the Nomadic soul

For Such a Time as This: Thoughts and Reflections on Ferguson

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 20:26:00 +0000

It has now been two days since the Grand Jury in Ferguson decided not to indict Darren Wilson. If one thing has been made apparent, we have a lot of work to do in this country to bridge the gap that divides the races. I in know way claim to have all the answers, but to be quite frank I am disgusted and dare I say angry at the response of many white Christians who claim the name of Christ. If you are not a believer, please know this article is not written toward you, but I believe you can benefit as well. So, let me dive right in and share my thoughts on situation. What is happening in Ferguson is merely a symptom of a much deeper disease that has imbedded itself in this country for the last 500 years. As much as we want to look back on our history, it’s time for White America to face the fact that Blacks in this country have not been granted equality and continue to suffer from systemic injustice that stems from a history of enslavement and injustice. It’s not as if the injustice stopped after the Civil War. From the Jim Crow era up until Civil Rights movement with Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, African Americans endured lynching and countless acts of injustice suffered at the hands of those who were supposed to protect them. We cannot isolate events such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Eric Garner from this past. It all takes place within a greater context that many in White America have chosen intentionally or unintentionally not to see. This is the first failure that I have seen in the response of many. They choose to isolate this event and act as if Michael Brown got what he deserved. He was a criminal and a thug who disrespected a police officer and was responsible for taking his own life. I don’t claim to have all the facts, but it’s not simply about due process and having the facts. The bottom line is that all life is sacred. As Dr. King once said, “If black lives don’t matter, no lives matter.” We must engage this as a tragic situation in which a young life was taken. Right or wrong, criminal or not, we must mourn with those who mourn and not simply say justice was served because of due process. There is a human element and we must respond on all levels and be sensitive to both sides. Moving forward, I want to challenge everyone to do their homework. Study our history in this country. Read widely about civil rights and the slave era. We cannot move forward until we come to terms with our past. It’s readily available, but are you willing to do the work and accept the truth? Second, I believe we as a country and people are losing the ability to listen. I’m not talking about hearing each other, I’m referring to the art of truly listening and processing what is being said before speaking. I fear that many times we talk at each other rather than to each other. I challenge White America to seek out Black America and just hear their stories. Listen for once and let them speak from a heart level. As they share their stories and experiences, don’t write it off as an over reaction. Just because you don’t think you’re racist, realize that all things are not equal in this country. As a white male, I have had opportunities afforded to me that black males have not. Third, as a Church we must do better. If reconciliation cannot happen in the Church, where can it happen? It’s time we face the racial divide head on and seek to reconcile our differences through the redemptive power of the Cross. We have no excuse for being divided on racial lines as the living Body of Christ. How does this look? I have the privilege of attending a multi-ethnic congregation in Charlotte, NC. The church is still largely divided along racial lines in the South. I can attest that when the Church is intentional about becoming a multi-ethnic community, it is beautiful. It creates a safe environment to dialogue about racial issues. We are united under the Cross and our bond is much deeper than race and thicker than blood. There is a unity within diversity that is powerful. As we start to communicate, listen, and understand each other, you will find that stereotypes will fade away. Engaging those of another race becomes natural. I can attest that my Black brothers and sisters have taught me much more than I have taught them. There is solidarity that exists within the Black community that has been forged through centuries of suffering and oppression that White America does not have. In many ways we speak different languages, but that doesn’t mean we have an excuse not to learn. It takes hard work, humility, and transparency, but we must treat the disease and not the symptoms. This can only be done through the Gospel and begins with reconciliation within the Church. We can’t merely treat the pain. We must open those wounds and scrub them with the Truth of the Gospel. Is it painful? Absolutely. But this is the only way true healing can begin. God made all people and all people deserve to have a voice. To my Black brothers and sisters, I hear you. I stand in solidarity with you. I mourn with you. I pray with you that we can stand together and be a voice in this community at such a time as this. To my white brothers and sisters, I challenge you. Seek to listen and learn. Pray that justice will rain down in righteousness. Engage your Black brothers and sisters. Don’t be afraid to take a stand and speak up. We have been passive for too long and its time we speak and stand with our brothers and sisters. I love you all and pray that the Gospel begins to take root and we can be a light within our communities. Pray for peace and reconciliation! It’s our time!

Chick-fil-a: A Primer on What's to Come

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 05:12:00 +0000

Over the past few weeks I’ve been distantly observing what has been unfolding in regards to the “Chick-fil-a” controversy. I generally hate getting involved in these sorts of controversies, but this time I felt compelled to share a few of my thoughts regarding what is happening. If I could choose one word to sum up how I feel about the whole fiasco, I would choose “grief”. My heart and spirit are grieved for both our society and fellow Christians who have not responded in what I consider a biblical manner. So, what follows is written and directed toward those who claim the name of Christ. If you do not consider yourself a Christian, by all means feel free to read on, but please understand that I am writing from a Christian perspective and a biblical worldview defined by God in Christ through the Holy Spirit as defined in the Bible. I am aware that these views are not popular in our current culture, but please be sensitive and know that I love you and care about each of you. I hope that those whom I have had the privilege to know over the years, on both sides of this issue, can confirm that I have been respectful and genuine in my friendships and interactions over the years. To begin, I am going to address my fellow believers in Christ first. After I saw the initial reports about the comments that Dan Cathy made, it did not surprise me in the least at the hostile response that occurred in its wake. What did surprise is the seemingly equal hostile response directed toward those who took their stance in boycotting Chick-fil-a. In my opinion, it just revealed the biblical illiteracy in understanding the nature of the world in which we live and our responsibility to be lights in the midst of the darkness. This world is a very broken and fallen place filled with broken and fallen people. It’s messy and these sorts of controversies are just a mere symptom of a much deeper problem, namely people are lost and do not neither cannot understand the truth. They are blind and it is our job as Christ followers to shine the light of the Gospel. Do we stand for Truth? Absolutely. Do we engage the lost? Absolutely. Do we support biblical values regarding the family and marriage? Absolutely. But we must first realize that the world does not see things as we do and when these controversies occur, we should respond with a heart that is grieved by what sin has done to humanity and long for reconciliation through the Gospel—the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We should NOT respond with anger and a spirit of vindictiveness. Newsflash! We do not live in a Christian nation and we can never legislate morality. I believe in affirming our rights to free speech and free enterprise, but people can also choose not to support or shop at a business for any reason they choose. At the heart of the current controversy lies in what D.A. Carson would term the “intolerance of tolerance.” There was a time in which tolerance was defined and understood as “accepting the existence of different views” and recognizing that other people have a right to have different beliefs or practices. This is what is termed the “old tolerance”. In other words, the old adage “agree to disagree” sums up the traditional, historical understanding of tolerance. However, in light of the post-modern world in which we live, tolerance has been re-defined to mean “the acceptance of different views” or that accepting another position also entails believing that position to be true and endorsing it. Carson summarizes that “We move from allowing the expression of contrary opinions to the acceptance of all opinions; we leap from permitting the articulation of beliefs and claims with which we do not agree to asserting that all beliefs and claims are equally valid.” The change may be subtle, but there is a vast difference of how one will be viewed when you do not endorse or agree with an opposing belief. To complicate matters, this new view of tolerance is held to be the greatest virtue in our society, so not to hold this view is to be labeled a bigot, a hate monger, and someone who is small-minded and uninformed. As Christians, we must accept that living in a world where this understanding is a non-negotiable that we will be labeled as such and we must be prepared to respond with love and not vindictiveness, grief and not anger, and continue to speak the truth in love. If we are not careful, we can fall into the trap of viewing Christianity through “new tolerance” and be angered that they don’t accept our beliefs as being equal to their own. We must come to an understanding that there is a cost to pay in following Christ. We will be accused of being intolerant, but this is okay because Christ said this would happen (Jn 15:18-25). So, now that we have established the philosophical pre-suppositions on tolerance, I want to offer a few suggestions on how we as Christ-followers should respond. I believe there are namely two errors we need to avoid. The first is total retreat. This is the one that I am drawn towards because let’s be honest, who really enjoys controversy. It is tempting to be silent and just withdraw from these types of issues. This isn’t about Chick-fil-a per se, but a symptom of a much larger issue. As believers, we must stand firmly on the truth of God’s Word and preach the whole counsel of God, whether it is culturally acceptable or not. We cannot apologize for God’s Word. What God has revealed in Scripture is for the good. He is God, not us and whatever He has revealed in His Word is Truth, whether we fully understand it or not. The Gospel is Good News, not Good Advice and as such we must faithfully proclaim the message of the Gospel and what God has done for us in the person and work of Christ. It is the Gospel and the Gospel alone that will transform hearts. It is the “power” of God. We will never be able to change the minds of people on these issues by retaliating and responding with anger and vindictiveness. Preach the Gospel, both incarnationally and proclamationally. The second error we must avoid is vindictiveness. I have to wonder what the whole Chick-fil-a day really accomplished. Sure, it was a way of affirming and supporting a man’s business who stated his beliefs of the biblical understanding of marriage, but what was ultimately accomplished. It is easy in these types of situations to get wrapped up into a belief that we can transform our society merely through political means. If we can pass some laws, then we can withdraw and sleep easy at night knowing we did our part. However, all that politics does or can do is merely slow the decaying process. Having this understanding fails to understand the true problem and only treats the symptoms without ever getting to the root cause. As Christians, we believe that every human being has intrinsic value and is created in the image of God. This is true regardless of race, gender, nationality, social class, sexual orientation, etc. Even after the Fall, men and women maintain the image of their Creator. Sin is a human problem and we are all equally in need of the Gospel of Christ which is offered freely to all. As Christians it is easy to make an issue such as homosexuality different than other types of sin. For instance, Jesus says that if you look at a woman with lust, then you have committed adultery with her in your heart. There is not a man in this world that is not a spiritual adulterer in need of the atoning work of Christ, myself included. I am an adulterer. Going forward, we must focus on Sin, not sins—the disease, not the symptoms. Jesus died for everyone in order that we may be set free from the curse of sin and death. So, when we are faced with these situations, is your heart angered or grieved. If you are angry, be angry at what Sin has done to the human race. Pray for those who insult you. Have you honestly prayed for the hearts and souls of the lost? Pray that their eyes will be opened and they will be given ears to hear. Will it be mutually received? Not always, but perhaps God in His mercy and grace will reveal Himself. This is about the Gospel, not about what political party you associate yourself with. Stand firm. Pray often. Be patient. And above all, love everyone whether they hold your point of view or not. This is only the beginning of what’s to come and we must not retreat or become vindictive when faced with the cost of following Christ!

