Happy Easter!

"But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and by his stripes we are healed" Isaiah 53:5

 With Easter being just a few days away, I have been thinking if I truly understand the gift that was given to us, and the sacrifice that was made for what Jesus did for humanity, I confess, most of the time, if not all the time. I don't understand or fully grasp what was done. Even now, it is hard for me to understand someone being willing to be whipped beyond recognition, have huge nails driven into His hands and feet, hung on a cross, which was a terrible way to die, and being spit on and slapped, and cursed at. I love people but I don't know that I would go through that for them. I might do it for one person, but not ALL of humanity, especially the ones that tick me off.

That is what makes Jesus' sacrifice so amazing, and such an awesome gift. He loved us so much despite all that we have done, he was willing to suffer and die for us. Yet there are some of us, who reject Him, and chose not to believe in Him or follow His will for us. To me, that is the equivalent of us being there ourselves and crucifying Him ourselves, spitting in his face, and cursing at Him. That makes me evaluate my own life, and how for so many years I tried doing it on my own, going my own way, trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, and pretending like God was leading me. Yet, he chose to still fight for me, find me in the darkness, and lead me home. He chose to save me, and put me on a path to healing and restoration. What a love.

This Easter, I challenge you to evaluate your own life, and ask yourself, if you fully grasp the sacrifice that was made for you, and how much God loves you. When Jesus died, he didn't just have the people that were alive at that time on His mind, He also had all of us, He had YOU on his mind. Also, ask your self, I am following what HE wants for me, or for what I want for me??

I hope that you all have an awesome Easter, and remember the sacrifice and the awesome gift that was given to us!

Dung

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ- Philippians 3:10

First off all, I think it is hilarious that the bible used the word dung, the King James Version is the only one that says that...the other versions say rubbish...nicer word I guess. I wanted to throw that out there before I got to my point. ;)

All in all though, Dung is the perfect word for what this verse is saying. Everything outside of Christ should be dung to us. That doesn't just mean our past, sins that we commit, or whatever, it is saying that knowing Christ should be our only goal. EVERYTHING else is dung. Harsh but true. 

Believe me, I am no expert at following this verse, but it is something to strive towards. Let Jesus become the one and only thing you desire. Like the verse says, "seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and ALL these things will be added unto you.". Put Christ first, and make him Lord and everything else you are concerned with, will fall into place. Just seek him and pursue him everyday.

Instead of a Show

I hate all your show and pretense
The hypocrisy of your praise
The hypocrisy of your festivals
I hate all your show
Away with your noisy worship
Away with your noisy hymns
I stop up my ears when you're singing 'em
I hate all your show

Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show

Your eyes are closed when you're praying
You sing right along with the band
You shine up your shoes for services
There's blood on your hands
You turned your back on the homeless
And the ones that don't fit in your plan
Quit playing religion games
There's blood on your hands
Instead let there be a flood of justice
An endless procession of righteous living
Instead let there be a flood of justice
Instead of a show
I hate all your show

Let's argue this out
If your sins are blood red
Let's argue this out
You'll be one of the clouds
Let's argue this out
Quit fooling around
Give love to the ones who can't love at all
Give hope to the ones who got no hope at all
Stand up for the ones who can't stand at all
I hate all your show 

I first heard this song by Jon Foreman, the lead singer of Switchfoot, about a year ago. I remember how much the song opened my eyes, and the anger and passion, in his voice when he sang. It recently came back up in my mind today. So I looked up the lyrics and studied over them. I put the lyrics in bold that really stood out to me.

It got me to thinking, I wonder if we as churches sometimes have it all wrong. I wonder if the effort we put into worship, and services, and a "show", as it is said in this song, is in vain and if we should put the same effort into people, and serving them. Instead of trying to impress God with a show, that He has no interest in.

Don/t get me wrong, I am not pointing fingers at any particular church. I have been to churches that were far more interested in their "show" than people. I guess we just have to evaluate our motives. whether we are trying to make progress and grow for a "show", or are we doing it to reach people and serve them. God's main goal is to reach as many of His children as possible, before he sends His son back. That should be our goal as well....not a show.

The Loose Woman

"You will be saved from the loose woman, from the adventuress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God;  for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the shades; none who go to her come back nor do they regain the paths of life. So you will walk in the way of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous." Proverbs 2:16-20

 I went to bible.com to read there daily devotional and to be honest, I didn't expect much. I read the verse that you read above and the thoughts on the verse that the author had wrote...nothing really stuck with me til I read the verse again. The verse talks about "The Loose Woman" and to beware of her, and you will be saved from her, my first thought was...cool God will save you from Hoes. Then I really about that, and "The loose woman" has more of a meaning than just that.

To me, and what I got from it, "The Loose Woman" can be anything that draws you away from God. It can be anything that drags you down, and pulls you away into bondage. Like the verse says, "for her house sinks down to death, and her paths to the shades; none who go to her come back nor do they regain the paths of life". So if you don't turn away from these things and repent of them, or if you take your eyes off God they will drag you down with them, to hell where they came from. 

I have seen this in my own life, as well. I LET things weigh me down, pile on me, and like my pastor said in last weeks message, "I carry baggage with me wherever I go" That is why it is so important no matter what stage of life you are in, NEVER take your eyes off God, because if you do, you are leaving yourself wide open for something to swallow you up. Never leave any of your life empty, Satan is always looking for an empty place in your life, he can fill up. Let God consume every part of you, cause when you do that, "You will be saved from the loose woman, from the adventuress with her smooth words, who forsakes the companion of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God" So remember, God isn't just telling you, He will save you from all Hoes. He will also save you from the figurative "Hoes" of life. Anything that takes you away from Him. So if there is any bondage you are struggling with in life, God is bigger, trust me, I am finding that out for myself everyday.