El poder de nuestro testimonio

Como creyentes de Cristo, como los que confían en un Dios abundantemente bueno, nuestro testimonio es increíblemente importante.

En la Biblia El Mensaje, 1 Pedro 2: 11-17 se parafrasea así:

Amigos, este mundo no es su casa, así que no hacen ustedes acogedor en el mismo. No satisfacer su ego a costa de tu alma. Vive una vida ejemplar entre los nativos para que sus acciones se refutar sus prejuicios. Entonces van a ser ganados al lado de Dios y estar allí para unirse a la celebración cuando llegue.

Hacer que el Maestro orgullosa de ti por ser buenos ciudadanos. Respetar las autoridades, cualquiera que sea su nivel; son emisarios de Dios para mantener el orden. Es la voluntad de Dios: que haciendo bien, es posible curar la ignorancia de los tontos que piensan que eres un peligro para la sociedad. Ejercite su libertad por servir a Dios, no por romper las reglas. Tratar a todos los que conoces con dignidad. Ama a tu familia espiritual. Revere Dios. Respetar el gobierno.

¿Sabemos lo importante que nuestro testimonio es? ¿Sabemos que a pesar de que todavía estamos siendo perfeccionados por Cristo y somos todavía "en construcción", estamos llamados a ser santos y justos en la tierra aquí y ahora?

Me pregunto a veces si la Iglesia es una barrera real para los hijos de Dios que vienen a Él. En realidad, yo no pregunto, lo sé. Y sí, la decisión final para una persona para seguir a Cristo es su propio, pero si la Iglesia realmente se comportó como Dios quiso, sería que su plan de redención suceder más rápida? ¿Habría menos escépticos y más creyentes?

Creo que los cristianos son vistos como hipócritas mucho porque lo son. Nosotros somos. Se llega a ser un poco complicado, porque los cristianos son personas imperfectas que viven por la fe y la gracia, y no creyentes no llegan a comprender eso en medio de sus "críticas" (por falta de una palabra más dura). Lo entiendo y estoy de acuerdo con eso. Sin embargo, les damos razones para dudar de la misma cosa que proclamamos? Decimos: "Confía en Dios, Él es bueno" y luego vivir nuestra vida de una manera totalmente incrédula. O señalamos nuestro dedo en el pecado de una persona que no conoce a Dios y dejar de recordar parte de nuestra vida que nos queda sin resolver - partes de nuestra vida que Dios quiere redimir.

Es muy lamentable cuando las personas tienen una visión distorsionada de Dios, porque las personas que dicen que lo conocen y siguen se comporta de una manera impía. Y por supuesto, siempre habrá críticas. Y el punto no es para apaciguar a los no creyentes o críticos en absoluto. El problema existe cuando proclamamos a Dios de una manera, pero actuamos como sus hijos de una manera completamente diferente. Existe cuando vivimos nuestras vidas en un frustrado, de manera egoísta, sin amor. Esto no es un retrato exacto de la hermosa Iglesia de Dios. Esto no es un retrato exacto de Su hermosa novia que Él ha hecho santo por Su preciosa sangre.

Por lo tanto, vamos a preguntarnos. ¿Qué nos ha reprendido nuestro dulce Papá ultimamente? ¿Hay partes de nuestro modo de vida que se interponen en contraste con la Palabra de Dios?

Si la hay, éstos deben ser abordados. Ellos realmente hacen. Dios quiere redimir a todo en este mundo que no es como debería ser, y que incluye "las pequeñas cosas", como la frustración, la falta de confianza, la ira injusta, la indulgencia en la comida o la bebida, las voces críticas sobre los demás (incluyendo figuras públicas), y impura relaciones con los demás. Cuando se abordan estos defectos, cuando permitimos que Dios opere en y eliminarlos y hacer nosotros todo de nuevo, vamos a dar al mundo una mejor idea de quién es Dios y que su Iglesia es. Entonces ya no seremos tropiezos u obstáculos a los que se salvan. En vez vamos a ser instrumentos eficaces y eficientes en el gran plan de redención de Dios.

Amén.

The Power of our Testimony

As believers of Christ, as those who trust in an abundantly kind God, our testimony is incredibly important.

