask you a question (I will use earthly examples like Bell):

If we all took the same important test, some got A's, some B's, Some F's and at the end of the test, the Teacher says, "All right, if you want an A, just hand me your test." Where is the justice in that? Where is the accountability in that? Now people will probably say, but Jon you should be happy for those people who should have gotten F's. I would respond that my feelings are not the issue here. God's perfection and justice are at issue here. If God is not fully and inflexibly just, then He seizes to be perfect, holy, loving, and just. God is the teacher who seizes to be righteous and just.

A problem I ran into in the book that is not spoken of directly but comes out in the reading is Can God be both LOVING AND JUST at the same time. You dont have to throw out Justice, so that God can be loving. As Humans we can not experience two emotions at the same time fully, but with God He can experience every emotion fully! He can be completely Loving, but also make people accountable for their decisions.

Did Christ's death mean nothing! Is there no accountability for those who have spit in his faith? In Matthew 26:35 it talks about how all of us will be held accountable for everything we have done. Where Pastor Bell does your scripture say that there is a second chance? I would say there is more evidence that people have this live to follow Christ, then there is that there are second chances. There is not place in scripture it says that God's love is manifested in passages that extend his desire that all will be saved and reconciled to him. That is his desire. Cant God desire something, and yet stay true to his Character of accountability? You ask, Does God get what He wants? You say no, if everyone doesnt go to heaven. I say that God does get what He wants. He gets glory. It is not about us, which Pastor Bell seems to make it a point that it is about US. It is about God receiving glory. And One day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, whether it is in humble adoration of our Savior Christ, or whether our knee is forced to bow and suffer our justice in Hell. This may sound harsh compared Pastor Bells view. And it is. People say, thats not loving.

What would it take for me to show love. Would it be to twist the Scriptures and say everybody is in? God is unconditionally loving, but is also unconditionally just. The Scriptures say in Hebrews that man dies once, and then judgement. Not Judgements... There is one judgement, in which the choices your make to reject Christ or to pursue Him will matter. It is foolish to think that they wont. It is foolish to think that a "PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP" isnt in the Bible. The words dont appear, but the concept certainly does. In Corinthians it talks about a New Birth, God being the father, those who believe being Children, in Ephesians, it talks about the good works God has given his Children, we were adopted. Is that not personal enough? SO Pastor Bell, you are saying that I dont have to give one thought to God, I can live for myself, and when I die I can then accept Christ? Really....well shoot I'll do that!

I believe that this type of teaching, is a secret, destructive heresy. I dont believe that Pastor Bell is a false prophet, however, I believe what He is teaching about God will ultimately skew our thinking about God and we will lose the Truth of his Justice all because it sounds good. There is no way that you could read the Scriptures and come to the conclusions that Pastor Bell has made. I believe his thinking is a product of seeing circumstances in life, seeing hurt and pain, wanted all to come to know Christ. As preachers, we see it all the time and it is heart breaking. That same desire for all to come to God that Rob Bell has is the same desire God has. I just dont understand why Rob Bell is so urgent about it if it doesnt matter? If all are saved, then why does spreading the Gospel matter. Why write your book?

I believe that Pastor Bell has a heart for people, and hearing some of the stories in his book, will make your heart go out to those people. In this day in age, it is hard to use Scriptural Truths against emotion provoking stories. Because most will go along with the emotion provoking story. But we must remember that it is not about us. It is about God getting glory, even if we hate the way God has made things to be.

Love Wins by Rob Bell Review Day 1

Love Wins by Rob Bell

"Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." -James 3:1-

James 3 is an interesting passage. It holds preachers and teachers of the word to a high accountability in order that we take serious the task of interpreting the Scriptures. This goes for all preachers and teachers. This goes for Me, the pastor down the street, this even goes for Rob Bell. Accountability. I want to start my review of Love Wins by this idea of accountability. An idea that I feel is lost in the book with the suggestions that Pastor Bell provides for us. I affirm his detail and urgency about sin in the Bible and how it is not to be dealt with lightly. But I am a little confused. Because if in the end, everyone is covered by Jesus' death (and everyone is going to Heaven eventually), why should I care so much about it? If everyone at some point will eventually choose Jesus, then what is the big deal about "living the best life now." If when I die and I go to Bell's version of Hell and I get a second choice to believe in Jesus, then why would I care so much about the things that I teach about sin and hell, if they are wrong?

