As a new christian who has finally entered into the walk with the Word among some great new friends, I have immersed myself in multiple Bible studies, daily readings, and now I have quickly acquired a stack of Bibles and study guides.  There’s so much new reading spilling out of the backpack and the laptop bag that I am compelled to finally build that new bookshelf for the bedroom I have considered for some time.  The many discussions ring in my ears for days afterward.  There are so many pages turning and words churning that other mundane tasks still required but not as rewarding are left undone.  It is a maelstrom.

            Soon, I even question my motivation.  Am I really delving into the Word for the glory of our Lord?  Or is this some form of ego trip?  Ah-hah!  The thunderclap of clarity knocks me out of the bed I tossed in all night. 

            The Word was never meant to replace those worldly tasks.  I still have to go to work, weed the garden, clean the cat litter box, and reduce the clutter in the truck.  But knowing now the central command Our Lord gave us, I am at peace:

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commandedyou: and lo, I am with you always to the end of the age.”  Matthew 28: 18-20

            All the meetings and discussions are important.  All the readings enrich a hungry heart.  But as in the first chapter of 1Timothy, I can easily be trapped and allow my ego to distract me.

            Lord, I offer myself up to your service.  Teach me as You would want me to be.  Lead me from the shallow waters and back to the channel.  I am Your servant.

God’s Grace has always been there for us.  How do we find God’s Grace?  Look around we are surrounded by grace!  Just as the surface of the Earth is eight tenths water, so too does grace dominate our surroundings in whatever form it is needed.  Soak in the hot waters of God’s grace to soothe soreness and calm our spirits to clarify our thinking.  Dash in the cool waters to exhilarate and excite our enthusiasms as needed.

            Find grace in worship, quiet prayer, a song, a walk in the woods.  Or perhaps one can have grace received (or given) in a smile to a neighbor or stranger.  Polite gestures such as holding a door, or a quiet word well-spoken to a troubled acquaintance can extend grace.  Open your heart to sense when someone has extended some grace to you; they may be sent by the Lord.

            It is easy to extend grace to a graceful person.  The troubled, angry, or bitter person is much harder to reach but much more in need.  We cannot be disappointed when our efforts do not see immediate effect.  It takes many blows of the hammer and chisel to turn a marble block into a statue. 

            Romans 5: 1-5 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”

            I have a friend whose family is experiencing some brokenness.  This is a family that has been a God fearing, loving family and was raised in a church.  An older sister’s second marriage is on the rocks after the discovery of and admission to a one night affair.  This is what most of the family knows.  However, my friend knows her sister’s pain rages much deeper.  My friend is privileged with knowledge that her sister’s pain is laced with guilt over an abortion her sister was pressured into many, many years ago as a young adult.  Yes my friends, you read that correctly.  This is a Christian who chose to have an abortion, marry and then divorce, remarry and then have an affair.  Yes friends, even Christians can and sometimes will make poor choices and experience brokenness.

            As I’ve supported my friend through this difficult experience, I see how she has shown so much grace- God’s grace- through attempted phone calls and e-mails.  I see how she has continued to love even though she is repeatedly judged and rejected by her sister.           What glares most to me though in this situation is the pain and agony of the spirit of my friend’s sister.  She feels so broken and lost that she believes she is beyond the love and acceptance of this world.  However, my friend and I both know she is not beyond the love and acceptance of our Lord.

A song currently being played on my favorite radio station perfectly describes this sense of being for my friend’s sister and for so many others in this broken and depraved world.   The song is You Are More by Tenth Avenue North.  The song tells of a girl who has found herself broken and lost and believing she is beyond love and acceptance.        

            I have heard this song replayed numerous times over the last few months and it always brings me back to the promise our Heavenly Father makes in 2 Corinthians.  He promises that if we make the choice to live in Christ, he will make us a new creation.  It doesn’t matter how far we have fallen.  It doesn’t matter what horrible choices we’ve made or problems we’ve created.  The old life we lived, our old habits, our old ways of believing will be gone and a new, abundant life full of God’s love, God’s mercy, God’s forgiveness and God’s grace will transform us into the humans he meant for us to be.  Will we slip up every now and then and return to our old ways?  Possibly.  However, if you are truly living in Christ, you will remember that this new life is not about the choices we make or the problems we create.  It’s about what He did to make it possible to remake you.  And when you truly believe that, you can’t help but use His strength and His will to transform your life.

