Well, I know that it has been quite awhile since I posted anything. It isn't due to any relaxing on my part, I assure you. In fact, it is mainly due to the opposite. I got rid of internet in my barracks room and haven't regretted the decision beyond the fact that it makes writing and checking a few websites more difficult. I've been able to become more focused on Christ and growing closer to Him. God has been faithful in blessing me even more abundantly by casting aside the weights that were hindering our relationship. I wanted to share a couple of things that God has been doing in my life lately and I pray that they may be some encouragement to you all.
One thing that God has really been working to change is my view of sin. God hates sin yet loves sinners. When we come to realize the depth of the words "For God so loved the world..." we have to respond with a radical change of lifestyle. It is not enough to just read the Bible or go to church. We must hate sin the way that God does. For me, the hatred has come through reading God's Word and repeatedly asking Him in prayer to allow me to hate sin. There have been many Scripture that have been an encouragement in this area.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; knowledge of the Holy One is insight
Proverbs 9:10
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your Word.
Psalm 119:9
Beloved, I urge you as sojouners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:11
I've thought so much about these verses and others like it recently that it has been easy to memorize them and be transformed by their truth. It is wise to fear and revere God. It is insightful to have knowledge of our Lord. There is only one way to keep our way pure. Protect it by immersing oneself in the Word of God and believing its truth. The passions of our flesh are waging war against our souls! These are serious words from a serious God who hates sin more than we could ever know. If we don't take sin seriously, we will fail to live the holy lives that God has called us to. God is showing me how important this is and how necessary it is for me to hate sin and love all that God loves.
Another thing God has really been showing me is what the most important thing in the Christian life is. All through Scripture, it is clear that love is by far the most important thing. In 1 John, John tells us that we love because God first loved us. He says that if we love God, we will obey His commandments and they are not burdensome. God loves us so much that He stepped down from His glorious throne, came to earth, and died for us. Does this thought bring you to your knees? It should if you stop and think about the magnitude of it! What is it that compels us to witness? Love. Without a sincere understanding that those who are apart from Jesus Christ will be tormented for all of eternity, we will never ever share the message with them. If we don't love them as Christ loves them, we will never see the need to be outspoken about the Gospel. Paul tells us to be rooted and grounded in love in Ephesians. In 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks of love as the greatest thing. Without love, faith is as useless as a clanging gong. When we grasp how much God loves us, we grow in our love for Him. When we grow in our love for Him, we are forced to examine how we need to display and share that love with others. That's where I am right now. Begging for God to show me how I need to respond and pour myself into the lives of those who don't know Jesus Christ and love them as Christ does.
Please don't miss what I'm about to say. If our faith fails to compel us to reach out to the lost people in the world, it is useless. See what James has to say if you don't believe me. We cannot hide behind the excuse that we're not gifted in witnessing. God does not care! Our charge is written every page of Scripture. Love God. Keep His commandments. Go out and preach the Gospel and share Jesus Christ with the lost. This is not a suggestion. It is a command. We cannot be complacent. We cannot somehow talk ourselves out of this command by saying that we aren't gifted. Trust that God knows better than you do and step out in faith knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide your heart and give you the words to speak. The Day of the Lord is at hand and we don't have much time on this earth. We cannot squander it in our own pursuits when Christ's wounds are even more real today than 2000 years ago!
I pray that we get this. I pray that as I write this that I myself am getting it. I freely admit that I am scared. I don't know how people will respond. I don't know how it will affect things at work or with people that I see. But Scripture is clear that perfect love casts out fear. Perfect love: the love of Christ. What does that look like in your life? Regardless of the answer, I promise you that it involves speaking out boldly about the Cross of Christ. Nothing less portrays the love of Christ.
I pray that we become bold in proclaim the truth of God's Word in a loving, gentle, humble way. The eternity of people that we know and love is at stake. There should be nothing that keeps our focus from that. God help us.
One thing that God has really been working to change is my view of sin. God hates sin yet loves sinners. When we come to realize the depth of the words "For God so loved the world..." we have to respond with a radical change of lifestyle. It is not enough to just read the Bible or go to church. We must hate sin the way that God does. For me, the hatred has come through reading God's Word and repeatedly asking Him in prayer to allow me to hate sin. There have been many Scripture that have been an encouragement in this area.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; knowledge of the Holy One is insight
Proverbs 9:10
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your Word.
Psalm 119:9
Beloved, I urge you as sojouners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
1 Peter 2:11
I've thought so much about these verses and others like it recently that it has been easy to memorize them and be transformed by their truth. It is wise to fear and revere God. It is insightful to have knowledge of our Lord. There is only one way to keep our way pure. Protect it by immersing oneself in the Word of God and believing its truth. The passions of our flesh are waging war against our souls! These are serious words from a serious God who hates sin more than we could ever know. If we don't take sin seriously, we will fail to live the holy lives that God has called us to. God is showing me how important this is and how necessary it is for me to hate sin and love all that God loves.
Another thing God has really been showing me is what the most important thing in the Christian life is. All through Scripture, it is clear that love is by far the most important thing. In 1 John, John tells us that we love because God first loved us. He says that if we love God, we will obey His commandments and they are not burdensome. God loves us so much that He stepped down from His glorious throne, came to earth, and died for us. Does this thought bring you to your knees? It should if you stop and think about the magnitude of it! What is it that compels us to witness? Love. Without a sincere understanding that those who are apart from Jesus Christ will be tormented for all of eternity, we will never ever share the message with them. If we don't love them as Christ loves them, we will never see the need to be outspoken about the Gospel. Paul tells us to be rooted and grounded in love in Ephesians. In 1 Corinthians, Paul speaks of love as the greatest thing. Without love, faith is as useless as a clanging gong. When we grasp how much God loves us, we grow in our love for Him. When we grow in our love for Him, we are forced to examine how we need to display and share that love with others. That's where I am right now. Begging for God to show me how I need to respond and pour myself into the lives of those who don't know Jesus Christ and love them as Christ does.
Please don't miss what I'm about to say. If our faith fails to compel us to reach out to the lost people in the world, it is useless. See what James has to say if you don't believe me. We cannot hide behind the excuse that we're not gifted in witnessing. God does not care! Our charge is written every page of Scripture. Love God. Keep His commandments. Go out and preach the Gospel and share Jesus Christ with the lost. This is not a suggestion. It is a command. We cannot be complacent. We cannot somehow talk ourselves out of this command by saying that we aren't gifted. Trust that God knows better than you do and step out in faith knowing that the Holy Spirit will guide your heart and give you the words to speak. The Day of the Lord is at hand and we don't have much time on this earth. We cannot squander it in our own pursuits when Christ's wounds are even more real today than 2000 years ago!
I pray that we get this. I pray that as I write this that I myself am getting it. I freely admit that I am scared. I don't know how people will respond. I don't know how it will affect things at work or with people that I see. But Scripture is clear that perfect love casts out fear. Perfect love: the love of Christ. What does that look like in your life? Regardless of the answer, I promise you that it involves speaking out boldly about the Cross of Christ. Nothing less portrays the love of Christ.
I pray that we become bold in proclaim the truth of God's Word in a loving, gentle, humble way. The eternity of people that we know and love is at stake. There should be nothing that keeps our focus from that. God help us.
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