Dear You

Dear you, yea you the person reading this.  I apologize if I ever come across as "holier than thou." My heart isn't to compare myself to you, no my goal is for you to see the Savior.  Sure, words on a screen only hold so much weight, and true impact is only by face-to-face relationship and not just words.  And hey, actions do speak louder than words, but words, they are not silent in the least.  What I don't understand is when I'm talked down to.  I don't front myself better or wiser or stronger or even wiser than you.  In fact, I recognize my faults, probably more than anyone I kick myself to the curb because of them.  But what I also understand is the grace God has given me.  Grace to live, grace to speak, grace to breathe.  I don't deserve any of this.  Please, we are all on level ground here at the foot of the cross.  My heart breaks for the lost, for those who feel that all Christians are, are judgemental people who only stick their noses at sinners and always push them away.  I apologize for those Christians who have inadequately represented my Jesus to you.  I do know that I fall in that area too, I mean come on I'm not perfect either.
     What I don't understand is the constant shouting of, "Don't judge me!" when in turn you judge me too!  Let's understand this:  "judging" one another is a part of being human.  We can't stop that.  What we can do, though is to not act upon those judgements and preconceived notions about whomever and live in accordance to how God sees the person.  We're all hypocrites, it's a part of being human.  Personally, I like to assume the best out of people; I like to give room to be burned (NOT because I'm perfect, but because I see that that is what Jesus did and continues to do for me).  Now, this does not mean I condone people being judgemental, but only give grace to those who do.  But I also recognize this: telling somebody that they're wrong because they are isn't judging them.  Would we accuse a doctor of "judging" us when all he tells us is that we're sick?  Nonsense!  Granted, I'm not equating myself with a doctor, because I'm not one, but understand the analogy, here.  Or even something like, "You're tall!"  I'm not gonna get defensive and yell that you've "judged" rather that you judged the fact that in fact, I am tall. 
     This is what I understand:  sin has corrupted and skewed our view of all things.  It caused a chasm to form between us and God, and the communion between us and Him is severed because of it.  I also understand that sin distorts our view of each other.  Sin affects our lives horizontally and vertically.  However, you put those together, you've got a cross.  (Horizontal beam, vertical beam, get it? =D)  There's one thing that fixes this:  Jesus.  His sacrifice for us.  God became man to die for man so that man may live.  There's one remedy for the disease that has killed billions since the beginning.  That disease is sin, the remedy is Jesus' sacrifice for us.  That's the only cure for this horrible curse that grips on our hearts and crouches at our door to ambush us and take us captive.  Understand this, too:  Nobody needs Jesus more than any one person.  We all need Him the same, because we all have the same problem.  The only thing is if we're in Christ, we're not controlled, nor held in bondage by sin, but still struggle with it because of our imperfect humanity that's being renewed day in and day out by the Holy Spirit.  We all need Jesus.  Find Him.

Trust

                God shows and teaches me lessons in perspective shifts and stories.  This particular one is close to me at the moment: When it comes to trusting God, it would be like being at the pool with your dad.  He’s in there smiling at you beckoning you to jump into his arms.  You look at your father and examine the pool.  How deep is it?  Is the water dirty?  Then you examine your daddy.  Is he strong enough to catch me?  Can I trust that he will catch me and not leave me to dry? (… okay, get wet?)  While realistically a small child won’t run that through their “grid,” we do it all of the time.  Child-like faith/trust says that “Well of course he would catch me!”  Our “reason” and “logic” says, “Will he really catch me?  Can I really trust him?”  I wonder how we get there and I fail to come up with a pin point in our lives where we begin to rely on reason and logic to determine our choices than our faith in a perfectly good, wholly holy, overwhelmingly loving, incorruptible God.  Maybe we get let down by someone who we look to and then make the conclusion that ALL that we look up to will eventually fail us.  Or perhaps somewhere along the line our parents failed us in some way and we think that if the adults that God placed over us were unable to be perfect, how could the one who sent them be?  It’s almost like we think we know better than the God who created everything.  We tend to place the failures of humanity onto God and by so doing we doubt His goodness and His love.  We see the horrible things that go on and blame Him saying, “Well if God really is a good God, why would He allow such evil things to happen?”  Think about this, though.  Would a good God control the actions of His creation?  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe God causes evil things, nor do I think He rejoices in the tragedies of life.  In fact, I know that He weeps with us and is comforting us.  The life of Jesus expresses that to us.  Any time a parent reached out to Him for help with their children, He answered them and healed their child.  When I look at Him at the home of Mary and Martha after their brother passed away, I see Him weeping with the mourners.  In short, God is with those who are hurting and is never far from the cry of a broken heart.

