But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. Matthew 14:27-29 NIV
Two years ago today I did something that I thought I would never have the faith to do. I walked into my boss’ office and gave my resignation for a job that most people would love to have. I had no real plan, no real savings, no real idea of what was going to be in store over the next two years. If I had known, I don’t know if I would have done it, but if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t know that I could. I did something that I thought was impossible.
In the above scripture, Peter did something that he thought was impossible. He walked on water. Yet, he knew that if Jesus gave him the power to do it, then it was possible. Peter called out to Jesus and said that if it is Jesus who is calling out to them, then Peter would be able to do things that seemed impossible, like walking on the water. I can only imagine what that experience was like. There they are in the water with nothing but dim light, as it was right before dawn. The winds pick up and start to shake the boat, but suddenly they see a figure walking on the water. They thought is was a ghost, but Jesus tells them not to be afraid. Peter, the bold one, knows that the only way to be sure that it was Jesus is to ask for something that seems impossible and then do it. Jesus answers his request, and Peter walks on water.
When I got the feeling that it was time for me to quit my job, I wasn’t sure that it was God leading me. Things started to happen all around me: changes in management, dissatisfaction with my work, frustration about not helping the people I wanted to help, apathy about production, less energy, recession, all types of things. I even had dreams about it for months. The feeling started to get stronger and stronger until I knew I had to do something. I waited and waited, but finally decided that if God was calling me to do this, then things would just work out. So I quit.
The things that happened to me after I quit would seem impossible to most people. They seemed impossible to me! I never would have thought that I would be able to have an office and it not cost me any out of pocket money. I never would have thought that I would have been given a chance to take a month long vacation in a foreign country. I never would have thought that while making 80 percent less than what I previously made that I would still be in my house. I never would have thought that I would have been able to write a book and get a nationally known speaker to write the foreward. I never would have thought that I would be able to still pay for my car and be only 4 payments away from complete payoff (Hallelujah!!!) I never would have thought that I would have been able to say that God did all of this without giving me more money. He actually took it away! But one thing I do know is that it was Jesus who was calling me.
These two years have taught me many lessons. One of them is that sometimes we have to step out to do something before we are sure that God is the one calling us to do it. Sometimes actually stepping out is the only way we know that God is the one calling us to do the impossible. We don’t always get the confirmation until we get out of the boat. But if you think that it might be Jesus calling you in the midst of your boat being shaken, then maybe you should get out. Peter did. I did. And now I know for sure that it was Jesus calling me. There is no way that I would have been able to do what I have done these last two years if it wasn’t him. So do yourself a favor: If you think Jesus is calling you, step out and see. His sheep always know his voice.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A Child is Born
A Child Is Born
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV
Today, we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It i a day where we might spend time with family and friends. We might exchange gifts, or even a day just to have a chance to relax. With all of the hoopla surrounding the material side of Christmas, we might forget the truth of what we are actually celebrating. That is if we even know the truth of what we are celebrating.
We often hear people reminding us to remember Jesus during these days. Remember that we are celebrating his birth and his coming to earth as a baby in order to live as our king. But what does it mean to celebrate Jesus’ birth? What did he actually come to do?
Celebrating Jesus’ birth is not like celebrating our birthdays. Not exactly anyway. On our birthday we might have a party to celebrate God giving us another year of life. Maybe we use it as an excuse to drink and party. People buy us gifts and we eat cake and ice cream and have people do special things for us. But we were not born for the exact same reason that Jesus was born. Not to my knowledge anyway.
Jesus was born to deliver us from oppression. The oppression that he was born to deliver us from is often called sin, but I don’t just mean the context of how most people talk about sin in referring to your “behaviors”. I mean deliver from all things in our life that keep us in bondage and keep us from being free in our relationships, with God and with each other. This oppression is hard to see when you live a “good life”. Because it is often hidden for even ourselves. But deliverance from this oppression is the heart of God. He wants us to be free. And he sent a child here in order to make us free.
Something is always trying to oppress you, or enslave you to it. When it gets out of hand, we call that addiction. But there are also people who are functioning addicts. Some people are addicted to attention. Some are addicted to material possessions. Some are addicted to indulgence. Others are addicted to fear. Some are even addicted to religion. Some are addicted to money. But something is always after us to enslave us to it. But Jesus came to deliver.
The above scripture says that the “zeal” of the Lord will accomplish this. To me, that means that the passion and pursuit of God will send a child to earth in order to put a new reign on earth. Instead of us being addicted to things that are bound to the earth, we can link up to Jesus and be free from everything else. It is God’s passion and pursuit of you that will accomplish this. He is after everything in your life that seeks to enslave you to it. Even those things we think are “good things”. If you become a slave to it, you need deliverance from it.
It is during this season that we seek to celebrate the entry of our Lord into this world to free us from anything that would hold us captive. Yet, so many even during this season will become slaves all over again. As the alcohol flows, the credit cards come out, the food is consumed and the emotions run high, be careful not to enslave yourself to any of it. Going into debt or over indulging in holiday celebrations is a sure sign that we have no idea what this season is really about. We must remember that we are born to be free. Because Jesus was born to free us. This Christmas, do yourself a favor and reflect on something. There is always something trying to enslave you. What is after you now? How can you celebrate this year by not giving into it, but being free from it?
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV
Today, we celebrate the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It i a day where we might spend time with family and friends. We might exchange gifts, or even a day just to have a chance to relax. With all of the hoopla surrounding the material side of Christmas, we might forget the truth of what we are actually celebrating. That is if we even know the truth of what we are celebrating.
We often hear people reminding us to remember Jesus during these days. Remember that we are celebrating his birth and his coming to earth as a baby in order to live as our king. But what does it mean to celebrate Jesus’ birth? What did he actually come to do?
Celebrating Jesus’ birth is not like celebrating our birthdays. Not exactly anyway. On our birthday we might have a party to celebrate God giving us another year of life. Maybe we use it as an excuse to drink and party. People buy us gifts and we eat cake and ice cream and have people do special things for us. But we were not born for the exact same reason that Jesus was born. Not to my knowledge anyway.
