Reverse in Polarity

1 Corinthians 1.27: But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

God’s weird. That’s about all there is to it. He’s awesome, but he is weird. So weird in fact that what he does usually makes no sense. This verse tells it all.

People think they’re wise, yet the simplest thing, even foolish things to people, stumble them, and people considered “unwise” get it. The wise are shamed, and God is glorified through the foolish things.

It’s like when you got a really book smart person, who has absolutely no common sense. “Yeah I’m smarter than you!” they say. Ask them any fact about history, science, math, literature and they’ll be able to answer the question and the next 15 you have about it. Yet have them drive somewhere and then back without directions, and they’re common sense doesn’t kick in and they have no idea that if you turned left onto the street to get there, you must turn right to get back.

God did this even with the death of Christ. So many people thought that his death was pointless, and proved that he was not God. Yet he rose again, proving his divinity, proving that he was who he said he was, giving meaning to his death. The smart people wonder, “How could these crazies worship a ‘God’ who died? Even died on a cross! How stupid!” But God uses this “stupidity” to give us life, to make the strong and the wise stumble, so that the weak, and the foolish will be raised up, and God will be glorified.

Again we’re back to “getting crazy for God.” Making people think we’re nuts. Yet this is exactly what God wants. Us to seem foolish, weak, and crazy, so that he may be glorified, and we can point to him, and tell of how he gives us the strength and wisdom and sanity to do all the things we do.

So next time someone tries to act smarter than you, or stronger than you, wait and see how God tries to get their attention. Watch their wisdom and strength fail, then point them to God.

*Note: Do not ill wish those around you, but instead wish that God will reveal himself to them in any way, and that he will put them in a situation where they need to rely on him. Maybe he’ll use you to help them with this.

Side Note!

I’m running out of ideas of things to talk about. Generally I do a random flip and use what I see. Sometimes I get lucky and God puts something on my heart to share with you, but most times lately he’s left it up to me. So help me out. Tweet at me, facebook, call, text, email, comment, whatever. Let me know what you want to hear about!

The Struggle

As you get older you look back on your life and see all the stupid things you’ve done. Sometimes you even do it when you’re younger and think, “Man, I’m a freaking idiot.”

I was talking to someone once, he’ll remain nameless, and I was giving him some advice for ministry. I don’t think he took it too close to heart because he was about to graduate and knew everything (silly kids). Anyways, I was talking to him about knowing what you struggle with.

This is advice that is found in scripture, and is good for all Christians to know.

David had a problem with sex (Bathsheba).

Moses had a problem with public speaking (I can’t speak!).

Gideon had a problem with self-esteem (I’m the youngest of my family in the lowest clan!)

Abraham had a problem with lying (Oh she’s my sister…).

Jacob had a problem with tricking (Yeah I’m Esau).

Everyone struggles with something. I had someone tell me once before that there are some people who don’t. I laughed in his face at his ignorance. Everything that we struggle with is sin, and everyone sins (Romans 3.23). Everyone has something that they struggle with.

Everyone.

Who are your heroes of the Faith? What is it you think they struggle with?

Your parents, your church family, your friends, your ministers, what do they struggle with?

Do they hide it from those around them, trying to put on a fake mask making everything think they’re perfect? If that’s the case I’d wage they struggle with their reputation, wanting to seem better than others.

I know my weakness, I know where satan tries to get a foothold in my life, I know what I struggle with.

I have some that know, and they know so they can keep me accountable. I’m not saying to announce it to the world, but people do need to be aware of what you struggle with so that they can help you overcome it.

But the thing is, you will never fully defeat it. It will always be there. Eventually you will be able to control it as opposed to it controlling you, but it’ll still be there.

So I want you to find what you struggle with, look through scripture and see what people there struggled with and if it’s similar to yours, see how they handled it. And find people you trust, people you know will help you, and tell them what your weakness is.

The struggle is real. (I hate that phrase.)

Words are all We See

One of the reasons I started this blog was to help people grow. To disciple from afar if you will. To look at scripture and give my take on it; to give my thoughts on it, and teach people about whatever God shows me that day or whatever I may be thinking about (usually both).

But the other reason is because I received a text from someone telling me that they aren’t learning anything at church or when they try to study themselves, meaning no one is teaching them how to study the Bible. This is not good. But oh well, what can I do?

Well I can do exactly what I am doing. And I’m sad to say I have been neglecting fixing the second reason. Well at least I can work on that now.

I’m sure everyone has heard the phrase that the Bible is “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.”

Poppycock.

Yes the Bible has “basic instructions” but it is so much more than that. The Bible is truly anything but basic. Do you really want to call The Word of God given to us basic? Next person I hear call the Bible that I just might smack. Don’t insult my God and his message to us like that.

But I digress.

The Bible is full of all sorts of great stuff. There’s history, poetry, battles, bears attacking kids, violence, sex, fat guys getting killed, torture, advice, wisdom, instructions, and the most important thing: God.

Now how do you get all of this stuff out of the Bible? It’s so hard to read, I can’t follow what’s going on, it doesn’t make sense. There are a lot of problems that people have reading the Bible. Yes, even I have had a lot of these problems. And still do. I once tried to read the Bible in 115 days; that comes to about 11 chapters a day. I obviously didn’t finish and barely got anything out of it. I could turn my head afterwards and my brain would pour out along with everything I just read. This time I’m going for a year, and am actually doing pretty well. But this aint about me. It’s about God.

I have to take a few here to give a few pre-tips.

1) Yes, I expect you to read the Bible on your own every day. It’s a part of the conversations we have with God, but instead of us talking it’s us listening.

2) Always, always, always approach reading scripture with prayer. We are told to pray without ceasing, and prayer is no more than conversing with God. So when you go to read scripture, pray beforehand asking God for whatever: him to show you something new about him, something new about yourself, how to handle _____, how you should live your life, who you should care for, why you should do something.  (Examples will come later).

The first thing you must remember while reading the Bible: It’s all about God. Scripture tells us tons about God (I say tons because we will never fully know God this side of Heaven). So tip one of reading the Bible: Remember it’s all about God, and ask him to show himself to you through scripture.

