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Liberal God or Conservative God?
You may think I’m nuts, crazy, and loony; and maybe I am. But I believe God is the biggest liberal this world has ever seen or known! Yep! Bigger than George Soros.
He’s also the biggest conservative ever. Yes, even bigger than Ronald Reagan.
Allow me to explain myself; beginning first with “liberal“.
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Pompous Pride – Wretched Worms
Here’s an apology from my heart to you, the reader. I want to make sure I cover the bases, and not forget anyone. It’s been one of those weeks. A week of “wiggly, wretched, worms”.
Sometimes I am full of myself. At times I catch myself being that way, but usually after others have noticed it first. Sorry.
I wish I had enough good sense to always keep my filter turned on. You know, kind of like a seven second delay. Maybe someone could invent such a needed device.
Anyway, there are moments when my excitement turns into bragging; like I’m the only one who’s ever been blessed by God. As if I’m the only one who’s ever had God speak to me.
Every so often I act as though I’m the only one who’s ever studied the Bible!
You know what? Sometimes I can’t stand being around me!
Sometimes even the WORMS can’t stomach me!
It’s been a rough week; I think, for the most part I’ve said the right words but my timing, my tone, and even my temper has been off kilter. I wish I could have a mulligan, a do-over, maybe even an eraser to wipe the slate clean.
But that wouldn’t help others who’ve had to listen to this bag of wind.
I know one thing for sure; I don’t want to be like King Herod and get eaten by worms!
“When the day arrived, Herod put on his royal robes, sat on his throne, and made a speech to them. The people gave him a great ovation, shouting, “It’s the voice of a god, not of a man!” Instantly, an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness, because he accepted the people’s worship instead of giving the glory to God. So he was consumed with worms and died.” (Acts 12:21-23 NLT)
Pompous pride invites wretched worms!
I guess all I can do is say I’m sorry, please forgive me and pray for me. I sure am glad God hasn’t given up on me.
“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Philippians 1:6 NLT)
“Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” (Philippians 2:12-13 NLT)
May the Lord help me to listen more, talk less, affirm more, criticize less; and do everything in a way Jesus would do it; that is, IF He’d do it.
“And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17 NLT)
Thanks for “listening”.
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This Same Jesus
It was the Lord’s Day, and I was worshiping in the Spirit. Suddenly, I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet blast. It said, “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. (Revelation 1:10-17 NLT)
John saw Jesus, and he immediately dropped to the ground, as though he had died. This is the same Jesus the world celebrated a few weeks ago.
Isn’t it kind of odd? Most people don’t have any problem thinking about a cute little baby lying in a horse trough, surrounded by lowing cattle, bleating sheep, a drummer boy, an assortment of angels, shepherds, and wise men; and of course Mary and Joseph.
Problems begin as the cute little kid starts to grow up! Know what I mean?
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God In The Midst
Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered, but it was now standing between the throne and the four living beings and among the twenty-four elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the sevenfold Spirit of God that is sent out into every part of the earth. He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.
And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.”
Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered – to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” And the four living beings said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. (Revelation 5:6-14 NLT)
“They sang a new song…” “They” who? Who sang a new song? The four living beings and the twenty-four elders. They each played a harp as they carried the prayers of God’s people in their gold bowls.
Here is an example of Spirit-led worship. As a musician, I am amazed when 3 people can play and pray together WITHOUT a rehearsal! And for 28 to gather and sing a NEW song WITHOUT A REHEARSAL, is nothing short of a miracle.
What makes the difference? God is in their midst, and they’re in His Presence.
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Sexual Sin
Sexual sin isn’t a new thing or an isolated incident that happens just now and then. It isn’t only a teen problem or an adult sin. It doesn’t automatically occur with one gender more than the other.
Sin? What’s that? Sin is an offense against God, His statutes and laws. In short, it’s doing the wrong thing. An offense against somebody is an offense against God. Living solely for one’s selfish pleasure, regardless of its effect on themselves or others, is an offense against God.
It is sin.
Sexual sin is no respecter of people’s upbringing, faith, lack of faith, social status, color, or even political ideology. It isn’t a liberal or conservative issue.
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Ready to Worship
What does it take to get you ready to worship? Is it even possible? Does someone need to wind you up like a toy car, or beat you with a “worship whip” until you’re all bruised and sore – before you decide to let your heart, soul, and body express its need and desire for God?
I just heard a song, “O the Blood” by Thomas and Mary Beth Miller, sung by Kari Jobe, for the first time.
It’s been out and about for a few years, and I don’t know how I missed hearing it; but it’s very hard to keep up with the latest stuff. In fact, I don’t even try any more.
A lot of the new stuff leaves me a bit disappointed. I realize that’s my opinion, and maybe it’s because of my age. Oh, I like most of the instrumentation. I still like to “rock out” at times. Ram and Jam! But the lyrics sometimes seem too “me” oriented; so fluffy and trite. It’s like the song was written for commercial use, rather than an intimate meeting with the Lover of our Soul.
But this song grabbed my heart!
O, the Blood of Jesus washes me! My heart resonates with those words. Listening to it reminded me of tuning a guitar; playing two strings and matching the notes until there is no extra vibration. When only one note is finally heard, the strings are perfectly tuned. This is how the song affected me; its “frequency” matched my heart’s frequency, and worship began to flow out of me to my Savior, my God. Wow!
There are so many reasons to worship God, and so many songs to sing. Eternity won’t be long enough for us to express to our Savior the worship He is due.
