“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!"
Amos 5: 21-24
God wants JUSTICE. Rivers of it.
If what we are doing inside the FOUR WALLS of the church doesn't effect THE STREETS we took to get there, then maybe we are missing the point. We are the human race. We have made life a race. Pushing and climbing past one another, but never really knowing where exactly we are going. Running this race towards success and prosperity thinking that the moment we reach our goals will be a moment of revelation, but maybe life isn't about coming in first. All of our pride and arrogance lead to one word: INJUSTICE. The root of injustice is our apathy as a people. Our apathy as a race.Our apathy as a church. It is rooted down deep in us like an unending wound. It has become part of our nature.
In Luke 10 we read of injustice in a story where a man who is mugged is left half dead on the road. A priest passes by and heeds him no attention. Then he is passed by a Levite who does the same. Then along come a Samaritan, the most despised of people in the area, and he takes the man and cares for him and pays for his care.
We are so busy trying to DO church, that we aren't BEING the church. The priest was probably off to go "DO" ministry at his church and he completely forgot that he is the church! He is the body of Christ. Is that not like us? Apathy isn't sleeping through the fire, it's fanning the flames. As a church we have become so numb to the world and to the poor and to the suffering. We overlook the fatherless in hopes that someone else will take care of their problems or we pray for them at night, but take no action. We throw a prayer towards Africa, but we do it from the comfort of our beds. We pray for the hopeless and homeless, but do it at the dinner table with our families. Hypocrisy.
JUSTICE
"Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is apart of it." 1 Corinithians 12:27
As a church, we are the body of Christ. We all know the phrase "What would Jesus do." But really think. If Jesus were here what would He do? Would he wallow in His apathy or go and DO? As Christians we make such big deals out of small things and such little deals of big things like poverty, hunger, and orphaned children. God wants Justice. It's not about doing charity and our little part then going on with our lives. It's about going towards the goal of LOVE until the very end.
Maybe when it comes down to it I can't change the world, but just because I can't do EVERYTHING doesen't mean I won't do SOMETHING. Maybe we can't bring everyone earthly justice, but maybe we can bring them heavenly justice. We can share Christ. Because when it comes down to it the most crucial need of people is not clothes, or shelter, or a warm meal, it is to be ransomed by Jesus; to know their Maker. Be apart of someone's story. Be the church! Maybe you weren't made to change the world, but you were made for something. You have your life. You have your moment.
Bring JUSTICE in your moment.
The world is waiting. The world is wanting. The world is willing. Be the church.
JUSTICE:
EVERY SOUL. EVERYBODY. EVERYONE.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Belize, Cypress, and Greater Things To Come.
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
That is exactly what over 50 other students and I did this Spring Break! We took the good news of Jesus Christ to the country of Belize. It was a long and very spiritually uplifting trip and I am sure everyone who went is forever changed by it. I have a lot to say, but bear with me. God for sure moved this past week.
Belize is a small Central American country. It is a fairly poor country with little to no government control or regulation. The people there are smaller than Americans and most speak a language called Creole which is a mix of Spanish and English, but most of them can speak and understand both.
We arrived in Belize on Sunday night. We stayed at a "resort" called La Estima where we slept and 
ate while we were not out doing mission work. Cypress was mixed with South Campus for a total of I think 18 students. We worked in a small poor town called San Felipe, where we helped a local church build a outhouse because because there was no place for these people to use the restroom. We also visited a school where we told the kids about Jesus Christ and played with them. At that school we played a group of Belizians kids is soccer. Well opposed to our knowledge they were the national champions of Belize for their age group so they creamed us! On the second day we got to go to a hospital and pray with people who were sick. That was an awesome experience as well. Then the third day we did a VBS type thing in San Felipe at the church and it was so sad to leave the kids at the end of the day. On the last night we did a revival in the town square and alot of people came to know Christ.
