Thursday, October 28, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Revelation
I have been thinking about a few things lately. One is a question. What does it mean to be an ambassador for Christ? Two is how the relationship between my family works.
My family is a strange lot. We limit our relationships with each other to what we want the other people to know, to how we want to be perceived, to the minimum. We don't tell details to one that we would easily share with another. I have also noticed this phenomenon among other families and in relationships with friends of mine. I, on the other hand, tend toward the very open book variety. This makes it hard for me to accept or understand those who cordon people off to certain areas of their lives. It let's a person know where they stand if nothing else. However, I do believe that boundaries are to be respected.
So how do these two things tie together, well, I was thinking about how Jesus had these boundaries too. He shared intimately with his disciples, not with everyone else. Then I was thinking how grateful I am that I get to know Him. That He saw fit to draw me into a relationship with Him, and how sad it is that some people don't get to know Him like that. That is when the light bulb went off... the scripture light bulb. I remembered my original question, the ambassador question. The answer to that and to the relationship question is in the great commission. We are to tell people about Jesus, to reveal Him to the world. We are also to reveal Him in our actions and lives, by living according to His words. As ambassadors we are to make Him known. He doesn't keep people cordoned off, He invites them in, and He invites them through us, His people, His ambassadors.
I think I made my point with out getting too personal. Ok, I feel better getting those thoughts off my chest.
My family is a strange lot. We limit our relationships with each other to what we want the other people to know, to how we want to be perceived, to the minimum. We don't tell details to one that we would easily share with another. I have also noticed this phenomenon among other families and in relationships with friends of mine. I, on the other hand, tend toward the very open book variety. This makes it hard for me to accept or understand those who cordon people off to certain areas of their lives. It let's a person know where they stand if nothing else. However, I do believe that boundaries are to be respected.
So how do these two things tie together, well, I was thinking about how Jesus had these boundaries too. He shared intimately with his disciples, not with everyone else. Then I was thinking how grateful I am that I get to know Him. That He saw fit to draw me into a relationship with Him, and how sad it is that some people don't get to know Him like that. That is when the light bulb went off... the scripture light bulb. I remembered my original question, the ambassador question. The answer to that and to the relationship question is in the great commission. We are to tell people about Jesus, to reveal Him to the world. We are also to reveal Him in our actions and lives, by living according to His words. As ambassadors we are to make Him known. He doesn't keep people cordoned off, He invites them in, and He invites them through us, His people, His ambassadors.
I think I made my point with out getting too personal. Ok, I feel better getting those thoughts off my chest.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Atonment Confusion
Christ, the victim of my sin. This is the claim. And yet, He wasn't quite a victim at all.
Once when I was first saved, I attended a weekend at a conference center, what it was all about I don't exactly remember at this point. I had an experience there, and an epiphone. We were singing praises to the Lord and we were given instructions to go out to a given place where a cross lay upon the ground. We were each given a nail and a hammer and we were told to go and nail a nail into the cross to symbolize the sin that Jesus took for us. Fine. After worshipping the Lord, I was ready to take my turn. Off I went to receive the nail and the hammer... there were people all around. I knelt down to put my nail in the cross. I loved Jesus so much. I had been saved from such a life of sin and misery. I had come to know Him as a Father and friend. Now here I was, knelt down, ready to nail my sin to the cross. I paused. The weight of it hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't know if the people behind this activity had this in mind when they decided to do this but it began to really impact me. I didn't want to sink that nail. I didn't want to kill Jesus. I didn't want it to be me... although in reality He already did it. He had already done it in my life by saving me, by living in me and changing me... there was proof of His presence in my life, and yet, face to face with that cross and the fact that I was the one who had already sunk many nails into that cross I just didn't want to do it again. I didn't want to admit that it was ME that put Him there. Each time I continue to sin, each time I had sinned in the past.
At that time I realized something. Christ Jesus knew exactly what I had done, He saved me while I was in the thick of my sin. He pulled me out of my sinful lifestyle slowly like someone pulls a man out of quicksand. But I was SAVED. And He did it. Realizing this, kneeling there, I figured that if I was going to do it, I better do it well! I found the closest place to where His heart would have been... and pounded in my nail. I thanked Him for the forgiveness that He had afforded me even after I had murdered him with the cross of my sin.
