Worshiping the goddess of Approval

I find myself in her courts again.

I promised myself last time was exactly that. Yet here I am.

You'd think the strewn bodies about the room's corners would deter me. Men and women sucked dry of all vitality, bones decorated with hardened skin. Fools with mouths gaping, likely at the point they realized she wasn't playing a game with them—she wanted everything. Idols are like that.

They came to her temple with the thought she'd add something to the vapor of their lives, strutting confidently past the shrine prostitutes, some with hard eyes, judging coldly—but their fate would be worse.

These living skeletons are not dead...no...that would be too easy, idol worship is a running business. The corpses will awaken, breath sweet air again, plump up and crawl out of this death den. This time their strut past the shrine dwellers will have crippled into the limp of a scalded dog. Down the ziggurat, one foot, almost slipped, then another, a controlled, slow, stumble down the hardened stone steps. The shrieking laughter of tramps, mocking their every pathetic attempt to take a single step of pride.

I don't pity them, I feel pity for myself.

I know the place well; she has been my goddess for over two decades, though I was never told her name.

My parents once dragged me here, just an ignorant child, looking up at her golden image. I was told to make it my second home, here, at her feet. Those at the door have their own names for me.

The rotting teeth and wild hair so familiar.

“Ellow meee,” one grins, signaling the others.

Their lacerated and scarring hands push open the heavy doors of oak. I almost feel comfort. And then I see it again, the grandeur of her scarlet palace, laced with gold. Asherah, seeming to look down upon me, the goddess of my approval.

She would only require a little more of my blood this time, surely a small sacrifice for people's acceptance, and yet I can't pick up the jeweled knife on her altar. I remember this time, the pain she'd caused me, the emptiness, the cold. No, I can not do this.

“Jesus,” I barely whisper, “Jesus.”

The outside whores inquire, “Es sumwon speekin'?”

“I know God's name!”

“What?”

“Jesus!”

I forcefully throw down the knife, floor cracking upon impact, the power of His name.

Ripples of destruction spread quicker than mice frightened by lightning. Silver dishes and bowls collide into each other, crashing down from their tables. Pieces of ceiling dropping,raining marble and tile. I know all who stay here will die. A few idolaters wander inside but before my mouth can utter a warning, they scurry to uphold the statue, appearing to be on its last legs.

With their might, they thrust upon her image, attempting to bare the weight of her.

I am, for a moment, still like them, needing their acceptance, considering the alternative of joining in their pointless activity, for I see the inevitable. The golden weight of this false god inches ever closer to the ground, as they play her cushion.

“Hold her steady,” a bearded one says, “push!”

“She is not real!” I wish to scream louder, to make them understand; in my youth I worshiped her relentlessly, earning the accolades of popularity; driven to a crazed depression at an unfriendly stare, at her spite—but she was nothing.

She was not real, she never breathed, she never cared for me, she only took.

I want to cry for them, and show them how pathetic it looks when a grown man cries, but there is no time.

“We built her,” I run with hands fearfully covering my head, “she is not God!”

I aim at the door gap, tackling through, strong shoulder first, nearly frightening the prostitutes to death. Stairs are disappearing at the speed of my making. I barrel down.

“PLEASE...GET...OUT!”

If they didn't hear me, they will hear the crackling and earth-shifting—but I hear no feet behind me.

Nearly at the bottom, I place a hand on my chest.

The constant rhythm...reassures me.

He is here.

I am still alive.

God is here.

God is here.

"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."

-Galatians 1:10

In Him,

Jean-Marc

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The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them”

The story had once been told of a prisoner brought into a court of law, the man was infamous for his scheming and violent ways. The judge after hearing all of the case's pertinent evidence, delivered his verdict:

 “Guilty,” he boomed. “Off to the electric chair with you.”

“But judge,” began the convict, “what about the Bible?”

“What about the Bible?” The judge waited for the man's answer”

“If you were in my position would you want me to do that to you?”

“I guess not,” his honor retorted, “however, had you asked that question of the police officer you injured, the senior you robbed, the woman who's arm you broke and the government official you lied to, you wouldn't be here now.”

If we would only ask that question of ourselves! Jesus did, and He answered it outright in the act of of the crucifixion.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” 

 

What's junk is what's popular. Why is that burgers and french fries never quite seem to disappear from our internal radars? As it is for cheap foods, it is unfortunately for cheap behaviors, those things we know do us little good yet do anyway. No one eats fast food for its nutritional benefits, it is solely a habit of pleasure...or desperation.

