Tragedy

It inflicts pain on the hearts of those affected and stirs up fear in the heart of the bystander. It has the potential to keep a mother awake at night and leave a father grieving for days. It doesn’t make sense to most and causes all to raise questions. Tragedy. In the midst of tragedy, amongst the hurt, and grief, and tears we hear the question raised “why?” Why did this happen? Why was this allowed to happen? Brokenness. We live in a broken world, a world where the light is too often crowded out by the darkness. We live in a world where people have been given free-will and if that free-will is not guided by Truth, it ultimately brings destruction. It hurts me to hear people question God, to place the blame on his head, to question His love for and kindness toward His people. 

The Lord did not cause a broken man to open fire and take the lives of innocent children. The Lord does not cause children in third-world countries to go to sleep hungry at night as their parents die from AIDS. The Lord did not cause tragedy in your family. These things are all a result of humanity’s decision to walk away from the Truth. Man decided that he was a better fit for the position of god in his own life, and this is the result. Not only does God not cause tragedy, but He also offers hope—a hope that a heartbroken mother, grieving father, starving child, or dying victim can find nowhere else. It is hope for a better way of life where even in the darkest of storms, you can have peace that surpasses all understanding. It is a life where in a moment of grief, you can experience a joy that consumes all sorrow. In fact, it is because of a tragedy that this hope is ours for the having. It was because of the murder of an innocent man—someone’s son, someone’s friend—that we have a reason to hope. 

The truth is that in our darkest hour, when we were farthest away from Him, when we had decided that we had no need for Him, God humbled Himself and became a man, being obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. he died to overcome death for us and along with that, took away its sting. The greatest part is that even death couldn't hold Him down, and He is no longer dead, but lives and freely extends that offer of real life to us-- to you-- as well. The price has been paid, all that it requires of you is to recognize your need for a savior, understand that your salvation is found in Jesus, and then begin to walk out everyday with God in His rightful place of kingship in your life. 

Self- Centered Christianity

What is the purpose of our Christianity? What is the purpose of our relationship with God? Is it for our benefit? For our gain? So that we may be fulfilled? So that we may walk around and say all is well? So that when we are sad we may have joy? Or that when we are sick we may be made well? So that we have financial stability? So that we may have peace in the midst of a storm? So that we may be comforted in times of great sorrow? So that we can do well for ourselves and make our names great?

Because that is how we act. That is the impression we give when we pitch Christianity like a door-to-door cutlery salesman. That is the impression we give when we become offended by God in times when our lives aren't going as we had hoped or imagined. That is the attitude we take when we carry an air of entitlement and constantly strive to gain. Our prayers have become solely "God I need...God give me... Lord show me..." They have become full of favors asked of God on our own behalf.

Why are our prayers not "God there is a place where your name is not worshiped. Would your will be done and your fame be known there that you may receive glory." When is the last time that I praised God simply so He would receive His due glory and didn't end my prayer with a request or approach it with a selfish motive?

What is the purpose of my Christianity? What is the purpose of my relationship with God? Was I not created solely to love Him? Solely to bring Him glory? Everything else is a benefit, an overflow of a relationship with the creator (Matthew 6:33). But it is not the purpose. The purpose is His glory and His glory alone. Why spend time in the Word? To cultivate a passion to bring Him glory, to remind ourselves that He deserves it, to understand the richness of the Gospel and our mandate to share it so that others may bring Him glory.

No more entering worship hoping to get an experience out of it for ourselves. No more waiting for our favorite song to be sung before we really dial in. That is not worship, church. That is idolatry, placing ourselves and our own glory on the pedestal of our hearts.

No more work of our hands backed by a self-seeking heart. No more effort to look good for our gain. No more words spoken for the purpose of flaunting knowledge. It is all worthless... chaff just waiting to be burned up by the fire.

No more energy wasted, affection misplaced, or focus taken away. I'm done with myself. Myself hangs on that cross. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.

Faith for the sake of personal gain is no faith at all.

Calling Down the Kingdom

I am probably the worst blogger on the face of the earth. Since my first post, I have traveled overseas, seen miraculous healings, lost my grandfather, said goodbye to ninety-five percent of my friends, and said hello to two-hundred new ones. None of which I will be blogging about today. Today something burns even hotter on my heart. There is one overriding thing that the Lord has been teaching me about lately-- Calling down the Kingdom.

