For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39 NIV)
What do we know of love?
To us it is often just a feeling
To us it is something to be wary of
To us it can equal hurt
These are not the true faces of love. They are of loved corrupted.
God is love… This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. (1 John 4:8, 9 MSG)
You are loved by your Creator. This is love.
It is founded in action
It is sacrificial
It is pursuing
In light of God’s love for us what must our response be?
Our response to the love of God is Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
In response to God’s love we are to live our lives as living sacrifices – stripped of all and laid open for his glory.
Exodus 29 describes how sacrifices were to be made to God.
The altar was prepared and consecrated or set apart through the blood of a bull. Once the altar was set apart it was made holy and anything that touched it was holy.
God, through Christ, once and for all consecrated the altar and made it holy.
As living sacrifices we should place our whole self before God
every weakness –
every strength –
every day –
every plan –
every desire –
every love –
every passion –
every possession –
our whole life we should give
As we place our life on the altar we set it apart to be used by God.
We are made holy - we are living sacrifices.
We are a pleasing aroma – we are an offering made to the Lord.
To truly live life upon the altar of God is radical.
It means setting apart your life, your plans, your possession ETC… for his will and glory.
It means being set apart and consumed by God.
Not too long ago I was with my youngest son at a local donut place. We were sitting at the bar eating our donuts and looking out the window towards the parking lot. While we were there a car pulled into the parking lot and stopped at the front door. The passenger door opened and a young man got out. As his ride pulled away I noticed the young man, who was now walking in the front door, had Down Syndrome.
As he moved about the store my 4 year old, who apparently does listen sometimes, said, “Daddy stop staring.”
I said, “Oh, right buddy, thanks.” But something kept drawing my eyes back to the young man. I watched, as he walked toward the counter he grabbed a hold of the wooden cross that hung low from around his neck. He brought that simple cross to his lips and kissed it with tender love. He held that cross to his lips for several deliberate steps as he walked behind the counter.
This young man demonstrated a mindset of setting apart the things of life, such as work, for God's glory.
You can bet that young man knew his Jesus loved him.
You can bet he loved his Jesus.
Your creator loves you.
Jesus loves you.
Is your life set apart?
Are you living radically?
Are you a living sacrifice?
Or are you just doing enough?
Start with the "every" list above.
What have you set apart?
What does God want you to let go of and set apart for his glory?
What are you holding on to?
The top video bar has a song (with the words in subtitle) that I would suggest you listen to as part of seeking God.
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (John 4:9)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
loved by your creator - a closer look
In the previous post - loved by your creator - I began with a self-description. This was my attempt at being open and honest with God. It described the "real" me.
Since that post I have received a couple of replies from individuals giving their own self-description. My intent was not to start a movement of introspection. However, it seems an appropriate challenge. If we are to truly understand the amazing love God has for us we must first realize how amazingly short we fall in impressing Him.
It is one thing to say we are all sinners and we all fall short of the glory of God. However, how do we fall short? How are we sinners?
When we look just at the broad stroke of things we miss the individual dots that make up that broad stroke.
Saying I am a sinner or fall short is like looking at the Mississippi and saying the water is muddy. That is a true fact, but when the water is looked at under a microscope we see a different picture. Broken down we see the silt, pesticides, and bacteria that the muddy water contains. By taking a closer look we see the things that can make us sick or kill us.
When you take a closer look at your life you are able to see how you fall short and in what ways you are a sinner. Looking closer at your own life creates a greater awe at being loved by your creator.
I challenge you to take a closer look at your life and make your own list. I would even challenge you to, in openness and humility, share this list with others. Who knows how God will use it, but it will be glorifying to Him when you confess your weaknesses and claim your need and acceptance of His awesome and unfailing love.
To the top right, under video bar, you will find a link to a song that speaks well to the awesome love of our God.
Since that post I have received a couple of replies from individuals giving their own self-description. My intent was not to start a movement of introspection. However, it seems an appropriate challenge. If we are to truly understand the amazing love God has for us we must first realize how amazingly short we fall in impressing Him.
