Jesus Is The Door

John 10:9

NKJV

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.”

No one can come to the Father except through Jesus Christ. The Father is the destination; home, where we belong. But, for so long I have been separated from Him to one degree or another by sin. Some sin conscious, some ignorant. Nonetheless, it is sin which has kept me from the peace and freedom found in my Father. More often than not I felt a wall as I would seek God. So many a time I would try to get to other side, but all in vain, for it was of my own strength and by works, not by faith. I would attempt to crawl over, break through, go around, dig under, but the wall stretched infinitely in each way. Darkness cannot fellowship with light as simple as black is not white. If I'm in the dark, I will not be able to come into the light, except by one Person. The Person of Jesus Christ. He has become the door, through the cross He was crucified on. Not only is He the door, He is an open door, and I need only come humbly before Him and confess my sins to walk through it. The instant I do so in faith, I may walk through freely. I am then saved from the darkness and brought into His glorious light. Love covers the fears, peace covers the anxieties, joy covers the sorrows, and the power and person of Jesus reigns and lives through me again.

I have found there to be a catch for myself however. It must be done in sincerity. It cannot be done religiously, confessing because the Bible says I need to, but must be done from my own realization of my sin and brokeness. I must see Jesus also as the truth and truly understand what was done for me because of me. It must hit my heart and not my head that Jesus was forsaken by God so I wouldn't have to be. The connection must be made, and it is difficult to maintain that sincere and true connection to believing my brokenness. I can know it in my head all I want, but it's worth nothing if my heart isn't broken and my spirit contrite before God. Through the ups and downs of growing in this area of my relationship with God, I have hope that He who has called me is faithful, and He will answer my prayers to know Jesus as the way, the truth, the life, the door; my Saviour, Friend, King, and Shepherd. Not just in my head, but completely in my heart.

The Works of God Displayed

John 9:3

ESV

“Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

This man was not born blind. He was, but more generally, he was born with a weakness. I have been born with weaknesses, and so have us all. In one area or another, we all fall short, we are not as strong as we can be. But what I wish to focus upon is the deep fight of being patient while blind, and how all the evils accumulate to make good in our lives.

Even in my first week in Uganda, God has allowed me to experience a certain blindness. Not physical, nor cultural, nor anything else but a spiritual blindness. For some mornings, God would leave the lights off. I would fumble around in prayer and in the Word, not being able to focus and frustrated that I could not enter Gods presence as I expected. However, this time was used mightily by God in me.During these mornings I would feel sick as my sin bore down upon me and my soul thirsted solely for the Living Water of God. I got to taste and feel the weight of the guilt and sin and condemnation that Jesus bore on the cross. I found myself living in the flesh and crying to God to be shown the true Way out. I wanted to see Jesus, but did not know how. The enemy had veiled my face from the glory of God revealed in the face of Jesus Christ. I knew Jesus was still there, as His Word promised He would never leave me or forsake me, but I certainly  felt He wasn't there. But then, by Gods grace, I picked up a book to read. For our class book reports, God told me to wait until everyone else grabbed a book, and two options had been left for me. I asked the Lord which to choose, and He spoke “Jesus”. The book that lay there? ‘We Would See Jesus’. As I began to read, God revealed my blind spots and veils. Religiosity, works, service, and seeking an inner experience rather than seeking only the face of Jesus. Suddenly, as I read those pages, I would feel the load of sin upon my shoulders lightened as I sought to see only the face of Jesus. I would continue to fight against it, but God was revealing Himself. Through all of this, I continually asked why this was happening to me, pleading with the Lord to free me from my bondage. Now I know; that the works of God might be displayed in me. I have not yet attained that which I desire, but I press on and in to see the face of Jesus and know the true freedom He has for me.

All Attitude

Proverbs 12:1

NKJV

“Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid.”

It’s all about attitude. When I hold the perspective that all learning is a blessed opportunity, I will love it. Seeing learning as a drudgery and annoyance, especially when it may not be something I’m passionate about, will leave me empty and lifeless. The days will be gray and dull, for my mind will be imprisoned in a stronghold of bad attitude. Loving instruction and knowledge will not only enrich my mind and soul, it will keep my life fresh and alive.  

