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The Originator [in my best Arnold voice]

I know it goes without saying that God is both beginning and end, top and bottom, left and right, first and last, Alpha and Omega, the one that was, is and always will be. Colossians 1:15-17 describe Jesus as the image of the invisible God, that all things that are created in heaven and earth, both visible and invisible, throne and dominions, principalities and powers were created through Him and for Him. He is the all and all, the great I AM. If you ask, “is He” His answer is, “I am”. He is the I am healer, the I am strength, I am provider, I am grace, love, life, peace… Basically any problem, any situation or storm, He is the “I am” answer. There is not anything that you’ve been through, are going through or will ever go through that Jesus is not the answer to. He has already accounted for all possible outcomes and has planned every contingency. He has taken into account every sin and mistake you have, are, or will ever commit and has paid the price… IN FULL!!!

That being said, may I encourage each of us to examine our hearts and thoughts? There are many in the body that feel as though their life of service to God is a favor. As though they go to church so now the Almighty owes them. They worship and praise… I mean they even tithe and because they do all of these “favors” for God then God better do what they want, when they want and how they want. Some may even feel that because they said a prayer that this entitles them to salvation.

Listen bud, that’s just not the way it is. Salvation is not a favor given to God. It is a body that was broken and blood that’s been shed. All is all and can’t be any more then all.

Romans 11:33-36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” ³⁵ “Or who has first given to Him
And it shall be repaid to him?” ³⁶ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

 

There are no favors done for God, not praise, not worship, not tithing, not attendance, not service, not love, not nothing! (double negative, I know) My point is this: even the things we do for God, the love we give to God, began with Him and it is Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary that enables us to access the grace it takes to love the Lord and to do His will.

Great Expectations

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We live in a society that has such low expectations on its participants. Oh sure, we tell ourselves and others, “You can do anything” or “ You can be whatever you want to be.” But, when it comes down to what is, being what is, do we really believe that? Not believe in the some casual passer by sense, but believe in an intimate and real sense, like my life depends on it sense, like nothing else matters sense. My point being if we don’t really believe it then is the one we are saying it to really able to believe it?

Then if we base our expectation on what we really believe, really, really believe, then I can honestly say our true expectations are considerably lower than they should be. Allow me if you will to take this train one step farther and say what we believe is not simply a state of mind, but a state of action, a state of life. To simply say we believe isn’t really worth the hot air coming out of our mouth. What we believe needs to have a little gas in the tank and fire on the plugs. So if we then take the reality of our actions and not simply the hot air billowing from our lips and let that be the basis of our expectations. Then I say once again and though you shake your head no defiantly it doesn’t change the reality that our expectations are considerately lower than they should be.

Look, my friend, Jesus was and is the only man that ever lived that truly had His expectation meter right where it was supposed to be at 100%. He walked it, He talked it, He lived it, He did it BUT!!!! Most importantly He died for it. He died that, that walk and talk, that lived and did, might be expected by you. Just consider that for a moment the very low expectation that Christian society has on salvation. In so many ways salvation is a prayer we say so we don’t have to endure hell for all eternity. Jesus did not allow His body to be broken, His precious blood to be shed, His very life to be taken so you could say a prayer. He died the death that He died so that you could live a life, so you could live a life of talking and walking and living and doing. He died because of the great expectation He has in you. He doesn’t just say He believes you can do anything, but He died so you would.     

Preparations Have Been Made (or have they)?

One of my favorite chapters in all of Scripture is Matthew Chapter Twenty-Five. Jesus is winding down His earthly ministry taking place just two days before the Passover at which He will celebrate a final meal with those closest to Him. Following dinner they will escape to a solitary garden to pray before He is arrested.

In this passage Jesus tells us three stories and over the next few days we will cover each of the three.

The first story is one of preparation. In verses one through thirteen, Jesus tells of ten virgins. Five of these virgins were wise and the others were foolish. All ten were virgins, all ten filled their lamps, all ten went out to meet the bridegroom. But the Bridegroom delayed, and did not show at the time they thought that He would. As a matter a fact, by the time the announcement came that the bridegroom was about to enter, all of the virgins had fallen fast asleep. Being roused from their sleep, they trimmed their lamps and prepared to go out and greet Him.

Here is where the story turns, for the five foolish virgins had not brought extra oil and began to ask the wise if they might borrow some. The five wise respond wisely. “There is not enough for all of us. Quickly go to the market and purchase some”. While away the bridegroom enters, the wise virgins are there to greet Him and they are escorted into the feast. Later the foolish come and beg entrance, the bridegroom says to them “I don’t know you”.  The word “know” here means to have intimate knowledge of. It speaks of closeness, intimacy it even goes on to indicate the closeness between a husband and a wife.

Ten virgins we have in all, five are wise and five are foolish. All are virgins, all are pure, all have oil, all have lamps, all go out and all fall asleep. But then Jesus, the bride groom, doesn’t do what those that are pure thought He would. (Stop and consider how often that happens, only all the time) When Jesus doesn’t arrive when He was “supposed to”. Whatever that is, as if we are the ones that can say what He is “supposed to” do or when He is “supposed to” arrive. Then when He doesn’t show in man’s time, but He is God and shows right when He has meant for all eternity to show.