ate while we were not out doing mission work. Cypress was mixed with South Campus for a total of I think 18 students. We worked in a small poor town called San Felipe, where we helped a local church build a outhouse because because there was no place for these people to use the restroom. We also visited a school where we told the kids about Jesus Christ and played with them. At that school we played a group of Belizians kids is soccer. Well opposed to our knowledge they were the national champions of Belize for their age group so they creamed us! On the second day we got to go to a hospital and pray with people who were sick. That was an awesome experience as well. Then the third day we did a VBS type thing in San Felipe at the church and it was so sad to leave the kids at the end of the day. On the last night we did a revival in the town square and alot of people came to know Christ.It is different being on a mission trip, eventhough it shouldn't be. It's so easy to be closer to God and he see his hand on our lives. The re
ason is because for some reason we feel like we have to go half way across the world to experience God's power. Alot of times in Belize we couldn't speak to the children because of the language barrier, but they understood why we were there. We both shared something in common, we were speaking the language of Love. The language of Christ. On the first day of visiting San Felipe we had no idea what to expect. We had no idea what God was going to do and how he had prepared these Belizian peoples heart to just come in and radically shake up all our lives. We arrived and children flocked from every direction to see us. Just to see us! These poor children who didn't have anything were jumping out of their shoes (the ones who even had shoes) just because someone was there to be apart of their lives. The thing I said from the first day of being in Belize is that these people should be coming to America on a mission trip. They understood even at some of their young ages about how to come to Christ as you are. To come with nothing, and trust me most of them had nothing. Some of the things that these kids were beyond zealous about like a sticker book, is something a spoiled American kid would just shrug off.
ason is because for some reason we feel like we have to go half way across the world to experience God's power. Alot of times in Belize we couldn't speak to the children because of the language barrier, but they understood why we were there. We both shared something in common, we were speaking the language of Love. The language of Christ. On the first day of visiting San Felipe we had no idea what to expect. We had no idea what God was going to do and how he had prepared these Belizian peoples heart to just come in and radically shake up all our lives. We arrived and children flocked from every direction to see us. Just to see us! These poor children who didn't have anything were jumping out of their shoes (the ones who even had shoes) just because someone was there to be apart of their lives. The thing I said from the first day of being in Belize is that these people should be coming to America on a mission trip. They understood even at some of their young ages about how to come to Christ as you are. To come with nothing, and trust me most of them had nothing. Some of the things that these kids were beyond zealous about like a sticker book, is something a spoiled American kid would just shrug off.
That brings me to my next point. Being around these people really taught me about the needs of others. These people's main need wasn't clothes, shoes, food, or shelter. There main need was to know Jesus Christ. If they can know Jesus Christ then the rest will follow, because in the long run all that stuff will fade, but the things about eternity is that it's forever. It was just such an amazing feeling to share the news of Jesus Christ with these people and to see them accept him. Their forever has been changed and that is something to rejoice about!"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12
"What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:26
As compassionate, Christ driven people we understand that people's main need is to know Him. Not saying that the compassion and love Christ gives us won't compel us to provide for peoples material needs because it will. But what good is it to give someone the world, but have them lose their soul? We know that all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord, so why would we not teach them to love the Lord and know Christ.
In final thoughts I just want to challenge you. Earlier I said that the thing about mission trips is that we go on them and feel like we are closer to God than ever before and that He is so much more evident in our lives, but that is so far from the truth. It's just that when we go on mission trips our whole mentality is changed and we think about God and how we can serve and love people constantly. But when we return home it becomes all about "I" again. God is the G
od of all nations, including America, and the Father of all people, including the nerdy kid nobody likes or your boss who is a jerk to you. As Christians we for some reasons think we get to decide who comes to Christ or we try to reap some benefit from telling others. We look at certain people and we think, "Hey that person needs Jesus.", and we go on this quest to try and tell this person we think deserves it and leave all the other lost people in the dust to drown in their sins. We want to decide who deserves grace or not, but that is an oxymoron. None of us deserve grace, which is the undeserved favor of God. We should have that mission mindset here in America as well. There are so many people who need Jesus Christ and who are we to pick and choose who should come! GO AND MAKE DISCIPLE OF EVERY NATION! Not just some nations, not just some people, but everyone! It is not about where God is taking you, but it's about where God has you. You are on your mission field. Take advantage of it. Go and claim the harvest for Christ.
