I am enamored with Instagram. Truth be told it's not the app itself that captures my attention...pictures do.
I love looking at pictures. Funny faces, frozen faces, smiling faces, sad faces, weird faces, wild faces. Automobiles, barns, cats, dogs, ears, feet, groups, houses, igloos, jokes, kangaroos, laughter, monstrous mountains, nerdy nephews, orbiting orbs, pitchers, quacks, restrooms, saloons, toddlers, universes, valentines, washboards, exes, yokels, and the Zambezi zinger. All may be imprisoned forever.
The "magic" of photography first was recorded by Aristotle and Euclid in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. (Wikipedia makes everyone sound so stinking smart.) Societies the world over have wondered after the marvel of piece of history frozen in time. Photos are fascinating.
Pictures to me are the antithesis of a Christian's life. While pictures take hold of points in time and captures them for eternity, a Christian's life is fluid, moving, ever-changing. The enemy loves to present pictures of who we have been as evidence of why we cannot be something different. But the truth is we cannot allow points in our past define who we can/will be today. Sure, we deal with the consequences of the events recorded in the pictures of our past, but those effigies of history are forgotten by God at our request.
Thankfully our sinfulness is not (generally) plastered on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter for the world's consumption. But even if it is, do not let the weight of the evidence seared in your memory cripple your walk with Jesus Christ. Your journey continues despite the pictures of the past.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Ulterior Motives
"...For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." -1 Samuel 16:7b
We wrestle with skepticism every day. Every relationship we hold carry varying levels of distrust and unsettling questions. Are people really who they say they are? Do our friends really care about us or are they working an angle for our affection, our contacts, our knowledge? Our church offers programs for the community and it always seems people believe we have another goal: baptisms. Everyone knows there is no free lunch, so why would someone talk to me unless they wanted something?
I believe we are wary of others' motives because we recognize selfish motive in ourselves from time to time. I heard on K-Love this afternoon a thought: People see what you do; God knows why you do it. God knows why I seek friendships with the people I do. God knows why I give tithe and offering and why I give the amount I give. God knows why I go, or don't go, to church. God knows why I say what I say and act the way I act with people. God knows my motives even when I don't realize them. God sees everything about me and understands the foundation of it all. I cannot hide from God.
That's heavy. God knows me better than I know myself. My thoughts are not secret. My heart is not shrouded in mystery. Even when I put on the brave, smiling face, God sees my terror-stricken, lonely, anxious heart. There is certainly comfort in His understanding.
Not only does He know me, He knows everyone I meet, greet, sweet and beat. He's looking out for me. He'll guard my heart, if I allow Him. He'll build strong, trust-filled relationships for me, if I allow Him. He'll place the walls of skepticism up at the right time, if I allow Him. He will keep me safe.
Our relationship with Christ is not supposed to be about gaining worldly wealth or even a heavenly home. It's about having a friend closer than a brother or sister. It's about having a relationship without skepticism, dishonesty, distrust or anxiety. It's a relationship free of ulterior motives.
We wrestle with skepticism every day. Every relationship we hold carry varying levels of distrust and unsettling questions. Are people really who they say they are? Do our friends really care about us or are they working an angle for our affection, our contacts, our knowledge? Our church offers programs for the community and it always seems people believe we have another goal: baptisms. Everyone knows there is no free lunch, so why would someone talk to me unless they wanted something?
I believe we are wary of others' motives because we recognize selfish motive in ourselves from time to time. I heard on K-Love this afternoon a thought: People see what you do; God knows why you do it. God knows why I seek friendships with the people I do. God knows why I give tithe and offering and why I give the amount I give. God knows why I go, or don't go, to church. God knows why I say what I say and act the way I act with people. God knows my motives even when I don't realize them. God sees everything about me and understands the foundation of it all. I cannot hide from God.
