The Struggle of the New Me

With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:17, 18, 22-24, 30 NLT)

How diferent do I look from everyone else? According to this the answer should be pretty drastically. I have to put to death my old way of life because Jesus came and died for me so that I could have a new one! This is a difficult process, a daily battle. You see, I don't always want to put on my new nature, sometimes I want to be spiteful and rude. Sometimes I want to be angry and hold a grudge. I don't always want to show the love that Jesus has shown to me. Why? Because people are jerks. While that may be true, if I claim to have Jesus then I don't get to make that choice. You see, part of being a follower of Jesus is actually following. That means He calls the shots. He says to put on the new nature daily, so that is what I'm supposed to do! It's really not that complicated, although it is difficult. 

When it comes down to it, why should I listen to Him anyway? Well, you could say that I owe Him one. And by that I mean the biggest one of all time. How do you repay someone who saved you from eternal damnation? The short answer is you don't. But a good place to start is by doing what He asks you to do. He has called me His own, which is beyond amazing! He has guaranteed that I will be saved on the last day! The least I can do is live for Him until that time comes!

Enjoy the Jourey

Missional

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3:6, 10 NLT)

The church is an amazing thing. Truthfully I spend way too much time complaining about it, but just stop and think about it for a second. Where else can you find that many different types of people under the same roof? Every nationality, gender, and social class need Jesus. Why? Because are all sinners who need a Savior. Ir is. Job as the church to show the world the wisdom of the plan of God. If we took that responsibility a little more seriously, it would be incredible! We do pretty good for a little while, and then we forget. I know it's natural, but we need to keep our mission at the forefront of our minds to keep us on track. 

The church is beautiful. God's plan is perfect. I need to be careful the way that I talk about it. Yes, people inside the church are not perfect, but that includes me! That doesn't change the fact that the church is God's plan to save the world! So instead of spending my time complaining about her shortcomings, I need to spend it celebrating the amazing things she is doing and striving to do my best to represent God in everything I do! 

I need to stay on mission: show the world God's wisdom.

Enjoy the Journey 

From Death to Life

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. (Ephesians 2:1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15 NLT)

Being alive is something that I think most of us take for granted. I don't usually think about breathing...except now that I'm thinking about it! We are on autopilot so much of our lives. But here it says that we used to be dead because of our sins. Of course he is speaking spiritually, which means that we were separate from God. This is a big problem for us, because it means that we were on the he fast track to hell. It is only through Jesus that we can be raised to life. The thing about that is there is nothing I can do to help myself, I totally depend on Jesus. This takes me and my ego out of the equation. I don't have anything to brag about, all I did was sin and get forgiveness anyway! This is the good news of the gospel, and it is the good news of the Christmas season. Jesus came, even though we didn't deserve it, and did what only He could do...He made us right with God!

Enjoy the Journey

Got Scars?

It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. (Galatians 6:15, 17 NLT)

This is a question that Paul is just tired of dealing with! People were trying to put things on the believers that weren't necessary and say that they are necessary. The ritual of circumcision was to show that you were a part of the Jewish nation and therefore set apart as one of God's people. With Jesus, all of that changed. It was no longer about becoming a Jew, it was about becoming like Christ. This is what Paul is addressing..for what he hopes will be the last time. It takes a long time for people who have been doing something one way forever to change. It used to be essential to be circumcised or you would be cut off from God! You can see how this would be a difficult thing to convince the Jews of after several thousand years. 

All that being said, what matters is whether or not you have been changed by Christ. Have you been transformed into a new creation? What is different about you now? Paul then goes on to talk about the scars he has that proves that he belongs to Jesus. You see, following Jesus is costly. When you are transformed, it causes friction with the world. You'll get some scars. It is easy to talk, but the proof is in how you life your life. The question I have to answer is this: Am I willing to get scarred up for Jesus? My answer is absolutely! Bring it.

Enjoy the Journey 

The Week of Dad Recap

And so the 'Week of Dad' comes to an end. This past week I have been on staycation and it has been great. It has given me time that I do not normally have to spend with my son Micah. I can't even begin to talk about how blessed I am to be his dad. There are so many moments in life that we just take for granted until we slow down long enough to actually realize what is happening. No, we didn't go anywhere fancy, but this week I got to play at the park, go to the beach, and see fireworks (his first fireworks show) with the best kid in the world!

