My Walk

All Things

"Let all that you do be done in love."

Showing and sharing the love and truth of Christ is not merely a goal to be accomplished, nor merely a thing to be done. For one... it is never finished, for the Christ-follower, while we are still in the world. It is lived out, daily, as we walk through life. Likewise, it is not intended to be passive, or only as it is convenient to you and I. There is certainly something to be said of sacrificial love; even sacrificial acts of kindness. It is, at least, a foundation toward building Christ-likeness.

But be careful! Guard your ego, your pride. Check your motivation. It won't, necessarily, lessen the act of kindness. It just might lessen, in you, Christ-likeness. Stunting your own growth.

But how do I even gain a heart that is selfless enough to do good ... for goodness own sake; His goodness? Oswald Chambers said it this way... "We must have a oneness with His risen life before we are prepared to bear any particular truth from Him." This happens with surrender, abandoning our best path and plans for our lives ...allowing Christ ti begin a work within us

Be yourself, indeed. But be willing to allow Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit, to change the desires of your natural heart. Be willing to be transformed. Our best goodness isn't good enough, lest Christ died in vain. Only Jesus' sacrificial love, through His giving up of Himself on Calvary, can transform our self-made goodness into His glorious, truly useful, goodness

Credibility, Integrity, Believe-ability

This morning's study is very poignant, and provoking. As an aside... I mostly use the devotional just to follow a yearly scripture reading. Yet, I always read the devotional itself. But today... the devotional, itself, screams at me. All parts, including the "Wisdom from" quote at the bottom. Try and soak it up with me.
https://utmost.org/identified-or-simply-interested/

My reading, this morning, provokes another, conjunctive, thought. And not just an aside. Maybe this is confessional, rather than just thought-provoking.

Credibility, integrity, believe-ability... is a many-laned road. That is... I have trouble trusting "people" as it comes to their interpretation of trusting and following Christ. Not (so much) trusting Christ, Himself. That demands a whole lot of unpacking, which cannot be performed here,, and is possibly even starkly contradictory to trusting Christ ...in some ways, at first glance, at least. Though not overtly intentional. In simple terms... just hoping it rings of an authentic truth, or just plain reality, to any reading this. A paradoxical statement, isn't it? As I ask you to "trust" things I say, or someone else says. :) Hmmm.. actions, love actions, truly do speak louder than words. Trusting me, or anyone else, comes with time and a track-record.

And before I sound too neuvo-Christian... I hold an historic, firm, belief / conclusion that Hell is real; based on scripture itself. Sounds from out of left field doesn't it? Hang with me. This is a truth, or surely I wouldn't even bother with these things ...would I? That is a sobering, self-inflicting, wound ...too. But I think of my children, my family, my beloved friends, missing who Jesus really is. The stranger, the wanderer, missing who Jesus really is. Heavy, weighty, burden-ful. Some coming posts, from a book I'm reading, will make this make more sense to some. He is worth putting oneself out there for. He is worth risking one's perceived credibility for.

How & Where To Serve

How do you serve? If a follower of Christ ..."where" you will serve is the only question. If not yet a follower ...know that God can, and will, use you ...once you've surrendered your will and life to Him. I wrestled with "where / how to specifically serve" for many seasons in life. God used all things that I tried. Some to teach me... "nope, not there" (at least not long-term). Other areas, simply to serve in certain seasons of life. For example... I was once passionate about youth ministry, and my role in it. I'm still passionate about ministering to,  and discipling,  young people. However, God has shown that my long-term energies are better used elsewhere. I've served as a worship leader. Music is an obvious part of how God has called me. More on that. I have served as lead pastor. No doubt... I could still serve in that beautiful, difficult, role. These days, I have once again answered God's call to serve as a worship pastor. I always have been, and always will be, this. Whether in role / title or simply in purpose ...worship, via the vehicle of music, is both a passion and a recognition of God's specific gifting in my life. Totally loving it at this point in life.

Within all of these roles has existed one common, simple, thread. "I didn't know until I tried." Now I'm not recommending that you write down some ministry roles on a piece of paper, then toss a dart. Rather, if you have surrendered your will to God's will, and are saved, pray about how God has built you. The unique you. Then, begin to test the many paths of ministry, as your life's ministry might be used in specific areas. And, by the way, be useFUL in any role. He will make clear, in your submissive will to Him, where you fit like a glove. If you have yet to surrender to Him / His will ...I pray you will see clearly to do so, soon.

Have A Cheap Christmas

If the Christmas season comes across as cheap to you.... welcome to modern culture. Sorry for the title. You may have thought this was going to be a Pinterest-like article. But I'm no Scrooge. Really! There are, in fact, kind and generous acts, both from individuals and collectives, who probably represent Christ-likeness better than some gatherings of organized religion. I digress a little. But we all know this is true; Christmas is generally cheap, and the cheapness is rung in on Black Friday. Or is it on Cyber-Monday?

This is an important reminder! God did not just "cut us a deal" or randomly pardon us. Jesus was born to die, and died so we may have life. If you don't believe, in faith, the truth of who Jesus is... you'll never see God's love. You MUST believe. Period. If you DO choose to believe the truth of who Jesus is, and feel that you only call on God, and His forgiveness, as needed ....then you are either deliberately rebelling against God, un-regenerate / un-saved, or at the very least... need a healthy, caring, Christ-follower to move into your life; as life has surely fogged up your windshield. The old term for this is back-slidden. By the way... you never stop needing other Followers in your life. I've yet to "arrive". You can't be a true Follower / a Christian and hand-pick God's grace. Clarity is needed. Unbridaled surrender is needed. And don't think you've really ticked God off. If so ...then we all have. But this is His compelling love ..."even as we are sinners, Christ died for us." Repent and return. Read the Christmas Story ...through clear lenses.

So... in this season... enjoy the giving. Enjoy the receiving. Just see it through clean lenses.

"And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh."
                            -Matthew 2:11 ESV