True Fellowship

So I asked Papa where to go and he took me to 1 John1:1-4. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life- the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us- that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”  Maybe you guys are scholars and able to tear apart sentences to decide what is necessary and not, but that was difficult for me to read. Anyways, here is what stuck out to me. As a Christian you kind of hear the term “fellowship” thrown around, for example, “we’re going to go fellowship with so and so, or Fellowship of the Sword” whatever the case is. I have kind of become desensitized to it I guess. The verses made me think though, what does “fellowship” really mean? Fellowship: 1. the condition or relation of being a fellow. 2. friendly relationship; companionship: the fellowship of father and son. That second definition is the one that got me. Friendly relationship? I don’t know that I would describe my relationship with Papa that way. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good relationship, but take me and my dad for example. One of my favorite things to do with my dad is sit out back on a nice day, smoke a cigar and hang out for an hour or two. I don’t just sit back and spend time with Papa though, why not? Is it my perception, or am I just not at that place yet?

Papa, I love you. Forgive me if my perception of You has been wrong, forgive me for not giving You the time You are due. You are gracious and wonderful. Can we just hang out tommorrow? I’d like to spend some time with you just hanging out. Annoint my house with Your presence.

What choose you?

Romans 6:15-19 (NLT) 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. 19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.

The predominant word that stands out to me in this passage is the word “slave.”  So often that word has such a negative connotation in our Western – particularly U.S. – culture.  I’m not sure I fully grasp the cultural significance of the word slave used in the times and culture of Christ.

Regardless, I looked up the word in its Greek origin.  The word is doulon means this: 1) a slave, bondman, man of servile condition. 1a) a slave. 1b) metaph., one who gives himself up to another’s will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among men. 1c) devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests.

What is particularly interesting is the root of this word. The word originates from the word deo which means to “bind” as in: 1) to bind tie, fasten. 1a) to bind, fasten with chains, to throw into chains. … 1b2) to bind, put under obligation, of the law, duty etc. 1b2a) to be bound to one, a wife, a husband.

So, choosing to participate in sin is choosing to become bound to sin, like a husband and wife are bound to each other.

That’s why there is no grey area of sin with God.  It is either sin or it is not, because I am either bound to sin (which verse 19 says leads to deeper and deeper sin – deeper and deeper bondage) or I am bound to righteous living by  (verse 17) “… wholeheartedly obey[ing] this teaching we have given you…” and (verse 19) “… you must give yourselves to be slaves of righteous living…“.

Our culture is saturated in moral relativism… “if it feels good, do it”… “I’m not bothering anyone else”… yada, yada, yada (to quote the great Jerry Seinfeld).  Our society is so jacked up because of it, that we – as a nation – pass laws limiting the rights of the many in order to “protect” the few from being offended or isolated.  Our courts let the wrong go free and legislate from the bench because their own moral compass doesn’t jive with the moral compass of those who passed whatever law is on the books.

How did I get down this train of thought?  I don’t know.  The question becomes then, how do I give myself to be a slave of righteous living?  It’s fairly easy sitting here in the midst of the Bible Belt in the land of Freedom (although our freedoms are diminishing with every year).  What does it look like when the Christian becomes the target?  What was it like when the Roman’s were feeding Christians to the lions?

If this is the easiest place in the world at the easiest time to be a radical Christian, why are there really so few?  That’s a convicting question.  What aren’t I more radical than I am?

I had a girlfriend in college that called me a “Bible thumper” when we broke up.  In response to that, a friend told me, “Hey, we all thump something.”  He was right.  So is God.  According to this passage, we are all slaves of something.  It’s our choice.  It’s my choice.  Sin or Righteousness.

I choose righeousness.

Unity

In Philippians 4 Paul is speaking to the church in philipi and he is urging them to be unified.  To not fight and argue amongst each other.  But to rejoice and meditate on the things of GOD.
If we get too focused on our issues or issues with others then we take our eyes off of the One who deserves our full attention.  verse 8 says: whatever things are true,noble, just, pure, lovely, virtuous, praiseworthy.    It doesn’t say whatever things are trivial or temporary or……
Paul was pleased with the philippians but he knew that even though they may “have it together” there is still an enemy that is lurking and waiting to attack anyway he can.  For the philippians (and for us) the enemy attacks our relationships, and “distracts” from what our true call is.  We are to keep our focus on HIM and thus our attitudes should reflect that, of “Christ” and not the world.

Whats the Deal with the Jews?