I spent almost every moment that he was awake this week with him, and it was incredible. God is amazing, I don't know how many times I just stopped and starred in awe. Micah is a sweet little guy who wants to help with everything, and he actually is pretty helpful most of the time! I wouldn't trade this past week for anything, and I am more than a little bit sad that it is over. 

One thing that I have learned this week is just how precious the time that we have with our family really is. The best times of the week were when the 3 of us were together (and fully engaged with one another). We can take a marble out of Micah's jar this week and I can honestly say, we've made the most of our time. 

You don't have to go anywhere to make memories, you just have to be present. So dads, be present in your kid's life (and your wife's life as well), because God has blessed you tremendously. 3 things I know: I love Jesus, I love Abi, and I love Micah!

Enjoy the Journey

Living by the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:22-24 NIV)

Crucifying the flesh is really hard to do. This is the way I want to life, but I fall short of it all the time. My desires have changed since I have come to Christ that is for sure, but it would be a pretty big stretch to say that I don't have 'desires of the flesh.' It is actually very frustrating and I find myself identifying with Paul when he talks about doing things he doesn't want to do all the time. 

Trying to live by the fruit of the Spirit is a difficult task, but it is one that is so important! I know that in order to actually get rid of bad habits you have to replace them with new good habits. It's time to get to work. 

Enjoy the Journey 

Why Can't I Do It Myself?

Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.” My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. (Galatians 2:16, 20, 21 NLT) 

This takes some pressure off. I am a goal person, and nothing makes me more miserable than failing to reach my goal. Too May times it feels like the goal is to be able to obey the law perfectly so that God will love me. This is impossible, and if it is my goal, I will always fail. God knew this from the beginning, and He gave us the law so that we could see how much needed Jesus. My life makes that pretty clear, I fall short every day. That is why it would be so frustrating if following the law perfectly was the goal of this life. 

That doesn't mean that we shouldn't try to keep the law. God made it therefore it is perfect and we should do our best to obey it. However, we have to remember that the law doesn't save us, Jesus does. Like Paul says at the end of the chapter, if the law could mark us right with God, then there would have been no reason for Jesus to come here and die. So clearly that was never the plan to start with. Thank goodness Jesus did come here and die so that I could be made right with God. 

Now when I am baptized (according to Romans 6), I am buried with Jesus and raised to walk in a newness of life. I have been cruicified with Him and I no longer live but it is Christ who lives in me. His grace means evening, because getting to God isn't something I can do on my own. I can try as hard as I want to, I can put all of my Type A personality to use, and I will never get there. That is why Jesus came. That is why it's called good news. His grace is amazing!

Enjoy the Journey

This Verse Terrifies Me

Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. (Galatians 1:8 NLT)

This verse is terrifying for me. I teach and disciple almost every day of week. That means I have to know my stuff and make sure that I am am teaching the truth, otherwise, according to this verse, I will be cursed! I've often said I should go be a weatherman, that way it wouldn't really matter if I was wrong 60% of the time! But here we aren't taking about weather, we are talking about the eternal destination of people's souls! Messing this up is a big deal. That is why it is so important for me to study the Word of God to make sure that what I am saying is the truth. That is also why the language in this verse is so strong. There isn't room for an 'oops' moment here, we have to get it right. 

It is a tremendous amount of pressure, a very heavy burden, so why carry it? The truth is, it would be much easier to do something else. Not that other things require less skill necessarily, but the consequences are less...eternal. The reason I do what I do is simple: God has called me to it. There is no other reason. There is no other explanation. When God has called me to do something, I don't see how I can do anything else! I don't say that to complain, I love what I do, I'm just stating a fact. I've often wondered what it would be like to have a different kind of job, but God keeps on showing me that I am exactly where he wants me to be.

My prayer is that He will continue to guide and direct me, that He will give me the words to say, and that I will have the courage to follow Him wherever He leads.

Enjoy the Journey

The Secret to My Awesome Marriage

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. (Proverbs 31:10, 11, 30 NLT)

Your spouse will make or break you. Choosing a wife is the second most important decision that you will ever make (1st to follow Jesus)! Choose wisely my friends. 

