"Early morning, April 4.
Shot rings out in a Memphis Sky.
Free at last, they took your life,
But they could not take your pride."
Long live the dream.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
White Washed Tombs
Matthew 23 is a scary chapter. Basically, Jesus twists off on the Pharisees and tells them everything that they are doing wrong and warns of the coming judgment if they will not repent. While much of what is said applies specifically to that group of "religious men," verses 27 and 28 have something very interesting to say to all Christians:
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
From this description, I fail to see any difference between the Pharisees of Jesus' day and those "christians" (not capitalized for a reason) of our day that come into the church and claim to be followers of Christ, yet their lives do not show any sign of being different from this fallen, sinful world.
Before I go any further, let me be clear when I say that I am passing judgment on no one. I have been guilty of everything I will mention in this blog, but God has gotten a hold of me and given me a desire to be righteous in Him. I, a Christian for almost 13 years and called to the ministry, played the church game for a long time. Don't misunderstand me, I was saved, but I was not living like it. This post is simply what God has taught me about the consequences of playing games at the foot of the cross.
Back to the point. There is a widespread misconception running rampant in the church today that once a person is "saved," they can do anything they want and still get into heaven. Now theoretically, this is true, as the Word makes it abundantly clear that true salvation cannot be lost. There's the rub. If one is truly saved by God's grace and the Holy Spirit dwells within him, there will be conviction of sin and a desire to be righteous. Also, many think that simply because they ask for forgiveness, it will be granted to them. This is also a misconception about the nature of God. To ask for forgiveness and go on doing whatever needed to be forgiven will not bring forgiveness. We must repent if we desire forgiveness.
What the church needs today is not a bunch of post-modern relativists running around explaining why their sin is ok. What we need are men and women who are willing to put their faith, all their faith, in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We need Christians who are willing to put their lives up against Scripture and see if the two match, and if not, then to have the faith to make serious changes until they do. What we need, in short, are people who are more concerned about what the Holy Creator God of the universe thinks about them than what a lost and dying world thinks about them.
The Apostle Paul said it best: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 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: 1-2
I apologize if this came of a bit "fire-and-brimstoney," but I needed to get it out. God has been burdening me with this for a while, and I needed to say it so that I can move on from the mistakes of my past to the glorious future he has for me. In the same way, if you are struggling with sin in your life, I encourage you to offer it up to the Lord and let Him fix you like only He can. Allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out so that you can do what you were made to do: glorify God Almighty.
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."
From this description, I fail to see any difference between the Pharisees of Jesus' day and those "christians" (not capitalized for a reason) of our day that come into the church and claim to be followers of Christ, yet their lives do not show any sign of being different from this fallen, sinful world.
Before I go any further, let me be clear when I say that I am passing judgment on no one. I have been guilty of everything I will mention in this blog, but God has gotten a hold of me and given me a desire to be righteous in Him. I, a Christian for almost 13 years and called to the ministry, played the church game for a long time. Don't misunderstand me, I was saved, but I was not living like it. This post is simply what God has taught me about the consequences of playing games at the foot of the cross.
Back to the point. There is a widespread misconception running rampant in the church today that once a person is "saved," they can do anything they want and still get into heaven. Now theoretically, this is true, as the Word makes it abundantly clear that true salvation cannot be lost. There's the rub. If one is truly saved by God's grace and the Holy Spirit dwells within him, there will be conviction of sin and a desire to be righteous. Also, many think that simply because they ask for forgiveness, it will be granted to them. This is also a misconception about the nature of God. To ask for forgiveness and go on doing whatever needed to be forgiven will not bring forgiveness. We must repent if we desire forgiveness.
What the church needs today is not a bunch of post-modern relativists running around explaining why their sin is ok. What we need are men and women who are willing to put their faith, all their faith, in Jesus Christ and the Word of God. We need Christians who are willing to put their lives up against Scripture and see if the two match, and if not, then to have the faith to make serious changes until they do. What we need, in short, are people who are more concerned about what the Holy Creator God of the universe thinks about them than what a lost and dying world thinks about them.
The Apostle Paul said it best: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 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: 1-2
I apologize if this came of a bit "fire-and-brimstoney," but I needed to get it out. God has been burdening me with this for a while, and I needed to say it so that I can move on from the mistakes of my past to the glorious future he has for me. In the same way, if you are struggling with sin in your life, I encourage you to offer it up to the Lord and let Him fix you like only He can. Allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out so that you can do what you were made to do: glorify God Almighty.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Where to Start?
Well, I'm here. This is my first serious attempt at blogging (Xanga doesnt's count). I don't want this blog to be about me. While that may be a contradiction in terms, it's my desire. I want to share what is going on in my life and what the Lord is teaching me, so that I might be an encouragement to everyone who stumbles across it.
God has ignited a passion within me that I have never known before. Over the past few days, He has broken me to the point that I wasn't sure if I would recover. However, as He does every time, the Lord lifted me from the mirey pit that was my sin and rebellion and cradled me in His arms, restoring me to a daily love relationship with Him. I am so in love with Christ right now! I am utterly amazed that God could look down from heaven, see a wretched sinner like me who has slapped Him in the face and drug His name through the mud more times than I can count, and choose to love me as His own.
I think it was Jeff Berry who told the story (correct me if I'm wrong) about his baby boy taking a bath. He tells that he left the bathroom for a couple minutes to take care of something else. When he returned, he found that his son had, for lack of a better term, pooped all over the bathtub and all over himself. He was initially disgusted and taken aback by the sight of his son covered in his own filth. However, overcome by love for his little boy, Jeff stooped down and cleaned off his son. Now, how much more did God, who was and is perfect, stoop down and take the filth of sinful flesh on himself and to die the most painful death imaginable so that we might be clean. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Cor 5:21.
"How Deep the Father's Love for Us"
How deep the father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart-
His wounds have paid my ransom.
God has ignited a passion within me that I have never known before. Over the past few days, He has broken me to the point that I wasn't sure if I would recover. However, as He does every time, the Lord lifted me from the mirey pit that was my sin and rebellion and cradled me in His arms, restoring me to a daily love relationship with Him. I am so in love with Christ right now! I am utterly amazed that God could look down from heaven, see a wretched sinner like me who has slapped Him in the face and drug His name through the mud more times than I can count, and choose to love me as His own.
I think it was Jeff Berry who told the story (correct me if I'm wrong) about his baby boy taking a bath. He tells that he left the bathroom for a couple minutes to take care of something else. When he returned, he found that his son had, for lack of a better term, pooped all over the bathtub and all over himself. He was initially disgusted and taken aback by the sight of his son covered in his own filth. However, overcome by love for his little boy, Jeff stooped down and cleaned off his son. Now, how much more did God, who was and is perfect, stoop down and take the filth of sinful flesh on himself and to die the most painful death imaginable so that we might be clean. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Cor 5:21.
"How Deep the Father's Love for Us"
How deep the father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart-
His wounds have paid my ransom.
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