Sobering

I honestly didn’t see this one coming. Just this past weekend, I was talking with a few guys at a men’s retreat about an experience I’d had concerning spiritual eyes. I told them that once they’re turned on, you can see Spiritual truth most anywhere. On the way home, I saw this house that reminded me of a movie, so I snapped a quick pic. Totally unrelated...at the time.

Later, I was revisiting this latest blog idea and I was still searching for how to bring it all together. Then, it all came together: The men's talk, the pic and what you're about to read.

Ever been in situation,
fraught with frustration,
no long contemplation,
just leave it.

Your place of employment
has lost all enjoyment.
How can I avoid it?
Just leave it.

After trying and trying,
now shipwrecked and crying,
hope just feels like lying,
just leave it.

Endurance long depleted,
everyday more defeated,
only Heaven knows what's needed
just leave it.

Once dearly beloved
Now you’re just so above it,
It’s off, now unplug it.
Just leave it.

This would usually be mistaken for the kind of post that encourages you to endure...but it's not. I needed to drive home that feeling of futility that we’ve all experienced for a TOTALLY different reason; To understand and embrace true humility.
But don't fret, at the end there's humility and rejoicing!

This is a place that I think we really wrestle with. When we’re happy, we need to be careful to keep it in its right place, just as when things aren’t going as well, care need also be exercised so that we avoid despair.

Here’s The Word:

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

Titus 2:6 Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.

Sometimes it seems that Christianity wants us to walk an impossible tightrope. On one hand, it’s all Rejoice always, and on the other hand its sobering humility. What gives? This is another thing where I believe that it’s only confusing if you’re not understanding things properly. The truth is, you can be the most joyful, hopeful, “happy in Christ” Christian indivisibly from a posture of prayerful sobriety.

So, then….How do we tie this dilapidated house and the poem about futility to Scriptures about a sober mind?

It’s all in how you see with Spiritual eyes.

We know what it’s like to feel “done”, when any more investment is basically throwing away effort. The most correct response is to put the bucket down and abandon ship.

This is the soil where we need to plant our humility, because before a Holy God, that should’ve been us. There was absolutely nothing redeemable about us. We would’ve considered the situation futile, but He didn’t. In His great love and mercy and in keeping His promise didn’t leave us....He loved us.

This also flips things on its head a bit, only because we really do want value. We want to be seen as a good investment.
I’m sorry, but that’s just not Scriptural. As we were all once dead in trespasses and sin, and biblically, our righteousness is compared to filthy rags only good for disposing of, this is still the reason for our greatest praise. We weren’t abandoned, we were adopted.

This is a situation where we need to remember and realize that a sober mind and the rejoicing mind are one mind, based in truth. The truth is that we receive, we don’t contribute. We yield, we don’t control. We submit, we don’t subvert. We appreciate, we don’t accomplish.
I pray that God would help us to see more clearly through Spiritual eyes, these truths He has for us.

In closing, be of good cheer! It doesn't take two minds to accept that Christ is destroying that dilapidated house to make a mansion suitable for Himself as King of Glory and the only thing you have to offer is sober submission. Absolutely nothing more. Rejoice that He could've rightfully condemned us all but was crucified for us instead. Place your hope in the fact that He's working all things out according to His purpose and the glory of His Father...Who has also become ours.

In Him,
Cros

Bye

You recognize this statement, don't you?
It's usually a summation. An epithet for some poor soul who's reached the end of their frustrations and has decided to "End it all."
The next thing that happens is some form of "leap" to their ultimate demise.
I feel like I need to say this before I continue on - I'm not trying to be insensitive. I can only imagine that there are some who feel like they're truly spent and can't see how to muster the hope to go on. Also, I'm surely not about to belittle the reality that is clinical depression. I hope that if I'm ever in a situation to help that I would pray earnestly, and direct someone to solutions that can make a real difference: professional counseling and the like.

My only motivation for today's post is to point out what seems to be a pattern here. When it comes to the world we live in, becoming fed up seems to follow a familiar prose.
Living. Struggling. Flabbergasted. Forfeit. Finished.

I wish I had a better transition to put here, but I always feel pressed for time when it comes to keeping the posts brief, so here goes:

When I think about what it means to live for Christ, and to appropriate His power to affect our day to day lives, I've come to realize that there is really two kingdoms in play.
One kingdom is trying to masquerade as the other, but only one kingdom is the true Kingdom that will conquer and afford its subjects blessings in the here and now as well as eternal glory at the return of its King.
This cruel world makes promises that are double lies; It can't keep them, but never really intended to in the first place.

This cruel world is under the power (lower case p), of a master deceiver that knows how to hide the bait and set the hook to where you wont know it's a trap until much further down the path to where the despair is real.
As Christians living by The Spirit, we need to know that these two kingdoms are at odds with each other and usually, if you can identify a pattern for this world, you can assume that the real kingdom's pattern is different....not necessarily reversed , but different. The world's pattern is
    Living. Struggling. Flabbergasted. Forfeit. Finished.
But for us, our pattern is
    Finished. Forfeit. Living. Struggling. Faith.

Here's The Word:

Ephesians 2:1 - 2 (plus) 13 & 19 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

1 Timothy 1:16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

I believe that's one of the realities that make us a "peculiar people", the way we recognize and embrace the genuine over the counterfeit. The way we see struggle as part of the refinement process rather than some personal vendetta against our happiness, knowing that our current sufferings can't compare to the glory that will be revealed in us (Romans 8:8).