I know that I will get in trouble if she reads this, but that's ok. I married a Proverbs 31 woman! I am beyond blessed to be married to Abi. She is more precious to me than anything but Jesus. I can trust her with anything, and she definitely enriches my life. She is beautiful physically, and works hard to maintain that beauty, but more importantly she is beautiful spiritually. She is an anchor in my life. I know that her counsel will always be rooted in the ways of God. 

She loves Jesus more than anyone I know, and that allows her to love Micah and I well. I could never ask for a better wife or a better mother for my son. I am so thankful for Abigail Blount. I love her with all of my heart.

Gentlemen, be picky, choose wisely, it's worth it!

Enjoy the Journey 

The Criticism that Counts

Whoever stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery. (Proverbs 29:1 NLT)

Accepting criticism is one of the hardest things to do. I think it's because I always think I'm right. I know that might sound weird, but if I didn't think I was right it wouldn't do what I did! As a result, accepting criticism is hard to do because it means that I have to swallow my pride. In ministry this is especially hard because criticism (fair or unfair) is a constant reality. There is always someone with an opinion of what you've done wrong or what you should have done differently. It is so easy to get defnisve or just want to hand it all over to them and let them deal with it. But that is not what God has called me to do. 

Having a good filter for what criticism to listen to is so important. Not all criticism is valid and not all criticism should even be listened to, however I know that I am not (and never will be) a perfect person or leader. I need people in my life who are honest enough with me to tell me the truth when I need to do something better or differently. 

I think in many ways criticism keeps us humble. It helps us to remember (if we let it) that we are not perfect, but we are serving a perfect God. Since the God we are serving is perfect, who owe it to Him to continue to improve everything we do. My prayer is that I will learn to filter our the criticism that doesn't matter, and that I will learn to grow from the criticism that counts.

Enjoy the Journey

He is Greater

John the Baptist comes on the scene, and he is a fascinating character. H is out in the wilderness dressed like a wild man, but people are flocking out to hear what he has to say. He is drawing such a crowd that the Pharisees and Saducees even come out to see what's going on! He is baptizing people and warning them to flee from the coming wrath. He is also preaching about one who is to come after him who will save the world. It is pretty amazing that all of this popularity doesn't go to John's head. But I guess if you really realize that the Son of God is right around the corner it kind of keeps things in perspective.

As a pastor, I have the same job as John...to prepare the way for Jesus. The smae temptation is there as well...to gather followers for me and not for Him. There is real danger here because it feels good when people want to follow you. However if I am attracting followers for myself that means I am taking them away from Jesus. That puts me in direct competition with the Son of God! Not a good place to be. I have to guard against that temptation by continually focusing on the greatness of Jesus. I know I don't compare to Him, but if I take my eyes off of Him for awhile I can start to become full of myself. 

So I have to focus on what I know about Jesus. He is perfect, I am not. He came to save the world, something I couldn't do. He has made me right with God, something I was powerless to accomplish. He can save, I cannot. 

If I remember those things, it is easy to put Him before me. The truth of the matter is, He is greater. He must become greater, I must become less.

Enjoy the Journey

It's a Sign!

It amazes me how many times in chapter 2 alone there are references to the words of the prophets. We see it in verses 5, 15, 17, and 23! Jesus fulfilled 4 Messianic prophecies in 23 verses! That's a pretty big deal, and it reveals a pretty big God. The plan has been in place since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden. The 1st Messianic prophecy was all the way back in Genesis chapter 3! God has been weaving this plan of redemption from the very beginning, and now it is finally coming to pass...in spite of Herod's best efforts.

The Magi come from the east to find the new child king, and so they go to the current king to find out where the child is so they can worship Him. Herod seems shocked, and obviously wasn't well read in his Bible, so he asks about it. Once he is informed that the child will be born in Bethlehem (according to prophecy), he sends the Magi on their way with instructions to let him know what is going on so he too can worship the child (and by worship I mean kill). Herod was paranoid, as confirmed by history, he would kill anyone who he thought was even a potential threat to his throne. So when the Magi didn't come back, he did the logical (and by logical I mean crazy person) thing to do, he killed all the boys 2 years old and younger in Bethlehem (which also fulfilled a prophecy)! Thankfully Jesus and the family had already left town to go to Egypt (which was also a prophecy)!