And there’s no way 30 minutes of worship a week will satisfy the Lord, or our heart.
Scripture says to be ready in season and out. Be ready for what? Well, it says be ready to “to preach the Word.”
But there’s something else we should be ready to do, in season and out.
Worship. Ready to worship! Let our hearts cry out to God in worship, love, and faith.
“Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord; it is fitting for the pure to praise him.” Psalms 33:1 (NLT)
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Social Rudeness = Sabotaged Cause
I really enjoy Facebook. I like Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ as well. They are great ways to communicate with others.
But I have noticed something.
Loud mouthed, headstrong, opinionated people, are a menace to their team; those who believe like them or have the same cause.
Self-centered, narrow-minded people actually jeopardize their cause.
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A Tip From Bob The Trainer
Back in 1995 I began my career with the United States Postal Service. Yep, I was a government employee! I worked for the postal service 17 years, as a Letter Carrier, Customer Service Supervisor, and a Station Manager. It was a great job, for the most part. I am thankful for the experience I gained, the people I met and worked with, and for the friendships that developed through the years.
As a “mailman”, I had to take driver’s classroom training, safety training, and actual hands-on training with their right-hand drive vehicles, the LLV (Long Life Vehicle).
I can still hear old Bob the Trainer telling us the route we were supposed to drive for vehicle orientation. Bob the Trainer would explain in a manner totally unlike any other trainer I’d ever had. Bob had been training new drivers for years, had worked for the USPS for at least 75 years (just guessing), and had quite a personality.
I learned real quick like NOT to bring up politics or religion to Bob the Trainer. He would tend to get a little heated in discussing such things, and then would forget all about the training. Oh well, most people have at least one fault or another.
The BIGGEST, most important thing Bob taught me was to “look both ways, more than once. Look to the left, right, and at least once more to the left. Bob your head back and forth several times”; if he said it once I know he said it at least a hundred times!
That tip from Bob the Trainer has kept me from an accident more times than I can count.
“Look both ways, more than once; left, right, and back to the left. Bob your head, back and forth…”
I remembered old Bob the Trainer today, thinking about the thing a lot of folks don’t like to think about. Eternity. Yep, thinking about eternity made me think of Bob the Trainer.
He came to my mind, not because of anything “religious” he might have said. No, that’s not the reason.
I thought of him because of that great tip he taught me. You know, the “look both ways, more than once; left, right, and back to the left. Bob your head, back and forth…” tip he was famous for.
Eternity. Look both ways. So true.
See, there’re only two directions one can go as they cross the intersection that separates this life from the next. There IS a next life; no one has a choice about that.
“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27 ESV)
But we must choose between Heaven or Hell, Life or Death, Forgiveness or Eternal Damnation.
Look around, to the left, then to the right. Decide what there is to lose, and what there is to gain. But look carefully, because your choice will matter. And should you decide NOT to choose; well, the default destination is not the choice I’d make.
God sent His Son to give us a choice, a choice worth making. He who decides on the Lordship of Jesus will not see death (spiritual) or walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
So, take a tip from old Bob the Trainer. “Look both ways, more than once; left, right, and back to the left. Bob your head, back and forth…”
And before you pull into the “intersection”, make certain you’ve chosen LIFE!
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My Heart and Flesh
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2 ESV)
What an amazing thought! The psalmist says, “my heart and my flesh sing for joy…”; describing a person who is wholly committed to worshipping God.
Jesus said to Peter, “the heart is willing but the flesh is weak.” Which means sometimes you don’t always do what you should. The want to is there, but the follow through is lacking.
However, worship which is from the heart will cause one’s flesh to express the love and gratitude of the heart! The heart sings with joy, and the flesh yields to join in the celebration.
A life of true, holy worship will help one tame their flesh; it will become trained to worship and to obey the One it worships.
The life of a worshipper is a life which affects those around them.
“What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord, who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. When they walk through the Valley of Weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs. The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings. They will continue to grow stronger, and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.” (Psalm 84:5-7 NLT)
The worshipper, because of God’s tangible Presence on their life (out of their heart flows rivers of living water), transform valleys of weeping into refreshing springs! Weeping yields to joy! Sorrow turns into gladness!
Worship changes the heart; and a heart changed by God’s Presence conquers flesh.
Gaze upon the Lord’s loveliness and tender mercies. Set your heart on His demonstrated love, and it will soar at the very mention of His Name!
You will say with the psalmist, “my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God!”
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Staggering Saints?
Is the problem Staggering Saints or Intoxicated Faith?
I recently read an article explaining why Christians shouldn’t drink alcohol. The main premise was drinking may cause others to stumble in their faith walk.
Is it barely possible that Christians who drink alcohol are stumbling in THEIR faith walk? Or would that be “staggering“?
Let’s think about this for a moment. The Bible instructs the reader about consuming alcoholic beverages. It has a number of warnings against, but maybe one isolated instance of Paul instructing Timothy to drink a little wine for his frequent stomach problems.
Today’s society, Christians included, must have an awful lot of stomach problems.
One person commented with words to this affect: well, maybe Christians should drink alone, at home in a closet so no one sees them; that way others won’t stumble.
If the need for booze is so great they have to hide in a closet to consume the stuff, could it possibly indicate a bigger issue?
“But Jesus turned water into wine”. Well, then it shouldn’t be too big of a deal for Him to do it again, right?
How about it if Christians only drank miracle wine?
Jan Grace
adding God's Word into my world…
