that excuse just wont cut it anymore

Today has been an interesting day no doubt. It was a day filled with suprises some good some bad, some that brought Joy and some thought brought pain and to be honest tears. Late night and I find myself putting the neccesary close on to take a walk in the pouring rain. I needed to think, I needed to clear my head and I needed to reflect. The more I started to think the thought "but they" or "but I" I realized that excuses just won't cut it anymore. It isn't big enough, deep enoigh or near strong enough.
That excuse just won't cut it anymore because I along with so many of you have made the decision to follow Christ and give our life to him. We made the commitment to pick up our cross and follow where HE leads. It starts with one the realization that we screw up all the time but we have been. Biedeemed which we know but we do not take the propper steps every single day. Next we made the commitment to give our LIFE to Christ. Which sometimes means even when we pour ourselves out like never before and do not get the return we think we should,or we deserve. I am not talking about selfishness here I am talking about the times when these feelings or thoughts are justified. The thing is though Jesus pain on the cross was not justified he was the ultimate example the ultimate sacrafice. He did it to redeem our stories to redeem the world so we could again bring glory to God. So what I am saying is Love deeper, Love better, Love stronger and do it because eventually Glory will point to God. See Love wins Love always wins. Keep loving in a Christ like selfless way and it eventually will always win and point to the cross. That is what this is all about that excuse just wont cut it anymore. In reality no excuse will cut it anymore to give up or to throw in the towell, or to wine and complain. ZBe bigger better and stronger through the Spirit love in a supernatural way.

My own worst enemy

Things the last several months have been just out of this world for me God was doing so many and still continues to do so many things in my life.  I continued to dive in everyday seek him read the word, pray for others and so and and so on. I suddenly felt things slipping and felt things going the other way and I had no idea why. I know life is not perfect and I know things will  always "fall apart" . I realized though I was lacking some things the core heart of the issue was me, I was my own worst enemy.  There were things I was missing hte point even though i was working towards that area I thought that was good enough. I was taking obedience true obedience for granted. Partial obedience is disobedience. God did not call me to work towards those things but to DO it. It isn't about me or my pace how i want to do it. It is about what God called us to and that is radical obedience. I let that disobedience seep in andthuse there was no true repentance. Where there is no repentance we cut ourselves off with true intimacy with God. My time spent with him then was in his presence but I was unable to expereince the TRUE intimacy, that he desires with us. I was literally my own worse enemy there is ntohing anyone else or any circumstances that could have made it better or worse. it was all on me. I am excited today to stand before my God and just confess and humble myself. How great our creater our redeemer our lover and friend is. Our you your own worst enemy?

Dragons and Rainbows: child like faith

Luke 18:17 "truly I tell you, anyone who will not reeive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it" . Powerful, bold, and someitmes a little frightening if we are honest. Why because it seems so vague so broad and it doesnt describe what that means. I have been blessed over the last several months to be surrounded by kids that I love, even though none of them our mine. As i seek gods face deeper and deeper I wonder how I can continue to enter in a faith that daily draws me closer and closer to him. Then this verse continues to smack me in the face.

I am reminded of a story that Erwin Mcmanus tells in the barbarian way. His son is on the porch roof he had crawled out there the mom is obviously freaking out lol. The boy yells "dad should I jump?" Erwin says "ya go for it". The kid acts like he is gonna jump sizes it up. Asks "dad do you really think I should jump?" Erwin says "why not". Needless to say the boy jumps off the roof into his arms. That is where it starts!

Child like faith! Faith like a child starts with being fearless, if if if, your father tells you to, you know you can do anyting. As we grow up we get beat down one we either stop hearing what he tells us to, or we are so buckled with fear we cant do it anyways. Faith like a child has imagination. children have wild imaginations anywhere from invisible friends from playing princess and dragons in the back yard with nothing more then a couple objects. Our God is the ultimate creator and we are created in his image. We should and we must be creative and innovative another trait that somewhere along the line gets lost in the battle of our daily lives. Child like faith knows they are loved. Children have an ultimate dependcy on their parents and in times of trouble nad in times of true Joy they want nothing more to be with their parents. They know they are loved they know they are provided for and they know ultimately that is all they need.  We lose that heart so often with our heavenly faither we forget that is all we truly need. We either reject his love or we simply do not think that we can accept it. Or we get lost in doing our own thing and pride and "works" get in the way. We get so caught up sometimes what others think of us how the world views us, what we can and cant do, we think about whats next. Children live in the moments they are wild and free and dont care whats around them. One of the most fun things to watch is when child just gets out of the shower no shame no fear just freedom!. Will you choose to regain your heart of a child! reclaim your life! Wild and free who wouldnt want to be with THEE .

Ignorance is not bliss

I have a feeling that this one will ruffle some feathers but I am okay with that. There are so many people in this generation say well I just do not believe in Jesus. Here is my problem with that. Before you start thinking well it is their choice you cannot force your beliefs on them listen up first. I am not talking about theology here. So what am I talking about? History.

How many of you if someone approached you and said I do not believe in Abraham Lincoln, be honest here, would say you are stupid. I know I would and yes I know I shouldn't, sometimes I have a bad heart . How is this relevant? Jesus of Nazareth is a historical being, just as much so as Abraham Lincoln. It is not debateable. So when you tell me you do not beleive in Jesus. One of two things is happening, one you choose not to investigate, or two you choose to not beleive in Jesus the messiah. I have a problem with when people come to me and tell me I do not beleive in Jesus.  I think sometimes as a Church we even mislead with the idea of it takes faith to believe in Jesus. We can prove Jesus walked on this earth that does not take faith. What takes faith is beleiveing that this Jesus was God in human flesh and died on the cross so that we may recieve grace and have eternity with him. That is faith. Why does this matter?

 

I began to ask myself does this really even matter and I beleive it does. This is why I think it does matter. when we allow otehrs to pick and choose what they take as truth in this world and i am basing it soley historically right now then our whole world starts to fall apart. Their become no truths anywhere and thus there is no need for a saviour. The foundation of this starts asJesus the man. If we can get them to that place, we open the door to talk about Jesus the Messiah. Which then they have a choice to make to follow him or not to follow him. To make him Lord in your life or not to make him Lord in your life.  To get to a decision point we must first STAND STRONG in what cannot be argued and StAND STRONG in what is fact.  Then and only then will Jesus ever become relevant in a generation that chooses to beleive that their opinion is "fact" and that is okay. Start where your truth cant be disputed.