Lord, teach us to number our days.

Life is but a mist...

James 4:14 says our life is a mist, rising and passing fairly quickly. Think about it; even 100 years is a blip across the scope of eternity. Job said, "...my life is but a breath..." (Job 7:7 NLT)

We need this perspective. We need to understand life is too short to take for granted, AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, we need to understand we are always our next breath away from facing God.

We most definitely need that perspective.

Look at how we treat one another ... the things we say ... the things we do ... the things we think about one another ... would we want to face God in the next breath after the way we often treat one another?

Though not exhaustive, look at these Scriptures for some perspective: Genesis 3:19, Psalm 39:5, Psalm 78:39, Psalm 102:3, Psalm 144:4, Proverbs 27:1, Isaiah 2:22, and Matthew 6:27.

One of my favorite perspective setting or restoring verses comes from Psalm 90: "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12 ESV)

We are all going to face God -- face to face -- and be held accountable for, most importantly, (a) about what we have done with the Lord Jesus and (b) all our actions in the flesh (see 2 Corinthians 5:10, Hebrews 9:27, Job 34:11, Matthew 16:27, Matthew 25:32, Romans 2:16, Romans 14:10, and others).

We're all going to face God. We need perspective. We need it...

Lord, teach us to number our days, and to realize what comes at the end of them, and teach us to get a heart of wisdom. Father, help us to see that how we treat one another matters to You. May we see our time is short, but our deeds are being recorded in heaven, and may the reality humble us and bring us to Your feet in worship and dependence. 

Immature?

Lay down beside the cow...

You know, if someone is sick, they are sick. If they are fakers, shame on them. Right? But, when someone is sick, we don't condemn them; we treat them. We don't fault them, we help them.

Why don't we act the same with the immature? We do well with the physically immature. You rarely find someone berating a newborn for not making the Olympic track team. You rarely find someone chastising a toddler for not winning the presidency.

We know they are immature. We don't expect them to be mature immediately.

We ought to have passionate compassion on the spiritually immature as well. Sure, there are fakers; there's always fakers! Sure, there are people who, in the time they've had, should've taken their growth into their own hands with more personal responsibility. Sure thing!

Still, when we find an immature saint, let's help them grow. I know, I know...some don't want to grow. Some are lazy. Some think ignorance / apathy are an excuse. Shame on them! Repent!

What about the truly immature? Let's help them! Let's get them near the cow. Let's get them some milk. Let's stick close by and help them grow.

I think that's what the writer of Hebrews would say: "About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:11-14 ESV)

Are you walking with an immature Christian? If simple things are where they are, enjoy sharing simple things! Give them milk, but for the purpose of moving them to meat.

Are you immature? Wow, if you've taken time to read this far, it's clear you are yearning for growth. Get at it! Lay down beside the cow, and drink. Grow! Then, be weaned, and eat meat.

Some of the worst advice most often given.

In the realm of bad advice...

I've said it and I've had it said to me; it's just not good counsel...
Especially for Bible folk...
Bad. I mean to tell you, it's bad!

"God will not give you more than you can handle." -- Anonymous and everyone

YOU will give you more than you can handle.
Sometimes, OTHERS will give you more than you can handle.
...SIDE NOTE: parents know this...
... .... our KIDS will give us more than we can handle!

SICKNESS will give you more than you can handle.
LIFE will give you more than you can handle.
SIN HAS GIVEN you more than you could handle!
GOD will give you more than you can handle.
...but GOD did not give us the sin...

GOD WILL give us work that is more than we handle.
GOD WILL give us a job bigger than we can handle.

Do not ever let us blame sin or evil on Him, though.

But, work, especially gospel labor, yes, He will give us more than we can handle.

The thing is fairly simple...whether by sin or even when our good intentions lead us into too much commitment ... whether our own hand has burdened us or whether God's calling is burdening us...

God will allow us to take on more than we can handle...
God will give us more than we can handle...
Because...well...um...it's simple: WE NEED HIM!

