Writing was part of how God has created me uniquely for the task. He is using everything about my life both good and bad to shape me. I’m FREE TO BE me, mistakes and all, piercings and all; they’re all part of me. In my recent assignment for the Guild I came across a quote by Max Lucado, ‘I would write and rewrite, I just loved it,’ he said. “That's one way you know a spiritual gift, when you get lost doing it.”
The apostle Paul makes it clear that it is the same God who distributes both spiritual gifts and different kinds of skills and service (there is that word, ) they all come from God to be used to glorify Him (1 Corinthians 12:1-7). God created each one of His children with specific passions and characteristics. This is first seen in THE GARDEN with Cain and Able; Cain had a passion for agriculture and was a farmer while Able was a Shepard. Remember Cain offered some of his crop to God and Able made a sacrifice by giving his best to God (Genesis 4:2-4). Likewise God expects YOU AND I to surrender our passions and gifts to Him for His glory, not to pursue some teenage dream. Paul urges us to come awake, to turn from our worldly desires and live upright (yashar) lives as we follow Christ (Ephesians 5:14, Titus 2:11-12). Jesus told His followers to seek first the kingdom of God first, then God will give them what they need (Matthew 6:33). If not, these things will bring me down.
I'll never forget listening to Pastor Brady Boyd of New Life Church in Colorado Springs Colorado explain to a group of visitors (including me) four years ago, “If you have a talent or gift, there's a place for you to serve here as long as it glorifies God. ”I’d never heard it put that way before or any better for that matter. You see this is why a lot of outsiders or unbelievers see Christians as being quacks or fanatical, let's be honest.. hypocrites. How can someone claim that God is omnipresent and omnipotent, yet He can be controlled by man; worse yet, killed by man? We plan “healing” services, and charismatic speaking, really? Man can control the Holy Spirit.. God? Yet we “BELIEVE” God is sovereign and in control of everything? Including how He chooses to use us. Then we use our abilities to make ourselves look special or “Godly.” The servants don't tell the king how to run the kingdom, there are no DEUCES here.
I've already explained in another blog that my passion for writing started at an early age and how I had neglected and had forgotten that dream after my accident to pursue other things like modeling, biking, women; until seven years ago when I was bitten by the writing bug again. The problem is I wrote for the wrong reason, I wrote for Marin. The apostle Paul continues to explain that if we do anything we’re passionate about without doing it in love, it's powerless; which is appropriate seeing how in a couple of weeks we will celebrate Valentine's Day where we do things for our loved ones out of love. Again love is shown through action, not words. It’s not some sappy STEREO LOVE you hear on the radio; nope, it's not a love song. Say it right by what you do, that’s true repentance (Acts 26:20). The church needs to learn to love again, husbands need to learn how to love their wives again.
It’s the most powerful thing in the universe and it’s not sex. . . IT MUST BE LOVE; I recently talked to a buddy of mine at the gym who got engaged. I wished him the best and he explained how much he loved his fiancée, besides she was “great” in bed. I'm not sure if he really loves her, but it's clear he's deep in lust with her. Love, it’s the whole purpose of the cross, not our sin. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” The CRAZY things we do for love don’t compare to what Jesus did for us on that cross. The apostle Paul tells us that it was through Jesus’ love displayed on the cross that we are saved (Ephesians 2:11-16). What will you do for love? Christian philosopher K. A. Smith once said, “We are defined by … and made distinctive by what we love."
Many a man (including myself) have thrown caution to the wind to pursue a woman with RECKLESS abandon even when they know they’ll get hurt, they give everything for her out of love,whatever it takes. The apostle Paul tells us to follow God's example and walk in love (Ephesians 5:1-2). Author Jay E. Adams wrote, “To love we must give of ourselves, of our time, … of whatever it takes to show love; for giving is fundamental to the biblical idea of love.” What will you do to show your GRATITUDE to God? You see faith, love and happiness all go hand in hand just like a marriage.
After spending a year's worth of researching, outlining and writing it all boiled down to just getting the first three chapters perfect, I wanted to present my best work. Needless to say I went into a panicked frenzy of piecing the puzzles together. Then I hit a brick wall, not writer’s block, but the Holy Spirit and we can’t tell Him where to go; that would be like controlling the wind. So I began to wrestle with God again. To be honest I felt a lot like Job sitting in my office chair in the early A.M. hours which is my favorite time to write, the early bird gets the worm and the slow toad never makes it across the road.