Step two is just read it. REALLY read it. Don’t just look at the words and see what they are, instead look at what they mean. See a word you don’t know? Look it up. Take your time with this. It’s talking with God and it’s all about him, are you really gonna give him half your effort? Let’s see how far that faith gets you. Take an hour for a chapter, or a passage, or even a verse. There is so much you can unpack from these things. I wrote a 13 page paper on 11 verses, and I had to stop myself short so I wouldn’t make my professor mad. But take your time. Actually read the text. See what it is actually saying. Let it sink in. Enjoy it, it’s God speaking to you!

Step three would be see how it can apply to you. I’m not saying find out how you can use it in your everyday life, there’s not always something like that in there. But look to see how it can do something for you. I just read some genealogies in the OT and I saw that all families had problems, not just mine. Children, parents, siblings, they all can go crazy at any point, it wont be the first time it’s happened, we see it all through history. Yes, there is no one like you ever, but the stuff you go through isn’t the first time someone’s gone through that. Teachers are giving you problems? That’s happened before to someone else, probably someone you know. And they can help you through it. Scripture also does this. Don’t think it’s pointless.

Now some examples. I hate constantly talking about myself, but I really know myself the best and how these things have worked with me.

Whenever I read now I look for anything I can that will tell me more about God. Every time I read I start off with “Show me who you are. Let me see how this makes me into who I am and who you want me to be. And let me see something new about you so that I can take that to someone who doesn’t know you and say ‘This is the God you’re turning your back on.’” Simple, and to the point, and I see amazing things about God every time I read.

Another time while trying to decide what I’m doing next, I prayed about the decisions, and God led me to Matthew 28.19-20. That told me without a doubt what he wanted me to do. I talked with others about it and most confirmed what I thought God was telling me. Except one. And now I’m trying to play catch up for raising funds because of that. But this is beside the point.

So, all in all. Read the freaking Bible, learn from God. It’s your duty as a Christian. And when you read, take your time, and actually read it. Don’t gloss over, don’t just look at words, look at the message the words are telling you.

Now go crack open that Bible.

Revelations of God

Read Romans 1.18-20 and Titus 2.11

These few verses tell us a lot about God.

He has revealed so many different aspects of himself to us in countless ways.

Romans talks about him revealing his wrath, power, divinity, and Titus tells us that he has revealed his grace to all men.

God reveals himself to everyone daily. He makes himself known. Yet many blow it off as so many different things.

I've started a project lately of trying to find out all I can about God: his characteristics, his aspects, his names, what his true name means, his power, his thought process; so that I can take that to others and say, "This is the God I serve, who loves you and wants to be in your life. He is exactly what you need." And yes, you need him in your life.

Yesterday, today, tomorrow, and every day God will reveal himself to you in one way or another, will try to get your attention, will try to share something with you.

What is it? Why? Is it something you needed in that particular moment?

What has God revealed to you lately?

Keep your eyes open for it, and share it with someone. A close friend, a family member, a random stranger, it doesn't matter who.

Just keep your eyes open, and see what God has to teach you about himself.

Be Yourself

Some people are for life verses, some aren’t. Me? I don’t
care either way. I think some verses ring truer to us than others, and these
can change depending where we’re at in our lives. But one verse that has always
stuck with me is 1 Corinthians 15.10. Yes, this is taken somewhat out of
context, but when I read it, it hit my life a bag of bricks.

1 Corinthians 15.10: By the grace of God I am what I am,
and his grace to me has not been without effect

There can be a lot to unpack in this part of the verse,
but that’s not going to happen. I have something else that I’m more passionate
about to tell you about.

In this post there is a video. It’s a commercial for Taco
Bell breakfast. And do you know what it’s full of?

People of the same name.

All different.

In different places.

And completely different people.

But with the same name.

But by the grace of God they are who and what they are:
fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, nephews. And the grace that he has given them,
making them into who they are, has not been for nothing.

I know nothing about these men other than their name. I
don’t know if they’re Christian, atheist, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, or worship the
giant spaghetti monster. But the grace that God has given them has put in where
they are, and made them into who they are. They may share a common name, but
they are all drastically different.

So why do I talk about this?

Growing up I never really fit in. If you know of the
Socially Awkward Penguin meme, that’s me. If you don’t look it up. (Blue is
awkward, red is awesome.) But I was super awkward growing up, never really
fitting in with any groups, stereotypes, or cliques. Always had few friends,
never hung out with people, was just kind of alone.

It wasn’t until in college that I realized, I’m not meant
to be like everyone else. I’m not meant to fit it.  A while back I had a post called “Get Wild,”
talking about how we are to appear crazy to people who don’t know the joy that
Christ brings. I was always seen as an outcast in high school because people
thought I was crazy. Not because of what I believed or how I acted because of what
I believed, but for other reasons.

Later I realized that this was fine. People were thinking
I was crazy because I didn’t fit in anywhere, but I was myself, and that is
more important to me than anything else. Because I am made in the image of God,
he made me just the way I am for a reason. By his grace I am what I am, and
that grace has not been without effect on me.

We are not made to fit in.

Now we have all these different cliques, and groups of
people forming so that everyone can feel like they belong. We cut our hair, dye
it, get piercings, dress certain ways, listen to certain music, use our phones
for specific things, only drink a particular type of coffee, or pop (not soda),
or eat these exact things; all in order to fit in with this group of people.

Why? There is no reason for us to conform to be like
others to fit in. We all serve the same God, who made us exactly how he wanted
us to be.

I say all of this to say this: You were made exactly how
God wanted you. You were not made to fit in. By his grace you are what and who
you are, and this grace should have had a huge effect in your life.

Go out, maybe share a name with someone, but BE YOURSELF.

Taking Your Eyes Off the Prize

Read Matthew 14:22-33

Tonight I went out to eat with my parents, and while there we were watching the Blue Jackets game. (Playoff game 3 against Pittsburgh.) Game started, we watched a bit while eating, paid, hopped in the car (score was 0-0), drove home. We get home, flip on the tv to the game, (couldn’t have been 10 minutes) Jackets are down 3-0. Took our eyes off the game for 10 minutes and we’re down by 3.

This always happens to me. Always.

How can we let in 3 points in less than 10 minutes of game time?! How did this happen?

