Thinking of heaven

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Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (Revelation 21:1)

Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? Will it be something new and glorious? Yes, I am sure of that. This verse in Revelation says we will have a new earth. I am left wondering today why God would do that. He created the world once, a glorious and wonderful place. The first people he placed here on earth defied the relationship with him and moved into sin. He is leaving us here to work out our salvation so that all of us can come into relationship with him through the gift of his son’s death and the sacrifice that was paid for our sin.

Why would God’s view of heaven include creating a new earth and doing this over again? Will there be free choice again? Will we move in sin again? Even though those who are faithful to him will be those in heaven we still will have been people of sin from this earth. How will the new earth be different?

Too many questions…..no real answers. Sometimes we just have to believe and trust that God knows best!

Hearts set on serving

“Jesus “hit a beaches” with his people.  He did not recruit angels to be his leaders, but flesh-and-blood humans who would take this world as a theater in which to show forth his power.  He planned to build in the world through transformed sinners, so at his baptism he chose to be one with sinners and offer them forgiveness and sonship with the Father.  He wanted leaders who would lead from the experience of real-like testings, so he himself was tested.  He wanted men and women whose hearts would be set on serving God, so he came as a servant who trembled at God’s word.” (Transforming Leadership by Leighton Ford)

God does not build his world and lead us through perfect people, but through sinners that are transformed and forgiven. We all are still a work in progress. We all will face testings, trials, and deal with sin. We will at times fall mightily, and other times it will appear that no one even saw us stumble.

The important issues are not those struggles but where our heart is set and what we are devoted to. When you face struggles, where do you turn? Do you pick up the phone? Do you turn to food, alcohol, nicotine? Do you run to some type of earthly comfort or do you look for spiritual leadership? God wants people who come before him in awe, respect, submission, and incredibly deep love for him and his word. How are you doing on that journey today?

Restoring Theology Through Song

As I am stripping back my theology and trying to go back to the basics of what should be core to my beliefs. One of my struggles has been that I have put “me” too central in my beliefs and need to put God/Christ back in their right place. As I awoke today I gave my head/mind, spirit, soul, and heart to God again. The act of giving my mind to him made a huge difference. Since that time songs have been stirring in my heart. Songs that I was raised on that teach some core basic truths about God that I really need to make central to my life.

• Lord’s Prayer
• Rejoice in the Lord Always
• I Will Enter His Gates
• I Exalt Thee
• Lord You Are More Precious Than Silver
• Seek Ye First
• Love the Lord Your God With All Your Heart
• This is the Day That the Lord Has Made

What is stirring in your heart today? Is it about God? If not, why don’t you make an adjustment and lean your ear his way. He has something precious to share with you.

A Narrow Gate

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. but small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

Do you believe that the road to God and a saving faith is wide open to any who believe, or is it a narrow road?

My entire life I have believed that Christianity is open to all who believe. This week that belief has been changing, not away from the belief I have held, but into a deeper maturity about it. I am not saved because I believe, I am saved because I believe that Christ paid a price for my sin, stood in the gap for me, and because I willingly accept the gift he paid for my life. I have come to realize the distortion in my beliefs and as I have been throwing out all I believed and starting over I have realized that as my beliefs are distorted, so are so many others.

How do we find truth? How do we get right with God? How do we move away from our hard hearts, darkened thoughts, stiff-necked ways, and truly repent and return to our faithful God?

I don’t have those answers yet, but I am in search of them more than ever before. I believe the gate is small and the road is narrow but I want with all my heart to be one of those that finds the way, God’s way.

Understanding the gospel, part 2

“When our minds are conditioned by prejudice or paralyzed by traditional views, we may face a truth in scripture again and again without it ever touching us. Our spiritual inhibition concerning that truth permits us to see, but not to perceive. The truth lies dormant within, mentally apprehended but not spiritually applied.” (God’s Chosen Fast by Arthur Wallis)

A few weeks ago I posted about some things my pastor spoke into my life. It has taken some time to get a good understanding of what he was saying because it wasn’t explained with great detail, but that is coming and I am overwhelmed with grief over my sinful and vile ways. I can’t believe the darkness, and hard-hearted and stiff-necked ways I have been living regarding life and truth with the Lord. It wasn’t purposeful. I didn’t know I was living under untruth and sin, but that doesn’t change my responsibility. I have been living in sin!

