True Fasting

Why do you fast?

No really, think about that a second and come up with an answer, don’t worry, the rest of the blog isn’t going anywhere. Do you even fast? What have you been told, or read about when to fast or why?

Today we are going to look at examples of fasting in the Bible, as well as the only place I can find any sort of explanation as to a reason.

“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the LORD? ‘Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.” (Isaiah 58: 1-12 ESV)

I want to start with this text because this is the only description of fasting I can find. It starts with what the people are doing wrong. What is interesting is that what they are doing wrong is the very reason so many use to fast these days. When I posted a poll a while back on my facebook asking people why they fast I mostly heard back answers such as “to draw closer to God,” or variations of that phrase. There were some who listed other reasons but that was the biggest. Yet look back at verse 2. God mentions the people delighting to draw near to Him, yet this is not mentioned in a positive light. In fact, this is part of the problem. Even the people “humbling themselves” isn’t what is pleasing God in fasting. This threw me off a bit. I had always heard that fasting was a means of learning to give up ourselves (or become humble) in order to become closer with God. Now there is truth in that, but the problem is that it isn’t the whole truth. As we continue in this section you see that what God sees as a fast pleasing to Him results in people being helped. The hungry are fed, the homeless sheltered, etc. God wants our fast not just to be a sacrifice of ourselves, but a sacrifice to do His will on this earth. We need to use it as a way to accomplish some good for others.

Here are examples of fasting:

Esther 4:16, Daniel 9:3-19, 1 Samuel 7:5-6, Nehamiah 1:4

In all of these cases those fasting are doing so for the benefit of the entire nation of Israel, that God should see the plight they are in and offer a solution. Selfless acts of fasting designed to accomplish a goal with the benefit of others in mind.

Some more examples:

Acts 13:2, 14:23

In both of these examples the fasting is being done in order to find God’s will in selecting those to do His work. The people selected will be either directly responsible for spreading the Gospel or a major part in growing the faith of those where the Church is already established. Again, we see the primary reason for the fast lies outside of oneself.

Now for the best example of all which can be found in Matthew 4:1-11. In this instance Christ is preparing for his ministry, the ministry that would ultimately lead to the greatest act of selflessness ever, the crucifixion of Christ for our sins. The result of which is the extension of grace to all.

Ultimately we do fast to grow closer to God, to seek His guidance. Not merely for the pleasure of feeling close to our creator, but to find His heart and will for our lives, and to spread His love to everyone we encounter.

Marks of a True Christian

I am always floored with how powerfully the word of God can cut into the heart of a matter. And in every sermon or message I've watched, heard, or read, the scriptures stand out the most, and have the most impact. In this post I will be adding very little of my own thoughts, this will be mostly selected verses talking about what it means to be a Christian. Let them sink in, ponder them, and most of all, pray that God will have His Spirit reveal new truths through the words that He left for us.

I want to dive right in today, so I will start in the book of Romans.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:9-21 (ESV)

Wow. Do we do this? Do most even try? Our faith isn’t supposed to be a show, about how good we are. Let love be genuine. Everything listed here is derived from love. If we wish to know the heart of God we must learn to love those around us, even when they don’t return that love. This was what Paul taught on how to represent Christ and be a Christian, but I know a few who would rather see this from Christ himself. These teachings can be found in Matthew, what most know as the sermon on the mount, and His teaching is more expansive than Paul’s short and sweet version in Romans.

   “Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of god. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

    You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before me, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

    Do not think that i have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

    You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca.' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, youw ill not get out until you have paid the last penny.

    You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. and if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. 

    It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.' But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.

    Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago. 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' But I tell you, do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is god's throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

   You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

    You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are no even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
   Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 'So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 
  'And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 'This, then, is how you should pray:
     'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.'
   For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. 
   'When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
   'Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 'The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then teh light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 'No one can serve two masters. Either youw ill hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. you cannot serve both God and money.
   'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are  you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They don ot labor or spin. yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you -- you of little faith?So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
   'do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. 'Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
   'Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 'Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
   'Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the read that leads to life, and only a few find it.
   'Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
   'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I will tell them plainly, ' I never knew you. away from me, you evildoers!'
   'Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.'
   When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law." (Matthew 5-7 NIV)

Now I realize that is a LOT to digest in one go, but read through it again and again if you need to. Christ is teaching His people how we are to live our lives, and what it takes to follow Him. We should daily pray and seek after the Spirit. Ask, Seek, Knock. For we are promised that there will be a response. We will get what we ask for, find what we seek, and the doors we knock on will be opened. He has promised us. So for now, Ask the Spirit for the Wisdom to understand the mysteries of Christ. Seek to follow the will of God. And knock at the doors you are directed to, you will be amazed at what you find behind them.