As you should know by now, I am a professional driver. It rocks. But I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people on the road, playing with their stupid phones, then serve hardcore. They take their eyes off the road for 3 seconds, while going 75+ mph, they just moved about 100 feet, not paying attention to what they’re doing. Then next thing they know, they look up and they’re in two lanes, or off the road, on the shoulder. They take their eyes off of the road for 3 seconds, and they’re not where they want to be.

The passage above is just like this. Peter steps out of the boat on faith, keeping a firm eye on Jesus. Then he looks around, takes his eyes off his rock for just a second, and next thing he knows, the opposing team scored 3 goals. He’s off the road. He is up to his neck in water. He is not where he wants to be.

How often do we take our eyes off the prize? How often do we take our eyes off our master, our king, our lord, our guide, our friend? We’re told not to lean on our own understanding, and the God will make our paths straight. We are also told that the yoke that Christ will put on us will be light, and easy, as opposed to the heavy hard one to carry that the world will put on us.

When we take our eyes off Jesus, we take off his yoke, and we end up suddenly where we don’t want to be. Off the road, down by 3, sinking in the water. Not only do we end up not where we want to be, but we have this heavy burden on us because we try to do it all ourselves, forgetting that Christ already did all the work for us. All we have to do, as Dr. Girdwood would say, is ride his coat tail right up to heaven.

Keep your eyes on Christ, he’ll show you the way, and make it easy.

Don’t take your eyes off the prize.

Advance the Gospel by All Means

Ephesians 4.11-12: It was God who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service (for works of ministry), so that the body of Christ may be built up

Philippians 1.12: Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

We are all to be ministers; we are all called to service and ministry to grow the body of Christ. This is why God has given us Paul’s: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. People to grow us up in the faith, to prepare us for self-growth and growing others, to teach us how to grow the body of Christ.

While writing Philippians Paul was actually imprisoned for his faith, the same faith that we have. Yet see what he wrote there? “What has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.”

God took this situation where Paul was in jail for his faith, and used it so that the gospel could be spread, so that Paul could continue in the ministry, serving by building up the body of Christ.

This job, service, and ministry has been passed on to you: To build the body of Christ.

I don’t know you’re situation, I don’t know you gifts, but I know that God has placed people in your life to help you grow and for you to help grow the body of Christ. God allowed Paul to be imprisoned so that the Gospel could be spread. And if Paul can share the Gospel with those who threw him in jail, you have no excuse for not spreading the message of Christ.

Absolutely, utterly, no reason at all.

You may be scared that the people around you will think you’re weird, that you don’t know how, that you’ll be made fun of, that no one will listen, that “That person could never be a Christian.” (If I ever hear anyone say that you will be hit. Do NOT insult my God like that.)

There is no excuse as to why you can’t share the gospel with someone, even in the smallest of ways.

Challenge for you. Tell a different person each day this week that you are praying for them, and ask if there is anything you could be praying for. Then actually do it.

Remember, God placed Paul in prison to spread the message. God has similarly placed you where you’re at to do the same. He has given you all you need.

Do it.

Making Bank on the Bible

I recently read an article my friend Nate shared with me about how as Christians we lost the culture war.

For those of you who have no idea what that means, basically we don’t control the media nor are we as dominate or have a large effect on the culture. That’s the basics of it.

I was talking to an older person I work with about this, and they say that we haven’t lost, but we are still fighting it. He used examples such as the Bible series that was on the History Channel, the movies Noah, Son of God, and God’s Not Dead, all of which are still in theaters. But it’s interesting to me that these movies came out after the point in time when the article said that we lost the culture war.

I fully believe that we have lost the culture war, and that a new god has taken the place of our God.

Money.

Money is making this world go round at the moment in time. And we worship it, we do anything we can to get our hands on it, because “if God loves us, he’ll show us by giving us money. And we need money to survive.”

Wrong.

If America ended this very second, all that paper in your wallets would be worthless. But we have something worth more than money, we have Christ.

First I want to look at Matthew 6.25-34. (This is when you look it up online or better yet pull out a Bible and read it.

How can that not be more clear? Seek God! And you wont have to worry about money because he will take care of you.

Now don’t misquote me here. Yes, we live in a society where money is needed for living expenses and such. But seek him first, his righteousness, his presence, his kingdom, and he will make sure that we are taken care of.

That’s called faith. Do you have it?

Second I want to look at Matthew 13.44-45 (Again. Read it yourself.)

The Kingdom of God, having God himself in your life is like a guy coming to you and saying, “I got the winning lottery ticket for half a billion dollars after taxes. All you have to do to get it is sell everything you have and give me the money, then I give you the lottery ticket.”

Let me just say I could use that money, and I would take the deal.

But I got a better deal because all I had to do was give up the worst part of me, give it to God, and he gave me himself in return. How much better can that be? Why should I worry about anything else when I have God?

Now what does this have to do with the culture war and making bank?

In all honesty with these movies mentioned above, while they may be great and have a fantastic message, it is still no more than people trying to make money off of our history.

They may do a great job with it, I haven’t seen the movies, so I can’t say one way or another, but either way, odds are money was the prime motivator.

Don’t let money be the prime motivator for your life.

Seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and have faith he’ll pull you through.

The Restful Day of Sadness

Yesterday was "Good Friday."

The day we remember when Jesus died.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday.

The day we celebrate when Jesus rose from the dead.

Today is the Jewish day of Sabbath, the day of rest.

Imagine the disciples of Jesus on this day. They just saw the one they thought would save them die a brutal death. Now all they can do is sit around. They can't go blow off steam, they can't go to their special place. They can't go on a walk. All they can do is sit, and wait for the first day of the week.

That must have been the longest day of their life.

What is the longest day of your life? What kind of day do you absolutely despise? What makes your life so bad that you want nothing more than to run from it all?

Take that day, multiply it by 50, 100, even 1000, and then imagine that you can't even leave the house. And all you can do is sit there, and reflect on why you hate this day so much.

Then you are in the shoes of the disciples.

We need to remember the sacrifice that was made for us this weekend.

Yesterday the death.
Today the reflection.
Tomorrow the celebration.

Tonight I want you to reflect on the reason for yesterday, and prepare for tomorrow.

Happy Easter.

He has risen.

Cutting Corners

The laziest people find the easiest way to get their work done.

