What kind of life do you want to live?

What kind of life do you want to live?  How does that compare to the life you are called to live?  Is there a difference?  If so, why?

I think our earthly beings long to be known, we long to live a life where our legacy lives on long after we are gone.  We long to be part of an epic, to not only be part of it...but to be the center of it.  To be the hero, the one remembered and talked about for ages to come.

Is that the life your being called to?  Maybe.

The problem with wanting to leave a legacy, wanting to be remembered for ages...is that in the end it's not likely to happen.  Some people get rich enough to donate to colleges and get a building with their name.  Some people attain high positiions and get into history books.  But for the rest of us; when it's all said and done, we may only be remembered for a generation or two at the most.  Eventually all the people who we affect in this life will pass...who will remember us then?

I think that most of us are called to do the simple work.  The work that simply is to be done for the glory of God.  We are called to lead and raise up our families.  We are called to do His work in our community.  We are called to help and feed the poor, the orphans and the children.  Each of us have something, some holy discontent that we are called to in this life.

If there is a legacy we can leave that will last it's with our family.  A legacy that comes from our children seeing us knowing, loving and serving the Lord to the extent; that they do it as an example to their children; and they do it as an example to their children and so on.  Something that becomes a family tradition...

In the end we are called to do little things in His great big story.  A story He has lovingly invited us into.  Go live your part well and teach your children to do the same.  God Bless!

Do you know your identity and purpose?

You need to know who you are. You need to know your identity. It's key in this life as the attacks you face are almost always set square against your identity and purpose.

Jesus knew his identity: Luke 3:21-22 - When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

Jesus knew he was the Son of God, that he was loved by God. He was then led into the desert and was tempted...what was the devil attacking? His identity...

Luke 4:3 - The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread"

Luke 4:9 - The devil lead him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said"throw yourself down from here."

If you are the Son of God? Do you see where Satan attacked? If this is your identity then do this! But Jesus was secure in his identity, Jesus did not need to prove who he was.

Look at your life. Where does the attack come from in your life? It comes against your identity. You are not lovable, nobody likes you, you are a loser, you will never make it, you are a failure, you can't handle it, you are nobody, you are this, you are not that.... It comes, and unless we are secure in our identity; we begin to question...and before too long we begin to believe.

Be secure in your identity. You are a child of God, you were placed in this world for a purpose. He knew you before you were born and he made you as you are. If you ask Him, he will show you your identity and purpose.

You see Jesus was secure in His identity, His purpose and He was secure in His knowledge of the Word. He used them to deflect that attack of Satan. You need them as well. God Bless!

Are you living a reconciled life? - Part 2

I wanted to finish up 2 Corinthians 5 so in this post I'm going through verses 11-21 which in my bible is titled "The Ministry of Reconciliation"

Verse 11: Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience.

In the previous verse we learned that we will sit on the judgement seat of Christ and be held accountable for what we do in this life...good or bad. But is that what the "fear of the Lord" is? I think it's deeper than what we consider "fear" these days. To have a fear for the Lord is to have reverence for Him.

Verses 12-15: We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

What I take from these verses is that Paul and those with him were living a life different or apart from others. A life that because of Christ's love in which he died and was raised for us, doesn't make since to others. A life where He would seem not in his right mind for the sake of God. A life of glorifying God, having pride in Christ (who is in his/our heart) where others couldn't see. Couldn't understand.

Verse 16: So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Paul is saying that he doesn't look at people as the world does anymore. Paul has gained an eternal perspective. He no longer looks at Christ from a worldly point of view, he now sees him as Lord.

Verses 17-19: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

This is the good news! Do you know what it means to be reconciled? Some synonyms I found for reconcile: settle, put to rights, bring together, reunite, resolve, merge, patch up, square, join.

The idea of reconciliation is huge. It means he no longer counts our sins against us. It means that we can know through Christ come before our Father. That through Christ we are new again and the the Father has committed this to us.

Verses 20-21: We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God, God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Are you living a reconciled life? God through Christ has reconciled himself to you. Have you reconciled yourself to Him? Are you Christ's ambassador? Do you give yourself as a living sacrifice, a living example worthy of His sacrifice? Don't get me wrong here, we are not called to be perfect...but we are called to be different. We will mess up, we will have struggles...but as ambassadors of Christ, it's how we respond that shows others we are different.

