3/21/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Jeremiah 1:10 " See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant."
Sometimes in order to get a new beginning God must remove what is standing in the way. Like a Gardner, He must uproot and destroy things in our life that our keeping us from glorifying Him in the way he most desires. In the Bible verse above, God is telling Jeremiah that Judah will be punished for her rebellious ways, that He will allow her to be destroyed and over run by the Babylonians and that she will have to spend a period of time in captivity. That must have been a fearful message for Jeremiah, as a Jewish man, to hear from the Lord, knowing that Judah was going into captivity as a result of her rebellion. But that is not then end of the story. The rest of the verse goes on to promise that ultimately, this is for the benefit of Judah, as God will eventually restore the land and provide it with a new beginning, a fresh start if you will. He must 1st remove and then restore. He needs to purge her before He can replant and bless the her again. These old testament scriptures I find fascinating in that they usually mirror a story of what is happening at one time or another in my own life. Like the people of Judah, I for many years and in many ways was rebellious towards the Lord. In fact, I never even was wanting to follow him until I was 38 years old. And like a skillful Gardner, when He finally got my attention, He needed to weed out many things from my life, namely a hardened heart, a prideful mind and a distrusting soul. The process was extremely painful at times, and can still be as I grow in my walk. But the Lord has continually shown me that His gardening skills are never wasted and they are always meant to clear room for the replanting that needs to take place in me. He needed to clear out all the weeds, so their would be room for the roses that He wanted to grow in the garden of my heart. He needed to clean out the thistles in my mind, to make room for the Olive Tree he was planting that would learn over time to depend on Him for everything it needed. He needed to painfully pull out the thorn bushes in my soul to make room for the soft, peaceful waterfall that would help to water the garden He was rebuilding in my life, so that He alone could become the stream of living water that I needed to survive. The process is ongoing and will be until the day I go to rejoin Him in my eternal resting place. The rooting out and pulling down can be quite painful, mostly because I can be quite stubborn. Nobody likes to go through the painful tear down projects that must take place occasionally in our lives. But if we can learn to see them through the eyes of our Eternal Gardner and realize that He is always trying to clear out space for a better future outcome, filled with more beauty and growth in Him and for Him, then we can learn from each situation as He draws us closer to Him. Sometimes, during our most challenging periods, it is quite normal to ask, why God? Why are you allowing this to happen in our lives? Like David often asked, where are you Lord in the midst of my suffering? What is the point of all this suffering? But Romans 8:38 says " And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God." We don't always no why bad things are allowed to happen or when relief will come, but we always know who will eventually deliver us, restore us and make us more beautiful than we were before. The Eternal Gardner, who first must demolish before he can refurbish. I have come to realize the mess that existed in the garden of my life only in hindsight. When I was wallowing in it, and He began to change me from the inside out, yet I only felt a pull to try to hang on to what I had known and what I become. But as He has worked in my life and begun to teach me how to let go, He has allowed me to see the beginning of new fruit from the seeds He has planted. As I repented, He replanted. He is the Gardner of repair and restoration. He removes the weeds of our lives, and replaces them with blossoming Tulips. It is up to me to allow Him to do His work in my garden. Please come in, Gardner of life!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
The Great Exchange
03/18/2012
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Romans 5:8 " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
I love this notion of exchanging something to get something else. It rules almost all aspects of a capitalistic society. We provide a good or service and we get something in return for our efforts. I wash your car, you pay me $20. I make a sale of a certain item, I get paid a commission. But what about all of the other, non-monetary, exchanges that take place in our lives on an almost daily basis that help shape who we are. Sometimes, hopefully, we do something extraordinary for someone without expecting anything of value in return, except for feeling good about the decision we made. Maybe that is the greatest gift of all. We get to build our self worth and self esteem when we help a cause or a person or the earth, without expecting anything back. When we show love towards someone, knowing they can never love us back, that is an act of selflessness that makes our character develop. We exchange a piece of ourselves for the benefit of an other. Well, imagine going to the place that Jesus went to show His love for us, knowing that not only could he get nothing back in this lifetime for his sacrifice, in fact He would have to endure unspeakable agony in order to accomplish His purpose. He would be mocked, derided, spit upon and mercilessly punished in order to fulfill His Father's will, the redemption of mankind. He would make the ultimate sacrifice and within that act, would provide me and anyone else who is willing to accept it, the greatest exchange that could ever take place in our lifetime: His righteousness for our sin. That He would be willing to suffer and die for us while we were yet sinners is what really sets us apart from any other religious doctrine. The implications are enormous. He didn't die for those who had their act together, who were working their way into the Kingdom, who were following all of the laws, who