Effects of Misunderstood Identity - Desires

One realization I'm coming to and realizing is that we're no longer "evil, horrible sinners saved by grace" but rather now we are the righteousness of Christ. I don't have to look at myself and consider myself horrible awful and rotten all the time. If I did, then at what point do we get to brag on the restoration that God did? Heaven? Everyone already knows it then. I'll brag about it here because He's fixed a lot and made me awesome.

One of the verses I misunderstood or was mistaught was "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." (Col 3:5). When you think you are still evil and sinful, then you think and consider every thought or idea or deep desire you have is evil and sinful and you need to kill it off. Which is dumb...but what I tried to do.

Certain desires I tried to kill off or sacrifice for the sake of the gospel or because I didn't want it to be my identity. I also valued sacrifice and surrender over enjoyment and delight. Somehow I thought sacrifice was more holy than delight. So I gave up:

• athletics
• playing sports
• working out
• throwing a frisbee
• painting/drawing/photography/videos/creativity
• public speaking and telling stories
• relationships (romantic and friendships)--doing them/learning about them/teaching others about them
• watching  movie and eating pizza with friends
• anything that I enjoyed and found comfort in
• my car and having nice things

Now, things have changed though. I'm learning after I became a Christian, my old self died and my new self came alive. (Romans 6). God said He gave us a new heart (Ez 11:19, 36:26) and new desires (Ps 37:4), so we have new ways about us. Anything dead that tries to come back, that's when we smack it down. Let's look at the list though again, "sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed." Yep, turns out that relationships wasn't on the list. Neither was enjoying to make videos or watching a movie and having a pizza with friends. 

I realized I had became like child cleaning out his room and throwing away his toys (old self) to get new toys (Jesus ways), and when he gets new toys (refined/new desires) he throws them away because he's "cleaning out his room." He'll end up in a barren room always waiting for new toys but growingly unhappy because he's in an empty room...by his own choice. It becomes lonely and frustrating. 

At some point, we have to realize that we're on the other side of the promise "delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart." (Ps 37:4). Because we've delighted, now we have new desires. We're not trying to get there, we're already on the other side of the equation. The point has crossed over the promise, because the promise came when the cross has a point. We're not waiting for delivery of good things, the good things are here and we have to stop throwing them out or trying to kill them off. 

But maybe this is just me and this is just too much religion I've swallowed and believed in. I'm learning now that when Jesus said He came to bring life and life more abundantly, He wasn't necessarily talking about holding onto that until Heaven. Eternal life starts now (John 17:3) so does the abundant life. We don't need to live in poverty to be holy. It's super cool if we enjoy God and how He's made us and the desires we have. I hope I continue to find this out and can clearly enunciate what this means to help all of us fully enjoy all that Jesus paid for on the cross. May you enjoy your new toys today.

Qualified but not Chosen

I have to giggle at God's choices at times. As I'm reading through the Bible and looking into things, God seems to always mix it up. Just when you think you know what He's going to do, He changes the rules and says "Yeah, but I want to do it this way."

A few examples:

Professional trained warrior/Special Ops or a 12 year old farm boy? (David & Goliath)

Marine Recon group trained in tactical maneuvers or lying enemy prostittue? (Rehab)

The oldest brother that always got the inheritance and the family name and all the rights who also worked hard in the fields, knew the family business, and was already running the show or or his lying cheating little brother? (Jacob & Esau)

Powerful and influential people who can shift the political, religious, and business climates of the world with their words or 12 dudes who never finished high school or got their GED. (12 Disciples)

A 5 Star Hotel with the latest and most up-to-date medical equipment or a unprepared crap filled barn. (birth place)

A first class orator like Obama or Hitler or a murderer with a speech impediment (Moses)

A man with 4 doctorate degrees in theology and 45 years of faithful service to God or a little kid who just picked his nose and ate it, can't tie his shoes, and still sometimes poops his pants. (how to come into the kingdom)

A woman of purity and passion who has kept herself clean and saved herself for her wedding night or a prostitute who keeps cheating after she gets married. (Gomer)

The all-state quarter back with a six pack and full ride scholarship or a small loner who was actually castrated and got beat up and throne in trunk of a car because of his nationality. (Daniel)

A man who builds homeless shelters and creates feeding programs to feed thousands or a guy who "accidentally" leaves a few items behind in his shopping cart when he leaves. (Boaz)

It's so funny to see who and why God picks who He does. I'm pretty sure He just likes mixing it up so we don't try to make Him into a formula or an idea but see that He's a person who enjoys spontaneity and to think of the most ridiculous people to use.  I know He loves to use the unpredicted and unqualified people to show His calling too. I'm a little afraid though that I'm getting too qualified or too much of an obvious choice to be picked.