It is one thing to say we are all sinners and we all fall short of the glory of God. However, how do we fall short? How are we sinners?
When we look just at the broad stroke of things we miss the individual dots that make up that broad stroke.
Saying I am a sinner or fall short is like looking at the Mississippi and saying the water is muddy. That is a true fact, but when the water is looked at under a microscope we see a different picture. Broken down we see the silt, pesticides, and bacteria that the muddy water contains. By taking a closer look we see the things that can make us sick or kill us.
When you take a closer look at your life you are able to see how you fall short and in what ways you are a sinner. Looking closer at your own life creates a greater awe at being loved by your creator.
I challenge you to take a closer look at your life and make your own list. I would even challenge you to, in openness and humility, share this list with others. Who knows how God will use it, but it will be glorifying to Him when you confess your weaknesses and claim your need and acceptance of His awesome and unfailing love.
To the top right, under video bar, you will find a link to a song that speaks well to the awesome love of our God.
Friday, January 9, 2009
loved by your creator
Who Am I?
· My name is John
· I’m 33 yrs old
· I am married to Michelle
· I am a father of two boys
· I love to hike I love the mountains
· I’m addicted to coffee – it does not matter what time of day it is –It’s coffee time
· I would like to be able to eat spicy food –but only because I feel like a wimp when I don’t
· I worry about what others think
· I have a nearly paralyzing fear of failure
· I don’t much like heights
· I can be a big jerk to my wife
· I can be a big jerk to my kids
· I’ve never been entirely happy with the way I look
· I have an issue with pride
· I don’t read my Bible every day or sometimes every week
· When I smash my finger or get angry I don’t always say ouch
· Forgiving others is hard
· I don’t really want to have the same grace toward others as I expect God to have on me
· I don’t always say yes to God
· I’m selfish
· I argue with God
· I put things off
Hopefully you can see that I don’t have everything together. In fact some days it feels like everything is falling apart.
I am far from perfect.
Now that you know me a little bit better let me share something with you that occurred last year at a church conference.
We were in a time of worship and they began playing a song that was an old chorus when I was young.
Lord, You are more precious than silver
Lord, You are more costly than gold
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds
And nothing I desire compares with you
I think this song was already special to me because when I was in my early 20’s and had decided to quit ignoring God this is the song that came back to me and I would sing it while I worked.
God made this song special in a new way.
As we were standing there singing God said to me you are...
YOU are more precious than silver
YOU are more costly than gold
YOU are more beautiful than diamonds
For an instant I argued with him --- no not me --- I know who I am --- not me!
God said no – I made you .... I made you precious, costly and beautiful
Then came the next line of the song
Nothing I desire compares with you
As that was my song to him 10+ years ago, that was his song to me.
However, it is not just God’s song to me. It is God’s song to all of us. Not because of anything we have done but because he made us precious, costly and beautiful.
He has made you in His image.
YOU are more precious than silver
YOU are more costly than gold
YOU are more beautiful than diamonds
Nothing He desires compares with you
I imagine some of you are looking at your life and saying not me.
You hear what someone told you years ago and you think “I’m not precious”.
You think of how you have been used by others and say “I’m not costly”
You look at your reflection and say “I’m not beautiful”
Do not allow these lies to steal away the love of God for you, his precious child.
You are loved.
You are loved by your creator.
You are loved by the God who made you in his image
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! …1 John 3:1
· My name is John
· I’m 33 yrs old
· I am married to Michelle
· I am a father of two boys
· I love to hike I love the mountains
· I’m addicted to coffee – it does not matter what time of day it is –It’s coffee time
· I would like to be able to eat spicy food –but only because I feel like a wimp when I don’t
· I worry about what others think
· I have a nearly paralyzing fear of failure
· I don’t much like heights
· I can be a big jerk to my wife
· I can be a big jerk to my kids
· I’ve never been entirely happy with the way I look
· I have an issue with pride
· I don’t read my Bible every day or sometimes every week
· When I smash my finger or get angry I don’t always say ouch
· Forgiving others is hard
· I don’t really want to have the same grace toward others as I expect God to have on me
· I don’t always say yes to God
· I’m selfish
· I argue with God
· I put things off
Hopefully you can see that I don’t have everything together. In fact some days it feels like everything is falling apart.