We’ve all heard this phrase before. I even saw something on the internet today that in a job interview, a guy was asked what his greatest strength was. His answer was two simple words. “I’m lazy.” The interviewer asked him to explain that, and he said that he’ll find the easiest way to get the job done.

Hired on the spot.

Is this really the way America is going? Who can do the job the quickest or who can do the job the best? Every time I would choose the person who could do the job the best.

I think of the movie Armageddon when the characters are about to launch into space and Rockhound says this, “You know we're sitting on four million pounds of fuel, one nuclear weapon and a thing that has 270,000 moving parts built by the lowest bidder. Makes you feel good, doesn't it?”

How often does this mentality fall into our Christian lives?

A few days ago I talked a bit about all that we do we should do to the best of our ability because all we do is worship, and is offered to God. If this is true, copying someone’s math homework because you “were too tired” is one of the lamest excuses ever.

Really? You were too tired to do your best for God? You’re going to call yourself a Christian to everyone and yet copy homework because you were tired?

We are to be different than those who are not our brothers and sisters.

Now to be clear, I have been a poor example of this in my own life, writing papers at the last minute, copying people’s homework, cutting all the corners I can so I can have more me time.

But I am trying harder to do my best to show God what I think he is worth.

2 Thessalonians 2.13: And as for you brothers, never tire of doing what is right.

Never tire of worshiping God.

Never tire of doing what you’re supposed to.

Never tire of obeying your parents.

Never tire of getting your homework done.

Never tire of diving into the word.

Never tire of doing what is right. To the best of your ability. For God.

Cutting corners is all about the American dream. Do the least amount of effort for the most amount of gain.

But the Christian dream is to do the most amount of work for the God who deserves it.

My prayer for all Christians is that we quit cutting corners. That we never tire of doing what is right. That we worship God in all that we do. That we look down right nuts doing it. That others will see this, and wonder what we have that they don’t. And that they will want what we have.

Never tire of doing what is right, for you are always a witness of the God you say you serve.

Nazi Zombies

I like playing Nazi Zombies on the original Black ops. Old, I know, but I don't care. I prefer it.

My friend taught me this trick, that if you can do it right, you can actually last a long time. But it got me thinking about something I learned in a class.

It's a experiential learning experiement. You get someone to complete a seemingly pointless, mundane, simple action again and again until they got it down perfectly. Then you throw a mouse trap into it. The point being that sometimes God teaches us something, and has us do again and again until we've mastered it, and we think the entire time that it's rather pointless to do this thing.

Maybe it's a certain way to pray.
A person we have to befriend.
A job we have to take.
A place we have to go.

And we do this action, time and time again, running around in circles killing zombies with a shotgun, then turning around to spray a bunch behind us with an RPK.

It seems pretty easy right?

But then comes the mouse trap.
Then you get surrounded.

You're stuck. Something terrible has happened that you have never experienced before and you have no idea what to do about it.

Well crap. Might as well give up and die.

But then you remember, God taught me this thing.

I thought it was going to be completely useless.
I thought that person was punishment in my life.
I thought that job was just to make money.
I thought that place was just a random hole in the wall.

But it turns out to be exactly what you need.
It turns out to be the monkey, drawing away the zombies, helping you get away to continue business.

Man God, that worked out perfectly. It's almost as, if...you knew what you were doing..........

I don't know what God is teaching you.
I don't know what tools he is teaching you to use.

But never, EVER, think that it's pointless.

Because God always has a point.
God always has a plan.
God always has your best interests at heart.

Something to try.

A while back I read a book called Jesus Is _____ by Judah Smith. Fantastic book. You should probably put it on your to read list. And yes, I expect you to be reading.

But in there, Smith talks about John chapter 11, when Lazarus dies, and his sisters send a note to Jesus which simply reads, "Lord the one you love is sick."

How is that not a prayer?
Smith then challenges the reader to try praying like that.
"Lord the one you love is _______"
Tired.
Stressed.
Lonely.
In a dark place.
Confused.
In need of you.

Find what new thing God is teaching you, be it a new way to pray, a new way to study the Bible, a new way to interact with people, and master it.

You never know when you'll need it.

Who's Your Master?

Matthew 6.24: No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

Why don’t we take out money there and make it a “fill in the blank.” Then I will ask you a question, and I want you to be completely, 100% honest with yourself about it. Because if you are not, you’re not only lying to yourself, but also God, who you just can’t lie to, because he already knows.

The question is: What do you focus on the most?

For some, it may be money. For others, tv shows, movies, or video games. Some people focus more on having the attention of others. There are even those that are more worried about sports than anything else. Girls, friends, food, boys, family, reputation, anything can dictate your actions, anything can become a God to you.

In the movie Get Him to the Greek there is a great clip. It’s this man who says he was clean for 7 years for a woman, who looked back at him and said, “And you did yoga for 4 hours a day. There isn’t anything you can’t turn into heroin.”

There is a lot of truth to this statement. There isn’t anything you can’t turn into heroin, or your master, or your God.

So I ask again: What do you focus on the most?

Who’s you’re master?

I know people who call themselves Christian (yes I said it like that intentionally), and focus more on money than anything else. Make money first, serve God second. I also know “Christians” that focus more on themselves. Do whatever they want first, be it drugs, sex outside of marriage, alcohol, then serve Christ second.

God is not asking for your second slot. He’s not even asking for your first slot. He’s asking for all of them.

If your focus is you, that gets worked into all you do.

I do my job, for me.

I serve God for me.

I take care of my family for me.

I drive for me.

Or…

I do my job for money.

I serve God for money.

I take care of my family for money.

I drive for money.

Everything will revolve around what you focus on.

Yet God asks us to have it this way…

God be glorified in all things.

God be glorified in my taking care of my family.

God be glorified in my work.

God be glorified in every act I do.

Romans 12.1: Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer yourself as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Because of God’s mercy and grace, we have the ability to come into his Kingdom to make him King over our life. And because of that, we are to offer ourselves, and everything we have as a sacrifice to him, because it is because of him that we have a chance to have the things we have. So we offer it back to him, and use it in every way to serve him because of his mercy.

So what do you focus on?

Who is your master?

Who/what do you serve?

Are you a living sacrifice to God?

Is he your king?