Yes, but that's a silly thought. I'm more of a David. A small, not super big or strong guy, from an area of the world that some people in the neighboring county haven't even heard of. I graduated with less than 60 people from high school but because of God's ability and me saying "Yes" and His ridiculous plans, I've got to share Jesus in 7 different countries all over the world and many many states. I look back at my life and am surprised that THAT WAS MY LIFE?! So I'm actually quite content being well under-qualified but enjoying His faithfulness and power along the way. Although, the more qualified I become that just means the bigger the tasks I will be called to so I'm still super unqualified. :)

Partnering with Jesus

"Co-" Ever notice how many times it says we are "co-something" with Christ. We are "co-laborers," we have been "co-crucified," we are "co-heirs" and so many others I can't think of right now. He calls us ambassadors for Him as a representative. He sends us out and says "I have everything, so you should go." (Matt 28:18). Then before we try to be too independent and run off He says "Wait, don't go. Abide in me. If you don't abide in me, you can do nothing." (John 15:5).

So there's this unique partnership between the Supreme ultimate being over everything and ... us.  Some of us have heard it described as a 7 year old "helping" his dad fix the car. The child probably causes more issues than helps, yet at the same time his Dad enjoys him being there and teaching him and partnering with him. In this illustration, the 7-year old could go over and sit on the porch with the dog and the car would still be fixed if his Dad's good at his job, and yes, our Dad is really good at His job.

But I'm beginning to see where God is in control but often waits for us to act before He moves. I know out sounds crazy and I'm not saying He's limited by our activity or inactivity, I'm saying sometimes He seems to let us play the game and interact with us rather than plow driving over and through all of our lives. (Yes, sometimes He's a gentleman and will wait for your request, and sometimes He's a lover burning with passion ripping any logic or rules of physics out of His way to get His bride.)

This morning I was reading through Genesis and noticed something new about Isaac and Rebekah. They had issues getting pregnant. Big deal, so? Lots of people have issues getting pregnant. But remember who Isaac is. Remember who his dad is. Remember what promise God made his dad. A few years before (65 years) God promised Abram he would have a son and God would make his decedents as many as the stars in the sky and the sand grains on the shore. Abraham got antsy (after like 10 years) and had a baby with his wife's servant. God came back going, "nope. I said would would have many decedents through SARAH not just you." (Gen 18:10; Romans 9:9).

What's the point? The point is that the whole promise and covenant of God was passed from Abraham to Isaac (his only son by Sarah). That means God's promise now was contingent upon Isaac having children. So when I read "Isaac pleaded with the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was unable to have children." (Gen 25:21a) I'm a little surprised. What seems like a sure thing is having troubles coming through. It's a promise of God, yet brick-walled for some reason. The second part of the verse is "The Lord answered Isaac’s prayer, and Rebekah became pregnant with twins." Well, duh, right? I mean, He promised Abraham, He's got to come through. But there is 20 years that pass between the marriage and the birth. I don't know when they started trying for kids, but Isaac pleaded with God. God was pulling Isaac into this covenant promised relationship. Which we could write more about, but my thought was "what happens if Isaac wouldn't have prayed? If Isaac wouldn't have remembered God's promises and declared them back to Him? Wait, God! You promised this. This is what I desire! This is what I want!  Yes, if God gave us Jesus how will He not give us all good things (Rom 8:32). But I think there's something here about chasing God down and 1) reminding Him/us of His promises and holding onto them and 2) talking to God and working with Him rather than sitting on our butts saying "bring it forth!" 

So I refuse to think of all of the "does that mean I missed..." of the past. I didn't get it/have it and I'm doing fine now. What I want to look for is what is it that God has promised that He's waiting on me to grasp a hold of? And what is it that God want to do that He's waiting for a vessel or son/daughter to stand up and go for? He wants the whole world saved, but how many people do we grasp that promise and go after? He want to heal everyone, but how many people do we go after and pray for?  He wants the whole world sheltered, but how many people do we bring in? This is not a condemnation of what we haven't done, this is an invitation of what He's doing and what we can join in on. 

Some things I'm thinking about:
-a wife and good marriage, healthy kids who love Jesus
-people I know and strangers I meet getting saved
-people I know and strangers I meet being healed
-the homeless around me getting jobs, homes, families, real lives
-a job (and that I like) so I have some form of income
-a house in the future for my family
-creative ideas to change the world
-money to make it through the semester

What are you ready for? What are you a going to join in and see what God's been waiting to bring? Partnering with Jesus is like taking a stick and popping the surface tension of Heaven then letting gravity do it's work. So hold onto those promises and keep going after it with Jesus!

What did Jesus do? WDJD?

We hear all the time of “what would Jesus do” but I have a few problems with how this plays out.

1) We've turned “what would Jesus do” into a monitoring of our bad behavior. If you’re in a situation where everyone is making fun of someone…WWJD? If you get really angry at the guy who cuts you off…WWJD? If you’re kids come home and aren't respecting you…WWJD? But what about the good He did?  Since I’m learning not to become “sin conscious” (aka don’t mess up, don’t do wrong, do this, but not this) and instead become “righteous conscious” (aka what good can I do here? how can I radically love people? What would flip people out in the best way possible?) I have to begin to ask what would Jesus do in a multifaceted way.  So this now asks the question… What DID Jesus do?

