After I posted my last blog, I had the opportunity to go to Atlanta and volunteer at Celebrate Freedom. I have attended this annual event for the last four years and I enjoy getting to meet new people and sing songs of praise to God while fellowshipping with other believers. I know God will show up and talk to me there. This year was no different, I was unsure about which blog I was going to rewrite and repost next; so I prayed God, " you lead me." And true to form God showed up!
Not only were the musicians (ranging from Jamie Grace to one of my faves Jars Of Clay) amazing live. I had an opportunity to serve my brothers and sisters. God even allowed me to “bless" one with a simple frozen treat from the Varsity. Less than an hour later the band Switchfoot's lead singer Jon Foreman took the stage and shared, "We just got back from touring in South Africa. One thing I noticed was, we are all broken people."
As a single, one of the most common feelings is that of loneliness and feeling incomplete; sort of like something is broken or perhaps just missing. The obvious course of action most singles take is to go looking for love. Which, when you think about it is pretty crazy. I mean, if we are all broken people then bringing another broken person into my life wouldn't make it easier but harder, right? This is where a lot of young marriages hit a brick wall; they expect perfection from a union of two imperfect people. It takes time to sort through all of the baggage and junk in each other's lives. LIFE as one isn't always a bed of roses; it's not such a simple life is it? Remember love is making a way.
I will never forget Ithan Moskowitz message at the Promise Keepers conference in Atlanta, Georgia in 2003. He explained, "Marriage is a lifetime commitment. It's not supposed to work the first two years.....come to me after 50 years and tell me it doesn't work. Marriage is a divine institution, its two people becoming a Siamese twin. There is no going back." Jesus explained, "Two are made one. And no man can separate them (Matthew 19:6, Mark 10:9)." This is why we say, "Until death do us part." That's when God separates them. God can do what we cannot, He is a strong God. Our God is amazing, isn't He?
‘This is why I have a hard time understanding and accepting Christians saying, "If your marriage doesn't get better, then get out. God wants you to be happy, not miserable, really? What happened to no pain, no love? I thought God wanted us to keep our commitments and to glorify Him. What about the message of the cross, when love was slain? Remember, God expects us to SURRENDER our lives and WAIT for Him to WORK IT OUT when we come to the cross. This is how we can live crucified in our relationships, especially in marriage. Remember what the apostle Paul told husbands to do (Ephesians 5:25-30)? Hopefully this blog will help turn the LIGHTS ON for some. This is saying HAVE YOUR WAY to God.
Bill Hybels shares in Honest To God, "An ancient Greek legend tells of a Cyprian king named Pygmalion who found a unique way of solving potential marital differences. He became so frustrated with his inability to find the right woman to marry that he decided to sculpt one out of the most exquisite ivory he could find, he fashioned the woman of his dreams. When he was done, he bowed and prayed. The ivory woman miraculously came to life. Pygmalion took her as his wife and lived happily ever after. It's easy to see why that legend endured. Wouldn't you love to custom-design a wife, or a husband? Wouldn't it be fun to take the chisel and chip away until you had the man or woman of your dreams? That's exactly what many of us try to do to our spouses. For years I tried to chip away at what I thought were Lynne's (his wife) rough edges, those flaws that made her think, or behave, or respond differently from me. I actually believed that if I could just get her to be more like me, we could have a decent marriage. She thought the same about me. We each thought that we were the standard by which all others should be judged." Nobody wants to admit their mistakes.
Every man knows there are times in our relationships when being right isn't worth the argument. And sometimes it's best just to agree to disagree. You've got to put your love glasses on for the sake of peace. Hybels continues, "But God intervened. He used a book called Please Understand Me: Character And Temperament Types by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates to reveal our mutual DECEPTION... What is an authentic marriage? It's a marriage where differences are seen as blessings, where spouses really feel loved. Where routine gives way to conversation, fun and romance. For some people it seems like a far-off dream. But it's not an impossible goal. Why not renew your commitment to building the kind of marriage God wants you to enjoy."
