I can remember almost a year ago receiving this word from the Lord. It wasn't a thunderous voice banging out of the clouds, but the weight of these words have given me many restless nights. Since I first heard these words my life has been turned upside down. I know now that it is because the enemy knows the impending results if I will just heed this message. You know, all of us want to see God's glory. We want to see him work in our lives and in the world in miraculous and awesome ways. What we have a hard time with is "Paying the Price."
And, what does that exactly mean anyway?
Luke 9:23 tell us, "Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."
This doesn't mean to hang that pretty golden cross your grandmother gave you around your neck as your heading out the door either. The cross we are to tote around is heavy and cumbersome. It is not easy to carry and many will wonder why you even try because the weight is so heavy.
You see, the cost is tied up in walking the path of a true disciple. Not one of the panzy wamzy guys who walks around with a spit shined head who has a plastic smile and soft handshake. I mean a disciple who will crawl through the ditches in God's kingdom in search for a nugget that has fallen from the master's table. One who will rise early and go to bed late in order to dine with the Father. A man who knows that he serves an awesome king in a now kingdom and the fate of many outside the kingdom walls depends on him.
The first way we pay the price is simply walking out a journey of true discipleship. Walking with Christ everyday as if it were the last. Taking every opportunity to know him, serve him and point others to him.
In what ways do you think we are faithful/unfaithful as disciples. Your story may be the encouragement that someone else may need.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Thursday, January 17, 2008
A Dangerous Gospel
I don't know what this will end up being, probably because I am mad. I mean real mad at the moment. Have you ever been that way? You see something that just really chaps you "lips" and you just can't get over it. Anyway, there's really nothing wrong with anger as long as it doesn't lead to sin. Jesus himself even got angry when people disrespected the house of God. I mean he tore the place up, turning over tables and physically beating men with a whip. You know, that's how I feel today!
I'm not angry at the water problems in Kenya, the homelessness in Atlanta or even that I had to spend $130 on my "stray" cat yesterday. Even though all of these bother me, they are not the cause for my unsettled spirit this morning.
I AM ANGRY AT THE CHURCH!!!!!!!!
I am angry because we operate without vision and passion. We suppose that the Gospel is safe and that our environments are supposed to follow suit. We are a safe place for safe people and any compromise to that plan sends us into survival mode. We supply children with coloring pages, youth with ski trips, college kids a covered dish, and adults get the very best part....meaningless worship and shallow messages. I dont' know why this is bothering me more today than yesterday, but it is. Maybe it's because of the study I have been doing every morning about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 11:12 says that "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing..."
The kingdom of heaven is a force to be reckoned with and it is advancing throughout human history. But we find ourselves like those teacher of the law in Jesus' day. He said to them in Matthew 15 "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."
I am just weary of working the harvest fields for church membership and another prospective tither. Jesus would have us havest souls and not numbers then he would actually have us walk with them on a discipleshp process that finds them victorious in their faith. But, that's a little to dangerous you see. That kind of radical Christianity calls us to stick out a little to much. It makes us appear as if our faith is more important than who wins the ballgame on Friday night.
This kind of barbaric faith resulted in the death of Jesus and all of his disciples.
WHAT HAS IT COST YOU?
Matthew 5:10-16, 8:18-22, 9:35-38, 19:16-26
PG
I'm not angry at the water problems in Kenya, the homelessness in Atlanta or even that I had to spend $130 on my "stray" cat yesterday. Even though all of these bother me, they are not the cause for my unsettled spirit this morning.
I AM ANGRY AT THE CHURCH!!!!!!!!
I am angry because we operate without vision and passion. We suppose that the Gospel is safe and that our environments are supposed to follow suit. We are a safe place for safe people and any compromise to that plan sends us into survival mode. We supply children with coloring pages, youth with ski trips, college kids a covered dish, and adults get the very best part....meaningless worship and shallow messages. I dont' know why this is bothering me more today than yesterday, but it is. Maybe it's because of the study I have been doing every morning about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Matthew 11:12 says that "From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing..."
The kingdom of heaven is a force to be reckoned with and it is advancing throughout human history. But we find ourselves like those teacher of the law in Jesus' day. He said to them in Matthew 15 "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."
I am just weary of working the harvest fields for church membership and another prospective tither. Jesus would have us havest souls and not numbers then he would actually have us walk with them on a discipleshp process that finds them victorious in their faith. But, that's a little to dangerous you see. That kind of radical Christianity calls us to stick out a little to much. It makes us appear as if our faith is more important than who wins the ballgame on Friday night.
This kind of barbaric faith resulted in the death of Jesus and all of his disciples.
WHAT HAS IT COST YOU?
Matthew 5:10-16, 8:18-22, 9:35-38, 19:16-26
PG
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Emptiness
Have you ever fealt empty? I mean that feeling that you can stare into a haze for hours only to come to the reality that you haven't even had a thought for hours. This is a lonely and very depressing place to be. I mean for me.... I have been in one of those funks where the previously stated condition is my life. I wake up and I go to sleep in a haze. I have never fealt this way before and it has taken it's toll on me. You know it's hard when your in the middle of a "crisis" the step back and really observe yourself. I don't think we do that enough when things are normal, much less when we are totally upside down. I actually have taken a few moments over the past couple of days to look deep inside of myself and try and discover the cause of this gaping hole. I have come to discover something. We are all designed with many purposes in life, but one main one. That is to love, adore, worship, exhalt, magnify, and glorify our creator God who loves me no matter how much I love Hi
m. Yea, I know that sounds cliche, but for me it is like a flickering candle in the midst of my darkness. My life for sometime has been void of this light that has been my very passion. How does one get to such a place can be complicated, but returning to the heart of God is as simple as opening the front door of your house allowing your best friend to enter in. Confession is good for the soul and it has freed me today. Lord, forgive me for my failings and increase my faith to trust, love and worship you with an increased passion.
m. Yea, I know that sounds cliche, but for me it is like a flickering candle in the midst of my darkness. My life for sometime has been void of this light that has been my very passion. How does one get to such a place can be complicated, but returning to the heart of God is as simple as opening the front door of your house allowing your best friend to enter in. Confession is good for the soul and it has freed me today. Lord, forgive me for my failings and increase my faith to trust, love and worship you with an increased passion.
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