Find what you focus on the most, and if it’s not God, take a week without it. Get rid of it. If you are unwilling to, ask someone to help. But if you don’t think about what you are doing and what you call yourself. Do you really fit the title you give yourself?

Focus on God. Put him in all you do. Serve him. Make him your king and master. Put all else aside.

Who’s your master?

I Lost My Friggin Keys Again

I constantly have five things on me whenever I am out of the house, and each thing has a designated pocket/place. If you don’t believe me, ask some people who know me, they’ll tell you. Keys, wallet, phone, knife, hat. Each one has its own place, belt loop, back left, front left, right, head. Whenever I leave to go anywhere, I always do a quick pat on myself to make sure I have everything, it looks like I’m hallucinating bugs all over me.

There have been a few times when I got through my pre-leave checkout pat down routine and realize I forgot something.

Enter Panic Mode.

I have, and will, tear a house apart to find whatever it is I forgot. Normally I’ll forget it in my room, it’ll get lost under some clothes or something, then instead of my room looking like a bomb went off, it looks like a couple nukes were hidden in my room.

In Luke 15 we see Jesus tells a few parables about lost things, my favorite being the Parable of the Lost Coin.

Basically Jesus says, “There was a woman who had 10 coins, lost one, went crazy trying to find it, then once she did she called all her friends up, tweeted, texted, and facebooked that she found her coin.”

Jesus then tells another parable right after that called the Prodigal Son, and relates all the parables to God’s reaction when one of his children come back to him.

But why don’t we see what this should mean for us as well?

Yes, we should take great comfort that God is throwing parties over the fact that we came back to him, but should we not throw parties over the fact that we came back to him?

A lot of times I’ve seen people basically play off the fact that someone has repented and come to Christ as their Lord and Savior. Someone comes forward at the invitation, they baptize them, then send them home. They’ll say some words in front of the congregation, people will clap, songs will be half heartedly sung because the people in the pews are more worried about what they’re going to have for lunch than that they just gained a new family member.

A girl that I met at church camp one year wrote me a letter and told me that the day she got baptized was the happiest day of her life, and she has never felt the joy that she felt that day.

I’ve talked to others who have been baptized and all they had to say was, “Yeah, I might have felt something.” Breaks my heart.

Now I’m not saying that it is absolutely necessary that you must feel something when you get baptized. I’ve been baptized twice and didn’t really feel the unexplainable joy either time. But I did feel it when I felt the grace of God fall on me, and fill me up, and when I understood the meaning of it all. That my sins were erased, completely, 100%, because of the immense love and jealousy that God has for me.

Why do so many of us never feel this joy? Is that why so many are half hearted Christians? Thinking their only duty is to fill a pew on a Sunday? Maybe teach a bible study? Why are we not excited about our faith?

We see in the parable that when the man finds his sheep, the woman her coin, and the father his son, they all call their friends and throw a party! They are excited about finding what they lost!

Why is there a lack of excitement when people find God? Both in the person, and the people around them?

We even see in different times in the Gospels, people have an encounter with Jesus, then just have to go tell others about him.

Why don’t we?

Get excited about life. Get excited about God. Get excited about Jesus. Get excited about your salvation.

Show it to the world, and never lose it.

Get Wild

Galatians 1.10: Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5.13: If we are out of our minds it is for the Lord, but if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

Following Christ is a hard thing to do. And we are called to do the hard things. We will be ridiculed, persecuted, judged, mocked, and even killed. Even in this day and age Christians are still being killed for their faith.

Sometimes we have complete strangers test our faith. Other times close friends. There’s other Christians who’s actions can push us away from Christ. Even family members speak out against us from time to time.

The motivations are all different. Want you to be “cool.” They “want what’s best for you.” Some even think that we are completely crazy for believing what we believe. They want us to do things for them, to make them happy. Yet as Paul wrote, are we trying to make men happy, or God?

Which is more important?

We should be so wrapped up in love for God and have such a desire to make him happy that we should seem crazy as all get out to those around us who don’t understand our joy in life and love for God.

There’s a movie called Arthur staring Russell Brand. There is a scene where he is supposed to propose to a woman, yet instead goes on a random acts spree, kissing older women, gargling champagne, messing around in a kitchen of an incredibly high end restaurant. Finally his soon to be fiancé calms him down and gets him to “admit” that he does crazy things when he’s in love.

Now of course our craziness is not to be faked, but instead genuine. There was a time when I had long hair, and if you don’t know me and are reading this I’m a guy, and had my hair down to my shoulder blades. (I was weird in high school) But I’d go to concerts and go insane. One of my nick names was windmill. But people from school looked at me the next week after a concert and went, “That’s the guy that was going crazy at the concert? He broke some kids nose. He knocked guys twice his size out of the mosh pit. He. Is. Nuts.”

I was so into hardcore music back then that I seemed crazy to people. That is how we are to be for God. Where we are so for him and so for pleasing him and doing his will that people will think we are absolutely nuts.

My girlfriend is going to China for about 2 months this summer for God.

A youth minister I used to know upped him, his wife, and their two kids, the oldest being about 10 at the time to move over seas to a different country to do mission work.

A girl I went to school with went to New Zealand for an internship.

A guy that I know has been to Asia multiple times because of his love of missions.

People do crazy things for God’s pleasure. But they are more concerned with putting a huge smile on his face than getting a pat on the back by a mere human. And yes, compared to God we are nothing. Yet when we follow his plans and do crazy things to please him, we gain meaning in our lives.

So I’m challenging you. Look back this week and see how you did something to make people happy as opposed to making God happy. Then try harder this next week to do all you can to seem absolutely crazy to others. And put a smile on God’s face. Serve him.

What's Your Job?

My dad’s a plumber. And he’s pretty good at it. Been at for since he was 15, and is now in his fifties, for that’s 40+ years to get good at a job. One could say he was perfect for his work.

Ephesians 2.10: for we are his workmanship, his masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

God had quite a hand in creating you, your life, and every situation you'll be in. He know what you would get into, and he made you perfect for every situation you get yourself into. 

Paul tells us that God will nor give us anything we can't handle, and will give us a way out. 

You are his masterpiece. 

Made perfectly for the job that he is calling you to. 

Find your job. Do it. Remember that you are Gods masterpiece. And he will get you through it all if you rely on him.