Let me CLEAR THE AIR for the ladies this applies to you as well, as you are to follow your husband. Even I know not to use the word "submit. “The Hebrew word for follow is לעקוב ("La'akov"). It comes from the word עקבות, which means footsteps in Hebrew ("Akevot"). The meaning of it comes from the idea of following someone’s' footsteps. The word" follow" appears 86 times in the Bible, of which 25 times it's found in the phrase "follow me". Maybe this is where we get the idea for footprints in the sand. Joseph Campbell once noted, "When you make a sacrifice in marriage, you're sacrificing not to each other, but to unity in a relationship." And it is a must from the BOTH OF US.
When we let go of our selfish wants, desires and even dreams we give God more room to work His will in our lives. Again this is why I prefer to grow in love which takes us closer to God, sort of like a love triangle. When we fall in love, GRAVITY takes us the other way. Doesn't it? Instead of marital bliss, you find yourself in marital hell. Growth takes time, especially in marriage, because we are all broken. Jon Foreman continued, "Although we are all broken. Tonight, we are one." This is what this blog will be about, the power of one.
One?
In one of my earlier blogs I shared that my number one pet peeve was Christians that talk the talk, but don't walk the WALK. I have also shared how difficult it has been for me to WALK BY FAITH. James tells me to step to you and you to STEP TO ME, when one of us is FALLIN' away from the truth; as long as we are TEACHING THE TRUTH IN LOVE. You see I'm tired of struggling to live like a Christian and being called a HYPOCRITE, because the PEOPLE OF GOD won't DO WHAT YOU SAY and LIVE TO THE MUSIC. Nor do they understand the principle of ONE, which is what this blog is about and I DARE YOU TO MOVE as I explain the PHENOMENON.
It's like Paul told the church at Corinth, you GOTTA GROW UP. The first principle of one is the TRINITY of God BE THE ONE. The Second principle is the church being made up of many members, but being one Body. And the Final principle is how God takes two individuals and makes them one Flesh. I DON'T CARE what you BELIEVE, whether it's like Oprah or thy word of God. You can CALL ME A CHRISTIAN. Like Joshua, me and my house will serve THE ONE. I know there is no such thing as PERFECT PEOPLE (or is there) and we all have our hidden secrets. But, at least remember Paul's DECLARATION to Timothy and strive for perfection. Trust me, like I stated in another blog none of us are fireproof!
Paul described THIS MYSTERY of how GOD IS BIG and SMALL ENOUGH to be IN ME to the church in Colossae. I mentioned in my last blog how the prophet Moses tells us that in the beginning God created everything and it was UNBELIEVABLE, but He wasn't alone. Moses also tells us that God said “Let us create man in our image. In his book Sex God, Rob Bell tells us that in the Trinity of God is a community; the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit. And they created man in The IMAGE OF themselves and they are a BEAUTIFUL ONE. It was all about community and relationships, it was perfect. Of course until sin entered the picture and that relationship was BROKEN. And every since then man has been trying to reconnect with God. Remember this is how sex is SPIRITUAL BUIZNESS; it is about connecting with someone on an intimate level. How many times have you heard someone say, or have you said, "That the sex was so good it was almost spiritual?" Da, it is regardless of how "good" it is or isn't! It’s all good. Now let me get you back the principle of MY CONSTANT ONE.
Last year at Promise Keepers, Josh McDowell explained what Jesus meant when he said He was the ONLY TRUTH. McDowell said that Webster's dictionary defined truth as that which validates the original. And validate means equal to or same as. So when Jesus said He was the ONE AND ONLY truth, He was saying was that He was the same as or equal to the original. And who is the original? John tells us that when Thomas saw Jesus after the resurrection, Thomas called Him MY LORD AND MY GOD. John goes on to tell us that Jesus' two natures, human and divine, are inseparable. Jesus will forever be the GOD-MAN that healed with ONE TOUCH, fully God and fully human; two distinct natures in one Person. Jesus’ humanity and divinity are not mixed, but are united without loss of separate identity. Jesus sometimes operated with the limitations of humanity. The author of the book of Mark tells us that Jesus prayed in the garden ABBA FATHER take this cup from me; nevertheless, not that I will, but Your will. The apostle Paul encouraged Titus to wait for the coming of our God and SAVIOR, Jesus Christ. Before Jesus left the disciples He assured them He would send them a comforter to guide them.
