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.

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.

What angle are we viewing others?

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.