Prayer to Suffer, Pt. 1

I have an optimistic vision for the future of the Church. The youth are rising up and preparing to take their place in the leadership. They are no longer satisfied with this thing we’ve made, this hypocrisy. They are longing for the gritty, honest, hard, sold-out truth.
They are looking to throw aside rituals, the politics, the rules, all the baggage, even themselves to chase with full abandonment, the new dream. The Christian Dream.
This generation has seen where the American Dream has led Christianity and they are done with it. Instead, they want to give up on that manifesto and seek biblical truth and biblical driven dream that makes up a true Christ-follower. They are believing whole heartedly that they are to die to themselves, carry their crosses and seek God above all else.  They want Jesus and only Jesus. None of the “fluff”.
They want nothing to do with the prosperity gospel. This group plans to to take the church to its knees and begin again with a true gospel-driven, Acts living agenda. We aren’t talking about a division or a new sect. We are talking about a revolution from within. There will be no compromising. It’s Christ or bust.
These people are patriots to God. Willing and hoping to lose it all to Christ’s glory. I’m one of them. Interested?

Many Are Called, Few Are Chosen

Leader or Servant?

Leadership, something I’ve always revered. A leader, something I’ve always wanted to be. I asked and thanks to God, I received. He has blessed me with a some excellent leadership opportunities over the last few years. I want to dispense some of those things, I’ve learned in my short time in those shoes.
Jesus was and is, a leader. No doubt about it. He led His disciples, He conducts over all creation, etc. However, for most of the bible, beyond public speaking, you see very little “leading”.  What do you see?
Instead you see a servant. He puts others over himself numerous times. Why is that? Well first look to Mark 10:45. Now there is your reason: he wasn’t here to lead. He was here to serve and to sacrifice. That may make you speculate, so was he a leader? Well, it’s clear all throughout the Word that Jesus is, most certainly, a leader.

A Testimony to God's Work in Me

I want to first off apologize for not being as diligent as I should be with this. I've for the first time in my life become busy. Something I asked for and something I've received. That's a blessing and at times a challenge. I've begun leading a bible study on Tuesdays and Fridays in the local mall's food court. Most of what I use is off of here. This now makes my schedule, which use to be only busy on Sundays and Wednesdays, busy every day and night except Mondays and occasionally Saturdays. I'm working this in though! God has called me to this, and he still is! It's a lesson in managing time, prioritizing and such.

Also I promise I'll post stuff on my mission trip soon. It was such an epic week and so jam packed, that it has now ran together and blurred so much that it's hard to keep straight. It will happen though!

What I want to talk about tonight though, is a some things God has done for me as of late. This isn't to boast about myself, but to boast on the Lord and His love. All of this is to His glory, not mine. I'm trying to fulfill Jeremiah 9:24. I'll do my best to make the least of myself if you do your best to focus the most on God, deal?

I'm not a writer. Sorta. You see I grew up with a hatred for writing. It made my hand hurt, it was boring and I was much more interested in other things. Also, I had a huge issue with handwriting. Teachers cursed my handwriting for years. Even in 8th grade, teachers tried to give my parents those book that teach you to write. It was embarrassing. It's been improving slowly over the last few years but I'm still incredibly self conscious of it.

Over the last year or so though, I've been transformed. It started with letters to a friend, then grew into letters to myself over thoughts. This led to essays more articulated on those ideas. Those ideas led to declarations, which led to sermons, bible studies and this. I could of never seen this coming or planned it, but God took a weakness of mine and made it something of His own. I look back and I see signs and hints at this path he's put me on, but I wouldn't believe it, if not for the fact I'm living it. To be able to encourage others with words and ideas, is a blessing, but more than that, the true blessing is the Lord. The fact that He chooses to use me and in such a way that I can in no way take credit for!

