Ever have one of those days when you just don't want to get out of bed? The covers are warm, the house quiet and you can't image a more wonderful place? Then your alarm explodes, the baby starts crying and the whirlpool of life begans to suck you in. There are 86,400 seconds in a day and sometimes you wonder why you can't have just a few for yourself. Some time to take off the pressure of life, and be free of all expectations. To not worry about performance or obligation, but to just be? What ever happened to living the perfect life, and why does everyone need me to be perfect for them?
We get so caught up in these obligations to our fellow man that we fail to meet God's own expectation. Are you ready for this because I'm going to lay it on pretty thick.
"Be Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect."
But....He said what????....He can't mean....there must be another explanation.
Check it out for yourself, Matthew 5:48, red words, Jesus speaking.
Ok, lets get right to it because you won't believe how this is possible.
The word perfect (translated from teleios) relates to the words goal, purpose or completion. While God's perfection is absolute; man's is relative reaching the goal set for him by God with each individual different according to one's God given ability. Now read Romans 12:1-3
Simply said to be perfect is to complete the purpose or goal.
There is another word (anamartetos) which is without sin or sinless. If that is what you think being perfect is, that's nice but that is not what is being referred to in Matt 5:48 or Romans 12:2
Do you think you have a purpose in life? Does God care that you have a goal in mind? Absolutely.
The perfect man is one who has attained his moral end, the goal for which he has intended, namely, to be a man Obedient in Christ.
So if perfection is living for God, Loving Jesus and being a disciple, obeying the Words of Christ then is it to far out of reach? Isn't that the best part about being a Christian, Loving God? Having a purpose?
It's nothing to brag about, being perfect, because its relying purely on His Grace to use the talents He gave you. So be happy that something in your life is perfect. Then you can rest with perfect peace in His perfect will.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Why do bad things happen to good people?
Have you ever watched that new t.v. action-comedy "the Good Guys?" The one where the two mismatched cops who follow up on petty crime get caught up in high profile gun fights and car chases as the older cop leads the younger by-the-book cop into reliving his glory days. So why do these bad things keep happening to the Good guys? Are they just looking for trouble or does it keep following them? Wouldn't they rather have some conflict to keep things exciting? Are they really the Good guys, or just better than the bad guys they encounter?
This t.v. show reminds me of a young adult who once made a lot of money and who had lot of influence but was not satisfied inside. So one day he paused for a moment from spending his money and telling people what to do and asked a humble carpenter "Good teacher, what must I do to inheret eternal life?" The answer he was looking for must have had a pricetag, so Jesus first responded with a question. "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone."
The rich young ruler must have stumbled over a few words as you may be right now thinking "did Jesus just deny being good?" Wasn't He the Son of God, the perfect Son of God? Like here's a murderer, here's a thief, here's a white lie, here's me who got saved, there's Jesus and God? But I thought me and Jesus and God were good, but now your saying only God?
Read Luke 18:18-34 Matthew 19:16-29 and Mark 10:17-30
Now ask yourself one more time Who is Good?
God! It's in the Bible! Jesus said it! Period.
So what does this have to do with bad things happening to good people?
Here's the breakdown. Jesus was the spotless lamb, the perfect sacrifice, but not even He would be blameless as He took upon the sins of the world. If Jesus was Not Good, then are we truly Good People? And what is bad? Sin. Then why don't bad things happend to bad people? Because no matter how "Christian" we think we are we are still on this earth in this time and we are stuck with the consequences of sin (evil and sickness). The sin of Adam and Eve, the sin we still live in.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE CALLED TO REPENT.
What is Christianity without repentance? Its like a good looking person on the outside with a real dark secret on the inside, and unfortunatly we all have it.
So what do we do? Read, reread, memorize and meditate on Romans 6-8 for starters, then do what John the Baptist said, Repent. Make a radical change in your entire life. Admit you are Not good, never will be good and will always be bad, but with entire dependence on God's saving grace. Then simply follow Christ.
So why do bad things happen to good people? I think you get the point by now. What about good things happening to bad people then? It happens, yes, God is merciful, and I for one am greatful. Just keep your eyes on the prize, keep the faith, finish the race. That's it.
This t.v. show reminds me of a young adult who once made a lot of money and who had lot of influence but was not satisfied inside. So one day he paused for a moment from spending his money and telling people what to do and asked a humble carpenter "Good teacher, what must I do to inheret eternal life?" The answer he was looking for must have had a pricetag, so Jesus first responded with a question. "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone."
The rich young ruler must have stumbled over a few words as you may be right now thinking "did Jesus just deny being good?" Wasn't He the Son of God, the perfect Son of God? Like here's a murderer, here's a thief, here's a white lie, here's me who got saved, there's Jesus and God? But I thought me and Jesus and God were good, but now your saying only God?
Read Luke 18:18-34 Matthew 19:16-29 and Mark 10:17-30
Now ask yourself one more time Who is Good?
God! It's in the Bible! Jesus said it! Period.
So what does this have to do with bad things happening to good people?
