Thursday, July 31, 2014

Authentic

We've all met people who morph or change personalities according to whom their around. If they're in a group of Christians, they claim to love the Lord. If they go to a bar, they are entrenched in that scene. I know those people well because that is who I was for a really, really long time. I was a chameleon, changing according to whoever I was around. It was great because I fit in with everyone but I was miserable. Changing to fit whoever you're around is hard and exhausting. I was constantly trying to guess their next move and anticipate how to respond. I really didn't know who I was because I was always changing. The worst part is leaving a scene and wondering if I played the part well enough. Did they like me? Will they want to spend time with me? I wonder if I will get asked back?

I've grown in my identity in Christ. I don't worry about changing to my environment anymore but I've noticed something else. When I watch people whom I'm around now, they sometime mimic me, my words, my actions. These are grown people. Shouldn't they know who they are?

This looks inauthentic but I want to propose that this could also be morphing process, a chrysalis, a time of change.

When Jesus came he called the disciples to follow him. Before the Holy Spirit fell during Pentacost they only had him and an occasional releasing of the Holy Spirit. They spent three years watching, mimicking and copying his behavior. He was the ultimate teacher. He came so we could copy him, watch how he treated others and lived the ultimate surrender. He showed us how to truly love our neighbors and our enemies. When he left they were never the same. He made his mark on their life.

Elijah and Elisha are a good example of a mimicking relationship. Elijah had walked with the Lord for a long time before the Lord told him to find Elisha. When he did Elisha not only stayed with him to the end but wanted "a double portion of your spirit on me" (2 Kings 2:9) He wanted what Elijah had and more. This is what we should be wanting from those around us and others should want from us. They want not only what we have but more. This is not an earthly wanting, though. It is a spiritual desire. 

People who don't know Christ intimately but desire that piece will watch and copy those that do have a close relationship with him. This turns most people off but I propose that we should embrace this as mature Christians. Some people will come to Him quickly with no inhibitions in  their conversion but others have a difficult time trusting God. When we exhibit true surrender and trust in Him it provides a safe place for others to try.

Don't be turned off by those that haven't mastered their identity in Christ. They're on their way. They may just need to know the water's warm before they submerge themselves in Him.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Push through or give up

One of the most difficult decisions in life is deciding to give up on a dream or persevere. On one hand, there are times we need to let go to of something so we can work toward something bigger/better, etc. On the other, the question is are we giving up on THE dream, something that would make the sacrifice worthwhile. This is so hard!

For example, I have a lot of dreams I would like to see come true. But I also have four kids, a husband, a dog, four cats, and three horses to care for and nurture. The kids are in quite a few activities and my husband works hard to provide for all of us. It's really busy. How do dreams fit in? Do we let go of the things we really want in life or do we find a way to pursue them within the business?

I've found it's a balancing act. I have to be intentional about the activities I'm involved in and say 'no' a lot, even though I would have said 'yes' without blinking a few years ago. I pray before I answer if I'm not sure about something. Even with all the precautions, protection and time I may give to a goal, I'm rarely satisfied. I'm easily frustrated at times that it's not moving fast enough and am afraid I'm going to die before I see the fruit of what I'm dreaming about. I guess that's okay, though, because once you're dead you won't know what you haven't achieved or finished. : )

The really hard part is when you come to a crossroad, such as do I go alone or continue with a partner in this? Can I give up a week with my kids and miss the first few days of school to attend a conference? Do I start a job knowing it will take time and energy away from my family? Do I serve people outside my immediate family? If I do, how do I choose who that will and won't be?

The problem really isn't finding something to do or serving people, the issue really is what should I be doing. We can make ourselves super busy doing all kinds of things for people and/or missions but is this where I'm called to be and where I'm most useful?

Knowing where I'm supposed to be and who I need to be serving is the most important thing. It's also one of the most difficult at times. There are moments I know for sure I'm where I need to be but other times it's not really clear.

The knowing that we are in the right place without a doubt is how we accomplish our dreams, though. This is critical to coming into what we were created.

So, pushing through or giving up is still something I struggle with almost everyday. The answer fortunately doesn't come from me, it comes from the Lord. He lets me know if and when I need to pull back or go forward. The more we commune with Him the more we will come into the fullness of what he desires for us.

We are like a train that needs a track. Once we find the track and get on, it's full speed ahead.

  

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Being born

I hear the word 'born again' thrown out in different Christian circles. It's never been a word I've used because it didn't make sense to me.