This leads me to my next point. I grew up in a neighborhood with very few kids and far away from town and others. I lived a very solitary childhood as an only child. I became incredibly shy and timid. I've always been uncomfortable in crowds, talking with strangers, and speaking up. I also had issues when I was young with pronunciation and even had to be in speech therapy. Speaking was not a talent of mine or so I see it. God on the other hand, chose differently and it has been his will to change that.

I never believed I would become something of a speaker. Now God has blessed me with so many things. I'm a legitimate voice of advice in a bible study I attend, God has called me to lead a bible study of my own. I've received an internship with my church which will give many opportunities to speak before others. I've shared Christ with perfect strangers and I've spoken with boldness and authority that I sat down shaking, because I was surprised with my own speech.

Yet I realize now, it's not myself who speaks but Christ in me. As I grow in Him, I become less and he becomes more. I am able to do more, because I'm disappearing and the Spirit that lives in me is being revealed in greater view.

Many compare God to an ocean and how we see but the shore of the waters of His infiniteness. It's very true. As I dive in and become lost in my God, others become found by Him. I know it sounds strange, but I'm finding more and more the aim of a life for Christ is to get lost. It's only then we are found.

My point here is simple. You have hopes and dreams and ideas and visions and goals and all these things! We all do! If you want to accomplish them, quit trying to do it yourself. Give in to God. Worry first about him and losing yourself in Him and two things will happen. Some of those things you wanted, will disappear and you won't care that it happened.  Other things you wanted, God will equip you to gain or receive. He also may give you things to do that are beyond your dreams and so much more fulfilling.

I am a modern day remake of story of Moses. I have all the classic themes he had and God has made me into something he wants. Like any good remake though, I'm my own story and have my own twists and turns. I'm a work in progress. So are you. God is writing a masterpiece at the center of it is Jesus and we all play an important part of in it. Regardless of what you are going through, beyond what you can or can not do, past your own understanding God has a story for you. He considers you important enough that He let his main character be murdered so that you could have a significant part in His work. Everything that holds you back, no longer holds you back. Your story is unwritten friend. Time to let the ink flow.

Much Love,

Luke

P.S. Yes I rambled a bit. Deal with it. =)

"The mercy of God is an ocean divine,
A boundless and fathomless flood;
Launch out in the deep, cut away the shore line,
And be lost in the fullness of God." - A hymn

"Man is equally incapable of seeing the nothingness from which he emerges and the infinity in which he is engulfed." - Blaise Pascal

What Is the Central Unifying Message of the Bible?

 I want to introduce a friend of mine that I've mentioned in my blog before, Demian Farnworth. He has been kind enough to write a guest post. I know you all will enjoy it, and I'll be writing about my mission trip in Oklahoma City real soon. Stay tuned.

**Guest blog by Demian Farnworth from Fallen and Flawed.**

The Bible. It can be one of the most difficult texts you've ever read. But you know what? It doesn't have to be. 

You can learn the the basic point behind the complex message of the Bible… without reading the whole thing.

In fact, I can tell you what it is in three simple words. But you have to promise me something. You have to promise me you’ll dig deeper beyond this simple cheat sheet. 

You have to promise me that you’ll sink some intellectual and emotional capital into reading the Bible. 

Promise? 

Now, a host of suggestions have been made as to what is the central unifying concept that runs through Scripture. Let’s look at several attempts.

Holiness

Sellin, a German scholar, said the central theme of Scripture is the idea of holiness. There is no doubt that holiness is indeed an important concept. But that's not it. 

LORD

Some scholars suggest the central theme is the word “LORD,” the Hebrew word Yahweh—the LORD, the covenant God. While a central theme, were not quite there. 

Election

God elects Abel and Seth over against Cain. He chooses Shem over against the other brothers, Abram out of the many, then Judah, and so on. The principal of election runs right through all of the Scriptures. But it's not the central theme.

Kingdom

From the kingdom of Israel to the kingdom of God, kingdom is a reoccurring concept. But it's not the central unifying concept. There's more. 

God and Community

Others say that what ties Scripture together is that God rules over his community. True, but there's something even more central. 