Know Your Audience

In high school I was something of a leader in my home youth group. And I was a hell raiser. At church I was usually the good kid, leading discussion, asking question, even taught a time or two. But outside of church I kind of did what I wanted. My friends around me knew that I went to church, knew I called myself a Christian, yet I rolled with them in all sorts of evil and sin.

One night while at church I was playing with a lighter setting arm hair and stuff on fire and my youth minister pulled me aside and told me, “Know your audience,” then walked away. Well that definitely got me to stop playing with my lighter for that night.

Years later I was reading Romans, and those three words popped into my head.

Read Romans 2:17-24

I have a note in my bible from when I read that, really read it not just skimmed it over, but got into the text to see what Paul said, and what God was saying to me. The note says, “You do these things? Well do you do these as well? Gentiles sin because of you.”

Paul is writing specifically to the Jews in Rome in this chapter. And in this section of text he is going through all these things they take pride in doing.

“You rely on the law?

Brag about your relationship with God?

You know his will?

You’re a guide to the blind?

A light for those in the dark?

An instructor of the foolish?

A teacher of infants?

All because you have the Law?

“Well…

If you teach do you also teach yourself?

If you speak against stealing do you steal?

If you condemn sex outside of marriage do you still do it?

If you hate idols do you worship any?

Do you brag about having the law and yet break it?

“You are making people sin by your actions.”

Know your audience.

If you call yourself a Christian, do you act like Christ at all times?

If you say you died to sin, do you still purposefully sin?

If you say there is only one God and that you serve him, do you still serve yourself?

How do people around you look at you when you claim to be a Christian?

“Psh. You? A Christian? No way. You can’t be. The things you do and say. The way you act and treat others? If that’s what Christianity’s about I want nothing to do with it. I’ll keep doing things my way.”

Are you a stumbling block for others?

Do you cause others to sin?

You are constantly a witness, 24/7/365 and sometimes 366.

Know what you do, do everything with purpose.

Learn from the mistakes shown here in Romans, from my own life, and the lives around you.

I’m not telling you to be perfect, that’s impossible. But I am telling you to try your hardest to be like Christ.

Go this week, do all you can to be like Christ, and know your audience.

Loss of Service

Have you ever been travelling somewhere, and while in route you lost cell phone service? I was going to Athens today, and had my phone turned up. A few times dipping down between the hills my phone would tell me that I lost service, only to tell me a second later that I got it again.

How often in our lives do we do that with God? We’re travelling along, then we get to a place in our life where we lose God, purposefully going to that place. How often do we turn our back on him? Go on ahead of him or without him, thinking we can manage on our own?

Then, trouble strikes, and we’ve run so far away from God that he can’t be seen. We’re in trouble, and we know it. We’re broke down on the road in a bad neighborhood with no service because we made the stupid decision to go where we knew there was no reception because we thought it’d be fun, or it’d be worth it.

But we’re lucky. Unlike lose cell service, God is always there. Even when we leave, he follows. When we try to ditch him, he allows us to think we won, yet he still sees us. God is all knowing, all powerful, and everywhere. Do you really think you can hide from him?

Chew on this for a while.

Think about the times when you've run from God, the reasons you did so and where you went. And most importantly, think of WHY you ran from God.

Then think of how you came back, how you two were reconciled again.

Make a conscious effort this week. Don’t lose service with God.

Galactic Cop or Loving Father?

This is going to be a long one. Hold on to your butts.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m a professional driver, in the sense that I get paid to drive. A few days ago I drove to Pittsburg with eight other drivers to drop off cars at the airport. While we were driving around the airport (we missed our turn) a cop came flying up towards us lights flashing. Being someone who has gotten a ticket before, I near wet my pants for fear of another ticket.

On the way back to Columbus, the people in my van were talking about it, and how we all were worried that the cop was coming for us. I couldn’t help but think of the picture that floats around on the internet that says something like, “When we see police we should feel protected not scared.” While I agree with this, I feel there can be a deeper meaning to this.

When police show up in our rearview mirror, or we see one sitting in the median, or one patrolling around town, we snap to our best behavior. We act and drive perfectly, or as close as we can get.

How often do we do the same thing with God?

“Oh God is watching, I have to be on my best behavior or he’ll stick me with something bad.”

I am sad to say that this has been engrained in us from the generation that has raised us (who may have gotten it from the generation above them, not blaming, just stating what I found in my own life). We grow up with thoughts of Santa, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and God (and no, I’m not saying that God is imaginary. So don’t jump down my throat about this). But we grow up being told to act good, and as perfect as we can because Santa is watching and if we are bad we won’t get presents. Then while in church we were told we had to behave or else God will punish us and we won’t get into heaven.

We then grow up with a “Big Brother” idea of God: The all-seeing, all knowing, all powerful cop, always watching, waiting for us to mess up so that he can punish us, give us a ticket if you will.

And we fear God, but not in the way that he intended.

And more importantly, we forget grace.

Before I tackle grace, I want to tackle fearing God.

As stated a couple of days ago, I’ve been reading through the OT, and in it there are a lot of mentions of “fearing God.” Most take it as needing to be shaking in your boots because God will punish you if you don’t stay on the thin line. Yes, God detests sin, and he’s fully Just, but is also full of mercy. He is completely capable of obliterating us for our sin in the most painful way ever. And we should understand that, fear that, respect that, and stand in awe of it.

One of my favorite definitions of fear is “regard in reverence and awe.”

There is also “a mixed feeling of dread and reverence.”

This is what I think it means to “fear God” -to respect and be in awe of his power, with the knowledge that his power is immeasurable. This is the proper fear of God, not scared that Big Brother is watching us waiting for us to mess up.

As stated above, I said that we have forgotten grace.

What I mean by that is that we have either forgotten that we have grace, or we have forgotten the meaning of grace.

A few months ago I took a class on Romans for my grad degree, and while we held class my professor Stephen Pattison (I want to give him the credit) said something that blew my mind.

“If grace was preached properly it would be considered heresy.”

He then went on to explain grace in a way which I have never heard it spoken about before. The easiest way to explain it how he did is: Grace covers all sins, past, present, and future. But that’s not enough to grasp the true meaning of it.

