Faithfulness in the Future

Who hasn’t been overwhelmed by a vast and unclear future? It’s like the inspirational line in movies “you can do anything if you just set your mind to it”.  There are limitless possibilities and opportunities all leading every different direction. There may be an end goal in sight with no clear directions on how to best arrive there, or it could be the opposite, you can have a map laid out for you but maybe you don’t see the end location. At age 18 high school students are directed to choose the college of their choice where they will spend the next four (or maybe more) years of their lives studying to prepare for a career they will have after college. It’s the American dream. If you work hard enough, if you do well enough, you can do anything, you can get there. The goal and the journey to get there become totally self-centered and self-sustained.

Yet in scripture I find a different view. The Lord is sovereign to lead, and His people are submissive and obedient to follow, often not knowing where they are being led. It is never about the person’s actions or how hard they work. The journey is the story of God’s sovereignty and provision.

Noah is told to build a boat because the earth will flood. I can’t imagine in the slightest what that would look like or the abundance of rain that would take. Noah didn’t disobey although this sounds like a crazy dream or hallucination. I can only imagine how much Noah was mocked and scolded for building a giant boat because the earth was going to be covered in water. But Noah trusted in God, knowing that He is good and sovereign always.

Ruth had no prospects or earthly provision, but she willingly followed the path the Lord had laid for her. Ruth had married one of Naomi’s two sons. Naomi’s husband and both sons died and left her helpless. Ruth stayed with Naomi even in bleak prospects. They had no men to work or care for them or even provide them with shelter and protection. Ruth couldn’t possibly know what was in store for her in her future. She was widowed and following her mother-in-law to an unknown land. Instead of return to her own people or doubt God’s power, Ruth remains steadfast and faithful to God and to Naomi.

Although the future is full of possibilities and options, I see one over-arching path to the journey. Faith. There is a peace and confidence in not knowing- it’s God’s sovereignty. Knowing that the Creator has complete control of your every circumstance lifts such a burden. Relationships, work, provision, it’s all out of your hands. Type A personalities who like to be in control find this so frustrating and defeating. Your works and attempts are irrelevant. Not unimportant, but they are not a controlling or determining factor. You are so loved by God that nothing you do or do not do can change His love for you. His love for you is perfect, and He will fulfill is perfect love in your life. Sometimes that means not knowing, and that’s ok. When you don’t know what the future holds, remember what you do know: God is sovereign. With this in mind, walk in faithfulness and obedience.

But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.”

-Ruth 1:16-17-

And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch… For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you…Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

-Genesis 6:13-14, 17-18, 22-

Perspective Lenses

Yesterday I got glasses. I've been getting miserable headaches particularly from spending lots of time reading or on the computer. I went to the eye doctor for the first time at age 20 to discover my eyes tend to focus on things far away. Since I'm still young my brain just auto-corrects this focus for things that are near me, and thus the headaches appear. So now I wear glasses when I'm doing close-up work. The funny thing is, I can't see things clearly that are far away in my glasses. They have one sole purpose for my eyes- to not let them strain on close things. 

I think we can sometimes have this problem in our faith. Sometimes we put on glasses to so closely analyze one item up-close and personal, and we let the big picture grow slightly hazy. It's not a bad thing to study and analyze certain aspects of faith or of our Creator, but I think it is very important to also maintain an understanding and appreciation for the bigger story. 

Our God is so much bigger than our thought processes or understanding. The bigger story does not change based on our feelings or perception of various realities. God is unchangeable and perfect in absolutely every way. He is much bigger than any problem or doubt we may cross. Just think of the way He designed our minds. Did you know that in any given dream no person is made up? You have seen every person in your dreams before in some capacity- whether it's a dear friend, someone you passed in the hallway at the office, or someone you saw in the crowd while watching a baseball game on TV. Your mind is literally incapable of creating faces. I think that's incredible. Only the Creator of the universe can create new faces. Only the King of kings is able to both make new things and make all things new in His redemption of man and creation. That is one big God. Christianity is the only religion that our God does not demand us to work up a ladder to get to Him. Instead, He descends the stairs into the broken and messed up world, lives a spotless life, and is slaughtered by people who rejected Him. But death had no chains on Him, no power to confine Him. On the third day He conquered the grave and so enables His children to likewise have eternal life with Him in Heaven.

So while it is fascinating and a good thing to study and learn and pick apart reasonings and understandings of your faith, know this: You serve and worship the almighty King who would rather let His only Son die for you than spend eternity without you. 

