God of Love

Reading Numbers 20:6-12 (NIV) today, 

"Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the tent of meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the Lord appeared to them.  The Lord said to Moses,  "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."

So Moses took the staff from the Lord's presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?"  Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.

But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."

Someone recently said to me something along the lines of, "I want my child to be a part of a church community, but I don't want to take him to church because I don't want him to learn to hate."

Those words cut to my heart, I am writing this blog with a heavy heart.

I wish I could say that I didn't understand why they felt that way.  But I did understand, I too often see the same thing. 

On social media, in the news, how are we representing our holy, loving God?

In the above passage, Moses altered God's message.  He was told to speak to the rock, not strike it in anger.  And certainly not call the people "rebels."  God was angry then, not with the people, but with the messenger, Moses. 

Whether or not they were rebels is not the issue.  The issue is God's heart in the matter was not properly represented by Moses.  God's heart toward everyone is love. 

I think it's time we, as the body of Christ, examine how we represent our God to the rest of the world.  Do we chime in with fear and hate, or do we show the love of God to this world?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son..." John 3:16(NIV)

And when the son was here...

"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9:36-38 (NIV)

What do we stand for?  What does the world see?

I Am Willing

Reading Matthew 8 today,

"When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.  A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."

Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." - Matthew 8:1- 4 (NIV)

When we first read about this amazing miracle, it's easy to feel a bit distant from it.  After all, how many of us have had the faith to heal a person as Jesus did?  Sometimes I read something like this and just think, "yes, Jesus was powerful, but how do I follow his example here?"

The answer is in a small detail, "Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man"

Can you imagine what that simple act of kindness must have felt like to a leper?  A leper had to stay away from people, far away.  If he passed a person anywhere he had to yell "unclean!" to make sure they stayed away from him.

When was the last time this person had had someone touch them?  Even babies thrive more when they get human touch.  We crave that, we need that contact.  And before Jesus even spoke to him, he touched him.  Can you imagine what it must have felt like for that man?

We may not ever cleanse a leper, but we can certainly reach out and touch those that society deems "unclean" and "unlovable."

And that is certainly something to learn from the Lord.

What is Your Calling?

What is your calling?

What does that even mean?  Is that only for preachers and missionaries?

From what I understand, a person who found their calling is someone who has discovered how the talents they have line up with the works  the Lord has prepared for them to do.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)

Now the amazing thing about our calling is this, we have been given the talents and the desire to actually want to do this!

What I mean by this is, although it is true that the Lord may ask us to step out of our comfort zone, (and what is that really, other than just letting go of control?) he gifts us with talents that go along with the calling we have.  We already desire it, for he has given us the desires of our heart.

13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

For example, someone who loves to cook may have the gift of hospitality and servant-hood.  They may not want to be a greeter at a church, but they love to bless people with the items they bake. or make.  That is a calling, sometimes an act of kindness from someone with this gift can totally change a person's day, or even their life!

So what is your calling?  Are you asking the Lord to help you find it?  It is not a matter of asking for a calling, for we all have one.  It is a matter of seeing what is already there, recognizing our gifts, and knowing how we can best serve God with them.

Kingdom of God - 5

There are so many books out there written on prayer, yet none of them can compare to this simple teaching.  The Lord, as we know, had an amazing prayer life, and here he teaches us how to do the same.

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.  But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.  And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

"This, then, is how you should pray:

"'Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.'."  Matthew 6:5-13 (NIV)

To finish up our time studying the Kingdom of God, I want to sum up with this thought.

Being a member of the Kingdom means we live for the the will of our Father, who is in heaven.  We pray, "your kingdom come, your will be done"

Jesus prayed in the Garden,""My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." Matthew 26:39 (NIV). 

He prayed that prayer before being crucified, taking on your sin and mine.  He prayed it three times, then submitted to the will of the Father.

Jesus taught us to live for the Kingdom, for God's will alone.  And then he lived it out for us to see.

Is there any area in your life where you know you need to lay aside your own will in favor of his?  Let's ask the Father to reveal anything in us that we hold back from him, and to help us to live for his Kingdom.

Kingdom of God - 4

What do we do to build the Kingdom of God?

At one point during Jesus' ministry, he asked his disciples who the crowds said that he was.  Then he asked them directly," who do you you say that I am?"

Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.  And I tell you that you are Peter,and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:16-18 (NIV)

One heart recognized Jesus for who he is, and the church was born.

The foundation of the Kingdom of God rests on our recognizing and accepting Jesus Christ, not just as Savior, but also as Lord.  We become disciples of Jesus and we are then sent out to make disciples out of everyone else. 

Our mission here on earth was clearly laid out by Jesus in our great commission.

"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

 Everything else that we do must take second place to this.

That is how we build the Kingdom of God - one heart at a time.

Kingdom of God - 3

So how should we live as members of the Kingdom of Heaven?

Jesus began his great sermon on the mount with these words, ""Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:3 (NIV) and then he went on for three chapters teaching us what life in the Kingdom of God means. You could spend a lifetime just studying that sermon!

But for now, let's take a look at one verse that finds itself right in the center of the sermon.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

That is the heart of it, right there.  What do we live for every day?  What do we do with our time, talents and treasures? 

I have to admit, I am challenged by these words even as I write them here.  We are so programmed by the kingdom of this world to get all we can.  To live for ourselves, go get our "me time".  Yet Jesus teaches that this is how we lose our life, not keep it as the world promises.

Jesus ended his sermon with these words, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

I would encourage you to read Matthew 5-7, prayerfully.  Let's ask the Lord how our lives measure up to life in his Kingdom.

Kingdom of God - 2

So what is the Kingdom of Heaven?

Although there are many nations both past and present, there are really only two kingdoms.  There is the kingdom of darkness (those who belong to Satan) and there is the Kingdom of God (or Kingdom of Heaven,) those who have been born again and belong to God. 

Everyone on earth belongs to one or the other whether they do this knowingly or not. 

In Colossians we read, 

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Col 1:13 (NIV)

Being saved is more than just sins washed away and a ticket to heaven.  It's about a a change in allegiance.  For lack of better words, it's membership in an entirely different nation.  We become a people, united with every other believer on the face of the earth.  Regardless of what language they speak, clothes they wear, or continent they live on.

And our Kingdom is at war.

Paul famously changed sides when he went from killing Christians to preaching the Gospel.  At the time of his conversion he asked Jesus, "Who are you, Lord?" 

Jesus' reply clearly shows the change in allegiance and the Kingdom responsibility.

" 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.  'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.  I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them  to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'  Acts 26:15-18 (NIV)

What is the Kingdom of Heaven?  Simply put, it is the family of God.  Membership is automatic when we accept him as Lord. 

We'll talk next about how we should live as members of this Kingdom.