I have just completed reading the blog for June 15th from National Community Church's read the Bible in a year. The reading for that day was Acts 25-26 when Paul defends himself to Festus and King Agrippa. The writer of the blog note, Maegan Stout, challenged us with the following words.
In Hebrew, the word dabar means both “word” and “deed.” Just like it’s hypocritical not to practice what we preach, deeds without articulating Christ is not the full story. Paul exchanged his defense for an opportunity to share the good news of Christ and therefore did both.
We won’t all be called on to stand before kings and risk our lives, but do we know the gospel is good enough news to share within the spheres He has placed us? That’s part of our voice - through word and deed, we all have a unique and specific way to express the gospel. Are we communicating it?
For me these words are good ones to "chew" on. You know how you read something and it just requires more contemplation. That's where I am with this. For so many years I have just charged into situations and conversations and counted the cost later. I am in sorts a daredevil - looks good, do it, think later. In some ways that has been good, when God led me to do some pretty crazy things but in other ways I have hurt myself or others with this blind rush forward. Consequently, my words have been tempered and more thoughtfully expressed.
Now recently, I have been challenged to ask myself if my more tempered pursuit of life is indeed led by fear - fear of disappointing God and not going in the direction He has for me, fear of what others may think, fear... So along with Maegan's challenge and Paul's example I prayerfully wonder if it's time to just move forward in the direction I know God has laid out for me.
Definitely food for thought. This topic will obviously need to be continued at a different time. If you have time, please pray for me as I pursue this new idea.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Death of True Life – Pure Life
James 1:14-15
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
I don’t want death. Jesus died to give life; complete life, whole life, pure life. I don’t want to have any death in me. In my mind this death is like a stench to You. I know that spiritually by believing in Your Son and receiving the cleansing of my sins by His death, I have received spiritual and eternal life, but what does my continued sin look like to You? Can You smell it like rotting flesh? Or does it merely sadden You; deeply sadden You? You know the plans You have for me, plans that do not harm me but prosper me. Yet there are times that I choose sin and even choose to allow it to become fully grown and bring a death unto myself.
This death that I have brought on myself…what form does it take? The only answer that comes to mind is the death of the life and blessings that You intend and want to give to me. Death of times I can participate in Your plans or fully receive the blessing of participating in Your plans. Whatever form the death takes, it is not Your best for me. I want Your best for me. I want to experience You fully and truly, nothing held back.
Forgive me for allowing my desire to birthed into sin and get fully grown leading to a death. Forgive me Lord Jesus for choosing my desire over You, for accepting a hollow shell of fulfillment instead of a fulfillment and blessing from You that would be lasting and precious.
By the power of Your Name and the blood that was shed for me, cleanse me from all unrighteousness and help me to allow You to purify my mind and heart to live the life You desire for me; one that is intimately connected to You. I want all You have for me, Lord. I want the intimate love relationship that brings true and lasting fulfillment and joy; completeness.
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”
I don’t want death. Jesus died to give life; complete life, whole life, pure life. I don’t want to have any death in me. In my mind this death is like a stench to You. I know that spiritually by believing in Your Son and receiving the cleansing of my sins by His death, I have received spiritual and eternal life, but what does my continued sin look like to You? Can You smell it like rotting flesh? Or does it merely sadden You; deeply sadden You? You know the plans You have for me, plans that do not harm me but prosper me. Yet there are times that I choose sin and even choose to allow it to become fully grown and bring a death unto myself.
This death that I have brought on myself…what form does it take? The only answer that comes to mind is the death of the life and blessings that You intend and want to give to me. Death of times I can participate in Your plans or fully receive the blessing of participating in Your plans. Whatever form the death takes, it is not Your best for me. I want Your best for me. I want to experience You fully and truly, nothing held back.
Forgive me for allowing my desire to birthed into sin and get fully grown leading to a death. Forgive me Lord Jesus for choosing my desire over You, for accepting a hollow shell of fulfillment instead of a fulfillment and blessing from You that would be lasting and precious.
By the power of Your Name and the blood that was shed for me, cleanse me from all unrighteousness and help me to allow You to purify my mind and heart to live the life You desire for me; one that is intimately connected to You. I want all You have for me, Lord. I want the intimate love relationship that brings true and lasting fulfillment and joy; completeness.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tasting Good
What Do You Taste Like?