So, say goodbye to this cruel world, and it's dead pattern; the old course that used to have us on the hook. And embrace the new pattern of the eternal kingdom.
Christ said "It is finished", so forfeit your "rights" since you are no longer your own, for you were bought with a price. Start living, since that's what He came for; to give us abundant life. I believe that to apply to now, and also the life to come.
Realize that struggling is part of refining, as it purifies and builds our faith. The righteous shall live by that continuously purified faith.


In Him,
Cros

Every

Sometimes we read Scripture,
And we’re trying to understand.
Am I really getting the meaning?
Am I confused about His plan?

We know what words mean.
But we still squint our eyes.
Did He mean to use THAT word?
Or Is THIS how it applies?

Like every time I see every
Is it really every, as in ALL?
Am I too focused on my benefit?
Or trying to downplay where I fall.

…Well, He said

Every plant not of Father.
Every tree that’s void of fruit.
Every word that’s heard but ignored.
Ends in destruction. Destitute.

Every spirit that confesses Christ,
Every one who loves is born of God.
Every man with this hope, purifies himself.
Choosing narrow rather than broad.

Every eye will eventually see,
As every knee will bow.
So, let us lay aside every weight.
Let The Spirit teach us how.

He scourges every son that He receives.
Struggle and strife have purpose.
Every work is tried by fire.
Fire to purify, not at all, to kill us.

Every good and perfect gift is from above.
Christ tasted death for every man.
let every man be swift to hear.
Our perfection is His plan.

Withdraw from every disorderly brother.
No union between Christ and Belial.
If we deny Christ here, then rest assured.
Before The Father, us too, He'll deny.

Not every one that says Lord, Lord.
But every idle word we speak.
And every work receives its just reward.
When judgement comes, for Jew and Greek.

Prepare to give answer to every man.
Humbly assert that the Lord GOD, is One.
For I testify unto every man,
Yes, every kindred and tongue.

For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to every believer.
a measure of faith dealt to every man,
Blame or excuse; no profit in either.


God's entire Word is sure and true and it can be easy to presume what's to be made much of and what can be considered of less consequence. That's why we study. For intimacy and direction.
Whenever we allow our misunderstanding to override God's revelation of Himself, we, in that moment, are guilty of creating an idol. The following verse speaks of how God didn't take it too seriously in the past when people thought of God in idol-ized terms (Gold, silver and creations stemming from the imaginations of men), but that time is gone.

Here's The Word:

Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Do you think He really means "every" and "all"?


In Him,
Cros

Love

I’m sure that over the years, I’ve written more than a few blog blog posts about love, but never one titled "Love". Maybe you’ve heard the saying that The Bible itself is God’s Love Letter to us. To some measure, I would agree with that sentiment but I think it hinders on what you believe LOVE really means. I don’t believe that LOVE means to God as many different things as it means to us. So the purpose of this post is to pose a question: What is love to you and how close is it to God’s definition?

Even when trying to define love biblically, many people define it using John 3:16.
I like John 3:16 but I think something’s missing. I know how provocative a statement that is, but hear me out.

Here’s The Word:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Thing is, if you already have a disjointed, unbiblical view of love, John 3:16 won’t fix it. You can still overly play up your own importance and still undermine your personal sin, holding to a ‘lesser’ idea of biblical love. Trading it for that emotional feeling of admiration based on wanting or being wanted.

Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

I like Matthew 10:37 but I think something is missing - if there’s any verse in the Bible that we’d have spend the most time explaining its practicality, it’s this one. Why? Because we wrestle with the expression. Somehow, loving someone less, means to show them less love.

John 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Now we’re talking. I really like John 12:25 But I think something is missing - exactly how does one hate his life?

I've repeatedly used the phrase “…but I think something is missing.” Again, not to be overly provocative but to help make a point. The Word of God is sure. However, its fundamental strength comes from understanding it in the fullness of its revelation. The entire story of how God defines love is complete only when it’s considered as a whole, not from attributing more weight to the verses that ‘feel’ most agreeable or palatable to us.
Take John 10:17 for example:

John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

People go on and on about unconditional love, but here, there seems to be a conditional component of obedience. Not only here but many places in the Bible links love to obedience; John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Honestly, this is not to nullify, but to clarify. God’s expression in sending Christ for our salvation wasn’t unconditional in a way that we didn’t do anything to deserve it, it was still on the condition of His Grace and Mercy because we COULDN’T do anything to deserve it. God's love is/was unconditional for us only because we couldn't pay, but not for Jesus. He paid it all. But when you really think about it, if you read John 3:16 forward, you’ll see that in His providing a substitute for the condemnation that we deserved, there’s still a matter of us receiving that expression of love. A condition. And that "believing" is done through obedience…and I’d be remiss if we didn’t lay this out a little, this obedience is not the kind of obedience like following strict orders as burdensome duty. Truly reciprocating love only happens in intimacy and intimacy connotes the idea of desire. Loves greatest desire is the promotion and enjoyment of the beloved resulting in deeper, richer intimacy.

Love is a "God" word. Let Him define it, and when you see where you're missing something, seek Him for clarification. Read the Scriptures and pray for enrichment. Pray for intimacy to really and rightly see and embrace the wonder of love.

In Him,
Cros