That part about giving ourselves more than we can handle...yeah...don't complain...you have free will, limited understanding and we live in the broken world of our own making. We did (and do) this to ourselves! Let us be wise, and responsible, and not blame God for things of our own making.

BUT...even in that...EVEN IN THAT! God will not leave us alone! God will help us! God has helped us through Jesus and God will continue to help ALL that will call on Him through His Son!

In gospel work, however, God WILL give us more than we can handle.

Look at the testimony of these servants: "For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many." (2 Corinthians 1:8-11 ESV)

"...utterly burdened beyond our strength..."
"...despaired of life itself..."
"...we felt like we had received the sentence of death."
"But that was to make us rely not on ourselves..."
"...but on God..."
"You must also help..."

We are made for communion with God and fellowship with one another. We are made to be creatures of need.

We need God.
We need each other.
We need God more, yes, but we do need each other.

So? What do we do?

Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV) "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might." (Ephesians 6:10 ESV) "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." (1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV) " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5 ESV)"

Love God.
Love others.
Rely on God.
Realize our need for others.

God --and ourselves-- will indeed give more than we can handle. But, we must not think we are meant to bear it without God or apart from each other.

Be blessed, dear friends.

How do you see Jesus?

A repaired view...

What would it be like to see people as God sees them AND want for them the same thing God wants for them?

I want to look upon my fellow man in that way.

I used to only look at Jesus from a worldly point of view...

...good teacher...
...great example...
...wonderful philosopher...
...brilliant story teller...
...brilliant moralist...
...religious revolutionary...

And other such immature, blinded, limited ways of missing out on exactly who Jesus is.

Now, thanks be to God, I see Jesus differently!

"So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!" (2 Corinthians 5:16 NLT)

With Him at work in me, I learning to see others from more than a simple, human point of view. God, help me to keep growing!

The Ancient of Days IS perpetual novelty!

Beware of a culture or personal attitude that is always looking for the next new thing...

Let us not be as those found in Acts 17: "Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new." (Acts 17:21 ESV)

We live in excitable times where that which seems new invades our attentions space and crowds out what is true.

It takes incredible diligence to seek truth, yet it only mental laziness to go from one thing to another. The former sharpens our intellect. The latter excites our emotions. Emotions drag us through every situation; intellect helps us navigate dangers. While we do not cast emotions overboard, it is dangerous to let them steer the ship.

What's ironic is that we need deep, abiding time with the Ancient of Days, yet we run from gadget to gadget, always searching for the next feeling...

We can work it out...

Get together...

Whether a house church, or a public house of worship, intentionally gather with other believers.

In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

Believe it or not, this verse comes at the end of a passage about conflict resolution. Check out the whole passage (see Matthew 18:15-20) and you will see God empowers His people to move from conflict to communion when we obediently follow His instructions and faithfully seek His face.

We have to get together to work things out and we should get together to see His face.

1. It takes intentionality to work things out.
2. It takes humility to work things out.
3. It takes faith to believe God will work things out.
4. It takes intentionality to gather.
5. It takes some conversation to come to agreement.
6. It takes humility to listen to what others have to say.
7. It takes obedience to faithfully share what the Lord is giving to you.

On and on...

Let's get together! 

Are you faithful in your local church? Good!
Are you less that faithful? Repent; repair; revitalize. 
Have you fallen out with your local church? Work it out. 
Have you no part with a local church? Work on that. 

Me? I gather with the people of God in many places, and regularly at a public meeting house. We gather as East Rock Community Church --our family name. We get together all over, and regularly, and, as the Lord wills, we gather on the first day of the week to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. 

Do you say AND show you know God?

 Pleasing and upsetting...

Satan is not concerned about the person who professes belief in Christ. However, he is extremely concerned about the one who will obey Jesus.

Ironic, right? We talk, but do we live our confessions?

It pleases God when we live for Him.
It offends Satan when we live for God.