where are the men?

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:05:00 +0000

Since my time of arrival here in Korea, my heart has been grieved and broken for both the abuse of women and the failure of men to fulfill their God-given duty and responsibility to protect, provide, and sacrifice for our ladies. I live in what amounts to the adult entertainment district in my city and prostitution is rampant. I have been solicited at least three times since my arrival and cannot even ride the elevator in my apartment building without being bombarded with business cards of call girls and advertisement for prostitution. Just this morning as I was leaving my apartment, I could hear the loud screams and cries of a woman in a dispute with her husband or boyfriend.

All sin is an offense against God and his holiness, but some ‘sins’ are especially grotesque in demonstrating the horrendous nature of this disease that we all possess. Sexual assault is rampant throughout the world. One in four females have or will be assaulted in their lifetime and one in six males will experience some form of sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the perpetrators involved in most cases are either relatives or acquaintances. The results are often tragic and traumatic, sometimes lasting a lifetime. In addition, many women are enslaved through sex trafficking against their will. Sadly, in most cases the abuse has little to do with fulfilling sexual desire, but is more about dominating and controlling an individual through an abuse of power.

God created men to be protectors and providers. He created the woman from his rib, close to his heart to be loved and under his arm to be protected. However, since the fall, men have failed over and over at protecting and loving women. God gave men women as a gift to be cherished, not as a possession to be abused. He created men to sacrifice for them, placing their needs before their own, not to take from them for their own gratification and lusts. Since the fall, most men tend to be passive in not protecting the women God has given them, or domineering and overpowering. Both extremes are equally bad and do not contribute to ending sexual assault. On the one hand, the passive men are not taking the lead in protecting our ladies. On the other hand, many domineering men are the ones who are responsible for the abuse. It is high time that men, especially those who claim the name of Christ, begin to fight to protect our ladies and not simply turn a blind eye to all the abuse that is so prevalent. This is not a problem that is isolated to any one country or part of the world. So, where do we begin?

I want to speak specifically to the men, although, I believe that the ladies can gain from this as well. Men, I know that we are living in a world where we are absolutely bombarded every day with images of the sexual nature. I am in no way immune and I have definitely had my fair share of struggles in resisting temptation. Even if you haven’t succumbed to temptation, Jesus says in Matthew 5 that if you’ve looked at a woman with lust, then you have committed adultery with her in your heart. Basically, he levels the playing field and says that we are all adulterers. What man hasn’t had a moment of weakness in which he has looked to long or allowed his imagination to run free. Like all sin, the result is a skewed and distorted way in which we view women. Women are not merely tools or objects to fulfill our sexual desire. They were created in the image of God with dignity and honor. Out of all creation, only she was found to be a suitable match for man. Every time you look at a woman with lust or view pornography or sexually explicit material, you are participating in the propagation of destroying the way in which women should be viewed. Behind every picture or movie, there is a real human soul that has probably experienced a life of abuse and neglect that has resulted in them willing to sell their bodies and dignity. This should grieve our hearts to the core. We should develop a holy hatred for all such sin and pray that God gives us spiritual eyes to see the horrendous and heinous nature of such depravity. It should break our hearts to see a woman abused and treated as nothing more than an object. If you begin to view women for who they really are as God see them, then I think it will serve as a huge impetus to fight temptation. I know in my own life and through my own struggles that nothing has served me better than developing and cultivating a God-honoring, biblical view of women.

Men, we would serve ourselves well to seek to understand the nature of the female heart. God created her with the desire to be pursued, loved, protected, and sacrificed for. Christ should serve as our ultimate example in seeking to make this a reality. He demonstrated his love for His bride, the Church, by making the ultimate sacrifice of giving his life for her. If called upon, each of us should be willing to lay down our life. He pursues even when we don’t want to be pursued. Like a delicate glass, He is always gentle and never overbearing. We should demonstrate this same love to the women he has given us. Think of it this way. When God blesses you with a woman, he has entrusted her to you. You are responsible for demonstrating Christ’s love to her and for her. That is a huge responsibility and not something to take lightly. It is the most precious gift that He could ever give a man. Do not squander the opportunity. You are never more masculine than when you understand and lead the way that God intended you to lead. Study her. Romance her. Lead her. Love her. Pursue her. Pray for her.

Once you cultivate a biblical view of women, it is time to take up arms and start fighting against sexual abuse in all forms. I am no expert and by no means a perfect example, but I know that the Gospel is the only thing powerful enough to combat sin and bring positive change to the world. Everything else merely slows the decaying process. Part of the reality of living in a broken and fallen world is that this will be a continual battle. We must be willing to go into the trenches and shine the light of the Gospel into the broken and shattered lives of the abused. It’s not glamorous, but they need to be rescued. Christ saved and rescued us while we were at our worse. How much more should we be willing to give our ourselves for the sake of those trapped in bondage and abuse. You can begin by simply praying for those around you. Every night when I’m walking home and I see these women, sometimes even on the same elevator, I just pray for them that God will deliver them from the bondage. My heart grieves as I long to see them set free. There are other avenues and many great organizations out there, but I believe that it has to start with each man coming to terms with his own God-given role and responsibility to nurture and cultivate a biblical, Christ-centered, Gospel-driven, sacrificial, love for all women. Your responsibility is to love your wife first if your married. If your single, then you should begin and pray that you are able to stay pure. All women are God’s daughters and when you fall into temptation you are also sinning against your future wife. Pray, pray, pray! And when you find that girl that you want to pursue, don’t play games with her heart. Ask men that you respect to pray for you and when the time is right go for it. It’s never easy, but you will serve her better by letting her know where you stand. If you’re not sure, stay away from her!

In closing, I just want to mention one more thing to my brothers. If you’ve messed up, dropped the ball, fallen into temptation, or even been a perpetrator of some form of abuse, you are not outside the grace of God. Is it sin, yes! But Christ died for that sin. Come to Christ and cry out to him with a heart of repentance and you will be made clean. That’s not to say that there won’t be consequences--emotional, physical, etc.--but the penalty of that sin has been paid by the blood of Christ. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). Don’t allow the enemy to paralyze you with guilt and shame. Conviction is from the Holy Spirit and leads to repentance. Guilt and shame is from the enemy and leads to wallowing in sins that are forgiven. I would recommend finding a brother and seeking some counsel, but please come to the Cross where there is always forgiveness!

I pray that each man will examine himself and allow the Gospel to change your life and mind from the inside out to become the men that God has created us to be! Press on, brothers! It’s a tough, broken, fallen world, but our ladies need us.

the Lie

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:22:00 +0000

The biggest lie we must all overcome in this life is that it is not about us and our happiness, but about God and His glory. This is what distinguishes the hypocrite from the true believer. Jonathan Edwards, probably the most gifted theological mind in American history, says that the hypocrite only comes to Christ because He endorses their desire to be made much of. In other words, their whole perception of the Gospel is anthropocentric or ‘man-centered’. The only reason they come to Christ is because they are seeking a life of comfort, happiness, prosperity, and prestige. They know nothing of the holiness and majesty of Christ. They do not see the seriousness of sin and how it is a disease that is encompasses their entire being. They do not see themselves as being in need of rescue, rather, if anything they believe that God needs them. It is the height of human arrogance to de-throne Christ and place ourselves in His place and demand that He bow down to meet our demands and give us anything that we desire. They domesticate God and deify themselves. At the very least they are bringing God down to their level. There is no distinction between Creator and creation. How ludicrous! How preposterous! This is nothing less than idolatry. They exchange the truth of God for a lie and choose to worship the creature (in this case ourselves) rather than the Creator. And then, when things don’t go as they wish, they turn around and blame God as being unjust, unfair, and unloving.......