2) What DID Jesus do?  “He lived for us, died for us, rose again.” Correct. “He loved people.” Correct again. “He was nice to people.” Also, correct. But once we take a step past the Sunday school answers that get us the checkmark and progress the lesson onto snack time, we have to ask, “Seriously though, what exactly did Jesus do?” Ever wonder what it would have been like to walk with Jesus for a day just to watch the way He carried Himself, the way His face responded to the religious foke or the beggars? Ever wonder how His eyes worked His way through a crowd? How did He sneak off/blend in through the crowd when everyone was there to see Him? What was His tone like? How often did He laugh? Smile? Burp? Did He kick a rock along the road as He walked just for fun or to think? Did He spin his staff occasionally as He walked? Did He have pep in His step or was He always worn down?  These are some of the things I think about, but we’ll have to wait for another day to talk about these. What I find interesting is how we hear many sermons on following Jesus, and then also hear different aspects of what Jesus did.

• Jesus preached everywhere He went so our number one priority is to preach the gospel at all costs wherever you go.
• Jesus met people’s physical needs by giving food and water and healing them before He preached so our number one priority is to get them food, water, and doctors before we preach – mercy missions is vital.
• Jesus disciple people. His whole ministry time was showing the 12 disciples, (and a few others who were close to Him) what it means to follow Him and walk the way He walked, so discipleship and building up believers is our number one priority.
• Jesus preached to the least of these so we need to go into the slums and take care of them.
• Jesus was always around non-believers teaching them, so our number one focus is evangelism.
• Jesus was always challenging the religious people, so we should attack man-made religion and take them down.
• Jesus was always doing miracles and bringing the kingdom, so we should be doing miracles and bringing the kingdom.
• Jesus was destroying the works of the devil everywhere He went, so our number one focus is to go to places where the devil has strongholds and destroy them with Jesus name.
• Jesus simply hosted the presence of God, so whatever He saw God saying or doing is what He said or did.

I think that is probably the most accurate answer. Jesus was God’s son, so He talked to God like a Daddy. He says He was sent to accomplish what His Daddy sent Him to do. He wasn’t concerned with His own plans but what His Daddy’s plans were. So then we begin to ask, “What are God’s plans?”

3) Before we take off down this next question, I’d rather point out a slight flaw in my thinking which I believe we all do. It comes right here at this turn. While it’s good that we want to know what God’s plans are so we know what to generally look for, it’s at this point that we’ve skipped over the relationship part with God and jumped directly to “Ok, what do you want me to do? What do I do now so I fulfill my duty, not be punished, don’t feel guilty, make you happy, honor you, and can hold my head up around other Christians?” We don’t say that directly, but that’s the general feel that we have. We want to know what it is that God expects out of us and what He’s doing so we can go do it.

4) It’s honorable to want to please God, but the idea that God intended was for us to do life with Him, not for Him. If it was for Him, God would have kept a list of dos and don’ts and told us what we should be doing then sit back and watch, occasionally throwing in input for correction. (Perhaps, this is kind of your view of God currently.) But instead, God sent Jesus to reconcile us together. He gave us His Spirit to now live INSIDE us so that we can communicate with Him. Our old self is crucified/killed with Jesus, and now Jesus lives in us. Jesus loves to talk to Daddy God (God the Father). Holy Spirit loves to talk to Daddy God. There was only one time that Jesus and God weren’t in perfect communication and doing life down here together, that was when the weight of human sin was put on Jesus and He cried out “Father! Father! Why have you forsaken me?! Daddy! Daddy! Where did you go?! Why did you leave me?! What’s going on?!” It was so devastating because for the first time EVER, Jesus and God weren’t in constant communication doing life together.

So that’s what Jesus did. He communicated with God and did life with Him. He understood that He was a son of God and then spent time with His Daddy and did what His Daddy did.  (John 5:19)

By the way: I don’t disagree with the sermons that push evangelism, preaching, taking care of the needy, doing miracles, destroying works of the devil, meeting people’s basic physical needs, or anything else that we see Jesus doing. I just don’t want us to catch an idea that we go run off and do for God because Jesus did it, when Jesus died to unify us with God so we didn’t have to “do for God” but so we could “be with God.”

So as we spend this intimate time with God, we begin to learn His heart and His natural tendencies (the list mentioned) and can learn to pick up on what He’s saying easier. At the same time, He is God and does whatever He wants (Ps 115:3), so prepared to be like the disciples, surprised at whatever what was coming next, but still ready and willing to do it.

All that being said, I still will enjoy going back and reading through the gospels to see what exactly Jesus did to see what I could be doing. I hope you check it out too.