                One of the beautiful things of life is the beauty of free will.  Though through free will entered sin and death, it also enters in love.  Free will enables us the ability to love, and there is no greater force on earth than love.  The most potent love is God’s love, for it conquered the grave and raised Christ from the dead.  It also enables us the ability to trust.  God doesn’t force us to trust or love Him.  He didn’t create us to be robots.  Robots don’t love.  Robots don’t have relationships. Only free will-given beings can have relationships.  The biggest thing about relationship is trust.  Without trust, we’re just paranoid and try to keep control on the thing.  Nobody wants to marry anyone who is going to try and control every move they make and every person they spend time with.  When God created Adam and Eve, He ENTRUSTED them to taking care of the garden and His creation.  God trusted Adam and Eve and still trusts us.  Sin didn’t change His view of us; it changed our view of Him and everything else.  The thing that causes us to run through the grid is sin.  To put it plainly, doubting God is what leads us into sin, for that is what caused Eve to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The enemy had her doubt God, “Did God really say…?” and “You will not die when you eat of the tree.”  This is what the enemy did and still does.  He got Eve into thinking that God was withholding something from her, and so she ate of the tree.  This doubt would have been remedied if she knew this one thing:  God only has good things in mind for His children. 

When God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tre, what He gave was the amazing gift of relationship with the Creator.  When they didn’t trust, they sinned.  But when Jesus trusted, sin was defeated.  As Jesus was fully God while being fully man, He had the choice to not trust God and choose His own way.  (It’s odd to even think about this, and quite frankly hurts my brain because as Jesus and the Father are one, it’s quite mind-breaking to ever envision Jesus choosing something contrary to what God’s will is… ooohh my brain.)  In His prayer saying “Father, remove this cup from Me… but not what I will, what You will” Jesus chose to jump into the arms of His heavenly Father, and by so doing, defeated sin and death. 

Don’t we see what the result of simple trust in God is?  It’s life.  And please, choose life.

Lover of My Soul

God wants all of me.  He wants all of you.  We don't have any leeway to compartmentalize our relationship with God.  Perhaps it's the stage of life that I am in right now, but in my heart has been a desire for that "significant other" that's gotten my heart weary.  I know, it's a very normal thing for a guy my age to desire a girlfriend, the "significant other."  But to know that God wants every single part of my life, even my romantic desires of my heart.  Understand, our relationship with God IS NOT compartmentalized.  We can't just give Him certain things that we're comfortable with Him having.  Even that desire for your prince charming/princess of your dreams is something you must give over to the Lord.  This is where I'm at; in my heart, I've given all to the Lord, except for that.  The romantic desires of my heart, I have not surrendered, thinking that it wouldn't be God to answer them, that "obviously" it was going to be my future wife's role.  First off, that's heavy expectations for whomever God places in my path.  Second, it's not their job to fulfill my needs, ultimately that is all up to God otherwise my relationship with the girl of my dreams will be all about "gimme, gimme, gimme."  Selfishness is the number 1 killer of relationships. 
     For women, Maya Angelou said it best: "A woman's heart should be so lost in God that a man has to seek Him to find her."  I think that's so true.  For anybody, they must be most in love with their God than with their spouse.  I know for me, if I don't love Jesus more than you, I'm in trouble.  When I'm most in love with Jesus, my priorities are straight, and I have a proper vantage point and am able to see things in His light.  Obviously, being a guy I cannot begin to fathom the inner workings of a ladies mind.  What I do know, is that they're much more relational than men, and their desire is to be appreciated of, to be protected and to know that their prince will go through all lengths to provide for them, and to love them.  (If I'm wrong, please chime in, always in for learning more.)  Ultimately, Jesus is their Perfect Prince.  Jesus already went to great lengths to show His great love and affection for you, dear women.  He went to death and back just to win your heart.  Your Prince Charming loves you more than any man on this earth and accepts you for all that you are.  You don't need to pretty yourself up, try to "improve" yourself when God is already looking at you and saying, "How beautiful!"  All that you are is all that He loves.  The way you are right now is no accident and the He says, "Don't change who you are, because who you are is how I made you to discover Me."  If ever you wanted and needed somebody to accept you for all that you are, it's Jesus. 
     For the men, we're more physical creatures, yes. But the desire is similar to woman's.  We desire (or maybe, I should put I and just assume you all know that I'm talking about men collective as a whole and that deep in the heart of man, this is true, regardless if they show it or not) companionship.  We long for somebody to be by our side and to stick it along with us through thick and thing.  We may have our brothers by blood or by friendship who do this, but nothing compares to the love or companionship of a woman in that regard.  However, ultimately, the One who desires our hearts, who went to hell and back just to win our hearts.  Your heart.  The reason He endured all of the beating and all of the pain?  The face in your mirror.  Gentlemen, can I stress it enough that we need to be more in love with our Savior than with the princess He brings into our lives?  This is something that I'm still processing in.  God wants all of us.  ALL of us.  There's no room for compartmentalizing.  We can't put our romantic feelings in a box and say that "this is for the woman of my dreams to fulfill, not You, Lord."  You can't expect her to fulfill your needs because she's not God, the One who created your needs.  She can be used by God to fulfill a need in your life, such as companionship, but even that is ultimately found in the Lord.  He never leaves us nor forsakes us.
     As much as my desire for the princess God has for me, my desire must be, most of all, for my Savior.  For I must seek Him to find her.  And to this I say:  take ALL of me, Lord.  My desire for that dream girl You have for me, and fulfill everything that I am.  Complete me Lord, because it's not two halves becoming one person, it's two becoming one, just as You say in Your word.  May I seek You and love You more.  You are the lover of my soul.

