Off the Backburner

1 Kings 7:1, “Now Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house.”

It’s going to be a very rewarding 2013, for those who have put their hand to building God’s house and in service to Him first. Solomon’s house was completed in the 13th year.

He made more haste with the house of God than with his own, for that was but seven years in building; which showed greater regard to the honour of God then to his own glory, or even convenience; nor was this built till after that… (John Gill Exposition)

Throughout the years, many have selflessly been about God’s business and have served Him with their whole heart. Speaking from a personal standpoint, God-given plans and desires have been put on hold and divinely so.  That sounds contradictory, I know but the very things we have been believing Him for in our families and homes have seemingly been placed on the back burner.

In recent days (I’m about to be vulnerable here) I’ve been going through a mourning of sorts, for a lack of better words.  The threshold from one year to the next always brings with it a time of reflection and honestly, I’ve been feeling a bit of remorse for the things that have been placed on the back burner in my life.  These household blueprints in my heart that have “not been getting or needing immediate attention” are suddenly on the forefront of my mind and the feeling has been that of loss.

The agitation I’ve been feeling and this restlessness should more accurately be considered a fire.  The back burner issues are being moved over the fire. 

 

The seeds that have been in the ground a long time.  No.  A very long time.  Well….  things have changed.  Just wait and see!

John 12:24, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.  

 

God’s Love…Does It Save Us?

Recently, I was talking with a friend about a church billboard sign that said something to this effect, ”You are gay, you are welcome. God loves you.”   As I was hashing that concept out, several thoughts surfaced.

First of all, without  argument, the latter part of that statement is true.  God does love us, relentlessly, passionately, eternally.

But you see, the problem with that billboard statement is not that God loves us but that it implies that

1. God’s love saves us.

2. God’s love overlooks sin.

3. God’s love justifies sin.

4. There is no consequence for sin.

The honest truth here is that the very same God that loves us with all of His being will forever be apart from many that He loves for one reason and one reason only.  Sin.

The very thing that sign says is welcome IS NOT welcome in the presence of God.  Yes, He is love but love hates many things…all of which are born of sin.

Here’s the kicker.  That sign specifically says “gay” but it could just as easily read a liar, an adulteress, a thief, a gossip, a murderer, a glutton, covetous, rebellious, serving other gods, etc.

The misconception here is that being “gay” isn’t sin, when, yes it is.

And again, the greater misconception here is that God’s love saves us, when it doesn’t.  Yes, John 3:16 does say, ”For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”   

Looking closely, we understand that His love isn’t the key to our salvation but rather our belief in His love.  His love for us birthed a Savior but in order to be saved, we must believe in Him, Jesus. And Jesus is the Word (the bible) that was made flesh, and dwelt among us… full of grace and truth.  And the Word that says, “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.”  (Leviticus 18:22)…that’s Jesus.

And furthermore…

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

(Disclaimer: the above list is inconclusive.)

Romans 8:9 tells us, that Jesus was the first-born among many sons and daughters but in order for that to happen, we must receive Him.  John 1:12-13, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

We must be born again…of God, through Jesus.  Knowing God loves us is not enough.  We must respond to His love.

Love is like the interstate to salvation but our belief (our faith) in Jesus, the vehicle.  No one comes to Father except through the Son.

But what about 1 Peter 4:8?  ”Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 

Well, James 5:20 makes the same statement.  “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”

 

In both passages, we see love in action.  The God kind of love doesn’t hide our sin but seeks to turn us from it (that’s what repentance is), saving us from death and covering over a multitude of sins.

At first glance, we might think that to cover over sin means to shield it from judgment or to keep it from view.  But it doesn’t.  Covering over a multitude of sin in no way allows us to ”keep our sin” or to “continue” in it, making it a lifestyle that God is OK with.  That word cover actually comes from the word ”klepto”, meaning to steal away or to take away by theft.

Our Jesus, a thief? Well, yes.

A thief takes what isn’t rightfully theirs, correct?  Did Jesus sin?  No…yet He desired to bear our sin, taking it from us and all of the consequences that come with it.

Matthew 24:43, “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.”

We can either repent now, giving up our sin willingly or later, when He comes, He will find it and as Matthew says, our house will be broken up.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  1 Peter 4:18

All of us are guilty and none of us are worthy to stand in His presence.  (Ezra 9:15)

Being accepted socially and a warm welcome to a church doesn’t make us nearer to God.  There is only one way to come near to Him.

But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

 

Generic Christians

There is a delima we are facing as Christians.  The term “Christian” has become watered down, denominate, and trite. We’ve compartmentalized God’s power by our divisiveness.  When we say we are Christians, yet cannot agree with one another, something gets lost in translation.  We are painting so many different pictures that it’s coming to the place where “anything goes”.  The thread of the common integrity of God is laid bare and the fibers of Godly character worn.  The line between right and wrong is clouded.

Christianity has become not so much about Jesus as it has about our preferences. I’ve said this before and I think it bears repeating that we can have as much of God or as little of Him as we want.  And here lies the real delima… in this, we run the risk of becoming generic.

To say “I believe in God.” simply isn’t enough anymore, especially when saying it demands nothing of us.

After the elections, I was driving to work after having been up most of the night.  I admit, I wrestled with God over the outcome and I was grieving a loss on many fronts.

I found myself asking God out loud, “What would Christianity look like if words alone could not prove that we serve You God?  What if we didn’t have words but merely action?  What if what we say has no bearing but only what we do?”