Later the apostle Paul told the church in Corinth that we see the characteristic of omniscience in the Holy Spirit. “But God has revealed it to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. So the DEITY of God is a community in Himself and They are the ONE AND THE SAME, somehow this has become the BEST KEPT SECRET. In his Book Sex God, Rob Bell explains that in the Hebrew culture when a man asks a woman to marry him, he would give her a cup of wine to drink and if she accepted it, they were betrothed to be wed. Then he would say, “I must go and prepare a place for us at my father's house. But I will return." Sound familiar? When Jesus started His earthly ministry he surrounded himself with a FEW GOOD MEN to minister with, this inner circle was another community. Matthew tells us that Pontius Pilate told the crowds as they cried "CRUCIFY him" that he found no fault in THIS MAN and washed his hands of His blood. It was their responsibility.
Pontius Pilate was right in so many ways. In his message "THE BLOOD Covenant", Jentzen Franklin quotes Luke in saying that Jesus shed His blood for all who would accept it and believe in Him." The writer of Hebrews tells us that there is no Forgiveness without the shedding of blood. The apostle Paul told the church in Rome that in Christ we who are many form ONE body. He also told the church in Corinth there is a diversity of gifts and services, but THE VERY SAME POWER. Paul went on to tell the church in Ephesus we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ and from him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. John tells us that whoever believes in the son will not perish, but have eternal life.
We are all running the same race Paul told the church in Corinth and Timothy about. The Baptists may be first to the restaurants, but there is no Baptist BOUNCE to Heaven, no Methodist march to CALVARY and no PENTECOSTAL HORSE RACE to the PROMISE OF A LIFETIME. It's time we all COME TOGETHER in a community of UNITY like God planned it in the beginning, it. In his book Stop Dating the church and Fall in Love with the Family of God, Joshua Harris says that Christians plan their whole lives around their jobs, their relationships and their dreams. Where does the church fit into all of this? Harris quotes John Piper in saying that, “Sanctification is a community project.” We need each other to help each other run the race to obtain the eternal crown Paul told the church in Corinth about. King Jesus is coming for His bride which Revelation tells us is the church. A king wears a crown and so does his bride, the church.
In the second part of his message "the Blood covenant" Jentzen Franklin says that The shedding of blood in a Hebrew couples wedding night sealed the deal of marriage. It was so important that the husband would waive the blood stained sheets from the window the next morning to show the crowds that indeed His bride was pure. It seems that even in the church we have forgotten that Marriage is a sacred union created by God, never to be separated IN TWO. The apostle Paul tells me in his first letter to the Corinthians that I can't separate from my wife sexually except for a time of prayer and fasting (not too much of that going on!) He goes on to say we should come back together LEST I FORGET my vow and fall into all kinds of temptation from Satan. The latest Barna polls say that eleven percent of Christian homes end in divorce; twenty-nine percent for the Baptists, twenty-five percent for Mainline Protestants, twenty-one percent for the Catholics. A disturbing trend within the church today is the worldly "try it before you buy it" practice of cohabitation. Statistics tell us that just over fifty percent of cohabitating couples will never hear their WEDDING SONG. Listen to Justin Lookado's reply in his book Datable to most men's question, "Would you buy a car without taking it for a test ride?' Lookado replies that each time you test drive a car it gets more wear and tear. Who wants to pay the full new car price for a used car? He goes on to say that comparing women to cars and marriage to buying a car is ridiculous.
Now people this is a slap to the face of God when we belittle this sacred union of God to a mere relationship, no wonder Paul wrote in his "love" chapter to the church in Corinth, "When I was a child I acted like a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things." In his book Why True Love Waits, Josh McDowell agrees with the apostle Paul. McDowell goes on to remind us that Christians are to shrug off the appearance of evil; when Christians cohabitate it looks wrong for all of the church. The Bible tells us from Genesis to Revelations only God can take a TABLE FOR TWO and make it into THE ONLY ONE. Marriage is a one time commitment, we need to get it right by doing it right because there is there is ONLY ONE and we can never SAY GOODBYE. This is why I continue to wait, because I don't want to make the MISTAKE OF MY LIFE and I don't believe in DIVORCE. The church needs to understand God hates divorce. Listen to what Jesus had to say to the Pharisees about divorce (Matthew 19:1-10).