So here is the question. Is Jesus JUST a victim? Is he constantly wounded and "victimized" by me? Or you? Or the world? No. No He is not! To think that a saved person still stands in that moment is blaspheme. HE IS RISEN. He was victorious over our sin... in that moment and from all eternity. Yes, we killed him, yes, God saw fit to put His own son on a cross for us. God did kill His own son. Our sin was the means by which God killed Him. Not because He was blood hungry, not because we are victimizers who need a victim, rather because God works everything out to His glory. He does all things well. He is most glorious in his resurrection. There is a heavenly battle being raged and yet we think we are so important. The Almighty is the important one here. He is going to shine in His glory for eternity. It is for His victory that He allowed us to put Him there. He is victorious over the grave. All things in creation are being put under Christ's feet and how else could death be put under if He was not raised? We are not yet raised... but we will be. Dead were raised at the resurrection of the Lord. They will be again when He returns. He will return because He said that He would. He isn't just some wimpy guy, taking our whippings. He is Lord of all, and through Him all things were made. The plan was made. The plan is being unfolded. We don't live in pseudo humility for being sad that we "put Jesus on the cross, that we victimized Him". Rather I live in joy and humility that a)He saved me while His enemy b)that He doesn't treat me as I deserve still... because I AM CURRENTLY A SINNER c)just like I didn't want to put that nail in the cross of my Father and friend, I live now to please Him. I want to please Him because I love Him. I love Him because He first loved me. It is beautiful.
He put Himself on the cross. No one victimized Him. He was always victorious, He just decided to share some of that victory with His friends. He is Lord of all although we don't yet see all things subjected to Him.
Maybe I have got this nonviolent atonement thing all mixed up. But it seems to encompass our view of present and future in the reality of heaven and hell. It seems to encompass our lifestyles and our views of sin. I don't think I believe that Jesus just takes my whippings and I just whip him. Yes, we are sinners, break that down however you may... but He gave me a new nature. I know and can do differently now. He is risen and victorious. Just seems like a lot of this has to do with people wanting to excuse their sin and use their sinful proclivities to somehow preach the gospel to lost people. I personally remember the people who spoke to me about Jesus. Their lives were imperfect and yet they had a whole separate holiness to them because they lived what they believed. Heck... now I am rambling.
Once when I was first saved, I attended a weekend at a conference center, what it was all about I don't exactly remember at this point. I had an experience there, and an epiphone. We were singing praises to the Lord and we were given instructions to go out to a given place where a cross lay upon the ground. We were each given a nail and a hammer and we were told to go and nail a nail into the cross to symbolize the sin that Jesus took for us. Fine. After worshipping the Lord, I was ready to take my turn. Off I went to receive the nail and the hammer... there were people all around. I knelt down to put my nail in the cross. I loved Jesus so much. I had been saved from such a life of sin and misery. I had come to know Him as a Father and friend. Now here I was, knelt down, ready to nail my sin to the cross. I paused. The weight of it hit me like a ton of bricks. I don't know if the people behind this activity had this in mind when they decided to do this but it began to really impact me. I didn't want to sink that nail. I didn't want to kill Jesus. I didn't want it to be me... although in reality He already did it. He had already done it in my life by saving me, by living in me and changing me... there was proof of His presence in my life, and yet, face to face with that cross and the fact that I was the one who had already sunk many nails into that cross I just didn't want to do it again. I didn't want to admit that it was ME that put Him there. Each time I continue to sin, each time I had sinned in the past.
At that time I realized something. Christ Jesus knew exactly what I had done, He saved me while I was in the thick of my sin. He pulled me out of my sinful lifestyle slowly like someone pulls a man out of quicksand. But I was SAVED. And He did it. Realizing this, kneeling there, I figured that if I was going to do it, I better do it well! I found the closest place to where His heart would have been... and pounded in my nail. I thanked Him for the forgiveness that He had afforded me even after I had murdered him with the cross of my sin.
So here is the question. Is Jesus JUST a victim? Is he constantly wounded and "victimized" by me? Or you? Or the world? No. No He is not! To think that a saved person still stands in that moment is blaspheme. HE IS RISEN. He was victorious over our sin... in that moment and from all eternity. Yes, we killed him, yes, God saw fit to put His own son on a cross for us. God did kill His own son. Our sin was the means by which God killed Him. Not because He was blood hungry, not because we are victimizers who need a victim, rather because God works everything out to His glory. He does all things well. He is most glorious in his resurrection. There is a heavenly battle being raged and yet we think we are so important. The Almighty is the important one here. He is going to shine in His glory for eternity. It is for His victory that He allowed us to put Him there. He is victorious over the grave. All things in creation are being put under Christ's feet and how else could death be put under if He was not raised? We are not yet raised... but we will be. Dead were raised at the resurrection of the Lord. They will be again when He returns. He will return because He said that He would. He isn't just some wimpy guy, taking our whippings. He is Lord of all, and through Him all things were made. The plan was made. The plan is being unfolded. We don't live in pseudo humility for being sad that we "put Jesus on the cross, that we victimized Him". Rather I live in joy and humility that a)He saved me while His enemy b)that He doesn't treat me as I deserve still... because I AM CURRENTLY A SINNER c)just like I didn't want to put that nail in the cross of my Father and friend, I live now to please Him. I want to please Him because I love Him. I love Him because He first loved me. It is beautiful.