A great example of loving instruction and knowledge is reading the Mosaic Law. Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and the like can be similar to walking through a seemingly endless desert. The one without a calling and purpose for walking through it will simply want to die. They will be left parched, lost, lifeless and bored. Although to the believer, whose heart and mind is set upon heavenly things, who knows they are called to walk through it, will see their time in the desert as one of their greatest experiences. He who loves the deserts of learning often will reflect upon it as one of the most rewarding times. The desert will prepare me to traverse the upcoming mountains and valleys and face new challenges. I can look back upon what I was consistent in and fought through, and hold onto the good nuggets I found there, to conquer the new battles. Learning is simply equipping for experiences, and is a necessary stepping  stone to reach higher levels of intimacy with God. Learning the Mosaic law may at times be dry and rough, but at the same time it is rich in the love of God, and can teach much about the character of God; when read with the correct attitude. God's word is alive and active, are you?

Who is Faithful?

2 Timothy 2:2

ESV

“and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”

Who is one who is faithful? One who is faithful is bottom line trustworthy to rely upon.They will do what they say they will do, and have a record of doing so in the past. They have solid moral compass and integrity. They will not turn their back on you, nor betray you. They always come through. From the outflow of their heart flows a quality of God which He has given them. He was the first faithful. In the Garden of Eden He was faithful, as He sustained all things which He promised He would, clothed Adam and Eve before sending them out of the Garden, and the simple reason He didn’t strike them down when they ate of the Tree is His faithfulness. He was faithful to love them, and did so by providing for them, not letting them leave in the shame of their nakedness. Today, He continues to be just as faithful, thousands of years later. As God promised He would never flood the earth again by creating a rainbow in Genesis, still rainbows are displayed each day around the world. When God said through the prophets that He would pay for our sins, He did so through Jesus, and will always continue to do so as we confess them. Today, God was faithful to give me my daily bread, all I needed to live this day that the He designed for me.

Now comes the question, what about my faithfulness? Well, I can surely say it is pitiful in comparison to the faithfulness of God. The Bible even says that when we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. Myself on the other hand, even on the best day, will experience a level of faithlessness. Whether it’s anxieties, worries, doubts, fears, wayward thoughts, or forgetting to do something, I miss the mark. I sin, and I sin against God alone. Imagine if God experienced any of those things! The universe would plunge into chaos, especially if God forgot to do something today! Make the earth orbit, supply oxygen, keep the distance between planets the same, hold our bodies together with Laminin. We would be extinct. Dead. Gone. Yet so easily I will forget the One who never forgets, who never lets down. But He never forgets, for He is faithful. He will always know my needs before I know them, already is sending help when I’m shorthanded, will give me power when I am faint, and will draw near to me when I draw near to Him. The only way I will ever grow in my faithfulness is to continue consistently drawing near to Him and seeking to conform to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. I am not perfected in faithfulness, but I press on, and I am thankful for how far He has brought me thus far.

A Better Way

Proverbs 9:9

NKJV

“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.”

Father God, allow not my heart to become hard nor my ears to be shut up to your instructions and teachings.

Not rarely, my heart will fall into a trap of bitterness towards others when they are simply trying to instruct me in a better way. I rely too heavily upon common sense rather than the discernment of Gods Spirit. I’m certainly growing but I’ll always have room to grow. What I don't see is when another is trying to teach or exhort me in love to live in a better manner, whether practically or spiritually, its God trying to teach me through them. God gave them wisdom and experience, and they are simply transferring it to me, and I have no right to grow bitter or hard or resentful towards them. I ultimately have an issue with God when I have an issue with others. Out of the abundance of my heart, the mouth speaks, and the mind thinks. Gods heart is pure and so is mine when I’m being filled with the Holy Spirit and walking in light, but when my heart and thoughts are impure, I'm in darkness, and sinning against God. For me properly be taught and receive instruction in a biblical manner, I must be in a place of justification. I am only justified when I’m forgiven and cleansed by the Blood of Jesus and then filled with His Holy Spirit. Just as this verse says to teach a “just” man, I must be justified. In the arms of Jesus I am justified. By residing in the arms of Jesus, I can remain just and wise, so I may be made wiser and increase in learnings. Learning about the Lord is one of the most pleasing things to a Christian who's heart is revived and on fire for Him. I can recall many times when reading scripture can be dry and boring, and my awe and wonder for it parched. However, when my heart is revived by the Spirit of God and I’m intimately connected with Him, reading His word is the most satisfying thing to my soul. Peace and joy flow like rivers of living water, because my soul has been hydrated by the Living Waters of Jesus. May I ever continue to grow in my desire to learn from and about the Lord, always growing deeper and wider with Him.