In The Message, 1 Peter 2:11-17 is paraphrased like this:

Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it. Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they'll be won over to God's side and be there to join in the celebration when He arrives.

Make the Master proud of you by being good citizens. Respect the authorities, whatever their level; they are God's emissaries for keeping order. It is God's will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you're a danger to society. Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules. Treat everyone you meet with dignity. Love your spiritual family. Revere God. Respect the government.

Do we know how important our testimony is? Do we know that though we are still being perfected by Christ and are still "under construction", we are called to be holy and righteous on earth here and now?

I wonder at times if the Church is an actual barrier to God's children coming to Him. I actually don't just wonder, I know. And yes, the ultimate decision for a person to follow Christ and be reconciled to God is their own, but if the Church really behaved like God wanted it to, would His redemption plan be speedier? Would there be less doubters and more believers?

I think Christians are seen as hypocrites a lot because they are. We are. It does become a bit complicated because Christians are imperfect people who live by faith and grace, and unbelievers don't quite grasp that in the middle of their Christian "critiques" (for lack of a harsher word). I get that and I agree with that. However, do we give them reason to doubt the very thing that we proclaim? We say, "Trust God, He's good" and then live our life in a totally unbelieving way. Or we point our finger at the sin of a person who does not know God and fail to remember part of our life that we have left unaddressed - parts of our lives that God wants to redeem and make whole.

It's very unfortunate when people have a distorted view of God because the people who say they know Him and follow Him behave in an unholy manner. And of course, there will always be criticism. And the point is not to appease the unbelievers or critics at all. The problem exists when we proclaim God one way, but act as His children in a completely different way. It exists when we live our lives in a selfish, frustrated, unloving manner. This is not an accurate portrait of God's beautiful Church. This is not an accurate portrait of His beautiful bride who He has made holy by His precious blood.

So, let's ask ourselves. What has our relentlessly kind Daddy been rebuking us about? What has Holy Spirit been nudging us about or flat out telling us to change in our lives? Are there parts of the way we live that stand in contrast to the Word of God?

If there is, these need to be addressed. They really do. God wants to redeem everything in this world that's not as it should be, and that includes "small things" like frustration, lack of trust, unrighteous anger, indulgence in food or drink, critical voices about others (including public figures), and impure relationships with others. When these defects are addressed, when we allow God to operate on and remove them and make us whole again, we'll give the world a better picture of who God is and who His Church is. Then we will no longer be stumbling blocks or barriers to those who are being saved. We will rather be effective and efficient tools in God's great redemption plan.

Amen.

It's all about the heart

I don't know about you, but I think the most fun thing about being in a relationship with God is hearing, experiencing, and being led by Him. We hear a lot of stuff from a lot of different sources. It's overwhelming at times: the constant bombarding of various voices, opinions, teachings, and perspectives. Sometimes I hear something come out of my mouth and I'm surprised when I realize I don't even think I believe it, but have heard it so much that it's become truth to me. What I say may even be the truth, but if I haven't learned it on my own or heard it myself from God, I feel like it's something I've borrowed - that it's not really my own.

The really cool thing is when you receive revelations and truths directly from God. Then it becomes part of your testimony - your story. Well, after years of saying that God cares more about our hearts than our actions, about who we are than what we do, I can finally say that I really believe it, and that God has really told me so.

I've honestly been going through a weird time recently - it would be appropriate to call it a slight depression. I've questioned my faith, felt weak, tired, and burned out, which has caused me to want to sink back and withdraw, especially in regards to the Christian religion. I'm thankful for a gracious God who saw that, who sees me, and who has always known that this time would come. The moment I began thinking about my discontentment with life and all I was doing, God immediately confronted my heart. It was quickly brought to my attention that my heart was not in the right place. I was sick of all I was doing because my heart was sick. And what really struck me was that the Lord did not convict me for not wanting to serve in church or do certain activities I used to do - He actually told me that it was OK to stop some of it if I needed to. What he did want for me was a healed heart. He didn't care that I wasn't "performing" like I used to. And I have really begun to learn for myself that the Lord actually wants me to be healthy, and my heart in particular. He of course wants me to serve. I was made to have a servant heart. But my heart condition matters when it comes to serving and doing.  It affects my attitude and the manner in which I serve.