I have chosen repentance to move away from my incorrect thinking. That may be a very hard path because I am choosing to cut off influence from family, friends, past thinking, learned behaviors, years of knowledge, etc. I will still relate to friends and family, but their influence on my thinking and faith will change from this day forward. Repentance means that I realize the sin in your life and that you long to get rid of it. That you take the steps necessary to turn your back on it in every shape and form. That you are willing to pay whever cost is necessary to change.

• I have grown up not understanding that Christ needs to be my Lord and what it means to submit to that.
• I have grown up believing I was saved by faith, not saved by Christ’s redemption and his amazing gift.
• I have grown up minimizing God’s greatness and not placing him as God in my life.
• I have grown up thinking I needed to serve God and work for my salvation, instead it is a gift and the  heart and gifts will flow from him. I don’t create them on my own power.
• I have grown up striving to live a life of purity, service, and right thinking when I could have lived a life focused on God and his goodness and so much of those other things would have naturally flowed out of me.
• I have grown up not understanding the role of the church, community, and pastors/elders.
• I have grown up thinking faith and life with Christ was simple and it isn’t…but my part in it is simple…surrender!

My life is being transformed through this which is just amazing. In years of being a Christian I have never felt this release and hope. I am still deeply grieved over my sin but for the first time I think I truly understand the gift God gave for me and how much he loves me. I think I am coming to truly understand the gospel and it is changing my life. Wow!!!

My friend….

My heart is so broken over the sin I walked in and the decisions I made.
My thinking was so wrong.
I acted on what I had been taught, but it was incorrect so I walked in sin.
I know I have hurt you and hurt God and for that I deserve the wrath and punishment of God.
I hope my repentance and restoration will one day allow me to walk in righteousness with him again.
I take full responsibility for all I did and how vile my actions were.
I truly am seeking to change and be a different person.
I trust you and care so much.
My feelings of friendship and gratitude for your loving discipline run so deep.
God calls us to love in all we do, and with grace to speak his truth.
I hope someday my repentance will set things right because I deeply desire for things to be restored to God’s plan.

The greatest hope of my life is that I will live worthy of the love and grace of God and giving him full glory for all he has done and for the miracles he works in my life.

Living in Rebellion

Do you ever think of yourself as living in rebellion? We do it. We do it more than we realize.

The other day I had the privilege to be present when my friend was doing a daily bible lesson with her children. She wanted each of the children to memorize (at least in short term memory) the verse that was the focus for the lesson. “Those whom I love I rebuke and disciple. So be earnest and repent.” Revelation 3:19.

Her younger son had such defeated thinking that he was convinced he could not memorize it, would not get rewarded, and was going to be disciplined. He physically shrunk back and turned away from his mother and God’s word even though she was treating him with encouragement, love, confidence, and patience.

As I sat watching him I realized how often that is my approach to God. I so fear that I am not going to be able to live up to his expectations and his standards that I actually turn away and make things worse. I allow myself to engage in defeated thinking and to actually believe that I will not reap the benefits of a loving, caring, and embracing Father.

Don’t shrink back from his rebuke, discipline, or even his care. He is a loving father and he deeply desires a relationship with you. Be earnest and pursue after him and maybe you won’t have to be disciplined or need to repent. As for me, I am off to repent again as I haven’t learned this lesson yet.

A place for people’s inquiring quests

“An unlearning church becomes an environment of trust. Unlearning churches create safe spaces where the Spirit can work through people’s inquiring quests for God. They welcome people who don’t give or have all the “right” answers. They invite people to ask honest questions without chastising folks for struggling with the answers.” (unLearning Church by Michael Slaughter)

Is your church a safe place of trust? Do you welcome people even when they don’t have the same beliefs you do? Do you invite people to struggle and search for answers, or do you expect them to be mature and faithful in their walk already?

If your church is not inviting and welcoming in those who still have questions, then who is? Our call is to make disciples. How are you responding to that call this week?

There are only 1% totally honest and sincere people in the world

I read this yesterday in an article posted on the AidWorkers Network, a free service set up to enable aid workers to share practical advice and resources with each other. Currently there are over 18,000 members.

