I have observed that religious people constantly attempt to keep me from living from the place of my heart. Perhaps their favorite scripture comes from the words of the prophet Jeremiah. "The human heart is most deceitful and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?" (Jeremiah 17:9) Like we are often prone to do, this verse is lifted out of the context of the whole of scripture.
The same people that quote Jeremiah 17:9 forget about Ezekiel's words. "I will take away their hearts of stone and give them tender hearts instead..." (Ezekiel 11:19). These two scriptures are not contradictory, rather, they are a reflection of the process we undergo as followers of Jesus.
Without a doubt, the heart is wicked and self-centered UNTIL a miraculous transformation occurs. Jesus alluded to this when he talked with Nicodemus (recorded in John 3). He used terms like "born from above" and "born again". Jesus' words reiterated what Ezekiel prophesied centuries earlier. While we were born with a wicked bent, the desire of God is to rid us of that wicked heart and replace it with a new heart, a GOOD heart.
I have discovered that as I pursue God in the place of my heart, my heart has not been wrong or evil. Great wisdom comes from my new heart because I am now the dwelling place of God.
If your heart has been transformed, YOU CAN TRUST IT! It is the dwelling place of God. Pursue the desires of your heart!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Sunday, February 18, 2007
we make this too hard
I had a conversation with a young man who was struggling with his purpose in life. He desperately wanted to know the will of God for his life. At one point I asked him what it was that he wanted to do, to which he replied, "that would be too easy". He like so many of us assumed that discerning God's will has to be difficult.
David, the wise king of Israel wrote the follow words in a Psalm. "Take delight in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) The phrase "take delight" literally means to be soft or pliable. Eugene Peterson in his Bible paraphrase The Message uses these words, "keep company with God". Perhaps a more earthy rendition would say "hang out with God".
Jesus told his disciples that the day was coming when He would be in the Father, and we (he spoke to the disciples but I believe it applies to us as well) in Him and He in us. This speaks of a deep spiritual oneness. (John 14:20) Where does this oneness first occur? In our heart/spirit.
Something happens as I allow God to impact me, as I get next to Him. I begin to want what He wants. I start to think His thoughts. His desires become my deep heart desires. Therefore the secret to doing the will of God is not revealed by some external voice or person, but arises from the heart.
In other words, if I choose the way of God, if I am seeking Him, I can trust my heart's desires.
Don't spend your time and energy striving to find the will of God for your life; it will be discovered as you look to the desires of your heart. It really is that easy.
David, the wise king of Israel wrote the follow words in a Psalm. "Take delight in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) The phrase "take delight" literally means to be soft or pliable. Eugene Peterson in his Bible paraphrase The Message uses these words, "keep company with God". Perhaps a more earthy rendition would say "hang out with God".
Jesus told his disciples that the day was coming when He would be in the Father, and we (he spoke to the disciples but I believe it applies to us as well) in Him and He in us. This speaks of a deep spiritual oneness. (John 14:20) Where does this oneness first occur? In our heart/spirit.
Something happens as I allow God to impact me, as I get next to Him. I begin to want what He wants. I start to think His thoughts. His desires become my deep heart desires. Therefore the secret to doing the will of God is not revealed by some external voice or person, but arises from the heart.
In other words, if I choose the way of God, if I am seeking Him, I can trust my heart's desires.
Don't spend your time and energy striving to find the will of God for your life; it will be discovered as you look to the desires of your heart. It really is that easy.
Monday, February 12, 2007
joy in the journey
It seems to me that many people who profess to be Christians are sadly lacking in joy. People frequently confuse Christianity with a rather boring lifestyle marked by things we do not do. We often grudgingly perform our expected duties, hoping that our "faithfulness" will be noticed by God and somehow rewarded at some later date. Our sacrifice is expected to win favor with God.
I am an earthly father with four children. They bring me most joy when they are being who they were created to be. It brings me joy to see Justin solve a math problem on which he has worked for days. I deeply enjoy watching Heidi play soccer. When Karisa dances in her graceful manner, my heart sings. This past fall, I watched Sarah immerse herself in a differant culture and enjoy every minute of it; my heart swelled with a good kind of pride. For each of them, these are activities they WANT to do.
My children bring me most joy by being, not because they have kept the rules properly. I don't appreciate them more because they sacrifice their joy in an attempt to please me. In the same way, I believe our heavenly Father is not impressed by our drudgery of sacrifice but rather by our fulness of joy.
I have determined to pursue Jesus and the abundant life He brings. I will not waste my time in this life with things that do not bring life. I will not engage in activities that continually steal my joy. I will not participate in the things the keep my heart from soaring with the Father. I purpose to enjoy life, to relax, to pursue the dreams God has placed in my heart. I will enjoy the journey with Jesus.
