I have been greatly affected recently by listening to the Sanctus Real song "Lead Me", and not just listening, but hearing the words of it. As I hear to the lyrics I understand more of what it is to lead my family as God has asked me to do. As husband to my wife and father to my daughter it is my responsibility to lead them in their walk with God. I am to show them God's love and forsake the things that would prevent me from doing so. One particular verse of this song that I like is when he is praying to God and says, "Don't want to leave them, hungry for love, chasing things, that I should give up." A lot of what God has been teaching me lately has to deal with giving things up so that I can better glorify Him and serve Him better. What better way for me to serve God than to lead my wife and daughter to Him for His glory?
To lead, as the song tells, requires us first to be strong. As men of God we understand that our own strength often fails us. The only strength that we can rely on is the strength of God. To be able to stand against all trials and to lead with strength requires the Lord. We must grow in our understanding of God and to increase our faith of Him to have the strength to endure and the wisdom to lead. The next part of the song teaches us that we need to lead with love. As God tells us in Ephesians5:25 we are to love our wives as Christ loves the church. This means we cannot lead them in a way that doesn't contain love, we need to be humble in correcting them and make sure that above all else that they feel love in all the ways that we lead. We also need to make sure that nothing keeps us from leading them. If we lust for things of this world our love will go towards these things and not towards our family. If this happens it can be devastating for a family, I am reminded of the movie Fireproof where the main character is so obsessed with the boat that he wants that he neglects the relationship with his wife. This leads him in other directions as well, the more you desire something else the farther you walk from your family and also from God. You see, with our family as our focus we then desire God more. As a Christian I am unable to properly love without God, I need His love to love others. The more I desire to love my family and to show them how much I love them the more I desire God and His love so that my love may be more genuine. For God displayed the greatest of all love for us through His Son, who laid down His life for us, His entire life, that we would not suffer for our iniquities but instead be restored unto God and have the great promise of eternal life with Him. This is our example, and what does it cost us to lay aside all that we desire when we think upon what He did for us in order that we may better love as He has called us to do?
Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
God's Plan
His saving work be done,
So God sent man His Son.
Faithful in all His walk,
Never with slanderous talk,
That He would perfect be,
To set the sinner free.
Washed by the blood of Christ,
For through His sacrifice,
The sinner is made clean,
And shows the savior's sheen.
So let us live today,
Remembering His way.
To Him we give our all,
And heed to His great call,
To save all those we can,
By showing them this Man.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Our Everything
In 2Corinthians1:20 it says that all of God's promises find their Yes in Jesus Christ. It is in Him, the Son of God that all of God's promises are made to be true for us as believers. It is in this reality that we can find our comfort, for our lives are unsure and our way is with many struggles, but Jesus walked the way for us and so in this knowledge we have a great assurance of the many promises of God. The richest treasures in the world can not compare to this understanding, to know that we have an unbreakable promise from God for our eternal life. So great is this promise that all other things in life dim in comparison. Why do we need the things of this world when we think of all that we have in Christ? He is our everything.
It is this knowledge that can make it easier for us to commit all to God for the sake of the gospel. There is nothing for us to lose when we already have all that is promised to us. We can commit all that we have in this world to further the gospel and know that we will not be wanting because we already have it all. If God asks of us to give some thing in this world, we should be willing to give it. If there is something getting in the way of our work for Him then we can give it up because we know that there is much greater for us that will come when the Lord returns.
Oh, thank you Lord for this knowledge, this gift from your word! To know that we have all your promises through Christ who has purchased us with His blood. What a comfort for us to know that it isn't our work that brings us Your promises but Christ's work, so that we are not lacking to receive from You the wonderful goodness of your promises. Lord, help us to grow in this, to take it to heart, to commit all to you for it is worth nothing compared to what you have already given us. Lord, even in our trials when the world says we should despair bring us comfort in the wonderful knowledge of Christ's work on our behalf.
It is this knowledge that can make it easier for us to commit all to God for the sake of the gospel. There is nothing for us to lose when we already have all that is promised to us. We can commit all that we have in this world to further the gospel and know that we will not be wanting because we already have it all. If God asks of us to give some thing in this world, we should be willing to give it. If there is something getting in the way of our work for Him then we can give it up because we know that there is much greater for us that will come when the Lord returns.