God is a good Father. I'm learning that. Let me use an analogy; I love analogies. So think of the most perfect dad. Then think about a child who all of the sudden becomes sad and is not acting like themselves. They might have 10 things left on their chore list and a soccer practice to go to and homework to finish. Would this perfect dad be harsh with them for not completing their tasks? Would he yell at them and tell them to get over it and keep moving? Or would he sit down beside them and rub their back and ask them why they're feeling that way? Would he care enough to get to the root of their problem, encourage them, and set them in the right direction? I personally think the latter would be true. And I also think that all of those chores and practice and homework would be important to the perfect dad. He would want his child to finish what they started, but he would first address them and their heart, dealing with the root cause of why they are feeling that way. It is far more important than certain tasks not getting done. I bring this up because if God is the Father, and He is perfect, then He is the perfect Father. This is what He must be like.

The truth I've come to know is that the condition of our heart matters. We lose sight of that a lot. We tend to try and measure how we are doing by what we are doing or how much we have (or don't have). We as Christians have a bad habit of making our own standards of "good living" and what "faithful" or "loving God" really looks like. The most dangerous part of that is that these standards are not God's; they are our own. Jesus warned against this in regards to the Pharisees and other religious leaders. Their heart conditions were very ill, but they appeared to be the most righteous people around. However, the Lord called them out continuously for not really understanding or getting it, and for actually preventing others to come to the knowledge of God.

I am realizing that God's will for our lives has less and less to do with what we're doing, but with the condition of our hearts. God's will for our lives is to know His Son and to be conformed to the likeness of His image. No matter what our titles are: a millionaire, an artist, a homeless person, a stay-at-home mom, a stay-at-home dad, unemployed, a missionary, a pastor, or a teller at the bank. That fact does not matter. It really doesn't hold a lot of weight with God. He cares about us, our well-being, our sanctification, and our hearts.

So, let's pray the prayer that David prayed- "Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way" (Psalm 139:23-24). David got it. He did a lot of "bad things" in his life. He was far from perfect, but he longed to be perfected by God. He invited Him to really search and restore him, and we should do the same. And we can be sure that since God is so concerned with the matters of the heart, this prayer will always be answered.

Rest

What would it look like if we lived lives of rest?

I've been a Christian for six years now. And only in the past couple of years have I heard about the importance of rest and what it means for us as Christians. I've now come to the belief that not only is it essential to practice rest on a regular basis, but rest itself is actually what sets us apart from others.

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, 'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" Mark 6:31

Jesus was clearly a fan of rest. Not only did God show us the importance of rest in the first days of creation, but the theme is weaved throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, God actually commands that His people rest - that they and their families and their servants do nothing for a whole day during the week (Exodus 20:10). So, why did God make this a standard for His people to live by and why did Jesus tell His disciples to get some rest when the world around them seemed so hectic?

I think it's because God loves us. Not even Superman could keep up with the fast-paced lives we try to lead and still come out on top. The American culture is all about being busy. Most of us seem to know very little about controlling that. Our days become full whether we have the energy for it or not. Thankfully, God knows us. He knows what's good for us, and He has commanded us to rest. Jesus was not concerned about all of the people coming and going and all of the needs that came with them. He told His disciples to follow Him to a quiet place and get some rest. Have you felt God nudge you to do that? Have you responded?

I also wanted to speak to the fact that rest differentiates us from every one else on earth who doesn't know God and has not accepted Jesus as their Savior. If you do not know Jesus, I think that working super hard to reach your goals and planning ongoing meetings and striving to meet the world's standards is probably very important. Without security of who you are, where you're headed, why you're here, and who you belong to, it would be impossible not to strive, whether it be physical, mental or emotional.

This is not who we're called to be. Jesus' finished work on the cross secured a place in His kingdom and new life for anyone who comes to believe in His name. It doesn't matter what you do, it matters whose you are. And I wonder if that Person we belong to would agree with our striving, stress and discontentment in the busy lives we've created for ourselves. It's almost as if we're saying, 'thanks for what You did, but we'll take it from here. I'm just not quite sure your crucifixion and resurrection was enough'.