had turned over new leaves, who were going the second mile. No, instead He met us right where we were and still are, in our sinful nature. He said come and join me at the banquet table, for I have taken your sin upon me and given you my righteousness while you were still sinners. That way no one could ever boast about how much they deserved this Great Exchange. Ephesians 2:8-9 pretty much puts the nail in anyone's coffin who thinks their great works are the reason for their salvation " We are saved by grace, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast." This is remarkable in its simplicity, and in its complexity. It is simple to understand that God, being the loving Creator that He is, had to create a plan to salvage His creation from the sinful nature that had befallen them in the Garden. But it is incredibly complex to think that the Son of Man was willing to die a gruesome death, that my sinful nature deserved, in order that I would be set free from the consequences of that sin, so that I could be an eternal part of His Kingdom. And there is nothing that I had to do to earn it? We men like to earn our rewards. We like to feel that we deserve the spoils of our labor. But here Christ Jesus gave us the Greatest Exchange that could ever take place in history and didn't even require us to lift a finger? No work, all grace? Man, does this through many people for a loop. What do you mean I can't earn it? What do you mean I can't work for it? How am I supposed to feel good about myself? All we have to do is truly believe in our hearts and souls that He is and was who He said He was? I find that hard to beleive and this is a lament that keeps so many out of the Kingdom. But it truly is His Amazing Grace indeed, and something that when comprehended to the extent that we as humans can actually comprehend what took place on the Cross at Calvary can be transformational in our lives. If we are willing to see life not as an exchange of what we can get for something we give, but rather as a way to to give thanks for something we have already been given that can never be taken away and that we can never earn, then we can become more Christ like! When we truly look at all of life's situations as a way to bless someone without expecting anything in return, that is where real freedom exists. And where life's true blessings exist. We as Christians have already been given the greatest gift of all! Our job is to give it away in a way that glorifies and exemplifies that love that has already been shown to us. So why is it so tough to truly live this out? Why do I so often fail in my heart and in my soul to take time and to see all situations through this lens of His grace? I guess I can take solace in that He didn't wait for me, or expect me, to be any where near perfect before He was willing to die for me and to remove my sin from my eternal record. Isaiah 1:18 says " Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." My only response is, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible verse of the day: Romans 5:8 " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
I love this notion of exchanging something to get something else. It rules almost all aspects of a capitalistic society. We provide a good or service and we get something in return for our efforts. I wash your car, you pay me $20. I make a sale of a certain item, I get paid a commission. But what about all of the other, non-monetary, exchanges that take place in our lives on an almost daily basis that help shape who we are. Sometimes, hopefully, we do something extraordinary for someone without expecting anything of value in return, except for feeling good about the decision we made. Maybe that is the greatest gift of all. We get to build our self worth and self esteem when we help a cause or a person or the earth, without expecting anything back. When we show love towards someone, knowing they can never love us back, that is an act of selflessness that makes our character develop. We exchange a piece of ourselves for the benefit of an other. Well, imagine going to the place that Jesus went to show His love for us, knowing that not only could he get nothing back in this lifetime for his sacrifice, in fact He would have to endure unspeakable agony in order to accomplish His purpose. He would be mocked, derided, spit upon and mercilessly punished in order to fulfill His Father's will, the redemption of mankind. He would make the ultimate sacrifice and within that act, would provide me and anyone else who is willing to accept it, the greatest exchange that could ever take place in our lifetime: His righteousness for our sin. That He would be willing to suffer and die for us while we were yet sinners is what really sets us apart from any other religious doctrine. The implications are enormous. He didn't die for those who had their act together, who were working their way into the Kingdom, who were following all of the laws, who had turned over new leaves, who were going the second mile. No, instead He met us right where we were and still are, in our sinful nature. He said come and join me at the banquet table, for I have taken your sin upon me and given you my righteousness while you were still sinners. That way no one could ever boast about how much they deserved this Great Exchange. Ephesians 2:8-9 pretty much puts the nail in anyone's coffin who thinks their great works are the reason for their salvation " We are saved by grace, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works so that no one can boast." This is remarkable in its simplicity, and in its complexity. It is simple to understand that God, being the loving Creator that He is, had to create a plan to salvage His creation from the sinful nature that had befallen them in the Garden. But it is incredibly complex to think that the Son of Man was willing to die a gruesome death, that my sinful nature deserved, in order that I would be set free from the consequences of that sin, so that I could be an eternal part of His Kingdom. And there is nothing that I had to do to earn it? We men like to earn our rewards. We like to feel that we deserve the spoils of our labor. But here Christ Jesus gave us the Greatest