Oh, thank you Lord for this knowledge, this gift from your word! To know that we have all your promises through Christ who has purchased us with His blood. What a comfort for us to know that it isn't our work that brings us Your promises but Christ's work, so that we are not lacking to receive from You the wonderful goodness of your promises. Lord, help us to grow in this, to take it to heart, to commit all to you for it is worth nothing compared to what you have already given us. Lord, even in our trials when the world says we should despair bring us comfort in the wonderful knowledge of Christ's work on our behalf.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Stoking the Fire
Don't you just love those moments when someone or something inspires you in such a way that your fires are stoked and you are anxious to do the thing you've been inspired to do? I know I love those moments. They are few and far apart, however this last Sunday we were given a sermon that stoked my fires in a way I don't think they've ever been. My heart still yearns greatly for what I've been inspired to do. But, before we get to what I desire to do, let us first discuss just what it was that I heard that created such a strong passion in me.
The sermon was about the cost of following Jesus. I have to say, this was a very well done sermon and our pastor should be commended for the way he presented it. The verses he used for this message were primarily Mark8:31-9:1. The way the message started was in revealing that for us to be able to follow Jesus it cost Him something. He had to suffer and die for us. I'm sure as Christians we've all heard that, but let us think a little deeper into this. You see, Jesus had a passion for this, He was going to do this regardless of all the resistance that was put against it. Jesus was well aware of what was in store and said it plainly, He talked of suffering and dying and rising again. What is the most amazing thing about this is that He knew what was coming and yet he was still passionate about doing it! This made me realize just how much He did for us. I don't think anyone could have gone through with it and fought those who opposed it as He did if they knew what exactly was coming. The sermon then continued on to tell us that there is a cost for us to follow Christ. He related to us what it could look like to follow Christ, the things of this world that we might be called to give up for the sake of the Gospel. These things built up in me, I realized that there were things in my life that were interfering with my service to God. That's where the conviction came and where my joy and passion set in.
I love playing games, specifically online games. The only problem with them is that I think about them, in fact, I would think about them so much that even when I should have been deep in the study of the Gospel I was thinking about what I wanted to do on the games when I finished my study. This thing that I was so passionate about was destroying my passion for God, my fires did not burn for Him that saved me because I was being distracted by a worthless thing in this life! What does this mean? It means I was storing up treasures for myself here, getting my instant, worldly gratification and neglecting my future. God tells us to store up our treasures in Heaven, where they are permanent, and here I was leaving my treasures here, where they would perish with the rest of the world. So these things stirred up the fire for God, it burned hot, so hot that it consumed the other fires in my heart. Now, even almost a week later these fires are burning, maybe I do not feel them as I did right after the sermon, but they still burn. I desire more than anything now to be willing to give up all for God and to do the work that He has for me, to bring Him glory and honor and to praise Him for all that He has done! My hope is that this fire burns ever hotter and that with each thing that God reveals to me or calls me to do that it is only further fueled and He will gain all the glory from it! Oh, what a great and wonderful God who stirs up the weak to do His will! I pray He stirs up all of us, that we may all do His work with as much passion as Jesus had to do the work upon the cross.
The sermon was about the cost of following Jesus. I have to say, this was a very well done sermon and our pastor should be commended for the way he presented it. The verses he used for this message were primarily Mark8:31-9:1. The way the message started was in revealing that for us to be able to follow Jesus it cost Him something. He had to suffer and die for us. I'm sure as Christians we've all heard that, but let us think a little deeper into this. You see, Jesus had a passion for this, He was going to do this regardless of all the resistance that was put against it. Jesus was well aware of what was in store and said it plainly, He talked of suffering and dying and rising again. What is the most amazing thing about this is that He knew what was coming and yet he was still passionate about doing it! This made me realize just how much He did for us. I don't think anyone could have gone through with it and fought those who opposed it as He did if they knew what exactly was coming. The sermon then continued on to tell us that there is a cost for us to follow Christ. He related to us what it could look like to follow Christ, the things of this world that we might be called to give up for the sake of the Gospel. These things built up in me, I realized that there were things in my life that were interfering with my service to God. That's where the conviction came and where my joy and passion set in.