He put Himself on the cross. No one victimized Him. He was always victorious, He just decided to share some of that victory with His friends. He is Lord of all although we don't yet see all things subjected to Him.
Maybe I have got this nonviolent atonement thing all mixed up. But it seems to encompass our view of present and future in the reality of heaven and hell. It seems to encompass our lifestyles and our views of sin. I don't think I believe that Jesus just takes my whippings and I just whip him. Yes, we are sinners, break that down however you may... but He gave me a new nature. I know and can do differently now. He is risen and victorious. Just seems like a lot of this has to do with people wanting to excuse their sin and use their sinful proclivities to somehow preach the gospel to lost people. I personally remember the people who spoke to me about Jesus. Their lives were imperfect and yet they had a whole separate holiness to them because they lived what they believed. Heck... now I am rambling.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Current Impression
One loud and repeating theme.
I can do nothing. I can do all things through Christ. Apart from Him, I am nothing.
When you cannot affect an outcome, when you cannot drink, when your words fall to the ground or get lost inside another ones head doing what you can only imagine, but not doing what you want... then it is time to turn from your idols, it is time to turn again to the One Who Saves.
Wretchedness. Why do I come when there is no where else to turn? Why do I come when there is no one else but You? You have saved a wretched woman and yet Your wooing me again brings a renewed sense of awe in Your ability to work in my life... and an awe at why You would even set Your love upon me. It is Your goodness that leads me to repentance. It is Your goodness that turns me to you.
You are the One who brought me up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage... now please take the Egypt out of me, the idols and the worship that they demand. Fill me with this praise:
"Sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and the rider
He has thrown into the sea!"
Jesus, no matter how small others make you I pray that my life would magnify You!
In Your precious name I ask.
I can do nothing. I can do all things through Christ. Apart from Him, I am nothing.
When you cannot affect an outcome, when you cannot drink, when your words fall to the ground or get lost inside another ones head doing what you can only imagine, but not doing what you want... then it is time to turn from your idols, it is time to turn again to the One Who Saves.
Wretchedness. Why do I come when there is no where else to turn? Why do I come when there is no one else but You? You have saved a wretched woman and yet Your wooing me again brings a renewed sense of awe in Your ability to work in my life... and an awe at why You would even set Your love upon me. It is Your goodness that leads me to repentance. It is Your goodness that turns me to you.
You are the One who brought me up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage... now please take the Egypt out of me, the idols and the worship that they demand. Fill me with this praise:
"Sing to the Lord,
For He has triumphed gloriously!
The horse and the rider
He has thrown into the sea!"
Jesus, no matter how small others make you I pray that my life would magnify You!
In Your precious name I ask.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Remaining Thankful
Right now, it is so important that I keep my head on straight. Every moment threatens to swallow me whole. I don't even want to be blogging right now, but alas, I can't run away. My head is spinning with questions and words from without and within! Quiet packed up and moved on and even this, though work, seems like a selfish endeavor. I sit, I hear the talk, the attack of words and noise on my senses? How can I be such a sissy. There are people in India who have probably never heard one moment of time without noise and people? How tender I am. How useless.
I have to remember to be thankful, I have to remember that this is what I wanted. I have to remember that this isn't about me. I can't compare my load to others. I have to carry what has been laid upon me by the One who shares the yoke with me, the One who leads.
Lord, forgive me for being discontent and impatient. Forgive me for rolling my eyes and feeling tired of those I hold most dear. I am such a spoiled servant, please help me to humble myself and to bear with joy all the trials that you have set before me, because truth be told, my trials are another woman's easy day. Strengthen me I pray. Help me to grow in the grace and knowledge and wisdom of Your precious Spirit, Lord. Thank you for another day.
In Jesus name I ask.
I have to remember to be thankful, I have to remember that this is what I wanted. I have to remember that this isn't about me. I can't compare my load to others. I have to carry what has been laid upon me by the One who shares the yoke with me, the One who leads.
Lord, forgive me for being discontent and impatient. Forgive me for rolling my eyes and feeling tired of those I hold most dear. I am such a spoiled servant, please help me to humble myself and to bear with joy all the trials that you have set before me, because truth be told, my trials are another woman's easy day. Strengthen me I pray. Help me to grow in the grace and knowledge and wisdom of Your precious Spirit, Lord. Thank you for another day.
In Jesus name I ask.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Standing Up For What Is Right!
I have so much respect for this woman! We Americans have enjoyed our freedoms for too long. We have fallen asleep in the face of a giant. We pretend that the giant isn't hungry for our very lives. Read Daniel, Read Revelation! Read Ezekiel. God's people must pray!
Wake up brothers and sisters, beg God for mercy through His son Jesus!
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94377
Wake up brothers and sisters, beg God for mercy through His son Jesus!
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=94377
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