Forward or Same?

In our going forward or staying the same

let us count the cost of realizing the glory of His name

What was and is and is to come in this world will not remain

but the things we did to bring you honor will forever sustain

Sustain the weight of eternal worth

occupy the truth of a 2nd birth

Change the world and the people that live in it

Change my heart and the creeds I've let win it

Going forward or staying the same is not a game to be played

It can be the difference between someone's eternity being lost or gained

It can be the difference between life and death

love and hate

now and then

how and when

To go forward means change

To stay the same brings thoughts of comfort and stability

What if the comfort and stability of a time in my life keep me from being a part of what God wants for me in another part of life?

What if God is saying the water will hold, because I hold the water?

The boat seems like the right place to be until you consider the alternative

In the boat you may live and you may die and the trip will be bumpy

Out in the water without Jesus you die

With Jesus just life

The only real place to be it the hardest to get to

You will be challenged, you will be afraid at times

The others will tell you that you are crazy to leave the comfort of the boat (even though it might be sinking)

In the end the crazy people are in the boat

Trusting in wood and it's ability to float

Place your trust in the one that created wood and water and weather

Step out of the boat the water will hold

Only things around you on the outside make you fear

The voice on the inside speaking is reassuring you that God is near

It will hold or so I've been told

Trust in things you cannot see

Like pathways in water

and visions and dreams

Follow His voice as it leads you

It is the only safe place to be in going forward or staying the same

Consider the cost of being found worthy to suffer for His name

Anarchy

Anarchy- a : absence of government b : a state of lawlessness or political disorder due to the absence of governmental authority c : a utopian society of individuals who enjoy complete freedom without government-

From Webster's Dictionary

Deep within the heart of every man and woman lies the desire to live in the perpetual state of anarchy. The last thing that any of us want is someone telling us what we should do or how we should do it. We want what we want and we want it when we want it. This my friends is the human condition. Some of us fake it through life by following enough regulations that it keeps us from looking like one of the bad people. Some cannot hide their hatred for a governing body in their life. Their every move and word is lawless and a bite of the thumb to all in authority over them.

When Adam and Eve made the decision to disrespect the authority of God, they literally opened the door to lawlessness in the earth. That day Adam and Eve became the first anarchist or people to live without governmental authority. When they did the deed they gave up the right to live in a kingdom free from sin and confusion. They became what scripture calls "dead", God told our first parents that if they eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil they would die (Gen 2:17). We know from scripture that they did not die physically. The death they encountered was a death that spread to every man, woman, boy and girl that would be born from that day forward. Paul said in Romans 7 that he recognized this death in his life even after he had become a Christian. Paul said, "But I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" In our bodies when we are born we are spiritually dead. Sin that entered the world through lawlessness infiltrated the human race and became the new master. You see even the lawless have a master, most of them just do not know it.

I have been thinking a lot about this idea of lawlessness and anarchy. What I have discovered is there are many that attend our churches and claim to be Christians that live a life of anarchy. Outward appearance paints them as the redeemed of the Lord, but inwardly they try to maneuverer and manipulate their lives in a way that keeps them from having an authority outside of themselves. The message of John the Baptist was, "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand!" The message of Jesus was, "Seek first the Kingdom of God". Jesus saw it as His mission to establish the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom that Jesus established was the answer to the lawless kingdom of death that had reigned since the days of Adam and Eve. In every kingdom there must be a king, and God the Father is enthroned in Heaven as the righteous king of all kings. With every kingdom comes laws that govern that kingdom. Jesus made it clear that only those that follow the rules of the kingdom are actually part of the kingdom. Jesus said in John 14, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him". According to scripture, a person will be identifiable as a member of the Kingdom of God because of the activity of the Spirit in their live. 1 John 3:24 states, "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him, And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us". Do not hear me saying that works or anything we do makes us members of the Kingdom, the opposite is true, we do good works and are identified as Christians because we are members of the Kingdom. The evidence that we are members of the Kingdom of God is the renewed life that we live that is characterized by good works and love for others.

Jesus lived a radical life, he did radical things and spoke radical words. Even a cursory reading of the gospels might leave one wondering how we got to where we are in our approach to following Jesus today. Most evangelical churches today live and die by the: raise your hand, walk the isle, sign the card, and hang on for dear life approach. Jesus said things like sell everything you have and give it to the poor, take up your cross, if you love your family more than me you are not worthy of me, and many will say to me in that day..... and I will declare to them, I never knew you, depart from Me , you who practice lawlessness.