So let your love be genuine as you go about your lives today, and God Bless you all

Go to the Ant

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” Proverbs 6: 6-11 ESV

I want to start off with saying I have come to love what is to be found in proverbs. Many joke about wishing there was an instruction manual to life, and yet I believe that is exactly what this book is intended to be. The words found here, “the words of the wise and their riddles” (Proverbs 1: 6 ESV), cover every aspect of life I have yet encountered or been able to imagine. Now I am only really beginning to really dive into these riddles of the wise, and to allow the Spirit to show me the truth within, but I am daily astounded at what I find. I also want to start off with something else that caught my eye, something that shows beyond a doubt in my mind that these words are those inspired by the Spirit of God.

                Now, I love nature. God’s creation has been inspiring me my entire life, and for many years I wanted nothing more than to study it. Insects and reptiles caught my interest the most, and near the top of that list were ants. So when I read about considering her ways, and how she prepares her bread in summer, the use of the feminine descriptive term caught my eye immediately. So I looked at the Hebrew. This is the word used:  də·rā·ḵe·hā. Now don’t ask me how to pronounce that, I have no idea. However I was able to research the meaning, to see if it was a word that specified the feminine use, or if that was a byproduct of our translation to English, as some texts use gender neutral terms. This word is used a few times in scriptures. It means “her ways”. And is definitely purposefully using the feminine structure. This blew my mind. This is a truth in the scriptures once again showing that this knowledge comes from a source greater than man. You see, this is accurate. Most of an ant colony, in fact, all those that we usually see, with the exception of a few of the winged ones, are indeed sterile females. However, these “drones” weren’t proven to be female until we could look at them with genetics. Which we all know is not a possibility at the time the proverbs were written. So already, even before diving into the meaning of the scriptures, God is astounding me and preparing my heart to receive the instruction of one much wiser than any man. Showing me that even though the author of these sayings is considered the wisest man ever, the wisdom comes not from himself, but from God.

    

            I want to take going to the ant very seriously in this review of text, because we are indeed told to “Go to the ant”. God has provided His creation for our enjoyment, benefit, and even to teach us. We all know that ant colonies have queens. But these are not leaders like we find in human society. They are simply breeding females which allow the colony to sustain and grow in population. The queen is only important in the fact that there are few within the colony, as a function they are simply one cog like any other. If you remove any of the worker “caste” types in the colony, the entire colony will crumble. So here ant structure is showing that all are of equal importance to the health of the structure as a whole. And every single ant does its function without receiving any order or command to do so. They in fact act as one unit, almost like a single living entity, each a part of the larger body, unable to survive or function alone. Does this sound familiar? Let us look at 1 Corinthians 12:12-31:

“For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, ‘because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, ‘because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members to it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way” (ESV)

The Church follows a similar structure to that of the ants. Showing again that what God teaches in the Old Testament scriptures was always meant simply to prepare the way for Christ. Simply by looking at the social structure of the ant we can see how the Church should behave. No single ant values its own life as higher than that of any other. In fact at any point any ant of any caste willingly sacrifices their own life for the good of the colony as a whole; altruism at its finest. As the body of Christ we need to be this willing to sacrifice everything. Any one of us should be willing to die a physical death for the greater good of the body, which is to say, for Christ. We are called to be a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1 ESV). And Christ tells us “Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39 ESV) So, this willingness to sacrifice extends not just to protecting the other members of the body as they currently exist, but also to furthering its goals. Christ has asked us to show love even to our enemies:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:43-45 ESV)

                Christ has called us to be sacrificial to the point of death even for those who do not accept Him. He himself did this very same thing, allowing those who did not believe in Him to crucify him. This level of altruism confounds most of us as it is completely contrary to human nature. Defending ourselves and our friends is part of basic human instinct, and feels like the right thing to do. And you may be saying that even the ants violently defend themselves, so it should be ok for us too yes? Quite the contrary, the ants fight with violence as part of a fallen world, and because that is the means by which the colonies goals are furthered. The goals of Christ are not furthered by violence, our body does not risk failing to reach its goals in death, in fact, Christians have nothing to lose in death. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 ESV). Our willingness to die so that those who are causing us to suffer may yet find life is one of the most powerful ways to spread the Love of Christ to those who have not found it. 

