Invictus

Invictus -
"OUT of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul."

All men are grass

1 peter 1:24-25

"All men are like grass and all thier glory is like the flowers of the field, the grass withers and the flowers fall but the word of the Lord stands forever."

The words of the Lord stands forever while the glory of men falls and withers like the grass of the field. The Glory of men is fleeting. This has been true throughout all of history. Men's words and glory has died with them. Sure many would claim that great men live on in thier influence but thier glory is unlasting someone newer and fresher comes along with a new different idea. Communism and socialism are two examples of the glory of men fading. Carl Marx for example wrote his communist manifesto which became the "bible" for communism but that has fallen and while some would still argue for it his glory has faded. Even democracy would seem to be fading in its present form. The Glory of men will fallbut the word of the Lord stands forever. You could even use more contemporary examples of movie stars or profesional athletes who are popular today but are easily replaceable.

Peter knew this and warned the early christians not to pursue it, and whats more they had no more need of the perishable glory of this world because " they had been born again not of perishable seed but of imperishable through the living and enduring word of God" (ch1 v 23) This rebirth had freed them and has freed us from the need for the glory of men and allows us to drink on the "pure spiritual milk" (ch2 v 2) so that we may grow into what God has intended for us.

So then do not yearn for the glory of men. You do not need a promotion, an A, a pay raise, an award or any other recognition. These are not the things that should be driving us. Instead we should be be striving to grow in our relationship with God, to do his work, and to be glorified by him in heaven where we will be given an everlasting crown and glory that does not cease.

Prayer For Renewal

God,
I am struggling, I remember the strength, the inspiration, the power you had instilled in me. I remember the inspiration you had blessed me with. But Lord I am falling now, slipping your presence has left me. Why? I am not worthy but I have trusted in your Grace Lord. Was my Trust misplaced? No you work in mysterious ways Lord, in ways I cannot understand you are working in my and those around me. Whatever it is you would have me do Lord I will do it but right now I do not understand what it is I should be doing. So Lord while I wait and struggle to wait renew your presence in my life instill in me the wisdom again and make me new and fervent again. Take the whole of me and renew it. I want to Live solely for your Lord so do what needs to be done in my life so that I can do that. Renew in me a sense of humility, renew in me a sense of awe, renew your wisdom in me Lord that I may teach others your ways and do your will in this world Lord.
Amen

The Kingdom of Heaven

We are a part of a kingdom. Our King is our God. And as a kingdom we have enemies, enemies that will do anything and every thing to destroy our kingdom.

Matthew 11:12

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.

We as a kingdom are under an attack and one of our enemies greatest powers is that we deny the very fact that he is attacking us. God is willing to fight for us but it seems as if most of us are not willing to fight for him. The movie "The Kingdom of Heaven" has a great example of Gods willingness to fight for us. In the very first fighting scene of the movie which takes place after Bailian has killed a priest and run to his father ( am I missing another great illustration there?). The scene takes place like this ; The authorities ride up and demand that Balian be turned over to them. Bailian admits again for the second time that what they say is true but his father is unwilling to give him over to them. A bloody battle follows in which Godfrey (Balians father) is injured in a way that eventually leads to his death. While Godfrey is being tended to he calls Bailian to him, and these are the words I think illustrate Our father Gods feelings about us.

Balian: They had the Right to take me...
Godfrey: So did I

Satan has claim to us  doesent he?

Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
Matthe 4: 5 "Then satan led him up to a high place... 'I will give you all thier authority and splendor, for it has been given to me...'"
2cnd Corinthians 4:4 calls satan the "God of this age"

Many more similar references can be found throughout the bible claiming that Satan has a power over this world. But God was not willing to leave us to our fate even  though we deserved it. "While we were still sinners Christ laid down his life for us" ( Romans 5:8) 

And whats more having laid down his life for us he charged us with a task much life Godfrey does with Bailian , here is that task
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright that God may love thee. Speak the truth always, even if it leads to your death. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong. That is your oath.

And in the end of the movie this is exactly what Bailian ends up doing he rescues the entire city of Jeruselam from certain death. This is also what we are chraged with doing is it not?

Matthew 28:19-20

19.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20.and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We are also charged with saving people from a certain death. So go and make disciples of all nations of everyone you know teach them to obey the words of Jesus. Fight satan in his attacks against you and against other people. Surley Jesus is with you wherever you go

Hebrews 11:6

Hebrews 11:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please God”

With out faith it is impossible to please God.  Faith consists of yes believing thier is a God but it is also more than that. Faith is the power to move mountains, Faith is knowing that there is more out there. Faith is putting your trust in something you have little or no evidence for and living your life in such a way that it is necessary for that faith to be justified.

The last part of that statement is the hard part for people like me and with out a doubt many other people in the world today. We have to live out life in such a way that without our faith being justified by God, with out God stepping in and taking care of the things we left up to him on faith, we would fail. We have to live our life in such a way that without God we would fail miserably.