For the first time, the reality settled in that the Lord had come to draw the sword. (Matthew 10:34) I felt a swift cut and nothing would be exempt from circumcision. Not my home, my family or my friendships.  I was left with an awareness that He meant it when He said “If you love your father or mother more than you love me, you are not worthy of being mine; or if you love your son or daughter more than me, you are not worthy of being mine.” (Matthew 10:37)

The sword of the Lord is being released in this hour and it is this very sword that will bring a distinction and if we will allow it, it will cut ties that have been binding us, cords of limitation and will most certainly release us into our destiny.

We are going to be challenged in the coming days to love God like never before.  We are on the path to discovery.  “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”, Matthew 10:39

 

Lord, If You Are Willing

Matthew 8:2-3, A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.

There’s this question that creeps into my thinking.  It’s subliminal in nature but it’s no less there.

I know God’s promises are true.  I believe His Word.  I trust He will do what He has said. I have seen His faithfulness day in and day out.  He never fails.  Never.

But when it comes to the things that aren’t in black and white. The decisions that need to be made…navigating the road less taken (or in some cases…never taken)…setting sail on unchartered waters…the unknowns of my life.  I hear it.

Is He willing?

I’m like that leprous man.  You may not see it on the outside but inside, I know.  I know my faults and my failures.  I know all of the blemishes on my integrity and character.  I know my shortcomings and inadequacies. I know my inability.

Without Him.

And that’s why the question comes.  Because, unless He is willing to touch my fault and my failure.  Unless He is wiling to touch my blemishes. Unless, unless, unless….

What I love about this passage, is that the man said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me…..”

Despite the above list… The Lord can make me ___________________!  More than I ever imagined!

And every time the question rises up, I have to cling to, cleave to, make a covenant with His Word, “I am willing! Be  ___________________!” 

 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT

 

Let God Be Magnified

Psalm 35:27, …Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.

Poverty undermines, belittles and causes us to shrink back from truly seeing the magnitude of our God!

The problem is, if we don’t truly understand what it is to be prosperous, we will never see God in His vastness.  His greatness will escape us.

We’ve got it all wrong folks.  Merriam Webster defines poverty this way,

the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions.

In light of that, the truest sense of prosperity is defined by the Word of God this way…

Completeness, soundness, welfare and peace.

Completeness in number.

Safety and soundness in body.

Health

Quiet, tranquility, contentment.

Human friendship and the utmost friendship with God especially in a covenant relationship.

The prosperity of God encompasses so much more than material good or monetary gain.

The prosperity of God is an eternal guarantee and a revenue that is withdrawn directly from His glory.

Philippians 4:19, But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ
Jesus.

To the extent that we magnify and exalt our God, the wealthier we become!

You cannot magnify God and lack peace!  For that matter, you cannot magnify God and lack any thing.

You cannot lift up the name of Jesus and be disappointed!

You cannot glorify the King of kings and suffer discontent!

You cannot make God big and remain small no matter the size of your bank account or social status!

 

Kids Were Rescued Today!

On Labor Day I posted on The Mercy Project.  Please read about it if you haven’t already!

Tonight I received very exciting news in my email….

Thank you to each of you who blogged about Mercy Project on Labor Day.  We’re grateful that you chose to use your voice to speak on behalf of the voiceless and raise awareness for what Mercy Project is doing in Ghana.  I wanted to let you know that the first group of kids were rescued today.  They are now in a shelter where they will receive health care, counseling, and lots of TLC while they await reunification with their families.

Here’s the first post we received from Chris, Stacey, Gretchen, Josh, and Merinda who were there for the rescue today.  Beautiful!  http://mercyproject.net/freedom-24-trafficked-children-step-out-of-the-boats/

We rejoice!

Heather Hendrick

If you are wondering who Heather Hendrick is, you can visit her blog at www.allthingshendrick.blogspot.com!

Rejoice! Jesus has set the captive free today!

 

Football & Faith?

My son just started his first year of football as a freshman in highschool.  There was no pewee training prior to this. No elementary learning in the football arena.  In fact, there was no Sunday Football, in the living room, hooting and hollerin’ interaction either.  From other family members yes.  From my son, no. From me, double no.

As a teenager, football was totally lost on me.  I went to an occasional game or two and our graduating class even went to state championships.  I was at that game.  Still, it didn’t stick.

So here I am, a freshman mom.  And a freshman football mom to boot! I am on the Parent Football Association.  I attend meetings and that can be interpreted in the singular sense, however you want to read it. There is the President, Vice President, Vice President Elect, Treasurer, Secretary and me.  I am informed and un-informed all at the same time.

Very much like the game of football itself.  Informed, yet uninformed.  At this point, I’ve got Sandra Bullock’s (The Blind Side) ambition with very little expertise to back it up.  I’m just now learning the plays and just the other day, a very kind co-worker lovingly corrected me when I called a touch down a home run.  Close enough, right?

Well, let’s just say I am one hot mess on game day!

My son plays left tackle and this week, while our team was working to make a touch down, I was yelling, “Stop him!! Stop him!!”

My husband said, “No! Don’t stop him! We want him to go, go, go!”

Try to follow me here.  I looked directly at my husband and said, “Was I talking to you? No, I was not.  I was talking to Wesley and that’s what he needed to be doing.  Stopping those boys from taking our ball!”

That’s also when I said, “I guess I should just shut up and ring my bell.  You can’t misunderstand a bell!”

And that’s when the Lord said to me, “That’s what it’s like when you pray in the Holy Ghost. When you pray with your own understanding, things can get pretty messed up. When you pray in the Spirit, just like ringing that bell,  the message is loud and clear!”

Romans 8:26, In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

Jude 1:20, But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.