What Do you Call Me?

One of the things that Pastor Jeff said during the sermon was that Jesus doesn't call me by my sin, He calls me out of my sin. Man, oh, man!  The world call us by our sins.  "ou're the adulterer, the drunk, the thief, the liar, the (fill in the blank)".  They remember us for what we have done and don't want to know us for who we are now, in Christ.

Now here is the sticky part:  how do we label fellow Christians?  How do you label me?  How do I label you?  If I am stepping on your toes, don't feel bad.  I am dancing the jig on my own as I write this.  Do we, as Christians, remember that fellow Christians are just as forgiven as we are?  Jesus tells us to forgive others (Mark 11:25) but He also tells us that if we don't forgive others that God will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15, John 20:23). 

Let me tie two things together for you, for me.  If I don't "unlabel" my fellow Christians, if I choose to remember their past (sordid or otherwise) while claiming that my own has been forgiven, why would I ever expect that the world would see forgiveness as whole, all encompassing, and total?  Why would I expect that non-Christians would believe that Jesus can forgive when I don't act like I believe it? 

Ouch.  Maybe even double ouch. 

Division in the church is a great tactical weapon of Satan and labels fuel discord among believers.  My prayer for us all that we will not only present but truly live in such a way that we show a united and forgiven front to the world.  I pray that we will allow the light of our God to shine brightly through us and pierce the dim, hopeless darkness that covers this world. 

I'm Already Radical, Right?

We have officially begun our Fall Campaign, Radicalis, and it's going to be great.  Actually, it already is great; the kick off last week about our radical vision and future followed by this week's sermon plus God's amazing grace have set the scene for serious momentum.

I have to tell you, however, that I kind of thought I was already radical.  I go to church, right, even when other people don't?  I do things that people don't know about (inside or outside of church, location is irrelevant).  I hold my tongue sometimes when I really want to scream because I feel like injustice is getting the upper hand.  I'll spare you more of my "agony" but know that my list of sacrifices (perceived or otherwise) is lengthy. (By the way at times, do you feel that way or am I alone on this?)

This morning, Pastor Jeff preached on gratitude and it got my attention.  I walked in the door in a foul mood (I was so grumpy that I scared myself) and a large part of the reason was my attitude.   A couple of things didn't go as I expected them to so I got frustrated.  The trifecta of attitude, God's message to me (through the sermon), and His grace were lethal for my bad disposition.  I had but two choices:  run screaming out of the sanctuary or face the fact that I might not be as radical as I had decided that I am.

Ouch.

I write this blog to you with a new found (and well-earned, may I add) humbleness.  I realize that gratitude in all things (not to be confused with gratitude for all things) is what God desires from me.  As Pastor Jeff reminded me on Sunday, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:18)

I began practicing radical gratitude as quickly as I could after the sermon.  I plan to practice it tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and well, you get the picture.  Join me in being radical through gratitude that the world finds a little crazy.  I bet you'll find, like me, that it will set you free!

Freely Give (Um, I Beg Your Pardon?)

Recently I heard someone quote or I read somewhere the words of Jesus from Matthew 10:8 "freely you have received, freely give"  These words are not new to me but I believe that this recent reminder  is right on time because the words have been ringing in my ears and bouncing through my brain since I heard them. 

There is no great theological mystery to this command of Jesus;  but I've been wondering why this is haunting me.  Since I love the dictionary, I decided to once again enlist the help of my friends at Merriam Webster.  They define freely as without restraint or reservation, without hindrance, or not strictly following a model, convention, or rule. 

Oh, my great love, the dictionary, has once again stopped me in my tracks.  I want to say, "Uh, Jesus, I beg Your pardon?  By freely, do you mean really freely or freely so that I'm not uncomfortable or don't have to give anything up that I might really like?" 

Sometimes I have to hear Jesus speak and sometimes I simply know the answer because of the sense that He has gifted me with.  In this case, the latter applies.  Freely means freely.  No questions.  No discussions. 