“The research we carried out indicates that there are only 1% totally honest and sincere people in the world who strive to maintain truth and Justice. This article is to make them aware of the atrocities that prevent people from having peace and a message to awaken them to realize that it is their responsibility to increase the % of honest people in the world and make it a peaceful place.” (By Sunimal Alles of The TIDY Center (Talents Identification and Development for everYone) – September 3, 2007) http://www.aidworkers.net/?q=node/1076#attachments

Are you one of those 1%? I know I try to be (not that I always hit the mark). I run into people a lot that believe I have ulterior motives or underlying purposes because they are so conditioned to believe that with 99% of people living dishonest and insincere lives.

How would the church be different if all of us lived as totally honest and sincere people? Isn’t that what God calls us to do?!?

Learning about a God that is real

One of the sites I frequent is Devog -Daily Devotional Blog.

Today’s devotional struck my heart with the concept of how we communicate the gospel and our faith to others and how we need to reach people where they are at.

“We take all that God does for us for granted. We are spoiled acting like we have some sort of entitlement. So we reduce God’s message to telling everyone that they are going to Hell and need a Savior. But the truth is people are hurting, dying, incomplete and disillusioned. They would do anything to learn about a God that is real. Sure, we must share the saving message of the gospel, but if we are going to win a generation then they also need to know about all the great things God is doing.”

You can check out the entire entry at http://devog.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/god-of-wonders/

“Let’s begin to pay more attention to God at work around us and start to share with those we know, God’s glorious deeds, power and mighty wonders.” Remember we are in this for his glory, not ours.  It is all about him!

Obedience: A process of learning truth

“God will never reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you know already.” ~ Oswald Chambers

I have been reflecting lately on what I know about God, his character, and his ways, and what I still need to learn. Actually, more the fact that there are still things I do need to learn. Chambers quote above infers that we will learn piece by piece and can’t speed through the learning process since it builds on itself. In all the work I have done with others who are learning and growing along their faith journey I have found this to be true. We can try to force feed them information, but until what they are already chewing on is put into action in their lives they don’t have room for the next bite.

The quote refers to our process of maturing and learning about God’s truth. We can’t know it all at once. We have to learn it bit by bit. If that is true, then you may be at a different place on that journey than I am on, but as long as we are still on the journey we need to give each other grace, be patient, and treat our brothers and sisters with love and encouragement. We may stumble and fall, and some steps may take us longer to obey, but we will all get there as we look at this as a journey together.

Why can’t we follow Jesus without changing who we are?

I recently read something like this in a book. I sat awed, dumbstruck, and confused. My initial response was that we couldn’t be unchanged and I was shocked at the ludicrous question, and then I thought further about the way many people live.

Recently someone has looked outward at my life and has said I am living unchanged. I don’t fully understand why that statement was made, but I have spent a lot of time looking deeply into my life and reflecting on how my life has changed over the last 24 years, what hasn’t changed, and what I want it to look like.

There is a big Christian word called sanctification which basically refers to the process of becoming more like Christ. “One of the highest compliments that can be paid to someone in India, even to a Hindu, is to say, “That is a Christlike person.” (Transforming Leadership by Leighton Ford) The reverse is likely also true, or should be true for those of us who are believers, if we are told that we are not a Christlike person it should be the greatest insult we could receive. It should stop us in our tracks and cause us to take a serious look at our life.

A few years ago I led a youth retreat called “Proof of Life”. It was named after the movie, but the content was about how our lives should reflect the proof of God in them. Everything I do, every thought, motive, belief, action, word, etc. that is in my being should be reflection of God at work in my life. When the solicitor calls, when the children are wild, when you get pulled over for speeding, when your friend calls with a joy in their life….each time our response in thought, word, and deed is a reflection of our core beliefs.

If someone looked at your life what would they see? Would they compliment you and tell you that you were Christlike? Would they only be able to say it about certain areas of your life? What will be your wake-up call to make you look closer at all you do and say so that you become a better witness for Christ?

Renewing our minds

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2)

Last November I went to my pastor and told him that I had been a part of churches, campus fellowships, mission teams, bible studies, etc. that had taught me a lot about the Bible, but what I had failed to learn was how to really live as a Christian. I was hungry and thirsty to learn about how to apply all I knew and all I was learning. Although I have attended church all my life the church I have been attending is Oregon has really good biblical teaching and I didn’t know how to absorb all of it.

