Softie...

Maybe it's just me...I am sure that it isn't, but youcan tell me if I am alone on this or not.

I AM A SOFTIE!! I am not sure I even spelled that right! Anywho, I feel like a part of my manliness (if I had any) is gone! Maybe I am being too harsh on myself! And you do realize it is going to do nothing but get worse. Part of me says "It's okay. You will survive!" I don't know, I am worried about all this though. However touching it may be, I feel lost in a sea of captivation and contentment and unceasing love all at the same time. Let me show what I am talking about...

Now, do you see? Can you really understand? I know, I know every parent is biased about THEIR children and I do get that. But let me ask you a question...Isn't God wonderful? There is nothing bad about what He gives to us and what He does for us! Our children are joyous and rotten and exciting and just plain DREAMY! And I don't care if you call me a SOFTIE or MUSHY because our children are perfect gifts from Heaven above! Live life and live it well because of the GOOD that God gives to us! You only have one shot at your children and one shot at life!!

Religious Evasion...

"There is very little time and occasion for openness in most of our gatherings because we fear it. We think it may lead to confrontation, anger, and divisiveness. We are not open because we fear what others will think of us and do to us. If we honestly compared the amount of time in church spent thinking about what others think or might think with the amount of time spent thinking about what God is thinking, we would probably be shocked."

Often the 'eyeservice" that occurs in present-day church services comes in the form of trying to "move" people. "Wasn't that a great service," we often say. But what do we mean? Are we really thinking of how God felt about the service? What is the correlation between God's view of a great service and the human view? At this stage does the phrase, "Truly, truly they have their reward" apply to us?"

"Maybe the words of Ezekiel might ring true for us...

Everyone is talking about you all the time. They say, "Come and let's hear what the word is from the Lord." And they sit befor you as my people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them. For their mouths talk devotion but their hearts seek wicked gains. Why, you are just like one who sings about love with a beautiful voice and a well-played instrument. They hear what you are saying, but do not do it." Ezekiel 33:31-32

Adapted from The Divine Conspiracy

Are we seeking human approval or God's? Are we comfortable where we are and with what we do? Are we making sure we get it RIGHT in our eyes? or God's?

Tell me what you think...

Are you the problem? Good, cause it ain't me...

"Heaven has forgiven people in it. Hell has forgiven people in it."

What do you think of that comment?

I like it, matter of fact I believe it and will stand by it. Simply on the basis of the idea that this is the true essence of the God that we worship, question, have faith in, revere, serve... Is it really needed to understand the nature of the one true God? It is needed for us to just comprehend that He is LOVE? Let's not forget that He is also a just God, but that He is righteous in that sentencing of justice!! But, can we just go on with knowing the fact that God LOVES us that much and that His forgiveness reaches that far? Jonah didn't think so. You know that Jonah KNEW that God would forgive the Ninevites? That is why he ran. That is why he was afraid, because he KNEW that God is "compassionate and slow to anger and abounding in love..."So what is the problem?

The problem is our choice! We choose heaven or hell! We choose...the reason I know that is because God wants EVERYONE to repent! He waits patiently for it!! Only love will break the hard at heart.We are not perfect people, just worship a forgiving, jealous, just and loving God!

Just taking a commercial break...

Tell me what you think of this...

"Biblically, there is nothing more detestable than a self-righteous disciple. He is so swollen with conceit that his mere presence is unbearable. However, a nagging question arises. Have I so insulated myself in a fortified city of rationalizations that I cannot see that I may not be as different from the self-righteous as I would like to think?
The following scenario plays in my imagination:
A humble woman seeks me out because of my vaunted reputation as a spiritual guide. She is simple and direct:
"Please teach me how to pray."
Tersely, I inquire, "Tell me about your prayer life."
She lowers her eyes and says contritely, "There's not much to tell. I say grace before meals."
Haughtily, I reply, "You say grace before meals! Isn't that nice, Madam. I say grace upon waking and before retiring, and grace again before reading the newspaper and turning on the television. I say grace before ambulating and meditating, before the theater and the opera, before jogging, swimming, biking, dining, lecturing, and writing. I even say grace before I say grace."