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"Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows,[c] and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all." -Isaiah 53:1-6-

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God." -John 3:16-18-

Steadfast

Balance is a touchy subject for me. Probably because I have little to none. It hit me today as I was standing on the bus (swaying and falling side to side). I quickly realized it’s much easier to hold onto the metal pole rather than the plastic handle. The handle moves as my hand does, so what good does that do except to cause my arms to fly everywhere too? The handle is actually no better than me standing on my own. But when I released my death-grip on the handle and held onto the metal pole, it was much easier for me to be still.

This morning it was a beautiful reminder of what faith ought to look like. When I grip onto movable things based on my own strength, I am going to shift and sway. It’s not until I grab onto something steady that I am able to stand firm. It is the same with my faith. When I reach out to things that change with seasons, I am uneasy, uncomfortable, and can be swayed. If I put everything I have into school, friends, or organizations, there is nothing perfectly consistent in my life. None of those things are bad by any means, but none of them can serve as an “ultimate”.  What I mean by that is that none of those things can genuinely satisfy me or hold me steady. It is not until I release my grip and reach out to the Lord that I am able to stand firm. I find balance and confidence in who I am by knowing Whose I am. It is not about the works, the grades, the community service hours, the leadership roles, etc.. Those things change and I can always be out-done. The steadfastness is not because of my own ability, but Christ the solid rock. The more I try to grasp onto the unsteady things of this world, the more I shift and sway. But when I seek the Lord first, I am established in His strength. Surrendering the hold I seem to have enables me in turn to be held fast. As I released the handle on the bus this morning in turn for the metal pole, the steadiness came with a much greater ease. When I realize my weakness and seek the strength and steadiness of something so much greater than myself, it is then that I find strength.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” –Colossians 2:6-7-

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.”

-Ephesians 6:10-11-

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heave and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free” –Psalm 146:3-7-

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in th eflesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:7-10-

Mirror & Glass

We seek to please, to a point of fault. It is our fallen nature. We seek to please ourselves, our friends, parents, co workers, family, teachers... The list is endless. We are terrified of disappointment. We act as a mirror to attempt to show what we think we ought. We tweak the reflection to show the image desired... The right words, the classy look, the desired and trustworthy friend, the confident Christian, we try to be a do-all, know it all, have it all together type of person.

But this betrays our hearts. Our hearts are not created to be mirrors, but to be glass. Transparent. To the heart. But not to our heart, to the heart of the King of kings. Our lives are not supposed to be some fake, altered image. They are to be open and honest. Our lives ought to point to the cross of Christ, because it is by His mercy and love that we live and breathe. As our hearts become more in tune with His, the glass becomes more clear. It leads to truth and understanding. The image is not blurred or altered.

As we fall more in love with our Lord, we become more like Him. Loving people is no longer a duty, it is a delight and honor to the soul. Serving is no longer a hassle or inconvenience, it is a priority, a necessary response. As we see God's grace in our own lives, we are more capable to freely give it to others. When we realize that the Father of heaven is just as concerned with our own hearts as anyone else's, we can accept and see that He chooses to work not only through us, but in us as well. As we even begin to grasp His love, the story becomes clear. The subject was never us and the end is not salvation; God's glory is the heart of it all. The earth longs for its creator. The mountains cry out His splendor. The oceans declare His majesty. And we, His children, are created in His image to declare His name for His eternal glory and to extend His kingdom. There is nothing to alter or change. We are called and designed to reveal Him to the ends of the earth.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” –Genesis 1:27