Unfortunately the new church plant didn’t have resources to assist me in this, and the pastor doesn’t have the time (nor do I believe it is his gifting) to disciple everyone regularly. So, for months I have tried to meet that need in my life, but my hunger and thirst were taking a drain on me as they were going unmet. Well, that all changed last week as I started receiving biblical discipleship from a woman in another church. What a huge blessing! We have spent several hours together now and I feel like a sponge absorbing all she is presenting to me. It is right there in the bible, but she is pulling it together and teaching me how to apply those truths so they are making a difference in my life.

Romans tells us to renew our minds. That happens by not conforming to the world, but we can’t just stop conforming on our own power, we have to replace our old thoughts, motives, attitudes, and beliefs with a scriptural answer. It is God’s word that will transform our minds and as our minds are transformed it will completely transform our behavior. I am so excited to see that happen!

If you don’t have discipleship in your life keep looking for it. It is so important and helps so much. Even if it is only an occasional meeting it can reap big benefits in your life. Blessings to you on this journey.

Learning to pray differently

God has me at a place right now where I am learning deeply. Yesterday as I began to pray I found myself stilled and I couldn’t speak because the prayer I was about to say was about something going on in my life. I was about to pray about me, God showed me that it isn’t about me but about him.

I am learning that prayer is about God, seeing him glorified, and seeing his will be done. Prayer is about releasing his power to do work to bring him glory. So often I get caught up in my circumstances, but Romans says that all things work for the good of those who believe. If I believe that (which I do) then my circumstances are not what is important, but God’s plan and his glory is the goal.

God is changing me, refining me, turning my heart. I want to be a strong person but I want to be strong in Godly character and not strong willed. I am learning how to not only have a mind that wants to submit to God, but a heart and life that act on that thought. God is so amazingly good! He changes us even when we don’t realize it is happening.

God, continue to teach me to pray not for my circumstances, but for your glory. Teach me to submit my mind, heart, soul, strength…my all to you. Make me into the person of character you want me to be!

Peter: a life transformed

In John 18:1-27 we can read the story of Jesus being arrested and crucified. Often we focus on all that Jesus experienced and gave up during these passages, but have you ever really taken a look at Peter?

When Peter pulls out the sword in front of all the Roman soldiers he takes a dangerous action. This was consistent with his character of being bold, impulsive, courageous, and having amazing moments of faith. However in verse 17 Peter’s character changes and he denies Christ. Something radically changed in the heart and mid of Peter after the garden. Instead of being bold, impulsive, courageous, and faithful he is shaken, uncertain, and actually denies Christ.

We have to turn to another book for some other information. In Luke 22:31-32 we find Jesus saying,  “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked me to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Christ knew what would happen to Peter and was predicting a transformation was about to occur. He told Peter that he would turn back after being shifted, and then encouraged him to use what happens to strengthen others.

Similar to Peter Jesus loves you enough that he will allow you to come into situations that are beyond yourself, beyond your knowledge and abilities so you will stop, surrender, and give up your own strength and power. Christ was bringing Peter to the end of his will so he would surrender it. Peter was likely saying “I don’t know any other way to follow and be a Christian”. The breakthrough moment for Peter’s change was when he dropped his boldness and his will and ultimately learned how to do it Christ’s way. When Peter comes to that moment of brokenness Christ begins to rebuild him and make him into the man he will be.  When he came to the end of himself he was able to see Jesus in new ways and be transformed.

Have you ever been taken to a place where God is bringing you to that place of brokenness? Have you let go of your will and your way and surrendered to Christ? Have you come to a point of seeing Jesus in new ways and being transformed? Is so, what does your changed life look like?

A question of purpose

I am sitting at a coffee shop reading and thinking this morning. A student seated next to me asked me for assistance on a paper a few minutes ago, she needed a word or thought to get started on a paper. The thought I gave her was PURPOSE.

What is your purpose? What are you living for today? What purpose shapes your life?

Whatever your purpose is it is shaping how you view life and others. It is leading you in how you relate to others, conduct your work, care for your body, achieve goals in life, and how you view God. Does you purpose relate to God?