 You Are More music video

Lyrics from You Are More by Tenth Avenue North 

There’s a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she’s wandered
And the shame she can’t hide

She says, “How did I get here?
I’m not who I once was.
And I’m crippled by the fear
That I’ve fallen too far to love”

But don’t you know who you are,
What’s been done for you?
Yeah don’t you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

Well she tries to believe it
That she’s been given new life
But she can’t shake the feeling
That it’s not true tonight

She knows all the answers
And she’s rehearsed all the lines
And so she’ll try to do better
But then she’s too weak to try

But don’t you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,

You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

‘Cause this is not about what you’ve done,
But what’s been done for you.
This is not about where you’ve been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

You are more than the choices that you’ve made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You’ve been remade.

God is three persons, each person is fully God—there is one God!  The Trinity has eternally existed, before the creation of time.  Wayne Grudem rightfully concludes, “When the universe was created God the Father spoke the powerful creative words that brought it into being.  God the Son was the divine agent who carried out these words (John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb 1:2)  and God the Holy Spirit was active “moving over the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2)” (Grudem 241).  In fact, the persons of the Trinity are so integral and intimate with one another that the “only distinction between the members of the Trinity are in the ways they relate to each other and to the creation” (Grudem 250).  However, it is important to note that the doctrine of the Trinity will never be fully comprehensible by mankind.  “God’s very being is greater than we can ever comprehend” (Grudem 256).  Nonetheless it remains significantly important to briefly discuss each person of the Trinity.

God the Father

This person of the Trinity is likely the most accepted and easiest to understand.  Mankind generally recognizes the existence and requirement of a higher being.  This is widely accepted as truth in many religions, not just Christianity.  The Father’s role is usually attributed to creation (order out of chaos) and to final authority.  This portrayal is apparent for two primary reasons.  The general use of the term ‘father’ suggests a definition of “a person who has originated or established something” or “a male parent / leader figure”.  The first designation has biblical roots to Jabal and Jubal (Gen 4:20-21) and survives today as a pragmatic explanation for the general origin of practices, philosophies and even events.  Secondly, the male parent or leader figure characterization represents a universally accepted common authority for households, governments, religions and even corporate entities.  Thus both reasons typically promote the recognition of God the Father as our creator and authoritative figure.  In simple terms, God the Father is our provider.

God the Son

God the Son had two primary roles.  The first and most obvious is that of redemption or salvation.  Jesus Christ, God Himself on Earth in human form, comes to reconcile humankind for his own sake and for the sake of humankind.  That is, He came to restore us!  God wanted to rectify His creation by providing the required purity.  He needed to satisfy and justify the Holy intent of His original creation, because we could not.  This satisfaction process is coupled with the final atonement for sin.  This final redemption serves to validate our victory over death and promises eternal life with God.  The second focus or role is to demonstrate to mankind how to live a reverent Christ-like life.  God yearns for us to emulate that of Christ and therefore provides an example of a “perfect” life as an inspiration.  God the Son is our redeemer and intercessory.

God the Holy Spirit

This is likely the toughest person of the Trinity for most to comprehend.  First and foremost, it requires adherence to the first two persons of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from the Father and the Son.  The Holy Spirit functions as an interpreter, arbitrator and protector of God’s unflawed intentions or will.  It is the mechanism by which we feel His love, His confidence, His wisdom and His peace.  The Holy Spirit exists to strengthen and preserve the relationship between God and His people, by providing assurance at all times.   God the Holy Spirit is our sustainer who regenerates us and brings us peace.

Prayer - Our Heavenly Triune God, thank  you for giving us the grace the comes forth from God the Son, for the love that blankets us from God the Father, and for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit that guides us daily.  You are truly a remarkable God!  We pray that you continue to grow us in your likeness and that you strengthen us during our walk with you.  We ask for your mercies to be upon us daily; we need them more today than ever before.  We pray all in the name that saves; in the name of Christ we ask all.

