Non-religion

In his book “The Prodigal God” Timothy Keller writes {it is hard for us to realize this today, but when Christianity first arose in the world it was not called a religion. It was the non-religion. Imagine the neighbors of early Christians asking them about their faith. “Where’s your temple?” they’d ask. The Christians would reply that they didn’t have a temple. “But how could that be? Where do your priest labor?” The Christians would have replied that they didn’t have priests. “But…but” the neighbors would have sputtered, “where are the sacrifices made to please your gods?’ The Christians would have responded that they did not make sacrifices any more. Jesus himself was the temple to end all temples, the priest to end all priests, and the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. No one had ever heard anything like this. So the Romans called them “atheists” because what the Christians were saying about spiritual reality was unique and could not be classified with other religions of the world.

The irony of this should not be lost on us, standing as we do in the midst of the modern culture wars. To most people in our society, Christianity is religion and moralism. The only alternative to (besides some other world religion) is pluralistic secularism. But from the beginning it was not so. Christianity was recognized as a tertium quid, something else entirely}

I think its time that we start to live as Christians and be the people that live as Christ lived. May we become something else entirely?

Home

It has been a very busy last few months, as I have been traveling and speaking. God has taught me so much about Himself, and I am falling more in love with the God who made me, and saved me. One of the things that I’m learning is how much I miss home. Now don’t get me wrong, I love traveling. I count it a privilege to have the opportunity to share Gods word in different places. I also love it when the rest of the ministry team can travel together and we can all use our gifts for God. However, after awhile you find that you just want to be home. There is something about home that just bring a sense of comfort. I thought about being home with God, how great that day will be. When this journey is over and forever we will be with God, forever in God’s presence with Jesus. I understand now why we should desire to be with Jesus, because that is home. Yes this life we live is a journey and there are many times we enjoy it, but I know that Home is always the place that our hearts truly needs. I guess Dorothy was right when she said in the Wizard of OZ “THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME”

Glory

How many time do you ever think of the word Glory? In our culture it’s not a word you here often. When I read the Bible especially the Old Testament the word Glory is everywhere. So the other day I was listing to a message while driving in the car. Matt Chandler was teaching on the purpose of their church. He stated that their church was there to bring God glory. He then went on to define the word Glory as it is used in the Bible. He stated that the word Glory means weight. Let me try to explain, the weightiness of the Glory of God is greater than anything else. God is the most Glorious
Of anything that is, that means He alone is the most important thing. There is nothing or no one more Glorious, any more worthy than He. The weight of that truth should bring us all to a place of worship and adoration. So today will you humble yourself before the Glory of God?

Spreading the Gospel

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Act 1:8

I can’t imagine what the disciples were thinking. Jesus last words to them were two fold, they would receive power, and they would be His witnesses to all earth. Peter had to be thinking Lord what if I fail again. Matthew might have been thinking how would those that he had wronged ever listen to what he now had to say. And the others were they ready for such a great task. For just a few verses earlier they ask Jesus. “Lord will you at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel”

You see they had a plan, but God had a much bigger plan. They wanted the Kingdom restored back to Israel as in the great days of King David. God wanted the Kingdom restored back to His Son. It is in the spreading of the Gospel that the Kingdom of Christ will be restored. They did not yet understand that Christ did not come to rebuild Israel, but to save the world. He did not come to restore Israel, but to restore mankind.

So I ask you do you want to be part of the plan of God, or are you to busy with your own plan. Go and make disciples.

Excel in the Act of Grace

Have you ever wondered about Grace? If I were to ask you what is Grace what would you say. When I look up Grace here are the definitions that jumped out at me.

a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification
b : a virtue coming from God
c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

So I know that God is full of Grace, but what would happen if we would become people that would excel in the act of grace? Not the type of unmerited grace that only God can give.
But there was another definition given (disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency) What if we became the type of people that lived our lives with a disposition towards kindness and courtesy? What if we where people who excelled in the Act of Grace? I’m sure that we would be much more effective in changing the world for Christ, If we would just excel in the act of Grace.

One needs to live in community to realize the problems in his own soul.

Often times when we live in isolation we cannot see who we really are. It is only when we have community and intimate fellowship with Jesus and others can we see the needs of our own soul. We as Christians need a place where there can be true examination and self-disclosure. In his book The Mind Of Christ Dennis Kinlaw states “As we serve together in the Kingdom, we learn who we are. If we are ever to see ourselves as we truly are we must look at ourselves through the eyes of Jesus and others. Are you will to to look at yourself through the eyes of Jesus and others? For only then will we see the things that we need to see.

You Will Not Have to Fight This Battle

Often time in life we are faced with battles that just seem too big for us to fight. These battles can overwhelm us just at the thought of them. It is these types of battles that our God will fight for us. In 2 Chronicles, King Jehoshaphat faced this type of battle, and then God spoke to King Jehoshaphat and said in verse 20:17 “ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.” So often I feel that we forget that our God is with us and we need not try to fight the battles on our own. There are times when we just need to stand firm and trust in God and watch Him fight for us and give us victory. So today stand firm and trust in your God for he is big enough to win the battle.