I love playing games, specifically online games. The only problem with them is that I think about them, in fact, I would think about them so much that even when I should have been deep in the study of the Gospel I was thinking about what I wanted to do on the games when I finished my study. This thing that I was so passionate about was destroying my passion for God, my fires did not burn for Him that saved me because I was being distracted by a worthless thing in this life! What does this mean? It means I was storing up treasures for myself here, getting my instant, worldly gratification and neglecting my future. God tells us to store up our treasures in Heaven, where they are permanent, and here I was leaving my treasures here, where they would perish with the rest of the world. So these things stirred up the fire for God, it burned hot, so hot that it consumed the other fires in my heart. Now, even almost a week later these fires are burning, maybe I do not feel them as I did right after the sermon, but they still burn. I desire more than anything now to be willing to give up all for God and to do the work that He has for me, to bring Him glory and honor and to praise Him for all that He has done! My hope is that this fire burns ever hotter and that with each thing that God reveals to me or calls me to do that it is only further fueled and He will gain all the glory from it! Oh, what a great and wonderful God who stirs up the weak to do His will! I pray He stirs up all of us, that we may all do His work with as much passion as Jesus had to do the work upon the cross.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Beauty and Creativity
God created us in such a way as to allow us to see the beauty in many things. For me, not only do I see the trees, flowers and creatures of this earth, their elegance, fragrance and interesting quirks, but I also get to delight in the thoughts that flow through my head about these things and other things that go unseen. God has given us many gifts and no two people are the same in how they were gifted. One of the gifts that God has graciously given me is in writing. I love weaving words together in such a way as to paint a tapestry for me and anyone else to read. There are a multitude of other things that people do that display beauty and creativity. Some people are gifted with speech, others with crafting or cooking, some with caring for others, and so many others with different types of gifts. All these things that we do, the little things, the great things, all of them are wonderful in their own way, and the thing that makes it all the more wonderful is that we don't just do these things, we get involved in them, it isn't just the thing we are doing, we are investing into the things that we are working on. We put forth love and care into our works, we appreciate them in a way that none but God will ever fully comprehend, though they might spend much time trying to.
You know, one of the best things ever created that holds the greatest beauty of all was in how God constructed and shaped a way for us to come to Him. He displays the entirety of His plan in the Gospel, by sending His Son to die for our sins that we may be forgiven and receive eternal life. This means that we will eventually be with God, forgiven by His grace, in perfect fellowship with Him in the new heaven and earth. Could you imagine seeing this beautiful world when it is perfect? No longer tainted or corrupted but as God intended it to be? What a thing to ponder and imagine! Oh, how I love the way that God created us, the complex ways in which we work, and the ability to look forward with wonder and amazement at something that none of us could possibly imagine! So for today, let us remember the Lord and all His good works and spend some time appreciating the beauty in all the things He has created, for nothing is that He did not first envision. Let us also remember that we too, are masterpieces of God's creativity and we are something of beauty to be appreciated.
You know, one of the best things ever created that holds the greatest beauty of all was in how God constructed and shaped a way for us to come to Him. He displays the entirety of His plan in the Gospel, by sending His Son to die for our sins that we may be forgiven and receive eternal life. This means that we will eventually be with God, forgiven by His grace, in perfect fellowship with Him in the new heaven and earth. Could you imagine seeing this beautiful world when it is perfect? No longer tainted or corrupted but as God intended it to be? What a thing to ponder and imagine! Oh, how I love the way that God created us, the complex ways in which we work, and the ability to look forward with wonder and amazement at something that none of us could possibly imagine! So for today, let us remember the Lord and all His good works and spend some time appreciating the beauty in all the things He has created, for nothing is that He did not first envision. Let us also remember that we too, are masterpieces of God's creativity and we are something of beauty to be appreciated.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Labor and Sin
Sometimes I find myself wishing that things just came my way, that life were easy and I did not have to strive for anything that I have. Most of the time this does not happen, I have to work for what I have and put forth some semblance of effort into everything. This reveals a few things. First, that my desire is for the perfect world that God first created. In the beginning we were given all that we needed, we needed to do nothing to have everything, however, this did not last, sin made sure of that. This brings me to the second thing this reveals, it was sin that made labor necessary for us. It wasn't until Genesis3 that the earth demanded labor to bear its fruits. It was when sin entered the world, when man first failed to have perfect obedience to God's commands, that labor as we know it began. The last thing it reveals is my own selfish desires, I do not desire to work and so I do not work as hard as I should. Yes, it is good that I desire God's perfect plan and it is also good that I recognize that the reason we must labor is because of sin, but it is not good that I do not work as hard as I should.
