I got a feeling

I have been racking my brain for quite some time to think of the next clever new devotional to post to somehow encourage anyone to live a life that reflects the love of Jesus Christ, but I couldn't come up with anything. This has kept me from writing anything at all for the past two months, and leaving me stuck with this ugly guilt, almost as if I lost ambition or this overwhelming feeling of not being a good enough Christian, not loving God enough. In an attempt to justify how I was feeling, I told myself I will get around to doing this as soon as i felt like my mood reflected Loving God with all my heart. If I would have kept waiting, you wouldn't be reading this right now.

Im not sure if anyone else can relate but sometimes i find myself struggling with trying to just Love God with all my heart, and i mean just that. I sometimes begin to wonder, "do I love God enough?" or things like "I don't feel like my love for him is good enough". These kinds of emotional thoughts began to put a lot of my heart on pause because i was just waiting till i felt just right to be a part of God's plan. C.S Lewis writes "Christians are told to love God. They cannot find any such a feeling in themselves. What are they to do? They are to act as if they did. Do not sit trying to manufacture feelings, ask yourself if I was sure I loved God what would I do? When you have found the answer go and do it!" And that is exactly right, we do not have it in us to love God fully, but we can trust and hold on to the truth of God loving us fully. Our feelings come and go, but his love for us does not. It is now a matter of holding on to that truth, that becomes the faith that pleases God.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. So stop trying to wait for that emotional boost to get you to get involved with what God is doing, and do not hold on to feelings as if they are the basis of your faith. Trust and believe in the work of Jesus Christ, and live like you do.

2 Timothy 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful: He cannot deny himself.

Word in 3D

Not sure if anyone remembers those wacky 3D art posters like the one above. On the surface it looks like multi-colored static, but the trick is to focus really hard and after a few minutes you can begin to see a 3D shape. Those posters would drive me nuts, I could never get it right, and therefore it would take me hours just to even see a simple 3D basketball. I don’t know why, but this past week while having a flashback about my experience with these 3D posters I began to see how it reflects our walk with God sometimes. I have often felt like sometimes I am not applying enough focus into God’s word, and then I begin to be frustrated with the results, just like the posters. I would read the Bible sometimes just to read it so I can get my “Ok, I did my reading for the day” points in, and with that approach I continue to feel no impact from God’s living word, it began to be like just reading any other book. Hebrews 4:12 says “For the word of God is Living and powerful, sharper than any two-edge sword” what an amazing description of God’s word but why doesn’t it impact me anymore? The thing about those 3D posters was, on the back of them they gave you a picture of what the shape would look like when you got it right, and as soon as I knew that, it became so much easier to see what was there the whole time, it is the same way with God’s word. You see your need for Jesus Christ is all over the Bible, its in plain site, right in front of you but if you don’t ask God to show you that picture you wont recognize it when it surfaces. Ask God to show you your need for Jesus in what you are about to read, and trust me when asked from the heart you will begin to see the image of his love jump right out in 3D.

So ask God to show you in whatever scripture you are reading to show you how it relates to you looking more like Christ and then just reflect on that throughout the day meditating on it, thinking it over. it begins to nest in your heart and you begin to live it out.

The basics

Faith in what Jesus Christ has done for you on the cross = Justified
Trusting in God = Sanctification

Our bookmark

Whenever I would hear the words “The Gospel” my mind would automatically try to hit the skip button and move on to the next part of the sermon or whatever the person is saying, because “duh!” I already know the Gospel, I already received Christ as my Lord and savoir, so my heart and mind begin to say, “what’s next?”

Almost like picking up a book for the first time and beginning to read the introduction and quickly saying to yourself, “um let me just get to the point” so you start straight on the first chapter skipping over what the author took time to write as an introduction for his work.

But I began to notice something in my spiritual walk with God because of this, I began to get stuck on the hamster wheel, and try really hard to do the Christian to-do list to make sure I am really a Christian. You know the list, Go to church, get some quite time devotionals in, read your bible, pray, serve others, etc. The list goes on and on but my growth and dependence on God doesn’t.

Could it be that I have been treating the good news of what Jesus has done for us as the intro to the book of my life, and not a continual bookmark, to remind me of where I am? The Gospel should do just that, look at Romans 4:8 But God demonstrates His own Love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. It should remind you to stop the to do list and realize there is nothing you can do to merit that kind of Grace and love, so just receive it, put your faith in the work he has done, and allow that remind you to move closer to the cross and reflect that same love that was poured out on us to others.

When I began to understand this, and really see my need for his cross everyday, that is when I begin to have my heart humbled and say “Lord I cant, you can, I need you” that’s what it looks like to be poor in spirit.

