Mountain top experience

As I began my morning this morning - I had a real need for coffee. My smoke alarms "tested" themselves at 2:45 in the morning and I have been up pretty much since, so I was in need of some coffee to get my brain going. Once I got some java juice in me - I sat down and began to pray and talk with God, and as I was hanging out with Him, He began to bring some cool things to mind.

I began to think about Moses, and His time on the mountain with God. And as I went back and reread it, how amazing must it have been for Moses to spend so much time in the presence of God, that His face shone from being in the presence of the glory of God. I wonder - did Moses even want to go back down to the people of Israel? Especially the second time, after he had already seen how quickly their hearts were deterred from the things of God.

Then, my brain jumped New Testament, and I spent some time reflecting on the Mount of Transfiguration - and I read all the accounts we have for this experience with God - and I noticed something: God called them up to the mountain to reveal the glory of Jesus and the plans to come.

Peter - so in awe of what is happening, and so quick to speak without thinking through it - starts drawing up blueprints to remain on the mountain with Jesus, Moses and Elijah forever. He doesn't want to go back to regular life - He has seen Jesus for who He truly is, and wants to stay there.

Have I?

This was a sobering question God asked of me this morning. As I read Moses experience with God on the mountain, and then read the Gospel account of the disciples and their mountain top experience with God - I realized something about myself. I want a mountain top experience, but I settle for living somewhere halfway up the mountain. I look at the mountain - and think how beautiful it must be at the top, and I see people who are journeying up there, and I critique and comment on the path they take, but I remain safely on my ledge where I am comfortable.

But, the problem with this is - I am nowhere. God doesn't want me to spend my life living on a ledge somewhere in the middle - he wants me to come up to the mountain, get refreshed, get filled with His Spirit, and than travel back down into the valley and shine for Him. That's what Moses did - and thats what the disciples do throughout the New Testament. After I read these stories, I felt like I was suppose to read 1 Peter, to see how Peter owned being in the presence of God - and the boldness which he speaks, and the conviction he has to not just suffer for Jesus - but suffer for Jesus that will bring about glory and honor and praise in eternity.

Peter got the full picture. He saw Jesus suffer - but prior to that, Jesus had revealed all that He was and is forever - and so Peter knows that coming down the mountain, and living life in the valley is difficult, he sees the way they mistreat and abuse Jesus and expects nothing less for Christians, but he knows that a day is coming, when those bruised egos, and mocked morality will result in honor and crowns from the Creator. He knows that there is glory to come, that is well worth the suffering.

And in the meantime, we can always decide to step off our ledge and climb up, into the thick of darkness where God is - and speak with him, until our faces shine, our spirits are filled with His Spirit - and we are able to descend, different and empowered for Him.

But the question is: Am I willing to leave my comfy ledge, for God?

I hope so...

talkative...

So, this morning I woke up early and went for a run - and I gotta be honest; I love the weather just like it is. It's not too cold in the morning and it stays beautiful all day long - awesome! After I got home and got cleaned up, I went into our prayer room and normally I begin with journaling, but today - I just began speaking to God. And as I poured out my heart before him, something began to happen - he began to reveal to me how much I mean to him, and how much He means to me.

It was pretty cool as I sat there and was spending time in the heart of God, that He began to speak and He told me to read Jeremiah 2:19 - which says that it is evil and bitter to forsake the Lord your God. As I thought about that - I heard Revelation 19, which is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, so I read that, and God opened up the flood gates.

I don't know that I realized this, but Jesus is not just coming back kicking butt - He is coming back with an ARMY, and leading the charge. HOW AWESOME IS MY SAVIOR!?! Most of the time, I think about Jesus coming back and I know He is gonna be slaying people and putting Satan in his place, but this morning, God showed me that when He comes back, there is an army behind him... but Jesus is out front! God hit me a harsh reality - most of the time, I am living my life with Jesus behind ME - not the other way around.

A game my son and I love to play is walking in shadows...basically it goes like this; he tries to walk in my shadow, and I will move to the right and left, or speed up or slow down, and he has to try and keep up, and stay in my shadow! Pretty fun, and it always gets us giggling.

What if, I played that game with God - just decided that I was gonna get so close to him that His Shadow covered over me. I didn't try to keep God in my shadow, but rather spent my life trying to stay in His? I think that sounds like a much better arrangement.

I then went and read Genesis 1-3, and realized that there is a lot that goes on in the first 3 chapters of our Bible. God creates paradise, we wreck it, and God lays out his plan to fix it again. What stuck out to me today, though, was that from the beginning, man has tried to blame our sin on others, and when we sin, our natural response is to hide from God. Adam and Eve fall - they hide from the presence of God (must have broken His heart), God asks Adam what's up - he blames Eve. God asks Eve whats up - she blames the serpent. God then curses the serpent, the woman, the man, and creation. Then - he shows them the door out of Eden (so they don't mess up and eat from the tree of life, and have to live forever separated from God) but not before he cares for them and meets a need of theirs - clothes! Our God is so real, so personal, and so tender - I love it!

Finally God had me read Romans 6 - 8 and as I was reading that one verse in particular jumped out at me - and I have decided I am gonna lock it away in my heart. Romans 8:15 says "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have receive the Spirit of adoption as son, by whom we cry, "Abba, Father!"

Do we know who we are? Do we realize that we have been made sons of God! That we are heirs to the kingdom of God? Do I settle for slavery and fear, when my right is freedom in the Spirit as a son of God? Unfortunately I do...but I don't have to. And praise God - a day is coming, when Jesus will return, leading an army from heaven and with a sword from his mouth he will slay all who stand against him, and in that day, my flesh will forever be put to death, my will will be finally conformed to that of Christ and the little glimpse of heaven I get here, will become my eternity.