Remember the community in the beginning? That was how God planned it, and then He said it is not good for man to be alone, because LOVE IS DIFFERENT. Just like our relationship with Christ you don't just give part of yourself to your spouse, Paul told the church in Corinth when we become one flesh, we say TAKE ALL OF ME, I'm pure and I'm all YOURS. I heard an old story from the Tonight show with Johnny Carson. One night he had a little boy on as a guest that was an open Christian. Johnny asked the little boy what was his favorite Bible story and the boy said, "When Jesus turned the water into wine at a wedding ( Kinda scars me, but that is another blog!)" Then Johnny asked him what he learned from this miracle, the boy's remark is priceless. The little boy said, “If you're planning on having a wedding, be sure to invite Jesus," out of the mouth of babes. He had it right, Christian marriages should be a love triangle with God in the middle keeping them together we can be UP WHERE WE BELONG. After all, God is LOVE.
It's time for Christians to stop playing house and church, it's time to take your VOW, SERIOUSLY. I want to point out that I usually don't quote statistics or polls. To me they are pointless. The old saying is that if it’s not part of the solution, its part of the problem. In his book the Roaring Lambs, Bob Briner explains that the world already knows how bad things are, so why the church should waste God's resources and time to prove what we already knows? Wouldn't it be better to give the world better options? This is why I applaud my friend David A.R. White and the gang at Pureflix productions. The book of John tells us that there may be ONE WORLD; but for the church to be WORLDS APART. Comedian Brad Stine said it best when he said, "The days of the Stephen Christians are over, it's time for the bug-eating camel-skin wearing Christians to RISE UP." The church needs to stand up and be the light it was intended to be, give the world an alternative to all the bad stuff out there; after all Mark tells us to PREPARE YE THE WAY. I can’t forget a quote from evangelist Ken Freeman, my friend Rebbecca once shared with me. Freeman said," If you are not going to live like a Christian, don't tell people you are one."
WAY 2.0?
Here's where the confusion comes from. Most Christians have no problem or fear in declaring their faith, declaring Jesus as the way; but when it comes to living it and following Jesus, that's where the problem begins. Somehow we have veered off course. Jesus makes it clear there are two roads or taos in life, one is a wide road and the other is a NARROW ROAD (Matthew 7: 13) which is a direct reference to a road the prophet Isaiah described (Isaiah 35:8- 10). We believe because we've confessed, "I BELIEVE" that we are on the narrow road automatically. But that's not what the Bible says, is it? Listen to the words of Jesus (Matthew 10:38, Mark 8:34,Luke 9:23); both Jesus and Isaiah describe a path few are able to travel, it's a LONELY ROAD and you can't take all of your worldly possessions along for the ride. In mountain biking we call this type of path a "single track" trail because you must only bike single file behind another biker, there is not enough room on the trail to ride abreast another biker, if you try you are certain to fall off your bike and go TUMBLIN' to the ground. You must follow the biker in front of you. If we choose the path of Jesus, we must start letting go of this world, our dreams and our wants. Only then will we be able to truly follow Jesus. Remember, God will give us new hearts and new dreams that will glorify Him, not ourselves.
John MacArthur explains in Twelve Ordinary Men, "Jesus said, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19).' Scripture says it was at this point that they forsook all and followed Him (Luke 5:11). According to Matthew, Andrew and Peter 'immediately left their nets and followed Him.' From then on, they were inseparable from the Lord." In another story Jesus talks about how hard it is for the rich to go to heaven (Matthew 19:24). But there's hope as Jesus goes on to explain that God makes the IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus used a camel in the story and not a donkey or a horse? Camels store things up in their humps; a camel can store enough fat in their humps to help them survive without food for up to two weeks. Now Jesus had already explained to His disciples about where true riches are (Matthew 6:19). He also explained that He is the eye of the needle or gate as the Jews would understand (John 10:9). Theologian Richard Baxter once noted, "Choose not that in which you may be most rich or honorable in the world; but that in which you may do most good, and best escape sinning." I've said it before, "You can't have your cake and eat it too." We either follow Jesus or we don't. Evangelist and speaker J.C. Ryle said it best, "Follow Christ for His own sake, if you follow Him at all.” Regardless of what our nation and government may say or think, there is only one way to Heaven.