That's heavy. God knows me better than I know myself. My thoughts are not secret. My heart is not shrouded in mystery. Even when I put on the brave, smiling face, God sees my terror-stricken, lonely, anxious heart. There is certainly comfort in His understanding.
Not only does He know me, He knows everyone I meet, greet, sweet and beat. He's looking out for me. He'll guard my heart, if I allow Him. He'll build strong, trust-filled relationships for me, if I allow Him. He'll place the walls of skepticism up at the right time, if I allow Him. He will keep me safe.
Our relationship with Christ is not supposed to be about gaining worldly wealth or even a heavenly home. It's about having a friend closer than a brother or sister. It's about having a relationship without skepticism, dishonesty, distrust or anxiety. It's a relationship free of ulterior motives.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Spring Cleaning
Our garage is a mess. Sure, I can park my car in it. Yes, I do have moving boxes from three years ago still filling up the far corners of the space. Of course, I have my practice net up for hitting golf balls in winter weather.
The periphery of my garage is full of stuff which is only used seasonally or not at all. A tool bench (came with the rental) sits covered in a box of old books and toys waiting for their final donation destination. Our garbage cans encroach on the area my car is supposed to rest. The back wall is hidden behind stacks of Christmas decoration totes and old yard implements (which also came with the place). My wife's car squeezes in between my car, the lawnmower and four snow tires I have yet to have returned to my car. A dismal and depressing sight to be sure. I need someone disconnected from the memories of this stuff to come clean it out.
My car is, far and away, the most valuable and impressive thing in the entire garage. Yet the place it "lives" would suggest I care very little about it. (That, and the fact it needs a good vacuuming.)
Your heart is like my garage. Each heart has varying levels of clutter and junk encroaching on the open spot where Jesus Christ should be forever parked. We have cherished pasts, useless trinkets, stinking garbage cans full of refuse, old moving boxes and decaying self-help tools which failed to help us keep our lives in order. You need a spring cleaning.
Jesus is the most valuable and impressive thing you could ever display in your heart's garage. And, unlike my car, He will gladly begin the process of making more space for Himself. He will passionately discard the clutter, the cherish items, the useless trinkets, stinking garbage, and old, decaying self-serving tools you've clung to for much too long.
Call Jesus up and ask Him to be your cleaning crew. Tell Him to throw out everything you don't need. Ask Jesus to do the work. Philippians 2:13 says, "God works in you to will and to do for His good pleasure." God works in you. God works. God works in you. God works in YOU!
Stop waiting to clean out your own heart before asking for His help. Hire Jesus as your heart cleaning company. He'll even bring His own dumpster.
The periphery of my garage is full of stuff which is only used seasonally or not at all. A tool bench (came with the rental) sits covered in a box of old books and toys waiting for their final donation destination. Our garbage cans encroach on the area my car is supposed to rest. The back wall is hidden behind stacks of Christmas decoration totes and old yard implements (which also came with the place). My wife's car squeezes in between my car, the lawnmower and four snow tires I have yet to have returned to my car. A dismal and depressing sight to be sure. I need someone disconnected from the memories of this stuff to come clean it out.
My car is, far and away, the most valuable and impressive thing in the entire garage. Yet the place it "lives" would suggest I care very little about it. (That, and the fact it needs a good vacuuming.)
Your heart is like my garage. Each heart has varying levels of clutter and junk encroaching on the open spot where Jesus Christ should be forever parked. We have cherished pasts, useless trinkets, stinking garbage cans full of refuse, old moving boxes and decaying self-help tools which failed to help us keep our lives in order. You need a spring cleaning.
Jesus is the most valuable and impressive thing you could ever display in your heart's garage. And, unlike my car, He will gladly begin the process of making more space for Himself. He will passionately discard the clutter, the cherish items, the useless trinkets, stinking garbage, and old, decaying self-serving tools you've clung to for much too long.
Call Jesus up and ask Him to be your cleaning crew. Tell Him to throw out everything you don't need. Ask Jesus to do the work. Philippians 2:13 says, "God works in you to will and to do for His good pleasure." God works in you. God works. God works in you. God works in YOU!