It offends God when our confession is empty of action.
It pleases Satan when our confession is empty of action.

Live to please God…

1 Thessalonians 4:1-2 says, "Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus." (NLT)

Anyone that has led us to LIVE by any other thing than Jesus has done us a great disservice.

What DOES Bruce Springsteen know?

 All my best memories are in the future...

Bruce Springsteen sang, "Glory days, well they'll you pass by. Glory days, in the wink of a young girl's eye." We often think of "glory days" as being those days of youth, past and oft relived in memory, and freshly desired, as if they could return.

Not me. You can have them all. Those may have been enjoyable days. Some were fun days. Those days, though, weren't my glory days. Even in the best of my youth, I had no glory. Even in the world's version of it, I had no glory. I was nobody; less than nobody. Perhaps if I had been somebody to somebody, I'd think those were glory days. In a way, thank God I was nobody's somebody and everything's nothing. I never look back for something I'm missing today.

My glory days are coming...

And, even now, I praise God for them!

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience." (Romans 8:18 and 23-25 ESV)

In Christ, there is glory coming. Even the nobody's are somebody in Jesus, and everybody in Jesus will get a new body in place of the old body and that body will be a glorious body, too. Now, that's glory!

This worldly glory, well, it leaves in the blink of an eye, but that heavenly glory will come in the twinkle of the eye. I'm hoping for what I've yet seen, and waiting for patience for the glory God's promised.

Yes! Glory days! They are coming!

Jesus is enough. Period.

 His work is done, and thank God for it...

Sometimes, we need to realize the utter simplicity and the vast depth of Jesus's atoning sacrifice: "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit," (1 Peter 3:18 ESV)

When Jesus said "It is finished" it was a loaded statement. The full measure gained, full obedience followed and full result realized, His death paid for all sins ever. Jesus finished His work, and His work works for us yet.

Rejoice in that simplicity today, believing friend. Remember, it IS finished! He suffered once, because that's all it took; His life was worthy and His death was valuable enough to pay for it all.

He was righteous, and He stood in --nay, hung on-- for the unrighteous. In plain language, Jesus died for ME. He suffered for ME. He who was right did for ME, who is wrong, what ME who is wrong could not do to get to Him who is right.

Namely, He brought me to God. God the Son opened the way to God the Father for me. His once and for all suffering has once and for all reconciled me to the Father. His death brought me life!

When the enemy lies and slanders -- when the hail of his untrue storms against the weakness of my heart -- I remember, "Christ suffered once for sins" and "it is finished." It's not just an umbrella of truth opened over my head in the midst of the storm, but His calming voice once again, crying "Be still."

Rejoice in your Savior today, beloved friends. Rejoice. Know righteousness has worked for you; Jesus died once and HE is enough. Be still, and know He is God.

When haters hate, check your plate, it might be full of God.

 Look how high you rate when haters hate...

Many times, when we are serving the Lord, standing humbly in biblical teaching or being rejected for sharing the gospel, we think the Lord's favor has been lifted from us. Many times, we think trouble means we are not blessed.

Really, that's not a Scriptural view. It's just not.

Beloved, to walk humbly with God AND suffer for it is THE NORM in Kingdom life. THE NORM.

Consider:
    #1 Actually, you are laying up rewards from God.
    #2 It proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that this world is not our home, nor does is it worthy of                 suffering saint.

Most importantly...

    #3 It clothes us in the glory of the Holy Spirit.
    #4 It identifies us with Jesus.

"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12 ESV)

"And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." (Hebrews 11:32-40 ESV)

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name." (1 Peter 4:12-16 ESV)

We need perspective! Suffering because we walk with God does not necessarily mean God's blessing is not upon us; it could very well mean it is because His blessing IS on us.

But, beloved, listen, be sure your suffering is for your walk with God, not because we are foolish, or lawbreakers, or rebellious, or contentious for the sake of contention...or so many other things that are typical of the flesh.