Edwards would go on to say that the true believer embraces Christ because of their desire to make much of Him. Out of state of brokeness and desperation, they see their plight and need to be rescued. The more they see the holiness of God, the more they realize the depth and seriousness of their sin. They realize that they are spiritually bankrupt and destitute. Their entire sustenance and well-being must come from outside themselves. They realize that even their righteousness is as filthy menstrual rags tainted by their own filth. In turn, this produces mourning and they begin to grieve over their hideous and heinous state. It is at this moment that Christ rescues them! The spiritual corpse is given life. They are given spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear. As they look to the Cross, they see the love, mercy, justice, and grace of God on full display. They are so captivated and smitten that they remain at the foot of the Cross and for all eternity will sing the song of the Redeemed:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!...Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to received glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created...Worthy are you to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

The lie is as old as Eden. “You will not die, you will be like God knowing good and evil.” Along with our parents, we are born into this world broken and alienated from God and each other. We seek to cover our shame and guilt by sewing fig leaves together, hiding from the only One who can truly cover our sin. Just like the garden, God must provide the sacrifice. Blood must be shed. Death must occur. Thankfully, He provided the ultimate sacrifice by offering His own Son to die the death we deserved to die! Our guilt has been taken away and our sin atoned for! This is the very heart of the Gospel. May we put to death once and for all the Lies that our hearts are so easily drawn to!

twenty-nine

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 16:34:00 +0000

Today, I turn twenty-nine years old. As I reflect back on this past year, it is filled with memories of pain, hurt, and loneliness. In many ways, it was one of the toughest years of my life, but through the midst of pain and loss, I can honestly say that God is faithful. Many times, life’s trials are the crucible in which our hearts are tested and refined. We can praise Christ in the good times, but our faith is tested in the difficult times. It is through fire that our lives are placed on the anvil as God pounds us more into the image of His Son. I can now look back and thank God for all that He is doing and continues to do in my heart. Although the pain was real and there are still some days that are difficult, I know that He has a purpose and there was and is a lot of junk in my heart that needed to be dealt with. It was in the midst of this brokeness, however, that I learned many valuable lessons that I pray that I never forget. Here is my best effort to share some of what I have learned:

GOD DOES NOT BLESS SIN: Unfortunately, in my stubborn and obstinate heart, I had to learn this the hard way. God will always receive glory, but He will never bless sin. When we claim the Name of Christ, we are called to live a life of obedience and holiness. Not out of duty, but out of love and gratitude for what He has done for us. There are always consequences of our sin and I paid heavily for my unrepentant heart.

GRACE IS TO BE RECEIVED NOT ONLY DISPENSED: I learned through the midst of my struggles that I easily dispensed grace to others, but had a difficult time receiving grace into my own life. I believe this stems ultimately from pride because I want to fix things and sew fig leaves to cover my shame and guilt. But, like Adam, this is never the solution. God must be the one to provide the sacrifice and blood must be shed. At the Cross, God provided the ultimate sacrifice in His Son Jesus and it is through His shed blood that I am counted righteous. I am learning to accept this as a free gift and rejoice in this fact!

REGRETS FROM THE PAST AND FEAR OF THE FUTURE PARALYZE YOU IN THE PRESENT: To this day, I have many regrets for decisions I’ve made and for not leading well in other areas of life. I believe that it is healthy to take an honest assessment of your failures, but at some point you have to move on and accept the grace and forgiveness of Christ. I know that I have a tendency to beat myself up and wallow in my past. Was it sin? Yes! But Christ died for that sin! It’s the same with the future. When we focus either on past regrets or we fear the future, we simply miss out on the present and all that God is teaching us.

LIFE IS MORE ABOUT OUR HOLINESS THAN OUR HAPPINESS: This is a tough lesson to learn, but a very important one. Life is ultimately about bringing glory to Christ and this is usually displayed through suffering and pain more than blessing and prosperity. This past year, I experienced deep loss, but it was through this situation that I realized the depth of my own sin and just how desperately I needed to be rescued from myself. It drove me to the Cross and for this, I am thankful!

Although there are many more things I could share, these sum up the major life lessons that I have learned over the course of this past year. This life is tough and the more prepared we are to face the realities of living as broken people in a jacked-up, fallen world, the more effective we will be in facing life’s trials. The Cross is the only solution that deals with the problem of evil and sin, yet upholds God’s mercy, grace, and love. I pray that over this next year I will continue to grow in whatever Christ has for me. Each day, I pray that I die to myself and pursue the only source of true happiness--Jesus. I thank God for each of you that He has placed in my life! I pray that we are able to connect at some point over the course of this next year!

Michael

rescued: a poem

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 18:03:00 +0000

Destitute and naked, I crawl through this land
Parched mouth and hunger, I’m cursed as a man.
Destination is uncertain, purpose unclear
I’m constantly searching, but arriving nowhere.

Day after day, night after night
I am tormented with every new sight
Dead ends and pitfalls, apathy sets in
What am I to do, wallowing in my sin?

I need to be rescued, freed from this land
When off in the distance I see the form of a man.
He is beaten and bloody, with thorns on his head
But despite His condition, He looked at me and said.

“Son, I came here for this purpose and this alone,
To give my life as a ransom, your sin to atone.
The penalty of sin is death, justice must be upheld
My holiness demands it, it must all be expelled.

You were born with this disease, inherited from Adam
It encompasses your very being, more than you could fathom
I gave you the Law, but it can only condemn
You must be perfect, freed from all sin
You’ve tried to earn my favor by keeping all my Law
But you’ll never be able to earn it, you were cursed by the Fall
Blind, deaf, and lame, a spiritual corpse continues to rot
But I came here to rescue, heal, and give hope to the lost.

It is on this tree that love, mercy, and justice meet
I took your punishment in order to set you free.
I lived the perfect life that you can not live,
My wrath has been satisfied, I drank it to the dregs.
You no longer stand in condemnation, your guilt has been taken away
I will send you my Spirit to guide you in my ways.

In three days time I will rise from this grave
Sin, death, and Satan conquered and slain.
I give you my righteousness, your sin in exchange
Was buried, destroyed, and in the grave shall remain.

This is the Gospel, Good News to proclaim
The only thing possible to give life to the lame
The blind receive sight, the deaf can now hear
You’re a new creature, a child and an heir.

Pain you shall have and trials you will endure
Pick up your cross and die daily, your future is secure.
Don’t be surprised when you face persecution and strife
That which is mortal shall be swallowed by life."

seeking. found.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:19:00 +0000

Seeking

Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death. Every day, hour, minute, second, I am trapped, wallowing in this mire and looking for identity, security, and love. I am constantly searching, yet never arriving. Like a vessel on a raging sea, I am tossed over and under the tumultuous waves of my own self-righteousness and pride. Even in my quest for humility, I set myself up as my own god, serving the passions and desires of my flesh. There is a war that is raging in my soul, constantly attempting to gain ground. Peace is non-existent. Everything is questioned. Motives. Purpose. Meaning. My heart grows heavy with pain and grief. As I crawl through this desolate desert on my hands and knees, looking for a glimmer of hope and light, I collapse under the weight of my own depravity. All is done. There is nothing I can do to ever please this god who requires nothing short of perfection....

Found

After attempting everything in my own strength trying to find this god and earn his favor, I finally give up. Dead. A corpse rotting in this lonesome desert. I’m not sure how long, but a voice said “Live” and my eyes were opened, my ears could hear, my mouth was made alive and began immediately to praise this God who was fully a man. He looked at me and said, “Son, today I have made you alive. You tried to seek me in your own strength, but I have found you! You are my child. I rescued you. You see, I lived the perfect life that the Father requires of you. I took all your sin and filth and the Father punished me in your place. I died the death you deserved to die! I did this for you, not because you deserve it, but because I love you. No one takes my life from me, I lay it down willingly for my sheep! When the Father looks at you, He sees Me. I give you the Comforter, my very Spirit, to guide and direct you through this life. There will be pain and suffering, but take heart, my child, you have hope! Your identity is secure. Nothing can ever separate you from my love. So go! Tell others this Good News. It’s not advice, telling them how to live a better life or how to seek me. Rather it is facts that are to be declared. For when I say “Live”, there is no power on earth or hell that can stop me from resurrecting a spiritual corpse! You have been rescued....

get busy living, get busy dying

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 18:02:00 +0000

Past regrets. Loneliness. Self-pity. These are all things that I have been familiar with the past few months. Lies have been rampant and I have subtly bought into them time and again. It struck me the other day, whether I was aware of it or not, that what it amounts to is unbelief. By wallowing in past regrets I’m not allowing the grace and forgiveness of Christ to transform and heal my heart. Why am I holding onto things that Christ has forgiven and no longer holds against me? “If you, O Yahweh, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Ps 130.3-4) “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom Yahweh counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit...I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Ps 32.1-2; 5) “Bless Yahweh, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s...Yahweh is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Yahweh shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers we are but dust.” (Ps 103:3-5; 8-14) I must allow this truth to penetrate my heart and live in light of God’s forgiveness and grace. How can I be lonely when the Creator of the universe dwells within me and has chosen to place His presence through His Spirit into this broken vessel. God is Sovereign and faithful. No matter what He allows us to go through, He is Good. By believing the lies that I have been banished to a meaningless life is nothing more than unbelief. My Creator placed me on this earth for a purpose and that is to bring glory to His name no matter what the cost whether in times of blessing or loss. I believe that Christ can and does heal. At the end of the day this season is for my good and it is one more step in the process of sanctification that will eventually end in glorification. O how I long for the day when I will stand in His presence with the saints from all time. Sin will be no more and we will stand before Him perfect, clothed in Christ’s righteousness. Broken relationships will be no more and there will be perfect harmony between all people. Whatever has been broken in the past will be restored in the future. In the present, I must begin to live a life of faith and trust knowing that this world will always bring pain and hurt, but many times this is brought about by Christ in order to bring us to an end of ourselves. It’s time to take my eyes off myself and place them on Christ who reigns eternal as King Jesus! It’s time to step out in obedience and live a life that is marked by the sufferings of Christ and patient perseverance. My future and hope are secure. This is bigger than me and my comfort and happiness. I pray that my life will be marked by joy even in the midst of loss! Whatever I lose in this life cannot compare to what I have gained through Christ. I pray that I make much of Him and represent His unconditional, sacrificial, pursuing love to all I encounter. Eternal life begins now!

today. I die.