Exchange that could ever take place in history and didn't even require us to lift a finger? No work, all grace? Man, does this through many people for a loop. What do you mean I can't earn it? What do you mean I can't work for it? How am I supposed to feel good about myself? All we have to do is truly believe in our hearts and souls that He is and was who He said He was? I find that hard to beleive and this is a lament that keeps so many out of the Kingdom. But it truly is His Amazing Grace indeed, and something that when comprehended to the extent that we as humans can actually comprehend what took place on the Cross at Calvary can be transformational in our lives. If we are willing to see life not as an exchange of what we can get for something we give, but rather as a way to to give thanks for something we have already been given that can never be taken away and that we can never earn, then we can become more Christ like! When we truly look at all of life's situations as a way to bless someone without expecting anything in return, that is where real freedom exists. And where life's true blessings exist. We as Christians have already been given the greatest gift of all! Our job is to give it away in a way that glorifies and exemplifies that love that has already been shown to us. So why is it so tough to truly live this out? Why do I so often fail in my heart and in my soul to take time and to see all situations through this lens of His grace? I guess I can take solace in that He didn't wait for me, or expect me, to be any where near perfect before He was willing to die for me and to remove my sin from my eternal record. Isaiah 1:18 says " Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." My only response is, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Look Foolish
Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Bible Verse of the Day" 1st Corinthians 1:27 " But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
God has always used seemingly foolish things to shock the world. Better yet, he asks for our deep faith and belief and then uses our own foolishness to glorify Himself. The Bible is full of stories and events that the world looked at as utterly ridiculous. The circumstances were so unreal that they seemed ludicrous. Sarah buying maternity clothes at age 90? Noah building an Arc and preparing for a flood in the middle of a Desert? David running to the battlefield to fight a giant with a slingshot? The Israelites marching around Jericho blaring trumpets? Peter stepping out of the boat in the middle of a lake? The response to all of these situations by bystanders at the time must have been are you kidding me? You are totally insane. I could see Sarah standing in line at the Old Testament version of Mommies R Us and the looks she must have gotten. Tell me the Lord doesn't have a wicked sense of humor. Well, here we are some 2,000 years later from the time of Christ's last breath on this earth, and not much has changed. People who are striving to follow Christ still seem foolish in the world's eyes. Maybe more so than ever. I often feel like I look foolish telling friends I used to get drunk or high with that I no longer wish to go there. That I have found a new life and a better way in Jesus Christ and that the pain I used to feel that led me to try and drown or smoke away is no longer there, thanks to His love and grace. I have replaced the world's medicine cabinet for God's. I look foolish in the world's eyes when I pray for people I don't even know or forgive those who have truly tried to harm me. I look foolish when I admit that I don't have a clue about what my purpose is in this life, but that I do know I can trust in God to lead me to where He wants me to go. For I have come to realize that He wants me to get where He wants me to go, even more than I do. Just trying to be a God fearing man is a huge challenge and leads to many situations on a daily basis where the world considers my attempts to honor God as shear foolishness. Let alone how many times I profess my love for Christ and than fall flat on my sinful face in words, deeds and actions. Trying to live a life that doesn't evolve around kingdom of self is quite foolish in today's world of instant gratification and self promotion. The battle of flesh vs. spirit is clearing being waged at a feverish pitch in this world, and I think it is safe to say that flesh has an insurmountable lead at the moment. I can hardly go a day when I don't feel the overwhelming temptation to give in to my fleshly desires. But when I try and espouse my feelings on why I believe it is better for me to at least attempt to stand strong in the spirit, I look foolish in this world's eyes. I guess I have come to realize that I would rather be disliked for who I am in Christ, than liked for who I am not. That doesn't make it any easier. It still hurts. At our core, humans have a need for acceptance and approval. The question I need to continually ask myself is who am I looking to for validation? If I look to this world, I always end up getting used, abused or burnt out as I try to do well in whatever endeavor I am chasing to make others like me, and to earn their approval, and maybe a pat on the head like a little puppy dog. Christ loves me not because of anything I am or could ever be, but because of who He is and all that He has done for me. Even though I am a lost sheep at times, He never stops being my good shepherd. I feel his love so much not because nothing is too big for Him, but because nothing is too small for Him. He gets into the granular ares of my life and sets up shop in the areas of my life that the world looks at as mundane. The granular places is where He breaks in and changes me, from the inside out. When I am in tune with this truth and strong in the word, I am willing to be boldly foolish for the Lord. I am willing to take risks and try things that the world would see as foolish. But in my quest for joy in this world, looking foolish for the Lord is as close as I can come to feeling true meaning and purpose. May I be increasingly eager to take risks for the Lord, and to look foolish in the world's eyes, for that is where I am most connected to my living God!