Matthew 5:3 blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

I pray for those of you reading this, I pray you will begin to have a new heart for the Gospel. One that will see your need for God’s loving grace and begin to pour that love onto those around you. The Gospel is not just the intro of your story with Christ; it’s the bookmark of every page you turn.

Poured out

When I first purchased my home about two years ago I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything wrong with the home before I moved in. I did not want any unexpected surprises such as termites, or a gang of opossums playing cards in the cupboards. After a couple of months living in my home, I was to discover the surprise I was so trying to avoid, a leaky roof. Of course I was only able to detect this leak when it rains, and when the house was inspected it did not rain for weeks. So, I simply left a tray to collect the water coming from the leak and every time it got filled I took the tray outside to be emptied, it wasn’t after doing this a couple of times I began to notice something very spiritual about the whole thing.

I have realized in my walk with God that I will hit a coasting mode, a time in my life when I feel like I haven’t been learning anything new, or I just feel like for the past months I have been idle, not receiving any of the messages from my pastors at church, or others around me. I have realized I have become full, filled just like the tray that has been collecting the water form my leaky roof. And a big reason for me not being able to receive any new direction from God is because it was time to pour out all the grace that has been given to me on to others. Lets take a look at Luke 6:46, “But why do you call me Lord, Lord and not do the things which I say?” It took me while to realize Jesus was talking to believers, people who knew Jesus, and even called on his name. But something was wrong they knew Jesus, they called on his name but they were still missing something, they were not applying what they already knew, they were not living the way our Lord has desired them to live.

Applying and living out God’s desire for your life, is the best way to begin pouring out onto to others what God’ is pouring onto to yourself. Think about it, your tray is filled so why would you continue to be filled when its time for you to start applying what you have already learned. You can begin to pour out by showing others what you know about the Bible or about what Christ has done in certain areas of your life. This can also be serving others and putting their needs before yours, its rough, but I see that this really begins to pour the most out of you and God removes the simple little tray and begins to bring barrels upon barrels to be filled with his grace.

Be filled by God’s loving grace, and begin to pour it out on others, only to be filled by the fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. John 4:14

Week 3 - Easy Mode

If I had to label the generation I consider myself to be brought up in, it would be the Nintendo generation. Which means there is a special place in my heart for classic video games, such as The Legend of Zelda, Mario Bros, Contra, and the list goes on and on. Some games had the option to play in easy, medium, or hard mode which lead me to my little secret strategy of playing the games in easy mode, just so I can have bragging rights the next day at school. So come the next day, and just like clockwork, the moment I tell my friends about my victory in beating a game, they would immediately ask if I had beat it in hard mode,because that where it really counts, as if beating the game at all was not good enough. And why is it, that sometimes it feels like we have accomplished something, and there is someone right there reminding us that we took the easy way out, like since when is doing things the easy way such a bad thing?

After I confessed about my choice to beat the game in easy mode, my friends would then inform me about the many different outcomes, treasures, and cool bonus materials you get when choosing to tough it out through hard mode. As followers of Jesus Christ, we to have this easy or hard mode presented to us and our Lord already tells us upfront the blessing that comes from doing that which seems hard to do. Lets breathe in Luke 6:32-35 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

So you’re nice and helpful to those you know best, so you go out of your way for those who might give you praise, wonderful you’re right up there with the wicked that do the same. Loving those who don’t even know how to love you in return is living life in hard mode, but our Lord and Savior is telling us of the great reward we receive when living out and applying the hard choice. It’s that kind of sacrifice and living that leads us to look like Christ, for he is kind to the ungrateful. I know this to be true because my dear friends, I was one of those ungrateful people, and he showed me mercy, hope, and love. For that, I am truly grateful Christ defeated sin in hard mode, because the reward in the end, (living in eternity with you) in his eyes was worth it.

I know its hard to love those who are ungrateful, believe you and me I prefer my ways of the easy mode. But this world desperately needs brave Men and woman who will breathe in Luke 6:32, and select hard mode. The reward is always better.

Q: When was the last time you chose to select hard mode and love on those who didn’t deserve it?

Prayer: “Lord of Hosts, I come to you asking for the strength to make those hard choices in my life that truly allow me to shine your loving light towards those who need it. Show me why i am willing to choose the easy mode when it comes to putting others before myself, I thank you for loving me, and showing me mercy when i too was ungrateful -Amen"

Week 2- The Blender

A little over a month ago my kitchen was introduced to new sets of appliances, which were gifts from friends and family through my recent wedding. I had never owned a blender, never really had a use for it, but after witnessing my wife blend a mango and banana together to make a tear-jerking amazing Banango shake, I instantly became hooked on blending (almost developing a secret desire to be a professional blender artist). The reason I bring this up is not because I want to give you a sales pitch for the latest seventeen speed turbo blast blender, soon to be in your nearest Wal-Mart, but to share with you what I began to notice about my walk with God as I saw the nature of what a blender really does.