IF we suffer, pray Lord, it is because we remain true to God in a broken world. IF we suffer, we shall not / should not lose hope, for God is greater than our hearts, greater than our circumstances, greater than this life and greater than what may befall us in the midst of it all. HE IS the resurrection, so even should we die, in Christ, we shall live!

People say a lot...

Wisdom and patience...

People say a lot of things. People do a lot of things. We can’t control everything others say and do. We are charged with stewarding our response.

In a culture where a family of four can get a full meal at a window without leaving their car in 3 minutes and 43 seconds, we’ve nearly lost the art of the pace it takes to receive wisdom and respond with patience. It’s easier to be flippant than it is to be measured. It’s easier to toss out a cliché than it is to get wisdom, and mete out a tempered, informed, loving answer.

The Proverb writer gives us some help: “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouths of fools pour out folly. ... A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” (Proverbs 15:1-2 & 4 ESV)

I find the ESV’s concise notes on this passage helpful: “Harsh word (v. 1) is lit., ‘word of pain,’ that is, a word that is hurtful. Words wisely chosen promote calm interactions rather than provoking anger (v. 1), they instruct by example (v. 2), and they encourage rather than discourage (v. 4).”

The Bible actually has tons to say about how we use our words.

I think of Psalm 37:30, which says, “The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.” (ESV)

Think about that... none is righteous. To be righteous is to be hidden in Christ.

God is the source of wisdom. To get wisdom is to get it from God.

A person — with a mouth — hidden in Christ, issuing wisdom received from God will be operating in the will and ways of God and that will alter their thought processes and their speech patterns. It will take speech out of the will of the flesh and hand it to the power of the Spirit.

Or I think of Proverbs 21:23 or Colossians 4:6 or Psalm 19:14 or James 3:5-8 or ... well, you get the picture, right?

The question is not whether we have a great opportunity to use our speech well or not. The question is not whether God has some instructions on how to use or speech or not. The question is will we have a submitted tongue and a mind and heart to seek and receive instructions and then to employ it with the seasoning of the salt of graciousness.

A workman of the Lord...

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker, rightly handling the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV)

Are you a workman of the Lord? I want to be! Let's be brave together and take an inventory?

Workman's Inventory #1: Do I work hard in the Word? Do I work the Word? Is the Word working in me? Am I a true student of the Scriptures? Do I make a true and honest effort, in the Word of God, particularly, and in ALL my endeavors in general?

The ESV says, "Do your best..."
KJV: "Study..."
NLT: "Work hard..."
NASB: "Be diligent..."
BSB: "Make every effort..."

Workman's Inventory #2: Am I a man pleaser? Am I more concerned with the thoughts of man or the truth of God?

The ESV says, "...present yourself to God..."
KJV: "...shew thyself ... unto God..."

See it? TO GOD... we are accountable to God!

Workman's Inventory #3: Am I putting on a show for man, or am I living as unto the Lord? Do I desire to please the Lord in all my works? Do I long to know His pleasure upon me?

The ESV says, "...present yourself to God as one approved..."
NLT: "...present yourself to God and receive his approval."
GWT: "...present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker..."

Workman's Inventory #4: Am I living in any sort of way that you should be ashamed of? Even as I look at my weaknesses, can I say I am allowing God into those spaces in my mind, heart, spirit, and flesh? Is there any area I am resisting God, rebelling, living in pride, or failing to surrender or be humble?

God desires His workman to live in such a manner that they have no reason to be ashamed of their own lives, His goodness, His Word, His Spirit, or the labors God has put before them.

The ESV says, "...who has no need to be ashamed..."
YLT: "...a workman irreproachable..."

Workman's Inventory #5: Am I capable? Do I believe God's to be true? Do I trust God's Word to accomplish God's intentions without my manipulation, trusting the Spirit to lead people? Do I handle the text faithful to its context? Do I burden people with the Word? Do I speak gently, loving God and man as my motive, fitting apples of gold into settings of silver? Does my teaching exalt God and present the Lord Jesus as precious and necessary each and every time?