Once Herod died Joseph brought his family back to Israel, but he was afraid of Herod's son killing them so he moved his family to Nazareth. This is why Jesus is known as a Nazarene, although He was born in Bethlehem (a fulfillment of prophecy!). It is pretty incredible the amount of detail that God is putting into His story. It is also pretty amazing to know that I am a part of the same story! That means that God is still writing the story, and He is still in control. It is a very comforting thought, because sometimes I feel like I'm just spinning out of control. The good news is I was never in control to start with. I'm learning to be ok with that!

Enjoy the Journey

There is Always a Plan

The first chapter of Matthew starts out with a genealogy of Jesus...super exciting! Ok maybe not, but check out verse 17: "Thus there were 14 generations in all from Abraham to David, 14 from David to the exile to Babylon, and 14 from the exile to the Christ." My mind is blown. There is a plan, and it isn't mine, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. 14 generations between all of the most significant events in human history! 14 generations between the time Abraham is chosen to be the father of the nation of Israel, from whom the Savior of the World would come, until David, the 'man after God's own heart' and Israel's most famous king. Then 14 more generations and Israel is banished from God's presence for turning their backs on Him, and finally 14 more generations until Jesus finally arrives. I don't know what the significance of 14 generations is, but as I am a little OCD myself, I think this is awesome! If nothing else it shows that God meant to do exactly what He did from the very beginning. He isn't just making this stuff up as He goes along! That is a pretty comforting thought.

Keeping that theme, look at the birth of Jesus. It happens in such a weird way. Who has a baby without having sex? Just Mary. Why is it important? Because it was prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin! There is a plan, and if you are willing to look for it, you can see that Jesus meets all of the expectations of the Messiah. God wasn't playing around with these prophets in the Old Testament. Some people think the Old Testament isn't worth anything. But let me pose this question to you, if we didn't have all of the prophecies about Jesus, how would we know what to look for? How would we know He wasn't just good at magic tricks? In a more practical sense, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my ancestors either, so the Old Testament and it's figures are fairly important in the life of Jesus. If I still need more proof, Jesus quotes the Old Testament all the time!

I love verses 22-23 of chapter 1, "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel'-which means, 'God with us.'" I don't think I give that enough thought, God with us. God, who doesn't need me for anything, came down here? Really!? It sounds kind of crazy truthfully. The truth of the matter is that He could have just started over. He spoke everything into existence once, He could do it again. It would have probably been even easier than sending Jesus down here! I'm sure Jesus would have been for it! 'You mean I don't have to die a terrible death!? Awesome!' But that isn't what happened. Instead Immanuel, God with us, came to save the world. Heroes never take the easiest road, and Jesus is no exception.

Enjoy the Journey

Love and Truth

John's 3rd letter is to a man named Gaius. He encourages him to continue to be friendly and hospitable to other believers, especially those who are spreading the gospel. He is talking about missionaries, and encouraging him to continually give them his full support. He contrasts the things Gaius is doing with another man in the church named Diotrephes. He discourages people from helping the missionaries and even kicks them out if they do! John calls this evil. He also commends a man named Demetrius for having a good reputation and speaking the truth.

In this short letter John again emphasizes 2 things: love and truth. These things are supposed to work hand in hand in my life. Really all 3 of John's letters come down to this point. How am I loving other people and how am I speaking the truth to them? It seems so simple, but I have to have a plan in order to make it happen. Otherwise I can go years without even talking to anyone about Jesus that doesn't already know Him! This is not what I'm supposed to be doing. Making disciples implies that people weren't disciples before. It's time to kick it into high gear.

Enjoy the Journey

Love and Truth

John is writing to 'a lady chosen by God along with her children.' I'm not sure if he's talking about an actual lady or if he's writing to the church (often referred to as the bride of Christ), but either way, what he has to say is beneficial to us me. He reminds her and her children to live by 'the command we received from the beginning': love each other! But this time he goes on to clarify that he isn't talking about some abstract concept or feeling. He says in verse 6:

"Love is defined by our obedience to His commands." If I follow the teachings of Jesus, I will be living in love of my fellow man.

He also warns again that there are many people out there who are denying the reality of the gospel. Not only that but they are teaching other people to do the same. I have to be very careful around these people. In fact, John says not even to welcome them into my home as a brother or sister. Why? That doesn't sound very loving does it?