Jesus was born to deliver us from oppression. The oppression that he was born to deliver us from is often called sin, but I don’t just mean the context of how most people talk about sin in referring to your “behaviors”. I mean deliver from all things in our life that keep us in bondage and keep us from being free in our relationships, with God and with each other. This oppression is hard to see when you live a “good life”. Because it is often hidden for even ourselves. But deliverance from this oppression is the heart of God. He wants us to be free. And he sent a child here in order to make us free.
Something is always trying to oppress you, or enslave you to it. When it gets out of hand, we call that addiction. But there are also people who are functioning addicts. Some people are addicted to attention. Some are addicted to material possessions. Some are addicted to indulgence. Others are addicted to fear. Some are even addicted to religion. Some are addicted to money. But something is always after us to enslave us to it. But Jesus came to deliver.
The above scripture says that the “zeal” of the Lord will accomplish this. To me, that means that the passion and pursuit of God will send a child to earth in order to put a new reign on earth. Instead of us being addicted to things that are bound to the earth, we can link up to Jesus and be free from everything else. It is God’s passion and pursuit of you that will accomplish this. He is after everything in your life that seeks to enslave you to it. Even those things we think are “good things”. If you become a slave to it, you need deliverance from it.
It is during this season that we seek to celebrate the entry of our Lord into this world to free us from anything that would hold us captive. Yet, so many even during this season will become slaves all over again. As the alcohol flows, the credit cards come out, the food is consumed and the emotions run high, be careful not to enslave yourself to any of it. Going into debt or over indulging in holiday celebrations is a sure sign that we have no idea what this season is really about. We must remember that we are born to be free. Because Jesus was born to free us. This Christmas, do yourself a favor and reflect on something. There is always something trying to enslave you. What is after you now? How can you celebrate this year by not giving into it, but being free from it?
Monday, December 12, 2011
Re-Occupied Philly
Re-occupied Philly
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NASB
A few weeks ago, I was downtown for a meeting and had a chance to walk around the Occupy Philly area. I walked around reading the signs of people who were sleeping in tents. Some were humorous. Some a bit vulgar. Others thought provoking. I finally ended up walking by a group of three women with a sign that had pictures of books on it. They were “occupying” the Quaker Interfaith tent and offered me a seat and we had an opportunity to chat for while. As I sat there, I noticed several people come up to them with bags of food that they wanted to offer to those who were sleeping as well as one gentleman who brought a bag of clothes to give out to people. There was a sense of community there that was refreshing to see in these days and times. There were people of all ages, races and ethnicities. Some were certainly a little off, but for the most part, it was peaceful. My conversation with the three ladies at the Quaker tent was enlightening. They shared with me some of the history of Philadelphia that I didn’t know. They told me about their own lives and things they participated in during their lifetime. They also told me why they were there that day and supported the movement. I was a nice conversation.
Then a few weeks later I was back downtown and noticed that all of the tents were gone. Occupy Philly had been evicted. The area that was sectioned off was empty with the exception of policemen who were guarding the space. I was a little sad, wondering what will happen to the momentum of community that had been created by the Occupy movement. What will happen next?
Then, I happened to notice across the street the Christmas Village that is set up every year downtown. Everything is decorated to the holidays and there are street vendors everywhere with goods to sell. I walked around for a bit and looked at the vendors and their goods. There was the guy selling artwork, which looked pretty interesting. There was the lady selling handmade scarves. There were the beer and sausage guys. And one of my favorites, the Chaddsford Winery. A lady that I was walking close to was complaining about the police who were standing around doing nothing while cars turned the corner too quickly. She was dropping “F-bombs” like they were going out of style. The people behind all of the booths looked bored and like they were just waiting out their shift. There were pictures of Santa Claus all over. But interestingly enough, there was not one part of the Christmas Village that pointed to Christ. It was pure commerce.
Occupy Philly was evicted and the Christmas Village was ushered in. The spirit of Christmas was alive and well during the time I spent at the Occupy Philly Interfaith Quaker tent. But the materialism of Christmas replaced it across the street. There were people sharing and giving at Occupy Philly, but people selling at the Christmas Village. It made me think about priorities and where they lie in our society. Maybe the Occupy movement was a little too unorganized to thrive in its current state, but the spirit of what they started doesn’t have to die. They became a voice for the majority of us who have the least in this country. They interacted with one another in ways that brought us together instead of looking at everything that makes us different. They had a sense of community instead of individualism. They valued each other instead of profit.
As we go into the Christmas season, I hope that we can keep in mind that riches will not last, but what we build and do for God will. In the season of giving, we must remember that what we have comes from God and that we have a responsibility to one another. No matter what you have or don’t have, most likely you are part of the 99%, not the 1%. There is more of us than there are of them. But every time we put more emphasis on spending money and buying into materialism, we give the 1% more power. Let’s do something that reflects the love of Christ this Christmas, who came to occupy the flesh so that we might have access to the divine. Let’s re-occupy Philly (or wherever you are) with the things that Jesus came to give us, instead of the things we will leave behind when we die. Maybe you can give something to someone and not expect anything in return. Maybe you can go out and give blankets to those without a home. Maybe you can invite someone who has no place to go to spend time with you and your family. Maybe you can make a friend of another race. Don’t just make it about presents. Let the One who came to occupy your life, fill you with what you need to bless someone else this season.
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 NASB
A few weeks ago, I was downtown for a meeting and had a chance to walk around the Occupy Philly area. I walked around reading the signs of people who were sleeping in tents. Some were humorous. Some a bit vulgar. Others thought provoking. I finally ended up walking by a group of three women with a sign that had pictures of books on it. They were “occupying” the Quaker Interfaith tent and offered me a seat and we had an opportunity to chat for while. As I sat there, I noticed several people come up to them with bags of food that they wanted to offer to those who were sleeping as well as one gentleman who brought a bag of clothes to give out to people. There was a sense of community there that was refreshing to see in these days and times. There were people of all ages, races and ethnicities. Some were certainly a little off, but for the most part, it was peaceful. My conversation with the three ladies at the Quaker tent was enlightening. They shared with me some of the history of Philadelphia that I didn’t know. They told me about their own lives and things they participated in during their lifetime. They also told me why they were there that day and supported the movement. I was a nice conversation.
