Holiness is Obedience to God

I've been thinking about what exactly it means to be holy... Does it have to look a certain way? I thought about a couple of different examples from the Bible to look at. For instance, John the baptist was very separate from the world and lived what "we" would consider a very holy lifestyle. He got away from the world for the most part unless he was preaching and baptizing. He lived in the desert and ate locust and honey. He didn't drink wine and followed the law as "most people" thought it should be followed. Jesus on the other hand, did quite the opposite. He hung out with sinners, drank wine, touched the "unclean" which was considered an unholy thing to do. He and his disciples didn't wash their hands before they ate, which was a big no no in Jewish culture. So, what do we do with this... who is right? who is wrong? was Jesus right or was John the baptist? what is the holy way to live?

I think they were both right because they were obedient to God with the way they lived. God called John the baptist to be holy and separate. and Jesus lived a holy life among the sinners. There are things that are non-negotiable, like Christ died for our sins and he is the only way to eternal life. that does not change and is the hard fact. So, what is holy by God's standard is obedience to him, and he has different plans for all of our lives, and how we are obedient is different for each person. (except for the non-negotiable things that make up the foundation of our faith) I don't think being surrounded by worldly things is a sin. it can't be, otherwise Jesus was a sinner. I think this passage helps sum things up. Jesus said in Matthew 15:17-20 "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.' For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'" I think also, the things we hear, touch, taste, and smell, do not make us unholy. they can influence us that way. that is for sure. And if the influence does cause unclean things to come from our heart, we better get away from the influence.

Peter put what he thought was holy above obedience to God in Acts 10:9-16 as well, when he wouldn't eat the "unclean" animals. We can do all of the stereotypical things that the "good" christian should do and be very unholy if we are not being obedient to God. We shouldn't argue with God. Look at Hosea. God said go marry and have a family with this woman that will cheat on you constantly. What God??? are you serious!!!? Hosea did what God asked, so was he holy? Absolutely, because he was obedient to God. Does that mean we should all do what Hosea did? NO! Let me say that again. NO! lol We must discover what God is calling us to do, and live in obedience to him according to his plan for us. The point of this blog post is not to tell you that you have the freedom to go do whatever you want. It is not an excuse to sin. The point is to make think about what holiness is, and to enable people the freedom to follow God without feeling like they have to fit the stereotype of years past. Have a good day! :)

Relationship in Praise

I got to watch an online service last night, that was going on in Orlando. It was a great service! One of the biggest things that hit me was during the praise service. I was talking on Sunday with my friend Mary about music and how some of our praise songs are not truly praise songs. Traditionally our praise time is meant to be a time when we lift up Gods name and praise him, for how great he is. It seemed that some of our songs have gotten off base from that concept. Not that they are bad by any means, because they are all christian songs. It is just that they had seemed to of gotten away from praising God, and one song in particular seemed to be focused on how much God loves us, which is opposite of what is considered a traditional praise service. So, last night in the service they sang a song that was praising God very directly and very obviously. then they went into the next song that says "How he loves us, oh how he loves us" at first I was a little thrown off because I recognized the shift in focus moving from God to us. I mean, I love the song, it is one of my favorites actually, but it didn't fit into the box I put around what I thought praise should be. All of the sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks. That song wasn't about us praising God it was a prophetic response to our praise! God has always been about relationship. and relationship must be bi-directional. God ripped my box up, and took me to a new level. I LOVE THAT! I love new revelation! interactive relationship in praise opens up a whole new realm of experience. We sang to him "Bless the Lord oh my Soul, Bless the Lord!" and he returned our blessing by blessing us by reminding us "he loves us! oh how he loves us!" I am thankful for a God that desires a relationship with me! We serve an amazing God!

Meaningless Without Jesus

I read through Ecclesiastes over the last few days. This book of the Bible is so different from most of the other books. It talks about how life is meaningless. We live, we work, we go through troubles, and we die. Whether we are righteous or not death awaits us all, nothing can change that fact. We work, and we work to gain wealth and when we die it gets handed off to someone who didn't earn it. Depressing huh? lol yet... it's true. All of the tasks that we do are meaningless... unless we can make a spiritual impact. That is the thing that is not meaningless. Even if I gave millions of dollars to help the poor, if I don't do it for God and draw people closer to God it is still meaningless; even though it is a wonderful thing to do. If I can fix a customer’s broken computer equipment, that in and of itself is meaningless, but if while doing so I can make a spiritual impact, suddenly I have purpose and meaning to what I am doing. So, if we feel like what we are doing today is meaningless, perhaps we need to re-evaluate our motives, and figure out how we can make a difference that will last for eternity for someone. I love the fact that it is possible make an impact on someone’s life, that not only changes there life on earth but literally affects the rest of eternity for them. The things that matter are the things that do not pass away. So, there is no need to hoard money, and be obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder, and having the new car, and a new home. I want to make sure that I don't hold on to tightly to the things that I can't take with me when I die, but instead cling desperately to Christ the one who was, and is, and is to come. the alpha and the omega. the one who conquered death and therefore extends past death forever and ever!

