DO HARD THINGS!

 

 Recently I have been thinking a lot about people desiring something (whether it be a certain behavior, recognition or honor) without putting forth the effort (sacrifice etc) that it takes to achieve that blessing. Wanting the end results without apply the discipline that it takes to get there.

In Bible study a few months ago, we read about Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8. He wanted the Power of the Holy Spirit without the daily outpourings of holiness & righteousness that it takes to receive that Power.

I'm reminded of a friend of ours talking about people's comments on her children. How people wished that their children were as well-behaved, obedient & respectful as hers were. I will never forget her response to them, about how it's necessary to govern yourself & train your children in righteousness.

Holiness & godliness isn't something that "just happens." You don't give your children their school books & "just hope" that they get their schoolwork accomplished. Discipleship & Self-discipline are daily, conscious decisions. And it is not us working (in our own Strength, Power, Motivation etc to Change), but Christ working in & through us.

Some questions for us-

What do you want to achieve, but haven't fully received yet?

What needs to be accomplished first, before you can receive that blessing?

What is hard for you to do?
Where can you use more discipline in your life?
Where are you tempted to cut corners?

What "hard things" would you like to accomplish?
Are you willing to do the hard work it takes to achieve that?

" But He said to me, 'My Grace is Sufficient for you, for My Power is made Perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me" - 2 Corinthians 12:9

"O Death, Where Is Your Sting?"

 "Christ is risen from the dead/
Trampling over death by death/
COME AWAKE, COME AWAKE/
Come & rise up from the grave/
CHRIST IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD/
We are One with Him again/

O death, where is your sting?/
O hell, where is your victory?/
O Church, come stand in the light/
The Glory of God has defeated the night/
OUR GOD IS NOT DEAD!/
HE'S ALIVE! HE'S ALIVE!"
- Matt Maher ("Christ Has Risen")

 This year I am participating in the BSF Bible Study program. It's a multi-generational, world-spanning Bible curriculum that studies the Scripture verse-by-verse, word for word. This is my first year doing it, but I have learned a LOT & they are very doctrinally sound (from what I have seen so far).

BSF runs from September through May (following the "school year"). They break into groups based on demographics. My group has roughly 80 people in it. We're all together to sing hymns & hear a lecture on that week's Bible passage. Then they divide into smaller groups (men & women separated) to discuss the passage & answer questions. Each Group consists of roughly 6-15 members.

Anyway, this year we are studying most of the New Testament (mainly Paul's Epistles). So far we have read through Acts, Hebrews, & 1 & 2 Thessalonians. Now we are finishing up 1 Corinthians. The lessons are REALLY good, because we learn a LOT of history, context & culture in the lessons.

It took me 2 hours to complete this week's Bible Study homework. It was a TOUGH lesson (deep, hard, thought-provoking, etc). I had some worship music playing in the background.

I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15:55 & ran across these words- “Where, O death, is your victory?
   Where, O death, is your sting?" That is one of my favorite passages of Scripture (talking about Christ's death, resurrection & second coming). All of a sudden the song "He Has Risen" (with the above lyrics, written earlier in this post) started playing on my computer!  There are no "coincidences" with God!

One of the next questions for Bible study was "From 1 Corinthians 15:57-16:24, what could you do now to show that you believe in the Power of the Resurrection?" Highlights from those verses are- "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain... Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love... I urge you, brothers and sisters, to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord!"

AMEN! Stand firm, my dear friends! The gates of hell shall NOT prevail against us! Advance!

Heaven- What Will It Sound Like?

 "What does it sound like/ When you sing Heaven's Song?/
And what does it feel like/ When Heaven comes down?/
And what does it look like/ When God is all around?/
Let it come..."
- Bethel Church Worship 

  We sang this worship song at Church two weeks ago. I cannot get the words out of my mind. I keep running over them again & again. I was listening to it again this evening & these thoughts came to me...

I wonder what Heaven will look like? I wonder what it will smell, taste, feel like? All sorts of questions come into mind, concerning the last days & our new, pain-free, transformed bodies. I am reminded of this verse:

 "‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no
more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old
order of things has passed away.” - Revelation 21:4 

Won't that be glorious?!?!?!?

