If we really believe in Resurrection, and the power that comes along with it through Christ, then we should have no problem dying to our selves, past, present, or future.  So, why do I have so much trouble letting go?  

I know this isn't an original thought, and it's kind of morbid, but either Saturday sometime while I was pressure washing, or Sunday morning in the shower (I can't remember), I had a thought about my life and what I wanted people to say about me when I die.  Don't ask me why I was thinking about this, but I do think it's helpful to sometimes think about how we want our lives to end up so that we can begin to live that way right now (you know...the whole "begin with the end in mind" thing). 

As I was thinking about what I wanted people to say, this very simple thought came to me.  I'm sure it's not original, and I know Jesus said something similar in Matthew 16 when he said, "what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul" and "whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it", but for me this is a simple but powerful way to express what I hope people will say about how I lived my life:

About my life:  He died!

About my death:  He Lives!

That's it!  That's all I want anyone to say about me.  The shortest funeral ever!  All Glory goes to God because of His Love and Life...my story is simple...His-Story is eternal and I'm just a very small part of that.  Thank you Lord for even letting me be a little piece! 

What do you want said about you?  Let me know, leave a comment...

Mike and I just got an incredible opportunity to not only eat lunch at one of the local schools (like we do almost every Wednesday), but, at the invitation of a couple of students, to go and sit in on a religion class at this school.  We were pretty nervous at first since we weren't sure we were even supposed to be there, but once the class started and we got to know the teacher a little better (who seems to be doing a great job in challenging the students), we had some very interesting conversation!  Part of where the conversation went is in how traditional, stale, and boring Christianity in the South can be, specifically in Montgomery.   It seems that to be a follower of Christ in the South, you have to be Republican, Middle Class (at least), and go to Church every Sunday (which I think is a good thing by the way).   And people who are outside of those ranges, like a Democrat for example (note: I am an Independent), are looked at and talked to differently.  I could name several examples off the top of my head.

However, the bigger issue here is not what a follower of Christ looks like, but how we as Christians constantly detain our Universe-Creating, Big God by handcuffing him with our own limitations and viewpoints of what He should or shouldn't look like or do.  In Judges 13:16, Samson's parents try to "detain" the angel of the Lord to stay with them and continue to explain how to raise Samson, but the angel won't be detained, the angel has other work and must continue to move on according to God's Will.  On the Mount of Transfiguration, in Matthew 17, Peter wants to stay on the mountaintop with the Transfigured Jesus and his friends (Moses--the Law, and Elijah--the Prophets), but Jesus won't be enshrined on any mountaintop, He must  always be doing the will of the Father and moving forward.  God's Call and Will don't always include things that will bring glory to us, but continuing to live into His Call, according to His Will, will always bring glory to Him! 

God will not, and can not, be detained, boxed, shackled, or conformed to any image.  He is always bigger than our image and view of Him, and at the exact moment we think we have Him figured out, He will break whatever mold we've made of Him--no matter how good we may think it is!  Think about it this way...you will never know all that God has to offer and give because He is infinite, and so is all He has to offer and give, and we will spend eternity experiencing Him in new ways!  That is a big God!  One of my mentors and friends, Morgan Morrow, said it perfectly in a comment on another blog post:

         "It helps me to remember that God is not a bigger version of us. He is not even a MUCH BIGGER VERSION of 
          us...He is completely Other than us and so is His love. He is inviting us to day-by-day, one-stumble-after
          another, learn to walk in that love.

          This is not just an adventure, it is THE adventure. Everything else is boring without it."

Check out this new song by John Mark McMillan (an incredibly deep and powerful songwriter who also wrote one of my favorite worship songs, "How He Loves Us") called "Skeleton Bones".  It comes straight out of Ezekiel 37:1-14.  I love the lyric "We just want to love you, we just want to love you, yeah".  It reminds me of the simplicity of following Christ, which is to accept that you're totally and completely loved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and to love our life transforming, totally good, and completely faithful Savior and God back with all that have and all that we are.  As you listen, think about these questions:  Is loving God my sole, all-consuming desire?  In what areas of my life do I need the fresh, life-giving breath of the Holy Spirit to blow into? and am I living my life in such a way that every breath I breathe brings love to the Father?

Note: Sorry I haven't posted in a few days...I'll be posting at least 3 times a week.  Thank you for reading!  I am honored!