Those of you who know me, know that I don't do politics or care for them. However, after first hearing the Democrats boo my God during their convention, then the next week on the 11th anniversary of 911 pray to Him and ask Him to bless this nation; THIS IS WHERE I DRAW THE LINE. "You see Washington and Hollywood have bought into the lie that they can live and act however you want as long as you do enough good works, it's all good. But, we know that all those good works won't even get them to the edge of heaven. God knows they are FAKIN’. Are they dumb-dumb, or did someone hit the Cray button? I can't help but think that they have been blinded by a POWER TRIP.
Our country says, "We'll never forget the events and sacrifices of 911. However, not much has changed between the days BEFORE AND AFTER, has it? As I was watching videos for this blog, I noticed a lot of secular musicians wearing crosses in their music videos. Now I have NOTHING TO SAY about the WILD ONES other than GETCHA MIND RIGHT. A.W. Tozer notes, "One hundred religious persons knit into acommunity by careful organizations do not constitute a church any more than eleven dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always."
COMMUNITY 2.0?
Then I realized maybe WE BLIND, Jesus told us sin blinds when He hung on a cross (Luke 23:33-34). How else can you explain Christians saying things like "O.M.G."? How can we explain the divorce rate in the church surpassing that of secular world? At this point our hearts are as hard as titanium, or even admantium. Maybe this explains why there is so much gossip and backstabbing in the church, we don't really care; gossip and slander are ways to put others down and make ourselves LOOK great. But that is God's job, not ours. No wonder the Bible speaks strongly against this within the church (Proverbs 6:16-19, Proverbs 11:13, Proverbs 16:28, Proverbs 18:8, Proverbs 20:19, Exodus 23:1, Psalm 34:13, Leviticus 19:16, Ephesians 4:29, Romans 1:29, 2 Corinthians 12:20, James 3:7-8, James 1:26). I recently heard someone say, "A whisper in the day can be as loud as thunder at night." When I was growing up the saying was, "Never assume anything, when you do; you make a butt out of you and me."
And then we live like we make no mistakes. Maybe this is why we have turned to our counterfeit gods of marriage, sex, success, our families, fame, money, and reputation; all in the name of our own comfort. But that's not what our Lord meant when he commanded us GO YE and TELL THE WORLD the good news; a message of love. Is it? Is it really about what God and Christianity can "bless" us with? Call me crazy, but I've always wanted someone to love me for me. Not what they can get from me. Let me explain it this way, those of you know me know I'm a helpless romantic; I enjoy a good love song and a sappy “chick” flick. I even get emotional sometimes. Does that constitute it as worship? Certainly not, then how does getting emotional in church make it worship?
We've watered down DISCIPLESHIP to nothing more than talking to each other about each other and then we call it community worship. Jesus spent 18 to 24 months discipling the disciples and they still didn’t get it. Yet, we expect people to understand after an 18 to 24 second prayer; most of my life I've been told that it's my job as Christian to “catch” people with the gospel and God cleans them. This couldn't be further from the truth, Jesus told us to make disciples: God catches them and we clean them by discipleship. Discipleship and worship means following Jesus. Sometimes we forget the church is made of imperfect sinners, we are FRIENDS, LIARS, HATERS, so PUT YOUR LOVE GLASSES ON or take off your IHEART JESUS SHIRT.
Pastor and sociologist Tony Campolo explains, ""We have met the enemy and they are partly right." Jesus once said that only the truth can set us fully free to be His people (John 8:32). The painful truth is that atheism has a foothold today in part because there have been many times in history when people of Christian faith (or marching beneath some other religion's flag) have sinned boldly against God and people. Whether by ignorance, pride, greed, or some other deadly sin, they have repeated the very atrocities by which ostensibly religious people crucified Jesus because He threatened their institutional power or personal throne."
Bill Hybels continues in Honest to God, "Our wise God designed spiritual growth to be a cooperative venture that requires the involvement of other believers. That means significant relationships are not luxuries for believers they're absolute necessities. I'm not talking about conventional friendships based on ending loneliness or having fun--- friendship centered around golf for business or shopping expeditions. I'm talking about relationships centered on producing Christian character. This is the kind of friendship Paul described when he counseled believers to watch out for one another, warn one another, challenge one another, admonish one another, rebuke one another (Romans 12:9-16)." Indian poet and philosopher Muhammad Iqbal explains, "Rise above sectional interests and private ambitions... Pass from matter to spirit. Matter is diversity; spirit is light, life and unity."