That night soggy with self-approval, I go before the Lord.
And He whispers, "You ungrateful turd. Even the desire to say grace is itself My gift."

Discipline of Grace Chapter 3...

PREACH THE GOSPEL TO YOURSELF EVERY DAY!

First, before you read this 3rd part of this blog you must read Romans 3:19-26...you must read it at least twice and then pray about it and then read it again! Seriously! DO IT! DOO IT!



Alright, did you read it? Ok, here goes...

"It is not our contrition or sorrow for our sin, it is not our repentance, it is not even the passing of a certain number of hours during which we feel we are on some kind of probation that cleanses us. It is the blood of Christ, shed once for all on Calvary 2000 years ago but appropriated daily or even many times a day, that cleanses our consciences and gives us a renewed sense of peace with God."

"To preach the gospel then to yourself, then, means that you continually face up to your own sinfulness and then flee to Jesus through faith in His shed blood and righteous life. It means that you appropriate, again by faith, the FACT that Jesus FULLY satisified the law of God, that He is your propitiation, and that God's holy wrath is no longer directed toward you!"


"Therefore there is now NO condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus!"

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now answer the question, "Why do I keep doing it wrong all the time? Why can't I quit? Why can't I stop? How can I stop? Our goal is "preach the gospel to ourselves" EVERYDAY!

Hallelujah! What a Savior!!

The Discipline of Grace...

Okay the 2nd Chapter of this book...

He has discussed self-righteousness in this chapter, see what you think...

"I am patient with you because I love you and want to forgive you.

I am kind to you because I love you and want to help you.

I do not envy your possessions or your gifts because I love you and want you to have the best.

I do not boast about my attainments because I love you and want to hear about yours.

I am not proud because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.

I am not rude becuse I love you and care about your feelings.

I am not self-seeking because I love you and want to meet your needs.

I am not easily angered by you because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.

I do no keep a record of your wrongs because I love you, and 'love covers a multitude of sins'."

Is there any room for self-righteousness in the light of this practical standard of love?

Now think of this one,

"Believers obey Christ as the one by whom our obedience is accepted by God. Believers know all their duties are weak, imperfect and unable to abide in God's presence. Therefore, they look to Christ as the one who bears the iniquity of their holy things, who adds incense to their prayers, gathers out all the weeds from their duties and makes them acceptable to God."

Even our own GOOD performance needs repentance and cleansing!! Even your best stuff is in need of the Grace of God! WOW! Let that sink in for a little while and tell me what you think...

Love ya!

How Good Is Good Enough?

This quote was taken from Jerry Bridges book called "The Discipline of Grace"...

"We know, of course, how central the forgiveness of our sins is to salvation. We preach it, we believe in it. We see that first repentance and surrender to Christ as a glorious moment. We also accept that having come to the Lord, we continue to purify our lives. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. But in talking with many believers, I get the imprssion that most of us consider the on-going repentance of the saved as a not-so-glorious experience. A sort of sad necessity.

Sin grieves God. We must not down-play the seriousness of it in the life of a believer. But we must come to terms with the fact that God's Grace is GREATER THAN ALL OUR SINS. Repentance is one of the Christian's highest privileges. A repentant Christian focuses on God's mercy and God's grace. Any moment in our lives when we bask in God's mercy and grace is our highest moment. Higher than when we feel smug in our decent performance and cannot think of anything we need to confess.

Whenever we fail--and fail we will, the Spirit of God will work on us and being us to the foot of the cross where Jesus carried our failures. That is potentially a glorious moment. For we could at that moment accept God's abundant Mercy and Grace and go forth with nothing to boast of except Christ Himself, or else we struggle with our shame, focusing on that as well as our track record. We fail because we shifted our attention from Grace and Mercy. One who draws on God's Mercy and Grace is quick to repent, but also slow to sin."

How awesome is this? I don't know why, but I have never really thought about it this way...It should be a glorious thing when take ourselves out of the picture, admit where we stand and completely rely on the mercy and grace of God...not only do we need this as individuals, but as "church"!

If only, if only...