Confessions

Still others argue that the Bible is simply a collection of different confessions about who God is. In other words, there is really no unity in God’s revelation. This is wrong. 

Covenant                                                                                                           German Old Testament scholar, Walter Eichrodt, says the theme is covenant. Close, but no cigar. 

No Unifying Theme

And German Lutheran pastor and Old Testament scholar Gerhard von Rad says that there is simply no unifying theme. Again, an incorrect position.

So, what is the single unifying concept of the Bible. The deal is it's not just one concept--it's three.  

See, the unifying themes of the Bible are covenant, kingdom and mediator. Throughout the Scriptures God makes a covenant with his people to create a kingdom where he will serve as mediator. 

Why is this important to know? If you keep this fact in mind as you go through Scripture, you will understand more readily and easily what God is saying and doing in each text you read.

You'll immediately spot the covenant. Then the kingdom will emerge. And, of course, you'll see the mediator. Not necessarily in that order. But all three are almost always there. 

In addition, as you preach and teach, it's helpful to keep these central concepts in mind and ask yourself, “How does my passage particularly relate to these three themes?” 

This will naturally cause Scripture to come to life. Words will pop off the paper. Pages will zing by. And the stories will carry you up, up and away.

Now, go give it a try like you promised.

Through a Glass, Darkly

Hey everyone, sorry for taking over a week, busy stuff lately. I'm hoping the 20^th through the 28^th to provide everyone with something pretty cool. That event I talked about before, MOTION? We are going to Oklahoma City to share the gospel for the second year. Lives will be changed and God will move in that city. During that week that I'm there, I'm hoping to have some pictures for all of what's going on and provide some details and stories throughout the week. I just got to get a hold of a camera. Either way, prepare to hear some great stuff then. Anyway, enough with that!

What I want to share with you all is some insight God has revealed to me this week. First I want to share with you a story.

I've had glasses since 6^th grade. For the last year, I've really started needing them. I can do okay at school squinting and such and driving is pretty good, without them. Night time though, and if I need to find streets in an unfamiliar place, I'm blind. I'm nearsighted. All my life, I've been terrified of getting things near my eyes. I refuse to open my eyes in water, I've never used eye drops, fingers and other objects near my face make me fidget. I had a slight eye proximity phobia. Nothing I would let anyone see, but I guarantee if any of those things would happen the little guy in my head would be screaming himself deaf. Contacts were the tools of sadists and the devil. Just saying.

Well, I also have a huge disdain for glasses though, which is why I ninety-nine percent of the time was out and about half blind. Sometimes they caused headaches, other times they fell off. I didn't like how I looked, etc. They bugged me. So I finally came to the end of the rope. Contacts or live in my personal blurred cage.

So I did it. I made an appointment to get contacts. My entire drive there, I had some serious fears going through my head. It's going to hurt! It'll get stuck! Grotesque infections! I lose them! You get the idea.

Well I went into the eye clinic got my eyes checked and got to the point of sticking this thin little piece of plastic onto my eyeball. Lord help me. I did it though. Pretty quickly and effectively too. Then I did it again. After that, I popped them out (not literally popped them…eek.) and then put them in a second time. Awesome.

Here's the point though. When I put those contacts in, it was like I had never seen in my life. It blew what I had seen through glasses out of the water. I felt like a new man. I wanted to run and see everything I could, because it felt like I was seeing for the first time. It was such a great feeling, that I didn't go back to school that day. I decided it's a beautiful and nice day, I can see, I want to live in this moment. So I went about taking everything in for the day. I felt like I was seeing Fayetteville in a completely different way, a whole new perspective. That's what this story is about. Perspectives.

You see I had become blinded to what was going on around me. At some point I figure I had at least as good of vision as I had with contacts, if not better. Through time though, my vision waned until I came to where I am now. This didn't happen overnight. I didn't just wake up unable to see. It was a slow progression. For how many of us is that the case for our spiritual life? How many of us have had a slow progression into blindness? How much is that true for us as a whole? As a society?