My frustration led to a pleading and questioning of God, I was so WORN out. I felt so inadequate, then God reminded me that He doesn't call the able, but He enables the called. All I have to do is to trust God to lead me and to use me as He pleases; in His hands whatever I offer is USABLE for His glory. Then I remembered what Shirley Dobson said that The National Day of Prayer Summit at Focus On The Family four years ago, “If God has brought you to it, He'll bring you through it.” Do you guys remember that Jon and Nico?
Kyle Idleman continues in Not a Fan, “And then you inhale, when you inhale you breathe in and pray to be filled with the Spirit and you surrender control over to Him. As you practice the spiritual leading it teaches you to keep in step with the Spirit. Followers live with the continual awareness of the Spirit's presence and a constant prayer to be filled with His power.“ Discerning God's will isn’t hard, following it can be, though. Erwin Lutzer explains, “Freedom comes from filling your mind with God thoughts. “ Maybe that’s why I love His presence.
It's so simple to know God's will and follow Him, just obey Him. Remember, obedience to God isn't legalism, it's lovalism and PROOF OF YOUR LOVE for God (John 14:15, 21-23, 15:10, 1 John 2:3, 5:3, 2 John 1:6). Perhaps this is why some Christians hate the law, because they really don't want to love God and follow Jesus. Like David we should love the law (Psalm 1:2, 119:15, 47-48, 96-97,) it's the law that shows us the need for Christ; furthermore, it's the law that shows me that we have to be crucified if we love God. At one point in His ministry Jesus is confronted by a young expert in the law about how he could live forever. Jesus’ response was God's plan for His creation all along, to “love Him with everything: mind, heart, body and soul (Luke 10:25-37).”
John tells us that before God created everything, the word (law) was there (John1:1). When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden, He laid down the law, for their protection like any good father would. At that point there is only one law and it is the greatest commandment. Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, with all your mind (Deuteronomy 6:5 -6, Matthew 22:37 -38). The law is love and love is good. It wasn't until sin entered into the world that the law had to grow, because sin isn't good. Listen to the words of the apostle Paul (Romans 7:1-13). The law still points to the need for love and grace, to look for the Christ. Henry Blackaby explained it best, “Watch where God is working in your life (not IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR HEART) and join Him, then keep your eyes on it.“ Instead most Christians do the opposite and want God to join them and do their wills; they even take their eyes off Him. That’s not love, its control. I’m sure the ladies reading this understand what I mean, do you like “submitting” to one you love?
I'm guilty of this myself, I wanted so badly to play the guitar again and become a successful model, cyclist, whatever that I ignored God. Sadly this is what the church teaches Christians. “Keep praying, asking and knocking and God will do it. He’ll give you a breakthrough.” It bothers me when Christians think that they can manipulate God because of who they are. HELLO, the master doesn't obey the servant. The hand doesn't tell the head what to do and the sheep don't lead the Shepard. If it's not God's will, you're never gonna get it and it’s not your DESTINY.
We act like a bunch of mindless zombies, living for the wrong things and not living for Christ. So we try to RUN our lives by our standards, We forget that we are crucified with Christ, we all want to be somebody while Jesus humbled Himself; CHASING AFTER YOUR LOVE. It's, “Not our wills but God's (Matthew 6:9, Luke 11:2).” Do you have a dream? Do you trust Him with it? Theologian Sam Storms said it best, “The focus of Satan's efforts is always the same: to deceive us into believing that the passing pleasures of sin are more satisfying than obedience.”When someone enlists in the Army, they choose a field that fits their skills and passions. However, they don’t automatically get the position they enlist for, first they must be tested and trained further before being assigned a duty or M.O.S. Even then they must go and do whatever their commanding officer tells them to do. The same principle applies to the church and Christians, although we may not like it.
Back to my writing dilemma, So here I am, I had the devil on one shoulder tempting me to give up and walk away and an angel on the other shoulder encouraging me. Again Job and his friends’ accusations came to mind, even his wife seemed to betray him. There's a message for some of you who are married. Yet, still Job was determined to trust God; he had grown beyond a SANDBOX PRAISE of when things are going good. In the end he admitted that God had given him everything and could take it away, it was all God's in the first place (Job 1:21). You see Job learned the difference between politics and praise, politics is about making the right people happy, praise is about making God happy. God is pleased when we make sacrifices for His glory (Ephesians 5:1-10, Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:16). Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy once wrote, “Joy is only real if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness.”
I'm sure that Job was tempted to listen to his friends and wife but God knew his heart and character were right (Job 1:8). But Job chose to do what is right, he chose to trust God even when things weren't Going His way, Job showed his love for God. Notice how God uses the same word to describe Job (a shepherd) that David (a shepard) used to describe God, yashar (upright). God uses shepherds to show us the correct paths (tao) to follow, and they each surrendered their wills, talents and lives to God completely. In the ancient Chinese belief of Taoism, surrender is fundamental. Taoism is a philosophical and religious tradition that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao (modernly Romanized as "Dao"). The term Tao means "way", "path" or "principle", and can also be found in Chinese philosophies and religions other than Taoism. In Taoism, however, Tao denotes something that is both the source and the driving force behind everything that exists.