In fact, it almost turned me off. I had attended churches that made you feel bad if you hadn't 'accomplished' this, even though I didn't know what 'it' was.

How can a person be reborn? And why that image? I couldn't grasp this idea.

One piece of the puzzle is when Jesus appeared here in human form, he didn't just show up. He was born, again. Because Jesus was already in existence at the beginning of time, he was physically born again. He didn't have to be born from a woman, he's God and could have chosen a different way to present himself.

He humbled himself to come here, of course, but the other message he gives is about being born again. He is leading us into what's coming down the road. The message of being born again.
  
Jesus makes this statement in Matthew 13:19.

"While anyone is hearing the Word of the kingdom and does not grasp and comprehend it, the evil on comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart."

Nothing can be taken away from someone if it isn't there from the beginning. So, God plants a piece himself in and through us (all of us) at conception. He sows Himself in our hearts from the beginning of our life. Satan comes through suggestion and takes away what God has placed there (i.e. Adam and Eve.)

Because we are all born with God sown into our DNA, even when we are not taught the Word or know him through others teachings, when we have an encounter with Jesus and experience His love, it resets us to how we were originally created. We are 'reborn' in the way that God intended.

Jesus came to be the cure for the curse. He came to reconnect us with the Lord, to be the go-between between us and God. Because of Jesus coming, dying, and rising, this is what allows us to be 'born again'.

Jesus answered him (Nicodemus), "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 
John 3:3

He created us in His image and through rebirth in Jesus this is still possible. To be 'born again' we die to what we were so we can be recreated in the image of God, the way he originally intended.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image and likeness of God he created him;"
 Genesis 1:27

Because we live in a sinful, fallen world, we need Jesus to be born again.

This message is necessary for salvation but is also a tool to freedom for those who have believed the subtle but dangerous message that Satan has suggested. People who are locked up inside themselves, isolated, paralyzed, can't connect with themselves or others, or suicidal. The torment is so much they would rather believe the lie because they can't see any other way. It's like water that keeps rising around them and they feel like they are drowning. A fence that just keeps getting taller and blocking out everything they love.

We have to know to our core that God loves us from the time we are conceived.

I have struggled with this idea because the message I heard and received at church was that we are all born sinful, enemies of God. My thought then was, how could he love something created so badly.

The truth is because of the fallen world we are born sinful but we are created in God's image and He loves us so much.  He was so happy the day you and I were born. Jesus came to take on all sin of the world so being reborn would be possible.

The truth is God only creates good things. See Genesis 1.

The truth is He wants us to love people. Love is the most powerful tool to unlock messed up messages and lies.

The Lords prayer is powerful.

Thy Kingdom come
Thy will be done
On Earth as it is in HEAVEN

He wants restoration here and now.

We are all called to bring hope to the hopeless.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Unfree

Bondage. Captured. Handcuffed. Words that describe unfreedom (which is probably not a real word.)

How can we live in a country that is known for freedom and feel so bound at times by other influences?

Many things can cause a person to feel bondage or suffocated: spouse, job, children, government, finances. The list is really endless.

But what's the truth about freedom? (Italics added in all the verses.)

Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 1 Peter 2:16

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Satan wants us to believe in bondage and that the situation we're in is unbreakable and hopeless. We know with Jesus this is a lie. He came to free us.

I pray today that whatever hill your facing, whatever obstacle is standing in the way, whoever is telling you it's too difficult, the barrier is removed in the name of Jesus. If the Lord doesn't remove it, I pray you have increased faith to pull through.

Hang in there a little longer. Sometimes we give up right before a breakthrough. Also, the things we want freedom from aren't always the root of the problem. Ask The Lord to show you the base of the issue; sometimes it's shocking what we find. : ) I have a tendency to blame everyone and everything else around me instead of looking at myself. I have a part in this, always.

Stay encouraged. We can't always measure the progress by what we see on the outside. The process that is going on inside doesn't always give us the outward results we are looking for. It's a process and sometimes a battle. Thank Him for the process even though we may not currently see outward progress.

Giving Him continuous gratitude is really critical when in the fight. Also, continuing the connection with The Lord is always crucial.

One more thing, if you don't know how to pray or can't find the strength, just repeat the name 'Jesus' over and over (I do this a lot.) The strength and peace will come.

Jesus came to take death and sin and to release us from bondage. Satan only has as much freedom as we allow.

Jesus wants us to live in freedom and peace. We just have to let Him in.