Quicky: God is Greater Than Our Own Criticism

Today I was very encouraged by a verse in the Bible that states, "For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God." (1 John 3:20-21)

I love how confidence towards God is described as simply believe the truth about God's heart towards ours. Even in the places in our hearts where we are discouraged and self-condemning we can know that God doesn't condemn us!!! There is no criticism for us, but only the "law of Love."  

The prior verses in this chapter are talking about how love is to is not just to be "in word or in tongue," but "in deed and in truth." Gotta love the fact that God Himself displays loving people in deed and truth and not just words. 

I'd say most people would agree that love is a verb, not only a verbal expression. Most would say that love is a demonstration of a strong conviction inside, whether it be a feeling coupled with a commitment to someone, compassion towards those who are in need, endearment for a person, etc LOVE is an action! 

If we go some more verses back in chapter 4 John is telling people in the churches, "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" Love is totally more than just a confession from the lips, but a has an action to it!

God loves us, and doesn't condemn us!!! We can be confident that He is not a critic towards us. 

  

Friendship with God

I've been thinking a lot lately about being like Jesus . . .

Obviously HE is the one who saved the whole world, meaning . . . Jesus decided to give mercy (showing compassion or forgiveness) and grace (power) to man... in man's weakness... which is having sin engrained in his nature (aka: a nature that is prone to doing things that are not beneficial for man's spirit/soul/body) . . .

BUT, Jesus lived a life that healed people’s sickness and diseases... even brought some back to life after being dead… He released peace to those who were tormented in their mind and soul… He visited with people in society who were considered “scum” and loved on them… He also spoke in the Synagogues to people who believed in God, but many hated Him and even plotted to kill Him… yet He still reached out to them… He encouraged people to love their enemies… I could go on and on about the acts of Christ and how He lived life in such an incredible way…

Most remember the whole W.W.J.D. bracelet phase…What Would Jesus Do? I’ve seen many people (including myself) try to live like Jesus, be like Christ and get so frustrated… or I have seen/heard some who would say that “Christians” are jerks, judgmental hypocrites, hateful people, fake plastics, close-minded, etc…  

What I’m finding is that the only way Christians can truly BE like Christ is to simply have a real relationship with Him… I mean like best friends… family… where Jesus isn’t just a religious icon or a name we hear in church, but a true friend/family member.

I read today in 1 John 2 that, “He who says he abides (continuing in union) in Him ought himself to walk just as He walked.” I believe that we as Christians would have a perspective, heart and overall life renewl by “continuing in union in Him.”

The Mac Dictionary says that the word “union” means, the action or fact of joining or being joined. We can choose to join with Jesus daily and let Him rub off on us. The same way friends rub off on each other, Jesus can rub off on us. I believe spending quality time with Him is pretty important for that to happen… I mean how could you ever know someone’s heart really or who they really are with being with them and learning about them?

Spending time with Jesus doesn't just mean sit in your bedroom locked away and wait and wait and wait... although that can be pretty cool if you're up for it. Spending time with Jesus can be as simple as going on a walk with Him, painting on canvas, cooking... Jesus is not limited to 1 way of hanging out... odds are, the things you love to do, the things that make your heart/spirit come alive, come to light, He made you to like those things and is right there with you in those moments... Jesus is life and light... so bam... you're hanging out with Jesus.  

I really, really, REALLY, believe that we as believers of Jesus need to KNOW who He truly is! His nature! I mean face to face kind of getting to know Him, not second hand through a preacher, teacher, friend, family, etc. Don’t get me wrong sharing/learning things through each other is AWESOME, but it would be really weird, if say, a wife got to know/relate to her husband by talking with her mother. Doesn’t make sense really. We can go right to Him and chat/hang. 

Lastly, my gut tells me that even though most of us are sooo freaked out to hear what God has to say to us, He is ecstatic to speak with us and show us His heart. HE desires mercy over judgment… if all He wanted to do was judge us why would He even bother to send Jesus or reach out to us at all?

I’m convinced that we are going to see a people who are living like Jesus did… not only in words/talk, but also in deed/actions!

Thanks for reading!  

10 Commandments: Why? Confessions of a Perfectionist

The "law," 10 Commandments, "rules," and craziness most speak about seems to be ironic coming from a "loving" God right?

If you want a super quick answer. . . scroll to the bottom for the "motto." If you want details and stories read on. . .

I'm a pastor's kid, grew up in the church and most of my life I tried to live up to the "perfect" standards of THE LAW. After years and years I discovered it is IMPOSSIBLE to do this. . . no matter the discipline, no matter the determination, or even the "good intent." I continued to fail. . .

I was pretty mad at God for setting such a absolutely cruel standard of righteousness and holiness . . . telling me I needed to be this way, but knowing FULLY, I COULD NOT.

One day I decided to run away from God and PEACE OUT! I quit and gave up! I decided that since He was ridiculous and I was a big failure it was just time to face the fact of incompatibility. The oddest thing happened to me. . .

In the midst of my running, I kept finding Him, but I would find Him at IHOP at 2am. . . in my conversations with friends, in my dreams, in my thoughts and I flipped. I yelled at Him, "I've given everything to you, everything I love and like. . .and yet you still do not show me that you love me." Then God reminded me of the verse, "Greater love has no man than this; He who lays down his life for a friend."As I started to get ready to tell God that He's never really done that for me a light bulb went on. . . God sent Jesus to literally die on a cross to show me the length of His love for me. . . He knew I would be angry at him, that I would leave him, run from him, and run to other things besides him, but he still let Jesus lay his life down for me. . .

Then it also clicked. . . the "LAW"  . . . all of the rigorous rituals and commands. . . lead me to see. . . I need help. . . I'm not perfect and even though I tried MY best. . . there's NO WAY on this green earth that I can ever be holy enough, good enough, or righteous enough. . . the only way I could live up to such crazy standards is by the assistance of someone who is capable of doing these things AND did them with success. . . that is Jesus Christ.

The whole purpose of the law is to point us to Jesus, not to make us squirm like worms in the dry sun. By natural we as humans are independent, proud, survival of the fittest of which is based in a fear, unless we know that we need help AND are safe to ask for it. . . we won't, ha! I say this from experience!!

God did 2 things then. . . 1) Laid His life down in love. . . to show us His dedication to us and overwhelming love for us (safety) and 2) Created a way for us to live a life with Him that relieves us from striving to be perfect and failing miserably. . . or what the Bible calls. . . "living according to the law."

Motto of the blog. . . the LAW's purpose is to brings us to the knowledge of our need for Jesus as humans and then receive the LIFE of knowing Jesus and letting Him help us through life's adventures. . . :)