                Now don’t get me wrong, I am not telling you all to go out and find ways to die for Christ. Because “to live is Christ” comes as the first part of that sentence. I am simply using what is usually viewed as the most extreme to show that if we are willing to suffer that, then how much more should we be willing to suffer verbal abuse, estrangement, loneliness, and anger for Christ? We should not retaliate in like manner for any of these offenses. In fact I want to return to Romans 12 to further flesh out this model:

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise ion your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:9-21 ESV)

                Altruism, the way of the ant, the way of Christ. When we are willing to sacrifice our fleshly nature the Spirit will empower us to live in this manner. But we must let go of our past, trust in God. Now all of this that I have gone over so far just stems from the first two verses in the original text we were studying. Now I want to go farther, to see what else God is teaching us through the ant.

“she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:8-11 ESV)

This next bit has to deal with our natural desire to be lazy, and unproductive. This can both be physically and spiritually. On one hand we may be lazy in terms of work. Maybe we are not happy with our job, or perhaps your employer is rude, or ungrateful. Maybe you have a great employer, but the work you do is not exactly glorious. Maybe you just don’t feel as though you are doing much good where you are, or that you can’t. And thus you fall into the mindset of not really caring, or not giving it your all because there is no point. If you are not recognized for your efforts, or even a lack of effort, what is the point of even trying? This mindset traps us in mediocrity. Did Joseph lament being thrown into slavery? Or into prison? Did he bemoan his bad luck and just give up, and labor to the status quo? Certainly not! Joseph trusted in God, and labored his hardest for the sake of God wherever he was, and he was pulled from what seemed to be an impossible situation to one of the most powerful. He saved his entire people. (for a more complete review of Joseph’s life see Genesis ch 37-50) Now I don’t bring this up to say that God is going to rip you from mediocrity to become president and the one that solves the world’s problems, although that is always a possibility. But By serving God with our whole heart where we are, we allow him to use us in big ways right where we are. The example you set in how you live your life can change the lives of those that surround you:

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.” (Ephesians 6:5-8 ESV)

The word slaves in some manuscripts reads as bondservants, and can just as easily mean workers in the world systems of today. We are called to serve in any position we take up as though we are serving Christ, and with a sincere heart. This takes work, hard work, not slothfulness. The ants are not seeking to please any master, simply to serve the body as a whole. Insomuch we should work hard, not to serve our employer, but to serve the body, that is, Christ. There is a promise here too.  “knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord,” This promise tells us that God will look out for us, no matter how bleak or mediocre our circumstances may seem. As further evidence I want to show more from the book of Matthew:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if god so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ’What shall we wear?’ For the gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:25-33 ESV)

                God will provide what we need to live. We just need to seek after the kingdom, forgo our laziness and work with all we have for His sake, and the furthering of the kingdom. Now there is one last part to this passage that I want to go over, and that is spiritual slothfulness.  

“Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  (Romans 13: 11-14 ESV)

                This passage even opens with something similar to what we find in Proverbs six. We are told to wake from our sleep. And labor to cast off our worldliness and fleshly desires. We want to seek Christ, with everything we have. I love the part telling us to make no provision for the flesh. No compromise! We can’t even indulge the flesh a little bit, because even that small foothold gives it strength. Our God is greater, and what He provides is so much better, it is just hard to understand until it is experienced. The sinful and fleshly desires of the heart cloud the truth, and make it difficult to understand the freedom gained from what seems to be the denial of pleasure. We are not truly denying pleasure at all! In fact I have found more freedom and joy in my life every time I have found more of the flesh to leave behind. Every day the joy of the Lord becomes clearer. I still have so far to go but I’ve received a taste of what is currently beyond the capacity of my mind to understand, and all I can say is I want more, and I am willing to wake from my nap and work for it. So please, look to the ant.

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” Proverbs 6: 6-11 ESV

Just Do What He Says

'Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”' -Luke 5:5
The faith of Peter is astounding sometimes. He does seem to get a bad rap... but every now and then... he does stuff like this.

This is EARLY in Jesus' ministry.

Way early.

But Peter has faith.

---


We worry and stress over a lot don't we?

I'm sure Peter was worried over paying his bills, getting food on the table, being able to live... He was ready to give up for the day though. He was tired, just cleaned the nets and was ready to give up.

Jesus climbs aboard and says, Just throw your nets out one more time.

'Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”' -Luke 5:5


"The destiny of your life is above your pay grade, your ability to evaluate your effectiveness in ministry, is above your pay grade, your ability to make decisions, is above your pay grade. Just do what he says." -Mark Moore

Just Do What He Says

Why do you complain, Jacob?
   Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD;
   my cause is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know?
   Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint. -Isaiah 40:27-31

Just Do What He Says

Yet I am always with you;
   you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever. -Psalm 73:23-26

Just Do What He Says

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
   for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
   through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
   for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
   they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
   in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
   my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me
   all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
   forever. -Psalm 23

 Just Do What He Says...

