2013

Wow, here we sit at the end of 2012, which hopefully we all thought we would see despite the maniacal claims that doomsday was upon us. No doubt this year has brought both blessing and tribulation in your life. There have been armfuls of both this past year in my life. Struggles, pain, tribulation, and fighting have been very real. Just as real have been the blessings, joy, and growth of this year. Sadly enough, the end of the year is one of those few times where we pause and reflect upon what has passed and what is to come. Reflection is something that most of us do not do often enough. Try taking some time to reflect on where you were last year. As you sat eagerly awaiting 2012 and the adventures to come, where was your mind? Where was your heart? How did you spend your time? Where did you invest yourself?

As I sat back and began to do this for myself, I the greatness of the work that God is doing in my life became very real to me. After reflecting upon 2012, I came to the realization of how much I have grown in the past year. It is difficult to see the growth (or lack of growth) that has taken place in your life without stopping and reflecting. If you aren’t constantly growing, then you are dying. If you sit and look back at where you were a year ago and you aren’t any closer to the Father, then you are not growing like you should be. True Christian growth is constant and never satisfied.

Keep growing. If you aren’t growing, then something needs to change. Maybe your attitude needs to change. Maybe your heart needs to change. Maybe the situations your put yourself in need to change. Whatever it is, you have to be willing to give it to God. Seek God. Follow him and truly know him. Don’t grow just for growth’s sake, that's called a tumor, grow as a disciple so that you can make much of Christ. Make 2013 better than 2012. Grow more this year than you grew this year. Continue being obedient and faithful. If you are obedient and faithful to the calling of God, you will find him in the most unexpected places. 

When Tragedy Strikes

This temporary earth that we currently inhabit is filled with brokenness, pain, and death. We see this every day on the news, particularly on a day like today where the atrocity committed in Connecticut is all over the news and social media. No doubt this is pure evil at work. Innocent children loved by God have had their lives taken from them for no reason. The lives of millions will be affected by this heinous crime. Most people, myself included, are furious and heartbroken over this horrible event. Be in constant prayer for the families of these children and people and the town of Newtown. Your prayers will make be heard. 

How ought we respond to this? Obviously with prayer. Always with prayer. And with mourning. Mourn the evil and the loss of human life and the pain that has come and will come from one person's decision. Whether or not you are a believer and follower of Christ, you are forced to respond to this in some way. As a Christ follower I struggle with how to respond in situations like these other than with heartbrokenness and mourning. What I do know is that no matter what the pain, no matter what the heartbreak, no matter what the loss, and no matter what the tragedy, there is always hope in Christ. He conquered death. He is sovereign and He is good. The awful acts of man do not change the fact that God is good and God is sovereign. 

There is no hope apart from Christ. If you are struggling with how to cope with tragedy, like this school shooting, I guarantee you that God is waiting for you with open arms. The pain of this earth will be washed away in the end. Revelation 21:4 says that when Christ returns in his glory "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Jesus will end all of this when he returns. 

But until then, we are left here in this wretched earth with death, mourning, crying, pain, anger, resentment, and righteous fury. Cry out to Jesus. Tell him your pain. Tell him your anger and your fury. Let him into your life and  when you're done screaming and flailing and crying he will come and wrap his arms around you. Run to Jesus in mourning. Run to Jesus in pain and anger. Run to Jesus when tragedy strikes. 

4 Months of Darkness

 Well this is my first post in over 4 months I believe. Senior year of college took me over and I found that every ounce of energy that I could muster had to be geared toward the absurd amount of schoolwork and other commitments that I had made. But really, all of that was just a wimpy excuse. Busyness becomes the easiest reason to permit stagnancy in our walk with the Lord. I shared with my small group last night that I believe spiritual stagnancy is one of the biggest threats facing Christians in America. For the last 4 months I have used busyness (with good things!) as an excuse to neglect walking in the light. Instead of basking the glorious light of Christ, I found myself content with sulking in the shadows beyond. There is no more dangerous thing for a believer than becoming comfortable with the shadows.

 

I share this not out of a desire to gain something, but out of a desire to surrender my pride and perhaps open your eyes if you have succumb to the same complacency that I had. The very worst part of this was that deep down I knew where I was and I lied to myself by saying that I just didn’t have the energy, time, or the strength to climb out of the pit. I convinced myself that circumstances beyond my control and the poor choices and actions of other people were what was driving me into this empty and helpless state of mind and soul. I let my eyes adjust to the darkness and soon had less desire to even try and see the light again.

