Posts
~ Allen Hood (IHOPKC.org)
Join me on the journey I am taking. The tag line of my blog mentions finding truth... Friends, I have heard it all. Some would say that the answers can all be found if you look deeply inside yourself. They say that everything you need is within yourself. They encourage you to continue to make yourself the focus of your life.
Don't get me wrong. You need to be healthy, and therefore you must spend time finding out what things are good for you (life-giving) and what things are life taking... toxic people, toxic thoughts, places that take more than they give to you. But, ultimately, there is but one thing that we need. This world needs Jesus. Not the Pharisaical teachings. Not the demands of the law. Not the religion that makes you focus on yourself as much as these teachers that would have you look within yourself to find truth and healing... We NEED Jesus. There is but one answer in this world of brokenness and pain, but we are missing it because of all the distractions. We are distracted by false teachers, we are distracted by those who (like Saul) love God and are zealous, but have no true understanding of how much they need Grace and Jesus and MERCY (in short, they have forgotten the true Gospel and exchanged it for a points program at which they feel they are excelling).
I desire mercy over sacrifice... (Matthew 9:13, 12:7 and Hosea 6:6)
Three things: act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
To the merciful I will show mercy... (Psalm 18:25, 2 Samuel 22:26)
Eyes of mercy.. eyes for mercy... oh Jesus, help us.
Some will surround themselves with teachings because their itching ears want to hear... but some pastors are so focused on taking down these other teachers... that they themselves have lost sight of the ONE THING... the Gospel. They have become experts at pointing out the mis-teachings of every other one that they have failed to see their own mis-teachings. They have allowed the rule, the law, the commands to become more important than the One that came because NO ONE could be saved by following the law. No One could live up to the standard. Friends, there is not one who is righteous. NOT ONE, so how is it that anyone is supposed to find life by killing themselves to follow the laws. Jesus help us.
When I get confused I simply have to remind myself to look to JESUS. Often I have to remind myself because many around me want to keep pointing me back to the law.. to the rules. But, there is LIFE in Jesus. There is HOPE in Jesus. He offers what no man can... eternal vision.
He sees it all.
He knows it all.
He loves.
He makes Himself strong in our weakness.
We cannot preach people into Heaven. We cannot change the world with our rules and our tearing down of other people.
We must love the way Jesus did.
Yes, that means sometimes with a hard truth, but ALWAYS and supremely more valuable is the LOVE with which we share those truths. Some people think that the truth itself is loving, but I will tell you that God calls us to repentance through his kindness... not the beat down.
Oh friends, there is so much pain. So much hurt. So many good causes to give to. So many people who need help and love and life and truth. So much of what we do is for NOTHING. What are we doing? How are we making a difference in this broken place? Are we just in a rut and working and living every day like this is all there is? Are we using social media to blurt out all of the ways we are offended by that which we perceive to be something other than truth according to ourselves? Are we really bringing anyone closer to God - or showing the love of Christ in that? I don't care which side of the issue you are on. If you love your stance more than the people on the other side of the debate you have LOST FOCUS my friend. How do we have the kind of vision that Jesus has?
How do we make our focus the right focus? Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. It is the only way. When we focus on our own thoughts, wisdom and actions - and compare that to those of others we are deceived ourselves. Jesus is the only thing worthy of our attentions and affections. When we have our view right, we can be of help to others. but, when we allow our teachings, our truths to become our lens through which we see the world, we have lost sight of that which is the BEST thing. The only thing worth living for.
Christians beat up other Christians in the name of trying to "make sure they are saved". But, what it looks like to the world is not love or truth. It looks like arrogance and flat-out meanness. I have lived both sides of this thing. I have been the one so full of self righteousness that I couldn't see the own log in my eye. When God revealed it to me, I had several people to make apologies to... and by the Grace of God they forgave me and now we have restored relationship. Praise God. At one time (and certainly still in many ways) I had minimal understanding of the depth of the brokenness of this world and how it can affect someone. I have been distracted by Satan and focused on everything that wasn't Jesus instead of everything that was.