In Matthew 5-7 Jesus drops the proverbial atom bomb on the theology of the day. In this portion of scripture, Jesus begins to pull back the curtain and give people a glimpse of what the Kingdom of God looks like. While the entirety of the sermon is worthy of further exploration, I would like to focus on the last four points Jesus makes in chapter 7. Jesus was speaking to an Old Testament audience about the Kingdom He was ushering in. The truths Jesus reveals in this portion of Scripture should be viewed as universal and not specific to a certain covenant. The Kingdom Jesus was talking about is the Kingdom that we as Christians live in today. To say Jesus was talking to them (the Jewish audience)and not us (mankind in 2011) would be a major oversight on our part. God's Kingdom is eternal and it is here. The realities of the Kingdom 2000 years ago have not changed over the years, nor will they ever change. Here are the points:

1. The way into the Kingdom is Narrow v13-14

2. You will know God's people by their fruits v15-20

3. There are many people that think they are part of the Kingdom of God that do not know Jesus. v21-23

4. If one takes the words of Jesus to heart, they will have a firm foundation that will not be deteriorated by the storms of life.

Anarchy in the heart will lead on to destruction. If you claim to be a follower of Jesus and live a life characterized by lawlessness and rebellion, do you really know Jesus? The way into the Kingdom of God is narrow and is reserved for those who have corresponding fruit with their claim of righteousness. A good tree only gives good fruit and a bad tree only gives bad fruit. Is the fruit in your life good or bad? Is the fruit in your life produced by instruction from God and to God or does it come from your will and accomplish your desires? I'm just asking. Jesus said those that practice lawlessness will be quickly removed from His presence for eternity. My hope is that this blog will encourage you to check your foundation. Is it truly built on the solid rock of Jesus Christ or is it built on the sinking sands of anarchy? You were created with the need for authority and God's desire is to fill that role for you. Just give up and give in to the Kingdom of God, it is the only way to know hope. You cannot find peace in the kingdoms of this world or in self rule, there is a kingdom in place that will meet your needs and change your life! The King is just and will do you no wrong, serve Him today and live.

Friend with Pharaoh and a follower of Christ? Really?

Since the beginning of the new year I have been reading through the Bible. Three chapters a day throughout the week, then five chapters on Sunday. Genesis is always so much fun to read, replete with captivating narratives and relational situations that draw you in. Then comes Exodus, without doubt one of my favorite books of the Bible. It just amazes me how much I see Jesus in the types and shadows of the Exodus. What a blessing to be able to read a document that is so ancient in nature and be able to see the hand of God at work in laying the groundwork for our great salvation.

Not only are types and shadows of Jesus prevalent in Exodus, the Christian life can also be seen in the lives of the Children of Israel. Sadly enough the church in America (not all churches or Christians) can be easily seen in the desert marching of the Children of Israel. We are happy when things are going well and fit into the plan that we have for our lives. Things are great when God is doing miraculous things around us and supernaturally sustaining through His great power. We love our leaders and the the people of God as long as they do not disagree with our prospective or get in the way of what we have going on. Through the waters of the Red Sea they went, baptized out of slavery and bondage in Egypt. Being led by a supernatural power the would part seas and bring water from a rock to satisfy the thirsty multitude. Want meat? The quail will be here in the morning! Want land flowing with milk and honey? Its already yours, you just need to shut your mouths and stop talking about how great it was back in Egypt. You cannot enter the promised land when you are still mentally enslaved by the gods of Egypt. The promised land was promised to people that would properly represent the promiser. As I was reading Exodus this time, I starting asking questions like, would those people who died in the wilderness been better off if they had stayed in Egypt? Did any of the Children of Israel make their way back of Egypt or was it all just talk? Although their bodies were out of Egypt, Egypt was still inside of them and it is impossible to posses the promises of God when you are filled up with anything but God.

I see Christians everyday that struggle with the same problem. From the youth group to friends and family, the common trend is they are just not ready to part ways with the world. Friends with Pharaoh and followers of Jesus? It just does not work that way. We will never be satisfied in our Christan walk until we understand that there is nothing for us in Egypt. Nothing! Following Christ is an all or nothing proposition, you either do it with all of you or you just don't do it. Taking up the cross of Christ or choosing not to is not an option for Christians. Christians take up the cross and follow Jesus. In fact that is what it means to be a Christian or Christ follower. We need to get over the idea that people can walk down an isle and repeat a prayer, live like the devil, and end up in Heaven. When Jesus comes into a life, that life changes. A life not changed by the presence of Jesus did not have an experience with the real Jesus. People who subscribe to a phony, fit in with the church crowd, kind of Christianity are no better off then the desert wanderers in Exodus. They may be following God to a certain degree and living for him when it feels like the thing to do. They may lift their voices with the faithful praising God when His presence is unavoidable and overwhelming, but what about serving Him because He is Holy? What about loving Him because He first loved you? What about ridding yourself of the stain of Egypt and putting on garments that are white and clean and proper for the presence of the ALL POWERFUL GOD? Are you all in? Have you given up on Egypt or are you still hording a place in your heart for a trip back there?