I’ve been baptized, and I have grace, so my sins are forgiven. “Momma, I just killed a man. Put a gun up to his head, pulled the trigger, now he’s dead.” And that sin is already erased because of this grace that I have. All the sins I will commit are already washed away, because I have grace. It makes it seem like it doesn’t matter if I sin at all anymore, because I have grace. Which, according to my professor, is exactly the case.

But with that idea of grace people can take it and say that they can do whatever they want because they have grace. So we have to go see what Paul has to say about it. (Now this is a big topic, if anyone would like me to go further into it, I can at a later time, just let me know.)

Romans 6.1-2: Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? NO!

This is the strongest way Paul can say no, he may as well have thrown some explicative words in there to get his point across. We have grace, which covers our sins, but we shouldn’t keep sinning because as Paul writes, we have died to sin and have come alive with Christ. Sin in our life is dysentery for the soul. If you don’t know what that means, look it up. It is an embarrassing and horrible way to die.

When we go to Christ and are baptized, we die with him. We are giving him our lives, giving him everything, telling him we in fact believe he is God, that he died on the cross, taking our place and our sin, and that he rose again, defeating death and sin. We claim that he is our God, and that we will do all we can to worship him and praise him, putting nothing before him.

Yet sin does the exact opposite of that. We put ourselves before God. “I trust you with my life, and believe that you know what is perfect for me and what is not. But I don’t like that you tell me not to have sex outside of marriage, so I’m going to do it anyway.” I’m going to put myself before you. I’m not trusting you with that. That is the root of sin. Idolatry of ourselves. A conscious decision. Hypocrisy.

“But under grace it’s covered so what does it matter?”

Grace comes with the surrendering to God, the dying with Christ to sin, and coming to life in him. How can you say you died to sin when you purposefully do it?

Here’s the point.

God is not a police officer; one who we fear is watching and we’re on our best behavior when we know his eye is on us. He is our perfect Father, our heavenly Father, our close Father. He is there with us in our high times and low times, always there for us. He’s never looking for ways new to tax on punishments for us.

Yes we mess up, yes we still sin, yes he absolutely hates sin, but he gives us grace. He doesn’t have a quota to meet every month. He doesn’t watch for us to mess up. He is constantly rooting for us to succeed.

When we fail and mess up, he is there to pick us up, set us on our feet again, and help guide us. It is us who walks away, not him. But he still follows, wanting to help us.

He is the Father who has given us grace, which washed away our sins. All of our sins. We are to fear him, but in a respectful, awe filled way.

So how do you view God?

Galactic Cop? Or Loving Father?

Love Makes Knowledge Do

I was doing something I have never done before today: Listening to preachers on the radio. Why? I have no idea. But while driving through eastern Ohio, I caught one sermon where the preacher used the phrase “knowledge puffs up. And when we are full of knowledge we get prideful.”

Well that brought up an interesting line of thought in my head, and I had plenty of time to contemplate it too. (That’s what I love about my job.)

Frist I took what the preacher said, and evaluated it. Does knowledge puff up? Yeah I can agree to that. Does it make us prideful? As I sat there driving, thinking about this question, I came to the conclusion, yes, knowledge does make us prideful.

I’m a fairly smart person, and I know it. Now if I did nothing with this knowledge other than have it, I would eventually flaunt it. Because me, being so smart, would think, “Well I’m freaking smarter than all these people, I can tell by just the way they act. I have so much knowledge, I have to let them know. So I’m going to show them how much smarter I am than them by making them feel just how dumb they are. That’ll show them how smart I am.”

At this point, I am puffed up by my knowledge, thinking myself smarter than everyone else. I get so puffed up over the fact that I’m smart that I become prideful of my knowledge. I don’t really use my knowledge, just show that it does exist, there is a difference there. Knowledge does, generally, bring pride. When left alone.

After I mulled over all of that, I thought of the rest of the verse (1 Corinthians 8.1 if anyone was wondering) which says, “but love builds up.” Now since I was driving I couldn’t exactly take the time to look at the verse in context, which I will do in a minute, so I continued my train of thought, moving on from how knowledge puffs up and makes us prideful.

Well if knowledge puffs up, and love builds up, does that mean that love takes the knowledge and applies it as opposed to just showing that it exists?

At the time, about 10 this morning, this was a profound question. Does love take knowledge and use it as opposed to showing it?

Yes.

Knowledge is the understanding of things, knowing facts, figures, how to do different acts.

Love is a compelling force for action.

Love takes all our knowledge, and uses it to love on others, help others, be Christ in the world.

Love takes the knowledge that we have, and we use it to build the body of Christ, and build up those around us.

As Bob Goff would say, “Love does.”

BUT

There is a problem here. This is all just my musings on part of a verse spurred on by some nameless preacher I heard screaming at me about humility over the radio in Appalachia. And while these may be good thoughts, it is always important to look at scripture in its original context.

As mentioned above, this is 1 Corinthians 8, and I want to look at verses 1-3.

1 Cor. 8.1-3: Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

What’s being said here and further on, is that everyone has knowledge. And if we think we know something, we really don’t know like we should. But if we love God, we are known by God, and know what we should know.

As Paul continues on, he says that for some, they may eat food sacrificed to idols, because they are known by God, and know God, and know that the food isn’t really sacrificed to anything other than some sculpture. But those who only have knowledge, and not love, puff themselves up others saying, “Well I don’t eat food sacrificed to idols, I’m not some heathen like those people there. I’m a true Christian.” They say this, and they are puffing themselves up, know loving God and knowing that he doesn’t care as long as we don’t do it as worship of the idol.

But then it seems to come back to the point from earlier…

I have this knowledge, that idols are bad. So everything associated with idols is bad, so I will refine from all because I’m a better and smarter Christian than you.

Where as those with love say, “I’m loved by God, he knows me, he knows that by eating this I’m not worshiping this idol.”

Knowledge puffs up, while love builds up.

Take your smarts, and do with them.

Love makes knowledge do.

Be jealous of that grammar.

Colored Ice

Read Colossians 5.1-17

I have a problem at home. I tend to get my glasses mixed up with my mom’s because we use one from the same set. So after we get new glasses for the next few days, we end up using the other’s, and I’m essentially swapping spit with my mom.

Thanks Kentucky.