Blessedness of Learning

Luke 2:46

NKJV

“After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”

While not so during my school years so much, I have certainly come to appreciate and seek learning. I have sat in a multitude of hours of teachings, asked a fair share of questions, and listened as intently as I could. Time spent learning I never in vain, especially learning about God. I can affirm the fact that it takes much more than Sunday and Wednesday church attendance and reading a devotional each day to become spiritually learned. Time must be sacrificed and invested into the study of Gods word and reading literature centered around godly things. Digging deep into the Scriptures is a rewarding adventure. Stories never heard of are discovered, connections never realized are made, and a greater knowledge of the Bible is yielded. I’m not sure if you’ve ever learned about the way gold is mined, but learning is much like it. Hours are spent searching for a rich mining location, then even more hours poured in as the gold is sifted out from among the dirt and processed until all that's left is pure gold. With learning, hours are not only spent listening, but also finding the best source. Time is valuable and needs not be wasted on listening to those who aren’t rightly teaching the word of God. Finding a good source is crucial to finding the most gold for the time I invest. Now, as hours are spent listening to teaching after teaching, all the words come into the ears and are sifted and sorted through until all that's left is pure gold. The great thing about learning that's different however, is that there's always gold that can be mined from the same source. Earthly gold runs out. Heavenly gold runs like rivers through heaven and the Father pours it upon us in His grace. When I desire to learn at all times and come with an open heart and ears, I will always learn something new. Have an expectant heart, for the Lord has something for each person to learn every day. Its our job to be quick to listen.

Mysteries

Mark 4:10-11

NKJV

“But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,”

I am thankful that God has given to me knowledge of the kingdom of God. The mysteries of the Mysterious have been revealed out of His love for me. One thing is for sure however, I am always learning more of the kingdom of God. Mysteries are always being solved through seasons of prayer and the study of Gods word. Everything I have learned these past 3 months have been solely from Gods goodness that he purposed to pour out on me. Through the inductive bible studies, various classes with pastors, the books we read, and especially the guest pastors, Pastor Donathan and Pastor Don. Pastor Donathan and his personality and wonder of God inspired me to worship God in new, intimate ways and to not compare myself to others’ personalities. Pastor Don poured in so much wisdom through expounding the lives of Nehemiah, David, and Paul. I have more notes than I know what to do with! His many years of ministry and experience gave me an all new outlook on the general expectations of a life of ministry, and its sufferings and blessings.  I would never have grown so much in my walk with Christ at home as I have here. I have received resources and discipleship that I never dreamed of, but that I so desperately needed. I came to IGNITE hungry for God, and now I find myself starving for God, and always at the same time filled and desiring more of Him. You could say I am becoming somewhat of a glutton for God. One of the most freeing things God has showed me is the importance and encouragement to read other material outside of just the Bible, on the condition that its Holy Spirit inspired. Through all of these books, mysteries that I had yet unsolved were solved for me. Questions I didnt even know to ask were answered, things about myself I didn't realize were brought to light, and qualities of the Lord and His death and resurrection life especially were revealed. Each day a new mystery is solved about the Lord or myself, no matter how big or small, and it always keeps me excited to open Gods word and learn more about Him.

Prayer

1 Peter 4:7

NLT

“The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers.”

I am reminded of a verse earlier this week that ties in well with this. Mark 1:35, which says how Jesus arose early in the morning to go and pray alone. There is a discipline in early prayers, as well as continuing prayer throughout the day. Earnestness is also a prayer quality that can be easy to glance over. Getting into a rhythm of prayer is dangerous for me. It takes the life out of it, and thus I receive no real life. My prayers are not to be rigid and written, but flowing from my heart. Just as I would sit and share my heart with someone at a table, so I should with God. This can tend to be difficult as I find I run out of words and feel a loss of earnestness and sincerity. To keep things alive and organic, I will pray scripture over myself and it will marinate in my heart as I do so. The marination and meditation of Gods word in me always produces such fantastic fruits of peace and contentment within my heart.

Another important ideal of prayer for me is along the lines of meditation, and actually is part of meditation. Taking my time. Praying slowly and comprehending and meaning each word I speak to God. I find it so easy to drift into uttering spiritual sounding prayers with no spiritual meaning. My prayers are fruitless when said in responsibility rather than relationship. Prayer is not a job or duty. It is a discipline, but its never to be looked at as a checklist. Prayer is simply talking with God, and listening for His answers. Its making needs known and trusting Him to provide, no matter the need.