If you need rest the answer is not back in Egypt. The answer is in the loving arms of your creator. You cannot find peace without Christ. You must give Him your all or you will retain it all. Your shoulders are not that strong. His are!

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matt 11:28-30

The New King James Version. 1982 (Mt 11:28–30). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

I'll Have The Major Portion of Perspective, With a Dab of Get Over Yourself on the Side.

O perspective, how you mock me. You wait until I feel I cannot take anymore, then you remind me that my best friend's 5 year old daughter is undergoing chemo for the next six and a half months. Fighting for her life in an epic battle with cancer. She is going through at five years old what most people will never face. What a trooper!! She is an amazing girl that always considers Christ. She is a true witness for Jesus in all that she does. She never hesitates to speak that name of Jesus to those around her, nor does she doubt the power of prayer. Both witnessing and prayer have been a major part of her life since she could first speak. God blessed her with an amazing mind to understand and heart to comprehend the Kingdom at a young age. I just know that God is going to use Jada through this trial to bring many to faith in Jesus. For me, she is helping me to have a heaping helping of perspective.The double bout of vomiting that I somehow persevered would be to Jada a welcome break from the hell she is facing.

Those of you who know me have come to appreciate that my hair will be as short as humanly possible at all times. Since the time I was eighteen I have been balding, the process i know refer to as maturing. The male pattern baldness has staked its claim, it boldly proclaims that there will be hair on the sides and back of my head but nothing on top. Like Bozo the clown before me, I can either paint it red and embrace it or shave it at the first of every new week. Up to this point I have chosen the latter approach and have every intention of keeping it that way.

A little perspective please?

Jada Rumbold is a beautiful little girl with amazing eyes and a smile that could light up the darkest of rooms. As long as I have know her, she has been blessed with a tremendous head of hair (thanks to mom and dad). As reports come in on her progress the pictures paint the harsh reality, soon Jada will have no hair. I cut mine as short as I can get it as much as possible. She has no hope of keeping hers as long as she is spending time under the chemo machine. I just wish I could do something to help her understand that she is beautiful. Maybe a pep talk about the beauty of baldness with a picture of me holding two thumbs up! Na, probably would not help. My prayer is that she would realize that she is beautiful. Far more beautiful then hair, smile, or eyes. She is beautiful because she is Jada, God's daughter that He formed and fashioned as a vessel made for honor to proclaim the image of the most beautiful One. Jada's trial is teaching me. She will not go through this in vain! I will find every life application possible to make sure of that.

A little perspective please?

My best friend in the world (besides my wife) is an amazing guy. He is a great husband, dad, friend, and pastor. He is one of those guys that is not only good but great at everything he does. When we are together it's like the Olympic games. Both Doug and I share the same passions in life: family, ministry, basketball, golf, books, theology ect... So when we get together we battle it out on the court, golf course, pulpit, board games, apologetics, you get the picture. We always battle in a nice "Christian" way, although we both really want to beat the other one. Over the years I have come to the realization that in many ways Doug Rumbold is a better man than I. Not because he has a better jumper or or golf swing, not because he can out duel me on Tiger Woods 2000- 2010, but because he is a better all around student of everything he does. Every thing Doug does he does with all his heart. He does not speak a word unless his thought is completely developed on the subject. He does not preach a sermon without 50 hours of dedication and prayer to the message. He never misses his daily time of devotion to God. He is just really a solid guy that I look up to. So when I see the turmoil he is going through with Jada, I am sure that God chose the right guy to be there for a child going through what she is going through. It seems strange for me to write this because I am not sure how it fits into my theology, but Doug and Jessica have been in the process of being prepared for this moment most of their lives. I do not know better parents then the two of them, and could not recommend better people to go through this horrific challenge. They will stand strong when others would crumble, they will persevere when others would fall away, they will see this thing through when others could not. Bless you guys for your faithfulness to God and family. Doug, you are the strongest guy I know. I am encouraged and blessed watching God work through you in this time.

A little perspective please?

My current situation with disobedient kids at the Ranch seems like a day at the beach compared to what the Rumbold family is facing. I will shut my mouth when I want to complain because I understand I have noting to cry about. You guys are an inspiration to me. Love ya.

Your somewhere in the future and you look much better than you look right now!!

My head is spinning as I try to wrap my brain around the thought that God has a future prepared for me that I must somehow apprehend. A version of me that is so much more polished (not a bald joke) than what I see when I look in the mirror. It's like I am somewhere in the future, and that version of me looks much better than my present reality. So the question is, how do I get my present reality to look more like my prophetic destiny?