Then a few weeks later I was back downtown and noticed that all of the tents were gone. Occupy Philly had been evicted. The area that was sectioned off was empty with the exception of policemen who were guarding the space. I was a little sad, wondering what will happen to the momentum of community that had been created by the Occupy movement. What will happen next?
Then, I happened to notice across the street the Christmas Village that is set up every year downtown. Everything is decorated to the holidays and there are street vendors everywhere with goods to sell. I walked around for a bit and looked at the vendors and their goods. There was the guy selling artwork, which looked pretty interesting. There was the lady selling handmade scarves. There were the beer and sausage guys. And one of my favorites, the Chaddsford Winery. A lady that I was walking close to was complaining about the police who were standing around doing nothing while cars turned the corner too quickly. She was dropping “F-bombs” like they were going out of style. The people behind all of the booths looked bored and like they were just waiting out their shift. There were pictures of Santa Claus all over. But interestingly enough, there was not one part of the Christmas Village that pointed to Christ. It was pure commerce.
Occupy Philly was evicted and the Christmas Village was ushered in. The spirit of Christmas was alive and well during the time I spent at the Occupy Philly Interfaith Quaker tent. But the materialism of Christmas replaced it across the street. There were people sharing and giving at Occupy Philly, but people selling at the Christmas Village. It made me think about priorities and where they lie in our society. Maybe the Occupy movement was a little too unorganized to thrive in its current state, but the spirit of what they started doesn’t have to die. They became a voice for the majority of us who have the least in this country. They interacted with one another in ways that brought us together instead of looking at everything that makes us different. They had a sense of community instead of individualism. They valued each other instead of profit.
As we go into the Christmas season, I hope that we can keep in mind that riches will not last, but what we build and do for God will. In the season of giving, we must remember that what we have comes from God and that we have a responsibility to one another. No matter what you have or don’t have, most likely you are part of the 99%, not the 1%. There is more of us than there are of them. But every time we put more emphasis on spending money and buying into materialism, we give the 1% more power. Let’s do something that reflects the love of Christ this Christmas, who came to occupy the flesh so that we might have access to the divine. Let’s re-occupy Philly (or wherever you are) with the things that Jesus came to give us, instead of the things we will leave behind when we die. Maybe you can give something to someone and not expect anything in return. Maybe you can go out and give blankets to those without a home. Maybe you can invite someone who has no place to go to spend time with you and your family. Maybe you can make a friend of another race. Don’t just make it about presents. Let the One who came to occupy your life, fill you with what you need to bless someone else this season.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Perishing at Sea
Perishing at Sea
“But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” Jonah 1:3-6 NIV
Maybe when you were a kid, you heard the story of Jonah and the whale. We know that Jonah ran away from doing what God told him to do and ended up in the belly of a whale for three days. But before he got to the whale, he was on a ship, with other people. Jonah wanted to go in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go, and found other people who were just minding their own business sailing away to Tarshish. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh. Tarshish is located in the extreme west in what scholars say is southern Spain. Nineveh is located in the east in Iraq. Is Spain near Iraq? Not so much. Jonah went to the farthest place he could think of to avoid doing what God called him to do. But do you think Jonah expected God to just say, ok? Not at all. God sent a huge storm to the boat that Jonah was in, which affected the others on the ship. As the other sailors tried to keep from dying out on the sea, Jonah was asleep below deck. . . chillin’.
There have been a million sermons on Jonah preached over the years. I have preached one. It is actually one of my favorite passages of scripture. It reveals so much about the heart of God, the mercy of God, the power of God, the love of God, among other things. But in this passage, what I find myself drawn to are the other sailors in the ship. I can imagine the panic in their hearts as the wind began to blow harder and harder. I can see them looking around for ways to ensure that their ship didn’t go down. I can hear them all crying out to their own gods for help in the violent storm. And I can also see their confusion as to why the guy asleep in the deck doesn’t seem to have the same urgency as the rest of them.
We can all be Jonah in our lifetime. But sometimes we are also the sailors. We are being affected by the disobedience of others not moving towards what God is calling them to do. Sometimes the storm we are in is not because of us, but because of who we are carrying with us. Maybe we were going exactly where we needed to go, but the person we invited along is running away from God. If that is the case, God can, and often does shake things up so that we can begin to take notice of who and what is around us. The storms in our life are not always about us being off track, but may be about who is in our boat.
In these days, God is calling people to take their positions in various places in society. It is not for nothing. Nor is it just about you getting more money or more material possessions. God is calling people to take positions because there are people who are going to die if we don’t go. God was going to destroy Nineveh but was giving them one more chance to repent. He was using Jonah to deliver that word. And God loved Nineveh so much that even when he was angry with them, he still made provision to save them. And wouldn’t even let Jonah get away with running away. So much so that he was willing to send a sea to those he was with.
We all have a responsibility to one another. My calling in this world is not just about me. But if I decide to run away from what I know God is calling me to, I can eventually cause disruption in other people’s life. Not because I mean to, but because God loves me and loves the world. The word that God gave to Jonah to speak in Nineveh was a word that was going to save the land from destruction. But Jonah didn’t want to go and other people suffered. If we are selfish enough to believe that our own choices affect only us, we are foolish and sadly mistaken. And we also must be willing to call other people out when they are running away from their call and their purpose. If not, we may all perish at sea. And if I know that I am running away from what God is calling me to, maybe I need to confess. I don’t know how much what other people around me are experiencing is because I am out of place. Can I love my brother or sister enough to get where I belong? Maybe if we all stop running away from God, we can calm the stormy seas of this world.