Surrender is the TAO OF LOVE, and here’s THE STRUGGLE we each face; we are called to surrender our gifts and talents to God for Him to use as He chooses. I don't know about you but sometimes I RUN from God for fear of what He may tell me to give up or let go of. Just like I want to run back to Colorado and leave the heartache and betrayal behind in Georgia. The cost of following Jesus isn't always easy. To be honest, we're selfish and we want to HOLD ON to what we want. Likewise loving people isn't always easy, is it?
Mike Guzzardo explains in his book All In, “Following Christ is not about making Him one priority among many; it is about making Him the priority. It is not about giving Him part of our lives; it is about giving Him all of who we are. If we truly want to experience God, we must come to him with a willingness to make that exchange-- our life for His… The mere thought of yielding all control to Christ instantly causes our minds to fill with irrational fears.” The great Christian martyr Jan Elliott said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” It's sort of like a PRIZM, we shine our light into Him and He multiplies it in different ways and that is what this remixed and reposted blog will be about, our talents and how He loves us.
GOT TALENT?
In my previous blog I began to explain THE CHANGE in my life and how God needed to EMPTY ME so I could worship Him. Indeed, it has been like I have been REBORN since He has started this NU THANG in me. Because there were so many changes going in my life, I thought I had failed God or somehow I had lost His Spirit. Soon He reminded me I am NEVER ALONE and nothing can separate me from Him, DON'T EVER GIVE UP on God. Jesus said He doesn't give like the world gives, when He gives you His Spirit it is yours for all eternity. Paul told the church in Rome that nothing could separate them from the love of God, nothing (Romans 8:34-39).
I realized I am simply in a season of growth and He is the God of EVERY SEASON. And like Richard Blackaby said at Promise Keepers last year, “Once you've tasted the real thing with Jesus, NEVER AGAIN, will you go back to the imitation.” Or like the apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth. "When you were a CHILD, you craved spiritual milk because you were not ready for spiritual meat." Paul went on to tell the church in Rome, if we LOSE THIS LIFE, WE LIVE. This is the paradigm shift I mentioned in a earlier blog. And when God is done with us, we will be COMPLETE. When I lost my job last year, I told God that as long as he took care of the bills where I could tithe and still enjoy life, I would do WHATEVER He asked me to do. This is where I realized I NEED YOU, God.
All my hopes, dreams, plans, hobbies and even the type of women I liked began to change. This really scared me, but God said I'm RIGHT HERE. So I asked Him, “What do I do while I'm waiting ? I sensed Him say, “Just TRUST ME. In another part of the message brother Jim gave in Helen, he explained the diversity of spiritual gifts. At the time I had been reading The Leadership Lessons Of Jesus by Ray Pritchard and Bob Brinner and the chapter I was on was based on the parable about the TEN TALENTS. According to this parable we are to use the talents or gifts God has entrusted (invested) in us wisely and for His Glory. If we are good stewards, the Master will GIVE YOU MORE.
Let me explain how investments work. You never take away THE ORIGINAL principle. You can add to your portfolio in the form of cds, annuities or stocks which will give you diversity and add value. But the principle adds value as it matures. The apostle Paul had it right. Stay with me, the more valuable and diverse the portfolio the better return on the initial investment of the Holy Spirit which was entrusted in you which is the best principle in the UNIVERSE. Last week I got an e-mail from my friend Rebecca (love ya) and she was explaining how God was adding different talents to her and giving her new passions. I can tell you right now this lady is sold out for God. In his book The Payer Of Jabez, Bruce Wilkerson tells how Jabez prayed for God to expand his ministry. Rebecca has always been a good steward and her ministry is expanding.
Unfortunately, if we are not good stewards of the talents or gifts God has given us, then what we have will be taken away. I've experienced this in my own life. Before my accident I used to play the guitar a good bit. The problem was how I used that talent. You see I turned that talent into a means of getting women to my apartment and you can figure the rest out. Because of that, I can no longer play the guitar; I've tried over the years to no avail. But I have gained so much more. I have used my passion of writing, biking, reading and music to share the gospel and hopefully glorify God. And God keeps adding talents. Two years ago I started jam skating with the Augusta Jamskaters; CeeCee, Nora, Alex, Marlena, Barry, Brandi, Joey, I enjoy what we do, you guys are my crew. I never would have gotten as good as I am if it wasn't for you guys showin' me the ropes. Then, this past weekend I went back to North Georgia and I rediscovered an old passion of mine I first discovered while fishing in Colorado, horseback riding. As we rode though the river, I could sense God say, "DO YO THANG."