I am far from perfect.
Now that you know me a little bit better let me share something with you that occurred last year at a church conference.
We were in a time of worship and they began playing a song that was an old chorus when I was young.
Lord, You are more precious than silver
Lord, You are more costly than gold
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds
And nothing I desire compares with you
I think this song was already special to me because when I was in my early 20’s and had decided to quit ignoring God this is the song that came back to me and I would sing it while I worked.
God made this song special in a new way.
As we were standing there singing God said to me you are...
YOU are more precious than silver
YOU are more costly than gold
YOU are more beautiful than diamonds
For an instant I argued with him --- no not me --- I know who I am --- not me!
God said no – I made you .... I made you precious, costly and beautiful
Then came the next line of the song
Nothing I desire compares with you
As that was my song to him 10+ years ago, that was his song to me.
However, it is not just God’s song to me. It is God’s song to all of us. Not because of anything we have done but because he made us precious, costly and beautiful.
He has made you in His image.
YOU are more precious than silver
YOU are more costly than gold
YOU are more beautiful than diamonds
Nothing He desires compares with you
I imagine some of you are looking at your life and saying not me.
You hear what someone told you years ago and you think “I’m not precious”.
You think of how you have been used by others and say “I’m not costly”
You look at your reflection and say “I’m not beautiful”
Do not allow these lies to steal away the love of God for you, his precious child.
You are loved.
You are loved by your creator.
You are loved by the God who made you in his image
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! …1 John 3:1
Thursday, January 1, 2009
the slave's story (4 of 4)
The author of the following story is a friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous. The story sums up well the messages about freedom
Galatians 5:1
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. NIV
Christ has set us free to live a free life. MSG
Once upon a time there was a group of slaves. These slaves were born into slavery under a horrible slave master. All they had ever known was slavery. All their parents had ever known was slavery. One day there arose among them a rumor that the wealthiest and most influential man in the land had, at great cost to himself, purchased their freedom and given them an inheritance to live on. All they had to do was go to the gate of their slave master’s property and claim their card of freedom and inheritance under the wealthy land owner. The rumor was that the slave master knew they had been set free and couldn’t stop them if they chose to go claim their freedom.
Some dismissed this as a crazy fantasy – no wealthy person would take that much interest in one of them, much less pay the huge price to purchase freedom for all of them. Others treasured this as hope they had never imagined. This hope began to grow and flower in their hearts. Many of these, though hopeful, were terrified of the slave master and didn’t dare act on their hope. But a few ran with everything that was in them toward the gate to claim this most precious gift.
As the other slaves watched anxiously, these few approached the gate. At the gate, they saw them receive their new identification cards that marked them as free and inheritors of the wealthy land owner.
As the others saw this many more began to approach the gate to claim what they believed was now rightly theirs. They passed through the gate to freedom holding tightly to their cards and to their inheritance.
Now, on the other side of the gate stood the slave master and his paid workers. As the former slaves passed by, the slave master, a clever man, realized his opportunity. These slaves didn’t really know what freedom meant!
As they walked out his gates he began to lie to them. He whispered in their ears his version of the truth. “You don’t understand”, he told them. “Your freedom has been purchased, but you now have to prove that you are worthy of that freedom. After all, you are only a slave – and not a very good slave either. Only the best and most worthy can leave here. YOU don’t always do your best. YOU don’t act like a free person should act. YOU are not the productive member of society that you are required to be in order to leave here.”
One by one, the heads of the freed men dropped and their shoulders sagged under the burden of these statements, and one by one, the former slaves slowly turned and walked back thru the slave master’s gates – still clutching the papers that proclaimed them free.