Not Enough Hate

That's right, I said it.  Criticize me, chastise me, do what you want.  There's not enough hate in this world.  Do you think I'm taking about hating each other?  Hating a people group or society?  Well, I probably got your attention by this title :)  But seriously, there's not enough hate!  But hate towards what?  There we go, maybe I caught your attention now.  There's not enough hate for sin in our lives.  Sad to say, but we've becoming so comfortable with its sting that we like it and we would rather be comfortable in our death than free and being pruned in our Savior's hands.  How can I see this as a truth right now?  Look at our society.  Look at the most popular musicians right now: Lady Gaga, T-Pain, Lil' John and so forth.  What do they all have in common (other than being God's creation, of course)?  They all glorify sin!  It doesn't take long to see that all over the place sin is glorified and pushed in our faces.  "Go have sex outside of marriage!"  "Get drunk off your booty cuz it 'feels good!"  "Go ahead, take that hit of heroine; it may hurt, but it feels good, so why not?"  "Hey, the most important thing is the bottom line, isn't it?  So why care about anyone? Let's neglect and gather things for us." 
     How on earth did we get to a place where sin became a bed fellow?  How did we get so desensitized to sin that it no longer stings us like it used to?  I have an answer:  The fear of the LORD is in short supply.  We've become so accustomed that God loves us so much and desires relationship with us that we've forgotten He's also the same God who parted the Red Sea, demolished the walls of Jericho, stilled the storm on Galilee with a word and created the entirety of the universe.  He's not a mushy God.  He loves us, yes, but God is not a soft God.  Do we remember that He has hate, too?  Not for His children, no.  Nor even for Satan.  Satan is one of His creations and He loves Him, but Satan chose his own fate when he rebelled against the Almighty.  No, God HATES sin.  Wanna know why?  It gets between Him and His children!  Ultimately, holiness cannot dwell in the same place as sin.  The only reason we're able to be with God is because of Christ's sacrifice (and us accepting it... you know...) and making us holy.  Sin is what separates us from God.  And our Lord is a jealous God.  Like a husband who sees his wife in the arms of another man, so God feels that way about sin when we're in the grips of sin. 
     Now listen, the fear of the LORD isn't being terrified of God.  No, the real meaning of it is "a deep reverence and respect."  Imagine standing before the Victoria Falls in Africa.  You look at it and are in awe of the majesty of the tumbling water and by the sound of the water crashing.  You have great respect for the falls and don't idly jump into the water because you know that if you hop on into it, you'll surely die.  With God, the fear of the LORD is in result of His majesty.  One only needs to look into the skies and see evidence of His marvelous power!  Then take a gander into His word and you see all that He has done and His resume is quite extensive.  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.  It is by the fear of the LORD that we begin to despise sin.  We despise sin because we know that God hates sin and therefore, don't want to have anything to do with it.  Take for instance this example:  you have a small child.  There's a big snake in your house that is threatening your child.  You despise the snake because it desires to kill your child.  What happens if the child decides to play with the snake?  Uh oh.  Think about it, sin is just like an anaconda that is wanting to devour you.  Why would you go play with it?  Why would you let it be in the same bed as you?  No good.  Stay away from sin. 
     Are there areas in your life where you've embraced sin?  Whether it's lying, cheating, lust, murder (hate?), etc., it all separates us from God.  Sin has this nasty way of skewing our view of humans (altering our horizontal relationships) and our view of God (our vertical relationship).  It flaunts its instant gratification nature, because otherwise we wouldn't do it.  If the temptation was like eating creamed spinach or liver, it would be easy to avoid sin!  But the truth is that sin feels good for a season.  but ultimately, "sin will take you farther than you wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay and cost you more than you wanted to pay" (quote courtesy of Jeremy Evans).  Do you really want to get cozy with something that desires to devour your very being and rob you of all the life that God is offering you?  It's time we all get in for a heart check and see if we've allowed sin to become a bed fellow, something we're comfortable with, instead of despising it by the fear of the LORD.  I think if we understand how much God hates sin, but loves us, then it would be much easier for us to avoid sin.  Then I have one place for you to look at:  the cross.  Where God's hatred for sin met His love for us.  He hated sin so much, but loved us much greater that He would send His son to die for us so that we can live free without the sin that kills us.  Ultimately, Christ paid the penalty of sin by His death so that we can enter into His life. 