Pastor Jon

Works cited – Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994. Print.

            Merrill C. Tenney comments, “This affirmation is one of the greatest philosophical utterances of all time…He declared Himself to be the final key to all mysteries” (Tenney 215).  Tenney further clarifies that “The way was a means of reaching the Father; the truth defined the righteous standards of the way; the life bespoke the dynamic which could make attainment possible” (Tenney 215).  The apostle John witnessed Jesus’s response to Thomas and was likely enamored by the glorious claim.  As far as we know, John had always believed in Christ and, as noted on many occasions, was loved dearly by Christ.  Yet this appears to be a climactic revelation to many of the other disciples.  It seems that John wanted to be very clear with his announcement of this great claim.  The claim is immediately followed with a symbolic discourse on how Jesus is the vine and believers are the braches.  The branches must be connected to the vine in order to be rooted with the Father (the way), they must be connected to the vine in order to be righteous in the Father (the truth) and they must be connected to the vine in order to be fruitful for the Father (the life).  Christ’s claim reminds us that “Jesus is not one way among many, but the only way” and that there is but one Truth and that sustains all Life—it’s found in the person of Christ (Pradis 5.1, NIV Bible Notes).  Earl Radmacher succinctly states, “As truth, He is the revelation of God.  As life, He is the communication of God to us” (Radmacher 754).

Prayer – Father, we thank you for showing us the Way.  We thank you for binding us to your Truth.  And we thank you for giving us Life!  We adore you and your love for us.  We humbly ask that you continue to sanctify us, that you continue to empower us and that you continue to draw us near to you.  We pray all things knowing with full confidence that  Jesus intercedes on our behalf. Amen

Pastor Jon

Works Cited

Radmacher, Earl, ed., The Nelson Compact Bible Commentary.  Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, 2004. Print

Tenney, Merrill C. John, The Gospel of Belief: An Analytical Study of the Text. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans, 1976. Print

The body and soul (whole being) are formed together in the womb by God himself (Ecclesiastics 11:5, Isaiah 44:2, Isaiah 44:24, Psalm 71:6, Psalm 139:13, Job 31:15, Jeremiah 1:5). Yet, because we are blessed in God’s image and with the ability to “be fruitful and increase in number” (Genesis 1:28); our offspring carry forth our God given image and hereditary characteristics (Genesis 5:3, Heb. 7:10). This concept, formerly known as Traducianism, holds that “the soul as well as the body of a child are inherited from the baby’s mother and father at time of conception” (Grudem 484). From my perspective, this does not exclude God from the continuous body and soul creation process; rather, it simply solidifies that God intended for us to carry forth the task of creating others in His image.

Prayer – Father God, thank you for creating us so wonderfully in your image.  Remind us Father of our responsibility to carry forth your image in its purest form.   We are humbled by your love for us and empowered by your grace.  We long to be with you in body and soul.  We long to be restored to your likeness.  Let us fix our hearts and souls on the glory that awaits and on the perfecter of faith; the One whom all things were made through and the One who restores all things–Jesus Christ himself.  Amen

Pastor Jon

Works cited – Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994. Print.

There are four basic spiritual disciplines; meditation, prayer, fasting and study.  These very disciplines are exemplified and encouraged throughout the Bible.  First, Joshua said, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night,” (Joshua 1:8).  Here we get a sense of mediation and study.  Complementarily, Psalms 46:10a says, “Be still and know that I am God”.  Although there is only a slight meditation theme, the verse is actually meant to remind us that God is at work bringing unity to His people and He will provide all things; we are not the agents of change, unity or providence.  Second, Jesus “fasted for forty days and forty nights” as he was led by the Spirit in the desert (Matthew 4:2).  Fasting is important; it deprives our fleshly desires for spiritual purposes.  It gives us ample opportunity to recall the Lord’s providence, to hunger for the Lord, when we feel the natural longings for food.  Third, Paul reminds us to “pray continually” while “giving thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).  In fact, prayer and study combined are much like our heavenly telephone.  When we pray we are essentially talking to God; we give thanks, make petitions for our needs, confess our sins and so forth.  Lastly, when we study we are essentially listening to God; we read His word to learn more about what He desires of us.  In short, His word guides us.  Psalms, 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path”. Perhaps it is simply best to conclude that when we are properly aligned with the Holy Spirit through consistent use of spiritual disciplines everything else just seems secondary.