See, if I am wrong and Bell is right, then if what I teach is wrong about Hell and eternity, it doesn't really matter. Because in the end, at some point, I will be able to join Christ. Where is the accountability in that? I might as well, try and get rich! But if Pastor Bell is wrong and I'm right, and there is a place of accountability that there are no second chances, then I am scared of what Pastor Bell would be faced with. Accountability. There is no room or very little room for accountability in Bell's stance of heaven. This issue of accountability is very serious and I will be praying for Pastor Bell. I know that He does not take this lightly by any means, and will be praying for him even though we disagree.

It is hard to wrap my head around where I should begin with this book because there are so many factors that need to be said in response to this book. The issues of inherited goodness as opposed to inherited wickedness, the issue of accountability among people, the issue of God's ability to be both fully Just and Loving at the same time, the issue of man being the center of the universe as opposed to God, the issue of God and his plan and purpose, all come into question. This is a book that will rattle the soul. It will tear at the very fiber of your beliefs in Christ. It will inevitably dissuade some people with its creative illusions and witty and eloquent remarks. It will use extreme and rare examples to prove a point. It uses loaded questions and loaded answers to prove points. It is well written with persuasion techniques frequently being used. As I write over the next week, I will address some of the issues mentioned above. For most, I will use a passage of Scripture that isn't mentioned in his book.

2 Peter 2 states:

¹ But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. ³ In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

⁴ For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,^[a] putting them in chains of darkness^[b] to be held for judgment; ⁵ if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; ⁶ if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; ⁷ and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ⁸ (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— ⁹ if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. ¹⁰ This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh^[c] and despise authority.

Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; ¹¹ yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from^[d] the Lord. ¹² But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

¹³ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.^{[e] 14} With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! ¹⁵ They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer,^[f] who loved the wages of wickedness. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

¹⁷ These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. ¹⁸ For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. ¹⁹ They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” ²⁰ If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. ²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. ²² Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”^[g] and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

I will use this scripture to guide us into answering some of these tough questions.

I respect Pastor Bell for starting a wonderful conversation about these important issues because He is right when he says that these discussions have laid dormant among the Christian circle. He is right when He says that people have been hurt by Christians and the way they deliver the message. The point I would like to prove over the next week is that you can hate, dislike the messenger and the way it is delivered, but that doesnt make the message null and void.

I am getting ahead of myself. So I will stop for now.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 I dont have much to say except that God's promise to Paul is the same promise He makes to us. When we go through weakness of the flesh, insults from the gallery, hardships in the storm, persecutions from the enemy, and diffucilties from life, We should delight in them, because when we are weak, we become strong through the power of God working in us. How Cool! Blessings and I hope today you will find opportunites to not boast in yourself, but rather find opportunities to boast about the Lord!

When you give, you are actually buying..

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, ⁴ they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. -2 Corinthians 8:3-5

This whole passage is a must read! While some consider it boring (which usually I do) I find an awesome truth that is hidden in the midst of Paul talking about the collection that the believers took. I think some of the reason why I got something out of it is because the church I go to is in their last stage before moving into our new building. The building project costed more than anticipated and anyone who knows anything about construction knows thats normal. Paul is encouraging and giving thanks to the people who gave beyond their ability to the collection. Look at the verses above. They "urgently pleaded" to be apart of the ministry. I dont know the last time I heard that out of someones mouth! They understood something that has been lost in today's society. Not as a result of ourselves but as a harsh reality of the world we live in. We are skeptical. If we dont like something, we find something else. If a church sings a song we dont like, or doesnt have a light show, then we go somewhere else. We are hesitant to invest in something because we are afraid that 6 months from now we will have thought it was a waist of money.

The Corinthian church understood something.

They understood that providing for God's kingdom meant everything.

They understood that no gift to the kingdom of God is useless.