Do we get it?  Lord, search our hearts and find if there be any wicked way in us.  Test us, try us, prove us, refine us.  Make me a sanctified people, set apart for Your work and totally imbibed in Your love.  Guide us by Your Spirit, Lord.  You know the way.

My Essentials

    

            In this time where there's so much confusion and even confrontation about theological doctrine andarguments about things that aren't essentials, this is a paper I wrote last year during my Anthem year simply entitled "My Essentials."  I don't want you to think these have to be yours, but rather to stir in your heart and mind what the essentials of your faith are.

   I.            I believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16) who came to save the world from sin.

a.       I believe that He is fully God and fully man.  The deity of Jesus is rightly expounded in: John 1:1; Romans 10:9-10; Acts 2:34.  And the humanity of Jesus is just as poignantly shown to us in John 8:12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 29, 42, and 51.  To believe that Jesus is fully God and fully man is to believe in the person of Jesus, and to acknowledge Him to be relatable with us, and not just a God who is far off and doesn’t understand our troubles.

b.      I believe in the Virgin Birth of Jesus, that it was essential for Him to be conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 7:14) “Those who doubt or deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus, do so because of a presupposition of unbelief.  The fact that the Scriptures teach the Virgin Birth is undeniable.” (Foundations of Pentecostal Theology, pg. 92) “He would not have been Infinite, and if some method could have been arranged to avoid a corporate identity with Adam, He could not have died for the world.” (Foundations… pg. 93) If Jesus had been born of a normal birth, man and a woman, then He would have only been a very special man who was close with God; only a very powerful prophet.  Scripture would also show to lie and be false and therefore put an end to its inerrancy and infallibility.  By being born of a virgin, Jesus fulfilled prophecy and also shows that God truly is His Father, both in the physical sense and Spiritually as well, being one with the Father (John 17:21).  It also sets Jesus apart by His miraculous birth, setting Him apart for the work set before Him.

c.       I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6)  His claims are singular to all religious figures in history, and sets Him apart as the One who is authentic, showing all who come to Him, the way to life everlasting.

d.      I believe that Jesus lived a perfect life.  I believe that in Hebrews 5:7-10, where it says, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission.  Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what was suffered and, once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” And that in Matthew 5:28 when Jesus said, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” He was admitting to His perfection because He later says that He and the Father are one (John 17:21).  If Jesus wasn’t perfect, then His sacrifice for us was never complete and it was only a momentary dying for sins, as in the Old Testament. 

e.       I believe that Jesus died and rose again and is seated at the right hand of the Father (Luke 22:69, “of the Father” in this case, is “of the Mighty God” who is the Father).  This is the central and most important tenet to my faith, and the faith of all Christianity.  If Jesus did not rise from the dead, our faith is useless and we should be pitied above all men in this world (1 Corinthians 15:19); but “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,” (15:20)