Notice that John doesn't say to never associate with them or try to get them on the right track. He simply says not to treat them as a brother or sister in Christ, because they aren't! If I pretend everything is ok when it isn't ok, that isn't love. The most loving thing I can do is talk with someone about the gospel because when they come to faith in Jesus, it will save them for eternity. Is it loving to know someone is going to hell, but treat them as if they are going to heaven? John goes so far as to say if I welcome this person and their teaching you are partnering with them in their wicked agenda.

The importance of being in the Word of God can't be overstated. How else will I know if what other people are teaching is truth? I don't think pleading ignorance is going to work either. I have the very words of God, I just have to read them. God's will and His word are not hidden, so I am without excuse.

Enjoy the Journey

Love God BY Loving Others

I don't think we should be paranoid, but I've been wrong before. John again opens the chapter by saying watch out who you listen to. Even just a few years after His death, there were many false teachers springing up. He tells them they can tell a false teacher (or spirit) by listening carefully to what they say. If they admit that Jesus was fully man and fully God, then you can trust what they are saying. This was a big deal then, many people were claiming Jesus was fully God, but were denying the fact that He was man because God wouldn't lower Himself to become a man. Today we have the opposite problem: people are willing to accept that Jesus was a man, a good teacher even, but He couldn't have been God. The problem is that Jesus Himself claimed to be both. So He can't be a good teacher if what He said wasn't true can He? Again, the key here is to know what Jesus said by reading the Scripture, and then you will be able to tell if the people who are teaching you are telling you the truth. Test everything, eternity is at stake. 

He then goes on another discourse about love. He reminds us that we have to love each other, or we can't love God. He says that I can't claim to love God (who I've never seen face to face) if I can't love my brother (who I have seen face to face). What does love look like? Check this out:

"This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

That is love. Being willing to die for someone who doesn't even like you, much less love you back. This is the message of the gospel, not that we have a God who is trying to send everyone to hell, but that we have a God who loved us so much that He was willing to send His Son on a death mission to save us from it. If God loves me that much, it should change the way I look at the things He asks me to do. He doesn't ask me to do things so that I won't have fun, He asks me to do things because He has my best interests at heart. How do I know? The cross. How do I prove that I love Him? I do what He says. He says to love others. So I'm working everyday to make my priorities the same as His: the world. 

Enjoy the Journey 

God as My Dad

Having a son of my own has dramatically changed the way that I read and understand scripture. The fact that we are called children of God is absolutely mind blowing. I love my son in a way that I can't love other people's kids. It is just on a different level. It's not to say that I don't love and want the best for other people's kids, but my kid is different. He is special to me. I would give anything for Him. It is a love that you can't understand until you have kids (I always rolled my eyes when people said that, but I get it now). So for God to call me His child is unbelievable. Especially since He chose me to be His child. I'm not a natural born son of God, I'm adopted. That is even more unbelievable. Even with all of the junk and the baggage that I bring with me, He loves me like a son. 

I know that I'm not a good person by God's standards. I know that nobody is a good person by God's standards because we all have sin in our lives. Knowing that and knowing that God still calls me His child is almost too much to take. Frankly, there are kids I wouldn't want to adopt. If God were like me, this world would be in a lot of trouble! Thankfully, God is nothing like me, He is infinitely better! His love is deeper than I can even fathom. 

Of course God doesn't adopt everyone, this is written to believers. So how do you know if you are a child of God? The Bible covers this topic throughout its pages, but it is summarize like this: A child of God believes, has repented (or turned away from their sin), confessed Jesus as Lord, has been baptized, and is living for Jesus. Check out what John says here:

"Everyone who has been born into God's family avoids sin as a lifestyle because the genes of God's children come from God Himself. Therefore, a child of God can't live a life of persistent sin so it is not hard to figure out who are the children of God and who are the children of the diabolical one: those who lack right standing and those who don't show love for another do not belong to God."

This isn't a 'you slip up once and you're out' kind of thing. God knows that we will all sin, but there is a big difference between sinning and living a lifestyle of sin. Children of God do not lead lifestyles of sin because they have 'God's genes.' Children of God are new creations, they don't live like their dead because they aren't dead anymore! This isn't meant to be a legalistic, it isn't a 'you can't mess up too many times or God won't love you anymore' kind of thing. It is saying that children of God love Him and do their best to do the things that make Him proud. It is like the relationship between a parent and a child. It's almost as if God had that in mind when He planned the family (who would have thought He'd plan things out?)! 