They understood that satisfaction and the eagerness of being a part of what God is doing in the world.

They understood that by giving they were buying into something. They were buying accountability.

Accountability?

Accountability. When they gave to the collection they were no longer just people sitting on the sidelines. They were giving people. They bought a level of ownership. In youth ministry, one of the key points I focus on is ownership. I tell students that youth group is what YOU make it. Students need to take ownership, instead of entitlement. Imagine all the good that could be done, if we took ownership of something, instead of feeling entitled to it. As I look to the New building at Community of Hope, I want to see hundreds of volunteers taking ownership, people who have invested their money, time, and lives to God's kingdom. I dont want to see hundreds of entitled people who gave barely anything. When you give, you are buying into something. You are buying into God's kingdom. You are buying into the great things God is going to do. My question is: then why dont we give more?!

Anyways, thats my thought for the day!

Perfecting Holiness

¹ Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1

I didnt get very far today....After what I wrote on yesterday I couldnt help but just stop and meditate on this verse. "Perfecting Holiness." What does that mean? It is the art of and continual growth of being Holy. Paul is referring here to something that we call Sanctification. The process of being sanctified or purified. My question is Do you feel like you are being sanctified? Do you feel Christ working in your life to change some areas where you can grow in Holiness?

God loves you too much to keep you where you are in your relationship with Him. An evidence that the Spirit of God is working in you and through you is the transformation of our thoughts, actions, and will in becoming like that of Christ's. Like is says in Philippians 2, "we should have the same attitude of that of Christ Jesus."

Today, Find ways that you can glorify God and pray that God will continue the sanctifying work that He started in you.

In Purity

³ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴ Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸ through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; ¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. -2 Corinthians 6: 3-10

Paul is describing the way He lives his live so that no one can lift one once against him that would discredit his ministry and the work he is doing for God. There are things that I have experienced that He has and things that I cant even begin to fathom what it must feel like. I had a few thoughts as I read and will do my best to write them out. I am feeling a little tongue tied this morning!

I've never had the privilege to be beaten, imprisoned, or deprived of something for the sake of Christ's name. So to begin to think about how much faith that would take is beyond me. I heard a story from Jesus Freaks:Martyrs about a pastor and two students. All three were standing in front of the Chinese police while they questioned them for their faith in Jesus. The two students proclaimed boldly that they followed Jesus while the pastor shrunk back in fear. The next moment the two students were lying dead on the ground for bullet wounds while the pastor just stood there and watched. I'm not upset with the pastor for not dying along side the students, because I can say all that I want about how I would die for Christ, but unless you are faced with that decision, you do not know how truly feel. But the question here is not whether you would die for Christ or not. It is about accreditation. Those two students were accredited with martyrdom and problem became a huge influence and encouragement for the believers. The way they lived did not discredit the ministry. However, the pastor's ministry was discredited. It is important that we live with the utmost urgency when it comes to the Kingdom of God.

I feel that many times Christ followers believe only preachers have to live "above reproach" however, I see this as call to all believers and not just leaders within the church. I feel the most dangerous thing that Paul says in this passage is that "in purity" we follow him. I wonder how many things I have done that many not have been "taboo" sins but have been at the edge that discredited my ministry. Ill use an example from my life. There is a television show called the Jersey Shore. It is basically a reality show of 6 or 7 people who party, do stupid stuff, and live as a dysfunctional "family" during the summers. To be honest, some parts of the show are really funny. It is the type of show you watch and say, " What an Idiot!" Well, I watched the show and thought that it was funny and didnt think anything of it. A buddy of mine really challenged me one day about the show. He didnt pin-point it out to me or call it out. He just casually in conversation said, "I know what that would do to me, if I watched it," and "I dont want to give anyone the wrong idea."

I felt a strong urge to want to say, "it is just a show, it doesnt matter." But the truth is: it does. What I watch, what music I listen too, it all matters! Many times the thing that discredits pastor's ministries are not the big taboo sins. It is the little ones. I have been fortunate enough to have friends who watch out for me and I for them. That even though the thing that we may like isnt "wrong," we still know that in purity we must live our lives as the best we can.