Now it is true that most people would accept , at least on face value, that every thing we have is from God. But how many of us really believe that. I know I often don't and as a result i take steps to ensure I can succeed on my own. I take smaller risks and protect my self by doing only things I know I can accomplish. this stratagey has actually made me fairly successful in the things I do. I have been elected to leadership roles all my life, I have been praised for the work I do, I am by all measures a successful person. I have not however accomplished anything great, or extraordinary I am a successful but normal person. And it is because I do not live my life based on faith in God instead I live my life based on the Idea that I need to do it on my own and if God shows up then all the better he can give a little boost. That however is not how we are called to live we are called to live in such a way that we need God to do anything. Or to say it another way anything we do should require God inorder for it to work. To do any thing that doesn't require God to be at work is to sell yourself short of the plan God has for you. So take a look at what you are doing with your life, are you living safe? or are you dependent on Godi n everything you do? If you are not take some steps to live you life in that way and when you do you will experience God in a whole new way.

Related articles by Zemanta:

• Faith Before Reason
• Just When I Feel Like I'm Falling...
• A New Development

Proverbs 15:1

Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

You ever been just so irritated by the ignorance, the close mindedness of other people; Christians and non-Christians alike? Doesn't it just make you want to snap at them to shove under their nose what is right in front of their face. Did you even think that maybe they feel the same way about you?  Well now you might say that they shouldn't that you are not being ignorantly stubborn like they are. Well perhaps they feel the same way. This I think is often the problem we have with other people. We know what is right and other people are just refusing to see the light. While I will admit that this can sometimes be the case I would also caution that in most cases it is not. Because for the most part people have arguments that they think are valid and that they have thought about and accepted and so to reject those arguments out of hand or attack those arguments as stupid, ignorant or in any other demeaning ways it to do the same thing to the person.

Let me be clear here. You DO NOT have to accept others view points, you CAN argue your own. But here is the catch, you have to do it with Love, your goal is not to win an argument but to WIN A SOUL for Christ. There is a definate difference between the two. When you win an argument the other person will always walk away in defeat, often times having been demeaned and ridiculed in the process. This is not what we are called to do, we are called to accept people with Love not thier ideas or practices but [people, that means anyone and every one; homosexuals' child molesters, thieves, People who annoy us, People of other faiths; islam, buddhism, hinduism. I mean anyone and every one should feel as if they are loved when they are in our presence.

This will be hard, It is hard for me and I fail more often than not. It is however what we are called to do and it is  the wise thing to do if your goal is to fullfill the will of God and win people from the grasp of satan into the shelter God provides us.

Many people you will encounter have had a bad experience with Christians and Christianity, And thier anger about those situations can get in the way of your conversation with them. SO in your dealings with others remember Provervbs 15:1 and be gentle in your dealings with others so as to turn thier anger away and maybe then you will have more success in your dealings with others.

Related articles by Zemanta:

• Merry Christmas Everyone
• Joanna Swinney: Through the Dark Woods
• Digging Up the Roof: The Kingdom Moment and the Paralytic in Mark 2:1-12
• Baptism, Wilderness, and Vocation - A Sermon for Lent 1B

A Crown for you and me

2 Timothy 4:8

"Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

Paul has just finished telling Timothy that has given  every thing he can and he will be leaving soon. And he says this with the assurance of one who knows that have done every possible thing they could to do the Lords will. He says it as one who has an intimate relationship with him and knows what is coming next. This reminds me of the scenes in movies where the old beloved mentor is about to die and next to him is some one who he has taught and who has come to love him. And the dying person will say something along the lines of " Death is not an end, it is the start of the greatest adventure"
Paul knows he has something to look forward to. More than just lying around on clouds playing a harp, but a crown of righteousness, a reward for his life of service. To join God in the epic story of which he is author and main character. Perhaps it was his encounter with God on the road or maybe it was something else or many smaller encounters during his life that gave him this certainty of something more awaiting him. More than just our view of heaven today more than anything anyone else could imagine. And i think that this is what drove hime to let himself be "poured out like a drink offering "( 2 Tim 4:6) and what drove him to do the things he did with the fervor he did them.
If we could find that same fervor, if we would let our imaginations go and allow ourselves to believe that our reward in heaven will be beyond our wildest dreams, maybe then our service would change, maybe then our house would be opened up to complete strangers. Maybe if we truly believed in this kind of reward we would not live for the rewards of this world at all. Perhaps then our house, our car, our clothes would be offered up at any need from anyone, not just those we like or know but if the lady in the back who just joined last week comes up and says she has a need, maybe if we believed our reward in heaven is as big as paul thinks it is, maybe then we would be will to sell our car or our home to meet that need. This is the kind of crazy love the people of the early church lived with. Just read acts. Whenever there was a need and sometime just because they would sell portions of their land and give the proceeds to the church. What if we lived that way today, what if we expected from ourselves and from others to live with this kind of abandon and love, to trust that God would really provide for us and that anything we have could be offered up for his service and for the benifit of his children. Think about it.

Related articles by Zemanta:

• Godless Religion
• When men speak evil of you
• Oh, What Wonderful Things to Come!
• The Parallels And Broadcasting Of Bible Prophecy