The fact is humanity has been on a slow slide into blindness since the day we took the fruit. We wanted to have knowledge, but instead have become blinded with ignorance. Look at Romans 1:19-22 and Matthew 13:13-15. The word of God shows the same thing.

Back to you personally though. You can't hope for society to change if you can't even do it yourself. It's like the Casting Crowns' song "Slow Fade". "Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid, when you give yourself away.
People never crumble in a day." You don't become a murderer, a gossiper, a thief all in one day. You make a progression to a point where finally you reach a threshold which from where you use to be standing seemed to be impossible to cross, but now is but a mere footstep. We have to realize every time we have a sinful thought, we need to resist. Every time a righteous idea comes to mind, we need to go for it. It may seem like its just one idea, but they add up. One sin adds to another and suddenly you are something you never imagined you could be. One great God-given idea adds on top of another and suddenly you don't have to even think about doing it. You just do. We are creatures of habit. We need to always keep things in perspective. Every sin counts. Every good work counts. Neither truly matter in terms of salvation, except that Christ died for every last sin and that we are free of them. They do matter in a believer's walk.

I challenge you to open your eyes. Open your eyes and SEE. Break down paradigms. Listen\read\see thought-provoking ideas and challenging notions. Look into yourself and what you think you have down pat, rethink it. Look at every action you take, every thought you think. Take it back to the bible and check yourself against it. It's the only true perspective. Be courageous and ask others what they think of you. Ask them to tell you the good things and the bad things. Don't get upset; try to take in their perspective. Next time you see that bum on the road. Don't be quick to judge him. Think about all the different paths life could have taken you and realize you could have been there. Challenge the way things are. Ask what does it mean to worship? What does a relationship with God mean? What does it mean to love? You will be surprised at what you will find. What is God really like? We may only be at the shore of His Ocean, but it only takes 6 inches to drown. DIVE! Your world will only grow that much more beautiful and vibrant. Always remember to check yourself against God's Word though. It's infallible. Regain the sight you've been losing spiritually. So what do you say? Are you going to face your fears and see the world for what it is? Good and bad? You have my two cents, tell me what you think.

 

Much Love,

Luke

"When a mother saw a thunderstorm forming in mid-afternoon, she worried about her seven-year-old daughter who would be walking the three blocks from school to home. Deciding to meet her, the mother saw her walking nonchalantly along, stopping to smile whenever lightning flashed. Seeing her mother, the little girl ran to her, explaining happily, "All the way home, God's been taking my picture!" Fear is often caused by our perspective."

"Rather than saying "God, here is my problem," we should put the problem into perspective by saying, "Problem, here is my God!"

"The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend."  - Henri Bergson

"Was blind but now I see." – John Newton

The Triune God

The Trinity. I've been putting off this topic for quite a long time. You see, I love theology. I find it fascinating. I spend nearly my entire school day, reading up on such things. I however deal with a few issues. For one, I feel anything that I could say, for the most part can be found other places, better said. Secondly, I usually don't get the full gist of it all. Finally, I have an even harder time trying to explain it then I do trying to learn it. I would consider myself fairly intellectual, but my realm of intelligence is emotional and inter-personal. Laws, processes, and definitions are tough for me. My theology is a very emotional theology. Not one that is swayed with my mood. Nor one similar to a impassioned church service invitation. Those are emotions from my head. I'm talking about the emotions of the heart. A God-centered heart specifically. So rather than giving you a textbook answer on the theology of the Trinity. I'd much rather give you my layman's theology, and if you hunger for deeper understanding, I'll point you in the right direction. Fair enough?

I've had to deal with criticisms of the Trinity since early January. You see I'm living with my grandmother who I love dearly, but who happens to be a Jehovah's Witness. Which in case you don't know. They do not believe that Jesus is God or divine. Instead they believe that Jesus is literally the son of God, as in God created Jesus before anything else and then had Jesus create the rest. They believe that Jesus is the archangel Michael. Not cool.