The ESV says, "...rightly handling the word..."
NIV: "...correctly handles the word..."
NLT: "...correctly explains the word..."
NASB: "...accurately handling the word..."
KJV: "...rightly dividing the word..."
HCSB: "...correctly teaching the word..."

Workman's Inventory #6: Is it God's Word I share? Do I give too much importance to my preferences and opinions? Am I more concerned about truth or current events? Do I want to win souls or arguments? Do I concentrate on slick presentation or prayerful proclamation?

The ESV says, "...rightly handling the word of truth."
...and so does every other translation.

Truth. Truth from God who is truth; not junk from men who are faulty.

As I look out into the world, I look back into the mirror. Am I peacemaker or a strife spreader? Do I recognize I am poor in spirit; do I see how much I need God? Do I hunger and thirst for righteousness?

Pray God, make me a better workman. In Christ I beg. Amen

Restless and monotonous, until...

Augustine of Hippo said, “Because you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee.” — Augustine, Confessions (1.1.1.)

The first half of Augustine’s statement is fact. The divines that wrote the Westminster Shorter Catechism got it:

    Question. 1. What is the chief end of man?
    Answer. 1. Man's chief end is to glorify God…

Those fellows had read their Bible: “For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:16 ESV, emphasis mine) We were made for God by God, and we are meant to exist and live for God’s glory.

However, I didn’t finish the answer to Question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism:

    Question. 1. What is the chief end of man?
    Answer. 1. Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever.

You see, brothers and sisters, whether Augustine or the Westminster divines, they got it… the objective reality is that God made us for Himself, and the subjective reality is that we won’t finding lasting joy in anything until He is our lasting joy.

We are like the homing pigeons, zooming at 60 mph across hundreds of miles to a point that is just for us. We are like the rainbow trout, pursuing a scent secret to us, pursuing against the prevailing current, pursuing through obstacles, the muck of pollution’s corruption, finding that place we were designed to be most what we were created to be. We are like the fragile monarch butterfly, drifting with relentless purpose, across thousands of miles and countless perils to arrive at our seasonal homes.

Indeed, we are made for God, and our hearts are restless until we are at rest in Him.

There is a violent poetry to both monotony and futility. It seems violent because it is often soul-searing and emotion-wrecking, but poetic because it is the beautiful, rhythmic search for rest and purpose.

All the frustration is meant to drive us to God. All the pursuit is meant to land us at His feet...before His throne… worshiping Him… finding that satisfaction / rest / peace / purpose we can only find in Him.

Blessed assurance.

 "By this...." and it's more than a feeling...

I don't always feel very Christian. (You may be saying you don't always feel I'm very Christian either.) Sometimes, my heart tries to win the day. My heart tries to convince me I am better than I actually am and some times my heart tries to convince me I'm not loved by God like I am. The heart is deceptive! I surely do not not want to follow my heart, ESPECIALLY if the Holy Spirit is not ruling my heart.

Thank God, HE is bigger than our hearts. HE is bigger than our emotions and feelings. God wants us to have evidence in our lives that goes beyond how we feel in the moment.

Consider: "By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything." (1 John 3:19-20 ESV)

"By this we shall know ... and reassure our heart before..." God. But, you may be thinking, what is the "by this"? Start at 1 John 3:19-20 and read backwards in the passage and you will see the meaning behind "by this."

A summary: if we see need and respond by helping, we know we walk in truth. If we love the brethren with action, we know we are walking in truth. If we love one another --again, with action-- we know we are walking in truth. If we fight sin in our own lives, we know we are walking in truth. If we live and walk as people who actively expect Jesus to return, we walk in truth.

See, beloved friend, the Christian life is about faith that outworks to a certain sort of life. On the days when our hearts condemn us, we look at the pattern of our lives and simply take an inventory to see if our actions agree with our confession. We don't let our feelings win the day! If faith doesn't inform our feelings, then feelings will subvert our faith.