“But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD. Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” Jonah 1:3-6 NIV
Maybe when you were a kid, you heard the story of Jonah and the whale. We know that Jonah ran away from doing what God told him to do and ended up in the belly of a whale for three days. But before he got to the whale, he was on a ship, with other people. Jonah wanted to go in the opposite direction of where he was supposed to go, and found other people who were just minding their own business sailing away to Tarshish. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh. Tarshish is located in the extreme west in what scholars say is southern Spain. Nineveh is located in the east in Iraq. Is Spain near Iraq? Not so much. Jonah went to the farthest place he could think of to avoid doing what God called him to do. But do you think Jonah expected God to just say, ok? Not at all. God sent a huge storm to the boat that Jonah was in, which affected the others on the ship. As the other sailors tried to keep from dying out on the sea, Jonah was asleep below deck. . . chillin’.
There have been a million sermons on Jonah preached over the years. I have preached one. It is actually one of my favorite passages of scripture. It reveals so much about the heart of God, the mercy of God, the power of God, the love of God, among other things. But in this passage, what I find myself drawn to are the other sailors in the ship. I can imagine the panic in their hearts as the wind began to blow harder and harder. I can see them looking around for ways to ensure that their ship didn’t go down. I can hear them all crying out to their own gods for help in the violent storm. And I can also see their confusion as to why the guy asleep in the deck doesn’t seem to have the same urgency as the rest of them.
We can all be Jonah in our lifetime. But sometimes we are also the sailors. We are being affected by the disobedience of others not moving towards what God is calling them to do. Sometimes the storm we are in is not because of us, but because of who we are carrying with us. Maybe we were going exactly where we needed to go, but the person we invited along is running away from God. If that is the case, God can, and often does shake things up so that we can begin to take notice of who and what is around us. The storms in our life are not always about us being off track, but may be about who is in our boat.
In these days, God is calling people to take their positions in various places in society. It is not for nothing. Nor is it just about you getting more money or more material possessions. God is calling people to take positions because there are people who are going to die if we don’t go. God was going to destroy Nineveh but was giving them one more chance to repent. He was using Jonah to deliver that word. And God loved Nineveh so much that even when he was angry with them, he still made provision to save them. And wouldn’t even let Jonah get away with running away. So much so that he was willing to send a sea to those he was with.
We all have a responsibility to one another. My calling in this world is not just about me. But if I decide to run away from what I know God is calling me to, I can eventually cause disruption in other people’s life. Not because I mean to, but because God loves me and loves the world. The word that God gave to Jonah to speak in Nineveh was a word that was going to save the land from destruction. But Jonah didn’t want to go and other people suffered. If we are selfish enough to believe that our own choices affect only us, we are foolish and sadly mistaken. And we also must be willing to call other people out when they are running away from their call and their purpose. If not, we may all perish at sea. And if I know that I am running away from what God is calling me to, maybe I need to confess. I don’t know how much what other people around me are experiencing is because I am out of place. Can I love my brother or sister enough to get where I belong? Maybe if we all stop running away from God, we can calm the stormy seas of this world.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Opportunity Risk
11/16/2011
Opportunity Risk
“The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'
"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'
Matthew 25:24-30 The Message
I have not written a blog post in a while. I have been terribly busy with school and sometimes did not really have anything valuable to contribute (or so I thought). I think it’s been all writing papers and dealing with life as usual for me these last few weeks. But a couple of weeks ago, God had me spend a considerable amount of time in prayer and fasting. I have several different things going on in my life and I was really confused as to how I was going to do them all, so I did nothing instead. I just kept going with the flow of things, which meant just go to school. I figured it was ok to just be still until I knew which way to go. But God put a sense of urgency in me to take steps in the direction He had already given me to do. Part of the reason I left my job in 2010 was to start a ministry that would be a non-traditional ministry. But because I didn’t know what that looked like, I just kept it in the planning phase in my head. But there are some practical things I could be doing right now to get that going. I just wasn’t doing it. God gave me a swift kick in the butt to get me going and now I’m back, taking action again. That is the fortunate part of the story for me.
In this passage in Matthew 25, Jesus is using a parable to illustrate what the Kingdom of God is like. He is basically saying that God gives us all something that we have to make use of in this world. Some people have multiple “talents” and to others He has given just one. But all of us have the responsibility to not just sit on what we have been given. Eventually, the Master will return to collect on what he has given you to use. And if He finds that you have buried it, then the bible says things will not be good for you.
Many people think that by taking a risk and going out to use what God has given them will end up in such failure that they sit and do nothing. They think that it is better to play it safe and make sure that they don’t lose what God has given them. But the bible speaks contrary to this idea. The bible actually says that if you don’t use it you will lose it, and the Master will NOT be happy about that. Yes, God is loving and forgiving, but the risk that you think you are taking by using what He gave you is NOTHING compared to the risk you take by not using what He gave you.
The servant who buried his talents said that he knew the character of the Master and figured that it would be better to play it safe instead of risking what he was given. But the problem with this line of thinking is that he said that he KNEW the Master. His actions did not line up with what he said. If he knew the Master, why would he bury what he was given? This passage speaks to Christians today who claim to know God. If you truly know God, why would you think that you have the right to sit on what you have been given without consequence? Most people function under the assumption that this passage is speaking about the future return of Christ, so they figure they have their whole lives to get busy on what God has given them. I am telling you now that this message is not just for some random future date when Jesus comes back. This message is for now! You have no idea when the window of opportunity that God is giving to you will close for this season, so instead of assuming that you have all the time in the world to get busy using your gifts, you are better off using what you have in the best way you know how until God gives you more instruction. It is better to be found using your gifts and talents than not. Even if you mess it all up, at least you tried. The worst thing you can do according to Scripture is do nothing. That is a recipe for disaster in the kingdom of God. Make the best of what you have been given without fear, and God will reward you with an opportunity that is well worth the risk. To those who think they know God, act like you know God and move.
