Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’ –Luke 13:24-27
The promise is that those who truly know Christ will be invited to enter through that narrow door. That narrow door is upon the narrow path that Christ has asked us to tread upon. It is narrow as we are commanded, “Do not turn from it to the right or to the left.” (Joshua 1:7) Treading upon this narrow path is the best thing that we can do in this mortal life that we have been blessed to partake.
On that day, there indeed will be many who will claim that they have lived a “good” life. They believe the lie of all lies that all one needs to do is lead a “good” life and they will receive their reward. Nowhere does Jehovah God tell us that we just need to be “good” and that is enough to come into His presence. It is the desire of Jehovah God that each of us live our life for His glory. He truly wants us to come into His presence but in order to do so; we must perfect in order to stand before the Great I Am. As much as we may try, we can never achieve perfection.
We may use the word perfect to describe something in this life, but even that falls short. It is celebrated by fans of baseball when a pitcher throws a “perfect” game but even that fails to meet the mark of true perfection. Would not a true perfect game thrown by a pitcher be one in which he threw 81 pitches that were all strikes and none of the batters were able to make any contact with the pitched ball? I have also heard it described that a golfer shot the “perfect” round of golf. If that were indeed the case, would he have not shot an 18? We all have had those “perfect” moments in our life but they too vanish like a mist.
Jehovah God desires that each of us spend an eternity with Him but in order to do so, we must spend time in this life relationship with Him and His son. There exists between us and God, a great chasm that we are unable to bridge. He gave us His son, Jesus Christ, to be that perfection and to be that bridge that enables us to come into His presence. He is calling each of us to take that step through that narrow door that Christ has revealed the path that we are to tread that will lead of us to that door. Let this be the day in which you tread upon that path and stand firm without going to the right or to the left.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Monday, April 9, 2012
Anxiety
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word make it glad. –Proverbs 12:25
As I anxiously wait for the direction I am to go, I have allowed myself to become crippled by the fear of the unknown. I find myself wondering aloud, what is it that I have done to create this situation? I know that my failure to trust in the Great I Am to lead me in the direction that He would have me to go is a sin in the sense that I have failed to rely upon His direction for my life. He has laid upon my heart some fantastic dreams. There is indeed a reason those dreams exist. I need to let go and understand that if He is laying it upon my heart, He will certainly provide a way in which these dreams will be reality.
Make this the day in which you give it all to God. He will not disappoint.
As I anxiously wait for the direction I am to go, I have allowed myself to become crippled by the fear of the unknown. I find myself wondering aloud, what is it that I have done to create this situation? I know that my failure to trust in the Great I Am to lead me in the direction that He would have me to go is a sin in the sense that I have failed to rely upon His direction for my life. He has laid upon my heart some fantastic dreams. There is indeed a reason those dreams exist. I need to let go and understand that if He is laying it upon my heart, He will certainly provide a way in which these dreams will be reality.
Make this the day in which you give it all to God. He will not disappoint.
Friday, April 6, 2012
The Day of Days
Today is the day of days. This is the day in which we stop to remember the ultimate and perfect sacrifice that was given for all mankind that we may finally come into full relationship with the Creator of all. He gave to us His son who revealed the path that we are to take in order to live a life that is worthy of being called into His kingdom.
On this day of days, the curtain was torn at the Holy of Holies and the Great I Am allowed all to come into His presence. No longer would the presence of God be shrouded. His spirit was now living the temple and would soon be indwelt among the many believers.
As this day was about to end, another celebration was about to commence, the Feast of the First Fruits. This feast recognized that Jehovah God asked for first portion of one’s harvest as a sacrifice and in faith, He would provide the remainder of the harvest. He asked that the best was brought to be sacrificed. Christ was perfect in all accounts and the best that could be offered. Many would argue that as the day ended, Christ was not buried but He was rather planted. Paul declared, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)
After this day of days, things would forever change in this world. The true revelation of Jehovah God was complete. Christ tells us, “Come and follow Me.” Are you ready to give up all this world has to offer in order to live for the King of Kings?
On this day of days, the curtain was torn at the Holy of Holies and the Great I Am allowed all to come into His presence. No longer would the presence of God be shrouded. His spirit was now living the temple and would soon be indwelt among the many believers.
As this day was about to end, another celebration was about to commence, the Feast of the First Fruits. This feast recognized that Jehovah God asked for first portion of one’s harvest as a sacrifice and in faith, He would provide the remainder of the harvest. He asked that the best was brought to be sacrificed. Christ was perfect in all accounts and the best that could be offered. Many would argue that as the day ended, Christ was not buried but He was rather planted. Paul declared, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20)
After this day of days, things would forever change in this world. The true revelation of Jehovah God was complete. Christ tells us, “Come and follow Me.” Are you ready to give up all this world has to offer in order to live for the King of Kings?