Stop waiting to clean out your own heart before asking for His help. Hire Jesus as your heart cleaning company. He'll even bring His own dumpster.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The State of Your Heart Address
Today, and everyday, you have the opportunity to have your own address: the State of Your Heart address. The audience is you, but you have a choice of speechwriters.
Satan writes speeches full of selfishness and false justification. He places a work of deception before your heart and asks you to simply read the words of self-gratification and ease off his teleprompter. His rhetoric subtly supports deep divides between the party of good and evil. Each line pulls at the emotions and passions of the sinful hearts we fight with everyday.
God writes speeches of selflessness and true justification. He places a work of truth before your heart and asks for you to live the words of self denial and surrender through His Prompter, the Holy Spirit. His rhetoric boldly lifts you from the darkness of the party of evil and brings your thoughts to the courts of heaven. Each line brings conviction and change to the sinful hearts we fight with everyday.
Do not let today go by without a true State of Your Heart address. Do not let a moment pass without sitting down with the only One who can deliver on His promise of real change. Not simply political, economic or world change; true heart change.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Beatitudinal Adjustment: The Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:3 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
We start an 8-part series on the Beatitudes in my district this month. So every week I'll share thoughts on the next Beatitude in the series.
Matthew is significant as a gospel writer as he depicts Christ as King of kings. Throughout Matthew the phraseology reflects the kingdom of heaven and the coming rulership of Jesus. As Matthew 5 opens, the famous Sermon on the Mount places Jesus in a parallel with Moses on Mount Sinai in the mind of the Jewish reader. Jesus prepares to expound upon the Testimonies given at Sinai without changing them. It should be noted that in Matthew 7:28 the people sit in awe of Jesus and the authority He speaks with just as the children of Israel were in awe of Moses after he spoke with God.
Jesus begins His sermon by speaking blessings upon the people. He starts with "the poor in spirit." The contemporary culture of Jesus' day saw poverty as a curse from the gods. They were ostracized, marginalized and often given lower positions (if any) during worship services or mealtimes. Jesus begins to tear down this misconception. In the eyes of Christ wealth and positions of grandeur are greater burdens than poverty and little or no authority. (see Matthew 19:21-24)
Rather than trumpeting our outward, temporal successes, Christians are called to a life of self-denial, introspection, and humility before The Holy God. Take Isaiah 66:1-2, for example.
"Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,' says the LORD. 'But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.'"
God is not interested in how big and beautiful we can build our churches/temples/shrines/monuments in honor of Him. God already made the heavens and the earth and they serve as a much greater throne and footstool than we could ever build or even design/dream. The LORD is looking for people who recognize they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Revelation 3:17)
Christ's message stands in perfect contrast to the teaching of the proud Pharisees and pious Scribes of old. His message still stands against the common empty teachings of today. You are most successful in life when you are humbled by your sinfulness and lying face down before Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to show God's compassion to the poor and suffering (both physically and spiritually). He removed the wall of to the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary allowing all to approach the throne of grace. He showed us the accessibility of God. He took, and still takes, the lowest of the low and raises them to the lofty heights of the Most High.
He opened the gates of heaven for you. What will you do about it?
"And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
"So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'"
(Acts 16:30-31)
We start an 8-part series on the Beatitudes in my district this month. So every week I'll share thoughts on the next Beatitude in the series.
Matthew is significant as a gospel writer as he depicts Christ as King of kings. Throughout Matthew the phraseology reflects the kingdom of heaven and the coming rulership of Jesus. As Matthew 5 opens, the famous Sermon on the Mount places Jesus in a parallel with Moses on Mount Sinai in the mind of the Jewish reader. Jesus prepares to expound upon the Testimonies given at Sinai without changing them. It should be noted that in Matthew 7:28 the people sit in awe of Jesus and the authority He speaks with just as the children of Israel were in awe of Moses after he spoke with God.