Well, those are some of my thoughts. I suggest thinking about the passage above. There are a lot of things that are represented there!

Renewal

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in Vain. -1 Cor 15:58

So I have been reflecing over this verse a lot the past few days and as I read into 2 Corinthians I see a wonderful truth that keeps rising to the surface. I think often we think circumstances have the upper hand. we think that Life is a bunch of events of good and bad that happen to happen. We get frustrated, tired, and possibly lonely. We give, give, give, and barely receive. The truth of it is, when you devote yourself to the ministry of serving others full time, you tend to get discouraged. I wish that ministry was all fun and joyous. I wish people would devote themselves to Christ so much that my job would almost be obsolete. I wish every person I talked to had a passion for God. I wish the students that I minister too would just "get it" when God says be obedient to the Scriptures. The problem is, if we are given the chance on our own and if we use our power, we will always choose death in Sin over Life in Christ. So when we look at the fruit of our labor, we must remember that it is not our job to see the results but to be obedient. Because we know that when we work for the Lord, our labor is not in vain.

This brings me to the passage in 2 Corinthians that I want to talk about. 2 Cor 4:16,

"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly, we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."

It is easy to get discouraged when we don't see fruit of our labor in other people that we work so hard to help nurture a relationship with God. But it is even easier to get discouraged and frustrated when we don't see growth in our own lives. Some call it a dry spot, others call it the "night of the soul," I will call it what I think it is.....a trial. The Corinthian people were enduring all sorts of trials and it was evident that outwardly, physically that have had all that they could handle. They were beaten, bruised, their facial expression may have lost the glow they first had when they joined the fellowship of believers. But the author is trying to remind us of another undeniable and exhilarating truth, that through pain and difficulty, whether man made or God made, if we remain in Christ, our obedience will not be in vain, for outwardly we are wasting away, but inwardly God is working in us, through us, and beyond us. Renewal is the result of our obedience that will always be the end product of a believer, even when there are no other results to be found.

Lord, help us to live in a away of constant renewal. Help us to remember that our work is not in vain, but always produces fruits, even when we cant see them.

I am more evil than I have ever thought, and more loved than I have ever hoped!

I am more evil than I have ever feared, and more loved than I have ever hoped. -Mark Driscoll

Today, I decided to start a new book Death By Love by Mark Driscoll. I usually journal on Scripture but this phrase has been stuck in my head all day and felt the prompting for the Holy Spirit to write. When I was a child I remember my mom coming home and telling me to do my jobs for the day. I hated my jobs. They included taking out the garbage, emptying the dish washer, and wiping down the blinds so dust wouldn't build up. My least favorite of these three was the blinds. I remember looking at the blinds and thinking that there are too many blinds and how much work it would take to clean.

I remember one particular day, I came home from college to visit my parents and still 14 years later they wanted me to wash down the blinds. I grabbed a rag and started washing down the blinds that looked like they just had been washed down. I began to wipe down the blinds left to right, moving down making sure I cleaned each frame. It is interesting that they looked clean, but when I got done the rag was covered in dirt and dust. And then I noticed that the sun had gotten brighter revealing more dirt and dust. I remember thinking to myself that it is impossible to clean these blinds, and I was right.

See, we are the blinds. As followers of Christ, we may look clean but on closer examination we find that we are corrupt and often the worst of sinners. And as we get closer to the Light of the World our Savior Jesus, more areas of our life is exposed. I thought about this story and I thought about Christ. I think about how for 3 hours as Christ hung on the tree darkness swept over the earth. The sun disappeared as the Light of the World was being vanquished. I think about my sin and the corruptness of my heart that was taken upon Christ. And as He hung on the cross, taken my sin, taking my place, He was giving up the very dignity and honor that only a prince would receive. I think about my dirt and how much Jesus could love someone like me. I am more evil than I have ever feared, and More loved than I have ever hoped! Praise God for the gift of salvation and the ability to have a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Praise God that when it looked like Satan had won and that the Light of the World was almost vanquished that Jesus rose three days later claiming his Honor and Dignity, Power and Promise that He is the Son of the One true Living God!

