Jesus came for a heart exchange...ours for His.
He came to change the minds of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He came to make disciples of the 12.
But he came to breath value to women. Heal them, make them whole, tell them everything he knew about them.
He came to even the playing field. He came to apply 1 Samuel 16:7:
But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”
The Genesis curse caused people to judge and discard or promote others by their looks, gender, class, religious discipline, etc.
Jesus came to connect His heart with people who were willing to receive and those that were desperate. He physically and emotionally touched women in a way that truly set them free. They knew after leaving his presence that they were valued and important.
On a personal note, one of my daughters wanted to know why China is having a shortage of workers. She wanted to know how they ended up with fewer women then men and why.
We talked about because the Chinese government was attempting to control population they limited families to one child. Because men are more valued in that country, the family would place females in orphanages and try again for a boy.
This really bothered her. If most of a country would discount women, then my own daughter questioned her value.
We then discussed that the leadership of China and many of the residents there do not know Jesus. True value can only be realized by being known by the Creator of the Universe and receiving that identity.
This, again, is where 1 Samuel 16:7 comes in.
Heavenly value is God seeing past what makes us individually unique and breaks through what we have in common with Him.
When we hold the heart of Jesus inside our shell, it catapults us past gender, color, sex, race.
The heart of Jesus contains all the components of His nature that we desire to be whole.
Value cannot be destroyed when we hold His heart.
Value isn't determined by our status as a son or daughter on Earth, single or married, positive or negative relationships.
It exists solely as a child of God.
This is how we enter the heavenly gates.
Humbly and securely...His.
The world has always been the same outside the Garden of Eden. Countries and governments existed to control and step over bounds.
Striving not to imitate God but to replace Him is how they thrived.
Friday, December 18, 2015
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Most important ministry
What is our most important ministry?
Everyone has an opinion.
I believe the most important ministry is your relationship with Christ. Everything else flows from there.
Families will be reconciled and relationships made whole when we draw close to Jesus.
If we keep our eyes on Him everything else will fall into place.
Sometimes the things He asks us to do don't look like reconciliation. At times being obedient seems to set us far away from loved ones.
This is so our identity is set in Him and no one else.
Knowing who we are to Him and who He is to us is vital in the process.
Some may not understand this because they aren't walking in our skin. We have to stay close to Jesus to receive direction. Our story is unique.
Jesus does His Father's will before bending to answer direction from even His own family.
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said. "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Matthew 12:46-50 (ESV)
But Jesus doesn't stop there. He shows us how His family is reconciled before sacrificing His life. Before He dies His mother and brothers come along His ministry. His mother was there when he died. His brother, James, converted from Judaism to Christian and even authored a book in the New Testament.
We know there was reconciliation in His earthly family.
Spiritual direction sometimes looks different than human understanding. But it always leads us back to reconciliation with Him and our families. It may just take a little while.
Good human counsel is important but advice from The Counselor is best.
Perseverance is key. Don't give up! Stay committed to the process.
Everyone has an opinion.
I believe the most important ministry is your relationship with Christ. Everything else flows from there.
Families will be reconciled and relationships made whole when we draw close to Jesus.
If we keep our eyes on Him everything else will fall into place.
Sometimes the things He asks us to do don't look like reconciliation. At times being obedient seems to set us far away from loved ones.
This is so our identity is set in Him and no one else.
Knowing who we are to Him and who He is to us is vital in the process.
Some may not understand this because they aren't walking in our skin. We have to stay close to Jesus to receive direction. Our story is unique.
Jesus does His Father's will before bending to answer direction from even His own family.
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said. "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Matthew 12:46-50 (ESV)
But Jesus doesn't stop there. He shows us how His family is reconciled before sacrificing His life. Before He dies His mother and brothers come along His ministry. His mother was there when he died. His brother, James, converted from Judaism to Christian and even authored a book in the New Testament.
We know there was reconciliation in His earthly family.
Spiritual direction sometimes looks different than human understanding. But it always leads us back to reconciliation with Him and our families. It may just take a little while.
Good human counsel is important but advice from The Counselor is best.
Perseverance is key. Don't give up! Stay committed to the process.
Saturday, November 14, 2015
Clawing to hang onto peace
The highest point we are familiar with is not enough. We have to go higher.
Hanging out in the murky water occasionally will not give us identity or peace. Knowing we are not guilty or shameful and not allowing others to place that on our skin.
Rise above. Take me up above the garbage.
Not who I previously claimed to be but a new creation. One that cannot be stained by standing in the wrong position.
Grime does not stick. Innocence and purity is who we proclaim now.