If God is calling you to start a business, then move. If God s calling you to go back to school, then move. If God is calling you to start a ministry (Shayna), then move. If God is calling you to write a book, then move. If God is calling you to move to another city, then move. If God is calling you to buy a house, then move. If God is calling you to do whatever, then move. If God is calling you to it, then God has already given you what you need to make it happen. It is up to you to use what you’ve got to get what God (and you) want. God is not asking you to use anything He hasn’t already given you. The servant in the parable wasn’t asked to use the five talents of someone else. Just the one he was given. You have no idea when your door will close or if you will have time to try again. If you feel like you have been sitting on what God gave you out of fear, then repent and start moving again. You may find that God is gracious enough to give you another chance. Move in faith, not fear.
Opportunity Risk
“The servant given one thousand said, 'Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.'
"The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.
"'Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this "play-it-safe" who won't go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.'
Matthew 25:24-30 The Message
I have not written a blog post in a while. I have been terribly busy with school and sometimes did not really have anything valuable to contribute (or so I thought). I think it’s been all writing papers and dealing with life as usual for me these last few weeks. But a couple of weeks ago, God had me spend a considerable amount of time in prayer and fasting. I have several different things going on in my life and I was really confused as to how I was going to do them all, so I did nothing instead. I just kept going with the flow of things, which meant just go to school. I figured it was ok to just be still until I knew which way to go. But God put a sense of urgency in me to take steps in the direction He had already given me to do. Part of the reason I left my job in 2010 was to start a ministry that would be a non-traditional ministry. But because I didn’t know what that looked like, I just kept it in the planning phase in my head. But there are some practical things I could be doing right now to get that going. I just wasn’t doing it. God gave me a swift kick in the butt to get me going and now I’m back, taking action again. That is the fortunate part of the story for me.
In this passage in Matthew 25, Jesus is using a parable to illustrate what the Kingdom of God is like. He is basically saying that God gives us all something that we have to make use of in this world. Some people have multiple “talents” and to others He has given just one. But all of us have the responsibility to not just sit on what we have been given. Eventually, the Master will return to collect on what he has given you to use. And if He finds that you have buried it, then the bible says things will not be good for you.
Many people think that by taking a risk and going out to use what God has given them will end up in such failure that they sit and do nothing. They think that it is better to play it safe and make sure that they don’t lose what God has given them. But the bible speaks contrary to this idea. The bible actually says that if you don’t use it you will lose it, and the Master will NOT be happy about that. Yes, God is loving and forgiving, but the risk that you think you are taking by using what He gave you is NOTHING compared to the risk you take by not using what He gave you.
The servant who buried his talents said that he knew the character of the Master and figured that it would be better to play it safe instead of risking what he was given. But the problem with this line of thinking is that he said that he KNEW the Master. His actions did not line up with what he said. If he knew the Master, why would he bury what he was given? This passage speaks to Christians today who claim to know God. If you truly know God, why would you think that you have the right to sit on what you have been given without consequence? Most people function under the assumption that this passage is speaking about the future return of Christ, so they figure they have their whole lives to get busy on what God has given them. I am telling you now that this message is not just for some random future date when Jesus comes back. This message is for now! You have no idea when the window of opportunity that God is giving to you will close for this season, so instead of assuming that you have all the time in the world to get busy using your gifts, you are better off using what you have in the best way you know how until God gives you more instruction. It is better to be found using your gifts and talents than not. Even if you mess it all up, at least you tried. The worst thing you can do according to Scripture is do nothing. That is a recipe for disaster in the kingdom of God. Make the best of what you have been given without fear, and God will reward you with an opportunity that is well worth the risk. To those who think they know God, act like you know God and move.
If God is calling you to start a business, then move. If God s calling you to go back to school, then move. If God is calling you to start a ministry (Shayna), then move. If God is calling you to write a book, then move. If God is calling you to move to another city, then move. If God is calling you to buy a house, then move. If God is calling you to do whatever, then move. If God is calling you to it, then God has already given you what you need to make it happen. It is up to you to use what you’ve got to get what God (and you) want. God is not asking you to use anything He hasn’t already given you. The servant in the parable wasn’t asked to use the five talents of someone else. Just the one he was given. You have no idea when your door will close or if you will have time to try again. If you feel like you have been sitting on what God gave you out of fear, then repent and start moving again. You may find that God is gracious enough to give you another chance. Move in faith, not fear.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Spirit of Religion
The Spirit of Religion
“The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they've lost their capacity for truth. They will tell you not to get married. They'll tell you not to eat this or that food—perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by believers who know better! Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God's Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy.” 1 Timothy 4:1-5 The Message
When I had my conversion experience in 2000, I was incredibly hungry for the word. So much so that I went out and bought a bible and began to read it from beginning to end. Since I didn’t attend a church, I just thought it was a good idea to read the bible and do what it said to do until I could find a church home. I got to a particular chapter in the book of Leviticus that told the Israelites not to eat pork, so I gave it up too. I felt like if God said don’t eat it, then there is probably something good about that. I hated to give it up because I really liked ham and bacon. But I loved God more, so I decided to give it up anyway.
Years later, I read this scripture and realized that giving up pork wasn’t really necessary to my faith in Christ. But by that time, my body got so used to it that I never went back. So now I don’t eat pork for health reasons, not to be holy. But this morning as I was praying I began to pray against a spirit of religion in someone’s life. And that prayer led me to this scripture again. It deals with the false teachings and deception of people who force a particular set of rules upon others in the name of religion, or as they may say, in the name of Jesus. But our faith in Christ has nothing to do with rules and regulations or who can be the most holy by abstaining from this or that. The premise behind our faith is that Christ did it for us. If you try to “be saved” by adding a bunch of restrictions to your life that God never asked you for, then you are in danger of inviting a religious spirit into your life. And the religious spirit invites a seductive spirit.