 Prayer – Father, we do pray that everything becomes secondary to you.  We know that we fall short of your glory.  We know that sin is real and that it separates us from you.  Yet we also know that victory in Christ is ours and that our spiritual natures are strengthened to overcome the trials and tribulations we face.  Father, we adore your for choosing us and we humbly ask for your continued guidance.  Prepare our hearts and minds with spiritual disciplines.  Prepare us to be more like you.  We thank you for your love and we will continue to glorify you in all that we do.  Amen.

Pastor Jon

 Romans 8:28

 Do you look at the glass half empty or half full?  Do you always carry that same perspective despite your circumstances?  Depending on the day you talk to me depends on my perspective of that glass.  You see, I’m still learning how to hold a consistent view of that glass despite whatever lens I’m looking through- a clear one or a cloudy one.  Oh I’m very good at looking through the clear lens and finding the blessings in others’ lives and circumstances, but when it comes to my own . . . well the cloudy lens blocks my view and I struggle at times to see the blessings in my situation.  I believe this comes from my long held belief that hard times were a punishment for disobedience and mistakes.  I believed that if I kept all my little ducks in a row and made all the “right” choices, then life would be easy and I would be blessed.  Unfortunately, that leaves out how to handle the struggles of life because as humans we are sinful and are bound to experience suffering for our sins and the sins of others.  It also leaves out the opportunity for us to see God’s ability to show grace and mercy. 

So, one of my personal goals lately has been to learn how to handle these difficult times in my life with a little more half full perspective.  One thing I’ve learned about myself is my need for total dependence on God during difficult times.  Instead of beating myself up for whatever mistakes I may have made leading me to my suffering, or blaming others’ mistakes and actions for my suffering, I’m learning how to view these situations as God’s call to me to come closer and listen.  He has many great truths to share with me and it is often during these times of suffering that my heart is most ready to hear what He has to say and to be reassured by Him.  The first seven months of this year have given me several opportunities to try seeing my circumstances through Christ’s eyes instead of my own.  Through each experience I am learning to remember that I KNOW God loves me and wants ONLY good for me because in Romans he tells me “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Do you hear what that promise holds?  It’s an AMAZING promise!  Our Almighty Father can take whatever circumstance we’re in and turn into good . . . if only we will trust him and work obediently for him.  Now I will admit, I’ve still had a few moments of beating myself up and recounting my “should haves”, but those moments haven’t lasted nearly as long as they used to and God’s peace that surpasses all understanding seems to settle in a little quicker for me now.  And for that I am thankful and know that God’s slowly, in His time, changing my heart so that I might ALWAYS see the glass half full.

Today I am beginning a blog.  “Yeah, you and everyone else in this internet seduced society,” you say.  You’re also probably questioning, “So what’s going to make yours so different from the millions of others I can find on the ‘World Wide Web’ and make it worth my time?”  Well, I can’t promise I’ll make it worth your time, but I do know that what I will write about will change someone’s world and bring them a sense of peace they’ve never experienced before.  And for that one person, it will be worth my time.

You see, I have finally surrendered my life to Jesus Christ and I recognize that the gift of writing and relating to others has been given to me so that He can use me to bring Him glory.  Christ has prompted me to write so He can touch your life and draw you closer to Him.  My prayer is that your heart is open to reading/hearing what He has to say and that my own strong will doesn’t get in the way.