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Pure Religion
Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. –James 1:27
To be pure means that something is free from that which would contaminate its being. Christ in His teachings makes it very clear that we are to care for those within our midst who are unable to care for themselves. When we allow the Holy Spirit of Christ into our lives means that we have submitted our being to something that is far greater than our self. Christ is very clear in His intentions for our life but we allow our faith to become polluted by the world and try to formulate a faith based upon our belief system rather than that which Christ has called us to do in His name.
In our society, orphans and widows do still exist. Sadly, many have turned a blind eye to their distress and we too often fail to reach out as we are commanded. There are too many men who have turned their back upon their responsibility of caring for the women with whom they have fathered children. Many single mothers and their children are living on the edge of our society but too many are more content with allowing themselves to be stained by the world.
Most of Christ’s calls against those living a life of sin were against the religious leaders who would exercise their authority over others in an un-Godly and sinful way. However, Christ does reserve a condemnation for the sinner who simply wants to build bigger and bigger barns. In the parable of the rich landowner, Christ tells of how the man said, “I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my goods.” (Luke 12:18) We have become a society in which our goods are more important to us than those who Christ is telling us to serve. Our stain is that we have allowed ourselves to believe the lie of the world that we deserve all that we have accumulated and we are not to use this blessing for others. We have been blessed with homes but we are not content and we need to build a bigger home and then we need more and more stuff to fill that larger home. One care is not enough for us so we need another one for no other reason to display our greed.
Christ reserves His sharpest rebuke for the church of Laodicea where He tells them that their actions make Him want to vomit. We go around believing that His command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) is only reserved for just a few. We allow ourselves to believe that Christ did not mean me. Christ is not telling us to go permanently but He is indeed telling us to GO. There are simply too many orphans and widows in this world in distress that need to be cared for in His name.
How much longer will God allow this nation to exist? We sit around and bemoan that things are not going well and we look to the false promises of man to lift us up but we ignore the truths and promises that God has revealed to us in His written word. Dedicate yourself to understanding that which God is calling you to do in His name and then GO and DO IT!
To be pure means that something is free from that which would contaminate its being. Christ in His teachings makes it very clear that we are to care for those within our midst who are unable to care for themselves. When we allow the Holy Spirit of Christ into our lives means that we have submitted our being to something that is far greater than our self. Christ is very clear in His intentions for our life but we allow our faith to become polluted by the world and try to formulate a faith based upon our belief system rather than that which Christ has called us to do in His name.
In our society, orphans and widows do still exist. Sadly, many have turned a blind eye to their distress and we too often fail to reach out as we are commanded. There are too many men who have turned their back upon their responsibility of caring for the women with whom they have fathered children. Many single mothers and their children are living on the edge of our society but too many are more content with allowing themselves to be stained by the world.
Most of Christ’s calls against those living a life of sin were against the religious leaders who would exercise their authority over others in an un-Godly and sinful way. However, Christ does reserve a condemnation for the sinner who simply wants to build bigger and bigger barns. In the parable of the rich landowner, Christ tells of how the man said, “I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my goods.” (Luke 12:18) We have become a society in which our goods are more important to us than those who Christ is telling us to serve. Our stain is that we have allowed ourselves to believe the lie of the world that we deserve all that we have accumulated and we are not to use this blessing for others. We have been blessed with homes but we are not content and we need to build a bigger home and then we need more and more stuff to fill that larger home. One care is not enough for us so we need another one for no other reason to display our greed.
Christ reserves His sharpest rebuke for the church of Laodicea where He tells them that their actions make Him want to vomit. We go around believing that His command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) is only reserved for just a few. We allow ourselves to believe that Christ did not mean me. Christ is not telling us to go permanently but He is indeed telling us to GO. There are simply too many orphans and widows in this world in distress that need to be cared for in His name.
How much longer will God allow this nation to exist? We sit around and bemoan that things are not going well and we look to the false promises of man to lift us up but we ignore the truths and promises that God has revealed to us in His written word. Dedicate yourself to understanding that which God is calling you to do in His name and then GO and DO IT!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Living Stones
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: “See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. –Peter 2:4-10
Opening our hearts to Christ forever changes who we are. We have been divinely created, each of us, in a specific and unique way. That uniqueness is the spiritual DNA that God has placed in each of us. He has made each of us to be stones as no two stones are alike. Each of us has a specific place where each stone is to be placed in order to build up His kingdom. All of these stones, when properly placed, are all held together by the perfect capstone, Jesus Christ.
God did not create us to be bricks. Bricks are all made to be the same. It was the vanity of man that believed that they could build a tower of bricks that would allow man to be the equal of God. God destroyed their plans as they were trying to build the tower of Babel. Bricks also represent bondage as Pharaoh kept the ancient Israelites enslaved for no other reason than for them to make bricks for his worldly kingdom.
When each of God’s unique stones are properly placed, we strengthen one another as we build upon one another to support each other in His structure of the church. We strengthen ourselves, we become a mighty force that cannot be moved.
Each of us has a story to tell. Each of us can be used by God to do amazing thing. We just simply need to let God lead our hearts to be that building stone that He has called us to be in His name. He just asks each of us to Go and take that step of faith in His name. We cannot waste any more days and we simply need to acknowledge that we are indeed His hands and feet.