Acting justly and humbly to those that cast us in a poor light. Forgiveness walks before me.
No one said it would be easy. The most difficult bumps are the unexpected.
Freedom, He said. But it doesn't come without declaration.
The sacrifice has been offered, now it has to be ingested.
Painful, growing, burning. Suffering.
This life is for a moment. A leaf in the wind.
Our time is short. The end...significant.
Scratching to hang onto peace. No one can steal, unless it is given away.
Peace above all circumstances, He said.
Touch it, smell it, float in it. Peace.
I am the Living Water, He said.
We are not desperate for the world. We are desperate for the ONE.
See us. Know us. Love us. Forever.
Hanging out in the murky water occasionally will not give us identity or peace. Knowing we are not guilty or shameful and not allowing others to place that on our skin.
Rise above. Take me up above the garbage.
Not who I previously claimed to be but a new creation. One that cannot be stained by standing in the wrong position.
Grime does not stick. Innocence and purity is who we proclaim now.
Acting justly and humbly to those that cast us in a poor light. Forgiveness walks before me.
No one said it would be easy. The most difficult bumps are the unexpected.
Freedom, He said. But it doesn't come without declaration.
The sacrifice has been offered, now it has to be ingested.
Painful, growing, burning. Suffering.
This life is for a moment. A leaf in the wind.
Our time is short. The end...significant.
Scratching to hang onto peace. No one can steal, unless it is given away.
Peace above all circumstances, He said.
Touch it, smell it, float in it. Peace.
I am the Living Water, He said.
We are not desperate for the world. We are desperate for the ONE.
See us. Know us. Love us. Forever.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
How my non-believing father models Christ's freedom
I grew up in an amazing family. A family that really understands freedom and embodies how to encourage each other and sends them out to do the best they can. Jealousy does not exist between my siblings.
My father was and still is currently a non-believer. He is not a Christian.
People ask me how I know this. Because he says.
I'm not sure what or where to classify him and I don't really worry about that piece.
What I do know is he taught me what freedom is and how to live that way.
Christ came for freedom. How can a man who doesn't know Jesus model this so well? Because Jesus knows him.
Jesus makes deposits in all people, not just the ones that believe in Him.
Once we know Him, we understand the deposit and our true identity but His love is for all of humanity.
I spent most of my life not knowing Jesus, but He always knew me. In fact, He knew me before I was born. When I hear Christians say they don't know how people make it without having Christ in their lives, I say, I do. I know.
When you grow up in a good family, are moderately intelligent, an extrovert, have a decent job, just really no big needs, it's amazing how long you can go without Him.
It's the day I woke up and realized that I have a huge void and my life is empty. That's when the search began.
Jesus made deposits in my life for 30+ years before I realized I needed Him. That's what love does. Love gives even when it's not recognized...or realized...or respected. I can look back and see His hand all over the first 30 years of my life.
My level of freedom runs deep. It is the understanding not only of what and who Jesus is but who my earthly father is. To have that background is more precious than gold.
I can say a lot of things of where my father falls short, but none of those are fruitful, especially since anyone close to me could also do the same in my case. I choose to see the positive legacy that he is leaving me.
God makes deposits that truly are a testimony of who He is, even when the person receiving doesn't recognize what's happening.
My father was and still is currently a non-believer. He is not a Christian.
People ask me how I know this. Because he says.
I'm not sure what or where to classify him and I don't really worry about that piece.
What I do know is he taught me what freedom is and how to live that way.
Christ came for freedom. How can a man who doesn't know Jesus model this so well? Because Jesus knows him.
Jesus makes deposits in all people, not just the ones that believe in Him.
Once we know Him, we understand the deposit and our true identity but His love is for all of humanity.
I spent most of my life not knowing Jesus, but He always knew me. In fact, He knew me before I was born. When I hear Christians say they don't know how people make it without having Christ in their lives, I say, I do. I know.
When you grow up in a good family, are moderately intelligent, an extrovert, have a decent job, just really no big needs, it's amazing how long you can go without Him.
It's the day I woke up and realized that I have a huge void and my life is empty. That's when the search began.
Jesus made deposits in my life for 30+ years before I realized I needed Him. That's what love does. Love gives even when it's not recognized...or realized...or respected. I can look back and see His hand all over the first 30 years of my life.
My level of freedom runs deep. It is the understanding not only of what and who Jesus is but who my earthly father is. To have that background is more precious than gold.
I can say a lot of things of where my father falls short, but none of those are fruitful, especially since anyone close to me could also do the same in my case. I choose to see the positive legacy that he is leaving me.