So like everyday I have been reading Acts.  Today I read Acts 18.  It begin with Paul speaking to the church and once again they don’t like it and take him in front of the consul and bring charges against him.  The consul tells the Jews since their accusations have to do with their interpretation and their law they need to deal with it.  He gets let go, keeps preaching, moves on to other places and whole lot of jokers get saved.  He strengthens the disciples and walks around a lot reaching the word.  All of that was awesome to read.  The fact that he made tents to support himself, good reminder.  The fact that he stayed for a year and a half because of a dream where God told him to stay because there were more in that city that God had plans for, another good reminder.  That made me think about dreams again.  Do we really think they are from God?  Do we act on them like those men did?  Do we even care or just brush them off because of something we must have eaten the night before?  Totally different deal, but that was a good reminder to me to always pay attention, God is speaking to me and using a variety of things to do it so I need my spiritual “spidey sense” up and running at all times.

The thing that really made me think was those dang Jews.  Paul says;  Acts 18:6 “Have it your way, then,” he said. “You’ve made your bed; now lie in it. From now on I’m spending my time with the other nations.”  If you look at other translations it says Gentiles, and one translation says heathens.  All of that winds up being lost people.  The Jews in Acts were the leaders of Paul and Johns and Luke’s and every ones religion.  The leaders of the church.  This is a re-occurring thing throughout Acts.  Paul speak the Jews hate.  People do miracles the Jews stone them.  Disciples strengthen others the Jews cast them out.  It began to make me think of our time.  do we do that?  I know I have been deeply hurt by the “church” before.  I have been much more hurt by the church and the people in it that I have been by my lost friends.  Now that I am a believer I have to be more cautious and a little more guarded than when I sold drugs and hung out with those guys.  Why is that?  Paul finally gets fed up and says OK I’m out, those lost people are better to talk to than you “Christians”.  My heart really just breaks over the church.  We have made a horrible reputation for ourselves and I don’t honestly know if we can loose this past that we have.  I will be honest, I don’t like church.  That’s not really a shock to anyone I guess, but I started looking at why I don’t.  I don’t like that the ministry we are a part of is considered a cult because we do things different than the church and the leaders in the church.  I don’t really like all the fake talk and religious stuff.  I don’t enjoy how we “do” church most of the time.  The church has a different opinion of things than I do sometimes.  None of this is to bash any specific church.  I do love Gateway and have a great time there and think Pastor Morris is incredible.  This is just the overall church that we are a part of.  Obviously I don’t have anything against the Jews, they are just representing the church in this post. (I wanted to clarify before I get a lot of comments of hate mail or anything.)  I am just seeing this patern with the “church” and don’t really want to even be associated with it.  I want to change it but don’t know how.  I want Christians to be the easiest people to talk to.  Why in the world would Paul want to not associate with the Jews and deal only with the heathens?  Are we full of Love, perfect love or not?  Why would people not want to be around that?  Now I’m just frustrated and I don’t want to talk about this anymore.

2 Chronicles 2:20

The first thing that jumped out at me this morning is that Judah is always in a battle or at least, that is what is chronicled.  chapter 20 is no different.  The first verse starts with “It happened that… came to battle against Jehoshaphat.”  We tend to read through this and just keep going, but it seems relevant to our lives.  Battles are inevitable.  So, what can we learn from these passages?  What truth is found therein?

James 1:2 says “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,”.  Well, that sounds easy enough.  Whenever I face a trial, I will consider it joy.  What about the big trials?  What about the battles?  If we look at 2 Chronicles, we know battles are coming.  We know we are in a war with our real enemy for we battle not against flesh and blood.  Do I consider this to be pure joy?

Look at what Jehoshaphat did (and BTW, James hadn’t even written his stuff yet).  21 “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying:

      “Praise the LORD,
      For His mercy endures forever.”^“

I don’t believe that it is natural and normal to begin singing praises to God while walking into a battle.  Our natural instinct is to plan, to consult others, to cry out to God for His protection.  We want to look at why this happening, we want to blame someone else, we want to cast out the devil.  We want to DO something.  How about simply worshipping?  How do you want them?  I WANT THEM WORSHIPPING!!!

You know what happened when they began to worship?  Verse 22 says that the Lord began to set ambushes.  Three countries were coming against Judah.  Well, they began to fight one another until they completely destroyed each other.  Judah, again, did nothing.  Consider it pure joy; worship God.  Let Him fight your battles.

Daddy, I thank you for all that you do.  I thank you for the battle that you have layed out before me.  Let me be found worthy of the calling.  Lord, you are good and your mercy endures forever.  Whether I make it through this battle or not, your name be praised!  Whether TAV succeeds, or not, your name will be glorified!  Your praises will always be in my mouth and I will teach my children and all that are in my household to worship you forever.  God you are good, not for anything that you have done, but just because of who you are.  I thank you again for giving me another day.  I simply want to spend today in your presence.  I love you, Daddy.