Category: Inspiration

Journey to “Then.”

“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This verse came up this morning on my phone as the verse of the day. I usually start my day or end my day with the verse of the day on the Bible app. If I do this in the morning, I’ll read it in bed and sit and listen to Holy Spirit speak to me as I lay there. If I read at bed time, I do the same thing , but try to allow that truth to make me lie down green pastures while I sleep.

So this morning as I was reading a word kept being spoken to me from the LORD. He kept highlighting and bringing to my heart and ears attention to the word “then.”

The NEW LIVING TRANSLATION of this verse says “THEN, you will experience God’s peace.” The promise and provision of God’s peace has never been questioned in my mind. However, the pathway to this peace has been a challenge to find at times.

I went back a few verses and started to read the journey to “then.” As I read and reread these verses I found a remarkable peace come upon me. I felt the LORD stir my heart and speak to me saying “if you want to get to “then”, start yielding to me NOW.”

The longer I try to find peace on my own terms or by others terms, I delay God’s hand of blessing and provision. I block His blessing when I do so.

The preceding verses give the pathway to finding peace. Only when yielding to the LORD and His pathways to peace will I get to “then.”

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Belonging

It can be confusing and at times frustrating when we think about who we are or, who or what group of people we belong to. Especially in today’s petty culture. Am I apart of the masked or unmasked crowd? Am I apart of the vaxed or unvaxed crowd? Republican or Democrat? This world is constantly trying to polarize and divide people. It’s also safe to say that this world attempts to make us forget who we really are while it polarizes and divides us.

Paul tells Christians that they belong to Christ. If I am a Christian, that is who I belong too. No political, philosophical, philanthropy, scientific, or religious ideologies or groups have my identity. Because they don’t have my identity, they don’t have my belonging. Jesus Chris is where and who I belong to.

We are so free and at peace when we know where we belong and who we belong too. I’m thankful for this truth in Galatians chapter 5 today.

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Private Practice

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 6:1

In a culture of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, it’s easy to communicate things. If you are connected to any of these social media outlets, you’ve no doubt seen the obligatory mission trip photos. You know what I’m talking about. Look at me, the middle class white guy in a country with a little dark kid. While I’m sure not all of the people who post these do so in vanity, I’m almost certain there is a level of vanity in some. Only because I’ve seen it in my years of ministry.

One of my favorite quotes comes from Ron Burgundy…. “Hey everyone, come and see how good I look.” Cracks me up every time. But here’s the not so funny side of Western Christianity. Sometimes we do things not to honor God, but to make ourselves appear to be something we are not. We perform to promote our image. You may be unethical in everything else you do, but when it comes time to serve Jesus, not even the apostle Paul has anything on you. In a business meeting you are the pope, behind close doors you are Howard Stern.

Jesus tells us those who serve others to be seen by others aren’t gaining anything but a blind eye from the Father. Sure, everyone around you may think you are great. But God doesn’t see your “selfless sacrifice.”

So, here is what Jesus has for us. When we serve Him, seek to only be seen by Him and for the ones you are serving to see Him through the love you are demonstrating, which He gave you. We are not called to be a people of position, but of posture. Our posture before the Lord will always dictate the positions He can place us in.

I want to encourage you to have a heart that his humble and hungry for the Father’s attention. Serve Him, don’t perform for Him. Posture your heart in a place of serving Him out of love and exalting Jesus. Make much of Jesus!

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The Price of Peace

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:9

Peace. Some people want it for tranquility. Some people desire it for sanity. Others crave it for the sake of humanity. And then there is a group of hellions who can’t live unless they are living in turmoil. Peace and madness are distinguishing characteristics between children of God and sons of Satan. I know that sounds harsh, but let’s be honest, it’s the harsh truths that give us spiritual breakthrough.

Before digging deeper into this passage. Peace needs to be defined in regards to what it is not. Here are a few things that peace is NOT.

  1. Peace is not the presence of incense and good vibes. That would be Seattle..or App State?
  2. Peace is not destination.
  3. Peace is not the absence or oversight of truth.
  4. Peace is not putting aside beliefs for the sake of unity.

Isaiah 9:6 shows us that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. When we observe the life and ministry of the Messiah Jesus Christ, we see many things and arrive and many conclusions. We often picture Jesus with a baby lamb and a hemp bracelet. While He was indeed nurturing, loving, and peaceful; He was also as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1).

It is imperative that Christ followers do not forsake truth for the sake of peace. Jesus spoke truth boldly knowing that only the righteousness of God could truth establish a life of peace (Isaiah 32:17). We live in a culture, yes, even our Christian culture, that teaches us to be silent and turn a blind eye to truth for the sake of peace. This culture would rather one disobey God for the sake of peace rather then be obedient.

Having said all of that, this leads us to the words of Jesus. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” Being a peacemaker does indeed mean that we do not seek turmoil or provoke others to chaos and disastrous ways. This also means that we act in peace as Jesus acted in peace.

Jesus was not one to start a riot. He was one to stand in the Father’s righteousness. The righteousness of God contains the absolute presence of His peace. When the woman caught in adultery was brought before the public for stoning. It would have been the “peaceful” thing for Jesus to do to go along with the crowd. However that is not what we see. He stands with the woman caught in this act, and against the religious majority. When Jesus walks through the temple and see’s His Father’s house being treated like a flea market, what does Jesus do? He turns tables..not exactly “peaceful.”

Jesus is not being a hypocrite. He is demonstrating a deeper level of the truths He was preaching and living out. He is showing us that peace is neither the absence of truth nor the oversight of it. Peace is the presence and truth of God manifest in every situation for the Glory of the Father. To live this type of life one can’t think of peace as a destination, rather peace is a constant manifestation of the Father’s love for us in every step of repentive obedience we take towards Him. One can’t be silent when injustices are taking place for the sake of united “peace” either. Standing with God, on “God issues” brings us into a place of perfect peace. It also allows us to be people of peace. It allows us to be people of peace because we aren’t trying to implement some fraudulent state of nirvana or denial to achieve and bring about peace. We are revealing the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ in His truth.

Be a peacemaker. Walk in truth. Reveal God’s kingdom through your obedience to Him.

Be blessed.

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