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”” –Matthew 22:37-

“You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” –Psalm 73:24-26-

Justice

God’s gift of an advocate for us defines mercy. It is undeserved, but out of love is given freely. Our human condition in the flesh is innately broken and sinful. In our flesh, we are creatures of darkness. Our heavenly Father saw our wrecked hearts and the great separation between us. His love for us bridged the gap with the cross of Christ. The sacrifice of Jesus was not merited; it was given out of selfless and unconditional love. So after Jesus defeated sin and death, our souls are made pure. Jesus stands at the right hand of the Father not pleading for mercy, but rather demanding justice. Our Savior points to the cross in our place as He claims His own. We are eternally redeemed by a spotless ransom.

~~~

“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” –Abraham Kuyper-

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” -1 John 1:7-9-

“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” -1 John 2:1-2-

“But He was pierced for our transgressions;
 He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” –Isaiah 53:5-

“knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” -1 Peter 1:18-19-

Healing

We all have pain. There is no person in the flesh free of burden or hurt. But we have hope; we have a healer. Jesus did not come to save the righteous, just as the healthy do not need a physician (Matthew 9:11-13). The Lord does not put a bandaid on a scab and leave it hoping it might heal. Nor does He rip off the scab prematurely and leave a scar. He binds our wounds and heals us completely (Isaiah 53:5). He makes us into a new creation as His ransomed child (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:18-21). Our Healer takes His time, for His glory and to establish and fulfill His perfect Will. He allows hardships and pain that we might realize and grasp His might and power (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). We are not promised an easy or clear path, but we are always granted grace and love as believers in Christ (John 16:33). There is literally nothing that can separate us from His love and healing (Romans 8:31-39).

And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” ~Matthew 9:11-13~

“But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.” ~Isaiah 53:5~

 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” ~2 Corinthians 5:17~

 “knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” ~1 Peter 1:18-21~

“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” ~2 Corinthians 12:7-10~

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33~

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:31-39~

Mosaics

I am a mosaic. I am thoughtfully and carefully crafted. There is none other exactly like me. I am made up of many pieces. Some are big and obvious, others are discrete and may go unnoticed. But my potter knows every piece. He sees the strong and beautiful pieces, and He sees the sharp, jagged, and dark pieces. He has placed each with care and a deliberate purpose. Although some pieces may not draw attention for beauty they are crucial to the whole. Every piece is necessary and important for the piece of art. Some may say, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, but I am confident to know that I am a masterpiece of the Most High, created in His image to reflect His nature. I am made of many pieces, so are you; none of us have the same two. We both portray different images and have our own purposes. Yet we are both pottery, created by the Master Craftsman. We are to show His love and the mystery of His story. I am not left on the shelf collecting dust forgotten; I am displayed with pride and joy. I am a beloved and treasured work of art.

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created Him; male and female He created them.” –Genesis 1:27-

"But now, O LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we are all the work of Your hand." -Isaiah 64:8-

"For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” –Psalm 139:13-14-

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” –Ephesians 2:10-

Illumination

Genesis 1:3-5,14-19-

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day… And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so.  And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.”

~~~~~

Darkness is the absence of light. Light serves a purpose to illuminate and provide clarity. As I flew home from a trip to Hong Kong, I got to experience the separation of light and dark in a beautiful way. After leaving Hong Kong I had been exposed to a different kind of darkness where the majority of the population did not proclaim to be believers.  The numbers were intimidating to say the least. Only 5% of the population proclaims to be Christian. But the light that I saw in the city was blinding. The church is growing and expanding in such a beautiful and exciting way. This growth and spread gave me a renewed passion to spread the mystery of the gospel.

As the Lord would have it, we flew home through the night. Whenever I was awake on the plane I stared into the dark abyss that was the ocean out my window. Once we flew over land again we would occasionally fly over a city and see some twinkling lights below. Then I witnessed beauty in a new, indescribable way. I got to experience the sunrise from the air. The imagery gave a whole new meaning to beautiful. The sun rose on the left side of the plane. I stared in awe as the horizon softly lit to muted hues of pink, blue, and purple. It was warm and inviting. To my right, the window displayed only faint glimpses of light given off by the stars still glowing in the black night.  It was a stark contrast. To my left was a new beginning, a fresh start. To my right was the end of something extravagant. As I continued to look on, the light became more and more prominent. Eventually, there was no darkness left at all. There was not a space out any window that had any absence of light. The light had spread to the entire horizon.