But to fix this problem I started using the cups that my dad uses, just plain plastic cups, all different colors. I’m trying to be healthier so now I drink nothing but water, milk, and coffee. A few days ago I was drinking water out of my cup, green this time, and I look in the cup while quenching my thirst. We had the kitchen light on, and the way the light hit the cup the ice in the cup looked green.

“Well that’s weird,” I thought, “why is the ice green?”

Now I’m handled physics fairly well in high school, but one thing I could never wrap my brain around was light and color. Made no sense to me. Same with the ice in the cup. Why is it green?

I didn’t think much about it for a few days, until I did a random flip in the Bible and landed at Colossians 3, surprisingly titled: Put on the New Self.

In this passage Paul writes a couple lists. Things to kill (take off), and things to put on.

When we come into Christ, we are to take off  the things that separate us from him, or sin. The sexual immorality, the anger, the gossip, the lies, the idolatry are all supposed to be cast off of us, and handed to Christ. In their place we are supposed to put on the characteristics of Christ: compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, love.

When we come into Christ we shed the old self, having it washed away in baptism, having it burned away when we come to God the consuming fire. And in its place we put on Christ, the New Self.

We are much like that ice in the cup, different looking than what we were before because of what we have around us.

But there is a difference between us and the ice as well.

We are New Creations, putting on the New Self.

Instead of looking like green ice in our cup, we are green ice always.

Conversations with Ourselves

Social media is a fantastic invention. We have a chance to connect with friends, family, and complete strangers from all over the world with just a few mouse clicks and key strokes. But some jokingly say, especially about twitter, that it is nothing more than having a conversation with yourself hoping others will join in.

We tweet, post statuses, share, retweet, like, favorite, reblog things all day every day hoping that someone will pay attention and acknowledge what we have posted. We crave the attention of others.

But why?

There are many different answers to this, but my conclusion is that there are two main reasons.

1) We are made in the image of God, and therefore crave other people’s attention, just as God demands ours. We crave as Andy Warhol put it, “Fifteen minutes of fame.” And social media is an easy to do achieve that. (On a side note I will explore God demanding our glory more in depth at a later time.)

2) We bring our problems to the internet hoping for sympathy/help/attention from others. I cannot tell how many times I have seen people post things on Facebook and Twitter merely stating, “My day is terrible.” Then I watch the comments to see people bring comfort to them, but the OP never actually tells what the problem is.

Now don’t get me wrong, I have no problems with social media, wanting to feel important, and going to others for help. Absolutely no problem with those things.

I even do these things myself. I may not have thousands of followers or Facebook friends. I may not have tweets that were read on late night shows or favorited hundreds of times. But I still do them, to let those who may have some care for me to keep them updated, much like the purpose of this blog. (But with this instead of keeping people updated about myself I’m trying to help them grow in Christ.)

But here is my issue with social media.

It is often our first go to in any sort of time.

I got the job!

            Tweet.

My uncle just had a heart attack and is in the hospital.

            Update Facebook.

God did this super awesome thing for me!

            Tweet and Facebook it.

As soon as something happens people jump on an app and tell the world about it.

I’m guilty of this much as anyone else. I recently got a job, and first person I told was Twitter. Then tweeted about how the first person I told was Twitter.

I didn’t first thank God for the opportunity that I had.

Matthew 6.8,33: …your Father knows what you need before you ask him…but seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

1 Peter 5.7: casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Psalm 34.1: I will praise the LORD at all times; his praise will constantly be in my mouth

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Proverbs 3.5-6: Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Whenever something happens in our life our first response if to share it with others, either in person, through text, phone call, and most times online.

We are told to pray without ceasing. Prayer is just talking to God, just as we talk with ourselves. But instead of hoping that someone will join in the conversations with ourselves, we will instead have a conversation with God, who wants this conversation to happen.

Instead of trying to get others attention, go to the one who’s attention you already have.

Instead of worrying about people noticing you, replying to you, commenting on your status, liking or retweeting you,  go to the one who would blow up your news feed, favorite, retweet, like, or comment on everything you throw up.

And yes, God can see your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Instead of constantly having conversations with ourselves hoping others join in, lets first have a conversation with God, then worry about letting the rest of the world know what we just had for lunch.

The Firstborn of God

Recently I have been reading through the Old Testament for my journey of reading the Bible in a year. While reading, my main focus is finding out as much as I can about God; who he is, what his character is like, his many self-given titles. Well not too long ago while I read, I caught how God demanded that the firstborns of all are to be his (Exodus 13.1-2: The LORD said to Moses, “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and o beast, is mine.”) Then I thought of how Jesus was God’s own firstborn (Colossians 1.15: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.), given up for us (Romans 5.5,8: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.). Then my crazy mind went even further and thought of why God does things: To make himself known, to give himself glory (Exodus 9.16: “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”).

This last item, God’s purpose for his actions, is something that was revealed to me by a man named David Platt in his book Radical. I don’t know the exact page, but that was something that stuck with me. God does things for him to be glorified, to receive praise. Now this seems selfish, but Platt’s point is “who else is worthy of the entire worlds praise?” Now all of this ties together.

God demanded all the firstborns to be dedicated to him. When it came time for Jesus to come on the scene, God dedicated his firstborn to us, so that we may be saved, because of his great love for us. And when we accept his love, grace, efforts to get us to come to him, we should be humbled by all that he did for us. When we truly come to the realization of the extent of his love, how can we not go out and tell the world about it?

God has this funny way of working, doing things for us, so that we see his love. And when we see his love, the only logical responses to it are: accept it, and tell others about it. This is kind of how I see Jesus when he passes on his mission in Matthew 28.19-20, “You guys have seen me live, die, and come back. You know who I am, you believe it. You have seen the love and care the Father has for all people. Now go tell the world about it, and make them feel that love. Make disciples of all nations, baptize them, teach them all that I taught you. Bring them into the family, and teach them the Father’s love he has for them.”

A final note.

You’re walking across the street, not paying attention, and a car is hurtling towards you, you freeze with fear. Out of nowhere a stranger pushes you out of the way, taking the hit that was coming for you. Are you not going to tell everyone how some random stranger saved you?

Romans 5.10: For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

God fired a bullet at us, the just response for our sin, and yet God, in the form of Jesus, jumped in front of that bullet to save us.

God gave his firstborn for us, so that we may live and tell the world of this person that saved us.