Let Me Boast

Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails

Chorus:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jesus_culture/your_love_never_fails.html ]
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

Verse 2:
The wind is strong and the water's deep
But I'm not alone in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I'd reach the other side
But Your love never fails

Bridge:
You make all things work together for my good

If you have never heard this song....it is a must!!! I wrote the lyrics out because of the richness of the promises God has made us! His love will never fail! I dont know if you are like me but the past 6 months my life has been topsy-tervy and has been completely shaken. My life plans all changed, what I thought I wanted God had planned differently, and the things I thought were constant where proven to be temporary. If there is one thing that I have learned is that God is unchanging, constant, steadfast, His love never fails, His love never wavers, His love is never taken back, His love is never ceasing. He is satisfying, He is sufficient, He is Glorious beyond imagination. Can I boast on God a little?

God is the author and perfecter of our faith He is the beginning and the end. He is the reason for the setting of the sun and rising of the stars, He is the reason that the heaven cry out, He is Glorious beyond compare, He is set apart, He sovereign and in control of the tiniest movement in my life, He is the greatest, He is the best, He is passion, He is faith, He is the thing that we all long for, He created the desire in you to be loved, to have a destiny, to be known. He is the light of the world, He is the every lasting peace in tribulation, He is the calm in the storm, He is Gracious, He is Merciful, He is Good, He is Constant, He is unshaken, He is steadfast, He is the reason and only answer to the question of our satisfaction, He is our Savior, He is our counselor, He is our guidance, He is the reason we breathe, He is the reason we die, He is the reason for the Earths rotation, He is magnificent! Can I boast about God a little?! He is bigger than our minds can imagine, He is all knowing, He is all powerful, He is completely Just and Completely merciful at the same time, He is both in control but allows freedom, He is the ONLY perfect, untainted, pure, and without error God. He is the one and only God. He is the creator of the universe! Everything was made by Him, through Him, and For Him! He is glory, He is the ransom for our sins. He is the Christ crucified on the cross! He is our redeemer! He is our Father! He is our protector, He is our reason for living! HE IS SO SO SO SO GOOD, EVEN WHEN LIFE DOESNT SEEM LIKE IT! HE IS SO GOOD! GOD, YOU ARE SO GOOD!

Spend time with God tonight! BOAST IN HIM!!!! When was the las time you boasted in how Great God is? Remember, His Great Love satisfies!

Spectacle or Epitome

⁴³ Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: ⁴⁴ “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” ⁴⁵Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Mark 1:43-45

Mark is like the reader digest version of the synoptic gospels. It is short and to the point. In chapter 1 of Mark it is interesting that he only spends a sentence or two on passages of scripture that specifically Luke, spends half a chapter on. If you are reading the University of the Holy Spirit Bible Plan then through the next month we will be reading Mark and I think we will be surprised with what we find out about Jesus and how He relates to us.

Now to today's thoughts about our reading. The thing that stuck out to me the most was at the very end of the chapter. To give you a little reminder, Jesus is just starting His ministry and is travelling from town to town. He is healing people, casting out demons, and doing all sorts of AWESOME stuff. But it is interesting that He specifically kepts the demons quiet so they wont shout of who He is, He specifically makes references that He wanted to keep himself a secret. After casting out many demons and performing many miracles, Jesus finds himself looking down at a man with leprosy. The man pleads with Jesus to heal him. It is then that in the Greek, the term used means "Having Compassion on Him," Jesus turns and heals the man. This is where we are in the story. Read Verses 43-45. Interesting?! Jesus tells him to not say a word about Jesus. But of course, He opens his mouth and tells everybody. Because of that, Jesus can't go into towns openly but has to stay outside in open areas.

So you ask, "What's the big deal?" "Who cares if people wanted to see him?" or "Isnt that what He wanted? For people to know who He is?" Here is the issue: Jesus Christ is not a specticle to be looked at...He is epitome of Salvation. Let me explain. What happens when a new apple product comes out...People go crazy!!! It is the freshest thing since sliced bread! People wait in 4 hour lines just to buy it and then they take the day off so they can figure out how to use it! Then a year later, when a different Apple product comes out, everyone forgets about the old one. They grow stagnant and stale to product and it doesn't excite them anymore.