We have the foolish virgins who have done everything right except one thing: they thought the bride groom would come according to their time line… BUT He doesn’t, and because He doesn’t they haven’t enough oil. As so many that are foolish often do they try to get some oil, some anointing, some intimacy, from those that seem to have extra. But understand this is not extra oil, this is just enough oil to stand when the standing is needed. Some may ask why do we pray so much, why do we worship so much, why do we remain in the word so much? My friends it’s not extra it is only enough. When the bridegroom arrives I want to be among those that are “known”.

Sleeping Disciples

It is the time of year when soft colors come out and children search for eggs in the yard. When those that may never grace the pews of a church attend. A time of candy and family, fun and food, a time to celebrate our risen Savior. The Gospels give an account of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Savior and Lord Jesus. Accounts that many of us have read, heard, or been taught from the time we were young.

As we begin, what do you say we reflect on this night two thousand years ago. Jesus has concluded His final meal with those that are closest to Him. They closed the time with the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the wine. Making their way to a grove of olive trees, the garden called Gethsemane, Jesus asked that they would watch and pray. Going a stone’s throw away, our Lord prays to His Father. Coming back Jesus finds His disciples asleep.

Asleep at a time like this, the gravity of their slumber resounds through time. Don’t they realize the time in which they live? The moment, that very moment was a time prophets had spoken of, heaven had waited for, a moment that was to forever shape the future. How can you sleep at a time like that??? We would not be sleeping, would we? We would be up praying, interceding, watching, and waiting. Knowing God’s glory was about to be seen, salvation realized, redemption paid and the veil that separated God and man torn asunder. That’s what we would be doing, that’s what we would have done…

 Or is it? 

When I stop and consider the price paid. Not in the blood of goats or bulls, not even the blood of a normal man, but the blood of God, the blood of the Word become flesh, the blood of God’s very creative power at work. How precious the price! And what could be purchased at such a high and costly price? Why salvation, of course. Salvation that brings light to the darkness, life to the dead and God’s glory to a lump of clay. It brings healing to the sick, peace to the hurting, joy to the sad, liberty to the captive. Literally, the list could go on, and on, and on. This is what was purchased at such a high price.

Now is when this blog gets real, so buckle on your big boy pants because this may hurt a little. When Jesus looks at His modern day disciples and the price that was paid, the promises that have been guaranteed. When he sees the epic and supreme moment in which said disciples live. Realizing a need that is so great, a battle so fierce; yet the ability to win, to overcome. Does He find in you a disciple that is simply sleeping in the garden?

Honestly

Let’s face it we all need some change. The first step in change is honesty and often the hardest person to be honest with is ourselves. It’s so easy to see the change needed in the world, our city, school, friends, and family but in ourselves… it’s much much harder. It’s like we can see every situation and problem in 20/20 except the ones in us. We can see so clearly what everybody else needs to do… But what we need to do? Jesus spoke in Matthew about the plank in our own eye. We all have planks and sometimes these planks prove to be great microscopes of other’s specks. Look I’m not saying that the speck is not there, oh it’s there and is ever irritating but as long as you have that big old ugly plank impairing your sight, don’t think you’re qualified to do eye surgery. Because you are not. Like I said, the first step to change is honesty. Can I be honest with you??? No, really can I? If I can’t then you should stop reading right now… Really I mean it, if you’re not ready for a healthy dose of honesty then just stop… So you’re still here, that means whether it hurts or not you want to hear the truth. The truth is, Jesus. He is the beginning, middle and end, the way, truth and life. HE KNOWS BEST!!! He sits at God’s right hand, and God is still all-powerful and all knowing. He is all knowing, which means He sees and knows every situation and problem that you are facing. He is all-powerful, which means He could easily remove and destroy every situation and problem. We make statements like, “I just can’t take anymore”, “I’m giving 100%”, and “I’m doing my best”. Here comes that honesty… You underestimate what you can take, overestimate what you give and have no clue what your best is. Just saying… You can take more than you’ve taking thus far, can give more than you’ve given and your best is seated in the heavenlies. So let’s stop basing what we are and can do on those around us and come to the realization that each of us needs change. So find that plank and start removing it. Please don’t make the mistake of thinking one prayer of repentance is going to do the trick. This is a thing that we walk out daily and the situations and problems you’re facing are the tweezers God is using. Honestly

Dagon-it

Dagon-it
1 Samuel 5:1-5 After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 4 But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the LORD! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained. 5 That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.
Ya know it’s kinda funny how often we do this very same thing. We try to bring the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords and put Him in a place with all our lil’ fake gods. We try to give each of our gods a fare share of our time, talent and resources. Oh sure we all have lil’ Dagon’s that try to come in and steal what belongs to Jesus. We can try over and over and over but each time our lil’ Dagon’s are in the presence of God they fall to the ground and crumble. Even the Philistine’s after rats and tumors got the idea that every knee would bow and tongue confess… Let us choose this day who we will serve.