Prayer is most important due to the truth that the end of this world is coming soon. Peoples souls are being sent to hell every day, and its our mission and responsibility to save souls. Jesus called us into the world to preach the gospel and save souls. Earnest and disciplined prayer is our weapon to accomplish the Great Commission.

Start With A Slaying

1 Samuel 11:11-13

NKJV

“So it was, on the next day, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and killed Ammonites until the heat of the day. And it happened that those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together. Then the people said to Samuel, “Who is he who said, ‘Shall Saul reign over us?’ Bring the men, that we may put them to death.” But Saul said, “Not a man shall be put to death this day, for today the Lord has accomplished salvation in Israel.”

Start to slay during sunrise. The battle begins as soon as I awaken before daylight. Depending on location, the heat of the day can vary. My battles may last until late evening, or the peak may hit early afternoon. The Lord will arm me with strength for each days battle. When I’m vigilant and perseverance through the battle, the enemies will topple around me. Those who are left will find themselves fleeing from destruction. When Jesus shows up to the scene, the demons shake and tremble.

What are my battles? Often times what I battle most in my heart is maintaining seeking the Lord. Each days struggle is getting straight into the level of communion I had with God the day before. Then once I’ve got it in my grasp it becomes difficult into maintain conversation with Him. I will find myself caught up in the work, not caught up in His goodness along the way. This is a difficult thing to learn to grow in, but as I worked at MudMan today, I found myself more often thanking and praising the Lord with song and a joyful heart. Theres nothing like running for six and a half hours nonstop serving the Lord by working at a fast food restaurant. Today I can confidently say I fought a good fight. And victory was mine. There was a few small hiccups along the way, but never at any point was I overwhelmed or anxious or stuck. Peace and joy reigned my heart much more than anything else. What a joy it is to serve the Lord and be confident in Him! No matter the external defeats, its always a victory when I’m in fellowship with my Father and am seeking to glorify Him. Failures will teach me how to be victorious. Victories are, well, victories! In the end, God is glorified and I’m satisfied. Never before have I gone twelve hours through various tasks running on six hours of sleep and felt like I could go another twenty-four! As my body is beat down, my soul and spirit leap up with joy and life the longer I go. Today was a battle fought with and by the Lord, and it was won.

Hidden Within

Psalm 119:11/Mark 1:35

NKJV

“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”

NKJV

“Now in the morning, haven risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.”

Rising early is a discipline for me. Most days the mornings are a bit of a drudge to get through, half asleep and half awake. However, the consistent rewards later on make the early morning worth it. Spending time in Gods word and prayer have become essential to keeping my head on straight during the day. Whether its only a few verses, or a few chapters, its a discipline that needs to be done so that my heart may be emptied of me and filled with Him. Now what's the significance of rising early to do this? Why cant it be done later? Quite simply, Jesus did it. Not even the birds are singing when I am awake. But God is. He never sleeps, He never slumbers. I get to start my day off with the One who created me, sustains me, and protects me. While I may not feel wide awake, He is. I am not pressured into long prayers or a certain amount of reading. I need only to meet with Him and release the burdens of the day, receive the love of God, all to release and pour it out on those around.

As I hide the word of God within my heart, it becomes the moral compass to my life. Having peace rule my heart becomes a way of life. Anxieties become nullified as I recite “Within the multitude of my anxieties, your comforts delight my soul.” I am armed with strength and endurance as I recite within myself “But they who wait for the Lord shall have their strength renewed, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Gods word becomes more and more valuable to my life each and every day. By the hiding of His word in my heart, it grows a healthy fear of being disobedient to it. I know the consequences of disobeying His word, and the more I hide in my heart, the less I find myself falling into sins. His word is the sword that I use to rip down the lies Satan plants in my mind, that digs out the fiery arrows of sinful nature that pierce me and get past the shield of faith. If I’m ever to amount to who God has created me to be, rising early to be with Him alone and hiding His word in my heart so that I may not sin against Him is unquestionably essential.