How sweet that day will be.

Love...

Well, this morning my heart is heavy!

I was on my way home from the gym and I was thinking about a conversation that my wife had with a friend of ours last night. Her and her husband are getting separated and my wife was being a rockstar and just loving her through a very tough time in her life. As they were talking, and I was cleaning up from dinner, one thing that I heard from the conversation was that this beautiful daughter of God, a beloved princess, whom the Creator adores more than anything else He has ever created...believes that because she isn't "religious" enough, God won't be there for her.

Like I said, my heart is heavy! What have we done to the Gospel of Jesus, as man has taken over and decided what is right, what is wrong and in our pursuit for knowledge and understanding; have we lost God's never-ending love. I will admit, I am quick to seek knowledge and I desire to know as much as I can about God, but I want to start with love! To know that she feels like because she doesn't conform to some man made system - that her Daddy won't be there for her; grieves me deeply.

As I was reflecting on this harsh reality, I felt a new responsibility. And its kinda funny how God is working in my life right now, because yesterday I spend most of the day praying through the Fruit of the Spirit and just asking God to cultivate the hard soil of my heart so that His Fruit would be evident, and this morning I wake up and realize that I am guilty of too often skipping past the first aspect of the Fruit of the Spirit - love.

God is love. Jesus is love. Regardless of who we are, what we do, or how much we try and push and run to get away from his love, He is love. It is not up to us to earn it. It is not up to us to keep it. It is not up to us to tell Him how to show it. He is love, and all we need to do is receive it. End of story.

Thank you Jesus, that you are love, that you are our example of love, that you loved me enough to die - while I was offensive and an enemy of your Father. Thank you that regardless of my church attendance, denomination or even tithe history - you love me with a burning passion and unending desire. Open my heart to receive that love, and than God - I pray that you would change how I love my brother's and sister's!

Let it be so...

Jesus is a DUDE!

So - it was interesting. I woke up this morning, and immediately felt the NEED to get before God and spend some time with him. So, I grabbed my journal, Bible and highlighters (which God had me place next to my bed last night - not where they normally rest) and dove in. I began journaling and God brought to my mind some things I needed to confess and repent for - which I did. I then began to intercede for everyone that would come to mind, and I had a great time of just praying for friends and family.

I began to quiet myself and listen for the voice of God - and after a few minutes of being still, I felt like I was suppose to read Mark 7. I opened up my Bible and read the chapter and something interesting jumped out at me. Normally, when I see Jesus life and ministry - I see a lot of love, and healing and miracles and caring and generosity and patience. And I believe that Jesus is the perfect example of all of those attributes...however as I read Mark 7 this morning, that wasn't what I saw in the life of Jesus.

This chapter begins with Jesus and his disciples being harassed about washing their hands before they eat. First off, how unbelievably annoying are the Pharisees? They are bugging Jesus to the point of asking him if he washes his hands - shows how far we can be willing to go to make our beliefs true! Jesus explains that it is not what we eat that makes us unclean but that which comes out of hearts - that determines our cleanliness.

Then the Syrophoencian approaches Jesus and asks him to heal her daughter - and this was the part that jumped out at me. He tells her that he needs to let the children eat first, before feeding the dogs! (Nate paraphrase) I don't know about you - but I was stunned at Jesus words to this woman. As I read this interaction - I see her coming to Jesus for help. And his response is to tell her the children need to eat first (Jews need to be taught by Jesus) before the dogs can have any food (Gentiles can receive any teachings or miracles from Jesus). Like I said - as I read this, I thought "who is this guy? What does he think he's doing talking to her like that?"

Then I read her response to Jesus' seemingly rude statement. She responds that even the dogs get scraps from under the kids table! And Jesus is pleased with this response and heals her daughter.

He then goes on to give a deaf and mute guy a wet willy, and poke him in the eye - as a means to heal him!

While there is much here to unpack, the main thing that jumped out at me, was Jesus' lack of concern for social graces, or political correctness. He was not worrying about being offensive, keeping everyone happy, or stepping on toes. He knew that he had a limited amount of time, a mission to complete, and he pursued it with his whole heart.

And people flocked to him!

The more I think about it - the more I see Jesus as a manly man, rough and rugged, who doesn't wash his hands before a meal, makes fun of tradition and religion, calls entire people groups "dogs" and gives people wet willy's and pokes them in the eye! All in love, and all with purpose to draw people to the heart of the Father, and point out there need for a Savior!

Why isn't this my inspiration for what a man is to be? And how did we end up with blonde flowing hair, white robed, hippie, fruitcake Jesus?

What would it take?

What would it take for me

to part with my son?

What would it take for me

to watch him beaten?

What would it take for me

to see his backed ripped to shreds?

What would it take for me

to allow his head to be pierced?

What would it take for me

to simply stand by?

What would it take for me

to see him falsely accused?

What would it take for me

to watch him die?

What would it take for me

to see his side pierced?

What would it take for me

to watch his body dragged down from the cross?

What would it take for me

to simply stand by?

What would it take for me

to watch my son buried?

What would it take for me

to wait the 3 days?

What would it take for me

to hold back the tears?

What would it take for me

to watch him arise?

What would it take for me

to simply stand by?

What would it take for me

to see my son reduced to a statue?

What would it take for me

to hold back my anger?

What would it take for me

to allow him to be simply a story?

What would it take for me

to be patient with those who simply slander my son?

What would it take for me

to simply stand by?

Unimaginable Grace!!!!!