God makes deposits that truly are a testimony of who He is, even when the person receiving doesn't recognize what's happening.
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Tragedy into blooming
Come now.
Come now.
Not later.
Come now.
We invite you to come and partake in the banquet here.
Feast with us.
Tragedy after tragedy.
Come.
Pick up the broken pieces and make them better than before.
You are a God of restoration and redemption.
Come.
The invitation to make right what has been taken is now.
The enemy has no power here.
We have given up our inheritance to a thief and murderer.
Reach into lilies and pluck.
Intended for later.
Now is the time.
Flowers bloom now on your command, which we hold.
Gifts for a later time, given in a different season.
Now they give fragrance.
Now they bloom.
Now they are seen.
Now they are enjoyed.
Now they are ALIVE.
From rest do we command.
Resting in You.
Feasting in You.
Use us.
Feast with us.
See us. Again.
Commune.
The whirlwind of who you are overtakes all we lack.
Our shortcomings no longer are part of the equation.
The formula is gone.
Laws are written and torn to pieces to be eaten and swallowed to become part of our heartbeat.
The heart that beats in time with you so we only do what you do.
We see you.
Become part of you.
You become part of us.
Overtake us.
Swallow us up until we are a pool of water at your disposal.
Water flowing at your command.
A puddle.
Love us.
Make us into the creation in your image.
Love us.
A mirror of image.
Love us.
Love so we can put our arms around the world and hold.
Love us so we can reach out and receive.
Come now.
Not later.
Come now.
We invite you to come and partake in the banquet here.
Feast with us.
Tragedy after tragedy.
Come.
Pick up the broken pieces and make them better than before.
You are a God of restoration and redemption.
Come.
The invitation to make right what has been taken is now.
The enemy has no power here.
We have given up our inheritance to a thief and murderer.
Reach into lilies and pluck.
Intended for later.
Now is the time.
Flowers bloom now on your command, which we hold.
Gifts for a later time, given in a different season.
Now they give fragrance.
Now they bloom.
Now they are seen.
Now they are enjoyed.
Now they are ALIVE.
From rest do we command.
Resting in You.
Feasting in You.
Use us.
Feast with us.
See us. Again.
Commune.
The whirlwind of who you are overtakes all we lack.
Our shortcomings no longer are part of the equation.
The formula is gone.
Laws are written and torn to pieces to be eaten and swallowed to become part of our heartbeat.
The heart that beats in time with you so we only do what you do.
We see you.
Become part of you.
You become part of us.
Overtake us.
Swallow us up until we are a pool of water at your disposal.
Water flowing at your command.
A puddle.
Love us.
Make us into the creation in your image.
Love us.
A mirror of image.
Love us.
Love so we can put our arms around the world and hold.
Love us so we can reach out and receive.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Every
Every
The sun rises. A promise of a new day. A day made just for you. New breath.
Breathing life into all that's in front of you. And the past. Restoration for the soul.
Fingerprints of God's art over creation. Sighing, opening, pressing through
darkness to enter into freshness.
Sunrise, newness, promises, washing, creating that particular day to show love
to all He created. Birds sing and are aware of the privilege.
Leaves always at attention for the next season. Waiting for the notion to change.
Fall. Begin to grow.
Flowers anticipating permission to push forth through the Earth. Beauty
and color surrounding.
Rain falls on command. Snow lets down and melts when told.
All creation bears His fingerprint. Down to the smallest, supposedly insignificant
molecule.
The symphony crescendos and rests at His voice. All are obedient to the loving
and gracious One. It's because of the desire for love that we come to know the
goodness and faithfulness of Him.
Scratching and clawing for more. Never reaching. Wanting love and asking in
every corner, never to be satisfied. Screaming, maddening searches for something that
has been there since the beginning. Never leaving. Always desiring...you.
Love that never leaves is not a design humans would create. Leaving is what
we've done well. Running away. Hurting before we are damaged forever.
No more hiding. Full nakedness. Complete seeing of our souls. To reconvene
with the only True love of the universe.
He covers with white flowing silk. Running in joy. Running, crashing, passionate
embrace of love that has always been. From the beginning. In the beginning.
He knows every inch, every thought, every breath, every molecule. Every.
The Bigger Picture
The Bigger Picture
A molecule of water.
H2O.
A drop in the roaring ocean or a drip on the sidewalk.
Our lives are either a particle in the ocean of the body of Christ
Unifying in agreement of the Creator
Or a drip on the sidewalk, more concerned with our purpose and agenda.
Make my life more valuable than the viewing of the small piece I am.
Show me the bigger picture of what you are striving for here.