...Because He Cares about you.

Put away your stress.
Put away your problems.
Put behind you your sin.
Put behind you any excuses.
It's not our problem.

Peter stood in the boat, knowing that HE was the fisherman, the experienced, knowledgeable one. Jesus was just a carpenter.
But he said, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

The response?

Too much fish to even hold. Too much fish to even count. Too much fish to even bring to shore.

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
   Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him. -Luke 5:6-11

They gave up. They cut the nets. Left the fish. Pulled their boats up and left... EVERYTHING.

But before this... Peter realizes he is in the presence of his... Lord. He said go away from him, he's not worthy.

We aren't worthy either.

But when we meet Jesus and have one of those moments... where we are unworthy. We realize it. We tell him to leave. He says, No. He will always say no.

When we see Jesus for who he really is, it's not this exhilarating 'Build-A-Bear' experience, it is terrifying, because we realize we have no control even over our own vocation. When we come to meet him, it's not Kum-Bah-Ya, it's probably, "Lord, you need to leave. I'm unworthy."
But he'll say, "No."

"No, I'm not leaving you. I'm not letting you go. You're mine."

“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.”

From now on, we'll live life new. We'll live forgiven. We'll live free. We'll say, "Hey Problem, My God is bigger than you."

Because He will always be with us. 

Don't be afraid, Just do what he says.

"Be Faithful."

I haven't posted in ages, and I am deeply sorry to my readers. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement and thank you for still checking in on here to see any updates. Busyness has overtaken me a little bit with a new semester of school, a few new jobs, and some big changes in my life. I will try to update as much as I can and as much as the Spirit speaks. 

Today though has been rough, and it seems that when these "roller-coaster ride kind of days" hit me, words just appear in my mind and I jot them down or type them up. It's not my best, it was a quick throw together, but I feel it has a message that could speak to more than just me right now. I wrote a short poem tonight. 

---------------

“Whatever you’re doing inside of me…”
The chorus rings through my mind,
I don’t understand the chaos within.
Its days when the earth feels motionless
Or maybe I’m just blind.

I don’t understand and it’s not that you owe me
I just wish I could visualize what lies ahead
To see what I feel
To feel what I see.
Please. Anything.

But silence instead.
“But I’m giving into something heavenly.”
A reminder constantly my purpose is higher.
My calling so true.
How could I doubt Him? I grow weary and tire.
Because it’s the way things go.
We hold so strongly to the blessings He provides
I tend to forget the blessings themselves will fade so low.

You give and take away,

you train and mold.

You prepare us.

Anoint us.

Carve us.

You care.

As a Father has compassion on his children, so you have compassion on those who fear you.

Our lives are shaped and held by you.

All we need is you,
Your promise will stand true
The world fades but you stand.
For who do we have in Heaven but you, O Lord.

You call, your voice brings peace,
a command, an exhortation,
It’s not much, but it brings release.
You speak, you reach down and whisper

in the midst of my struggle, my storm... 

Just two words:

“Be Faithful.”

Religion > Relationship

I'm grateful for the ministries of people who proclaim Christ. Our savior. Our Lord. Our Lover. Our intercessor.

I'm grateful for the testimony, the vision, the love, and the passion expressed by the newest internet sensation, the Spoken Word Poetry of Jefferson Bethke  especially in the new poem that has shaken up the blogging community over the past few weeks.

Maybe some of you have heard of the video, watched it, maybe you even loved it.

I didn't.

I loved the video techniques, I was a TV production guy in High School, and I appreciate deeply the amount of work put into making the video look and feel so presentable.

I loved the poetry, the style, the way he fit things together. I love poetry, I write poetry, but nothing comes close at least in my own mind to the things I have heard from Jefferson.

Hands down. The guy is awesome. I hope to meet him one day.

But I do have an issue with the message portrayed in the video poem, "Why I hate Religion, but Love Jesus."

With the words of my mentor Brian, "This is not meant to be mean, to be a jab, to poke fun or to bash anyone. This is meant to be a loving response. I stand on the conviction that Jesus came to fulfill the law and that Christianity is a religion. Matthew 5:17 & James 1:27," I want to preface a response to the video that I think is just as well done.
Why?
Because Christianity IS a religion.