In an earlier blog, I shared how God has created each of us to be unique and different for His glory, Like Rob Bell said in his book Velvet Elvis, the church doesn't need another Rob Bell. The church needs you to be you. The apostle Paul said it best when he told Timothy to spur THE GIFT of God which was given him by the laying on of hands. I know, you are saying or thinking to yourself that biking, jamskating, writing, horseback riding are not listed in the Bible as spiritual gifts just talents and they aren’t. Hang with me. Paul told the church at Corinth that whatever you do, in word or deed, food or drink, do it to the glory of God. So it is all SPIRITUAL BIZNESS. Rob Bell goes on to say in Velvet Elvis that EVERYTHING IS SPIRITUAL. So all my hobbies relationships and even sex is spiritual, I'll explain this more later in another blog. Over the last eight or nine years television has been taken over by shows with people seeking their 4 MINUTES of fame showing off their talents, or lack thereof. This year's AMERICA'S GOT TALENT is no exception. At this point in my life, I've come to an ELECTRIC AVENUE where I have to decide to SURRENDER. You see we sing I surrender all, but we really don't. Got talent?
SURRENDER 2.0?
David Platt recently tweeted, “No more spectators in the church. God has not saved you to sideline you; He has saved you to send you out.” We all know the Bible story about Jonah and how he tried to RUN AWAY from God, most of us heard it as a child and some of you have taught it to your own children. I don't know about you, but the problem is I haven't learned how to apply it to my own life, both as adult and as a Christian. First we must recognize how God called Jonah to do God's will and we all know that he disobeyed. Even after all Jonah went through, he didn't fully surrender to God's control.
Sounds like a lot of Christians today, doesn't it? We go through hard times and God rescues us time and again. And we still want to be in control. We still try to tell God what to do (Jonah 4:1-3). D. L. Moody once said, “Joy is love exalted; peace is love in repose; long-suffering is love enduring; gentleness is love in society; goodness is love in action; faith is love on the battlefield; meekness is love in school; and temperance is love in training.” The cross is the instrument God used to forgive us through His sacrifice of love. Here is what makes the cross a message of love and not sin, Jesus fully and willfully surrendered His life for all of mankind; mankind didn't take it from Him (John 10:17-18.) The only question is what will you do with that gift?
Brady Boyd continues in his book Sons And Daughters, “And so we begin the process of untangling our lives, one loop at a time. We put down the smart phone, we turn off the radio, we exhale the concerns of the day. We press in to God's ever near presence and ask, “What are you up to here, now?’ We surrender our plans, our fears, our questions and our will to our Father's capable hands, and we ask Him for the umpteenth time to help us live as freed- up daughters and sons.”
Jesus’ sacrifice began a paradigm shift from greatness to humility, from sin to love; that is a crux of the cross. In a recent message by James Merritt he explained, “We must focus on God's rule over our lives and righteousness in our lives. When we get up in the morning be obsessed with how God is working in your life. Not focusing with your eyes, but with your heart and that involves surrender. Focus on His will and He will take care of your worries (Matthew 6:34).” We must surrender what's in our heart to God if we're going to be crucified.
That brings me back to Jonah. Like Jonah, we often get so worried about other people's sins that we don't even notice our own sin. He was so focused on the wickedness of the Ninevites that he didn't see his own disobedience, nor did he see God's grace and love. You see God is more concerned about showing love than punishing sin, love forgives and gives second chances; if not it would have been bombs away for Niniveh. We all have sinned (1 Kings 8:46, Ecclesiastes 7:20 Romans 3:9, 23) and need second chances. When I look at the cross there is no need to cry to God, “please love me,” I know I'm loved; that's heaven's heart , not our sin (Psalm 77:8, Ecclesiastes 8:11, Isaiah 30:18, Ezekiel 33:11, Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9). Christian author Jerry Jenkins explains in his book Hedges, “Everybody loves a love story.” And the cross is a symbol of the greatest love story ever told; it's a father's love for his children and a groom’s love for his bride. Nothing can keep either apart.
