Freedom In The Spirit

Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.  For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  2 Corinthians 3:15-18

Reading God’s word can be convicting.  There are many times I will read something, and have a strong visceral reaction towards it.  I begin to ask myself, “Is this the flesh rebelling or is my heart in the wrong place?”  I reflect as if God is trying to teach me a lesson that will take an amount of time for me to learn.  Spiritual growth is supposed to be this way.  You feel uncomfortable, and you must start stretching it out testing it to get comfortable.  Then there comes a level of thankfulness as it sinks in.  Then as I write my a devotion based on it, I pray that God guides me to say the right things and not lead me and those who would read it wrongfully.  It is then that I can feel God’s Spirit begin to awaken, and it flows within me.  Before I know it, the words flow freely, and my confidence in what God is impressing on me sinks in.  My heart is filled with His love, and my mind and soul are free from hesitancy and inhibition.

Embracing God and His word is true freedom.  In a discussion with a good friend of mine, I was able to share a bit of my faith discussing The Greatest Commandment.  As I shared the lessons from it, I could see the glow coming to their face.  This was a great feeling as I did not worry where I was or who might have heard me.  It was just the conversation and the words God impressed upon me to say.  There are lots of things that cause us to think of words God would wish us to say yet somehow never make it out of our mouths.  Sometimes it is prudent to not say anything particularly as it may be harmful.  However, we must be able to discern the difference between prudence and fear.  Prudence is obedience to God much like patience.  Fear is a tool of the devil that prevents the best God puts in you to come out.  To combat this, we must be courageous as courage is the opposite of fear, and we know this much through God’s word.  Think of the many times Joshua was encouraged where the phrase “Be strong and courageous” was repeated to him multiple times (see Deuteronomy 31 & Joshua 1).  The more courageous we are, the freer we become, and it is this freedom Paul speaks of in the verses today.

Jesus Christ died so that we would be free from the bondage of our sins.  The love He showed is certainly far above anything we could imagine.  However, all because we cannot fathom His sacrifice does not excuse us to be meek followers unwilling to share His love, grace, and wisdom with others.  Don’t let the fact you are not Jesus inhibit you from being like Him.  Remember the words of Paul when he said, “Because of Christ and our faith in Him we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.”  Be willing to share what God places on your head, heart, and soul with others.  What message has God placed on your heart today?  What is the one thing God would want you to share with others?  My prayer is that on this Independence Day, we celebrate one of the greatest freedoms we have; the freedom in the Spirit of The Lord.  Amen, and Happy 4^th of July everyone!

Our Spiritual War

He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  Matthew 26:37-39

There is a spiritual war going on.  I say this understanding that this goes much deeper than just the things we see.  This is something we must feel.  I have felt closer to God lately reaching out in prayer seeking His wisdom and guidance, and for that, He has given me moments of clarity.  The war I see is always related to what I want versus what God wants.  More times than not, we are wanting the same things, but at times it boils down to wanting the same thing we both cannot have; control.  Do I have control or does God?  When I am responding to an attack, am I doing so through my own lens or a God inspired lens?  When it is my own, I immediately feel liberated, but often it is not lasting and can leave me with a level of anxiety, tension, and maybe even anger.  When I respond through God’s lens, it requires painful work, but I later feel love, strength, and inspiration.  These do not flee but instead become building blocks for something more lasting.

So, why is there a struggle?  It’s my favorite question exemplified by Paul when he says, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good.” (Romans 7:15-16)  The key to solving any issue is to be aware what the problem is, and it is through that awareness we can solve it.

Prayerful connection to God always puts us in the best position to see the world through His lens.  Today’s verses speak of worn and battle-weary Christ praying before He must make the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  I found myself feeling for Him and His condition.  Those initial verses are important to note because even Christ himself grew tired are as we often are when struggling and fighting through our spiritual wars.  He said, “Let this cup of suffering be taken from me.  Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”  I wondered why is He praying this prayer?  After all, He is God, and He already knows what must be done.  You see, that’s the beauty of this prayer; His selfless surrender to God.  It’s underlines the very spiritual struggle we must deal with today. We have this cup of suffering, a cross to bear, or a surrendering to God.  We do not want the cup for we know what it encompasses.  But for us to fully embrace the grace, love, and peace that only God offers, we must want what He wants more than what we want.  This is what perfection of Christ looks like.