    II.            I believe in the Holy Trinity.  I believe that the Father, Spirit and Son are a threefold personality and persons in one complete and united being. “The Three are One in Nature, Will, and Purpose.” (Foundations of Pentecostal Theology, ph. 91)

a.       I believe in the Father, the “Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2).  I believe that God is our heavenly Father, and that when Jesus taught us how to pray “Our Father in heaven…” (Matt 6:9)  This gives us a sense of identity in God, being His sons we have confidence to approach Him.  Also I believe that all authority comes from God (John 19:11 Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above), and that He reigns over all things (Psalm 97:1).  “The relationship of Father and Son has to do with their self-revelation to us in the context of Redemption.  It does not mean that once the Father existed alone and then He begot the Son at a point of time.” (Foundations of Pentecostal Theology, pg. 91)

b.      I believe in the Son, Jesus Christ.  I believe that He was and has always been one with the Father (John 17:22) “The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come take upon himself man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, yes without sin.” (Foundations… pg. 94)  I believe that He is fully God and fully man and that He is totally relatable with us, being our High Priest who sympathizes with us and comforts us in or times of trouble (Hebrews 5:1-10).

c.       I believe in the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity.  I believe that He is equal with the Father and with the Son, making the Trinity not a hierarchal group but as a totally unified force flooding the world with the love that pours from the heart of God.  I believe that the Spirit is our Comforter, or Counselor, and that He was sent by Jesus after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension to convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:7-8).

 III.            I believe that because of sin, humanity is totally depraved and separated from God, and that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

a.       Gen 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”  I believe that the Original sin, the sin of Adam and Eve, caused humanity to divorce itself from God, choosing the desire of the flesh over the ultimate pleasure of being in relationship with a good and holy God.  “Over God, they choose to feed their fever” (song “Live Free” by Lecrae; album: Rebel).  “God only stipulated that ‘of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it, you shall die’ (Gen. 2:7).  The man received this command and evidently related it to the woman after her creation, or perhaps God himself did so.  It was only one command: a test, not a temptation.  God had good purposes in mind.  But then enter the serpent, with malevolent designs of almost unimaginable proportions.” (Truth Aflame, pg. 253)

b.      I believe that sin completely separates us from God. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23); “for the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  Because of the sin that we have in our hearts, and sin being evil, we cannot have relationship with God that was intended for us in the Garden of Eden.  When David wrote “there is none good, not even one,” I believe that he wasn’t only just talking of his people Israel, but entire humanity because Jesus later states that “the only one good is God” (paraphrase of Matthew 19:17).

c.       I believe that because of the original sin, that it inevitably exists in our being and it is because “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  Nobody is free from the disease that has costs the life of billions of people, the only remedy for which is the blood of Jesus Christ.

 IV.            The believe that the Bible is the word of God, and that it is the ultimate authority for my life in regard to how I live, theology and is the ruler that all revelation should be measured by.

a.       I believe that the bible is infallible (absolutely trustworthy) and inerrant (free from error).  I believe that throughout history, “through God’s supernatural guidance and inspiration the teachings of the Bible are totally trustworthy in all areas.”  (Truth Aflame, pg. 60)  I trust that God guided the hands of the writers to write exactly what He wanted in a way that the “word of God is living and active” (Hebrews 4:12)

b.      I believe that the Bible was completely inspired by God.  “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).  “Inspiration is a supernatural influence upon divinely chosen prophets and apostles whereby the Spirit of God assures the truth and trustworthiness of their oral and written proclamation.  Historic evangelical Christianity considers the Bible as the essential textbook because, in view of its quality, it inscripturates divinely revealed truth in verbal form.” (Truth Aflame, pg. 51)

c.       I believe that the Bible has total authority over my life and that it is the ruler that my life should be measured by.  The Bible is useful for “teaching, rebuking, correction and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16b).  “God’s Word, supersedes all human words… By the authority of the Bible, we mean that the Bible, as the expression of God’s will to us, possesses the right supremely to define what we are to believe and how we are to conduct ourselves” (Truth Aflame, pg. 50).  When we are given revelation, or “perceived revelation”, it has to be measured by scripture to see if it lines up with His word.  He doesn’t contradict His own word and will remain faithful to His word with the revelation that He gives.