Paul, Allen, Randy, brother Steve and Tony this is why I NEED YOU even if we don't always agree. Likewise, brother Garvin, Jon, Nico and pastor Brady, I will need you if and when I ever make it back to Colorado. A wise man once explained it to me this way, "I don't like everything on the menu at Ryan's steakhouse, but I still eat there." Listen to how the apostle Paul puts it (Romans 15:1 Corinthians 9:21, Galatians 6:2), I must BEAR WITH YOU. There's too much pride and reputation in the church, instead we must GET HUMBLE if we are going to serve God together. Swiss theologian and priest Hans Urs von Balthasar once noted, "Even if a unity of faith is not possible, a unity of love is." We have each been bought with love.. the love of God's amazing grace and its SUPER NATURAL. Early church founder and theologian Athanasius noted, "We share in the divine nature through our sharing of the Spirit."
Paul makes it clear that at the moment salvation we are a new creation and adopted into the family of God as a result of being crucified with Christ (Romans 6:4, Romans 16:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15,Ephesians 4:24) and within this family we take on a new name, the name of Christ followers, Christians. Isn't that why we all wear crosses, as a sign of unity within the body? Maybe this is why the world and Hollywood doesn't get it. As a single man I eagerly await the day I hear my pastor say, "I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Martin Thomas Johnson." It will be the first time since my parents died eight years ago. Every man longs to hear his bride take his last name as her own, it's a sign of unity... it's something new. A NEW LIFE together as one and we FEEL SO CLOSE. It's a lot like a Peloton in cycling, together as a group the cyclists are more aerodynamic and can go faster and further, we can’t just LOOK LIKE LOVE.
In his book Stop Dating The Church, Joshua Harris explains," If Christ did bring new life as He said, Christians should be living differently than non-Christians. Don't you agree? Of course we don't always do it perfectly but we should do everything possible to keep our light shining brightly in a dark world, on display for all to see. Part of the local church's job is to distinguish those who believe and those who don't-- to show what it means to truly follow Christ. That's also why a local church must maintain certain uniquely Christian practices given us by Jesus... Baptism- shows those who have been saved and have identified with the death and resurrection of Christ ( Matthew 28:19, Romans 6:4). The Lord's supper -- shows those who are continuing in fellowship with Christ and remembering His death until His return (Matthew 26:26- 29)."
But as in marriage, this requires death and dying to our wants.. Our "rights". This was the prayer and heart of our Lord Jesus for His bride (John 17:23). Because of this the world will know it MUST BE LOVE. Paul goes on to say if we follow Jesus' sacrifice, like His ours will be like a FRAGRANCE that pleases God ( Romans 15:16, Ephesians 5:2, Philippians 4:18). There is no need for a zombie apocalypse, the church is the living dead; which is something to think about since Halloween is in thirty days. Author A. Blake White note, "Evangelism is indeed an act of worship. It is an act of worshipful obedience to the Great Commission of the risen Christ."
At this point I could debate whether it is more appropriate to pray or worship standing or kneeling. But it’s not worth the division within’ the church,even I know when to just agree to disagree. The church should be indivisible, it’s living crucified that empowers me to give forgiveness. That’s why personally I prefer the latter since it is an act of humility and puts God in His rightful place, above me. Especially when I need a miracle; remember Pygmalion and the statue he made?
Nevertheless Christian apologetic Ravi Zacharias said it best, “Worship is a posture of life that takes as its primary purpose the understanding of what it really means to love and revere God.” Paul makes it clear to worship is to SACRIFICE (Romans 12:1-3). This is why the apostle Paul often informed the church he was being, “Poured out like a drink offering (Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6)."Your sacrifice is proof of your love. Again, Christianity isn't a works-based faith.. It's a results-based faith; our sacrifice is a result of the change that God through the death of Jesus.