Jesus is the answer. I want to live in a way that honors God, but I am HUMAN. I am reckless and I am broken, and I am selfish and as much as I would like to have all of those things just purged from my life, I know that the process of purging is painful, and on this side of heaven I will not come to the end of my sinfulness. I just won't. Otherwise, why would I need the Gospel at all? What would Jesus mean to me if I could attain it on my own? (and please, my beloved Pharisee, don't throw at me 1 John 3:9)
The sermon on the mount was not Jesus' way of showing us that there were more rules to follow. He was showing us that we are absolutely incapable of meeting the standard. If a man (or woman) even glances at another's beauty lustfully, he/she is an adulterer. If a man/woman hates another man/woman, he/she is a MURDERER. Yet, all of the Pharisees would have you believe that they are not murderers and adulterers. Oh how you are deceived!! You who think you have found some level of holiness that the "broken" rest of us haven't found. I know that in your mind you really do just want for people to understand the utter relief of holiness. Because I have tasted and found that the beautiful God and Jesus of the Bible are the most wonderful thing. But, I also have tasted the sharp disappointment that comes with life here on this broken earth. I have had many doubts and questions for my Creator as I have been told so many things in light of my sons sudden death. The opposite of faith is not doubt... Not according to Scripture. The opposite of faith is sight. Faith is believing in that which you cannot see. Not seeing everything. My doubt is pushing me to dig into the Scriptures in ways that I haven't in some time. I am not doubting that God is who He says He is. I am doubting that God is who some of the teachers of my life have taught me He is. He has been in this box. And, I am asking Him to take me deeper, to take me to a place that I understand who He is the way that Moses did. I want Him to cover me with his hand and show me His glory. No teacher of the law can explain to me who that is. I want to hear him, as Job did, even in the midst of correction when He rebukes him and says, "were you there when...? do you know how...?". No! Gloriously, no! I don't know... I don't see... but I KNOW that I KNOW that I KNOW that He does.
That is enough.
He hasn't made a mistake.
He hasn't given up on me (or you).
He isn't disappointed that he chose me (or you). And he is not mad that I am asking questions.
He loves to reveal Himself to me. And I love to find Him. I wish everyone who reads this could feel the freedom to talk with God as your friend. Jesus said that we are no longer his enemies but his friends. I am silly enough to believe that. And I am able to be who I really am when I am with my best friends. I don't have to pretend, or clean up. I am just me, and that is enough.
Praise God He sees me as His beloved. He has changed my name, and No One on the earth can re-name me. His word is all that matters. His thoughts towards me are all that matter. It is not within myself that I will find the answers. It is in Jesus that my answers will come forward. He will speak to me from the storm, in the bush.... however He desires and I am praying for a heart that will be willing to hear what He has to say.
For now, this is my mantra to myself daily. Love God, love people, and simply, Jesus.
Peace and love to you, my friends.
And, always... if you need a friend to chat with, I am here for you.
~ Christy
Join me on the journey I am taking. The tag line of my blog mentions finding truth... Friends, I have heard it all. Some would say that the answers can all be found if you look deeply inside yourself. They say that everything you need is within yourself. They encourage you to continue to make yourself the focus of your life.
Don't get me wrong. You need to be healthy, and therefore you must spend time finding out what things are good for you (life-giving) and what things are life taking... toxic people, toxic thoughts, places that take more than they give to you. But, ultimately, there is but one thing that we need. This world needs Jesus. Not the Pharisaical teachings. Not the demands of the law. Not the religion that makes you focus on yourself as much as these teachers that would have you look within yourself to find truth and healing... We NEED Jesus. There is but one answer in this world of brokenness and pain, but we are missing it because of all the distractions. We are distracted by false teachers, we are distracted by those who (like Saul) love God and are zealous, but have no true understanding of how much they need Grace and Jesus and MERCY (in short, they have forgotten the true Gospel and exchanged it for a points program at which they feel they are excelling).
I desire mercy over sacrifice... (Matthew 9:13, 12:7 and Hosea 6:6)
Three things: act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
To the merciful I will show mercy... (Psalm 18:25, 2 Samuel 22:26)
Eyes of mercy.. eyes for mercy... oh Jesus, help us.
Some will surround themselves with teachings because their itching ears want to hear... but some pastors are so focused on taking down these other teachers... that they themselves have lost sight of the ONE THING... the Gospel. They have become experts at pointing out the mis-teachings of every other one that they have failed to see their own mis-teachings. They have allowed the rule, the law, the commands to become more important than the One that came because NO ONE could be saved by following the law. No One could live up to the standard. Friends, there is not one who is righteous. NOT ONE, so how is it that anyone is supposed to find life by killing themselves to follow the laws. Jesus help us.
When I get confused I simply have to remind myself to look to JESUS. Often I have to remind myself because many around me want to keep pointing me back to the law.. to the rules. But, there is LIFE in Jesus. There is HOPE in Jesus. He offers what no man can... eternal vision.
He sees it all.
He knows it all.
He loves.
He makes Himself strong in our weakness.
We cannot preach people into Heaven. We cannot change the world with our rules and our tearing down of other people.
We must love the way Jesus did.