Bringing glory
Brought glory
Bring glory
Will bring glory to You.
We are to bring it, now.
In the present.
Crush me, kill me, push my identity and destiny to second place behind bringing you glory.
Out of Your glory, you give me all I need.
Sacrifice me on your alter.
I throw my crown at your feet, disrobe and wash your feet.
Naked in recognition of who you are.
Clothed only in righteousness.
Humiliate me for your sake.
We are but a particle in the body of rushing water.
But all the while...you see me.
You see me.
You see each cell you created, the bones, the muscle, the tendons you carefully picked for my unique body.
My mind tuned perfectly.
My organs that function in time with your heart.
Take my eyes off the cells of my body and make me like them.
Obedient to your every word.
My breath moves on your command.
The leaves fall at your word.
The flowers bloom when you say.
Make me like the birds in the sky and the ant on the ground.
Make me like the smallest creature, with delicate features.
Everything in existence bends when you speak.
To bring glory to You.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Value, Worth and Honor
How do we get our sense of value and worth? Where does it come from? Most Christians say from God but they are not experiencing it themselves. So what's going on?
When we are reborn with Christ and have the Holy Spirit inside of us, the fruit of the spirit comes with that. So, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, self-control are the evidence that we are full of the Holy Spirit.
With the fruit comes value and worth that only God can deposit in us. It sorta looks like this:
We receive a baseline of value and worth from God. We can choose to receive that truth-piece or with every negative interaction we have, we can choose to let that person or issue to set the stage for how we see ourselves. God is constantly telling us how pleased He is with us and how much he values us. It's up to us to believe it. When we allow someone to dictate our value and worth, we let them play God in our life.
Here's an example:
I get up in the morning and spend time with God, praying and praising Him, reading my Bible. My value is fully intact.
I go to work and have a horrible interaction with a co-worker who accuses me of something. Then I meet a friend for lunch and she tells me I'm not a good friend and never have been.
My choice now is to continue to believe that I have value in God's eyes or I hand my worth over to the two people with whom I had a negative experience.
I obviously need to see if there is truth in either of the statements the people made and address that but my worth and value do not change.
God's love never leaves and never changes and he always values me and finds my existence and relationship with him worth His time and energy.
As we truly swallow this truth, there is an amazing freedom that opens up. We can be in whatever situation, with whomever, regardless of the circumstances and know we are valued by the Creator of the Universe. Out of this is an honor for ourselves and for God. When honor is intact, we don't have to worry about the boundaries, that's the Holy Spirit's job.
We don't have to worry if someone of the opposite sex will 'hit' on us. We can love homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender people openly without fear. We can enter into the hard situations and do the hard things because we know where our value, honor, and worth originate from.
Too often, we are reaching for value, worth and honor on our own when all we have to do is surrender to the Lord and let him do the work.
Our job is just to receive and believe it.
When we are reborn with Christ and have the Holy Spirit inside of us, the fruit of the spirit comes with that. So, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, self-control are the evidence that we are full of the Holy Spirit.
With the fruit comes value and worth that only God can deposit in us. It sorta looks like this:
We receive a baseline of value and worth from God. We can choose to receive that truth-piece or with every negative interaction we have, we can choose to let that person or issue to set the stage for how we see ourselves. God is constantly telling us how pleased He is with us and how much he values us. It's up to us to believe it. When we allow someone to dictate our value and worth, we let them play God in our life.
Here's an example:
I get up in the morning and spend time with God, praying and praising Him, reading my Bible. My value is fully intact.
I go to work and have a horrible interaction with a co-worker who accuses me of something. Then I meet a friend for lunch and she tells me I'm not a good friend and never have been.
My choice now is to continue to believe that I have value in God's eyes or I hand my worth over to the two people with whom I had a negative experience.
I obviously need to see if there is truth in either of the statements the people made and address that but my worth and value do not change.
God's love never leaves and never changes and he always values me and finds my existence and relationship with him worth His time and energy.
As we truly swallow this truth, there is an amazing freedom that opens up. We can be in whatever situation, with whomever, regardless of the circumstances and know we are valued by the Creator of the Universe. Out of this is an honor for ourselves and for God. When honor is intact, we don't have to worry about the boundaries, that's the Holy Spirit's job.
We don't have to worry if someone of the opposite sex will 'hit' on us. We can love homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender people openly without fear. We can enter into the hard situations and do the hard things because we know where our value, honor, and worth originate from.
Too often, we are reaching for value, worth and honor on our own when all we have to do is surrender to the Lord and let him do the work.
Our job is just to receive and believe it.
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