To the Jews the drink offerings were to be composed of “strong wine” (Numbers28:7), which would answer to the animal sacrifices having to be without blemish, perfect in all respects (Lev.22:17-25). Worship is about so much more than just a love song for a savior, it's more than a ROUND OF APPLAUSE for our Savior, King. As John Piper explains, "God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us … join His global purpose."
It's easy to just sing a song and call it worship, but dieing to self and trusting God with the results is pretty tough and maybe even a little radical. It’s easy to post "Christian" comments or pictures on Facebook, but it's hard to be a true picture of Christ in a dieing, depraved world which makes us a NIGHT LIGHT. As I die to myself, I become a true WORSHIPER. So GO and light up the world.
BUMP THIS , no wonder we've watered it down to nothing more than praise and singing. Worship in our time has been captured by the tourist mind set. The psalmist tells us that all creation sings praise to God (Psalm 69:34, 148:1 -15), but only we get to worship Him with our lives. However, worship is understood as a visit to an attractive site to be made when we have adequate leisure. For some it is a weekly jaunt to church; for others, occasional visits to special services. Some with a bent for Christian entertainment and sacred diversion, plan their lives around special events like retreats, rallies and conferences. We go to see a new personality; to hear a new truth, to get a new experience. And so somehow, expand our otherwise humdrum lives. We'll try anything -- until something else comes along. You see worship is a lifestyle change that comes with the new life we have been given and there's the problem. For most of us nothing's changed. But we have our fire insurance, don't we?
Pastor J. Hampton Keathley III explains, "The world observes the behavior and life of the church. When the church acts no differently than the world, it loses its credibility and authenticity. Maybe this is why the world is trying to SHUT US DOWN, They can't tell the difference. I know that that sounds pretty grim and WE DON’T WANNA HEAR IT, especially in these hard times we all are living in. Perhaps this is why all of this sugar-coated theology is so popular, we all learned as children a spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down. The Bible tells us that when WE ARE YOUNG, we crave spiritual milk.
But as we mature we need to crave meat (1 Corinthians 3:2 I, 1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12-13). And you know how much I enjoy meat. Men and women of God it's time to MAN UP and eat meat. It doesn't matter how old you are or how long you've been a Christian; as long as you are still breathing, you'll never "arrive" to full maturity in Christ. That will be the day when we all get to heaven. Paul goes on to tell us that nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39.) Sound familiar? It may feel like we are losing, but we know we are winning.
In a recent message by Bill Purvis he explained, the world hates the church and wants to get rid of us. But they fail to realize the church is the SALT, LIGHT that preserves the earth." As long as we're here, God won't STOP THE WORLD from turning; when it does, for the Christian the end is the beginning. For the Bible is clear we will all die one time (Hebrews 9:27) and heaven waits for me.
Heaven 3.0?
As I end this blog, LET’S GO out with the real good stuff. For the church, those who have been truly "crucified" with Christ, we know we'll fly away to be reunited with our Lord in the air. I don't know about you but this is what excites me the most about being a Christian, not having "blessings" in this life; but knowing one day I'll fly away and leave the troubles of this world, my mistakes and pain behind gives me tremendous joy knowing in heaven MY BEAT GOES ON as He take me into the beautiful. I’ll finally be HOME where MY REDEEMER LIVES, Whom I worship.
I've spent the last 15 years of my life living with a disability; in a sense my body is broken, sweetly broken. I anxiously await my new body. You may want you to STAND still and sing hallelujah; our PRAISE, PARTY ROCK ANTHEM to God. TURN UP THE MUSIC , I'll be in my lane and I'm gonna DANCE WITH MY FATHER. I'm gonna DANCE LIKE DAVID as I CRY HOLY and GO CRAZY. I may even be the only SK8R baby there. There won’t be any Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians or Catholics there, just all of God’s children. Sons and daughters, I may have to get another dance in with you Red. The Angel tells John, there will be a huge CELEBRATION in my city and for John to fall to his knees and worship God (Revelation 19:1-10). But we must GIVE YOU THE GLORY, Lord.
John continues as the UNDEFEATED ones worship Jesus, God will shake heaven like an EARTHQUAKE and there will be a LIGHT SHOW ( Revelation 21:1-Revelation 22:27) so amazing we won't even need the sun as we spend eternity worshiping the King forever as one.