We Are Not Too Holy

I read in Isaiah chapter 5 and 6 today. Chapter 5 talks about how corrupt Israel is. Society was falling apart, and people had completely rejected God and his law. Isaiah 5:20 "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. "

In chapter 6, Isaiah, through a vision finds himself in the throne room of God. He knows the land where he just came from, and how evil it was. He says: "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then a seraph's flies over to Isaiah and touches his lips with the coal, and his sin is forgiven. I think it is important to not that the seraph does not have to touch the coal to his ears, or his eyes. think of all that Isaiah probably saw and heard other people doing. But the fact is that being around people that sin is not sin. God was concerned with Isaiah's own heart. Matthew 12:34 For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Certainly being around such evil as Isaiah was, would have been tough to not let it affect you, and I am sure on some level it did.

Isaiah was now pure, and sinless before God. Then God says "who can I send?" God is asking who can go back to this people. Isaiah, now sinless and pure before God, says "send me, I will go!" I love that Isaiah is willing and ready! I also love that he DIDN'T say, "Well, I can't go back there, I'm too good for them now!" Let's make sure we don't conform to the stereotype that the world has for Christians. Let's be different. Let's make a difference!

Thankful for the Sacrifice

I am thankful for the sacrifice that was made and is continually made for my freedom here in the United States. As Robyn and I sat and watched with fireworks with friends and family that were able to join us (I missed those that couldn't be there by the way), I thought about the importance of showing Cyrus about sacrifice when he is old enough. It is a concept that I hope he will fully understand, and appreciate. As I watched the fireworks going off in the air, I was reminded what it must have been like. I don't think people sat in lawn chairs and said "awwww pretty..." When the real deal was happening, people were dying and, and at the same time freedom was being won. How bitter sweet it must have been! Those that died had something inside of them that said, if I don't make it out of here alive at least there is still a chance that my family and friends can enjoy freedom. dude... that is sacrifice. It is one thing to do something for your own gain. It is another to sacrifice your all, for someone elses gain. I am thankful that I have a cause worth dieing for today. Lord, help us to die to self so others can gain there Independence from the grip of the enemy.

Embracing the Imperfect

I love that God embraces us even though we are not perfect. How can he do that? Why would he do that? God has a unique way of looking at us. Past our fears, and failures and many imperfections, God looks... Deep inside, at the very core of who we are, he sees us! he sees the remnant of what he has created. He sees the heart of his son or daughter. Yes, it is corrupt, and it too is imperfect, but instead of throwing it out and starting over, we serve a God who is into restoring. Just like the mechanic that sees a beat up old car in the junk yard, but buys it and fixes it up to perfect condition, this what Jesus does. he's not so concerned about the current condition, but sees the potential condition that it could be restored too. I want to see people the way that God does! I want to do the ground work for him, and spot the potential treasures. Simply because I love to see that restoring process! It is amazing! It takes time, and it takes patience, but it's worth it! I love to tell those that are broken, how wonderful they are! Sometimes I do see what God sees, and others may think, "why is he excited over them. What is he wasting his time there for... They are a lost cause!" NO NO NO! They are not a lost cause... They are actually the greatest of treasures!!! Just wait, and you will see!!!

Specifics

I was studying yesterday about prayer, and was reminded of something that I have not been doing a very good job of. Praying for things in detail. Being specific when I go to God. I learned the other day that if I begin to to get out of touch with the Lord, my prayers become more general, and less specific. for instance, I may pray for a person that needs it, and sometimes it starts out very specific, then after that It is, "Lord, help this person with there problem" Then "Lord, be there for them", and then I can get to point, where I am praying "Lord, be with everyone today", "Help everyone today"... As the prayers get more generic, they lose effectiveness. God wants us to "will" what we pray not simple "wish" for something to happen. When we will something we are willing to work for it, to go after it. basically, we really care about it and are passionate, to act on what we are praying for. Wishing, is kinda like praying for people to be saved, and not actually sharing Christ with them. We have specific things in our hearts that God wants us to pray for, things we are passionate about, and people we are compassionate for. We must go to God in certainty and in faith. As we get closer to him, his specific will becomes our will. When that happens we will truly see the power of prayer.