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:07:00 +0000

Today I die. I’m sick of living a half-hearted, apathetic, woe is me, wallowing in my own filth and sin, nominal, joyless, powerless, defeated life. When I read the descriptions of the patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, and the saints throughout history, my so called faith is a joke. I live in fear, living a life of self-preservation. Following Christ is not about preserving this life or seeking to find happiness and identity in careers, material gains, comfort, relationships, and fame. In the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “When Christ calls a man, he bids Him to come and die.” The apostle Paul says that “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Ga 2.20) If this is true as I confess it to be, then my life should demonstrate this fact. If Christ laid down His life on my behalf and paid the penalty of my sin absorbing the wrath of God, then my flesh is dead. I died with Him and I now live by His Spirit. This life is fleeting and temporary and I don’t want to squander this opportunity to live a life of comfort and ease seeking to live out my pseudo, half-hearted, comfortable American Christianity. I am an ambassador of the Most High King Jesus and He has entrusted me with the only thing powerful enough to save fallen men--The Gospel of Jesus Christ. He asks me to do but one thing, take this to the nations and make disciples. Simple. Yet, I allow fear of death and persecution to keep me from taking this to the far reaches of the globe. I count my life of more value than those who have no hope. I’m not sure where or how this will play out in my life, but God is stirring in my heart. I’m ready to renounce all that I have held of value and take the Gospel to those who are unreached. I desire to send and mobilize teams of others who have counted this life as nothing and desire the eternal crown of glory that far outweighs this present suffering. There’s a very good chance I may die or preach the funerals of many who gave their lives to see the advancement of the Gospel. This is where the rubber meets the road. Am I willing to go? Will I lay down my life for the sake of Christ so that others may hear this message of salvation? I cannot do this in my flesh and it will take an act of grace and power of Christ in order to see this come to fruition. So, friends, I ask that you join me in prayer as I seek to live what Christ is beginning to do in my heart and life. Christ is all I have and at the end of this life, He is all that matters. For too long I’ve allowed the passing things of this world to grasp at my heart and it has taken a trial of immense pain and hurt to get me to this point in which I submit myself follow Christ no matter what the cost. Today, I pick up my Cross and I pray I never look back. There will be more to come as this is only the beginning. “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mk 8.35)

no suitable helper was found

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:37:00 +0000

“The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was found no helper fit for him.” Ge 2:20

Bruce Waltke, commenting on this verse, says the following:

“Why does God determine that it is not good for Adam to be alone and then give him animals? Should he not have given the woman first? In fact, Adam must realize that it is not good to be alone. Rather than squandering his most precious gift on one who is unappreciative, God waits until Adam is prepared to appreciate the gift of woman.”

Genesis: A Commentary, 89.

As many of you know, the past few months have been very trying and difficult for me in many ways. God has seen fit to allow me to go through this time, but there are many days that are brutal and it takes everything within me to keep moving forward. I fail far more than I succeed and more than ever before, I know the depth of my own sin and unworthiness apart from Christ.

Three years ago I had a dream. I was going to go to seminary, find a wife, have children, pastor a church, and live a life that was devoted solely to Christ. I had it figured out. This is what God had for me and nothing could stop it. Two years later, I find myself back in WV, half-way done with seminary, single, and spiritually broken in many ways. I admit, it’s difficult to see where God is taking this, but as a Christian we are called not to question God but live by faith and patiently wait for him to provide and deliver. God uses these times to test us and to see if our faith is genuine or merely spurious and circumstantial. But, that said, it is anything but easy.

I recently began making my way through Genesis and today I was studying the second chapter. The quote above really spoke to me as I meditated on the gift of woman. I think in many ways, this hit too close to home. Looking back, I wish I knew then what I know now. I believe that many of the trials I’m currently going through are for this very purpose. I’ve always had a fear of being alone, but I don’t think that I truly had a grasp on how precious it is to have a woman in your life that loves, supports, and cherishes you. Unlike Adam, I chose to squander this gift and was not prepared to receive this precious and valuable gift. I hope that I never have to go through the pain of losing someone I love ever again and like Adam I will be prepared to appreciate, cherish, sacrifice, protect, nourish, and hold this woman close to my heart. This is not the path I would have chosen, but I still have faith in a God who redeems our losses and heals our pain and wounds. He is gracious and merciful and whatever He ordains is for His glory and I must bear this Cross for however long He sees fit! After all, life’s circumstances are merely the furnace in which we are forged into the shape of Christ by the blows of loss and trials. I know that at some point relief and rescue will come, but for now I press on losing more faith in myself each day as I seek to place all my faith in Him.

here stand I

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:12:00 +0000

Justification. Grace. Acceptance. Reconciliation. Redemption. Propitiation. These are all words that describe different aspects of the atonement. As a human being, I am born into bondage and there is nothing that I can do in and of myself to buy, earn, or manipulate my standing before a holy God who has no choice but to punish my sin by means of His righteous wrath in order to uphold His justice. Every attempt to fix or manipulate my standing, cover up my sin, make excuses and shift the blame to something or someone else is futile. The eyes that pierce through all my efforts at pleasing God in my own strength will gaze into this empty, desolate heart and have no choice but to destroy my pride and lay me low until I accept the fact that I am nothing but dust and a spiritual beggar who is bankrupt and desolate. Whatever I have to offer God, must be provided by someone that is eternal and not born into this dark, desolate, wilderness. Wallow, self-pity, pride, self-righteousness, fear, anxiety, all drive me into a deeper despair. I trudge through this mire and attempt to appease this wrathful, vengeful judge but in the end it is nothing but dirty rags that have been tainted with my own blood and refuse. Nothing I do is ever good enough. I fall and when I think I’m finally upon my feet again I am faced with a chasm that is wide, deep, and dark. I plummet over the edge falling into an unknown and I keep reaching into the abyss hoping that something bigger than myself will reach out and grab ahold of my hand and pull me out of this hideous state. But if this is what it takes to lose all faith in myself, then praise be to God. May I become a spiritual beggar so that Christ may provide my righteousness. May I be cut deep so that Christ can heal and mend this broken heart. May I lose all faith in myself so that I may place all my faith in Christ. May He pour me out so that I may be filled with His Spirit. May he continue to chisel away at this heart of stone in order that He may replace it with a heart of flesh. May He take away all fear and give me His peace. Surrender. This is what Christ did in order to uphold both God’s justice and His mercy. The only solution was for the Infinite to enter into this finite world and for the Eternal to enter into the temporal. The Holy to become sin, take upon Himself the very wrath of a Holy, Righteous God who is light and in Him there is no darkness. In exchange, His mercy is upheld by giving us His Righteousness which is not our own. This is GRACE. He ransomed me from this desolate wilderness of endless, aimless, apathy. The price of my sin has been paid in full. Why do I dwell on my past sin and regrets while He remembers my sin and lawless deeds no more. I must accept His grace. If I don’t, then it is nothing less than unbelief. “For by a single offering he has perfected for ALL TIME those who are being sanctified.” There is no sanctification without justification. This is the road that all believers must travel. Life is bigger than our happiness and comfort. But there is still joy to be found in the midst of pain and suffering. We have HOPE! No matter what this life deals or how many times we fall, we have the promise that the Spirit is the seal and guarantor of our glorification. Although we gaze through a glass dimly, we will see Him with our very eyes face to face. When the voice of the Creator says “LIVE!”, this spiritual corpse receives life. When we face that last enemy, “that which is mortal will be swallowed up by life.” Eternal life is NOW for those who are in Christ. So, pick up your Cross Christian. You are a nomad and pilgrim in this world. Your citizenship is in heaven and you serve the King of all kings. You are His ambassador! Stand firm therefore and receive the grace of Christ into your life. Let it begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit. Love freely. Be gentle with one another and forgive even before someone sins against you. Cherish your relationships and when they are broken, do what you know to do to restore fellowship and be reconciled in Christ. As you look at the Cross, don’t ever leave it. When you turn from it, you are turning to something or someone other than Christ who gave Himself for you so that you may have life. Trust in your Maker who can turn what man intended for evil into good. There is nothing outside of His Sovereign control. Providence. Rest. Peace. We are broken vessels, but He is in the process of picking up the pieces one day at a time and some day we will be complete and with Him for eternity. Long for this day. Pain will cease. Hurt will be no more. Tears will be a thing of the past. Because our sin was infinitely offensive, the sacrifice of Atonement must be infinite as well. It took Christ, the Infinite Son of God to pay this infinite debt. Here I stand! Naked. Exposed. Bloody. Torn. The only solace that I find is in knowing that this is the only way to enter into Eternal life and as I look to Christ, I know that I find a High Priest who knows what is to be naked, exposed, bloody, and torn. He is the Resurrection and the Life. He who conquered Death, LIVES and we who were once dead have been found and given life and are more than conquerors. Believe it! Dispense this grace to others and no matter how dark the night may be, look to Him who is Light and know that joy will come in the morning!