Finer things require more of us than to simply consume, they require the involvement of our mind and senses. To take sin as the better and righteousness as the lesser is to prefer sour candies over freshly baked pie with homemade ice cream, or potato chips over a hot buttered croissant. 

 

A wise man once said that sin is quickly enjoyed and paid for after, though what is pure and good requires initial payment yet enjoyed longer. What God must change is how we view real pleasures.

We stay on the narrow path is by learning to enjoy the scenery. We stay in the will of God when we learn to delight in His good gifts.

Questions:

1. How would following the Golden Rule improve your life?
2. How can you delight in God and His gifts in your daily lives?
3. What are some pure pleasures in your life?
   
   
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Never Be Afraid To Ask

Ask, and it Will Be Given

The Garden of Eden set the stage for us: sin entered into God's creation, and we've been impatient with Him ever since. Most of the junk we've accumulated along the road of life concurs with this truth. If we would have waited for God's timing, how much less headaches would we have, how much less heartache?!

In order to wait on Jesus, we must believe He is willing and capable of fulfilling our needs. We must believe God loves us in order to trust Him with our lives. God has given everything in order to be in relationship with us. We must open our eyes.

“[God] does not always give the very thing which we ask, but he gives what would be better “

-Barnes'

Matthew 7 is full of misquoted and misunderstood verses. God is not a credit card, meaning that He simply pays for what we cannot afford. He is sovereign ruler of the universe:we bend to His will, not He to ours.

God gives good gifts, those aligned with His perfect will for our lives. The fact that Jesus gives good gifts means He doesn't give out things that will do us harm. 

 

Though stones and snakes may be cool to look at, they make a horrible dinner. Not everything our hearts and flesh(our sinful nature) desire will bless our lives. God will not help us hurt ourselves. 

 

Good parents deny their children what may seem instantly pleasurable. Strawberry cheesecake may taste great, but it lacks substance as a meal. Wise mothers and fathers know that good dessert is all the sweeter after nutritional needs are adequately met.

Questions:

1. Describe a prayer you've made that you're glad God didn't answer.
2. Did it seem fair at the time? Explain.
3. How has God shown His love for you today?
   
   
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Totally Judging You With My Judgmental Eyes

Matthew 7

Judging Others

The subject of many ill-conceived tattoos, Matthew 7:1 is easily recognized as the most quoted Bible verse ever, which likely means most don't understand it. “Only God can judge me” is neither biblically accurate or logical, for if thou robs a grocery store, thou shall be judged.

Romans 13:1-7 informs us that all people are to submit themselves to the authorities put over them.

1 Corinthians 5:9-12 encourages believers to speak out and judge those in the church.

Jesus warns against rash and harsh judgment, or condemnation, that, we don't do.

Dwight Pentecost puts the verse this way: “Do not criticize, do not sit as a judge upon another man’s motives, do not attempt to interpret the desires of his heart”

On this, Charles Spurgeon also wrote, “If you impute motives, and pretend to read hearts, others will do the same towards you. A hard and censorious behavior is sure to provoke reprisals. Those around you will pick up the peck measure you have been using, and measure your corn with it.”

 

We are not God, and to pretend that our view of others is unquestionable is to make ourselves something of a demon, for Satan was of the same mind. 

 

Since we are people, one is as spiritually impoverished as the next. We need to take that into account the next time someone's demeanor/behavior sets us off, discourages or displeases us. We all stink sometimes. We are to look at our own condition before we “help” others with theirs.

Questions:

1. Have you heard these verses misquoted, or misquoted them yourself? Elaborate.
2. What is a danger of never judging?
3. Have you ever condemned someone or felt condemned? How so?
   
   
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Stop Being Anxious! Seriously.

  Matthew 6 Cont'd

Do Not Be Anxious

“Do not be anxious...is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

The life we live is....actually about life, not stuff. By the way we obsess over our purchases you'd think we needed our cell phones to keep us breathing. Christ tells us in this passage, that food itsself is not even our main concern...nope...it should still be God, because God is our Heavenly Father, and He isn't cheap. 

Depending upon your situation with your own earthly father, this may be a bit difficult to grasp, but just picture two big and strong arms lifting you above your problems, protecting you from all the mean things around you (and you pretty much got it).