    V.            I believe in God, the Creator of all things, the One True God. 

a.       I believe that God is the Creator of all things.  That when He spoke at the beginning of time, all things came into being. (Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”)  I believe that He is eternal and has had no beginning or end, just as we can’t see the beginning or end of a circle. 

b.      I believe that God is the one true God, the only One who rules the skies, who is the ultimate authority and only true authority of this world.  “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.” (Jeremiah 10:10)  I believe also that to know Him, is to know eternal life: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3)

 VI.            I believe Salvation is from God and God alone.  I believe that only in Christ is there Salvation and eternal life for us.

a.       I believe that we are “saved by grace, through faith” (Ephesians 2:8) so that no one can boast.  This is of utmost importance because it means we do not earn our Salvation, but only by the work of Jesus on the cross and rising to life.  “God’s plan of salvation is so simple that the least among the sons of men can grasp enough of it to experience its transforming power.  At the same time, it is so profound that no inadequacy has ever been discovered in it.  In fact, those who know it best are continuously amazed that one, and only one, plan of salvation is needed to meet the vast array of spiritual needs among the almost limitless varieties of the needs of men in every race, culture and condition among the nations of this world.  The heart of God’s plan of salvation centers around the office and function of a Mediator—One who could go between an offended God and a helpless sinful creature, man.” (Foundations… pg. 179) Salvation, if taught correctly, will be accused of being too simple, too easy, and therefore not a sound teaching; yet if it is taught correctly, and for those who receive it, they receive it with joy because of the One who offered it, not because of the content.

b.      I believe that there is a literal heaven and a literal hell.  If there was no hell, then was no reason for Jesus to die for our sins, that His sacrifice for us was in vain and had absolutely no point.  Scripture is pungent in its references to hell, but perhaps the best of these are: “For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him” (Psalm 49:17); “”For Sheol cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth” (Isaiah 38:18); “But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed has power to cast into hell, yes, I say to you, fear Him!”  A belief without hell is like life without purpose.  Meaningless.  Jesus died so that we don’t have to endure the eternal flames of hell.  As John MacArthur says, “No one in scripture spoke more of judgment than Jesus.  He spoke of sins that could not be forgiven, of danger of losing one’s soul forever, of spending eternity in the torments of Hell, of existing forever in outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Christian Theology, second ed,, 1243)

c.       But the even greater reality is the existence of heaven.  The dwelling place of God is the ultimate destination of every believer who has placed their faith in Him who is trustworthy to hold our lives in His hand.  Perhaps the greatest section of scripture for heaven is Revelation 21:1-2 “Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’ for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”   Also, “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”  Jesus was speaking about God’s dwelling place, our ultimate destination because of our faith in Him.

The Importance of Theology

Theology is what we think and believe about God.  The importance of this is how we think and what we believe about God will shape how we live our lives and treat other people.  If God is not ultimately good, all of the time, then we will live in a life of despair and depression and not in the joy that God wants us to live in.  However, if God is good all of the time and has nothing but good thoughts and intentions for me, then even in the times of trial and fire, I can live in the “joy of the Lord.”  Though it’s not something that I work up, it’s totally out of who God is and who is in my life.  I believe that God’s goodness is something that the church needs to grab hold of.  We’ve been living in a belief that God is only good in the good times.  The enemy—Satan and his minions—have crippled the church in this aspect because we’ve been living in a lack of joy.  If our theology is biblical and founded in Jesus, then we should be living our life in the truth of God being good all of the time, that it’s in His very nature for Him to be good and that every thought He has for us is good.

            All sound theology is found in Jesus Christ.  If Jesus didn’t live it, preach it or if the belief isn’t found in the Bible, then we need to toss is out because it is not of Jesus.  God will reveal everything in our life through fire; this means our beliefs as well.  If they are not founded upon the Rock and upon the very breath of God (2 Tim 3:16) then they are not sound doctrine and we should not entrust ourselves to them.  With the Bible as my ruler by which I measure all beliefs that get put onto my plate, I don’t need to get shaken, rather, we don’t have to be shaken by those beliefs because it doesn’t measure up to the word of God on which I stand, it is to be tossed out into the flames because it will not bear fruit. 