Bible Verse of the Day" 1st Corinthians 1:27 " But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
God has always used seemingly foolish things to shock the world. Better yet, he asks for our deep faith and belief and then uses our own foolishness to glorify Himself. The Bible is full of stories and events that the world looked at as utterly ridiculous. The circumstances were so unreal that they seemed ludicrous. Sarah buying maternity clothes at age 90? Noah building an Arc and preparing for a flood in the middle of a Desert? David running to the battlefield to fight a giant with a slingshot? The Israelites marching around Jericho blaring trumpets? Peter stepping out of the boat in the middle of a lake? The response to all of these situations by bystanders at the time must have been are you kidding me? You are totally insane. I could see Sarah standing in line at the Old Testament version of Mommies R Us and the looks she must have gotten. Tell me the Lord doesn't have a wicked sense of humor. Well, here we are some 2,000 years later from the time of Christ's last breath on this earth, and not much has changed. People who are striving to follow Christ still seem foolish in the world's eyes. Maybe more so than ever. I often feel like I look foolish telling friends I used to get drunk or high with that I no longer wish to go there. That I have found a new life and a better way in Jesus Christ and that the pain I used to feel that led me to try and drown or smoke away is no longer there, thanks to His love and grace. I have replaced the world's medicine cabinet for God's. I look foolish in the world's eyes when I pray for people I don't even know or forgive those who have truly tried to harm me. I look foolish when I admit that I don't have a clue about what my purpose is in this life, but that I do know I can trust in God to lead me to where He wants me to go. For I have come to realize that He wants me to get where He wants me to go, even more than I do. Just trying to be a God fearing man is a huge challenge and leads to many situations on a daily basis where the world considers my attempts to honor God as shear foolishness. Let alone how many times I profess my love for Christ and than fall flat on my sinful face in words, deeds and actions. Trying to live a life that doesn't evolve around kingdom of self is quite foolish in today's world of instant gratification and self promotion. The battle of flesh vs. spirit is clearing being waged at a feverish pitch in this world, and I think it is safe to say that flesh has an insurmountable lead at the moment. I can hardly go a day when I don't feel the overwhelming temptation to give in to my fleshly desires. But when I try and espouse my feelings on why I believe it is better for me to at least attempt to stand strong in the spirit, I look foolish in this world's eyes. I guess I have come to realize that I would rather be disliked for who I am in Christ, than liked for who I am not. That doesn't make it any easier. It still hurts. At our core, humans have a need for acceptance and approval. The question I need to continually ask myself is who am I looking to for validation? If I look to this world, I always end up getting used, abused or burnt out as I try to do well in whatever endeavor I am chasing to make others like me, and to earn their approval, and maybe a pat on the head like a little puppy dog. Christ loves me not because of anything I am or could ever be, but because of who He is and all that He has done for me. Even though I am a lost sheep at times, He never stops being my good shepherd. I feel his love so much not because nothing is too big for Him, but because nothing is too small for Him. He gets into the granular ares of my life and sets up shop in the areas of my life that the world looks at as mundane. The granular places is where He breaks in and changes me, from the inside out. When I am in tune with this truth and strong in the word, I am willing to be boldly foolish for the Lord. I am willing to take risks and try things that the world would see as foolish. But in my quest for joy in this world, looking foolish for the Lord is as close as I can come to feeling true meaning and purpose. May I be increasingly eager to take risks for the Lord, and to look foolish in the world's eyes, for that is where I am most connected to my living God!
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