Jesus begins His sermon by speaking blessings upon the people. He starts with "the poor in spirit." The contemporary culture of Jesus' day saw poverty as a curse from the gods. They were ostracized, marginalized and often given lower positions (if any) during worship services or mealtimes. Jesus begins to tear down this misconception. In the eyes of Christ wealth and positions of grandeur are greater burdens than poverty and little or no authority. (see Matthew 19:21-24)
Rather than trumpeting our outward, temporal successes, Christians are called to a life of self-denial, introspection, and humility before The Holy God. Take Isaiah 66:1-2, for example.
"Thus says the LORD: 'Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things My hand has made, and all those things exist,' says the LORD. 'But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.'"
God is not interested in how big and beautiful we can build our churches/temples/shrines/monuments in honor of Him. God already made the heavens and the earth and they serve as a much greater throne and footstool than we could ever build or even design/dream. The LORD is looking for people who recognize they are "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." (Revelation 3:17)
Christ's message stands in perfect contrast to the teaching of the proud Pharisees and pious Scribes of old. His message still stands against the common empty teachings of today. You are most successful in life when you are humbled by your sinfulness and lying face down before Jesus Christ.
Jesus came to show God's compassion to the poor and suffering (both physically and spiritually). He removed the wall of to the Most Holy place of the heavenly sanctuary allowing all to approach the throne of grace. He showed us the accessibility of God. He took, and still takes, the lowest of the low and raises them to the lofty heights of the Most High.
He opened the gates of heaven for you. What will you do about it?
"And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'
"So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.'"
(Acts 16:30-31)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
New Devotion
Devotion: profound dedication; consecration; earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.
Synonyms: zeal, ardor, love
(www.dictionary.com)
The North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists Ministerial Department sent me a devotional book for the new year. It's The Chosen written by Pastor Dwight Nelson. My normal thoughts regarding "devotional" books is not one of excitement or anticipation. In fact, though I often struggle with direction in my personal study time, devotional books rarely provide an effective personal worship experience or even worthwhile springboard into further study. I have only found one daily devotional I have truly liked.
Still, I knew I needed a jumpstart in 2012 to my personal worship time. The first three days of The Chosen have been fantastic reminders of who we are in the eyes of God. More importantly for me, who I am in the eyes of God. Regardless of my life experiences (mistakes, choices, victories, social status, etc, etc) I am a child of God who He chose. I am alive because God wanted, and still wants, me to be alive.
God wants my devotion. He wants my profound dedication and consecration to Him. He has demonstrated the dedication and consecration to me He hopes for me to return. And, He is willing and able to help me achieve the desired result. Call it zeal, ardor, love. Call it what you will. But God is earnestly attaching Himself to us. Maybe it's time we returned the favor.
Synonyms: zeal, ardor, love
(www.dictionary.com)
The North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists Ministerial Department sent me a devotional book for the new year. It's The Chosen written by Pastor Dwight Nelson. My normal thoughts regarding "devotional" books is not one of excitement or anticipation. In fact, though I often struggle with direction in my personal study time, devotional books rarely provide an effective personal worship experience or even worthwhile springboard into further study. I have only found one daily devotional I have truly liked.
Still, I knew I needed a jumpstart in 2012 to my personal worship time. The first three days of The Chosen have been fantastic reminders of who we are in the eyes of God. More importantly for me, who I am in the eyes of God. Regardless of my life experiences (mistakes, choices, victories, social status, etc, etc) I am a child of God who He chose. I am alive because God wanted, and still wants, me to be alive.
God wants my devotion. He wants my profound dedication and consecration to Him. He has demonstrated the dedication and consecration to me He hopes for me to return. And, He is willing and able to help me achieve the desired result. Call it zeal, ardor, love. Call it what you will. But God is earnestly attaching Himself to us. Maybe it's time we returned the favor.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)