If you like how the body works this may explain it better. Life expectancy has a lot to do with your sugar levels in your body. They found that people who have bursts of sugar levels, somewhat like a mountain range, lived a shorter life then those who maintained a steady level of sugar. Here is the point. Jesus doesn't want to be a spectacle that after awhile, people get bored with. Jesus doesn't want to be random bursts in these people's life, He wants to be the sustaining force in your life. He was not ready to be revealed at this time, so that is why he didn't want them to speak. He is trying to grow gradually so that when the time comes to be revealed he will have enough credibility and have done enough miracles to authenticate who He is for people to believe.

So what is the point for us? First, is Christ the sustaining thing in your life? Secondly, Do you have enough credibility as a follower of Christ? You wont have the power to do miracles like Jesus, but you do have the power to live like Christ and love like Christ, and be transformed by Christ. Do people look at you and see a long lasting record of you following Christ, or do they see random burst of growth and deep slums of where you walked away?

My prayer for this morning is this:

Dear Father,

Help me to have the same attitude as of Christ Jesus. Help me to have a sustaining relationship with you by reading your word daily and conversing with you throughout the day. Help me to meditate on your and your ways. Help me to be sustained instead of have random bursts of you here or there. Jesus, thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you that when it came time for you to be revealed, you committed to die on the cross for us. Holy Spirit, continue to guide me today as I live and act with other people. Help them to see that I am working on a steady relationship with God. Help them see that you aren't just a spectacle but are the epitome of Salvation for us. Amen.

Who Are You?

Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. Acts 19:13-16

My first reaction to this story was laughter, especially vs 16. But as I reread it, I started finding some incredible truths and challenges for my relationship with God. To set up the scene a little better, Paul has been traveling and has been spreading the Gospel, strengthening and encouraging believers, and has been debating other ideologies which is important to remember because of what the evil spirit has to say. Paul is so full of the Spirit that people were taking his clothes and giving them to the sick and they were healed. It is crazy! Or at least that was my first reaction. God was working in him so much that Jewish priest were trying to use Jesus' name to take out demons. Have you ever met somebody who says they don't believe that there is a God but then in certain circumstances the only thing they turn to is Him?! I have. Anyways that's not the point I wanted to talk about with this story.

The priests in the story respond to the evil spirit by saying, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out." The evil spirit responds, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" There is one awesome truth and one awesome challenge represented here for believers. First, Jesus is the Son of God and even the evil spirits acknowledge him and know him. The Greek word meaning "to know" is different than "to know about." The evil spirit knows Jesus. He knows who is sitting at the right hand of the Father.

Then he says, "Paul I know about." Here's the challenge. Are you going to make such an impact on the Kingdom of God that the demons know about you? Or will you get the response that the priests received, "but who are you?" While the priests were shamed and beaten by the spirit and ran out naked, I have to assume that they were embarrassed being belief. We may never have that exact experience, but I think, that it would be 10x as embarrassing to stand in front of the Creator of the universe and have him say to me, "who are you?" I would probably say " but God, didn't I do this in your name, or that in your name." But if I have the kind of faith that these priest had, a faith that didn't truly believe in Jesus Christ for Myself, then that faith is useless. I wonder what would have happened if the priest took out the phrase, "whom Paul preaches', and believed in Christ themselves. We may have seen two miracles: one the salvation of sins and the other salvation of a demonic possession.

Anyways, those are my thoughts for today's Scripture reading.

God is good all the time, even when you don't feel like it.

Just As You Are

No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are." Act 15

So far in Acts 15, there is a big debate about whether Gentiles need to keep the Jewish laws and whether Salvation is contingent upon that fact. Luke in this account reminds us of this story and the wisdom that came from Paul and Barnabas. They remind us that God sent the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles to authenticate their faith and to show us that the Salvation of God does not discriminate. Their point was that we are to come to God just as we are. My question is "how many times have thought we had to change before we go to God? How many of us have wanted to "clean up" before come to Christ, as if we could somehow erase the atrocious mess that caused the great divide to begin with. When we start thinking that we have clean up or change before going to Christ we end up negating the purpose of the cross and Christ's glorious resurrection. We end up taking it upon ourselves to try and change us and in the end we fail because it is impossible for man to do the thing in which God gets the most glory: the salvation of man.