The son of the wealthy landowner stood at the gate weeping.
He pleaded with those who passed by – “Your debt is paid. There is nothing left to be done.” But they sadly shook their heads, “I know who I am,” they each replied as they continued on their path.
Year after year, the son of the wealthy landowner continued to stand at the gate – calling to those inside, “Come out! You are free! Your debt is paid!”
In time, some of the former slaves became excellent slaves, successful in all that they did. The slave master never gave them their leave, but it is doubtful that they would have taken it, even if he had – they had become very proud of their achievements and comfortable in their success at being slaves.
But also in time, the words of the son of the wealthy landowner began to pierce the hearts of those working for the slave master. More and more, former slaves began throwing down their tools and striding purposefully towards the gates. The slave master would try to stop them with his clever lies, but the former slaves, realizing that they would never earn their freedom, fixed their eyes on the son of the wealthy landowner and proclaimed, “HE says I’m free,” and with that, passed through the gates into freedom.
Galatians 5:1
1It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. NIV
Christ has set us free to live a free life. MSG
Once upon a time there was a group of slaves. These slaves were born into slavery under a horrible slave master. All they had ever known was slavery. All their parents had ever known was slavery. One day there arose among them a rumor that the wealthiest and most influential man in the land had, at great cost to himself, purchased their freedom and given them an inheritance to live on. All they had to do was go to the gate of their slave master’s property and claim their card of freedom and inheritance under the wealthy land owner. The rumor was that the slave master knew they had been set free and couldn’t stop them if they chose to go claim their freedom.
Some dismissed this as a crazy fantasy – no wealthy person would take that much interest in one of them, much less pay the huge price to purchase freedom for all of them. Others treasured this as hope they had never imagined. This hope began to grow and flower in their hearts. Many of these, though hopeful, were terrified of the slave master and didn’t dare act on their hope. But a few ran with everything that was in them toward the gate to claim this most precious gift.
As the other slaves watched anxiously, these few approached the gate. At the gate, they saw them receive their new identification cards that marked them as free and inheritors of the wealthy land owner.
As the others saw this many more began to approach the gate to claim what they believed was now rightly theirs. They passed through the gate to freedom holding tightly to their cards and to their inheritance.
Now, on the other side of the gate stood the slave master and his paid workers. As the former slaves passed by, the slave master, a clever man, realized his opportunity. These slaves didn’t really know what freedom meant!
As they walked out his gates he began to lie to them. He whispered in their ears his version of the truth. “You don’t understand”, he told them. “Your freedom has been purchased, but you now have to prove that you are worthy of that freedom. After all, you are only a slave – and not a very good slave either. Only the best and most worthy can leave here. YOU don’t always do your best. YOU don’t act like a free person should act. YOU are not the productive member of society that you are required to be in order to leave here.”
One by one, the heads of the freed men dropped and their shoulders sagged under the burden of these statements, and one by one, the former slaves slowly turned and walked back thru the slave master’s gates – still clutching the papers that proclaimed them free.
The son of the wealthy landowner stood at the gate weeping.
He pleaded with those who passed by – “Your debt is paid. There is nothing left to be done.” But they sadly shook their heads, “I know who I am,” they each replied as they continued on their path.
Year after year, the son of the wealthy landowner continued to stand at the gate – calling to those inside, “Come out! You are free! Your debt is paid!”
In time, some of the former slaves became excellent slaves, successful in all that they did. The slave master never gave them their leave, but it is doubtful that they would have taken it, even if he had – they had become very proud of their achievements and comfortable in their success at being slaves.
But also in time, the words of the son of the wealthy landowner began to pierce the hearts of those working for the slave master. More and more, former slaves began throwing down their tools and striding purposefully towards the gates. The slave master would try to stop them with his clever lies, but the former slaves, realizing that they would never earn their freedom, fixed their eyes on the son of the wealthy landowner and proclaimed, “HE says I’m free,” and with that, passed through the gates into freedom.
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