growing pains

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 20:40:00 +0000

The past two months have been perhaps some of the most challenging of my life. I’ve experienced a gamut of emotions and my faith has been tested and stretched in ways that I’ve never encountered before. In the midst of the chaos, I’ve tried as much as possible to process and spend time in prayer and meditation to see exactly what God is teaching me. I’ve had times where I’ve battled and stayed strong, but at other times it feels as if I’m on the brink of a breakdown and have no one else to turn to. This is a season where I am confident that God is doing a work in me, but I would be lying if I said that I’m not ready for some relief.

So, heres my best effort at sharing some of what I’m in the process of learning. First, I’ve realized that I have a difficult time accepting grace. As much as I grasp what it is, it seems that I am always living a defeated life laden with guilt and regrets. I have no problem dispensing grace to others, but when I fall and confess my sin, I still feel condemned and tend to dwell on the past. I think I’ve traced this to pride in my own heart which stems from self-righteousness. When you view your standing in Christ as based on your own works and actions, then it is inevitable that when you fall you will have a hard time accepting grace. During this season, I have definitely learned the depth of my own sin and currently trying to learn to view it as a disease and not focus so much on “sins” which are merely the fruit produced by my own rebellious heart. I’m learning that there is no grace without justification. My salvation is based solely on the person and work of Christ. Period. If I don’t view myself as justified, then there is no accepting of grace. No matter how many times I fall, I must get up, go to the throne of grace, confess my sin, and begin to live in the victory that Christ has purchased through His blood on the Cross.

Second, I’ve learned that I am not in control of my life. After trying to change circumstances in my own strength, the results have been nothing less than futile and embarrassing. God simply asks us to submit and trust Him. This may sound simple, but in reality it something I battle every minute of every day. I must give my life over to Christ every day and die to my desire to fix things in my own strength. The flesh is very powerful. In fact, I believe that I am my own biggest enemy. Satan knows how to exploit my weaknesses, but ultimately it is my own heart that provides the final impetus. Satan and his minions are powerful, but they can’t make me sin. So, this battle between the flesh and the Spirit has been a constant along the way. The only way victory can be achieved is knowing that I can’t fight this battle, but Christ has and did and gained all victory on the Cross. I’m slowly learning to embrace the present and truly rest in the arms of Christ. This is the only place where true peace and joy can be found.

Third, I’ve learned to value true friendship and family. Through the midst of loss, it has a tendency to make you stop and appreciate those whom you still have. I’m learning the importance of embracing those relationships and freely dispense grace into others lives. In the past, I know I’ve had a tendency to be brash and was weak in the areas of gentleness and patience. True love produces relationships in which you can be honest and vulnerable. I’ve learned to not attempt to hide my struggles, but confess my sins to my brothers and pray through my struggles. In the past, I was too prideful to allow others to enter into my struggles. It has been very freeing not to have other men that I can go to and know that I will find mercy and grace.

Fourth, I’ve learned the power of hope. Many days all I wanted to do was retract from life and run from all the hurt and pain. I have experienced emotions that are stronger than any I’ve ever had in the past. I’ve learned that I have a tendency to suppress things and not deal with them in the open. This has made me more sensitive to others and their feelings. I’ve learned the value of fighting for what you believe in and to leave nothing on the table, but at the same time learning to let go and allow God to work. On my darkest days, there has always been the glimmer of hope. Hope is seen, but I know that in the end, I will be with Christ and be like Him for I will see Him face to face. No matter what happens in this life, that is the hope I have as His child.

Finally, I learned the importance of living a life that is utterly dependent on Christ and Christ alone. I believe that part of the reason I’ve gone through this season of pain and struggle is because Christ wanted me to learn that I must depend solely on Him and nothing else. My identity, security, joy, and purpose are found in Him and Him alone. In short, I’m a broken man and I know that it will take time to heal and each day I wake up, I must submit myself to His loving arms and pick up my Cross as I face another day that I have been blessed to live. I can’t change the past, I can simply focus on becoming a better man in the present through constantly examining and giving myself over to Him. I know that this is something that I had to go through and I pray that in the future I will be able to dispense grace to others who experience the same hurt and pain in this fallen world.

I’m not sure how long this season will last, but for now I’m beginning to embrace this time and by God’s grace I will come out refined and more like Christ! This is my prayer.

danny

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:32:00 +0000

I had an encounter tonight with a homeless man who has been frequenting my place of work. For some reason, my heart was especially moved with compassion for him and I just felt like compelled to go engage him and treat him like all the other customers. As he approached the counter, he took out a handful of change. I smiled at him and asked him how he was doing. His face lit up and he said he was tired, but hangin’ in there and went on to ask me about how my night was going. I told him I was tired too, but hangin’ in there and I was doing better than I deserved. He chuckled and turned around pointing to the back of his shirt. It said something along the lines of Extreme Jesus. It looked like it was from some church’s VBS. I said that’s right, you know what I’m getting at, right? He said he did and told me that God was soo much fun. After conversing for about a minute or so, I reached out my hand and introduced myself and asked him his name. “Danny”, he said. As he was walking away, I couldn’t help but think that most people simply see him as an outcast who is dependent on substances and an addict. Sure, I cold smell the alcohol on his breath, but at the same time I was convicted that he was still a human being who is a divine image bearer. The past few months have been very difficult for me in many ways, but I had to stop and count my blessings. Spiritually, in many ways Danny was the external manifestation of an inward spiritual reality that many of us feel at times. My heart was grieved when I imagined how alone he must feel. Who and when was the last time someone actually called him by his name. I’m sure that a lot of people stop and give him loose change or offer to buy him a cup of coffee, but how many people actually stop to engage him seeking to find out his story. After a few minutes had passed, he came up to me and wanted a piece of paper. I didn’t know what he needed it for, but after about ten minutes he brought it back up to me with a big smile. In crude handwriting it said: 1 Father, 1 Son, 1 Spirit, 1 Mike = 4ever together; Obey Ten Commandments. After I read it, I couldn’t help but smile. In addition, he gave me a little toy alien that glows in the dark. I couldn’t help but think of the parable of the poor woman who simply had two copper coins to put in the offering. She was poor, but gave what she had. Its as if he simply wanted to have someone in his life that he could give something to. Now, I’m not sure where Danny is spiritually and I’m sure that he has some addictions, but in many ways he reminded me of someone who has faith like a child. He challenged me to snap out of my own stupor and begin living a life of dispensing grace and unconditional love exhibiting the gentle, dove-like spirit that characterized Christ. I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again, but God used Danny tonight to give me a glimpse of the compassion and love that Christ has for us when spiritually we are going through a time of loneliness and poverty. I pray that even during this time that I will remain faithful in shedding the light of the Gospel into the hearts and lives of everyone I encounter!

an unknown hymn by John Newton

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 01:16:00 +0000

Not sure of the title of this hymn, but it really spoke to me.

I asked the Lord that I might grow
In faith and love and every grace
Might more of His salvation know
And seek more earnestly His face,
‘Twas He who taught me thus to pray,
And He, I trust, has answered prayer,
But it has been in such a way,
As almost drove me to despair,
I hoped that in some favor’d hour,
At once He’d answer my request,
And by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins and give me rest.
Instead of this He made me feel
The hidden evils of my heart,
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.
Yea, more with His own hand He seem’d
Intent to aggravate my woe
Cross’d all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourd and laid me low.
Lord, why is this, I trembling cried,
Wilt Thou pursue Thy worm to death?
It is in this way, the Lord replied,
I answer prayer for grace and faith,
These inward trials I employ,
From self and pride to set thee free;
And brake they schemes of earthly joy,
That thou may’st seek thy all in me.