Now don’t think that I am telling you that your life should have no discipline whatsoever and that you should just do whatever you want since Christ paid it all. Any mature believer in Christ cannot live recklessly and think it’s ok. But what we learn in our walk with Christ is how to let the Holy Spirit be our guide, not our rules. If you begin to make your rules your guide, then you are basically saying that you trust them more than you trust God. And maybe in some areas of your life, you need to do that because you don’t yet know how to let God keep you in that area. But as you mature, you will have to let go of the rules and trust your position in God as His child and as someone who has committed their life to Him. God may start you with a rule, but lead to to His Spirit.
It’s like a parent raising a child. Good parents begin to let go of the reigns a little as the child demonstrates maturity in order to teach them how to function as an individual. When you are young, you need the protection of your parents who are teaching you how to function in this world. But as you get older, they have to trust that what they have sown into your life will hold you. So you don’t see many 18 year olds with a 5 year old’s “bedtime”. Or you may have a later curfew at age 16 than you did at 9. The rules tend to diminish in favor of your parents trusting you to use what they taught you to be your guide. Otherwise, you would never learn how to think for yourself.
With a religious spirit, the necessity for people to have rules to govern them is essential because the goal is for you never to think for yourself. Just follow the rules. Don’t ask any questions. It may be taught under the guise of trying to keep you holy, but in truth it is actually inviting a spirit of seduction into your life. The more rules you lay upon a person, the more their spirit will attempt to fight to be free from that bondage. Think back to kids you knew whose parents held the reigns so tightly on the children. Many of them may have even been the stereotypical “preacher’s kid”. But when they got a chance to be free, what did they do? They went BUCK WILD! I have seen some crazy examples of people who seem to live double lives, where one minute with their family they are the most straight laced kid you would ever see and the next they were going crazy in the club. I’m sure we all know people like that.
This religious spirit is subtle. But it’s effects are devastating. As the scripture says, it turns people away from the faith. It seduces them into thinking that there is some standard of behavior that is necessary at all times and if you cannot meet it, you would be better off not even trying. It makes people think that because they don’t drink or smoke or have sex or eat pork that they are better than people who do. But don’t think for one minute that these things are the source of any holiness you may have. It’s one thing to abstain from these things out of love for yourself and for your God. But it is another to do these things in an effort to be seen as holy and look down on other people for not doing them. You may very well be inviting a seductive spirit into your life. And there is no telling what that spirit will do.
This religious spirit is prevalent in our churches. And the more rules they have, the greater the devastation of people straying from the truth. They may argue and say that scripture says, “Be ye holy for I am holy” and that is why the put so much emphasis on behavior. But the scripture never said act holy. It says be holy. Holiness is a state of being not a state of doing. If you can “be” holy then all of your actions will come from that place. And the only way scripture tells us to “be holy” is to abide in Christ. Then you will “do” holy things. But if your rules lead you, you will disappoint yourself every time. And the more you disappoint yourself the easier it is to stray away. And the easier it is to stray away, the more likely it is that the seductive spirit will make you do more things that you will be ashamed of. And the more that spirit can make you ashamed, the easier it is to hide from the God who loves you anyway. And the more you hide, the more works you will want to do to get back into God’s good graces. And there the religious spirit has you. Back to a works based life, where faith in Christ is irrelevant. Who needs the cross when you have service? If your acts of service can make you clean, then the cross was unnecessary and Jesus should have just kept performing miracles. It would have been a lot less painful. But Jesus did go to the cross. Not to force you to give up meats or to not get married or to beat yourself up every time you make a mistake. He went to the cross so you can trust in the fact that there is nothing you can do to win God’s love for you. God’s love has nothing to do with you. God’s love is about God’s love for you. It is up to you to respond, not to replace it with your good deeds. Pray for us all.
“The Spirit makes it clear that as time goes on, some are going to give up on the faith and chase after demonic illusions put forth by professional liars. These liars have lied so well and for so long that they've lost their capacity for truth. They will tell you not to get married. They'll tell you not to eat this or that food—perfectly good food God created to be eaten heartily and with thanksgiving by believers who know better! Everything God created is good, and to be received with thanks. Nothing is to be sneered at and thrown out. God's Word and our prayers make every item in creation holy.” 1 Timothy 4:1-5 The Message
When I had my conversion experience in 2000, I was incredibly hungry for the word. So much so that I went out and bought a bible and began to read it from beginning to end. Since I didn’t attend a church, I just thought it was a good idea to read the bible and do what it said to do until I could find a church home. I got to a particular chapter in the book of Leviticus that told the Israelites not to eat pork, so I gave it up too. I felt like if God said don’t eat it, then there is probably something good about that. I hated to give it up because I really liked ham and bacon. But I loved God more, so I decided to give it up anyway.
Years later, I read this scripture and realized that giving up pork wasn’t really necessary to my faith in Christ. But by that time, my body got so used to it that I never went back. So now I don’t eat pork for health reasons, not to be holy. But this morning as I was praying I began to pray against a spirit of religion in someone’s life. And that prayer led me to this scripture again. It deals with the false teachings and deception of people who force a particular set of rules upon others in the name of religion, or as they may say, in the name of Jesus. But our faith in Christ has nothing to do with rules and regulations or who can be the most holy by abstaining from this or that. The premise behind our faith is that Christ did it for us. If you try to “be saved” by adding a bunch of restrictions to your life that God never asked you for, then you are in danger of inviting a religious spirit into your life. And the religious spirit invites a seductive spirit.
Now don’t think that I am telling you that your life should have no discipline whatsoever and that you should just do whatever you want since Christ paid it all. Any mature believer in Christ cannot live recklessly and think it’s ok. But what we learn in our walk with Christ is how to let the Holy Spirit be our guide, not our rules. If you begin to make your rules your guide, then you are basically saying that you trust them more than you trust God. And maybe in some areas of your life, you need to do that because you don’t yet know how to let God keep you in that area. But as you mature, you will have to let go of the rules and trust your position in God as His child and as someone who has committed their life to Him. God may start you with a rule, but lead to to His Spirit.