Then all of the sudden, it was gone. I’m sure it is partially related to the fact that much of my schoolwork is done for the semester…but there is something more. There is hope now. There are thoughts and emotions and desires of the light that I tricked myself into thinking were somehow out of reach for me, when they were entirely within my grasp the whole time. God finally smacked me on the face instead of letting me wallow in the pit of despair into which I had so willingly and freely cast myself. No one pushed me in, no one dragged me in, I don’t even think I fell in…I jumped in.

If you have felt this way or are feeling this way right now, I would encourage you to persevere. Look at the suffering Jesus endured and the purity that his heart maintained despite it all. Look at Paul and the pain and suffering he endured and then rejoiced in. True believers will always have seasons of pain and suffering. They will always have those times when they let their eyes adjust to the darkness. What you must remember is that you are a free soul. You have been released from your captivity by Jesus himself. You must recognize that you have been set free and then choose to live like it! No circumstance, no pain, no fear, no worry, and no one can put your chains back on except yourself. After being set free and cleansed by Christ, the only force that can drive you into the shadows beyond is yourself. Stop sulking in the darkness. Stop letting the evil one whisper lies in your ear. Remember that the shed blood of Christ has freed you from all bondage and that there is no greater joy or comfort than pressing close up against Jesus when all the lights seem to go out.

The Holy Name

They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

-                    -   Titus 1:16

This verse is one that all believers ought to constantly have on their minds. I have written on this verse before and I believe that this issue needs to be addressed so much that I will write on the exact same verse again. Let me be clear, this message is to believers in Christ. Those who claim to know God. Those who claim his name and identify themselves with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. If you claim to know God and identify yourself with His name then this verse is for you.

If you claim to be a Christian in any way then act like it! Your actions should not deny God but glorify him! When you identify yourself with Christ and then deny him by your behavior and your lifestyle and your actions then you are tarnishing the name of Jesus Christ. You are contaminating the pure and Holy name of Jesus. Not only is this irreverent and not glorifying to God, but it also turns non-believers away from the love of God. This would be the complete opposite of what Christ has called his followers to.

If you are living or acting in such a way that God is denied by your actions you have made yourself “detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good.” Obviously as sinful humans we are all going to fall short of God’s glory and none of us have the capacity to perfectly live up to the calling that Christ has for his followers. But if you claim to know God, the Creator of the universe, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, then you better live like it and you better act like it. This is our calling as believers and followers of Jesus. Do NOT blemish the name of God. Do not taint the name of God by your actions. Live like Christ did and like he calls his followers to. Glorify him with your actions and never lose sight of how precious and the Holy the name of God is. 

After God's Own Heart

King David is one of the most significant people in all of the Bible. Acts 13:22 shows us that God saw David as “a man after God’s own heart”. He is the only man that is ever referred to in such a way. What made David a man after God’s own heart? What made David so special? And how does this change the way that we ought to live?

First of all, King David was chosen specifically by God to lead (1 Samuel 16:10-13). Samuel went to the house of Jesse and went through all of his sons and God told Samuel that David was the next king. From a very early age, David had been selected by God to lead. Second of all, David’s heart was “fully devoted to the Lord” (1 Kings 15:3). His heart was not torn between numerous things, it was 100% completely and fully sold out for the Lord. Thirdly, David walked obediently with the Lord and kept his commands (1 Kings 3:14). He was constantly walking with the Lord and never strayed from the path. He kept God’s laws and was obedient to all that God commanded of him. Fourthly, David did what was right in the eyes of the Lord for his entire life, except for his one infamous mistake. This mistake of course is his affair with Bathsheba/the murder of Uriah, and his weak attempt to cover it all up. Every other thing that David did was right in the sight of the Lord.

There is one thing that set David apart from other men almost entirely. He made one epic mistake and that is perhaps what he is most famous for. But everything else he did was right in the sight of the Lord. However, when he did make this mistake and realized his sin and his brokenness, he did something that might just have been the very center of what made him a man after God’s own heart. He repented. In Psalm 51, David cries out to God in anguish and brokenness and repents as purely and sincerely as is humanly possible. Though it sets David apart from most men that almost everything he did was right in Gods eyes, what really set him apart was how he responded the one time that he did mess up.

Live like David lived. Lead like David led. Devote your heart to the Lord, walk obediently with Him, do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and when you do mess up, run to the Lord, fall on your knees, and cry out to God in repentance. That’s what made David a man after God’s own heart.