John Newton

filled with the Spirit

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:25:00 +0000

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” Ga 5.16

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the the day of redemption.” Eph 4.30

What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? I think that typically I used to think of it in terms of being filled up with something like pouring water into a jar. This, however, falls drastically short of what it actually entails. The Holy Spirit is not merely a force or power, He is a Person. I’m sure that most of us have experienced a time in our life when our thoughts are controlled or filled up with that special someone whom we love and cherish. In many ways, this person controls and dictates our thoughts and actions. Everything we do is filtered through the one we love. How will this affect them? You long to spend time with them. You desire to please them. In a very real way, your mind is filled with this person. In similar fashion, to be filled with the Holy Spirit means essentially the same thing. You take all your thoughts captive and you examine your words and actions in light of how it will affect Him. You desire to please him and long to spend time in the Word which was given by Him. You seek to know Christ better and more intimately. In short, the Spirit controls you and you are filled with Him. Furthermore, to put it negatively, we are commanded not to grieve the Holy Spirit. This can be done in many ways. When we fail to acknowledge His presence, it is hurtful. He is described as a dove that is gentle and meek. There is nothing more insulting to a person than to fail to acknowledge them even though you know them. Who hasn’t experienced the pain of knowing that someone saw you walking down the street, yet ignored you and went about their own way. This is how the Spirit must feel when we don’t acknowledge His presence. If we thought of sin in terms of hurting someone we love, then I think we would think twice before we acted on our fleshly desires. This is a constant battle that we each face every day of our life. Essentially, the flesh and the Spirit are in a battle for our minds. Will we fill it with temporary, fleeting things or will we acknowledge His presence and submit ourselves to His will and control? Each morning when we wake up we must be intentional and begin preaching to ourselves. We must remind ourselves “who” and “what” we are in Christ. “The trouble with us is that we do not talk enough to ourselves. We do not preach enough to ourselves; we all ought to be preachers preaching to that congregation that consists of self.” (MLJ) We must address ourselves like David, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Ps 43.5) My prayer for myself and others is that when we wake up each morning we begin our day by acknowledging God’s presence through His Spirit. The very presence of Christ dwells within us. Allow this Person to fill your mind and control your words and actions throughout the day. Spend time with Him through the reading and studying of His Word. Take time to pray and expressing your praises as well as your trials. Being filled with the Spirit is not merely a passive exercise. We are commanded to “work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you , both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Php 2.12) Along with Paul, our supreme desire should be “to know [Christ] and the power of His resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in His death.” (Php 3.10) Christ sent us the Spirit in order to reveal Himself to us, to make Himself real to us and to show us what He has done on our behalf. The Spirit always testifies about Christ. May we be filled with the person of the Spirit as He molds us more and more into the image of Christ.

the living dead

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:20:00 +0000

One can only truly live after he has accepted the fact that he is already dead. It’s a fundamental disposition. We deserve nothing and everything we have is a gift from God. We are born totally depraved and even our good deeds are still tainted with sin. Death is not something that most people like to dwell on. But why is it that we spend so much time in preparation in planning for our futures, but we rarely prepare ourselves for death. After all, it is the only certain thing that we will each have to face. For the believer, death is the last enemy, but we have already been given eternal life. Although we die physically, spiritually we have already been resurrected. We possess even now the benefits of eternal life. When Christ died, He absorbed the wrath of God in my place. The old man died with Him. So, why do we fear physical death? I admit that I experience anxiety and fear at times when I think about facing this last enemy. I think what it comes down to is a lack of faith and unbelief. If I truly believe that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, then why fear? I believe that this fear is the root cause of most other fears in life. Why is it that we are not going into hostile countries that hate Christ? Is because we may die for advancing the Gospel? Is this such a bad thing? I admit, I’m not there yet. I have many fears and weaknesses. I selfishly look for ways to serve Christ, yet hold on to my comforts. The Christian life is not a comfortable life! If we are not standing up for the rights of those who are unborn and the injustices that occur for the poor and the weak, then who will? Yes, you will be hated and it may even cost you your life! But we are already dead! They may kill our bodies, but who can touch the one who is safe in the arms of Christ. I know this isn’t something fun to think about, but lets face it. We’re selfish and care more about this life than the life to come. Wherever the true Gospel goes forth, there is always persecution. We don’t want to engage in Kingdom work because we’re too complacent and self-consumed. We’d rather sit on our butts and waste our God-given time doing absolutely nothing that furthers the Kingdom of Christ. We are the center of our universe. If we are to share in the sufferings of Christ, we have to give this fear to Him. This isn’t something that we can naturally produce within ourselves. Nothing but the grace of God can produce this sort of outlook. Dear Christian, we have hope! Hope that is seen is not true hope. “Let not your heart be troubled! Believe in God and believe also in me.” If you truly accept the fact that you are dead, then there is nothing in this life that can phase you. You will boldly go forth, with your face set like flint engaging the enemy and proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel. Fear no man! Fear only God who has promised to welcome you into His presence. We are merely pilgrims, strangers, sojourners in this world. This is not our home. The more we pound this into our heads, the closer we are to arriving at this position! O God, help my unbelief. May we join hands and hearts as a band of brothers in this cause! Death is not something that we intentionally seek out, but we must be prepared to face this enemy if this is the result of bringing the Gospel to those who are enmeshed in the kingdom of Darkness. O God, may we renounce our foolish desires for a life of comfort and ease. “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead and Christ will shine on you.” This world is far more wicked and dark than we ever imagined. Don’t succumb to the lies of the enemy that seeks to woo our souls to serve fleeting things that will all pass away. Security does not lie in material things but in Christ who gave Himself for us! Let’s live each day to the fullest and be willing to answer the call to die so that we may truly live!

accepted in Christ

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 03:31:00 +0000

“How marvelous that we, worms, mortals, sinners, should be the objects of divine love! But it is only ‘in the beloved.’ Some Christians seem to be accepted in their own experience, at least, that is their apprehension. When their spirit is lively, and their hopes bright, they think God accepts them, for they feel so high, so heavenly-minded, so drawn above the earth! But when their souls cleave to the dust, they are the victims of the fear that they are no longer accepted. If they could but see that all their high joys do not exalt them, and all their low despondencies do not really depress them in their Father’s sight, but that they stand accepted in one who never alters, in one who is always the beloved of God, always perfect, always without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, how much happier they would be, and how much more they would honour the Saviour! Rejoice then, believer, in this: thou art accepted ‘in the beloved.’ Thou lookest within, and thou sayest, ‘There is nothing acceptable here!’ But look at Christ, and see if there is not everything acceptable there. Thy sins trouble thee; but God has cast thy sins behind His back, and thou art accepted in the Righteous One. Thou has to fight with corruption, and to wrestle with temptation, but thou art already accepted in Him who has overcome the powers of evil. The devil tempts thee; be of good cheer, he cannot destroy thee, for thou art accepted in Him who has broken Satan’s head. Know by full assurance they glorious standing. Even glorified souls are not more accepted than thou art. They are only accepted in heaven ‘in the beloved,’ and thou art even now accepted in Christ after the same manner.”

-Charles Spurgeon

I read this earlier this evening and it really spoke to me. Whenever I have spiritual struggles or I fall into some sort of sin, I have a tendency to beat myself up even though I genuinely repent. The key lies in seeing ourselves as being accepted in Christ. The enemy is subtle. We battle against our own flesh, the world, and the Devil who first tempts us to sin, then he condemns us for sinning and loads us with guilt deceiving us from going before the Throne for forgiveness, restoration, and cleansing by the blood of Christ. When we stop viewing our standing as a matter of what we do and start believing in what Christ has done, then we will be freed from this performance based religiosity from the pit of hell. This doesn’t mean that we can simply excuse our sin or that there won’t be consequences. However, if we truly realize our acceptance in Christ, then this will act as the most powerful defense against falling into temptation. Although the battle is fierce and the temptations are real and there will be times that we will all fall, go to the Cross. Confess your sin. Repent and rest in the Blood that was shed for you!

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom Yahweh counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit...I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” Ps 32.1-2, 5

decay

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:48:00 +0000

I am my own biggest idol. I worship self. I constantly make sacrifices to fulfill my godless passions and desires. I passionately pursue things that will make me acceptable. This acceptance feeds my ego. In turn, this produces pride which is the root of all sin. I present by body, mind, and spirit as a living sacrifice to myself. Pursue whatever brings me pleasure. Who cares if it is offensive to a holy God. It’s all about me and what makes me feel loved, accepted, and valued. So I kill the Spirit. I embrace the smaller ‘idols’ in order to worship the Idol, known as self. Even when I pursue and worship other idols, it’s simply for the purpose of fulfilling my own desires to be loved. I desire to be made much of. The insecurities, the lies, the doubts...Do whatever it takes to self-medicate. Don’t face reality. Money, lust, status, these are what you crave. This will make you complete. Do whatever it takes. Who cares about who you hurt or damage along the way. This is about me. I’m my own god. I pursue God because he endorses my desire to be made much of. But in the end, there is nothing but pain, hurt, decay, agony, torture, torment, desolation, emptiness, vacuity, and an abyss that festers and putrefies into an unbearable stench. Like all idols that are dead and have no ability to truly see, hear, feel, or think; seeing I do not see, hearing I do not hear, feeling I do not feel, and thinking I do not think.

Perhaps this is what it means to be given spiritual eyes. Not only to see God for who He truly is, but also to see my own state and how wicked, depraved, sick, immoral, iniquitous, vile, and corrupt that I really am. It’s not until I accept this reality that I can fully grasp how much I need Christ. I am a man who is weak, lustful, insecure, prideful, covetous, and desperately in need of rescue. The more I truly see Christ, the more I begin to truly see myself and it is not pretty.