We don't have to worry...ever. First off, because its fruitless, it doesn't actually do anything but feed into our false sense of ownership. You may think you're in control of your life: that you earn your wages from a tough day's work, support yourself during emotional hardship, pull yourself up by your own bootstraps...not really. Each of these things are impossible to do without breathing, a somewhat obvious fact most of us weren't conscious of today. God holds us together. He gives the ability to do what it is we do, and to not do these things.

Jesus encourages us to take a look around our earth and recognize God's provision all around us. He implores us to have faith in Him, the God that takes care of all the birds everywhere. When was the last time you saw a bird fret? Never, because they hold fast to what we forget: God provides.

“Sufficient for the day is its own trouble”

What an awesome truth. A preacher once described each day's problems as having the ability to fit into that specific day. Each day has enough issues, there really is no need to transfer next month's problems to today's load.

This doesn't mean we stop planning, just that we trust God more and worry less...or better yet, not at all.

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In Which Bank is Your Treasure?: Matthew 6 Cont'd

Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

Picture two banks: The first is well-maintained: gold-trimmed brick, pristine lawn, spotless glass windows while the second one down the road is large and filthy: broken windows, mud at the entrance, replete with shady-looking characters scurrying ashamedly nearby. The first and smaller institution bears a sign that reads: “ALWAYS INSURED” and the second's reads: “SOON TO CLOSE.” The choice of which to trust seems obvious, doesn't it? Yet we and everyone we know choose the second over and over again, even though our investments fall through regularly. There is God's Bank and The World's Bank.

Isn't that Satan's purpose on the earth? To deceive us into treating temporary things as eternal and eternal things as temporary?

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”

Why do we get frustrated in ways that don't always make sense to us? Because we put our hope (and hearts) into things that don't always make sense, that aren't stable. God is the only stability, and we live in a world of breaking sand.

“You cannot serve God and money”

May our hearts be safely focused on Heaven and its eternal riches.

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Less Food, Less Vanity, More Jesus: Matthew 6 Cont'd

Fasting

Barnes' Notes on the Bible puts it this way:

“The grief of the "soul" is so absorbing as to destroy the natural appetites of the "body." People in deep affliction eat little, and often pine away and fall into sickness, because the body refuses, on account of the deep sorrow of the mind, to discharge the functions of health. "Fasting, then, is the natural expression of grief." It is not arbitrary; it is what every person in sorrow naturally does. This is the foundation of its being applied to religion as a sacred rite. It is because the soul, when oppressed and burdened by a sense of sin, is so filled with grief that the body refuses food. “

When we fast, the state of the soul becomes our priority, over that of our body and vanity.

Fasting was common for the Jews, the Pharisees themselves fasted twice(Luke 18:12)

Serving God shouldn't be like any other thing in our lives, it isn't just another chore, its something God empowers and compels us to do. To somehow take credit for it is foolish. Why else would one exaggerate their service, but to be recognized as better than others. 

Funny enough, people still find things to boast about. Our boasting is to be in God alone (Psalm 20:7). Our reward is to be something that only God can give us. By seeking our reward in what people may say is to settle for a lesser, fleeting thing.

Many of the benefits of Christ-centered living are secrets for the specific believer and God to share, an inside joke others don't quite get, a peace that surpasses understanding(Philippians 4:7). God's secret gifts do much more to refresh and encourage us than any other can.

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Daily Bread&Praying Like Jesus: Matthew 6 Cont'd

Prayer, who can adequately describe it?

Prayer definitely changes things, and we do get things out of it, but that should not be our primary focus. It is our communication with the Great Creator. It is a great mystery. It can be as complex as a dissertation and as simple as tear. The position of the heart is what makes prayer sincere. God does not need our eloquence.

Jesus asks that we would treat prayer like something meaningful, not taint it with our insecurities and idolatry of people. We operate well horizontally (with our neighbors), when we stay in clear vertical relationship (with God). 

The Lord's prayer is what our prayers should be, completely enveloped by the context of Heaven and the Glorious Throne of God. It calls everyone to take their eyes off all the other junk of life and look with amazement at the Creator.

The word “God”, especially when we've known of Him for years, can become pretty drab, impotent. It mixes with the other religious slosh we're accustom to hearing: worship, surrender, and the like. Matthew shakes us up here, out of our stupor.

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.”

God's glory is our ultimate purpose and He deserves our reverence.

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”

God, choose the best way for us and the world around us. Even when it clashes with what we want.

“Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”

God please give us what we need to make it through each day. Forgive us our inconsiderate behavior and help us forgive those who are inconsiderate toward us.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

God please save us from ourselves. We are utterly incapable of keeping commandments without your power.

Questions:

1. How can we take the focus off of people when we pray in public?
2. What keeps us from prayer in our lives?
3. Prayer does not require many words, or words at all. Recount the most simple prayer you've prayed. Did it seem to have impact? Why or Why not?
   
   
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What is Prayer?

What is Prayer?

Prayer is the soul's sincere desire,
Unuttered or expressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the breast:
Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
The falling of a tear,
The upward gleaming of an eye,
When none but God is near
Prayer is the simplest form of speech
That infant lips can try;
Prayer, the sublimest strains that reach
The Majesty on high:
Prayer is the Christian's vital breath,
The Christian's native air,
His watch-word at the gates of death,
He enters heaven by prayer
Prayer is the contrite sinner's voice,
Returning from his ways,
While angels in their songs rejoice,
And say, Behold he prays!
The saints in prayer appear as one,
In word, in deed, in mind,
When with the Father and the Son
Their fellowship they find
Nor prayer is made on earth alone:
The Holy Spirit pleads;
And Jesus, on th' eternal throne,
For sinners intercedes
"O Thou, by whom we come to God!
The Life, the Truth, the Way,
The path of prayer thyself hast trod,
Lord, teach us how to pray!"
-Montgomery

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Don't Be Greedy: Matthew 6

 Matthew 6

Giving to the Needy

Have you ever been on a date? There is overwhelming need to impress the other person, to prove that you are worth a couple hours of their time and interest. This is not what the gospel is about. We are not dating God. Our objective should neither be to impress God or people, but to love people through the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Giving in public is not the issue, but the motive for doing it is. We are not always given the choice of the selection people present in a given circumstance; we just don't make them our audience when we give.

At the start of chapter six, Jesus shows us what charity is supposed to be, an overflow of the heart, a physical expression of the work being done on our hearts. It is the ministry that Christ works through us, as willing channels.

Real giving is not exhausting or burdensome, it is a delight for the one giving and the one receiving. Its the kind God rewards.

Questions:

1. Think of the best gift you've ever received, and then the worst. What made the one worse or better than the other?
2. What does honest giving look like?
3. What in your life keep you from giving more?
4. Share a way that you would like to give (time, money, etc.).

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Bent on Retaliation:Matthew 5 Cont'd

Oaths

Followers of Christ are to be people with clear speech, not that weighed down by exuberant promises or flattery. It should be clear to others what we are and are not down with, as though we only said “yes” or “no.” We are to be individuals of clean speech.

Retaliation

Christ calls us here to have His heart for people, to show kindness when it doesn't make sense. Our response when attacked is to be love. This can only be done through the power of the Holy Spirit, this much is obvious. Our natural response to injustice and unfair treatment is retribution, to get back at the perpetrator.

God calls us to demonstrate grace and trust Him for ultimate justice.

Love Your Enemies
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

-Matthew 5:43-45

What Jesus does is repetitively call us to be His image-bearers like He originally did when the world began(Genesis 1:27) and before sin entered into His creation. God is Love(1 John 4:16), when we show love we imitate God.

God does not have any enemies by His own fault, people choose to be enemies of God. We do not seek to make enemies, but if people choose to stand in consistent hostility against our cause, we will still love them and seek to be at peace to them, as much as it is in our power to do.

Anyone can pat someone on the back that's patted theirs, but God asks us to pat the back of those that would sooner stab us in ours. Only by God's grace and power.

Questions:

1. How can we keep from purposely seeking enemies?
2. Envision one of your enemies. How can you practically demonstrate God's love to this person?
3. Think of a time you felt justified in getting back at someone. Do you feel your retaliation solved the problem?
   
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Burning with Anger&Lust:Matthew 5 Cont'd

Anger

There you have it, anger is not an external behavior but a position of the heart, as Jesus said. The most frustrating thing can be to deal with or counsel a person that sees anger as the stereotypical yelling match or slammed door. According to the way Jesus compares it with murder, sinful anger is an internal desire to see your neighbor hurt. This is not as extreme as some might think. 

Hanging up on people, gossiping, refusing to let other drivers merge into our lane of traffic are momentary acts of hostility toward another human being.. What are we thinking in these moments? One could guess that the well being of that person is the last thing on our minds. We want them out of our faces, not caring where they end up. Murder in the mind is still murder.