This is the good news, it’s a SACRED LOVE for us and it is PRICELESS. To err is human and to forgive is the signature of divine. About 800 years after Jonah Jesus had to remind the Jews of this (Matthew 7:3-6). Don’t forget the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:1-11). In one of his parables Jesus taught that when someone finds this treasure, he will sell and give everything he has to keep it (Matthew 13:44-45). Israel had spent hundreds of years of disobeying God and worshiping idols, the cross was the answer to Israel's cry for love, it’s outrageous grace. Likewise it can be ours, when we surrender to Him; when I LOOK UP at the cross, I don't want see my sin, but the love of my God for me. After all, He remembers them no more why should I (Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 8:12)? Jesus came to show us HOW TO LOVE (John 3:16). Jesus didn't go to cross to say AYO sinner, your sins did this to me. Jesus went to the cross to show God's love for the world. Besides no one needs to show me the DESPICABLE ME; like David my sins are always there for me (Psalm 51:3).
When Jesus surrendered His life to the Romans on top of the mountain called Golgotha, it was God placing the sacrifice for our sins on top of an altar. Some scholars believe Golgotha was the same mountain that Abraham offered his son Isaac as a near sacrifice out of obedience to God; Mt. Horiah, where the angel of the Lord appeared to David after he chose the punishment for his numbering of Israel. Love cancels out sin. We need to learn that love is greater than sin (Proverbs 10:12, 17:9, 1 Peter 1:22, 4:8). Besides Jesus taught that perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18-1). The cross is God's way of saying I'M STILL IN LOVE with you, even if you hurt me with your sin.
Perhaps if more young married couples could learn this, we'd have less divorce in the church. There’s no I'm getting over you in marriage, its “Death till we part.” It’s being crucified for the one you love. Swiss-German poet Hermann Hesse famously wrote, “Wer lieben kann, ist glücklich. Über die Liebe (When you like someone, you like them in spite of their faults. When you love someone, you love them with their faults.).” Ironically, we're supposed to be different from the world, God's chosen or called out ones (Exodus 19:5 -6, Deuteronomy 4:20, Titus 2: 14, 1 Peter 2:9) and our marriages are no better than the world's. In a recent message by Bill Purvis he explained, “The story of Jesus healing the 10 lepers is a reflection of the earth.” 90% of the lepers are selfish and didn't thank God for His mercy and blessings.“ The 10% that thanks Jesus represents the church, it's a lot like the tithe (James 1:18 .) God already owns it, but this is what's given back to Him, its set apart for Him completely to do with as He chooses.
At this point let me be clear, don't get what I'm saying TWISTED and SKWID. I'm not talking about or endorsing this feel-good, no consequences false ILLOGICAL love that many false teachers try to PUSH these days, these love addicts are truly LOVESICK. They snake around the truth like snakes in the grass and I guarantee they won't give their lives like the good shepherd, because He loves us (John 10:10-12). The Bible is clear that there is a price and sacrifice to be paid for sin and it goes all the way back to the first sacrifice in the garden, how deep is your love? Further, the Bible is clear that there are consequences for sin and disobedience and since God loves us He will correct us (Proverbs 3:12, Hebrews 12:6-7). God is long-suffering and patient, but not for long, He is also a just God (Psalm 18:26, 35: 17, 25, Habakkuk 1:13). Trials and pain don’t mean God’s love is gone, it means it is real. And our suffering for our faith is proof of our love For God (Romans 8: 36). Here the apostle Paul quotes David about how sheep (us) are slaughtered for the shepherd (Psalm 44:22) Billy Graham explains, “For the Christian, peace is not the absence of conflict, or any other artificial state the world has to offer. Rather it is a deep, abiding peace only Jesus Christ brings to the heart.” Stop drinking the Koo-Laid and open your eyes church when the lights come on.
In another parable Jesus teaches us about how to be faithful with what He has trusted us with and the consequences if we are selfish or lazy (Matthew 25:14-30); in this parable to master trusts his servants with his GOLD, the most precious metal on earth. The thing about this parable that gets me is that the master trusts the servants, the King trusts His servants (you and me); never has there been a king like mine. I've wasted so much time not trusting God and the entire time He's trusted me. I’m still trying to find me, while I'm waiting. Jon, Nico and Jessica, you need to keep using your musical talents to honor and glorify God. Now I must share something that breaks my heart. HERE WE GO, since I haven't been faithful and wise with my passions I don't believe I will be able to go back to Colorado to The Christian Writers Guild’s conference to pitch my book, SORRY sweetie. At this point I'm not sure if I should LET IT GO or not, I'll just have to wait and see what God has in store for me; yes I BELIEVE in MIRACLES and I know I can trust God with my dreams. Bill Purvis said it best, “I'd rather be in God's will in hell than in heaven and out of God's will, because being out of God's will would be hell for me. I hope you can see why we must be faithful with what God has given us, that's why we’ve got talents.
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