            As a church, the collective body of Christ needs to get back to the importance of a personal theology.  There’s been too much talk that we don’t need theology.  Christianity without theology is like a human without a backbone.  Our faith will be soft and won’t have any real “meat” to it.  I’m not saying we should all go to seminary; it can be a thing of importance, though for those who feel they have the call to go there.  If people have that call, may they go with a soft heart, only to get closer to Jesus than to become bigger in man’s eyes by the knowledge they acquire.  Theology is essential to every believer, and everyone has some sort of theology in their life, whether they acknowledge it or not.  First and foremost, theology is the study of God which should cause us to stand in awe and in wonder of God, not to gloat in our head getting “bigger” or acquiring more knowledge.  We should always point to the source of all that we are and continue to seek ever more fervently because of who God is.  “In the essentials, unity; in nonessentials liberty; in all things love.” -Augustine

Old Wine Skins

Recently I have heard God say to me: "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse.  Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Note the bold for me, because that is the emphasis on which I am speaking.  You've read that I went to an incredible "program/school" named Anthem down in Medford and that I've been back since early June.  In the process, all the growth, all the maturing, and all the stregnthening of my faith is the "new wine" that has been allotted me.  And so, not even intentionally, while coming back here, I settled into some old wineskins, and it took until now to actually see it and to acknowledge the "stretching and tearing" that I've been seeing.  In some aspects of my life, I nearly expected it to be different OR to adhere to the fact that I've grown and that I'm a different person, therefore you MUST act and treat me in a way that reflects the way I've grown.  Funny, though, people don't normally do that.  Expectations are horrible because if they aren't met, you're robbed of so much that could be. 
     And so, what has persisted is that I've practically "allowed" an old wineskin to be substituted for the new that I've had.  I still have the new wineskin with me, however, it's not like I've felt forced into it, but I've been so concerned with fitting in and not offending people by my growth in the Lord.  (Then I'm thinking, if they're offended by my growth in the Lord, who's the immature one?  Who needs to hold people with open hands and allow them to grow?  Sheesh... don't get me on a soap box please.)  Don't get me wrong, I don't want it to seem like I'm constantly judging and also looking over my shoulder to ensure that I'm walking the straight and narrow.  I don't do that, and when I do I'm not very successful in that regard.  There's been something's that has changed in me recently that has me forgetting that the gospel is offensive.  It spits right in the face of humanity, saying that we are weak, that we need a Savior, and that left to ourselves WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.  We don't like to hear that do we?  Especially if you're a guy; being told you can't do it on your own is something that sparks a fire and it's like a challenge.  We can't meet this one though.  However, I've adhered to people's opinions of me, being so concerned of the approval of man that I've forgotten that I live in the approval of my heavenly Father.  After all, an opinion is something so fleeting and changes within the day, why concern yourself with the opinion of man?  My God's opinion or me is very good, all I gotta do is look at the manger, the cross, the empty tomb and throne and that's evidence enough for me.  Isn't it enough for me to be content with the Creator King of the universe loving me and also approving of me?  Hmm...
     I've come to a point where, yes I am totally content with what I have, with all the material "possessions" that I have, but I ; I am cetainly not content with where I am in my relationship with the Lord.  I don't want to just be where I'm at, I want to go deeper and I want to advance His kingdom in a manner that isn't paralleled.  Don't think for a minute, though that I think I'm better than any of you.  I know far better than to think that, because the ground is level at the foot of the cross.  My desire is to grow ever deeper, and to pursue ever harder my Lord and advance His Kingdom.  And in this, I've realized this one thing:  this world is not my home.  There's a reason I've been feeling as out of place as I have recently; it's because I'm not home here.  Ultimately my home is in heaven with the Lord.  On this earth, though, my home is wherever the Lord determines it for me.  I want to be in any one place until my Lord Jesus Christ tells me to "Go" and then I go. 
     My desire for the Lord, and my passion has grown in expanding measure and is not easily quenched.  Only is it quenched in the mighty fire of God.  (Perhaps I'm beating a dead horse in even saying this right here, but I don't want you to think that I'm "holier than thou" with my desire and with all that the Lord is teaching me; I just want you to understand my heart and that in growing, God is making me to be a man who is Kingdom-minded, looking to advance is Kingdom.)  I won't be content with just living and going by.  I don't live to impress, but to impact.  I desire to live in a manner that points to Christ as Savior and Lord of my life and for those who don't know Him, to love them into the Kingdom of God.  My utmost for His highest; I'm one of the "fools" that has laid all of my chips on the table and only God knows what's next. 
     Here we go!