Not With Uncertainty

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

NKJV

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for  an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. I know where I am running towards. My destination is heaven. I know what I’m seeking; to be one with Christ. I am seeking those things which are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of the Almighty God, the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. For so long I had ran with uncertainty, and occasionally still I will get distracted or my mind will wander, or perhaps I’ll get to a fork in the road and not know which way to go. Jesus is faithful to be my guide in those times. His Spirit will stir in me to get my head back in the game, to set my face like flint with determination for the race set before me. I am running for gold. Why waste time fooling around with what the world has when God has something so much greater? His plans for me are unimaginably wondrous and prosperous. There will be times where it feels I'm running over hot cement with my shoes off, or I’m unstable and my feet burn as I try to sprint across the beach, each step sinking in the sand and slowing my pace. What I don't see, and what I need to be conscious to know, is that ahead, there is good awaiting me. Cool grass, shade, and a refreshing glass of water. Only to fuel me up so that I may set out again to sprint with all my heart to the next checkpoint. As a runner goes from checkpoint to checkpoint, so I go from glory to glory in Christ, and everything I go through is glory. I glory in tribulation, and I glory in triumph. The only struggle within all this is the desire of the flesh to sit down and rest. To take time off. To take a break. But through the Holy Spirit I can press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. I can discipline my body into subjection to the will of God. When I run or walk with Christ, an imperishable crown is guaranteed in the life hereafter. My heavenly home will be built with precious metals and gems, as a reward for using the life God gave me in Christ to glorify and worship Him. Through the thick and thin, keeping the discipline and commitment to Christ will only lead me to earning imperishable prizes.

Fruits of Godliness

1 Timothy 4:8

ESV

“for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

The fruits of godliness are worth so much more than the fruits of physical fitness to me. The sound, peaceful mind of Christ is worth more than anything the world has to offer. Whether its physical fitness, wealth, status, education, or anything else. The value of knowing Jesus is everything. This however does not discount keeping the temple of God, our bodies, in good physical shape. When I can easily fall exhausted or am too weak, then I can find myself unfit for doing the work God has for me to the fullest, if at all. For certain, I will be spending my fair share of time laboring in Uganda, and it will be very valuable to be in shape. I don't want to become a liability due to physical limits. Therefore, both aspects of life, godliness and physical fitness, are valuable to stay busy doing the Lords work!

Godliness brings value in every way of life. When my heart and mind is submitted to the authority of Christ and I live through the mind and heart of Him, I also can be an asset and of value in every way. When the mind of Christ is what I live through, I am able to learn, to teach, to share the gospel, to forgive, to love, to guide, to lead, to be humble, and many more good things. Through whatever I may encounter in Uganda, if my mind and heart are trained in godliness and my life is disciplined to be submitted to the will of my Father, I will have the most fruitful time of my life, with great abundance and joy. The training in Montana has set a solid foundation in my heart for consistent devotion to God, both in the way I live and the time I spend with Jesus in His word and prayer. As I go into the field, this habit that has been built, and the constant hunger I have now for the word of God, will only grow and yield incredible fruits. I cant wait to see how the training for godliness here helps me in the rest of my days.

Strain Forward!

Philippians 3:12-13

ESV

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,”

There are many things which lie ahead. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year, this lifetime. But what lays beyond that which I may strain forward to? Heaven. That is the motivation to press on. The place where angels dwell and creatures surround the throne of God singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” eternally. A place to dwell in perfect harmony and fellowship with God and His people. There will be no tears, no weeping, no pain, no hurt. Love and joy and peace and freedom will abound. It will be infinitely large, always expanding for the exploration of Gods children. Adventure, mystery, excitement will be found with every blink. These are only a few things to be expected in a place so beyond human comprehension. As humans, we haven’t even found the limits of our universe, if there is one at all. Already minds are blown by the vast expanse of space, how much more shall our minds be blown by the wonder of heaven. For me, that it my motivation. To keep my heart and mind fixed on my eternal home, and forget the ways I’ve failed behind me.

But, I also do not discount the fact that life is hard. The journey will not be easy and keeping a right heart on the way is difficult, and I know for certain I won't ever come to a perfect understanding and knowledge of dealing with all the issues that come. Discouragement, depression, confusion, fear, and a myriad of other emotions will come and go. Today, the Lord truly spoke through a message to me and it was this simple encouragement that God spoke to Paul in Acts 23. “Take courage.” I must always take courage. God is not finished, His promises still stand, and great is His faithfulness. Be of good cheer, the Lord has drawn near.