The Trinity in itself is easy to explain. Jesus is God. The Father is God. The Spirit is God. All three are God. All three however, are different persons. One entity, three persons. Easy to explain, hard to comprehend. Each has it's own personality, but nonetheless, each is still God. All three have been around forever, all three are just as powerful as the other, and no one is higher than the other. Together they add up to the Godhead. Three in one. There is only ONE God (Isaiah 45:5 ), and He since the beginning, has been three separate persons all at once.

There is a separation between the persons. For instance, Matthew 24:36 tells us that only the Father knows when Jesus is to return. This is the clearest example of the difference. There are plenty of others too. Jesus while on earth was fully God and was fully man. A balance beyond our comprehension.

You can't figure this doctrine out from any one verse. No verse will tell you up front, God = Three, same, but different etc. You have to look at the scripture as a whole. Which I believe puts off many people and they just nah, it's false. Shame really.

I've had many people ask, what does it matter? So what if they are or aren't three in one? Simply put: he whole faith rests on it. If Jesus isn't God, then as Christians we are doomed. If Christ isn't God, then what authority can he have to forgive sins, specifically our own? If he isn't God then our sins haven't been atoned and we are still dead in them. If that were true, they might as well have hung me or you on the cross, because that's about as much good as it would have done. If he wasn't also fully man, how could he be the sacrifice for us? Humans sinned, and humans were to pay for it. Christ couldn't just be God, he had to be human to pay a human-owed debt.

The fact is Christianity doesn't make sense without all three being God. The Father, justifiably holds humans rightfully accountable for their sin and expects the debt to be paid in full. (Romans 6:23). The Son, both God and man has a key role in it all. As God he has the right to say what would be an acceptable sacrifice. As man he can be the sacrifice. The Father then can accept that, pour our the full cup of wraith on Christ, and let the payment be fully paid. Thus, giving us the opportunity to have salvation through grace and mercy. The Holy Spirit then works in us to give us faith, and rebirth, letting us be regenerated so that we can lead a life of righteousness. Christianity relies on each and every person that makes up God. Without all three, you don't have salvation. Period.

This isn't easy. For a non-believer I expect this to be all but impossible to understand. Believers, even the best of us, are hard-pressed to understand it. That's okay though. We are human. He is God. God is infinite, why would beings such as ourselves have any clue of who He is? What makes us think we are even capable? The nice thing is though, in time, we will understand it all fully (Luke 8:17 NLT).

The main point is that Christ, as God and man, did die for us and in doing so gave us the ability to be free from the bondage of our sin. Its what you make of that part today, that truly matters.  That's where the theology leaps off the books and takes on a life of its own. What are you going to do with that truth?


Much Love,
Luke

 "Tell me how it is that in this room there are three candles and but one light, and I will explain to you the mode of the divine existence." - John Wesley

"The best theology is rather a divine life than a divine knowledge." - Jeremy Taylor 

Lukewarm Christianity, Nothing Christian About It

I have a feeling that this post may potentially anger some people. I hope not, I'm not wanting to make people angry, it's against my nature, but if that's a by product of the Truth, then let people be angry. Jesus made plenty of people angry with the Truth. The prophets sure weren't well liked, and God has revealed to me that I have a gift for prophecy. By that I mean not Old Testament, future predicting prophecy, but New Testament "given the power to preach repentance to those who do not want to hear the message and to warn of God's wrath for disobedience" prophecy. Oh and thanks Wikipedia, for the excellent way of wording it. It's safe to say that this would fall into that category.

What this would be is simple. Pretenders and Posers. Or as the hip term for it is today, "Lukewarm and Casual Christianity". I'm sure most, if not all, have read of this or heard of it. It's an affliction affecting the Church in America. It's the idea of halfhearted faith and a lack of commitment to Christ. It's a disease that Satan uses to give people the belief that they are "okay" when they aren't! So many people are illusioned to think they are saved but are they? They can say they prayed a prayer, they can go to church, but if there aren't good fruits. I'm sorry but I find it hard to believe. I'm not here to talk you out of your salvation. I am going to question it though, for your sake, and the Church's. I'm asking you to look into your own heart and ask what's your motivation, what's your drive, where's your good fruit. Because, if you don't, then before you know it, a day is going to come when the Judge will and by then it'll be far too late.

