Where Love Begins

Posted by on March 24, 2012  |  No Comments

It was routine. Every Christian family did it. It was commonplace. Worship in the morning and the Sabbath School lesson at night. Prayers before the day began, at meals and before bed. Everything was as it should have been.  Or was it?

Church schools, denominational institutions, churches and beliefs. It was the perfect environment. But after years and years of this Christian agenda, why did many end up leaving the church? I think the answer is in the question. The church at the time focused on what was right and what was wrong. There was little question about what you were doing or thinking not passing the barometer of good sound truth. You were pretty sure whether you fit or whether you didn’t.

Teachings were pretty standard. The life of this or that biblical character. Clear messages about what was/is sin. But rarely would you hear about the personal, engaging relationship of a dedicated child of God. Where were the why’s, what’s and because’s of the pre-formated  relationship with God?

It is this seemingly insignificant component that is the most important aspect of our relationship with God. John 14:15 says: “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”  So how do you fall in love with Jesus? Why would you want to live within the rules of someone who you don’t even know? How can love grow without personal knowledge, communication and dialog? How can we be led if we are not living in submission to He who created and knows all?

After nearly forty years of doing everything my way… God tapped me on the shoulder and said “Hey! Are you ready to really get to know me and develop a relationship with me? Would you like to know why I have asked you to live within my teachings and guidelines?”  Because if I was going to get to know Him and fall in love with Him… I was going to need to invest myself in spending time with Him.

As soon as I did, I began to reap the benefits of serving Him inside of a relationship. Under the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit, Jesus began to draw me closer to Him and understanding what took place at the cross.  The overwhelming clarity of Him loving me so deeply while I was doing everything in my life that shamed Him… humbled me. He became the potter and now I am the clay. With the outpouring of His forgiveness … my stubbornness and resistance was melted. I began to fall in love with Jesus.

It doesn’t make a bit of difference how I live if I don’t know why I am living that way. Communing with God makes it possible to have clarity, understanding and His divine guidance. Things that once as in Romans … says I loved… I know hate. And what I once hated… I now love. Sin is oh so terrible in that its deceptiveness seeks to overturn all the good… all the love … that Jesus wants us to experience.

Without knowing why we do or don’t do something, the Bible loses its authenticity. God isn’t interested in robots. He is not impressed with our ceremonial, ritualistic practices of right doing. These will only result in a “I don’t know you” from God. This is indicative of a huge problem that we are faced with today sitting in church pews right in our midst. Many do not know God.  Many are useless to those around them simply because they cannot share what they do not have. An intimate, loving, meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ.

Without such a relationship, we are ill equipped to help any sinner… let alone each other. God’s call to us is to love one another as He has loved us. But too often we state that God loves us without considering what that has involved. Every rotten aspect of our lives is present in the face of God… and yet…he passionately and tenderly loves us. And again He commands to love one another as I have loved you.

This is a huge call and command from God. We must submit ourselves to Him continually and become humble. With His eyes and Heart and His surpassing love… we asked to model after Him. This includes but is not limited to adulterers, thieves, the pride hearted, the gossiper, the homosexual, the liar…and the list goes on.  When sinners see the melting eyes of Jesus through our mimicing behavior of Jesus… they are drawn to the cross. Right at the foot of it where we are all level in sin together. Gathered there at the awe inspiring beauty of what Jesus has provided us by hanging there, bleeding and dying from the heart that we collectively and individually broke.

Our lives and the potential relationship that we can have with Jesus has been hi-jacked by Satan.  He says… Thou shalt have no other God’s before thee. Yet we never miss Monday night football. We’re glued to our favorite show and our too tired to spend time with God by the time it is over. We watch all the award shows as people no different than you or I are celebrated as though they possessed some innate perfection and gather praise and applause.  And then many of us sit there wishing we were the subjects of such praise.

Guys and many gals will talk endlessly about the team they love or hate… but never share a personal God story or favorite bible verse in a casual friendship. We act as though we have to wait for a special day and a “safe” environment to do that.  Many of us chase the illusive American dream, not even realizing we are forfeiting something far beyond human imagination that is set aside for those who will engage with their creator. Those who dare to fall in love with Him.