In Church yesterday we sang a song (even better, my wife and our incredibly talented praise band led us in a song) called "In Christ Alone", which absolutely dominated me.  I listened to it all morning, as my wife prepared while we were getting ready, in my prayer time with youth when I got to the church before we had a meeting, during the song in church, then again Monday morning while I was getting ready.  And I can't shake these lines:

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

These words 100% describe my life, and our lives, as we walk with Christ.  I realized yesterday morning as I was thinking about Philippians 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit" while in a worship planning meeting, how extremely self-centered I am.  It seems like I quite often find myself faking a friendly demeanor when inside I am secretely churning with bitterness and pride over situations, circumstances, ideas, topics and sometimes even people (I hate and am ashamed to admit) I deem to be beneath me, or that I think I could do a lot better.  However, if a situation or person presents itself as being helpful to me, or seems useful, then, all of a sudden, I can look past all the things I've seen in them (or it) that made me bitter or angry before.

 Often I find myself living out this equation - Arrogance + Insecurity = Fearful living and people getting hurt and used.   I know I'm living this out when I find myself holding others to standards that I don't hold myself to and getting angry at them for not doing what I think they should do; or seeing the worst in others and holding arguments with them in my head where I bring up all their flaws and pretend like they're doing the same with me (you know...to justify my comments); or just when I find myself talking bad about someone behind their back for the smallest thing (or anything!).  

BUT, "as he stands in victory; sins curse has lost its grip on me"!!!  I am soooo desperate for the love and victory offered through the sacrifice of God.  As that blood and water flow over all my sin and shame, I stand and proclaim that I don't have to live a life full of fear, supported by arrogance and insecurity, anymore!  I am no longer afraid of the guilt and death that suppress and shut down the freeing, Creative power of the Holy Spirit's activity in me, or the world, any longer!  No one can bring up anything that God the Father doesn't already know about, that the blood of Jesus hasn't already covered, and that the work of the Holy Spirit hasn't already REDEEMED!  I AM FREE AND "THIS IS THE POWER OF CHRIST IN ME"!  So I offer a new equation to this world; A victorious Savior +  a desperate follower = A Changed world full of radically changed lives.  Let me know what you think 

 

This video is amazing, and inspiring to me!  What Joy!  This is what worship should look like, coordinated dances and the black-eyed peas, no, no, no (I'm just kidding).  BUT, what if when people walked into our worship services they experienced the Joy of a People who are experiencing the eternal Presence and Love of our Life-transforming, Universe-building Father!  What if, instead of joyously celebrating 24 years of Oprah, they saw God's People partying over lives that have been totally REDEEMED and RESCUED from sin, guilt, shame, selfishness, and pride! 

Now, partying is not the only way to worship, I love quieter ways of worshipping as well, but dang, I long to party with the Church like this!  Our God has done soooo much more than Oprah!  and He throws much better parties and celebrations than this for even one of us who choose to accept His Love  and come back to Him!  That's it, I've decided right now, this Sunday night at SNO, it's a party!  We are going to recklessly Love back the Father who recklessly loves us!   Let me know what you think?


I used to have the video posted here, and am working on that, but until then here is the link:
http://blackeyedpeas.dipdive.com/#/~/videoplayer/0/4545/76361/~/

In studying the parable of the so called "Prodigal Son" (maybe better named, "A Man with Two Lost Sons"), and having been especially  influenced by a book by Timothy Keller called The Prodigal God, I've been really convicted of my own attempts to earn God's Love and Grace.  Of course, that's an impossible task since God's Grace, by definition, is undeserved, and God's radical Love is totally and completely unconditional.  But still, I read my Bible, pray, go to Church, study His Word, try to do "good things", and be a "good person," in large part so God won't get mad at me and punish me (or so I think).  How ridiculous!  and yet, mindlessly, that is my default and very flawed view of God quite often. 

If only I could understand that I am loved totally and completely.  That nothing I do can influence or merit God's Love.  That God's Grace is totally free and complete for every sin I've ever committed or ever will commit.   That God's Love has nothing to do with my sins and everything to do with how incredible and overwhelming He is!  Neither the younger son who ran away, nor the older son who self righteously alienated himself from the Father in the Parable of the Prodigal Son deserved the Father's Love, BUT both of them got His Love...NO MATTER WHAT!  Now, that's not to say that we can  do whatever we want and we'll still please God, but that nothing can seperate us from His Love!

So today, don't even try to pretend like you're good enough.  Just believe  and rest in the FACT that you're totally loved!  If only I could live in that knowledge every day!  That's my prayer right now, Lord, let Your love so overwhelm me that I can't help but rest in the fact that I'm totally and completely loved, and let that knowledge give me the freedom to be exactly who You've called me to be.  And even when I can't feel your Love, remind me in the deepest parts of my soul of that fact.  I love You with everything I am!  Amen.