Our nation has become content with churchgoing and religion, but I ask you, where is Christ? He sure is talked about and everyone seems to gather to meet with Him, did He not get the memo? Or is it that we are missing something. I'd say it's best to go with the latter. Where is your heart? The Church in a lot of places is content with believing, showing up on Sunday and Wednesdays, and calling it Christianity. To put it as simple as I can: that ain't cuttin' it. Even the demons believe guys.

In Revelation, Jesus addresses a letter to Laodicea. A church eerily like that of the American church. He tells the He knows all that they do and while they aren't cold, they aren't hot either. He wishes that they would just pick a side rather than toeing the line. He then goes on to say because they choose to sit on the fence, that He will spit them from His mouth.  He goes on to talk about their wealth and contentment. He counters them by telling them they are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. Ouch. From hero to zero, huh? How many of us are that way? Tell me, if Jesus was before you right now, would He say: "I know you friend, come sit with me." or would he say "I heard you call my name, but who are you?". It terrifies me, but I'm frightened that quite possibly a majority of "Christians" would fall in that second group. I have a sincere deep fear that a few of my most beloved friends are in that group. It comes down to truly calling on the name of the Lord. Something Demian Farnworth makes clear in his article on the subject:

"Ultimately, a genuine Christian, among other things, obeys God’s commands, reject this evil world, longs for Jesus’ return, loves other Christians and discerns between truth and error. Only when a person submits to the will of God can he accurately be described as “calling on the Lord.” And only then can he enjoy great confidence in his eternal salvation."

Need I say more on that?
When it comes to matters of the heart, it always at some point, involves love. Is there something you are having an affair with? Something you are loving more than Christ? You hear people talking about their relationships say: "Oh, I couldn't live with out him or her, they are my world!" Well what about God? The One you are meant to love above all?

Let's talk hypothetically here for a second. What if right this very moment you were told to sell everything you owned and give it to the poor. Would you? What if you were told to leave behind your parents, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, work, and friends and then follow? Would you? What if you were told to cut off your hand or pluck out your eye to keep from sinning? Would you be able to?

I'm not trying to convince you to do these things. I'm making a point. How far are you willing to go for God? How far are you going for God? How much are you willing to risk for this Love? Abraham risked his son. Gideon risked his army. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego risked their lives. When you truly love someone, there are no limits to what you will do for them. You also won't strive for the bare minimum. You would do what was asked and then some! If you love God, you'll follow his commands. Just as Christ obeyed the Father. Are you doing that? Honestly? Or are you putting more time in excuses and defenses and alibis then His Word?

I love the way Switchfoot puts this in their song Yet.

"If it doesn't break your heart
It isn't love
If it doesn't break your heart
It's not enough"

That's how it needs to be with Christ, your heart should be breaking over your lack of commitment, just as it breaks Christ's heart to watch us not live the life He has for us. A man I look up to in a big way, Tony Nolan, showed a picture the other day, of a sign in a hockey locker room that said: "Play the game. Don't watch it." Are we doing this? Or are we on the bench? If so it's not God's doing. He is yelling for us to get out there and get in the game. It's got to be on us. It's time we stand up and say we aren't happy with "okay", we want something more filling. God sure isn't happy with "okay". For some this isn't directed at you, some are doing quite fine, but it never hurts to look into your motivation. Others it's time to step up and decide. Search your heart and make some decisions. I'll be here. 


Much Love,
Luke

"I'm finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance
That whole defense
Spinning infinity, but
The wheel is spinning me
It's never ending, never ending
Same old story
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say that I'll never surrender?" - The Pretender - Foo Fighters