This is a beautiful picture of God's love. A love that I don't deserve. Knowing this makes it even more beautiful. It helps me rest easy knowing I can call the God of the universe Dad.

Enjoy the Journey

Following Jesus is Hard

Following Jesus isn't something you just put on autopilot. It is hard work and it takes intentional steps every single day. John says you aren't following Jesus unless you are doing what He says. That seems almost dumbed down, but think about it. How many people do you know who claim to be followers of Christ that don't even try to keep some of the commands of Jesus because they are just too hard? According to John, these people aren't following Jesus. That doesn't mean that we won't ever sin, and John addresses that. He says that Jesus stands up for us when we sin. However, there is a big difference between someone who sins and someone who leads a lifestyle of sin. For example, there is a big difference between someone who lied and a liar. A liar is someone who constantly says things that aren't true. This person is not following Jesus. Probably a more socially accepted one would be sex before marriage. The Bible states over and over again that this is sin. If I am having sex before I am married, I am not following Jesus. Like I said, following Jesus is difficult, and sometimes it causes us to go against our culture. 

Later on, John says that we don't even know God if we don't love. Wow. I mean I love some people, mostly people who love me back...but is that really what he is talking about? How does God love people? Well, He sent Jesus to die for us 'while we were still sinners,' so I think that is a if clue. How can I claim to love God and walk closely with Him if I don't love people? According to John, I can't. 

Again John warns that people are already teaching false things about Jesus. He calls them antichrists. Actually this is where we get the term antichrist from. The term is never used in Revelation. That's just an interesting side note. Anyway, he comes back again to the thought that I need to be careful who I listen to about Jesus. I need to be in the Word myself so that I will be able to tell when people are saying things that aren't true. Following Jesus is hard, but it is the only way to eternal life.

Enjoy the Journey

Do I Really Walk with God?

John opens his letter by reminding us who Jesus is. Jesus has been with God from the beginning, He is perfect in every way. Yet He came down and spent time here on earth, with John himself! So who better to listen to about Jesus than someone who actually hung out with Him! John was very close to Jesus, in fact he was known as the 'disciple Jesus loved.' So when John speaks about Jesus, we can trust it, because he knew Jesus very well. 

He goes on to talk about walking with God. He says that God is pure light, and if you are still stumbling around in the dark, then you can't say you are walking with God. In other words, if you are still deliberately sinning, the you aren't walking with God. God is not ok with that. In the same way, if you claim to have no sin, you aren't telling the truth and therefore aren't walking with God either. But if you confess your sin, the blood of Jesus will purifiy you and you will be allowed to walk with God. This is a big deal, because it puts us in our proper place. You see we aren't perfect and we need forgiveness, and we have to recognize that and ask for it before it will be given to us. We can't just give up and assume God's forgiveness though, we have to do our best to live for Him. 

If I love God, I will try really hard to live for Him. Even though I know I will fail, I still keep trying. This is where the beauty of grace comes in to play. But grace is not given to those who make no effort. Everything won't just 'work out' in the end. Being a Christian is hard, but it's worth it.

Enjoy the Journey

Is God Slow?

People were making fun of believers because Jesus hadn't come back yet...sound familiar? It's fascinating that it is ok to make fun of Christians whenever you want, but if Christians even state what we believe then we are labeled as hateful and intolerant. It shouldn't be surprising, that has been going on ever since Jesus left the first time! People have a hard time dealing with the truth and so they just make light of it so they don't have to change their lives. You see, if you realize the truth, then you are obligated to change the way you live. 

Peter urges the believers not to become discouraged, but to remember that what they believe is the truth. I have to remember all the things that God has done, and I have to look at all the things He is still doing, otherwise it is easy to become discouraged. But I have to remember that I have been entrusted with the truth. Jesus is Lord, and He is coming again. Yes it has been a long time, but I am grateful for that otherwise I might not have had the chance to come to know Him. God is not slow, but patient. He doesn't want anyone to go to hell, but that is a reality that most face. That is why Jesus hasn't returned yet, Christians still have a job to do. It is time to take that job seriously.

Enjoy the Journey