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
As I continue to read the Bible in a year program LXVI with National Community Church, I found myself in 2 Thessalonians. I was reading chapter 1-3. The blog author for that day, Jason Yost, looks at it with a little different angle.
“I have always understood the mentality that you should work hard for a living and provide for your family and not be lazy. Reading this passage through the lens of your household makes perfect sense, right? But what if you read it through the lens of the church. Yowzer! It puts new meaning to the phrase “if you don’t work you don’t eat.” Have you ever felt this way or ever heard someone say, “I don’t feel like I am getting fed at this church”? My question to you would be how have you invested in that church? Because this is saying if you don’t work first then you do not eat.” http://fromgardentocity.com/blog/post/those-who-are-lazy/
Jason makes a really good point but as I mediated on his thought, I took it one step further. If people are coming to church to “eat” and partake of the Spirit of God and we are the temple of the Spirit of God, these very same people could potentially be getting some of their spiritual food from you and me. Are you still with me? We interact with people while we are there, whether we speak with others or simply walk right past them and ignore them. We greet people or teach in classes or preach from the stage or participate in leading/accompanying the singing during the service or do the Bible reading for that service or collect the offering or help people through the parking lot and hallways. Whether we serve during the service time or come and participate, we interact with the others around us.
While we interact with these people, we are getting/giving some form of spiritual food in the form of love, encouragement, hospitality, generosity, God’s Word, wisdom from the Word, praise/worship of God, serving God and His people, hate, gossip, angry words, resentment, selfishness, etc. The list could go on and on in a positive direction or a negative direction.
• What do you taste like to others when you come to church or when you interact with people on a daily basis?
• Are they walking away with the sweet and moist taste of the Spirit, when they walk away because we have made sure that we asked for the Spirit of God to fill us that morning in prayer and reading or meditating on the Bible?
OR
• Did they walk away with the dry nasty taste of Renee or you, without the filling of the Spirit of God or even any season of Him at all?
Maybe Jesus doesn’t “taste” good to others because WE don’t taste good to them.
Psalm 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
As I continue to read the Bible in a year program LXVI with National Community Church, I found myself in 2 Thessalonians. I was reading chapter 1-3. The blog author for that day, Jason Yost, looks at it with a little different angle.
“I have always understood the mentality that you should work hard for a living and provide for your family and not be lazy. Reading this passage through the lens of your household makes perfect sense, right? But what if you read it through the lens of the church. Yowzer! It puts new meaning to the phrase “if you don’t work you don’t eat.” Have you ever felt this way or ever heard someone say, “I don’t feel like I am getting fed at this church”? My question to you would be how have you invested in that church? Because this is saying if you don’t work first then you do not eat.” http://fromgardentocity.com/blog/post/those-who-are-lazy/
Jason makes a really good point but as I mediated on his thought, I took it one step further. If people are coming to church to “eat” and partake of the Spirit of God and we are the temple of the Spirit of God, these very same people could potentially be getting some of their spiritual food from you and me. Are you still with me? We interact with people while we are there, whether we speak with others or simply walk right past them and ignore them. We greet people or teach in classes or preach from the stage or participate in leading/accompanying the singing during the service or do the Bible reading for that service or collect the offering or help people through the parking lot and hallways. Whether we serve during the service time or come and participate, we interact with the others around us.
While we interact with these people, we are getting/giving some form of spiritual food in the form of love, encouragement, hospitality, generosity, God’s Word, wisdom from the Word, praise/worship of God, serving God and His people, hate, gossip, angry words, resentment, selfishness, etc. The list could go on and on in a positive direction or a negative direction.
• What do you taste like to others when you come to church or when you interact with people on a daily basis?
• Are they walking away with the sweet and moist taste of the Spirit, when they walk away because we have made sure that we asked for the Spirit of God to fill us that morning in prayer and reading or meditating on the Bible?
OR
• Did they walk away with the dry nasty taste of Renee or you, without the filling of the Spirit of God or even any season of Him at all?
Maybe Jesus doesn’t “taste” good to others because WE don’t taste good to them.
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