od of all nations, including America, and the Father of all people, including the nerdy kid nobody likes or your boss who is a jerk to you. As Christians we for some reasons think we get to decide who comes to Christ or we try to reap some benefit from telling others. We look at certain people and we think, "Hey that person needs Jesus.", and we go on this quest to try and tell this person we think deserves it and leave all the other lost people in the dust to drown in their sins. We want to decide who deserves grace or not, but that is an oxymoron. None of us deserve grace, which is the undeserved favor of God. We should have that mission mindset here in America as well. There are so many people who need Jesus Christ and who are we to pick and choose who should come! GO AND MAKE DISCIPLE OF EVERY NATION! Not just some nations, not just some people, but everyone! It is not about where God is taking you, but it's about where God has you. You are on your mission field. Take advantage of it. Go and claim the harvest for Christ."Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." Matthew 9:37
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Fighting In The War Room
"So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
Galatians 5:16
Personally as a Christian I feel one of our biggest problems is that we try to make war with the evil around us, but we fail to make war with the evil inside ourselves. We focus so much on the powers of darkness that are at work around us and how they are affecting others lives, but that allows Satan to make footholds in our own lives. We are so focused about the things around that we fail to look on our inside. I feel that this isn't only dangerous, but also hypocritical.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
But how do you combat the evil in your own life?
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
James 4:7
That's our answer, and that is what I struggle with. We have to submit ourselves completely to God and live by Spirit and in Truth. We have to live by God's commands, but that is only part of the issue. As Christians I believe we forget who our Maker and our Savior is. We try to fight the battle on our own.
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Exodus 14:14
God has already won the battle. Sin was slain on the cross. All we have to do is sit back and ALLOW God to claim the victory He has already won. But we have to submit ourselves to Him. We have to become keepers and followers of His word. So this is the challenge; Make war within yourself. Make war against the temptations, the sins, and the garbage in your life. Be no longer a slave to sin, but a slave to Righteousness.
"Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
Romans 6:13-14
Galatians 5:16
Personally as a Christian I feel one of our biggest problems is that we try to make war with the evil around us, but we fail to make war with the evil inside ourselves. We focus so much on the powers of darkness that are at work around us and how they are affecting others lives, but that allows Satan to make footholds in our own lives. We are so focused about the things around that we fail to look on our inside. I feel that this isn't only dangerous, but also hypocritical.
“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."
Matthew 7: 3-5
It is so vital to take care of the sin in your life before you try to combat the evil around you. This is Satan's number one trick! He uses it on Christians everywhere. We focus so much on the outward that we don't realize that we are falling apart on the inside.But how do you combat the evil in your own life?
"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
James 4:7
That's our answer, and that is what I struggle with. We have to submit ourselves completely to God and live by Spirit and in Truth. We have to live by God's commands, but that is only part of the issue. As Christians I believe we forget who our Maker and our Savior is. We try to fight the battle on our own.
"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."
Exodus 14:14
God has already won the battle. Sin was slain on the cross. All we have to do is sit back and ALLOW God to claim the victory He has already won. But we have to submit ourselves to Him. We have to become keepers and followers of His word. So this is the challenge; Make war within yourself. Make war against the temptations, the sins, and the garbage in your life. Be no longer a slave to sin, but a slave to Righteousness.
"Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace."
Romans 6:13-14
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Love Is On The Move
"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
1 John 3:1
Love is on the move. I must say these past couple of weeks I have felt the love of God moving throughout my life and my world. I have to confess I have been convicted lately with how intentional I have been as a Christian this past semester. I have been doing 'nice' things, but where is God's glory? Have I forgotten who my deeds are for? As Christians I feel as though that is one of our weaknesses; we forgot who we live for. It's comes down to what love is. Is love an act of kindness towards someone? Is love a soft-spoken word to someone in pain? Is love a hard-hearted donation? None of those things have any impact if they aren't fueled towards true love. I have forgotten what Love is. My God is love. Everything we do is for the Glory of God. Every loving touch, soothing word, every hand we reach out to the afflicted is all for the glory of the Father. We do all of these deeds, but we have not love!
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."
1 Corinthians 13:1
We speak the words of God to those in need and God is in our tounges, but not in our minds and hearts. It is imperative that we love intentionally and we love for the glory of what God will do through that.
I can feel God hand moving over us, but this is our challenge: love intentionally. I am challenging myself and challenging you to love with reason. Love for the sake of Christ and we will see love move through our world like a wild fire. A wild fire that would be unextinguishable. Just look around at your schools, your workplace, and your community, people are dying to believe in something. They are dying for something eternal to cling to because everything around them is crumbling. Be the one who genuinly shows them what that Love they are searching for is. Be intentional with your love. Love is not a philosphy, love is a Man, and that man is Jesus Christ.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
1 John 3:18
Love is on the move.