Here's the breakdown. Jesus was the spotless lamb, the perfect sacrifice, but not even He would be blameless as He took upon the sins of the world. If Jesus was Not Good, then are we truly Good People? And what is bad? Sin. Then why don't bad things happend to bad people? Because no matter how "Christian" we think we are we are still on this earth in this time and we are stuck with the consequences of sin (evil and sickness). The sin of Adam and Eve, the sin we still live in.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE CALLED TO REPENT.
What is Christianity without repentance? Its like a good looking person on the outside with a real dark secret on the inside, and unfortunatly we all have it.
So what do we do? Read, reread, memorize and meditate on Romans 6-8 for starters, then do what John the Baptist said, Repent. Make a radical change in your entire life. Admit you are Not good, never will be good and will always be bad, but with entire dependence on God's saving grace. Then simply follow Christ.
So why do bad things happen to good people? I think you get the point by now. What about good things happening to bad people then? It happens, yes, God is merciful, and I for one am greatful. Just keep your eyes on the prize, keep the faith, finish the race. That's it.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
It's just my opinion!
Have you heard someone recently tell you their opinion? They tell you something about someone that makes them sound very defensive or authoritative? Everyone has an opinion, its the right and freedom of every American, but there is something missing. With the right to form an opinion there must be a responsibility after the opinion is cast. The opinions of people today are also unfounded on anything other than personal feelings and emotional highs and lows. This blog is starting to sound opinionated, but I am actually suggesting something else.
First I want to talk about just what an opinion is and why it can cause so much disturbance. The lexical aid to the NAS Bible says "to give or form an opinion is to divide, separate, make a distinction or come to a decision. First of all, which part of an opinion helps someone, brings wholeness and healing? Which part shows kindness, mercy and compassion? Just my observation. To have an opinion is to think, esteem or decide. They being with thought, become esteemed as important, and bring about decisions that seem finalized in the heart of the opinioned.
There is one more thing an opinion is related to. In the Bible the word opinion is not used (are you ready for this?), instead the word judgement is. To cast an opinion is to cast a judgement on or about something or someone. To say I have an opinion feels more like I am judging you. Now how many times have you heard someone say "don't judge me?" Again I am trying to observe rather than subjuct to my feelings. So what do we do with our opinions? How shall we cast our judgments?
Jesus says in Matthew 7 "Do not judge.....(form opinions?) Wait, He can't say that! But read the rest....."lest you be judged. For in the way you judge; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." So what he is saying is there will be consequences, but is that all? Should we avoid forming opinions because of consequences? Read more....."WHY do you look at the speck of dust in your brother's eye but do not notice the log in your own eye?" Safty First I always say. "You hypocrite! First take the log out.....then you will see clearly to HELP your brother!" Is that clear enough? Is your personal opinion so precious that you throw others under the bus? HOW will you now harness the power of the opinions that you form? How will you use them for good and not evil? How will you surrender you pride for the mercy of Christ? This is my hope, that we All find it in our hearts to keep some opinions in our stomachs as we swallow our pride. Enough for now......
Saturday, August 28, 2010
The End
This year started off so slow and then all of a sudden the summer's warmth had come to it's End. Work dropped off rapidly and it seems the season of fence building has come to an End. I sustained an injury 2 weeks ago which slowed me down but gave me a chance to catch up too. Two season long jobs came to their End. This weekend is pleasant but it too will End. For some reading this today the End is in sight. For others the End is so far away. And for even more the End has finally come. So what is your End? And what are the means to Your End.
Listen to these words and ask yourself these questions.
"There is a Way that seems right to a man, but in the End it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12 What is your Way? "An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the End." How will you be blessed? "What you have seen with your eyes do no rush into court, for what will you do in the End if he puts you to shame?" Proverbs 25:8 How quick are you to judge? "He who rebukes a man will in the End gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." Proverbs 28:23 Will you take correction?
Man cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to End. Eccl. 3:11 So what will our End be?
What should we hope for, what should we fear?
"The End will not come right away." Luke 21 Until that time how shall we believe? "Christ is the End of the Law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." Romans 10:4 There is a Way.....Jesus.....the Alpha and Omega.....the beginning and the End.
Put an End to your darkest fears because Hope is the End "in sight."
Listen to these words and ask yourself these questions.
"There is a Way that seems right to a man, but in the End it leads to death." Proverbs 14:12 What is your Way? "An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning will not be blessed at the End." How will you be blessed? "What you have seen with your eyes do no rush into court, for what will you do in the End if he puts you to shame?" Proverbs 25:8 How quick are you to judge? "He who rebukes a man will in the End gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." Proverbs 28:23 Will you take correction?
Man cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to End. Eccl. 3:11 So what will our End be?
What should we hope for, what should we fear?
"The End will not come right away." Luke 21 Until that time how shall we believe? "Christ is the End of the Law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." Romans 10:4 There is a Way.....Jesus.....the Alpha and Omega.....the beginning and the End.
Put an End to your darkest fears because Hope is the End "in sight."
Monday, August 23, 2010
Day 2
Today I declared the 24th of each month Red for Conner Day. To keep his memory alive we can wear red and remember to give as if we knew our own days were numbered. You can quote me when I say "tragety will never be able to define my life, but it will give me a once in a lifetime opportunity to redefine my soul.
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