To him who overcomes, to him I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. –Revelation 2:17
That day when each of those who were to the right hand of Christ receives their unique God given name will be an incredible day of great joy. I envision that after each of us pass through the gate, we will be lead to that place that Christ has prepared for each of us. At that place will be our white stone with our specially chosen unique name. Each of us after learning our name will return to the throne room of Jehovah God and all will bow down and worship Him in unison.
Opening our hearts to Christ forever changes who we are. We have been divinely created, each of us, in a specific and unique way. That uniqueness is the spiritual DNA that God has placed in each of us. He has made each of us to be stones as no two stones are alike. Each of us has a specific place where each stone is to be placed in order to build up His kingdom. All of these stones, when properly placed, are all held together by the perfect capstone, Jesus Christ.
God did not create us to be bricks. Bricks are all made to be the same. It was the vanity of man that believed that they could build a tower of bricks that would allow man to be the equal of God. God destroyed their plans as they were trying to build the tower of Babel. Bricks also represent bondage as Pharaoh kept the ancient Israelites enslaved for no other reason than for them to make bricks for his worldly kingdom.
When each of God’s unique stones are properly placed, we strengthen one another as we build upon one another to support each other in His structure of the church. We strengthen ourselves, we become a mighty force that cannot be moved.
Each of us has a story to tell. Each of us can be used by God to do amazing thing. We just simply need to let God lead our hearts to be that building stone that He has called us to be in His name. He just asks each of us to Go and take that step of faith in His name. We cannot waste any more days and we simply need to acknowledge that we are indeed His hands and feet.
To him who overcomes, to him I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it. –Revelation 2:17
That day when each of those who were to the right hand of Christ receives their unique God given name will be an incredible day of great joy. I envision that after each of us pass through the gate, we will be lead to that place that Christ has prepared for each of us. At that place will be our white stone with our specially chosen unique name. Each of us after learning our name will return to the throne room of Jehovah God and all will bow down and worship Him in unison.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Journey
Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. –Psalm 37:4
Delight is defined as an overjoyed ecstasy and rapture, an overwhelming feeling of true joy. God has laid some deep desires upon my heart and has indeed placed me at the crossroad of my life. I stand before this path trying to discern the best way to proceed. Both paths will take extreme diligence. Once I start out upon this new path I know there is no turning back. I pray daily for discernment, patience and peace. God is faithful in His promises and I know that He indeed will make a level path for me to tread upon.
Delight is defined as an overjoyed ecstasy and rapture, an overwhelming feeling of true joy. God has laid some deep desires upon my heart and has indeed placed me at the crossroad of my life. I stand before this path trying to discern the best way to proceed. Both paths will take extreme diligence. Once I start out upon this new path I know there is no turning back. I pray daily for discernment, patience and peace. God is faithful in His promises and I know that He indeed will make a level path for me to tread upon.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Seasons
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven. –Ecclesiastes 3:1
As I move through this thing called life, I realize that God blesses me with new things that build upon one another. I have developed new passions that drive me to understand in a more profound way why it is that God made me the way that He has chosen. I do know that the reason for my life is to give Him all honor and glory. How I do that though is what gives me hope in seeing His glory.
I have been reminded of how I have grown and changed through the years. Recently, I have been reminded of a season of my life from my youth. Although I did not follow God during that season, I am able to look back at that time and realize that God was indeed using me during that time for a reason and a purpose. Some of my experiences from that season of my life are what motivate me today to be a true difference maker for the body of Christ. I realize that even though I had turned my back upon my Savior during that season, He still loved me and only desired that I turn to Him.
God has put different people in my life at different seasons for a reason. Those relationships are important to me and more important to God. I must strive to be a catalyst in any and all relationships to point someone towards our creator as He desires that all come to know Him.
As I look at where I stand today in this season, there is no way that I would have chosen the life that I now live several season back but I know that is alright. What is important is that I use my lessons from my various seasons to grow and learn and to be that man that I have been called to become.
As I move through this thing called life, I realize that God blesses me with new things that build upon one another. I have developed new passions that drive me to understand in a more profound way why it is that God made me the way that He has chosen. I do know that the reason for my life is to give Him all honor and glory. How I do that though is what gives me hope in seeing His glory.
I have been reminded of how I have grown and changed through the years. Recently, I have been reminded of a season of my life from my youth. Although I did not follow God during that season, I am able to look back at that time and realize that God was indeed using me during that time for a reason and a purpose. Some of my experiences from that season of my life are what motivate me today to be a true difference maker for the body of Christ. I realize that even though I had turned my back upon my Savior during that season, He still loved me and only desired that I turn to Him.
God has put different people in my life at different seasons for a reason. Those relationships are important to me and more important to God. I must strive to be a catalyst in any and all relationships to point someone towards our creator as He desires that all come to know Him.
As I look at where I stand today in this season, there is no way that I would have chosen the life that I now live several season back but I know that is alright. What is important is that I use my lessons from my various seasons to grow and learn and to be that man that I have been called to become.
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