And He said to them, when you pray, say: "Our Father who is in heaven, your name is Holy. Let your kingdom come and your will be done here on earth just as it is in Heaven." (Luke 11:2)

Why is this so important? Why are we asked to pray for the Kingdom to come and the Lord's will to be done? If something is God's will, won't it happen anyway?

In the beginning, God gave authority to man.

“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'" Genesis 1:28

However, man gave that authority over to the enemy when he sinned; you are a slave to whatever you obey. Now the enemy was called the Prince of this World (John 14:30).

Thankfully, in an effort to save the day, Jesus humbled himself and came as a man to take back the authority that was rightfully ours.

“All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Matthew 28:18

Jesus now had authority in earth not because He was the Son of God, but because He was the Son of Man, a human. But then, in his incomprehensible grace, He turned that authority back over to us.

"Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you." Luke 10:19

God wants a man to agree with Him, to call down his Kingdom, to ask for His will to be done, because man has authority on this earth. So what does calling down the kingdom look like? 

“Finally, brothers pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” 1 Thessalonians 3:1

“Ask the Lord of the Harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest fields.” Matthew 9:38

It's all about the Gospel. Calling down the Kingdom looks like us so passionately wanting the name of Jesus to be praised by every tribe and every tongue that we find ourselves on our knees daily asking for the redemption and salvation of all the people on the earth... Asking the Lord to remove every obstacle and every hindrance that prohibits His name from being worshiped... Asking the Lord to move on the hearts of his people to go into all the world and proclaim the truth of what Jesus has done. This is the mission for which we were called; the mission for which we were chosen.

We are the Chosen

"For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen." Matthew 22:14

In Matthew chapter 22 Jesus is telling a story about a king who was hosting a wedding banquet for his son. The king invited all of his friends to come and celebrate with him, but not one of them responded to the invitation that was given. He sent his servants out to find them and let them know that the time had come for the party to begin, but when the servants approached them, they only shrugged their shoulders and went off, one to weed his garden, another to work in his shop. The rest, with nothing better to do, beat up the messengers and then killed them. When the king found out what happened, he said, "We have a wedding banquet all prepared but no guests to attend! The ones I invited weren't up to it. Go out into the busiest intersections in town and invite anyone you find to the banquet." The servants went out on the streets and rounded up everyone they laid eyes on, good and bad, regardless. And so the banquet was on- every place filled...

Many are called, but few are chosen.

There is only one difference between those who are called and those who are chosen. It is not the that the chosen are the elite, the most talented, the greatest looking, or the most knowledgeable. The chosen are simply those who hear the invitation and respond to the call. So why did the strangers off the street respond to the King's call when the King's own friends did not?

Perhaps the friends were to preoccupied with the cares of life. Upon hearing the King's request, one went off to weed his garden and another went to work in his shop. Really? That doesn't make much sense does it? I don't know about you, but if the choice came down to feasting with my friend or working in my garden, I would probably choose the former before the latter. But how many times do I miss the call from my King to come away and be with Him, to celebrate with Him, because the work of my hands has taken precedence over His call on my life?

Perhaps the friends did not understand the magnitude of the offer that was being extended to them. Maybe they forgot somewhere along the road that their friend was not just any ordinary man-- he was THE KING-- and His Majesty himself was inviting them to dinner. Perhaps that's why it was so easy for the strangers on the street to respond. They understood how valuable the opportunity being extended to them was. They understood what an honor it would be to sit at the same table with the King. Have I become too comfortable with this idea that the King of Kings has invited me over to dine with Him? Have I forgotten what an honor it is that He would extend that opportunity to me? Do I ignore his call because He does not hold an important enough position in my mind?

We don't want to be those friends who miss the opportunity. We don't want to preoccupy ourselves with the cares of this world instead of responding to His invitation. We don't want to forget exactly WHO is inviting us over to dinner.

This is the purpose of this blog. To share with you the things that the Lord is revealing to me as I respond to His call, as I dine with Him, as I spend time in His presence. I am the chosen. You are the chosen. We are the chosen.