This blog will share my own journey to the discovery of Christ’s eternal love and truth as well as share what I continue to learn about my Father and His love for me.  You see, I didn’t always feel God loved me.  Much like the Samaritan woman we meet in John 4, I was parched and thirsty, but not of a physical kind.  To summarize this story, Jesus stops at a well outside the town of Samaria during one of his many journeys.  While there he speaks with a Samaritan woman and asks her for a drink.  This shocks the woman because, according to social standards of the day Jesus was a man speaking to a woman that was not his wife or relative.  Even more shocking, Jesus was a Jew speaking to a Samaritan.  Jews were several social classes above Samaritans.  So you can imagine the sense of worthlessness this Samaritan woman would have felt approaching the well seeing a Jewish man sitting there, and then her utter confusion when this Jewish man respectfully asks for a legitimate drink of water.  I imagine as she approached the well she was probably bracing herself for mistreatment and rehearsing whatever lines she may need to defend herself from a typical Jew’s degrading remarks.  However, when she confronts Jesus with his crossing social boundaries, his reply is to offer her a gift.  He tells her in verse 10 “Everyone who drinks this water (referring to the water in the well) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  This was the kind of water this broken woman needed.  A kind of water that would fill the empty well that existed in her soul.  Jesus’ words of truth, and even more so his actions, spoke that even this Samaritan woman was a precious child of God’s.  Eventually Jesus led her to understand and believe she was beautifully and wonderfully made in God’s image and dearly loved by her heavenly Father.  This eternal truth and life-giving water was also what my soul needed.

I was brought up in the Christian church and always believed in God as the universal creator.  However, I didn’t come know Him as my redeemer and understand His love for me until my 30’s.   Before that, my lifestyle was because of my hard work and wise choices.  I had this belief that God loved everyone, but for me, my acceptability depended on how I pleased others with my decisions.  I believed the more good works I did for God the more He would bless me and the easier life would become.  And you know what?  I always fell short, disappointing someone and believing I especially disappointed God.  That whole system of beliefs was shattered in the midst of motherhood when I collapsed due to exhaustion.  I was exhausted from fighting to live according to my will and the will of others.  A short time later two friends came alongside me and helped reveal the power of God’s grace and forgiveness.  They also helped me understand that God is the only person I have to worry about pleasing (which is really hard when you feel like the whole world is against you- probably like Jesus felt when he was crucified- more on that subject later!).  It wasn’t long before I finally got on my knees and told God that I accepted His grace and forgiveness and that I was ready to turn my life over to Him and live according to His will.

And so, now I choose to fill the empty well in my soul with His truth reminding myself often that I am beautifully and wonderfully made in His image.  I also remember as I embark on this journey that He has promised me in Isaiah 41

“I took you from the ends of the earth,

from its farthest corners I called you.

I said, ‘You are my servant’;

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

And for once, I truly believe it with all my heart!  I pray that you will subscribe to this blog and join me to discover the truth that pours from God’s well into your thirsty soul.

The old adage, “history speaks for itself” tends to be on the forefront of many minds today.  John Calvin once “described the church as a mother from whom, ‘there is no entrance into life, save as she may conceive us in her womb, give us birth, nourish us from her breasts, and embrace us in her loving care to the end’” (Husbands 25).  While hotly debated amongst many Christians since the Age of Enlightenment, the statement still holds much validity.  The church is a mother that nurtures her children just like she is a bride that honors and cherishes her bridegroom.  Yet, we live in a world that is constantly reinforcing individualism and autonomy so corporate identities are rarely appreciated.  Nonetheless, the church must first be viewed as the body of believers that are unified under Jesus Christ who is the one and only head!  The body itself is not a means of salvation; rather, it’s an incubator and preserver in which the Holy Spirit moves to transform lives.  That said, Calvin’s assessment is right.  She [the church] is necessary for helping people grow—both horizontally (with other believers) and vertically (with God himself).

Prayer – Father, we lift up your body of believers as the one bride who testifies to your greatness.  We ask that you grow your body in Christ-likeness and that you forgive her when she wanders astray.  We anxiously await your return and humbly ask for your continued protection.  It is through Christ that we are guaranteed confidence and it is in His name that we make all request. Amen

Pastor Jon

Works Cited

Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994.Print.

Husbands, Mark and Treier, Daniel J., eds. The Community of the World: Toward an Evangelical Ecclesiology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005. Print