Let us look to the pattern of our lives; do we have habits that live the life of faith in Jesus? If we do, remember that on the days your heart is beating you up. Remember too that God is bigger than my feelings or your feelings. He knows whether our faith is genuine, and He gives us great ways to live out evidence in our own lives.

Peace unto you.

We often must repent of things we have held dear.

Repenting of culture...

I might try one illustration among many possibilities; let's see if y'all get where I'm coming from.

You know, with FULL gusto I used to both sing and mean "If heaven ain't a lot like Dixie, I don't want to go." Hank Williams, Jr. gave me those words in one of his songs, but I owned them in my heart.

Now, hear me out, if you are able and willing. I didn't mean I loved the negative things that are typical of the South, but I certainly meant the things I called "good." See, that was / is the problem... I had a skewed, if not completely faulty understanding of "good."

Part of the song says:
"If Heaven ain't a lot like Dixie
I don't wanna go
If Heaven ain't a lot like Dixie
I'd just as soon stay home
If they don't have a Grand Ole Opry
Like they do in Tennessee
Just send me to Hell or New York City
It would be about the same to me"

Okay... um... no.

While I honestly don't want to go to New York City (or any big city), I really, really, really don't want to go to hell. Even more so, I don't want ANYTHING to cause me to miss God!

Back when I sang that song from my heart, I didn't understand heaven, hell, this cotton-picking world, or even the South, for that matter!

It's like fried chicken, red solo cups, hunting, fishing, and loving every minute and a host of other things that don't hold a candle to Father, Son, or Holy Ghost... until we treasure Him above those things, and are willing for those things to be turned to ash BY OUR OWN HAND, those things will be our gods in practice, even if we name God our God in speech.

Mostly, we have to be willing to die to all the pieces of culture we love... those pieces we've built ourselves with... and that sort of death is terrifying. And liberating for those who find it...

Jesus says (what sounds to us to be radical) things: "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23 KJV) Or, perhaps the New Living Translation may give it fresh light for you: "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me."

"...let him deny himself..."
"...turn from your selfish ways..."

Most of the things we love in our culture are things we love about ourselves. We've built ourselves out of so many bits and pieces of our culture that to deny or disdain those things puts self square in the crosshairs.

So we argue over ........ EVERYTHING....

What are these quarrels among us? The Apostle James says it's because we want and we can't have, so we slay each other in pursuit (see James 4).

Much of why we quarrel is because we are fighting over so many little pieces of self, rather than sharing in the eternal, flowing, free, full, plentiful life of God together.

You like this team; I like that one... fight.
You love this music; I hate it... fight.
You drive this truck; I drive that one... fight.
You hate this flag; I love that one... fight.
You love this politician; I love the other one... fight.
On and on...

Race.
Class.
Economic status.
Gender.
Geographical regions.
On and on...

Whatever we can be divided over, we divide over it, and we fight.

But the one who turns from selfish ways seeks the good of others. The one who denies self considers others.

The one who considers self first in all things must claw, grab, and fight to protect the things of self.

Self-love seeks self-comfort...self-pleasure...self-promotion...self-exaltation...just self. Most of the grabbing of all the little pieces of culture are us loving ourselves. Our identity is rooted in self, not in Christ, so we must answer every challenge to self. We feel compelled to fight over so many things in our culture. We are fighting over in the flesh what we are commanded to fork over in the Spirit.

All these pieces of self become our "Dixie" and we say "if heaven ain't a lot Dixie, I don't want to go." It's like saying, "If walking with God is giving up _________ and ___________ and ___________, I'd just as soon not walk with God."

Now, let's wrestle with this... Jesus says "If any of you wants to be my follower..." Ah! There's the crux of the issue! Do I want to be a follower of Jesus? Me? Yes! Then, I must "turn from [my] selfish ways."