It’s like a parent raising a child. Good parents begin to let go of the reigns a little as the child demonstrates maturity in order to teach them how to function as an individual. When you are young, you need the protection of your parents who are teaching you how to function in this world. But as you get older, they have to trust that what they have sown into your life will hold you. So you don’t see many 18 year olds with a 5 year old’s “bedtime”. Or you may have a later curfew at age 16 than you did at 9. The rules tend to diminish in favor of your parents trusting you to use what they taught you to be your guide. Otherwise, you would never learn how to think for yourself.
With a religious spirit, the necessity for people to have rules to govern them is essential because the goal is for you never to think for yourself. Just follow the rules. Don’t ask any questions. It may be taught under the guise of trying to keep you holy, but in truth it is actually inviting a spirit of seduction into your life. The more rules you lay upon a person, the more their spirit will attempt to fight to be free from that bondage. Think back to kids you knew whose parents held the reigns so tightly on the children. Many of them may have even been the stereotypical “preacher’s kid”. But when they got a chance to be free, what did they do? They went BUCK WILD! I have seen some crazy examples of people who seem to live double lives, where one minute with their family they are the most straight laced kid you would ever see and the next they were going crazy in the club. I’m sure we all know people like that.
This religious spirit is subtle. But it’s effects are devastating. As the scripture says, it turns people away from the faith. It seduces them into thinking that there is some standard of behavior that is necessary at all times and if you cannot meet it, you would be better off not even trying. It makes people think that because they don’t drink or smoke or have sex or eat pork that they are better than people who do. But don’t think for one minute that these things are the source of any holiness you may have. It’s one thing to abstain from these things out of love for yourself and for your God. But it is another to do these things in an effort to be seen as holy and look down on other people for not doing them. You may very well be inviting a seductive spirit into your life. And there is no telling what that spirit will do.
This religious spirit is prevalent in our churches. And the more rules they have, the greater the devastation of people straying from the truth. They may argue and say that scripture says, “Be ye holy for I am holy” and that is why the put so much emphasis on behavior. But the scripture never said act holy. It says be holy. Holiness is a state of being not a state of doing. If you can “be” holy then all of your actions will come from that place. And the only way scripture tells us to “be holy” is to abide in Christ. Then you will “do” holy things. But if your rules lead you, you will disappoint yourself every time. And the more you disappoint yourself the easier it is to stray away. And the easier it is to stray away, the more likely it is that the seductive spirit will make you do more things that you will be ashamed of. And the more that spirit can make you ashamed, the easier it is to hide from the God who loves you anyway. And the more you hide, the more works you will want to do to get back into God’s good graces. And there the religious spirit has you. Back to a works based life, where faith in Christ is irrelevant. Who needs the cross when you have service? If your acts of service can make you clean, then the cross was unnecessary and Jesus should have just kept performing miracles. It would have been a lot less painful. But Jesus did go to the cross. Not to force you to give up meats or to not get married or to beat yourself up every time you make a mistake. He went to the cross so you can trust in the fact that there is nothing you can do to win God’s love for you. God’s love has nothing to do with you. God’s love is about God’s love for you. It is up to you to respond, not to replace it with your good deeds. Pray for us all.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Victor or Victim?
“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." John 10:18 NIV
The other day, I was laying in the bed thinking about my life over the past year and a half. I have been provided for in ways that I would have never thought were possible. But I have also been in need in ways I never imagined. And on that particular day, I had an overwhelming sense of peace, even though I think most people in my financial situation would be puling their hair out. I recall that two ears ago, I made 80% more money than I did when I filed my tax return the year before. To most people that would spell financial disaster. And it does feel like that sometimes. But at the same time, I know that this is exactly where I need to be. It’s strange. I have peace in the middle of a storm, just like God promised.
But what makes it worse is that I chose this life. For some people, this type of stuff happens to them as a result of life circumstances. Maybe they lose their job, or become ill, or have to take a pay cut to care for loved ones. But for me, I choose this life, on purpose. Truthfully, that makes me feel different. Everytime, I cannot make a payment when I am used to making it, I still feel different. Everytime I am supposed to get paid for some work I did, but there is a delay, I feel different. Everytime I look at my bank account and wonder if I will have enough to go grocery shopping or get gas, I still feel different. And I feel different because I choose to do this. I am not a victim of my circumstances. No body is doing this to me. I followed my God to a place where He led me and He has promised to take care of me. And He has done just that.
Jesus spoke to his disciples about his death in the above passage. He is letting them know that no one is going to take his life from him. He is willingly laying it down for a specific purpose. And he has the authority to change his situation at anytime. There is a reason for him to have to die this way. But no one should feel sorry for him or treat him like a victim. He is doing this on purpose, as strange as this may sound. It has to be done this way.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to go where Jesus leads. And the result of some of where he leads is not always pleasant. It is not always filled with the type of financial benefits that some say we will get. It is not always filled with riches and fame. Sometimes the blessing is in the power that you have to choose not to be wealthy, and still have the same peace and authority that some people equate to money. Sometimes, what God is showing us is that it is not in having that gives you the power, it is in choosing to lay down your life, for a greater purpose that becomes the power. Because if you choose it, then you also have the power to get out of it at anytime. But if you are constantly playing the victim role, you will never be able to see your authority. No one is doing this to me, I am choosing this life and one day I will choose to take this life up again and live it with the true authority I have which is not rooted in money or possessions.
Many prosperity gospel preachers would have you believe that the moment that you start to live your life for Jesus, everything becomes easy. You suddenly have more money, more fame, better health, whatever you may need. But the truth is, if God gives you any of that stuff, then your boasting is not in having it, it will be found in giving it up. Following Christ is not about what you obtain. It is about what you sacrifice. You don’t have to be a follower of Christ to get stuff. But it takes supernatural power to give up what most people spend their life trying to get. Yet once you get it, God may ask you to give it up in order to make sure you recognize who is truly in control. Think about some of the greatest stories in the bible related to this: Abraham, Hannah, Paul, David, Jesus. There is a point in your life when you realize that anything you want can be yours if God wants you to have it. But when and if you get it, it is never about you. And your power lies in the fact that nothing but God has a hold on you. Because He gave you the power to lay down your life, and to take it up again. You are not a victim. No matter what people may think. They might feel sorry for you or think that you are not making wise decisions. But if that’s what they think, they need to see it again from another perspective. You are not being killed, you have laid down your life.