The good news is that it was enough. And it allows us to be restful people. People who know that no matter what they do, they are accepted and loved by God. It also frees us to work hard at what God calls us to do and strive to know Him more. We don't have to look around at every shiny thing or run after every enticing wind, we just have to know we are His, rest in His gift of salvation, and receive the promise of new life now and always.

I'm speaking straight to myself as I write this. I have suffered far too long as a "people pleaser" and that is usually my reason for a full schedule. I have a hard time saying "no". I am thankful though that God has taught me that this is not who I am. If I was a "people pleaser", I am no longer. I was reborn when I met Christ, and am now a God pleaser. And I know that rest pleases God. Not just physical rest from hard labor, but rest in who I am and in who He is.

So, let's challenge ourselves to say "no" to a packed schedule. Let's challenge ourselves to re-prioritize our lives so we can be still and quiet. When people are coming and going and there's hardly time to eat, we should remember the words of King Jesus, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest". And when we feel enticed to say "no" to Him because we don't know where that will leave us or what people will think, we should remember the freedom we've been given - not just freedom to rest, but freedom to be a people of rest.

Perfectionism: Our Enemy

Have you ever felt pressured to be perfect, by yourself or someone else? Have you ever beaten yourself up over a mistake, big or small?

Yeah? So have I. More than I'd like to admit.

As I've been in a season of meditation on the essence of rest in a workaholic driven society and the effects of pressure of perfection on imperfect humans, I've come to some very helpful conclusions - conclusions that the Lord has helped me reach. I'm still in the process of applying these new truths to my own life, and probably will be for the rest of my life. One day, I will write about rest. It's one of my new favorite topics. However, at this moment I want to speak about one of our greatest enemies: perfectionism.

I looked up the word "perfect" in the dictionary, mainly because each person reading this will have a different view of what perfect looks like. To one person the perfect house will look completely different than to another. "Perfect" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary means "having no mistakes or flaws; completely correct or accurate; having all the qualities you want in that kind of person, situation, etc."

What I want to touch on and for us to think about is that it's possible that we have created a standard of perfect for ourselves and others. This is a problem because a perfect standard should not exist for people. People make mistakes. People have flaws. People are not always correct. And so what we do is place an unreachable standard on ourselves and others. A standard that causes stress, uptightness (I like to create words, especially that end in "ness"), and discontentment in ourselves and others.

What is the root cause of this man-made standard of perfectionism you ask? I believe strongly that it's pride. There is a strong element of pride because it says that people can and should be perfect - that you yourself and I myself are perfect, but we're just not living up to that. Also, when we place blame on people for not behaving perfectly, it's usually because their behavior or shortcomings were an inconvenience or disruption to our own effort to maintain a perfect life: pride.

The reality is that we were all born into this broken world and thus there are broken parts of us. Each person in the world has their own story, heartache, struggle, fear, and we all bring it to the table when we come together. So, why not embrace that in a sense? Why not laugh at ourselves and try better next time? Why not realize that certain standards we place on ourselves and others are just not real?

God is perfect. He is the only one. There is nothing about Him flawed and He has never made a mistake (not even when he made clumsy us!). His Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for our imperfections, for our flaws, for our shortcomings. He did it because we couldn't do it for ourselves, and He knew that even after we knew Him, we would still make mistakes and would spend the rest of our lives being healed and learning to walk upright in this new life He's called us into.

So, breathe. Relax. Trust God. You don't need to be perfect. He is. If you happen to make a mistake, the world will not end. You just might learn something in fact. I really like what one of my favorite pastors, Havilah Cunnington, said one time. She said, "Give yourself a break. This is your first rodeo." None of us have been here before. We must try our best. We must honor God. We must listen to His Spirit and make our best decisions. However. We must not be so focused on being "perfect" that we are scared, stressed, tired, and discontent. That is not God's plan for us.

As I challenge myself right now, I challenge you as well. You don't need to prove yourself to anyone. Jesus already justified you. He already set things straight. He loves you that much, even if you make a mistake or have a flaw, which is guaranteed in this life. So, next time we feel enticed to beat ourselves or someone else up over something they did that just wasn't quite right, remember: perfectionism is not our friend. It is our enemy.