Sometimes when you are finished blending two or more things together, you can’t tell what it was you even mixed. It all just becomes one, but you can still taste a hint of all the different fruits. I catch myself sometimes doing the same thing with God’s word, and His desire for our lives. I will sometimes blend and mix His desire with mine and convince myself it’s the same, but it is not. We sometimes mix one part God’s desire like 1 Peter 1:15 “but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” and mix it with a dash of our own selfish desire such as, “Be holy only to certain people or when someone is looking” or even worse, “be my version of holy and not God’s.”

That kind of mixing is bad for our spiritual health. Its like holding a juice container that says 100% real juice on the front only to find out from reading the back label that it is filled with eighteen added ingredients, things that don’t even belong in the juice are present and it takes away from the full value of vitamins that the real juice has to offer. We sometimes add ingredients to God’s desire for us because maybe it would be a lot easier to swallow; maybe it will taste better; maybe it will help us not to recognize our sin and make us feel bad; maybe it makes living for Christ comfortable for us, but simply put, God’s will and His desire for us is the perfect mix. It is all we need to consume. Anything else is just fake juice, an imitation that won’t truly satisfy us at all.

So then how do we know if we are blending God’s desire with ours? Are we making everyday decisions based on what we truly desire, even though it conflicts with what God’s word says? Are we making choices that lead us to be more like Jesus Christ? Let’s pull the plug from the blender, take out everything we put in it, and drink directly from the source.

John 4:14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”

Ask yourself: When was the last time God's word changed your plans?

*Prayer: “Lord Almighty, I am sorry for trying to hide sin. I need Your help. Please show me where I have mixed your desire for my life with mine. I decide today to return to you, the true source, so that I may replenish my soul by the consumption of Your word. -Amen

Week 1 -Survival Man

There is a show on discovery channel that always gets my attention. The show is called survival man, and it is about a man who is left all alone in some remote place on the earth, and tries to survive using only what he can find in his near by surroundings. I don’t normally watch much television, but whenever I catch this show I am so fascinated by it that I continue to watch the whole episode. The beginning of his journey seems to go well, the man seems to know what he is doing and everything seems to be going just fine for him as he has everything under control. A couple of days into it, he begins to notice the effects of going through the journey alone. He begins to find it harder and harder to find food and begins to lose hope. Then he begins to count the seconds that go by until he finds civilization, just desperate to be back in community with others.

As Christians, we too sometimes feel like we can be well off on our own. We think we have it all under control, and are just fine dealing in the world by ourselves. We figure we can survive off of the spiritual snacks we have, or we tend to believe being alone in our walk with God will keep us safe, just like the man from the show: if he stays in one spot, maybe help will find him, but that’s not how the God of the Bible works. The bible is filled with reason for community, even at the very beginning of creation, Genesis 2:18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone;” God made us to part of community. There can be many reasons for us to want to seek God on our own, but at the end of the day, God really wants us to grow more like his son Jesus Christ. One of the best ways this can get done is through community, fellowship and church.

Let’s think about it for a second…God wants you to be more like Jesus in being patient, showing compassion, putting others before yourself, pretty much loving your neighbor as yourself, Matthew 22:39. Without a community (i.e. a local church) we won’t have the opportunity to be patient with other believers, we miss out in encouraging others, we also miss out in showing humility when others rub us the wrong way. God wants to use us to encourage and build each other up, and that can’t really be accomplished when you’re seeking Him completely alone, that is simply stepping away from an opportunity that can allow true fellowship with a brother or sister. Maybe some of us are looking for the perfect church; maybe some of us have been hurt before by believers; maybe you have people around and still feel alone deep inside. These are bricks that get put on top of each other to build a wall that keeps God’s voice out from your life. It’s time to start knocking out some of those bricks. We must stop trying to make others in our own image. We must humble our hearts in order for God to transform us into the people he made us to be.

Let’s take that step today to commit to true fellowship with other believers. Let’s commit to a local church so we can serve God and bring others closer to Christ. Let’s commit to studying God’s word more so we don’t get lost in the wilderness and His word becomes a compass that shows us how to get home safely. The fruit of a close walk with God can be seen and committing to be in community will help us to bear good fruit.

“So stop trying to just survive, and live!” Matthew 12:33.

*Prayer: "Lord show me the reasons hidden deep within my heart, that keep me from bearing good fruit from being used by you in community. And may i simply humble myself to surrender whatever it is keeping me apart from being used by you"