Following Jesus is not easy. Let me not lie to you. And God will not ask you to give up something you never possessed. But what you cannot give up, actually possesses you. And as long as that possesses you, you do not yet fully belong to God. When nothing in this world can hold you, you are actually more powerful than you know. I knew that when I was planning to leave my job a year and a half ago that I was going to have to quit. I was trying to plot to see if I could get fired so that I could get unemployment (true confession). But something in me knew that this was not going to work. I had to choose this. And because I chose this, I feel more powerful than life choosing this for me. It gives me strength when I need it. It gives me hope and it give me power. I can take up my life at any time, but I choose to keep going and wait for God to take me down the path. It makes me a victor and not a victim. So I encourage any of you who feel like God is calling you to lay something down, to do it. Because eventually you will not possess that thing that he is asking you to lay down. The difference will be in how much power you feel you have in the midst of it. Will you be the victim or the victor? Will you be the one blaming the devil for what he is doing or the one who knows that nothing the devil does can harm you because you chose this? It’s easy to have life happen to you, just keep living. Something's going to go wrong eventually. But laying down your life puts you on the offensive. You have the chance to choose your life and your death. You are not living as a victim. You will have more power than you will ever know.
The other day, I was laying in the bed thinking about my life over the past year and a half. I have been provided for in ways that I would have never thought were possible. But I have also been in need in ways I never imagined. And on that particular day, I had an overwhelming sense of peace, even though I think most people in my financial situation would be puling their hair out. I recall that two ears ago, I made 80% more money than I did when I filed my tax return the year before. To most people that would spell financial disaster. And it does feel like that sometimes. But at the same time, I know that this is exactly where I need to be. It’s strange. I have peace in the middle of a storm, just like God promised.
But what makes it worse is that I chose this life. For some people, this type of stuff happens to them as a result of life circumstances. Maybe they lose their job, or become ill, or have to take a pay cut to care for loved ones. But for me, I choose this life, on purpose. Truthfully, that makes me feel different. Everytime, I cannot make a payment when I am used to making it, I still feel different. Everytime I am supposed to get paid for some work I did, but there is a delay, I feel different. Everytime I look at my bank account and wonder if I will have enough to go grocery shopping or get gas, I still feel different. And I feel different because I choose to do this. I am not a victim of my circumstances. No body is doing this to me. I followed my God to a place where He led me and He has promised to take care of me. And He has done just that.
Jesus spoke to his disciples about his death in the above passage. He is letting them know that no one is going to take his life from him. He is willingly laying it down for a specific purpose. And he has the authority to change his situation at anytime. There is a reason for him to have to die this way. But no one should feel sorry for him or treat him like a victim. He is doing this on purpose, as strange as this may sound. It has to be done this way.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to go where Jesus leads. And the result of some of where he leads is not always pleasant. It is not always filled with the type of financial benefits that some say we will get. It is not always filled with riches and fame. Sometimes the blessing is in the power that you have to choose not to be wealthy, and still have the same peace and authority that some people equate to money. Sometimes, what God is showing us is that it is not in having that gives you the power, it is in choosing to lay down your life, for a greater purpose that becomes the power. Because if you choose it, then you also have the power to get out of it at anytime. But if you are constantly playing the victim role, you will never be able to see your authority. No one is doing this to me, I am choosing this life and one day I will choose to take this life up again and live it with the true authority I have which is not rooted in money or possessions.
Many prosperity gospel preachers would have you believe that the moment that you start to live your life for Jesus, everything becomes easy. You suddenly have more money, more fame, better health, whatever you may need. But the truth is, if God gives you any of that stuff, then your boasting is not in having it, it will be found in giving it up. Following Christ is not about what you obtain. It is about what you sacrifice. You don’t have to be a follower of Christ to get stuff. But it takes supernatural power to give up what most people spend their life trying to get. Yet once you get it, God may ask you to give it up in order to make sure you recognize who is truly in control. Think about some of the greatest stories in the bible related to this: Abraham, Hannah, Paul, David, Jesus. There is a point in your life when you realize that anything you want can be yours if God wants you to have it. But when and if you get it, it is never about you. And your power lies in the fact that nothing but God has a hold on you. Because He gave you the power to lay down your life, and to take it up again. You are not a victim. No matter what people may think. They might feel sorry for you or think that you are not making wise decisions. But if that’s what they think, they need to see it again from another perspective. You are not being killed, you have laid down your life.
Following Jesus is not easy. Let me not lie to you. And God will not ask you to give up something you never possessed. But what you cannot give up, actually possesses you. And as long as that possesses you, you do not yet fully belong to God. When nothing in this world can hold you, you are actually more powerful than you know. I knew that when I was planning to leave my job a year and a half ago that I was going to have to quit. I was trying to plot to see if I could get fired so that I could get unemployment (true confession). But something in me knew that this was not going to work. I had to choose this. And because I chose this, I feel more powerful than life choosing this for me. It gives me strength when I need it. It gives me hope and it give me power. I can take up my life at any time, but I choose to keep going and wait for God to take me down the path. It makes me a victor and not a victim. So I encourage any of you who feel like God is calling you to lay something down, to do it. Because eventually you will not possess that thing that he is asking you to lay down. The difference will be in how much power you feel you have in the midst of it. Will you be the victim or the victor? Will you be the one blaming the devil for what he is doing or the one who knows that nothing the devil does can harm you because you chose this? It’s easy to have life happen to you, just keep living. Something's going to go wrong eventually. But laying down your life puts you on the offensive. You have the chance to choose your life and your death. You are not living as a victim. You will have more power than you will ever know.
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