Lust

Likewise, as with anger, Jesus takes the commandment much further than how the religious leaders had taught it. People began to realize that God demanded more of them than to grit their teeth and bear it, God actually wanted them to reject sin in their hearts as well as their bodies, for they were both created to glorify God. 

 

The danger of refusing to treat sin at the heart level is to risk falling into a growing pile of sin. Its no different from a child is told to clean their room, the room may appear spotless and without clutter, but open the closet...and out tumbles a mountain of clothing and filth onto the floor. The only real solution for our hearts is a thorough cleaning and organizing, which is what only Christ can accomplish in us. To top it off, our hands are thoroughly muddied.

This is why pornography a sin like all others, the man that watches a woman with lust in his heart, has in a sense, already engaged in an affair with her. The one that looks upon a woman with thoughts of using her for their satisfaction has already defiled them.

Questions:

1. How can we better guard our hearts against sinful anger and lust?
2. How do these present themselves as temptations in your life?
3. How should we react when we are the victims of another's anger? Lust?
   
   
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Building Upon the Law: Matthew 5 Cont'd

Christ Came to Fulfill the Law

Jesus said that he did not come to abolish the Old Testament Law or the Prophets, this seems to be a statement some forget. But we are not keeping all the special feasts or strange rules, are we? So how does this work?

The God of the New Testament is the same God as the Old. The best way to think of it is to compare kindergarten and college. In kindergarten, there were rules put up for all to see, and there were a lot of them: “Keep your hands to yourself,” “Raise your hand to talk.” This was like God's self-revelation to the Hebrew people, God had to introduce Himself as holy.

Now think of college.

Take a look around the typical college classroom and not a rule in sight, though students are still expected to behave. 

You see, the rules were never the point, “raise your hand” was your teacher's attempt to say: “let's speak in an orderly fashion and give each person a chance to add to the conversation,” they obviously couldn't have told you that at the time because you weren't ready for it. That's the kindness of God: He knows what we can handle and when.

It is only after hundreds of years of allowing people to know Him, does Jesus(God) show people the intent of the Law and the Prophets: to effect real heart change. These are the commandments of His Kingdom.

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Distinctly Deviant: Salt&Light:Matthew 5 Cont'd

Salt and Light

Salt has a definitive taste, when there too much in a meal, its evident, when there isn't enough, there's no mistaking what's missing. Jesus calls his followers to be distinct. True followers of Christ are never to dissolve into the backwash of society at large, their presence is noticeable.

In the region where Jesus taught, salt was not some chemical compound like it is for us, their salt came from the earth. When exposed to the elements unprotected, it lost its flavor. At that point the flavorless material was thrown upon paths to be used as a sort of gravel for folks to walk on. Any morsels with flavor stayed close to the rocky source. Christians are the same way.

Salt was used as a restorative agent for food, though salt without saltiness could not do the job. One can imagine, seeing wasted spices must have been similar to seeing wasted food, a bit sad, but not sadder than seeing a wasted life. That is what Jesus seems to be saying here: its waste to be a Christian in name only, an indistinct mesh of everything others want you to be. The person that wishes to follow Christ should not separate from Him if they wish to be different and make a difference.

Christians are lights that illuminate the lives of others: through their speech, attitude and good works. Most relationships will fall into two categories: demanding and refreshing. Demanding relationships are ones marked by a predisposition of taking, while the other is marked by the opposite, a giving heart.

May those of us following in the footsteps of Jesus be people that restore and refresh the lives of all we come in contact with.

Questions:

1. What makes Christians distinct from other people?
2. Can you think of a demanding and refreshing relationship in your life? Describe them.
3. What gifts do you possess that make you a good refresher? 
   
   
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Check Out My Specs! Fancy Artwork Inside!

Hey y'all,

So I was recently asked by my church's creative team to develop some artwork based upon our current series in the book of James. I sat down and began working on some funky background images for the work I would display when it hit me: the background was the artwork!

What stumbled out of the experience is a work-in-progress project I like to call
Dreams of Perfection. I hope you enjoy it.

JM
Follow to Dreams of Perfection

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Light in Dark Places: Beatitudes Part 8: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

“Truth without love is too hard; love without truth is too soft”

-John Stott

This is what separates the Christian from the blindness of optimism or pessimism. We are not a people with the luxury of a pre-fabricated response to everything, God asks us to use the mind and the Spirit He's given us to discern.