John 14:23 “Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

Obedience to our father makes perfect sense, because He created this world and asks that much of us. But what an incredible journey and relationship is ours if we would honor His request for  us to know Him… and fall in love with Him.  God is not seeking to take away from our lives… but to add to them.

Let your love for Him begin today.

If It’s Natural… Is It Sin?

Posted by on March 23, 2012  |  No Comments

If I naturally feel same-sex attracted… can it be sin?  If I am naturally drawn to several women… shouldn’t I be entitled to several wives? If I naturally think that something belongs to me, shouldn’t I just take it? If I am naturally angered and hateful over the existence of certain people, shouldn’t I be allowed to kill them?

Lucifer developed arrogance, pride and self assurance. So much so that even though God had given him the highest position in heaven, it still wasn’t enough. He wanted more. He wanted to have the final say on everything. He believed he knew better than God. Today as little tiny people in comparison to God’s immense glory and power, Satan is influencing many to continually think that they know better than God. Many simply tout that God doesn’t understand us. They try to wrap God around their own theology … even if it is counterfeit to God. Yet even in such blasphemy God loves us deeply and holds out for us to recognize who He is and what He has done for us. He then even promises that with our full devotion to Him He will do even more. He will empower us to make right choices for Him.

You see… what happened between God and Lucifer is not going to be allowed to repeat itself. This is Satan’s only change at deception. Romans 7:15-25 reminds us of how dangerous our sinful nature is to us. Because while we know God’s law and his truth… we are inclined to go against it because of the sinful nature we were born with. Sin is not some horrible, nasty, undesirable thing that all would immediately despise. We have a choice. We have a commission and a choice to act differently than our feelings may compel us to do. Psalm 32 tells us of our recognition of sin and our need for our heavenly father.  It tells us about bringing our sin to Him and inviting Him to hide it and provide us with instruction.

How is it that we have come so far in earth’s history that we are refusing to acknowledge God as both our Creator and Savior? Why must we insist on a counterfeit being superior to God’s original plan? We are the “oh ye of little faith.” Earth is not some development of a smooth ride. Scripture tells us of the trials we will face and gives us examples of those who faced these same trials and what could be done about them. John 21:1-17 tells us of a faith experience and a commission that if we love God we will reach out with His love and seek to compel others. Not with a feel good message, but a message that exercises faith.

Faith is not the belief in a feeling… but in acting outside of our feelings on truth, trusting that God knows what is best for us. I may pray for God to make me straight because that is what society and His Word seems to condone. But if I expect to be straight instead of what God’s will is for me… I am going to be expecting the wrong thing. God doesn’t categorize us by sexual preference. He sees us as His children who He wants to have an intimate right relationship with. He wants us to trust that He knows what is best for us by living according to His Word. But we have to get into the Word if we are going to be led by His will. We are going to have to submit our will to Him and let Him take over and BELIEVE that He knows what is best for us.

Jesus has many wonderful blessings in store for those who seek to do His will. But we can’t superimpose upon Him what those blessings are supposed to be. We are victims of sin. We are at the end of this great controversy between Jesus and Satan. And we must exercise our power to choose, believe and trust in the one who created all and provided us with a divinely inspired guide. We dare not question God about the perfect plan simply because it is the perfect plan. We don’t have to marry. He has made it clear that for some, marrying may not occur. But He makes clear the confines and provisions for such a life. As all lives are to be, it is one in which we remain completely devoted to Jesus and seeking His plan for us.

Jesus never paints a picture for our lives that is to be driven by sexuality. Our life is to be driven by abiding in Him continually and seeking to do His will … not our own. But in this world, the great deceiver has manipulated those who pay attention to him, to live according to their feelings. Not according to truth. So much so that there are many today… that in order to feel comfortable in their choices, choose to say that the Bible was written for those in biblical times, not for those who live today. Satan is the master of deceit.  Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

If you are same-sex attracted, take it to Jesus, confess your sins and seek to know Him and His will for you. If you are an adulterer, take it to Jesus and seek His truth and His forgiveness and experience His love and guidance for our life. Regardless of the sin, lay it at the feet of Jesus and immerse yourself in getting to know Him. That is not in a simple prayer and going on without any further regard to Him. Devotion to God involves getting to know Him through study and prayer. Today’s distractions have robbed Jesus of the acknowledgment and honor that is due Him. Our (His) world is spinning out of control. Yet God is waiting for you. He wants you to hear His personal message of love and call for commitment. He is waiting. Soon the controversy will end. Satan will be stopped dead in His tracks along with those who refuse to be touched by God’s love and truth. This world as we know it will end.  If you choose… you can know Christ … and because of your honor and obedience to Him you will experience life eternal.  Never again will there be such a controversy as the one we are living in today.