Christ came to make all things new. One thing was to create a new way of living, a set of standards, a new phenomena with the Holy Spirit of God in our midst, presence, and indwelling us, a stand for social justice, and freedom to pray and be God's people on earth. Whether we want to admit it or not, this idea explodes out of a tiny box we like to stuff it into with the word, 'relationship'.



'Relationship' can't even begin to describe

this journey.

This endeavor.
 

 This...

Religion.

The question that just recently came to my mind is not 'Why did he write such a poem?'

But...

'Why did he feel he had to?'

What kind of church have we become that we had to be awakened by such an idea?

Because I do believe that this was Jeff's exhortation against pride, laziness, and hypocritical 'Christians'.

Why do we need to address this to begin with?

Wake up Church. Be who you were called to be.

I wish I really knew the answer to that question. But I don't. It just plagues my mind. I don't know why we have settled for such a comfortable lifestyle when Jesus calls constantly for our trust in Him. For us to pick up our cross daily, forgoing comfort and security and to be thrill seekers and risk takers for His kingdom.

I don't know why I have settled for such a comfortable life.

I know I need to do more.

Do Justice.
Love Mercy.
Walk Humbly.


And so I believe that this video response says just about everything.
Let us be the church. The real church. Members of the religion that Christ established. Not our watered down, hypocritical version of it.

RIP Michael Enochs

Lamb of God
You take away the sins of the world
Have mercy on us.
Grant us peace.

For the unbearable toil of our sinful world,
We plead for remission.
For the terror of absence from our beloved,
We plead for your comfort.
For the scandalous presence of death in your Creation,
We pleased for the resurrection.

I did not know Mike, but from all that I have heard he was a hero, a man of great courage and a man who loved life, loved people, plain and simple: he loved.

I pray for peace for those affected by his passing. He may have lost the fight physically but emotionally, mentally, spiritually, he won. Death is not the end, merely a beginning.

Friends, my prayers are with you.

Lexi, my prayers are with you.

Peace be with you all, may Mike rest in peace, may Christ give His peace which surpasses all understanding.

Restoration

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.' And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.' And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." Genesis 1:25-31 (ESV)

These verses say so much. God gave man authority in the earth. But we sinned, and whereas we still have some measure of authority it was tainted. It is no secret that we don't have any authority in this world like we seem to have been given in these verses. But it doesn't end here. God's love is too strong to be hindered by the barrier of our sins.

God sent us Christ Jesus. Christ came, taught us, lived among us, loved us, and then died for us. He was raised from the dead and ascended to be with the Father. But from then on everything changed, the isolation and the barriers were crushed. God sent His Spirit to dwell inside of those He has called.

"If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 'I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved b y my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.' Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, 'Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?' Jesus answered him, 'If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me. These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." John 14:15-26 (ESV)

The Spirit comes upon us when we love Christ and follow His commands. Christ gives a few commands, He sums up the law into loving God and loving others. (Mark 12:28-34 ESV) and then he tells us to go out and make disciples. (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)

These tasks are not easy to accomplish, they require something many are unwilling to give. A friend and I were talking about this on the way home from Passion. God is called the Consuming Fire. (Deuteronomy 4:24, 9:3, Isaiah 33:14, Hebrews 12:29). In the Old Testament God sends fire from heaven to consume sacrifices and offerings (2 Chronicles 7:1, Leviticus 9:24, 1 Kings 18:38). I believe God still does this today.

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." Romans 12:1 (ESV)

Why would we be asked to present ourselves as living sacrifices? Because God still sends His Consuming Fire down upon our offerings. We are now the offerings, surrendering to our Lord Jesus Christ to follow His will and expand our hearts to include the world and all of those within it. Our commission isn't about us, it is about all those around us, so we have to sacrifice ourselves in order to receive the Spirit.

This happened to me over the last few days, I surrendered in a way I never have previously, during worship I was completely abandoned, and with others I was fully given over to them, and God responded, I felt His presence, my body shook, and on my tongue were words not my own, words that uplifted and built up those around me. God's Spirit did descend, there was visible impact. These pages are not abstract thought and vague concepts to be pondered, the scriptures are TRUTH, they cannot be denied, and they need to be shouted from the rooftops to all who have the ears to hear.

I would like to close with a passage that connects with where I started, to bring this full circle.

"He is the image of the invisible god, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities- all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister." Colossians 1:15-23 (ESV)

Jesus is that image Genesis 1 says we were created in. We are created in Christ, and because of His death, and the coming of the Spirit we are one with Him again. The authority we were created with is resting in Christ, and when we surrender, Christ rests in us, therefore restoring things to a point of Genesis 1. God has returned His people to Himself.

To God be the glory forever, may He bless you all.