You may have heard the phrase “Hope for the best and plan for the worst;”Jesus calls His followers to seek first the things of God (Matthew 6:33), though never forget this regularly conflicts with the world's “common sense” and can lead to our peril.

At the writing and reading of these words, there are individuals all over the world, caged in cells, awaiting certain death, their crime: loving Jesus and sharing His teachings with others. We must not forget our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in our prayers. They are the ones who many times pay the ultimate price for following Jesus to the cross. 

Jesus explains here, to His disciples, that He is not providing them a five step plan on How to Quickly Rise in Popularity and Offend the Least People Possible. He is offering them God's Truth, that remains true regardless of what others think. What Jesus is not asking us to do is be belligerent and purposely offensive.

Let's clear up another misconception: Christians are not to seek controversy and contempt with society at large. Anyone with a significant amount of time in the faith can likely relate a story in which followers of Christ have chosen to demonize a specific class of people or specific action (“Those [fill in the blank] are taking over, [fill in the blank] is the top problem of this country”). What results is monsters in our mind that were once people, the delineation is important, because monsters can't be reasoned with.

No, there are no monsters on earth, just sinners, none of us worse than the other. We don't need to make up enemies to fight, for our war is not with flesh and blood but against the powers of spiritual darkness(Ephesians 6:12). We hate and can be completely disgusted by what people do, but our quarrel is not with them, but the darkness driving them. This is why the light we carry as believers is so important, as we will soon see later on in Matthew 5.

Questions:

1. How can the follower of Christ best keep themselves from demonizing others?
2. Earlier, Christ tells us to be peacemakers,yet follows up with telling us persecution is a likelihood in our lives. How do you reconcile that?
   
3. How can followers of Christ dialogue responsibly and yet truthfully with those they disagree?
4. Is there an example in your life that illustrates this?
   
   
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Peace In Pain & Conflict: Beatitudes Part 7: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God”

“ It takes a much greater warrior to wage peace than it does to wage war. The end goal of the gospel is peace. Our goal...is to bring peace...so that the world will crave the one who is peace.”

-Pastor Chan Kilgore

We are to be followers of Christ first, not a party, a culture or a social cause. Christ is always to be our cause.

The word for church in the Greek is ekklésia, or people called out. The church was meant to be an assembly of people called out for the purpose of God. Sometimes the bride of Christ(the church) does not seem called out, in fact it can seem called in: to political agendas and fights about dumb stuff. It can be easy to get distracted from making Jesus the center of our lives, however, when we become too mired in the opinions of people, we lack the ability to be peacemakers.

We are not in competition on this earth because our God is not in competition. He is the only God, we are to be His representatives in this world. We are to be referees, with the ability to call foul when necessary, as people war with each other. We have no need to win arguments to feel better, we have Jesus.

Questions:

1. How can causes and opinions separate believers from each other and the world around them?
2. How can we be peacemakers in the face of these conflicts?
3. A proverb developed much after Jesus says, “blessed are the peacemakers, for both sides shall shoot at them.” Have you found this true in your own life? 
   
   
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Stop Praying, Jesus is the Answer

There I was, Sunday, floored by a message I'd heard for the second time that day. It was only on the repeat I received it:

1. Jesus is enough
2. Jesus is more than enough
3. Rest

In the darkness of the sanctuary I poured out my prayers. My knees smacked the thin ribbed carpet. I gave my concern to the only Father that cared, as I'd yelled at the earthly version last night for his callousness. I looked like a complete fool.

All my unmet wants and desires, boiled up inside of me, spilling out as breathy steam into the air.

I kept on at it, praying for God to relieve me of the weight and pain of my circumstances...until I realized Jesus was the answer to my prayers.

I already had the answer to everything I wanted.

What are you praying for? What eats at your soul? I will bet its something that threatens your sense of self and security, but if we find ourselves in things, they become idols. We serve them so they might benefit us.

I've been told and I believe that so often we pray for God to protect our idols, just so we can run on back to them. We imitate the Old Testament people of Israel: running to Yahweh in emergencies (“speak into this situation Lord” Have your way Lord”) but essentially tell Him to shut up for the rest of our lives. He's our in-case-of-emergency kit.

If I was God, I could surely argue for never letting things get better for folks, if they were just going to worship the blessing over me. But thank God I'm not. Thank He loves us all more than we can imagine.

Thank God He loves us enough to not give us everything WE want.