As a follower of Jesus, none of my cultural bits or personal historical pieces are as important as Him. NONE of them, nor ALL of them.

And, when I cling to those things, I am not clinging to Him.

Jesus demands preeminence in our lives. He will brook no rival to His Lordship.

If heaven is NOTHING like Dixie, I don't care, I want to go to heaven. If Jesus must kill off every personal preference I hold to draw me near to Himself, so be it; light the funeral pyres.

None of the bits I have collected, nor ALL of them, are worth missing out on God... it's not "I may lose me" ... I WILL lose me, but Ah! Hallelujah! I will gain Him, and that my friends is better than the whole of everything else combined.

Jesus, be my identity. Lead me to joyfully give up everything in and around me that keeps me from You. Amen.

You MUST be born again...

The imperative of salvation is new life...

Jesus said, "You must be born again." (John 3:7 ESV)

We often only preach "Don't go to hell" and it is a good and right message. Really, don't go to hell. Anyone can avoid it by taking God at His word and believing on the Lord Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

But the offer, AND the imperative, is new life. We must have a spiritual "quickening" and be brought from spiritual death into spiritual life. A new life means just that: a new life! We cannot continue on as we've been living; our destiny is changed so also we must embrace a change of direction and seek a change in our desires.

The phrase "born again" actually means "born from above." We must be birthed anew from the womb of heaven. And, with new, spiritual life, we must grow into the likeness of Jesus.

Jesus said, "Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again." Don't be surprised; don't be taken aback. It is imperative to salvation!

Let us not be fooled into thinking we have received safety from hell if we are not also receiving a change of mind, heart, affections and direction. We MUST be born again!

Believe on Jesus!

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God" (John 3:14-15 and Ephesians 2:8 ESV)

Who can be saved? "...whoever believes..."

What will we receive? "...eternal life..." (that is, Him who is Life and Eternal)

Where is this life found? "...in Him..."

How can we be saved? "...through faith..."

In Whom must we place our faith? "...the Son of Man..." (Jesus, the Christ)

What must we do besides have faith? "...this is not your own doing..."

How then can we receive? "...it is the gift of God..."

How does this gift come? "...by grace..."

The unearned, unmerited favor of God is available to all who will take Him at His word! AMAZING, this grace!

And, what does it deliver? It delivers LIFE!

"Whoever" can come, and we'll know they have come because "whoever" believes will have Life!

God calls to all, even to we who are reading this now, the Spirit speaks, saying, "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish. Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." (Isaiah 55:1, Matthew 11:28, Jeremiah 31:28, John 4:14, Psalm 107:9 ESV)

Would you turn to Jesus?
Would you believe?

Believe that Jesus is sufficient for your sin.

Believe Jesus is sufficient to grant new life.

Believe Jesus is sufficient to conquer death.

Believe Jesus is sufficient to quell the righteous wrath of the Father.

Believe! Have Life!

Better than the best American Dream...

I have a more noble mandate than the "American Dream"...

Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18b ESV)

No where listed in Jesus Christ's commands is a call to American prosperity, nor is there any call to the American Dream. We are not ever told to gather and horde; rather, we are called to work and give.

The church is supposed to be building something: "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:19-22 ESV)

We are to be a dwelling place for God! YES!

We are to live as good citizens (see Romans 13:1-7), but we are to hold a higher allegiance to the King over the country, and that King would have us do His will for His glory, serving mankind with our words, hands and resources. Granted, we are given permission to enjoy life (see Ecclesiastes 8:15 and 1 Timothy 6:17), but no where are we told to live a life of self-centered gathering, self-glorifying accomplishment and self-satisfying ease (case study: Luke 12:13-21).

Let us join Jesus as He builds the Church...
Let us obey the King as He builds the Kingdom...
Let us serve the Lord as He adopts children into His family...
Let us edify saints and evangelize sinners...

Let us glorify the Father!
Let us walk with the Son!
Let us be filled with the Spirit!

Our mandate is greater than the American Dream!