The Lord said that in whatever we do to do it as if we are doing it for Him. In remembering this then we need to think about how hard we work when it is something we desire. If you desire something enough you work very hard for it, you will push forward until the point of exhaustion and if it is important enough you push beyond that. To us, as believers, there is nothing more important than God and His saving grace. If then what we desire is fellowship with God and to please Him and He says to do everything as if He asked you to do it, then we need to desire this above all other things, to strive for it, to put forth the same effort in all things that we put into what we desire. For me, this gives me fresh conviction to strive harder to do better in all things I endevour in. I want to ensure that I am remembering this truth always, that I work for the Lord and not for man.
The Lord said that in whatever we do to do it as if we are doing it for Him. In remembering this then we need to think about how hard we work when it is something we desire. If you desire something enough you work very hard for it, you will push forward until the point of exhaustion and if it is important enough you push beyond that. To us, as believers, there is nothing more important than God and His saving grace. If then what we desire is fellowship with God and to please Him and He says to do everything as if He asked you to do it, then we need to desire this above all other things, to strive for it, to put forth the same effort in all things that we put into what we desire. For me, this gives me fresh conviction to strive harder to do better in all things I endevour in. I want to ensure that I am remembering this truth always, that I work for the Lord and not for man.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Asking and Receiving
As it says in the Bible, Matthew7:7-11, we should ask of God that we may receive from His hand. It seems so simple in its statement, and it is. We should ask God for all things. To pray daily to Him and ask that He provides us with our daily bread, our needed shelter, to do His will. Without Him we accomplish nothing and with Him we accomplish much. Though it may seem at times we toil and achieve alone it is in fact not that way. God is always with us, working His will among us. The thing that slows our success is by not turning to Him and recognizing His work in our daily lives. He is already there, helping us, why are we not turning to Him and asking specifically for the help He is already giving? Does not a crew build a house faster when they discuss what each one is doing instead of all of them just doing the part they think is next? Can you put a roof on a house without first constructing the walls? No! So why do we try to do the next thing without first communicating to the one helping us build? That sounds so simple, but for me, I struggle with something else, a fear, and I should fight the fear because it isn't meant to deter me from asking but to help me understand the desires of my heart.
The fear stems from James4:3. This passage says that I do not receive because I have asked wrongly. I fear being wrong. Which is funny, because I have been wrong enough to know it isn't the end of the world to be wrong. What I fight is my pride. I do not wish to ask wrongly, so I avoid asking for fear that my heart desires worldly things. I already know my heart has a tendancy to desire worldly things, so now I'm just making matters worse by never asking. God doesn't always give you what you desire or give in the way you desire it, but He gives you what is good. If I desire to gain a bit more financially and I ask I hardly ever receive that, but what does happen is God gives me what I need when I need it. So what I have learned is when I do receive something extra in our finances it is probably needed for something else that is about to come up. This in turn has been teaching me to care for the things that God has provided me. I don't do this perfectly, but I try my best and with God's help it is usually good enough to not mess up other things. So moving forward, my goal is to ask God for all things, because the worst that can happen is I don't get what I asked for, but receive something better that God has in mind for me.
The fear stems from James4:3. This passage says that I do not receive because I have asked wrongly. I fear being wrong. Which is funny, because I have been wrong enough to know it isn't the end of the world to be wrong. What I fight is my pride. I do not wish to ask wrongly, so I avoid asking for fear that my heart desires worldly things. I already know my heart has a tendancy to desire worldly things, so now I'm just making matters worse by never asking. God doesn't always give you what you desire or give in the way you desire it, but He gives you what is good. If I desire to gain a bit more financially and I ask I hardly ever receive that, but what does happen is God gives me what I need when I need it. So what I have learned is when I do receive something extra in our finances it is probably needed for something else that is about to come up. This in turn has been teaching me to care for the things that God has provided me. I don't do this perfectly, but I try my best and with God's help it is usually good enough to not mess up other things. So moving forward, my goal is to ask God for all things, because the worst that can happen is I don't get what I asked for, but receive something better that God has in mind for me.
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