This display of majesty would not have been possible first without darkness. Just as a flashlight serves no purpose in a well-lit place, a sunrise would not be magnificent without a dark night first. The Lord reminds me of my calling in such sweet ways. In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus speaks identity into His followers: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” We are the light that reflects Christ. Granted, our light looks like a flashlight to the sun when comparing our light to that of the King of Creation. Regardless, our purpose is to provide clarity and illuminate that which is without light. Light expels darkness. Both cannot be present at the same time, because darkness is the absence of light. So in the presence of light, darkness is overpowered.  We are called to reflect the love of our Savior.  C.S. Lewis describes the illumination of the gospel with the words: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” As we reflect God’s character we pour forth truth.  As we shine the light of our King, we expel darkness.






~~~~~

Windex

Today,
it's a beautiful day in College Station, TX. I decided to spend the late afternoon sitting outside in the courtyard of my dorm, drinking my favorite blue gatorarde, listening to my favorite country music, while I study for my dreaded exam tonight.


I suddenly became distracted by a playful bird. He left his perch from the tree to come down near a ground-level window. He hopped and flapped around, watching his own reflection play with him in the window. I was alarmed, and slightly amused, when he flew right into the window, and hard I might add. He fell and looked quite flustered. The interesting thing was, this window wasn't even like Windex clean. He returned to his perch for about 15 minutes. I observed as he descended again and approached the window. This time he was slightly more cautious, but the exact same thing happened. I couldn't contain my laughter. The foolish bird literally just ran beak-first into the same window not even 20 minutes ago! Why would he come back for seconds?


Then it hit me. I'm the bird. That window is my sinful nature. It appears fun and inviting. But it is not open or life-giving. It will trick me time and time again, like a Windex commercial. Sin makes promises that are so tempting and inviting. Idols come up and appear promising and fulfilling. But any idol will ask me to die for it countless times; but only will my true Savior actually lay down His own life for me. God sits, always nearby, like a mom at a park who won't let her tot out of sight. He watches. Sometimes He may let me run into the window, and other times He may intervene. But the important thing is, He is always there. He never sits inside and teases, laughs, and watches indifferently. He's right there with me. He's there to slow or redirect my path, and He's there to pick me up if I disobediently run into that window. He loves me because I am His. I am His creation. He loves me, not because I deserve it, but because He is love, it is His character. 


So I encourage you, whether you're running into windows or maybe you're not at the moment. Wherever you are, seek the Lord. His presence goes with you continually.

1 Chronicles 16:11
Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

Mind-blowing Humility

“And then she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

–Luke 2:7-

“O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as You are, O LORD, with Your faithfulness all around You? You rule the raging sea; when its waves rise, You still them…The heavens are Yours; the earth also is Yours; the world and all that is in it, You have founded them.”

-Psalm 89:8-9,11-

This baby laid in a manger is the same King of creation. This baby born to the broken earth of a virgin is the God who created the swelling oceans and the cross-shaped protein Laminin (literally the glue of your body). This King has the might and ability to control the entire universe. Yet, He humbled Himself to be born in a barn. He did not come to the Earth in wealth or comfort. Jesus came as a selfless servant. Every moment of Jesus’ life on Earth is a picture of perfect love. Our Savior was humbled to be born in a stable, because the town had no room for their own Creator. More than that, Jesus grew in stature and wisdom, lived a sinless life, and surrendered Himself willingly to death. Christ defeated death, sin, and hell. He rose from the grave and now sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. Our King has walked our steps before we were even formed in the womb. He knows our hearts intimately. He yearns to walk with us. Realizing His peace and rest grants surpassing satisfaction.

Connections Not to be Overlooked

Today, the devotional I usually send out via text message was MUCH too long to text. As the wheels in my head turned, my thirst for Scripture grew. So today’s devotional is just some thoughts and truths I have found in Scripture and through various connections. Since these thoughts are conceived with Scripture, I want to be clear in Scripture’s truth.

“All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 4:16-17-

That being said, I’ll dive in. I’m sorry that these thoughts may seem unorganized. I was a little overwhelmed by all of the connections and truths, so I attempted to write as fast as my mind was thinking. So this post will consist of verses and my thoughts all intertwined. Here we go.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:16-18-

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, less you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” –Galatians 6:1-3-

“Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.” –Ephesians 4:26-27-

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 3:13-14-

“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and I tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities.” –Acts 26:9-11-

>> Paul writing of his character and actions before his life in Christ

"If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful- for He cannot deny Himself." -2 Timothy 2:11-13-

SOME POINTS TO MAKE:

-God’s faithfulness is not contingent upon my faithfulness

-peoples’ sin is not their identity

-no one is “too far” or “too bad” to be redeemed

-God does not need our help for our salvation

-our efforts are fruitless apart from Christ

-community for the believer is crucial and life-giving

-dwelling in anger or guilt results in a self-centered focus; pressing forward points to Christ and His work

-pressing on toward Christ is an active pursuit

MORE SCRIPTURE:

“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” –Philippians 1:6-

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” –Hebrews 12:1-2-

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” -2 Peter 1:5-11-

MORE THOUGHTS:

-the day that Jesus went to the cross He made the decision He would rather DIE for you than spend eternity without you… there is no reason to ever doubt His love

-our faith is founded & completed in Christ—it is not of ourselves or our own might

-a Christian is not satisfied without growth; we are either growing or we are moving backwards

-if Jesus is not our focus or the love and goal of our hearts, our efforts and works are purposeless & fruitless

-Jesus doesn’t beg for mercy to pardon our sins before the Father, He demands for justice because our sins have already been accounted for through His death on the cross

-religion and the law say “do”, but Jesus says “done”

MORE SCRIPTURE:

“Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” –Galatians 3:23-26-

“By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes His heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” -1 John 3:16-18-

“By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.  So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.  We love because he first loved us.  If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.” -1 John 4:13-21-

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” –Matthew 7:7-8-

MORE THOUGHTS:

-the law serves the purpose of leading us to Christ and His perfection

-the end goal and result is God

-Christians are called to be “imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1)

-if God is love, and we are called to imitate God, we are called to be love

-true love is a selfless & joyful sacrifice

-we cannot know or believe in God apart from love

-God is perfect love, we are called to be and to share His love to His people- to give confidence in Christ and in the Spirit, that by love and grace we know we are redeemed

-seek God, He does not hold out or hide Himself, you will find God and in so doing, you will find love

I love y'all and I hope that these beautiful truths were refreshing to those of you who took the time to sit and read through my rambling!