I have decided that I will do what I want as long as it does not contradict what God says and as long as it does not stifle the life flow that comes from my oneness with God. If I want to throw a party to celebrate God's goodness, then I will do so. If I want to fast to experience a deeper communion with the Father, then I will do so. However, I will do neither out of a sense of obligation.
As I say so often...Relax! Enjoy yourself!!!
I am an earthly father with four children. They bring me most joy when they are being who they were created to be. It brings me joy to see Justin solve a math problem on which he has worked for days. I deeply enjoy watching Heidi play soccer. When Karisa dances in her graceful manner, my heart sings. This past fall, I watched Sarah immerse herself in a differant culture and enjoy every minute of it; my heart swelled with a good kind of pride. For each of them, these are activities they WANT to do.
My children bring me most joy by being, not because they have kept the rules properly. I don't appreciate them more because they sacrifice their joy in an attempt to please me. In the same way, I believe our heavenly Father is not impressed by our drudgery of sacrifice but rather by our fulness of joy.
I have determined to pursue Jesus and the abundant life He brings. I will not waste my time in this life with things that do not bring life. I will not engage in activities that continually steal my joy. I will not participate in the things the keep my heart from soaring with the Father. I purpose to enjoy life, to relax, to pursue the dreams God has placed in my heart. I will enjoy the journey with Jesus.
I have decided that I will do what I want as long as it does not contradict what God says and as long as it does not stifle the life flow that comes from my oneness with God. If I want to throw a party to celebrate God's goodness, then I will do so. If I want to fast to experience a deeper communion with the Father, then I will do so. However, I will do neither out of a sense of obligation.
As I say so often...Relax! Enjoy yourself!!!
Sunday, February 4, 2007
the adultery of ministry
Several days ago, I shared some thoughts on ministry (See January 30 post). I am convinced that our paradigm of ministry is flawed. In fact, I believe that our perception of ministry frequently inhibits abundant life.
I know from experience that it becomes easy to focus on ministry, on the building and expanding of it. I know from experience how quickly my focus turns from God to the protection and perpetuation of ministry (especially MY ministry). I know from experience how I find my worth as a person in the success of my ministry. I know from experience that the adulation of people can quickly cause me to lose sight of my God-given purpose for living. I know from expereince that my vision for ministry can overtake me in a way that causes me to forget about people. I know from experience that ministry can cause me to turn away from God.
Any time that "my ministry" causes me to neglect people and to reject the "messiness" of their life, I can be sure that my priorities no longer align with God's priorities. When I find my worth in the success of my ministry, I have ceased to be intimate with God and instead have become intimate with my ministry.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus rebukes people who seem to be very concious of "their ministy". They prophesied, cast out demons, and performed wonders, all in the name of Jesus. It seems as if these people found a great deal of their identity in the greatness of their ministry. Contrast that with people Jesus describes in Matthew 25:33-40. They never seemed to be really aware of their ministry and the impact of their life. I believe that for them, doing the heart of the Father came naturally. Their focus was not on a ministry but on being with the Father.
I like to ask leaders how they are doing with God. The majority answer this question with some answer that pertains to the ministry activities with which they are involved. Their relationship with God is built on a ministry foundation. If these leaders had no ministry platform, I wonder how they would relate to God (or even IF they would relate to God) .
Any lover that steals our heart from oneness with the Father's heart is an adulterous lover. Perhaps the most insidious of all false lovers is ministry as we define it in the church today.
I know from experience that it becomes easy to focus on ministry, on the building and expanding of it. I know from experience how quickly my focus turns from God to the protection and perpetuation of ministry (especially MY ministry). I know from experience how I find my worth as a person in the success of my ministry. I know from experience that the adulation of people can quickly cause me to lose sight of my God-given purpose for living. I know from expereince that my vision for ministry can overtake me in a way that causes me to forget about people. I know from experience that ministry can cause me to turn away from God.
Any time that "my ministry" causes me to neglect people and to reject the "messiness" of their life, I can be sure that my priorities no longer align with God's priorities. When I find my worth in the success of my ministry, I have ceased to be intimate with God and instead have become intimate with my ministry.
In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus rebukes people who seem to be very concious of "their ministy". They prophesied, cast out demons, and performed wonders, all in the name of Jesus. It seems as if these people found a great deal of their identity in the greatness of their ministry. Contrast that with people Jesus describes in Matthew 25:33-40. They never seemed to be really aware of their ministry and the impact of their life. I believe that for them, doing the heart of the Father came naturally. Their focus was not on a ministry but on being with the Father.
I like to ask leaders how they are doing with God. The majority answer this question with some answer that pertains to the ministry activities with which they are involved. Their relationship with God is built on a ministry foundation. If these leaders had no ministry platform, I wonder how they would relate to God (or even IF they would relate to God) .
Any lover that steals our heart from oneness with the Father's heart is an adulterous lover. Perhaps the most insidious of all false lovers is ministry as we define it in the church today.
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