Man Up

It's been a while since I've last harped at, ya.  I'm feeling it coming again.  Here's this problem that I see that, at least for this time being, is causing so much of the pain that is going on in this world: We have too many boys in this world walking around in men's clothing.  We see them walking around self-focused wanting to gratify their sinful desires while wreaking havoc in lives surrounding them.  Today, I ran into a girl I went to school with and graduated the same year.  I was at work, so I wan't able to talk to her for very long, I wanted too, though.  She's six months pregnant.  I asked if she knew who the father was (seems like a viable question for some reason...) and she said yea.  Then she proceeded to confide in me that a few days ago that he left her for another girl.  I heard that, it troubled me, it got a fire going in my belly.  I'm mad, but a righteous indignation fills this heart at the moment.  Where did we think it was okay to go for things that will satisfy us and not care about the damage that may go on in another person's life?  This girl said that she was okay with it (hard to tell... don't know her that well.  However, I'd like to say that it bothers her a bit.)  Her parents are supportive and are not casting her out; thank God for loving parents who keep their kids with them, even in their mistakes and (don't get me wrong, though pregnancy outside of a marriage I believe is a mistake, a child IS NOT A MISTAKE.  A blessing and a wonderful gift, but at that time, probably not what is ideal for life. She's only 19) shortfalls.  Though she may not know it, or her parents even, she's showing how God relates to us in our sin and pain.  He may not like it, but He will never kick us to the curb. 
     If I were to see that guy in the street and know who it is, I would have a few choice words for him.  I'd tell him to, "MAN UP!"  And I'm not talking about being "tough" and balling up, gritting your teeth to do things that are hard.  That's just being courageous, if anything.  "Man-ing up" means bowing down to authority.  To "Man Up" means to know where you come from, to know who gives you life, to know where your responsibility as a man comes from.  Want to know what a real man is?  Look to the Bible, look at Jesus.  See how He relates with all people?  See how He relates with the woman caught in adultery?  Jesus served first.  We must serve first.  He who serves most, loves most.  Do we understand that this life is not about satisfying our flesh?  That life is more than just getting what "number one" can get.  No, number one is not really Number One.  Number One is God.  Don't you dare try to usurps God's throne for your own.  You are not the Creator, the Almighty.  A real man knows where His life comes from; a real man looks to his Source for strength, not gritting his teeth. No, manning up is laying down all of our effort and strength and trying and acknowledging that we don't have it all figured out.  I understand, men that it's not fun to say we don't have it all figured out, that we don't have what it takes.  But you're in good company!  All of the disciples, Paul, Moses, David, Isaiah, Elishah and Elijah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob all knew they didn't have it all.  And at a point in their life, realized that. 
     Let's look at our father, Adam and take a lesson from him.  God said that he was to oversee and to look after God's creation.  It didn't mean doing as he pleased, no it was about him being a faithful steward, caring for and leading creation, CARING FOR AND LEADING HIS BRIDE.  If you recall, Adam was with Eve when the serpent, Satan, tempted her.  He didn't do anything.  He let her be tempted.  Don't we understand that as men we are to protect the women around us?  We are to look after and care for those most beautiful of God's creation?  And then, when God confronted Adam, Adam blames Eve!  He passes the buck!  Before we want to call him a spineless worm, take a look at your own life.  Have you ever laid the blame on someone else when it was really your fault?  Ever blame somebody because it was "inconvenient" to be in trouble?  We are not free from fault here (remember Romans 6:23?).  This is something that we've lost sight of so strongly.  We've forgotten that we're not just men in just leading, but also in caring for and looking after.  For instance, guys, are you making advances on the girl you're interested in/dating?  Knock it off.  Stop trying to please your sinful nature.  Are you planning on marrying her?  Do you plan on giving your life for her?  Do you understand what love is?  You say you love her, yet all you love is yourself because you are seeking to please yourself.  If you say you love the girl, you're saying you'd put her before yourself; loving somebody is lifting them up above yourself.  Man up!   Manning up is our abilility to lay down all of our effort and all of our trying and all of our strength and saying, "I trust in Jesus; I trust in His perfection; I trust in His power; I trust in His resurrection, becuase He is the only One that can get me through this and He is the only One that can make me free. 
     Understand that we don't have to go at this alone.  We have the Ultimate Gentleman by our side, who never forces Himself upon us, who we need to look to to draw strength and guidance from.  May we look to Jesus, may we read the Word of God, may we constantly be in prayer to learn how it really is to be a man.  God guide us, show us how we are to be men in Your Kingdom.  Most of all, forgive us our selfishness, and grant us the sight and wisdom to live as men of God, not children of sin.  We are Your children, Lord.