Choose ye this day whom ye will serve… and dear dear friend… let it be the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in a weekend seminar concentrating on God’s love for all sinners and the healing He offers, please contact me at 360-936-8514. God does not discriminate. He loves every creation and offers all of us the power to choose to live according to His will or to do nothing and be consumed by self.

Because It Is So

Posted by on March 2, 2012  |  2 Comments

The truth and promise of the Almighty goes beyond comprehension. But whether it be a seemingly untimely death or a windfall of unexpected wealth, God’s plan is superior and requires our continual submission of our will and constant abiding in Him.

The strangest and most unlikely occurences can take place, leaving us puzzled and confused. These are calls from God to trust Him and have faith that far exceeds whatever array of feelings that are consuming us.

I’ll be real with you. Being a servant of God requires raw truth and revelation. At times, my carnal desires scream out at me to live according to the flesh. But whether these develop in same-sex attractions or are those of a heterosexual who is being tormented by flesh desires, the same inspired and Holy Word applies. God doesn’t leave us guessing.

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee:…” ( Psalm 55:22)  Luke 9:23: “He said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

We need to set time apart to contemplate that we are in a holy war. Our whole existence is for the purpose of proving to Satan that there will be a people who will choose the will of God over the desires of the flesh.  Take the time to consider all the counterfeits that Satan has put in place while trying to gain control by deception.  It’s a pretty exhaustive and lengthy process. But everything God is… Satan is not. And he wants so much for you to see things his way.

He has tried to replace the holiness of the Sabbath with Sunday keeping. The beauty of God’s plan for man and woman by being replacing it same-sex relationships. The purity of honesty being replaced with calculated deception. Obedience to God’s Word with reasons why human thinking should be considered a better way.  The list goes on and on.

Man puts himself in direct opposition to God’s will when he seeks to intellectualize his way into the kingdom by just trying to do the majority of what God asks and making consolations for those things that just seem to be to harsh, difficult or unnatural.

Serving God is unnatural. Every one of us is naturally bent toward sin. That is why it takes a conscious choice to let God know we are His by seeking to do His will instead of what comes natural.

We are sin-sickened souls. We want help, yet we often make it extremely difficult for God to change us because of our refusal to give up numerous deceptions that Satan has orchestrated that we have become comfortable with.

Many many people believe that if their feelings confirm that it is natural… it simply must be  and that somehow that equates to being equal to God’s plan. You don’t have to look far to see the terrifying results of such thinking.  Blood shed daily occurs simply based on a feeling, (not truth) that one group of people is purer or more valuable than another.

James 4:7  tells us to submit ourselves to God and the devil will flee from us. By submitting ourselves to Him, we’ve got to spend time with Him to know what His plan and His truth… simply is. We’ve got to accept His Word as truth and not seek to find a way around it or try to do the opposite of what He tells us. We must act on His Word… above and beyond what we feel.

Now… not all feelings are bad… obviously. God rewards us with good feelings at times when we receive confirmation that we have made the right choices. Choices that glorify Him and His power and sovereignty.  He wants us to feel good. But as a result of living in accord with Him.  He shows us however, that we cannot live by feelings and use them as a confirmation for truth or right doing. Only His authoritative Word can provide us with such confirmation.

I’m sharing this because at times we come to question why things are a certain way. Why did something happen that we would rather not have experienced. Why can’t we understand a particular unseen process. Yet so very often after we have waited something out or recognized a particular change that enlightens our understanding, we then will consider giving glory to God.

We are in such a need of  recognizing this;   Psalm 139: 2-4

You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.