God woke you up today and gave you another day of life. He choose to leave you here on this earth for another day. What are you doing with it? Will you live today for him? For others? Or will your decisions, actions, time, and resources be only about you? Last night I went to a local social service agency and gave of my time to help others. When I got home I saw an online post from someone else who talked about hanging out with friends, eating, and watching kids play. He said, how could life be better…..my thought, it could be about more than just us. I hope his purpose was to be actively and intimately involved in people’s lives, and not to just hang out. What is your purpose for today?

(She just asked me for another word…..this time I gave her JOY. Where are you finding joy today? Is it earthly joy, or the joy of the Lord?…….I love conversations like this with people!)

Personal faith trainer (AKA discipleship)

 

“Faith is hard work. One of the negatives of the modern church is that it has taught an easy believe-ism. We are saved by faith, not by belief, in the church today, many people think they’re saved by right beliefs. Faith is different from belief. I believe a lot of things that don’t impact my day-to-day living. I believe in exercise. I have no doubt that people live longer and are healthier if they exercise. Many of us believe in exercise, but believing is not the same as doing. I need a personal trainer to turn my belief into faith.” (unLearning Church by Michael Slaughter, p105)

“Through encouragement, demonstration, and faith a personal trainer promotes personal discipline for the purpose of achieving desired results. Spiritual leaders are in the business of faith development. Their purpose is to provoke personal discipline to achieve God’s desired results. I’m a teacher to the overall church, but a personal trainer is someone able, as the name implies, to personalize training for each of the needs in an individual’s life, often in the context of a group of about ten.” (unLearning Church by Michael Slaughter, p100)

I too need a personal trainer to turn my belief into faith. Belief in God is not enough, I must have faith. It starts with belief, but it involves more. Faith involves knowledge, a fear of God, a submitted will, and a teachable spirit. It involves living a life of discipline. Our churches are full of ministry leaders, Sunday School teachers, and vision casters, but how would our church look different if we were filled with personal faith trainers that were lifting others up and guiding them to live a life for God? I think it is time for a different model in our churches or we will continue to be mixed up, misguided, unfaithful, lukewarm people. It is time for a change, and I want to be a part of it!

Understanding the gospel

I had a life changing event occur this week. My pastor told me that I do not understand the gospel of Christ and I am not living it. Considering I have called myself a Christian for 24 years I was completely knocked back and didn’t understand. I think I now do, and unfortunately I think my pastor was right.

Although I was raised in the church and a Christian home they were not strong in their Biblical teachings. I was told the good news of the gospel is that God sent his son to save us from our sin because our sin separates us from God. That is amazing news! The problem is we stop there and the Bible tells us more. It tells us that if we believe in him and submit to him we will have a life that is transformed so our old self dies and we become new. I will be different than before. Now that is good news!

I thought I understood that before, but I am realizing I only knew it with my head, not my heart. Today I don’t know if I am a Christian, and I stand here in brokenness. I can tell you that at church yesterday I stood before God and either rededicated or committed my life, and it is my heart’s desire to be a believer and to live in that every day. I have lived a life that has not been transformed by my faith in God. I have lived in fear, selfishness, lack of faith, condemnation, and not understanding my identity before God. I have continued to live as a sinner who has a Savior she can call on instead of as someone who has been saved. I have not submitted my life to God so he can make it new. For all of this I am sorry!

I repent of these sins. I repent of living a life for me and not being a part of God’s family. I repent of not trusting God’s leaders and allowing his word to change me and lead me in a new life. Today, I commit myself a new to God, and I do that publicly, proclaiming to the world that I desire to live as a daughter of the king! I choose a life that is new, a life that is transformed! I choose to believe in his word and I cry out to God to help me in my unbelief. I hope I will find other believers to connect with who can help point me in the right direction so I will walk with God faithfully, righteously, and in holiness from this day forward.

Lord, I am sorry for the incredibly poor example, witness, and daughter I have been for you. I have damaged your kingdom by being lukewarm and by not believing you and allowing you into my life. I don’t want to be one of the unfaithful and ungodly people on this earth. Please allow me into your family and forgive me for my sin. I desire to walk this life with you, to be a new creation, and to live every moment in such a way that you are glorified and magnified to this world. I love you so deeply and today I give you all I know how to give. Help me learn today how to give you even more tomorrow so my life is growing deeper with you.