Yes, that means sometimes with a hard truth, but ALWAYS and supremely more valuable is the LOVE with which we share those truths. Some people think that the truth itself is loving, but I will tell you that God calls us to repentance through his kindness... not the beat down.
Oh friends, there is so much pain. So much hurt. So many good causes to give to. So many people who need help and love and life and truth. So much of what we do is for NOTHING. What are we doing? How are we making a difference in this broken place? Are we just in a rut and working and living every day like this is all there is? Are we using social media to blurt out all of the ways we are offended by that which we perceive to be something other than truth according to ourselves? Are we really bringing anyone closer to God - or showing the love of Christ in that? I don't care which side of the issue you are on. If you love your stance more than the people on the other side of the debate you have LOST FOCUS my friend. How do we have the kind of vision that Jesus has?
How do we make our focus the right focus? Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. It is the only way. When we focus on our own thoughts, wisdom and actions - and compare that to those of others we are deceived ourselves. Jesus is the only thing worthy of our attentions and affections. When we have our view right, we can be of help to others. but, when we allow our teachings, our truths to become our lens through which we see the world, we have lost sight of that which is the BEST thing. The only thing worth living for.
Christians beat up other Christians in the name of trying to "make sure they are saved". But, what it looks like to the world is not love or truth. It looks like arrogance and flat-out meanness. I have lived both sides of this thing. I have been the one so full of self righteousness that I couldn't see the own log in my eye. When God revealed it to me, I had several people to make apologies to... and by the Grace of God they forgave me and now we have restored relationship. Praise God. At one time (and certainly still in many ways) I had minimal understanding of the depth of the brokenness of this world and how it can affect someone. I have been distracted by Satan and focused on everything that wasn't Jesus instead of everything that was.
Jesus is the answer. I want to live in a way that honors God, but I am HUMAN. I am reckless and I am broken, and I am selfish and as much as I would like to have all of those things just purged from my life, I know that the process of purging is painful, and on this side of heaven I will not come to the end of my sinfulness. I just won't. Otherwise, why would I need the Gospel at all? What would Jesus mean to me if I could attain it on my own? (and please, my beloved Pharisee, don't throw at me 1 John 3:9)
The sermon on the mount was not Jesus' way of showing us that there were more rules to follow. He was showing us that we are absolutely incapable of meeting the standard. If a man (or woman) even glances at another's beauty lustfully, he/she is an adulterer. If a man/woman hates another man/woman, he/she is a MURDERER. Yet, all of the Pharisees would have you believe that they are not murderers and adulterers. Oh how you are deceived!! You who think you have found some level of holiness that the "broken" rest of us haven't found. I know that in your mind you really do just want for people to understand the utter relief of holiness. Because I have tasted and found that the beautiful God and Jesus of the Bible are the most wonderful thing. But, I also have tasted the sharp disappointment that comes with life here on this broken earth. I have had many doubts and questions for my Creator as I have been told so many things in light of my sons sudden death. The opposite of faith is not doubt... Not according to Scripture. The opposite of faith is sight. Faith is believing in that which you cannot see. Not seeing everything. My doubt is pushing me to dig into the Scriptures in ways that I haven't in some time. I am not doubting that God is who He says He is. I am doubting that God is who some of the teachers of my life have taught me He is. He has been in this box. And, I am asking Him to take me deeper, to take me to a place that I understand who He is the way that Moses did. I want Him to cover me with his hand and show me His glory. No teacher of the law can explain to me who that is. I want to hear him, as Job did, even in the midst of correction when He rebukes him and says, "were you there when...? do you know how...?". No! Gloriously, no! I don't know... I don't see... but I KNOW that I KNOW that I KNOW that He does.
That is enough.
He hasn't made a mistake.
He hasn't given up on me (or you).
He isn't disappointed that he chose me (or you). And he is not mad that I am asking questions.
He loves to reveal Himself to me. And I love to find Him. I wish everyone who reads this could feel the freedom to talk with God as your friend. Jesus said that we are no longer his enemies but his friends. I am silly enough to believe that. And I am able to be who I really am when I am with my best friends. I don't have to pretend, or clean up. I am just me, and that is enough.
Praise God He sees me as His beloved. He has changed my name, and No One on the earth can re-name me. His word is all that matters. His thoughts towards me are all that matter. It is not within myself that I will find the answers. It is in Jesus that my answers will come forward. He will speak to me from the storm, in the bush.... however He desires and I am praying for a heart that will be willing to hear what He has to say.
For now, this is my mantra to myself daily. Love God, love people, and simply, Jesus.
Peace and love to you, my friends.
And, always... if you need a friend to chat with, I am here for you.
~ Christy
