Why is it we as people live our lives as if we're entitled to something? Why is it we think we deserve things such as physical or financial security, happiness, respect, or even marriage? I'm sorry, last time I checked we deserved death.
I'm tired of seeing others or even myself living life as if these things should be given to us and then asking God to oversee our lives. No. It doesn't work like that. Our lives are meant to be LIVING SACRIFICES to the Lord of our lives and more often than not this does not include several of those "rights" we have. If we truly dedicate our lives to Christ then we need to do just that. Not ONE day is about us. Every single day is meant for the Lord and an opportunity for us to serve Him and glorify Him with EVERYTHING we are. Not ONE day is meant for us to be glorified--not graduation, the birth of a child, weddings, or even funerals. God wants it all. He is a jealous God and One who is adamant about justice and maintaining glory for where it is due--on Himself.
What would our lives look like if we lived as if God was the center instead of ourselves? What would it look like if we realized that we are nothing more than sinners who, at no help of our own, were given an amazing love that saved us from the very depths of the consequences of our own humanity? What if, instead, we lived our lives in such a way that we can't do anything but fall on our faces in the awe of the very God who came to this earth to suffer the worst of all deaths so that we may live? Where is our fear placed? Is it in God or the world?
It's time to stop living lives of entitlement and to start living lives of dedication. It's time to bow down and fall face first at the feet of the Living God Who was, Who is, and Who is yet to come. It's time to realize that God comes before EVERYTHING else, including ourselves and those "needs," and to live a life in accordance to "Lord, where can I go for you?" rather than "Lord, could you..."
We are not entitled to marriage, to kids, to a nice house. If we receive those things, great, but it's still ALL about God. If you find yourself seeking these things then you have a motive issue. If you find yourself consumed in these things then you have a motive issue. You just found yourself seeking desires to satisfy the flesh rather than to serve God. It's just as easy to be caught in this trap before, during, and after these types of relationships and situations. Is it bad to have these desires? No, not necessarily, but they definitely can become distractions to our true purpose in life--to glorify God. Seeing a trend here?
It's about God. It's about God. It's about God. Check your motives. Is what you're doing truly for God or does it have those pesky underlying selfish motives and ambitions that instead are allowing you to satisfy yourself? Please, for the love of God, ask yourself, HONESTLY ask yourself, for what or whom do you live? Analyze your daily decisions, your thoughts, your TRUE motives for your actions and look at the root of it all. If it isn't God, it isn't living and it sure isn't of Him.
May 16, 2011
April 28, 2011
Die. Resurrect. Live. Repeat.
Easter was just a few days ago and what's often overlooked each year? Christ set the example for us to follow. We're supposed to follow in His footsteps right?
He died. He was buried. He was resurrected and raised from the dead. Now He is alive at the right hand of the Father.
Now wait a minute. I'm not talking about following exactly Christ's example of physical death, I'm talking about dying to ourselves, burying our flesh, being raised up by the Father, and walking in the Spirit. Repeat. Every. Single. Day.
Sounds a bit morbid? I think the opposite is a much worse scene. I don't know about you but when I dedicated my life to Christ, I dedicated my life to Christ--I no longer own it. I told Him He could have me, do what He wanted with me, and use me for His glory.
Since when did the Christian life become about living to get married, having a comfortable job, having a few good kids, and growing old, drawing from your retirement fund? We crucify Christ daily unless we pick up our cross and bear the weight of it. We crucify Christ daily when we look Him the eyes and walk the other way. We crucify Christ daily when we ask Him where to go or what to do with secret intentions that He'll gratify our desires.
God is not a god of comfort. God is not a god of safety. God is not a god of gratifying the flesh.
No friends. God, my God, our God has the ability to love people so much they die to evil desires. Our God has the ability to raise up those same people into newly created beings. Our God has the ability to enter into those newly created beings and speak to them on a consistent and daily basis. When we refuse to die to ourselves we refuse to resurrect Christ in us.
One of the best quotes I know that sums it all up:
"I would like to suggest that the Church become a place of terror again; a place where God continually has to tell us, 'Fear not;' a place where our relationship with God is not a simple belief or a doctrine or theology, it is God's burning presence in our lives. I am suggesting that the tame God of relevance be replaced by the God whose very presence shatters our egos into dust, burns our sin into ashes, and strips us naked to reveal the real person within. The Church needs to become a gloriously dangerous place where nothing is safe in God's presence except us. Nothing--including our plans, our agendas, our priorities, our politics, our money, our security, our comfort, our possessions, our needs. Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and ours; a God whose love frightens us into His strong and powerful arms where He longs to whisper those terrifying words, 'I love you.'"- Mike Yaconelli
Trust the One who raised our Savior to also raise you. Resurrection is defined as this, "restore a dead person to life; bring new vigor to." In what areas does God need to resurrect you? Is it your actual faith?
He died. He was buried. He was resurrected and raised from the dead. Now He is alive at the right hand of the Father.
Now wait a minute. I'm not talking about following exactly Christ's example of physical death, I'm talking about dying to ourselves, burying our flesh, being raised up by the Father, and walking in the Spirit. Repeat. Every. Single. Day.
Sounds a bit morbid? I think the opposite is a much worse scene. I don't know about you but when I dedicated my life to Christ, I dedicated my life to Christ--I no longer own it. I told Him He could have me, do what He wanted with me, and use me for His glory.
Since when did the Christian life become about living to get married, having a comfortable job, having a few good kids, and growing old, drawing from your retirement fund? We crucify Christ daily unless we pick up our cross and bear the weight of it. We crucify Christ daily when we look Him the eyes and walk the other way. We crucify Christ daily when we ask Him where to go or what to do with secret intentions that He'll gratify our desires.
God is not a god of comfort. God is not a god of safety. God is not a god of gratifying the flesh.
No friends. God, my God, our God has the ability to love people so much they die to evil desires. Our God has the ability to raise up those same people into newly created beings. Our God has the ability to enter into those newly created beings and speak to them on a consistent and daily basis. When we refuse to die to ourselves we refuse to resurrect Christ in us.
One of the best quotes I know that sums it all up:
"I would like to suggest that the Church become a place of terror again; a place where God continually has to tell us, 'Fear not;' a place where our relationship with God is not a simple belief or a doctrine or theology, it is God's burning presence in our lives. I am suggesting that the tame God of relevance be replaced by the God whose very presence shatters our egos into dust, burns our sin into ashes, and strips us naked to reveal the real person within. The Church needs to become a gloriously dangerous place where nothing is safe in God's presence except us. Nothing--including our plans, our agendas, our priorities, our politics, our money, our security, our comfort, our possessions, our needs. Our world is... longing to see people whose God is big and holy and frightening and gentle and tender... and ours; a God whose love frightens us into His strong and powerful arms where He longs to whisper those terrifying words, 'I love you.'"- Mike Yaconelli
Trust the One who raised our Savior to also raise you. Resurrection is defined as this, "restore a dead person to life; bring new vigor to." In what areas does God need to resurrect you? Is it your actual faith?
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