1 John 3:1
Love is on the move. I must say these past couple of weeks I have felt the love of God moving throughout my life and my world. I have to confess I have been convicted lately with how intentional I have been as a Christian this past semester. I have been doing 'nice' things, but where is God's glory? Have I forgotten who my deeds are for? As Christians I feel as though that is one of our weaknesses; we forgot who we live for. It's comes down to what love is. Is love an act of kindness towards someone? Is love a soft-spoken word to someone in pain? Is love a hard-hearted donation? None of those things have any impact if they aren't fueled towards true love. I have forgotten what Love is. My God is love. Everything we do is for the Glory of God. Every loving touch, soothing word, every hand we reach out to the afflicted is all for the glory of the Father. We do all of these deeds, but we have not love!
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."
1 Corinthians 13:1
We speak the words of God to those in need and God is in our tounges, but not in our minds and hearts. It is imperative that we love intentionally and we love for the glory of what God will do through that.
I can feel God hand moving over us, but this is our challenge: love intentionally. I am challenging myself and challenging you to love with reason. Love for the sake of Christ and we will see love move through our world like a wild fire. A wild fire that would be unextinguishable. Just look around at your schools, your workplace, and your community, people are dying to believe in something. They are dying for something eternal to cling to because everything around them is crumbling. Be the one who genuinly shows them what that Love they are searching for is. Be intentional with your love. Love is not a philosphy, love is a Man, and that man is Jesus Christ.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
1 John 3:18
Love is on the move.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Benediction
No one is good not even one. The front pages of papers of children raped by rapist Iraqi torture chambers and we the blame claim we're blameless. Wrong. All. And swelling up inside of us there's this pride in us this arrogance. And our only line of defense is the sense that Im not as half as bad as this friend of mine so I must be fine. We mean well don't we? Yet I've never seen good intentions set a man free from hurt. All. This poor unfortunate soul. Filling a single void with toy after toy with girl after boy. How boring this wasn't this meant to be Humanity's life story. Warring with God saying what have you done for me? Bought all. Hanging out for six hours marred beyond recognition. In complete submission to his father will. Still. A proclamation was made louder than the loudest temptation. With more beauty than all his creation. More eternal than eternity more angelic than the heavenlies. It Is done. For you were bought with blood. Accept. Rejoice. For freedom has come.
I stumbled across this song at the end of Jimmy Needham's first album and it spoke directly to me. There is just so much truth in this song. I've noticed a reoccuring theme throughout the history of man kind. We like to point the finger. Adam pointing the finger at Eve. It goes back to the core of our humanity. We think ourselves to be so blameless and we are so reluctant to take the blame for something because it's so much easier to scrape it off on someone else. We are such a lonely nation. We are the issue. We scrounge around the universe for some sense of meaning and some sense of security and we try to find it in relationships, money, an idols. HOW BORING! What an awesome God I have! I am so free in his presence. Why chase the things of the world? It all just fades away. My God stands! My God has captured with me with his unfailing love. I am so sick of looking around and seeing my generation fall apart! They are in so much desperation and I just want to yell at the top of my lungs 'YOU ARE LOVED!' It is done. The debt is paid. Why wallow in sin that is paid for? It's like holding onto an expired driver's license. It has no worth! I pray, pray that you find the God who loves you. " Revelation 21:5 "... Behold, I make all things new..." It's worth it friends to know your maker and lose your sin. Did you know that you are dearly loved?
I stumbled across this song at the end of Jimmy Needham's first album and it spoke directly to me. There is just so much truth in this song. I've noticed a reoccuring theme throughout the history of man kind. We like to point the finger. Adam pointing the finger at Eve. It goes back to the core of our humanity. We think ourselves to be so blameless and we are so reluctant to take the blame for something because it's so much easier to scrape it off on someone else. We are such a lonely nation. We are the issue. We scrounge around the universe for some sense of meaning and some sense of security and we try to find it in relationships, money, an idols. HOW BORING! What an awesome God I have! I am so free in his presence. Why chase the things of the world? It all just fades away. My God stands! My God has captured with me with his unfailing love. I am so sick of looking around and seeing my generation fall apart! They are in so much desperation and I just want to yell at the top of my lungs 'YOU ARE LOVED!' It is done. The debt is paid. Why wallow in sin that is paid for? It's like holding onto an expired driver's license. It has no worth! I pray, pray that you find the God who loves you. " Revelation 21:5 "... Behold, I make all things new..." It's worth it friends to know your maker and lose your sin. Did you know that you are dearly loved?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