But then my thoughts moved in a new direction. I am reminded of the first part of the Lord's Prayer-

 "‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 
Let Your Kingdom Come, Let Your Will be done,
   on Earth as it is in Heaven."
- Matthew 6:9-10

How are our lives different when God is in control of them? How do we act, speak, think differently? How would our lives look differently if we all lived like we professed to believe? Could we really SEE "His Kingdom on Earth"? What does it look like for His Will to be done on Earth, as it is in Heaven?

In line with these thoughts (Heaven, Jesus' Second Coming etc), I am reminded also of this verse:

"You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night... You, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief... So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. Since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." - 1 Thessalonians 5:2-8

Are you ready for Christ's return???

Whose Vision Are You Serving?

This morning, during Sunday School our Pastor gave a sermon (on 1 Samuel 20) about the nature of the friendship between David & Jonathan, as compared to Saul's response to David.

Jonathan saw things from a bigger-picture mindset. He had a Kingdom Perspective. He grasped the Vision & acted upon it. Jonathan's heart was immediately knit to David's. They were One in spirit & had the same motives & goals in life (glorifying God). Jonathan had no desire to promote himself or his interests. He was captivated with the Power, Honor & the Glory of God. He was servant-minded. He gave up his robe & sword to God's Chosen King. He possessed the Vision & the Revelation. He led by his conduct. Can you imagine the effect his submission to David's leadership (& his love for him) had on the nation of Israel?

He was Saul's eldest son. He was next in line for the throne. But he set all of that aside to serve a Vision & Purpose greater than himself. And he spared David's life. He had a right heart & spirit before God. His zeal was for God, not for his own self-advancement. He wasn't seeking authority over others. He just wanted to see God glorified. He was selfless. He had no purpose in life other than seeing God work through his life. He did exploits for God's glory.

What of Jonathan's father Saul? What do you think was at the center of his motives? What was in his heart, thoughts, emotions, actions etc? (Selfishness, self-preservation). This is the danger of a "wasted life"- a life not lived to bring God glory. He was driven by jealousy & pride. He had lost his love for the Kingdom. We have a small, cowardly vision when we are focused on Self.

My Pastor spoke on the beauty of a David & Jonathan relationship, of two souls knit together, joined in heart & in spirit, like-minded,  pursing a common goal (Christ). I am blessed to be in several of these relationships in my life!!!

There were a lot of good lessons to be gleaned today. And then our pastor's nephew (our assistant pastor) spoke on 1 Corinthians 10, warning against idolatry...

Are You Washed In the Blood of the Lamb?

Last night I was able to go English Country Dancing with some of our friends. I arrived home very sweaty & grimy. This morning, I was trying my hardest to scrub away the smell. But the harder I tried, the more futile it seemed. I washed & washed, but it seemed like I could NOT get clean.

Then God gave me an analogy (which I'm sure I've heard before)- No matter how hard we try to "achieve holiness & godliness" in & of ourselves, we cannot attain it. No matter how hard we try rid our lives of sin, we cannot remove the stain. No matter how many times we promise to not sin, we always manage to do it again.

This is why we desperately need a SAVIOR. He is God's gift to us- undeserved & unmerited Grace.  As Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

I am reminded of Ephesians 2:1-9: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions & sins... All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh & following its desires & thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,  made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."

Our time on this earth is short. We do not know when the Lord will return. Are you assured of your salvation? What of your family & friends? I hope you sense the urgency of the situation. Dear friends, the time is NOW.

In Bible study recently, we have been talking about the necessity of doing things in His Power, Strength & motivation; for His glory. NOT in our own strength, not with fleshly motivation. "Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain..." - Psalm 127:1

I will close with the precious words of this hymn:

"Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
 
Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!"

And with this- "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9

The Rubber Meets the Road



"You only believe as much of the Bible as you put into practice." - Rick Warren

This was one of the things we learned in Bible study tonight. While I don't agree with everything that Rick Warren says (in fact, I haven't read anything by him before nor do I know much about him at all, only hear-say), I cannot get this phrase out of my mind.

He means that you can say that you believe the Truths of the Bible (such as tithing, serving, loving your enemies, carrying your Cross etc), but your words really mean nothing unless your life backs them up. In that, if you aren't living what you profess to believe, then you really don't believe it at all. Ouch.

This is where the rubber meets the road. Where we're Called to "put our money where our mouth is."
One of the Scriptures that we studied which goes along with this is: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." (James 1:22)

Just some food for thought. :)