So what is destiny? Destiny refers to a predetermined course of events. This mystical place in the future where we somehow become all that we were made to be. In my thought process I see it more like life's divine purpose intertwined with God ordained appointments. Leading to the reality of a life lived in the presence of God and blessed with the favor of God. While many Christians would argue the point that our entire lives are preordained and out of our control, I believe that we have the opportunity to "choose blessing or cursing". One does not need an advanced degree in theology to understand that this human existence is propelled either towards God or away from God based on decisions that we make. What if Joseph had given in to Potiphar's wife and became her boy toy rather then staying true to the teaching of his father and commitment to God? Would there have somehow become a secondary route that lead him to 2nd in command in mighty Egypt? For some reason I do not think that would have happened. Even back when Joseph was a young boy in the fields pestering his brothers with visions and dreams, he had a prophetic destiny that needed to be fulfilled. There was going to be a future drought in the land that was going to threaten the survival of God's promised seed, and it was crucial that God had his man on the scene at the right time in the right place. Joseph's destiny was wrapped up in being all that God needed him to be even when there was no evidence that God was working toward a solution. So how do we live today in hopes that we will not miss our God ordained destiny?

Joseph stayed true to the promise and was not ashamed of his God given talents. This seems like a pretty good pattern to follow for us today. We should serve God with all that we have, always being mindful of the traps of the enemy and what we are giving up by falling into them. We should also embrace the natural talents and abilities that God has given us. Joseph was not ashamed of his dreams of his youth. The same dreams that got him thrown into a pit and an Egyptian prison paved the way to him being the most powerful man in Egypt. The same bravado that separated him from his brothers enabled him to stand in front of Pharaoh and boldly proclaim the meaning of his dreams. Joseph loved God and embraced the gifts, talents, and abilities as blessings. Although this thought is no where near comprehensive, I believe it gives a jumping off point on the idea of becoming who we one day can be in God.

You are somewhere in the future and you look much better than you look right now!! God Bless

running from sin or running toward life?

As Christians we constantly find ourselves focused on the long list of things that we cannot do rather than the freedoms we have been given in Christ. We often look to the restrictions and not the liberty that is to guide our earthly existence. In my experience, this exercise of trying to "not sin" has robbed me of intimacy in relationship with Christ. In John 14:15 Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." another translation says, "if you love Me, you will keep my commandments". So here in this tiny portion of scripture we have two ides that vie for our attention: "love Me" and "keep My commandments". These two ideas were never made to be separated from one another or processed apart from each other, however I fear they have been.

Some claim to love God yet their lifestyle clearly does not live up to the charge, "keep My commandments".

Some people keep the commandments rigorously yet there is no sense of the love of God in their life. They are bitter, angry, and self righteous as a result of their successful observance of the law. So how should we live out this beautiful challenge from the Lord? We should do it running forward into all that God has for us! We should also keep them in the proper order.

1. Seek to love God with all that you have. The lawyer in Luke 10 correctly answered Jesus question about what a person must do to obtain eternal life by saying, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself". That is how we are supposed to love God!! We are to give Him all of us. A person that loves God with all they have does not need to focus on restrictions they cannot participate in. The closer we get to God, the closer He gets to us! The more we love God the less we love the world and the things of the world.

2. You will Keep My commandments. If you love God with all you have, the issue of keeping commandment becomes mute. People that put God first do not perceive the walls of restriction around them as an uncomfortable way of keeping them from doing what they want to do, but rather a barrier that keeps them from hurting the heart of their Father. As we strive to love God with all we have, there is an overwhelming awareness of the nearness of His presence. Our obedience and observance of the Father's rules brings life, a life that shines with the Holiness of God Himself. If you love Jesus, you will keep His commandments! You will keep them because to violate His commands is to violate Him. People who love people do not purposefully hurt those they claim to love.

3. Run forward and look forward. The trap of the enemy is to keep us looking backward at the sin we have committed or to keep us focused on restrictions put in place by our Father. Satan tempted both Eve in the garden and Jesus in the wilderness with the same bait. He questioned the will of God in the lives of both. He tried to bring questions about God's will and motives in the lives of His children. Eve utterly failed, but Jesus triumphantly prevailed over the attack of the enemy. We must purpose in our hearts that God has placed limits in our lives because 1. He loves us and 2. because He knows better than we do.

When i run I always try to give myself little goals along the way knowing that the finish line is the ultimate goal. There are days when it is hard to get out and run 5 or 10 miles because i cannot get my mind off of how far that is. Every step I take feels insignificant and i can't stop asking myself how far I have run or if I am almost finished. Sin will keep you from looking forward, it will tie you up with every little step. Sin will make you wonder if you can accomplish what you have set out to do.

The love of God will keep you looking forward and smack dab in the middle of God's will. There will still be hard times, but you can do it if you will give yourself little goals along the way. Knowing that a deeper relationship with the Father is the ultimate goal. Run forward with all you have and do not look backward. You have already conquered the miles of pavement behind you and the future is bright with the presence of God.

If you Love Me, keep my commandments John 14:15