Are you living a reconciled life? - Part 1

Today I'm focusing on 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10

Verses 1-4 - Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

Are you longing for your heavenly dwelling? Do you groan and are you burdened because you want what is waiting for you in heaven? Be honest! Or would you prefer to stay in this life with your loved ones? Or do you groan and are you burdened at the thought of your mortal death?

Verses 5 - 8 - Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

We live by faith, not by sight. We cannot see him while in our earthly body. We can communicate with him through the Spirit; the Spirit he gave us as a deposit against what we will have when we enter our heavenly home. How is your faith?

Verses 9-10 - So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Are you making it your goal to please him? Are you living a life that would be pleasing to Jesus? A life worthy of the sacrifice he made for you and me? Even though we are reconciled to God through Jesus, we will still be judged for what we do in this life, whether good or bad.

I ask again, do you groan and are you burdened at the thought of your mortal death? Is it because your not living the life worthy of the sacrifice? Is it because your not living a life that honors and glorifies Jesus? If so, maybe it's time to change...

I pray that today you turn to Jesus and ask him to renew you so that you can live freely in the confidence of His grace and love. That you would live a reconciled life that brings honor and glory to the one who gave it all up for you. God bless!

What do we really "deserve"?

Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one"

How many times do we get caught up in thinking things like "I'm basically a good person" or "that person is good, I hope he gets what he deserves"? I do, I think we all do at some point.

But "there is no one righteous, not even one"; no matter how good we think we or someone else is, we have to remember that our definition of good comes in comparison to others in this world and not based on God's laws and God's expectations.

Romans 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

I don't want what I deserve; because of my sin I only deserve hell. But by the Grace of God...

Romans 3:24 - and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.

Through Jesus Christ I am freely gifted salvation and forgiveness of my sin; through faith in Jesus I won't get what I deserve. Through faith we are justified...

Romans 5:1-5 - Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace which we now stand. And we rejoice in the the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

The good news is that we won't get what we deserve...that we don't have to do anymore than place our faith in Jesus.

I pray today that you will find peace and rejoice in His free gift of grace.

Paul's Instruction

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:2 - Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction.

First of all do you believe what Paul is writing here? That all Scripture is God breathed and is useful?

Paul is pointing out that the Scripture, the Word, your Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. So that we can be equipped for the good work he has in mind for us. He goes on to say to be prepared in season and out of season. That when we correct, rebuke and encourage...to do so in great patience and careful instruction.

We need to know our Bible, our Scriptures. They are the road map, the blue print to how to do all that we every really need to do.

As leaders (we are all leaders and have influence) we need to know our Bible to preach and teach, to rebuke and correct, to train. We need to be prepared always and in every season. We need to do all of this in great patience and careful instruction.

How are you leading at home? Your wife, your kids?
How are you leading at work?
How are you leading in your Church?
How are you leading yourself?

Is it as Paul describes? Are you in your Bible daily? Are you using it to determine how to live your life?

Are you content in all circumstance?

I heard a pastor on the radio say something like: "If we can't be thankful for what we already have, how can we be thankful when we get what we want?" This really nailed me. I spend so much time wondering and day dreaming about what I want, about how things could be...that I usually overlook what I already have. Do you too?

Philippians 4:11-12 - I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstance. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

Are you content in your current circumstances? Or have you gotten caught up in our culture, trying to keep up with the Jones family?

1 Timothy 6-10 - But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

We live in a culture where there seems to be a fine line between being seen as content and seen as being lazy, seen as being not content and having desire, passion and drive. But is it really one or the other? I think you can be lazy and not content, just as you can be content with what you have and still have desire, passion and drive for improving.

The question really becomes about the heart. Where is your heart? What is your motivation to do what you do? Is it about you or about Him? Is it about your glory or His?

"But godliness with contentment is great gain." - Let's set our heart on Him, let's be content and happy in what He has already blessed us with, let's walk on His path and be blessed in His ways.

Show it by your actions.

1 John 3:18 - Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Are you living out your faith, your beliefs, your love with actions and in truth? Or do you merely talk a good game?

Do you talk about what it means to be a Christian and then not live it out?

James 1:22 - Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

Are you living as the Word tells us to live? If I ask those that work with you, would they know you are a Christian? Do they know you are different?

James 2:14 - What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?

James 2:17 - In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by actions, is dead.

If you claim to be saved, if you claim to follow our Lord Jesus; but your actions are not distinguishable from the world around you...are you really saved? Have you really let Jesus take control of your heart? Or are you still just talking about it?

Don't just talk the talk.

It's time to walk the walk!