We can come as we are to God. No matter the amount of mess that is inside of us. God is given glory "because while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 6:23)." God is so amazing that he would take the vilest of creatures, and make them His own and give them a purpose.

God thank you for Jesus. Thank you that while I was separating myself from you, you found it in your grace and mercy to offer up your son to die on the cross and give his life for the ransom of the world. Thank you of the precious gift of salvation and that we can be called sons and daughters of God. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus for staying strong in Gethsemane and fulfilling Gods plan. Thank you that I can come as I am and you still love me. Thank you for True Love! Amen.

The Unlikely Question

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” ⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate it in their presence. ⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Luke 24:39-49

So today I was reading in Luke as part of our University of the Holy Spirit and something really intrigued me about this passage that quite honestly, made me burst into laughter. Read the verses above and see if you catch it.

Jesus was murdered, buried, and rose. Angels appeared to two women, Jesus shows himself to two disciples, and then he appears to other disciples. Jesus tells them to touch his hands and feet if they do not believe that He is the true risen Messiah. Then in verse 41 the last thing I would have imagined happened. They are all looking at Jesus and they are amazed and shocked at the fact that Jesus Christ was standing in front of them. SO what does Jesus say in this pivotal point in the story....He asks for Food. He asks them if they have anything to eat!!!!!!

I envision Jesus sitting eating the fish and nonchalantly saying, "I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." And as he is picking through the fish he is letting them be astounded by who he is, as Christ just sits there and tell them, "I TOLD YOU SO!" And then he puts down the plate, looks them in the eyes, and reveals to them a wonderful truth.

"This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

What an awesome story about Christ and the promise that we have in him. For me, I am like the disciples, I am so in awe of God sometimes and I tell myself, " I CANT BELIEVE THAT JUST HAPPENED," and Christ is sitting there telling me, " I told you so, didnt I?"

Believe that Christ can move mountains in your life, heal broken relationships, provide for you when all hope seems lost, and I promise you, Christ will tell you, " I told you so!" Be amazed at God this week!!!!

The Cost

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

Luke 14:28-30

What is the cost of being a disciple of Christ? I have met many people who have come to a relationship with Christ and through crazy events have not counted the cost of being a disciple. They came to Christ on a feeling or a whim and yet did not realize the severity of the commitment it takes to follow God. To follow God, we must deny and run away from the things and re-prioritize our lives so that God is in everything. Like it says in Colossians, "Christ is in all and through him all things hold together."

In the following weeks I want to paint you an image of an excel spreadsheet. On this sheet is a cost list and on this cost list is the price of being a disciple. What I have found is that many people have committed something to Christ buy havent looked seriously at the commitment or the cost that it takes to be a follower of Christ. My hope is that you will be encouraged to new heights to follow Christ and live in his joy and his peace.

Fantasia's song "Im doin me," is a good song. It is catchy, the lyrics are well thought out, and the premise of the song is a women who gets taken advantage of and she is now going to start living for herself. While I agree that there is a point if you are in a harmful relationship you need to think about yourself, this idea of Im doin me has sunk into other aspect of our culture. It has created a more self-centered atmosphere. There are a few more rap songs that talk about "im doin me" and it is all about money, fame, and women. This is something that God clearly talks about. In Phil. 2, the writer talks about how we should have the same attitude of Christ. We are in humility to be servants to one another, putting others interests before our own. Again, i think Fantasia's song is good and in her situation may be appropriate.... but looking into the future....has this begun a slef-centered cutlure ? or has it always been self centered? now im just rambling...

New Year's Resolution

I want less freedom....I'm reading John Macarthur's new book Slave and it has made an impact on how I view my relationship with God. I want less freedom and want more of God's will in my life...that is all I will say for now!!!!