“O Holy Father! Please give me spiritual eyes to see Your Holiness and myself for who I really am. Give me spiritual ears to hear your Word. Give me the mind of Christ to discern your truth. Help me by God’s grace to keep myself from idols, the biggest idol being myself. Fill my heart with the love of Christ. Give me the grace to live this life in such a way that brings you glory. And by seeing you, give me the ability to make much of you. Help me to die to Self and live by the power of the Spirit. Let there not be one nanosecond in which I am not aware of your Presence. This is eternal life. That they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Help me to know you. Help me not to wallow in past sin that was nailed to the Cross. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Give me the grace to see your Glory. Give me a hunger and a thirst that only your Word can fill. Keep me from temptation. Guard my heart. May I be steadfast, unmovable, and relentless in putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Spirit. May I find my joy, acceptance, and happiness in You. Resurrect this dead corpse and help me to live as the new creature that I am.

“Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I, for you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.” Amen. (Ps 61.1-3)

smoking flax

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 02:39:00 +0000

Christian. Why are you cast down? When trials come and your faith is tested, count it pure joy. You are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. When you feel all alone and the flame that once was has dwindled to smoke, remind yourself that "A smoking flax He will not quench." The fact that there is smoke proves that there is at least a smoldering coal that is producing the smoke. Allow Christ to fan this coal into a raging fire that refines your very being. Look to the Cross, Christian. Gaze upon Him who was made sin for you! Stand in awe at the greatest act of love the universe has ever witnessed. Remember the power of the resurrection. Christ triumphed over sin, death, and Satan! You have the freedom now NOT to sin. You owe no debt to the flesh. You have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the Kingdom of Light. You are on a mission sent as an ambassador of King Jesus entrusted with a message of Good News that is the only hope for you and those who remain in the bondage of sin. Christian, there is an eternal weight of glory that far outweighs the present trial you are experiencing. You already possess eternal life. Fear no man who can destroy the body, but fear Him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Die every day! The old man has been crucified with Christ. You have been raised with Him to new life. Press on! Even though you fall, get back up on your feet and pick up your Cross. The war is over, but the battle rages on. A fighting soldier is a living soldier. The fact that you are fighting proves that you're alive. The battle is fierce, but the King is the Ancient of Days and rules with a rod of iron. You are more than a conqueror clothed in the righteousness of Christ, adopted as a child of God. So take every thought captive. Slay the deeds of the body. Renew your mind every day. Present your body as a living sacrifice. Love passionately. Seek the good of others. Seize the day. Rejoice in the Lord always. Be gentle and patient with one another. Pray fervently. O Christian, you are more wicked than you ever dared believe, but more loved than you ever dared hope for.

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and portion forever." Ps 73.25-26

the opportunity of a lifetime

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:38:00 +0000

“This will be your opportunity to bear witness.” Luke 21:13

As I was making my way through the Gospel According to Luke last week, this verse struck me like a ton of bricks. So many people assume that Christianity is an easy, feel good, soft, warm and fuzzy, life. They’ve been taught that as long as they repeat the prayer and say the words that they will get to go to heaven. They’re whole perception of coming to Christ is because He makes much of them. They’re more in love with the gifts than the Giver. It’s all about them and their happiness, comfort, and status. After all, who wouldn’t want the “Good Life”? If this is what Christianity is, then sign me up! This is called spurious faith. When times get tough and God doesn’t bend down to meet their demands, they’re gone!

One of the major themes running through Scripture in general, the NT in particular is the role of suffering in the life of the true Christian. Wherever the true Gospel goes forth, there is always a backlash from the enemy. Just a cursory reading of any of the four Gospels will reveal that Christianity is not the “Good Life” that so many envision it to be. In short, it is a life of pain, suffering, and trials. To make matters more complicated, the struggle is both internal and external. The flesh “wars” against the Spirit and the Spirit “wars” against the flesh. We are called to die every day. It is suffering that typically reveals whether or not our faith is genuine or spurious. The true believer embraces suffering as an opportunity to make much of Christ!

So, what is the opportunity that Jesus says we will have to “bear witness”? In verse twelve, He says, “But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up in the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake.” He continues in verse 16-19 saying, “You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.” How much more explicit could Christ be? I know that many of us have never faced persecution in America, but could it be because our lives are so assimilated to the culture that there is no visible difference? The apostle John says that the “whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” If this is the case, then this includes America. It doesn’t matter what our heritage is, if the true Gospel is lived out, we will suffer! Paul tells Timothy that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Ti 3:12)

I know that persecution and suffering doesn’t always come in physical forms, but I do believe that we are living in a world that is just as fallen, wicked, and depraved as the days of Christ. I know that in the immediate context Christ was addressing His disciples, but the Bible is always relevant because the heart of man and the heart of God have not changed. I’m not saying we need to seek suffering just for the sake of suffering. But in the end, if we’re not experiencing some sort of pain, suffering, or persecution, I think it’s a great opportunity for self-examination. The Christian life is radical! You’re either in or your out. There’s no in between. I pray that God may give us the grace to see with spiritual eyes as we face new battles every day and that by enduring we will gain our lives!

ashes remain

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 19:04:00 +0000

As tough as the past few months have been, I don’t want to let this time go to waste. In the midst of change and loss, so often we have the tendency towards self-pity and we end up just wallowing in our own muck. I know that it is very important to take the time to grieve and to mourn, but at some point we must face reality and rise from the ashes. That said, the past few days I have been pondering some very basic questions. I believe that many times in the Christian life, we tend to miss the forest because of the trees. We become so consumed in our hurt, pain, and loss that we don’t take the time to see things from an eternal, vertical perspective. In the West, we tend to view ourselves as facing the future. The past is behind us, so the key when trials and suffering come is to simply forget the past and look to the future. The ancient Hebrews, however, viewed themselves as facing the past. They constantly held their history before them and they knew that the same God who had been faithful, loving, and patient with them, would continue to do so as they “backed” their way into the future. I know that Paul says, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Php 3.13-14) There is a sense in which we are to be striving toward the future and what lies ahead in the victory we have in Christ. But I think what happens many times is we simply write the past off altogether, throwing away the good with the bad. I believe it is healthy to examine your life and hold the past before you and see how God has been good, faithful, loving, and patient with you. This same God who is your Father and loves you intimately is the same God who will do the same in the present and in the future. Furthermore, I believe one of the main keys is to constantly look back to the Cross. If we are intentional about holding the Cross before us, we will constantly have a picture of what true love looks like. It will produce humility as we hold our murdered Savior before our eyes. As we look at His mutilated, battered body, we know the cost of our sin.

I don’t want to simply forget my past. Healing involves not simply dealing with the evils we have suffered, but also the sins we have committed. If I truly believe that God is sovereign, then I must stop in all circumstances and examine myself. So, it is my hope that over the course of the next few weeks, months, or even year to enter into an intense time of examining what it looks like to be a man of godly, Christ-like character. How can I learn from past mistakes and regrets in such a way that God uses them to change me for his glory? There are many different pictures that the Bible uses to describe Christ. He is at one and the same time a valiant King, who is strong and righteous, and just, but He is also a Shepherd who is gentle, and loving, and patient. It is my prayer that I as I begin to look into the Truth of Scripture, that it will transform me into a man of character. I pray that someday I will be a worthy groom who has risen from the ashes to love his bride with the same love as Christ loves His church. I know that in the grand scheme of things, it is only the grace of God that can change this heart and that I will never be perfect until I see Him as He is. In the meantime, however, I want to press on to know Him more and as I gaze at His holiness that it will transform me into a man after His own heart. Let the healing begin...

life: a divine comedy

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 16:48:00 +0000

I believe that one of the biggest battles that we face each day is to not fall into the trap that this world is all there is. So much of the Christian life is determined by your mindset. We are engaged in a battle every second of every day against an enemy that is seeking to fight for our minds and get us to believe the lie that this is all there is. I’ve had a lot of time the past few months to sit in silence. At times, I’ll admit, it really freaks me out. It really forces you to take an honest look at your life, the world around you, and the circumstances that surround you. When things are taken away from you and you are left with a fraction of what once was, you begin to examine yourself and sometimes what you find is not so pretty. So often in the business of life, we attempt to feel our time with busy schedules, road trips, social media, and a plethora of other things that fight for our attention. I’ll be the first to admit that I have been guilty of sacrificing my time for all of the above. Honestly, I think a big reason that we seek these things is that we cannot handle the silence and are scared of what we might find. There is a void that we seek to fill with people or things other than Christ. So much of our identity is wrapped up in this world. We don’t take the time to stop and see what we really are in Christ. This is not something that comes natural to us. Even Paul says, “for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” (Php 4.11) Hence, we have to learn to be content in any situation. This has been a constant struggle for me and I know that God has brought me to this point so that I can learn to be content with Him and Him alone. As I look back on life, I can attest that nothing is certain. People change, circumstances change, and the only constant we have is our Rock, Christ Jesus. If we find our identity, security, or meaning in anything else, then we are doomed to be disappointed.

