pride in believing

This past Sunday, the message centered on Revelation 21. The message emphasized how it is the redemptive Christ that comes to us, not us to Him. We see this in the context of the new earth to be, "I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." (Rev 21:2)

I've been reflecting on that a bit. That's exactly how Christ works. It is His initiative that brings reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:11-21), not the other way around. Yet, so often, it's hard for us to accept this incredible gift. I get caught in a "must earn" mentality.

Christ freely left Glory, on His initiative, with us in mind to save. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't earn or know how to earn salvation. I still struggle with the concept of even accepting such an incredible offering, it's contrary to my conditioning here in this world, yet Christ compels us to, and it is my pride that keeps me from acknowledging His incredible gift.

Lord, help me let go of my earning power, let me latch on to the gift of Your salvation, that you so lovingly offered.

Isaiah 5 - meant for USA?

Reading Isaiah 5, I don't think it's coincidental how many of these things would apply to our country today.

It's a picture of a choice planted vineyard - God has given His church every great advantage, especially in offering His son Jesus so that the church, God's people, may be redeemed and saved.

Yet...

"woe to those who rise early in the morning to run after their drinks, who stay up late at night till they are inflamed with wine. They have harps and lyres at their banquets, tambourines and flutes and wine, but they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of his hands." (5:11-12)

How often do we invest our time in personal entertainment and pleasure rather than focusing our attention on the deeds of the Lord?

"woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, "Let God hurry, let him hasten his work so we may see it. Let it approach, let the plan of the Holy One of Israel come, so we may know it." (5:18-19)

How often do we mellow in casual sin, that we don't think is that bad, while on the other hand we are impatient at seeing God's kingdom worked out here on earth, and want to see it happen on our own terms?

"woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight" (5:21)

Why do we always know everything and so often lack the humbleness to listen?

I like verse 5:25 quite a bit:
"Therefore the Lord's anger burns against His people; His hand is raised and he strikes them down. The mountains shake, and the dead bodies are like refuse in the streets. Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised."

I like it that God's perseverance and love for His people is greater than our stubborness and refusal to seek His way. No matter how much we are obstinate and fight to make life our way and our own terms, God stands strong throughout the test of time, drawing hearts to Him one way or another.

Being happy

I here often in America, the phrase "I just want you to be happy." Or "I just want so and so to be happy." My mom says that to me often, as if she is stating that as the end goal for my life.

Happiness is not a bad thing, but I think the Bible teaches us that happiness isn't the end goal. Just "being happy" is a near impossibility in my mind, as we live in a disastrously fallen and broken world. I don't think we'll truly be happy until we are redeemed in the New Heavenly City, experiencing our joy and life directly from Christ.

That is where happiness comes from, real happiness I think. But that doesn't mean happiness in this life like our culture imagines. Jesus was tortured, He sacrificed the ultimate...the things Jesus did, people in our culture would not deem them as happiness-inducing actions.

Psalm 68:1-6 states:
May God arise, may his enemies be scattered;
may his foes flee before him.

As smoke is blown away by the wind,
may you blow them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
may the wicked perish before God.

But may the righteous be glad
and rejoice before God;
may they be happy and joyful.

Sing to God, sing praise to his name,
extol him who rides on the clouds —
his name is the LORD—
and rejoice before him.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows,
is God in his holy dwelling.

God sets the lonely in families,
he leads forth the prisoners with singing;
but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.

and then Psalm 68:19 states:

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.

I think it's key to remember that our happiness comes as a result of our righteousness being found in Christ. Like Psalm 68:3 states.

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful."

Being found in Christ is not necessarily going to bring us the good and comfortable things of our culture that we may think might bring us happiness.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30

May we find all our happiness locked up in the redemption we find in Christ. For it is through Him, by Him, and for Him that we live and have any of our being.

my selfishness leads to fear

I was reading in Hebrews 11, and going through it, it's a great testimony to fathers of the faith that have come before us. Many of these individuals trusted and lived by faith. They did not necessarily see or receive their reward, or get to interact with Jesus, but they trusted in Him as the Hope to come. These men and women knew they were not in a country of their own,

"Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:16)

The trust in the promise was enough for them to not fear losing their earthly life. That is encouragement to me!

To be able to have faith and trust like these men and women who provided great examples..."Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." (Isaiah 64:4)

"who acts on behalf of those who wait for him..."