My First Love

I want to tell you about the first time I fell in love. I've decided to be vulnerable, especially because I know that not all readers will be able to relate to or understand this experience. 

When I met the person I love more than anything, I was totally lost. I was dead actually. I remember writing in my journal in times of desperation. I wrote often that there was something missing. I didn't know how else to describe it. And it wasn't a momentary or shallow need. It was something deep - and when I figured out what it was, I'd be complete or happy or better or something. These were relatively small expectations for what really happened when He walked into my life.

I am aware that it bothers people when I say that I fell madly in love with Jesus. I don't think it's understandable or believable or comfortable for many. But all of who I am is wrapped up in who He is. And I can't make it understandable or believable or comfortable, but I believe everybody deserves to be heard and valued and known, and without Jesus, my story is nothing, and really I'm nothing.

So. I love Jesus. I fell in love with Him. When I opened the door to Him through prayer, He stepped into my life. Where I was empty, I became full. Where I had been confused, I received peace. And where nothing made sense, then everything made sense. And I found who my heart really loved and trusted. Immediately. Words will never be able to explain the experience, or what the journey has been like these past six years with Him. He has changed me in every way. He set me on fire and now I know who I am. 

It's funny because it's not unlike other relationships in life. There is no way for it to go deeper or be sustained without work. There are moments of doubt and unbelief and sadness and confusion. Thankfully these are all on my end. One of us is perfect. He's the perfect Father. He looks at me with love all the time. He's never mad at me even if He doesn't agree with a decision or something that I do. I can not imagine not knowing the one who made me and has done everything to ensure we could be together forever. 

Sometimes I need to go back to Jesus. As my walk with Him moves on, my human flesh can feel bored and be enticed and tempted by the fast-paced glitzy life around me. And somehow I get wrapped up in thinking that I'll find my answers and full life there. But then He calls me back. I remember the one who set my soul on fire and whose pure existence is love, peace, joy, goodness, kindness, patience, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. He has the best heart and I believe it beats for me, for His children. 

I love Jesus. He is the center of my story. In Him, I have everything.

Real Growing Pains

Have you ever felt like you were literally losing your mind? Like you had lost control and were drowning in a sea of bitterness, unbelief and defeat?

Emotions are really intense, especially for those of us who feel just about everything, within themselves, others, and in the atmosphere around them. 

I got beat down this week. I didn't talk to God for days. I didn't want to. I was mad at Him and had given up on Him. 

He's my perfect Father though and I just knew that the picture of us standing there was like a small child throwing a fit while her incredibly patient father bent down and gently said, "Baby, you may not like this right now, but it's the best thing for you. I know 'cause I love you, believe in you, and want the best for you."

Looking back, those moments were sweet because they were real. I'm pretty over not being real with God in how I'm feeling or with what's going on. He's seen everything since before time. There is no hiding from Him so I may as well come out naked from behind the bushes.

God cares so much about our growth and development into the people He created us to be that He is never concerned or worried about our momentary trials. I think He cares - I think He can relate - I think He grieves with us, but I think He is so confident about the good that's going to come out of each trial and the beauty He can create out of ashes that He many times does not remove us from a situation or from this world simply because it hurts and we beg Him to. You cannot control Him, and I love that.

My Lord wants me to take hold of all the promises, gifts and life that He's given me in Jesus. He wants me to be the bold, courageous, God pleasing, truth and justice loving, merciful, wonderful child that He created me to be. Though I have received everything at once from Him, I am not yet perfect. I am still being made into the likeness of Christ and am learning to walk in the new life He's given me. As God rids me of past habits and ways of living and thinking, it is painful - so painful I often allow the trial to overtake my mind, pulling my focus off of Jesus and leaving me in a flailing state of confusion and bitterness. 

This time of testing and molding is not finished. Not even close. But I want more. That is the Holy Spirit. Without Him, I would simply desire a painless life of comfort and carelessness. I know because that's what I desired before I knew Him. Now I desire Him and to be more like Him. So, if that means more moments of telling Him that I simply cannot talk to Him and feeling like I'm walking through a desert, bring it on. 

Just promise You'll keep shining Your light to bring me back home.