How then are we to engage in this battle called life? A lot of people view this life as tragedy. In literature, a tragedy moves from a wonderful beginning to a horrible ending and there is no resolution. As we journey through life and reality sets in, dreams are dashed, relationships are broken, and eventually we all face death. If the Bible ended with the Fall, then by all means this life would be tragic. But this is how we so often live our lives even as believers. We act as if this is it! We fail to realize that full scope of the Bible is not tragedy, but comedy. In the classical sense, a comedy begins on a high note, moves toward despair, and ends triumphantly. This is what the Gospel is all about. We were created as perfect beings, meant to live in fellowship with God and each other. With the Fall, however, despair and death entered the world. The Good News is that the story ends triumphantly for those who are in Christ. This is what the Cross is all about. When Christ died, He conquered sin, Death, and Satan. He died the death that we deserved to die and lived the perfect life that we cannot live. The story of life ends in triumph for those who are a part of His Kingdom. The enemy tries to get us to view this life as a tragedy, and without Christ it is!

When we face loss and pain in this life, we should stop and ask the question, “What are you trying to teach me through this Lord?” Many times we don’t have the all the answers and at times we may not ever know all the purposes that are in the mind of God. I think we rarely stop and ponder the fact that there is a whole other dimension in which our lives are on display. Take Job for instance. Really, God proved Satan wrong at Job’s expense. As far as we know, He was never let in on what was truly going on between God and Satan. As God’s children, we each play a leading role in this EPIC adventure called life. For all we know, the angels are enthralled as they watch our lives, waiting to see how things unfold in this gripping drama. Paul says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Co 13.12) It is in the midst of loss that our faith is truly tested and refined. Each morning when we wake up, we have a choice to make. Are we going to view this life as a tragedy or the comedy that it truly is? No matter the circumstances, no matter the loss, as children of God, we have the hope that the ending of the story ends triumphantly, not in tragedy.

I wish that I would have taken this more to heart, but there is nothing I can do to change the past. I must now rest in the fact that I have a warrior King who loves me passionately and gave His life for me. I stand cleansed from past sin and He is molding me more and more into His image. His grace is sufficient for every circumstance and I am commanded to worship Him and praise Him even in the midst of loss. He has been nothing but good to me and He loves me so much that He was willing to discipline me so that I do not lose sight of the eternal purposes. As I think of my life being on display, I pray that I remain faithful and engage in this epic battle knowing that whatever happens in this life, I can say that I fought the good fight and finished the race! To hear Him say, “Well done, Michael, my good and faithful servant!” will far outweigh any loss or pain that I experience in this life. May this forever be my prayer!

a war and a wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 21:23:00 +0000

“The message of the Bible teaches us that life is a war and a wedding. Life is a war--a grand adventure in which God calls us to die daily. Life is a battleground--an epic quest to join God in the ultimate defeat of his archenemy--Satan. Life is a wedding--a passionate romance in which Christ calls us to love intimately. Life is a battle for our love--the ageless question of who captures our heart--Christ or Satan.”

R. Kellemen, Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, 15.

I read this quote earlier today and I couldn’t help but pause and meditate on this truth. I think over the past few months, I have definitely experienced the spectrum between war and love. I always had the desire to love, but I never realized how hard the battle would actually be. Furthermore, I tried to fight in my own strength which is futile. This is the epitome of pride. Instead of dying in order to live, I decided to wage my own battle and ran headlong into a wall of grief and tragedy. Like a loving Father, God eventually had to intervene and say ‘enough is enough.’ I cannot and I will not bless sin. You are attempting to live life in the flesh and this is producing nothing but grief, strife, and eventually death. So, the chastening begins. Like any soldier, we must go through training and discipline before we are fit to engage in battle. If we enter into this war called life in our own strength, we are bound to fail miserably.

One passage that has really spoken to me of late is Hebrews 12:5-12. It says:

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Although I didn’t realize it at first, I can pretty safely say that I have experienced an intense season of disciplining from my Father. I’m honest enough to say that it is not a fun-filled experience and probably one of the harder things I’ve ever faced in life. But, in the grand scheme of things, I know that it is for my good. This was in His plan to make me stop and realize some things that I had not dealt with. You see, sin does not merely effect you, but it has both a vertical and a horizontal dimension. It is always first and foremost an insult against God and His holiness and secondly there is always a ripple effect. If we are His children, God will not allow us to continually insult His holiness or hurt those around us that He has placed within our lives to love and care for. He is much more concerned about our holiness than our happiness. Many times the only way we can experience true joy, love, and holiness is if we are first made aware of the depth of our sin and flesh and how much Christ has done for us. We must first lose all faith in ourselves before we can place all of our faith in Christ. If we do not respond to the positive teaching through the Word, then God has no choice but to discipline us and train us to engage the battle through His strength not our own. Life is a war.

But life is also a wedding. I remember a time when I desired nothing less than to be a man of character and represent Christ to all whom I encounter. I prayed fervently that He would give me the opportunity to share His love through a relationship that would hopefully end in marriage. The opportunity has since come and gone, and somewhere along the way, I took my eyes off of Christ and placed them on myself. And when you take your eyes of Christ, you no longer have the ability to truly love others. You stop sacrificing and begin to serve yourself. The results are tragic. I relied on my own strength and like any idol, at some point it must all come crashing down. I really wish things would have worked out, but I know that God in His purposes had other plans. I think I now know that there is never love without death and there is never peace without fighting for it. Although the pain of past regrets and failures are still very real, I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I’m beginning to gain back that passion and fire of becoming a man of character. I’m finding the joy of redemption and forgiveness in Christ. I long to become a man who exhibits the characteristics of a Kingdom citizen as taught in the Sermon on the Mount. I desire to produce the fruit of the Spirit that leads to life and peace rather than the fruits of the flesh that lead to death. All of this is a battle, but the war must be waged. If we are going to experience the passionate romance that Christ has called us to live out with our bride, we must first experience with Him.

O God, may you give me the grace to fight so that I may love!

i thank God

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:01:00 +0000

I thank God for the pain, it let’s me know I’m alive. I thank God for the wounds, it’s only then that He can heal. I thank God for the trials, that He sees fit to refine me. I thank God for the loneliness, therefore I can have sweet fellowship with Him. I thank God for uprooting me, for I know now that my plans are not my own. I thank God for the chastening, for He disciplines His children He calls His own. I thank God for pressing me, for only then can the corruption ooze out of me. I thank God for the tears, now I know that I can feel. I thank God for knowing her, but now I know how it feels to lose the only one I've ever loved. So long friend, may God use you mightily for His Kingdom!

spectacular repentance

noreply@blogger.com (Michael) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:01:00 +0000

Manasseh. Many know this king of Judah to be the most wicked in Israel’s history. In fact, it is recorded that he “has done more evil than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has made Judah also to sin with his idols.” (1 Ki 21.11) For starters, after his father Hezekiah died, he began a reform of that can only be described as malicious, violent, bloody, and abominable. He rebuilt all the sacred high places that his father had destroyed and erected altars for Baal and Asherah. The worship of these idols included such acts as ritual prostitution in order to arouse the god so that he may ejaculate his seed in the form of rain on the earth. Furthermore, it is recorded that he offered his own sons in child sacrifices. He continued in this tirade by setting up altars for all the host of heaven in the temple of Yahweh. Frequently, he consulted mediums and necromancers, dabbling in all sorts of wicked practices. Tradition holds that it was Manasseh who was responsible for sawing the prophet Isaiah in half. It is recorded that “Yahweh spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they paid no attention.” (2 Ch 33.10) There can not be a more dark, bleak, evil description of the nation than what has just been described. We are talking apostasy on a national scale that is manifesting itself in egregious sins that most would find nothing less than nauseating. A picture of the human heart when sin is allowed to show what it is truly capable when it goes unchecked. Depravity on full display. And yet....

I have to admit that I never knew this because I have typically skipped reading Chronicles to my loss. I learned a valuable lesson on why it is important to read through the entirety of Scripture. If you only read the account of Manasseh in Kings, you will miss out on quite possibly one of the most spectacular accounts of repentance and forgiveness recorded in Scripture. It is recorded in 2 Chronicles 33 that as a result of this apostasy that God brought the Assyrians to capture Manasseh. They would end up taking him away with hooks and chains to Babylon. “And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of Yahweh his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers. He prayed to him, AND GOD WAS MOVED BY HIS ENTREATY and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that Yahweh was God.” (2 Ch 33.12-13) I was speechless. I never knew this. I couldn’t believe what I had just read. This man who had done more wickedness and evil; who had killed his own sons in brutal, vulgar sacrifice; had killed the prophet Isaiah; who set up idols in the very Temple of God; he repented. And what’s more, God forgave him!

This is a beautiful account of God’s mercy and grace. You see, Manasseh is really a paradigm of the human heart apart from God in all its fury. We are all capable of such sin and in fact Christ teaches in the sermon on the mount that if we are angry with our brother, then we have committed murder in our hearts. Don’t think for one minute that our sin is not that bad. This is a very accurate picture of the depth of sin and what it is capable of. This is really a beautiful account of the Gospel! The Good News! We are all in need of deliverance from this disease called sin. Like Manasseh, we must humble ourselves before God and acknowledge our true state. It is only by the person and work of Christ that we have forgiveness!

I couldn’t help but think of how many kings started out well, but finished apostate. And yet, hidden away in the back of Chronicles is this beautiful, spectacular account of a wicked man that is forgiven by a gracious, merciful God. Truly remarkable!