I often want purpose and meaning in my work and what I set out in life to do. To worry about that not happening is fear.

But that's just it. I'm being selfish with this. I want my purpose and meaning accomplished. Rather than God's kingdom come, and His glory to be revealed to all nations. For that to happen, I need to wait on Him better, and know that my purpose is found in trusting in the Lord's ways, His timing, and not my own.

marriage - a step of faith

So I'm gonna get married!!

Let me first say, AWESOME!

Let me also say, in the context of life and life decisions, it's a commitment that both Aly and I would say involves a big step of faith. Neither one of us knows what the future holds or what it will look like. Big decisions like this have come before...choosing where to attend college, choosing to move to Nashville, choosing to move overseas...

At each front door of decisions in the past, we had no idea what was really inside. However, looking back on the things grace has done, we can see that God was clearly in it all the way, even when we lacked trust, thought we knew the way better, or tried to let our comfort rest in the things and security this world offers.

This decision to get married is a testimony to the faithfulness and goodness of God. We want nothing more than for His glory to be shared, to be revealed more...He is the name above all names, He deserves every bit and ALL of our worship. Jesus loved us first, and we can only love or be in love because of Christ.

It will be an adventure led by God. With that in mind, and trusting fully in His providence and sovereignty, we can worry less about our comfort here on earth and enjoy the ride to come. I'm not going to try and be Mr. "Big I know it all and have this marriage thing figured out." Quite the contrary. I have much to learn but I eagerly want to see the fun and joy, the struggles and pain, the future holds as we submit our lives to living out the Gospel for the purpose of His Kingdom come!!!

where the criticism really should be

"Your rulers are rebels, companions of thieves; they all love bribes and chase after gifts. They do not defend the cause of the fatherless; the widow's case does not come before them." Isaiah 1:23

In spite of our political state maybe looking more and more like this, I spend too much time being critical of the government and its ways. Yes I think it's inefficient and wastes a great deal of resources for the wrong reasons...but I'm forgetting the larger picture that God is in control. Always.

"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good and please God our Savior...." 1 Timothy 2:1-3a

I complain. I don't pray. I don't act on my own. This is a problem.

One of my favorite movies of all time is Shawshank Redemption. There's a famous line that Morgan Freeman says so well in his Morgan Freeman voice: "Get busy living, or get busy dying."

I could spend a lifetime and find endless channels to criticize this or that regarding government, or I could decide to use my time in trying to set up a parallel government. A government of righteousness and peace, bringing God's Holy City to earth.

Christ's government is characterized by love, mercy, justice hope, faith...not whiners and complainers.

The real complaint lies with the attitude of my heart, not big uncle Sam.

what God thinks and feels

I'll speak for me first. I am often most wrapped up in myself. My desires, my thoughts, my wants, my needs. They come first.

I think we as a community do that as well, even as a worshipping universal church. Part of our fallen nature pridefully put us first. We deem the fruit on the tree appropriate to eat, although God had restricted it for our good. We think we know better.

My point is, do we genuinely think about what God feels or how He might react to things we set out to do or thoughts we might have, before WE act? A great deal of theology, studying God's economy, is even seen through a dedicated bias towards understanding God's relationship to man. Understanding God as He fits into the human experience and history.

May I offer that this is completely backwards, yet we continue to live in this predominant, mainstream thinking. The better question might be: how does man, by grace, fit into the desires of God's heart and movement to bring the Kingdom here to earth?

After all, it is God's story. God's creation. God's universe. By grace He's invited us to take part. By His mercy He gave us breath to participate. By love He saved us when we took for granted His gift.

We're still like society pre-Copernicus. The earth is still the center of the universe. God fits into our experience when it's convenient and appropriate.

If you don't think so, I would challenge that doesn't our society, and members within the church, wouldn't it look radically different in so many lives and actions, if we truly believed God first on a deep level?

Psalm 22:3 declares: "Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." (NLV)

Now God doesn't need our praises to survive, but I do think they affect Him. When we choose to withhold our praises by our stupid selfish actions, I think the Lord gets more uncomfortable sitting in His chair.

We know the end story. Revelation 5:6 promises: "Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth."

The text specifically describes location. "standing in the center of the throne..." Christ, at the end, and as He should always be, is the center of attention.

Do we think about what God thinks and feels before we take action? Do we consider His purposes?