May HIS will be done in our lives.

“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”

-2 Corinthians 6:3-10

In Him,

Jean-Marc

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Don't Try, Get Pure: Beatitudes Part 6: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”

In the day of Jesus, as in our day, there was great importance placed upon how people looked and conducted themselves, religious people did all sorts of things. Regular ceremonial washing, fasting and generous gifts to the needy were signs of people 'close to God.' Jesus turns this idea on its head, even though several of us continue to chase this lie of impressing God.

This idea of attempting to impress our Creator can be understood as an extension of our confusion in regards to sin. The majority believe enjoyment is best found in the morally compromising and vice of this world. Believers accepting the lie as truth, exaggerate self-righteousness, hoping that a far enough from the “fun,” would keep them from folly. This makes the Christian life what it was never meant to be: an ineffective chore.

Behavioral modification does not work for real life. When one busies themselves with not cursing, they curse all the more, but just feel worse after it occurs.

Imagine: a male co-worker of yours pacing the floor of his office up and down, repeating to himself: “I will not cheat on my wife, I will not cheat on my wife.” Would you congratulate this gentleman for his steadfastness or perseverance? No because he looks foolish. Anyone could point out his energy might be better spent on loving his wife. Once the heart changes, the actions follow.

Our relationship with God should work from the inside-out. Good deeds are important, but if they are not backed up by a heart changed by Jesus' love, they amount to nothing. The Apostle Paul referred to these heart-less acts as clanging cymbals (1 Corinthians 13:1).

When we allow God to clean up the mess in our hearts, we are promised that we will see Him. We will spend eternity with him, experiencing His good pleasures for us.

May we each continue to seek sincere heart change.

Questions:

1. How do you feel when you feel forced to do things for others?
2. What does being pure in heart mean to you? What picture (if any) do you get?
3. What might it look like if believers were more concerned about the heart than the appearance of a person?

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An Imitation of Christ: Beatitudes Part 5: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are the merciful for they shall be shown mercy”

First, what mercy is not: it is not allowing people the pleasure of kicking you when you're down. This is a spreading misconception in believing circles, that followers of Christ are not to stand up for themselves, that somehow pretending to not feel pain is keeping in line with turning the other cheek. This is not mercy, this is cowardice and masochism.

To better understand mercy, take a look at Deuteronomy 4:25-31. Mercy does not stand in the way of discipline. Mercy does not tell us to let abusers run rampant in our lives, it reminds us to show compassion to the repentant.

Mercy implies a position of power. A teacher can show mercy to their students by making the next test a bit easier, a police officer can show mercy to a speed demon by choosing to give a warning over a ticket, these instances occur less often than they should because compassion is not our default.

Mercy implies an awareness of our strength and power over people. We each have abilities accessible at the slightest whim that others do not. We should be cautious not to use these abilities to the disadvantage of others.

The one with a quick tongue should show compassion to those with impeded speech, the athletically gifted should be kind to the awkward in movement.

There is no action that better reflects the personality of God than honest mercy. God shows his kindness for humanity though He could crush us with a word. We could never put up an adequate fight against the Lord of Hosts, but mercy is his chosen expression toward us.

Questions:

1. Describe a time in your life in which you were shown mercy?
2. What are your two greatest strengths? In light of that, how can you show mercy when expressing them?
3. Is there anyone specifically you may need to show mercy this week?

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Hungering for What?:Beatitudes Part 4: Matthew 5 Cont'd

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness”

If you wish to meet an angry set of individuals, surround yourself with the hungry and thirsty. Their irritability is a sign of restlessness due to unmet priorities.

The thing is, everyone is spiritual poor and hungry, the problem comes when we mistake the pangs for something other than more Jesus.

Hungering after money will serve to make us evil and stingy, thirsting after sex will lead us to perversion, obsessing over security creates a paranoia in us. Ultimate joy is not found in these pursuits.

How much does righteousness, or being holy matter to us? Jesus tells us it should be a need that consumes us. Citizens of Heaven are to be starving refugees upon this earth, for they would sooner die than not look like Jesus.

The Hebrew people's receipt of manna in the Exodus is to be the story of our lives: our sustenance is to be totally dependent upon the grace of God in Heaven.

Questions:

1. How important is it for you to be in control of your life?
2. How can we develop a hunger and thirst for the things of God?
3. Imagine your favorite meal. What are practical ways you can learn want God more than that?

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