I am to love without restraint or reservation because I have been loved this way.  I need to love without hindrance because I have been loved this way.  Sometimes I may even have to do something a little crazy to show love; I may have to not strictly follow a model, convention, or rule. I am to love regardless of how I feel, if I want to, or if I think someone deserves my love. 

I love because He first loved me as He reminds me in 1 John 4:9:   God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  So the next time He reminds to love and I give Him feedback, I won't be surprised is He says to me, "Uh, I beg your pardon?"

Lead A Worthy Life

I was reading Ephesians and I was reminded by Paul of how I am to live each day.  In Ephesians 4:1 Paul writes, "I  . . . beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." (NLT)

A number of words and phrases have lately encouraged me that I am to be different from the world, that people are to see something in me that they want in their own life, something that reflects God and not me.  We're begin a new series Wednesday night called The Sacred Echo and the premise of this study is that God repeats Himself because He loves us, He wants a relationship with us, and He wants us to hear what He has to say.  Based on this I can say that God is gently reminding me that  I am to live a life worthy of my calling in Him.  

Christianity is free to us.  Jesus died on the cross and by God's grace we are saved.  However, Christianity is not cheap.  It is not a calling that I am to take lightly or treat with the same regard that I treat my digital discount-key card to the local retail store. 

This week my prayer and my plan is to take a good look at my daily activities to make sure that I am living a life that is worthy of the calling.  I'm praying that God will help me to hear His voice so that I take the extra minute and think before I speak and pray before  I act.  

I encourage you to make this your prayer and your plan this week also.  Let's live a life worthy of the calling of Christ.  When we do this we  will no longer be immature like children . . . instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and  more like Christ (Ephesians 4:14a, 15)

Hallelujah!  

I’ll Go

First of all I want to give a HUGE shout out to Chesnee for today’s message; it was incredible. Chesnee took a difficult, hard topic and broke it down to terms that we can all understand. Also, if you missed her impression of a revival speaker you missed something priceless.

Chesnee said something in the message today that I *know* but that I have never really thought about. She said (my paraphrase) that “there had to be a penalty paid for sin and Jesus said, ‘I’ll go.’”

Think about it. You are in heaven doing your heaven-thing. Your singing and worshiping God and watching Him enjoy fellowship with His creation. Life is good. There is no time in heaven so this is endless bliss – all of your existence is spent praising the Creator.

And then the fall: One apple. One woman. One serpent. One man. One bite. The silence in heaven is deafening. Sin has entered the world. Man has been separated from God Almighty.

What now?

A lone, loving, confident voice speaks and says, “I’ll go.”

Angels gasp. God sighs. Everyone knew the moment would come but no one wanted to believe it to be true. The plans that have been in place since the beginning of forever are set in motion.

Sin has come. A price must be paid. And it is paid with the blood of the Spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ. The Savior born as a babe in a manager who died a death more agonizing than words can describe to save you and to save me.

Jesus tells us in John 9:4 that “as long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me”.

So what are you going to do about it? As Chesnee also said in the message, “What are you going to do with My Son? What did you do with what I gave you to work with?”

You know what Jesus? I’ll follow the example that you set for me. I’ll go, too.

Everything has changed

I was listening to Remedy by the David Crowder Band today and "Glory of it All" was playing. I was singing along with DCB and loving life because Remedy is a great album! As I sang, I really heard the lyrics, possibly for the first time in my life.

Oh, He is here
With redemption from the fall
That we may live
For the glory of it all
Oh, the glory of it all

After night
Comes a light
Dawn is here
Dawn is here
It’s a new day, a new day
Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same
Oh, everything will change
Things will never be the same
We will never be the same

This song was so appropriately timed because when I heard the lyrics parts of my past had flitted into my mind and were attempting to wreak havoc with their taunting questions, “Can you believe who you were? Did you really do that?” and I was buying into their junk by even entertaining those thoughts.

WE WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. YOU will never be the same. I will never be the same.

Praise God!