God is a choice.  We may see it as a seemingly simple one, but as noted here, it Is anything but simple.  However, today’s verses are not filled with sadness.  Instead, they are to inspire and encourage you of the goodness of God and the love He has for each and every one of us.  So instead of worrying about the suffering, trust in Jesus Christ for He said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23b)  What ‘cup’ are you holding today?  Where can you give more control to God in your life?  My prayer is that we both acknowledge and deal with our spiritual war.  Amen.

Better Together

After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.”  John 21:15-17

For years, I have had a spiritual mentor that has helped me stay on the right track when I was wandering astray.  In fact in many ways, he was keeping me righted even when he did not even realize it.  When I felt that urge to do something that felt wrong, he was there in spirit almost like a voice from God.  He has been instrumental in my life, and when I am distant from him, I feel the difference.  I bring this up not to imply you are doing something wrong.  In fact, my belief is that many of you are doing great things in the name of Christ, and as such can be a mentor for others, which is why I bring this up today.  But what if you or someone is in need of someone?  Yes, God is there for us.  A mentor is not a replacement for God.  Instead, you or they are a reminder of God’s goodness and how He changes lives.  It’s to say we have God’s word as the instruction book, and being or having a mentor can encourage one to reach a higher level of God’s calling and/or help right the ship.  Better yet, you can be that someone who finds their way after being lost.

While there is only one path to God through Jesus Christ, a walk is always easier with someone.  I once wrote on these verses regarding Jesus speaking to Peter.  At first glance, we read it as if Jesus is questioning Peter.  However in reading throughout the book of John, we know Peter loves Jesus, and Jesus is all knowing.  So what is Jesus doing?  He is mentoring Peter.  The other week, I spoke of Jesus washing feet to set the example.  In today’s verse, Jesus is preparing Peter to step forward and lead the disciples and other lost souls to Christ.  ‘Feed’ and ‘Take Care’ are the instructions Jesus Is providing Peter, and Peter would go on to begin the spread of the Gospel after Jesus ascends to Heaven.  Walking with someone either as a mentor or protégé has mutual benefits.  As a mentor, you are serving part of God’s purpose in building others for His will.  As a protégé, you are taking the next step of your own growth becoming more aware of God’s plan for your life.

God is sufficient for all of us, but He did not intend for us to live life alone.  Sharing our faith is part of our mission, but giving guidance to and receiving the advice of others in the name of Christ is always a win for all involved.  We can enhance our walk of faith by reaching out to others either for help or to help.  So do you have a spiritual mentor?  Who can you be more of a guide on God’s glory to?  My prayer is that we are willing to guide or be guided toward a greater understanding of God’s plan for we are always better together.  Amen.

Stop, Pause, and Reflect

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image.
    In the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

Then God said, “Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.  And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.” And that is what happened.

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!  Genesis 1:26-31

My father was a very active person well into his early 70’s when he suffered a stroke.  It was then that his life slowed down enough to appreciate those things around him.  He got to enjoy his home but more importantly he shared wisdom and love with his children and grandchildren.   Those times were the things he talked about the most and he enjoyed them until his passing.  I reflected on that realizing that I need to stop and enjoy more of the world around me as the world I live in is a fast paced one.  We are told not to be content with where we are but instead to grow and push for greater achievement.  We must do more with less and to be better is not the exception but instead the norm.  In a world where the expectation is already high and our best yesterday becomes today’s ‘not enough,’ it becomes very easy to lose focus on all that is around you.  Now I am not saying this is a bad thing for growth (especially spiritual growth) is a good thing and pushing ourselves to continually do better is what we should do.  What I am trying to say is maybe I need take time to stop, pause, and reflect on what God has surrounded me with.  When I do, I realize just how good God is!

It is important that we take time to appreciate all of what God has both given us and created around us.  In a fast paced world, it can be difficult to slow down.  We often focus so much on achievement that we miss the progress that has occurred.  In reading the beginning of Genesis, I took time to notice that as God created all things, He would pause and reflect on what was done.  He looked over everything, and no doubt appreciated it.  Our goal is to look the world around us and see all of the beauty He has put into it.  Whether it be land, sea, plants, material, or the lives of others, God has blessed us with so much!  It is important we take time out each and every day to appreciate it for if we do not, we fall prey to being in that ‘never enough’ state that can lead to our never finding contentment.

We are God’s greatest creation.  While that could be a source of a greater sense of meaning, it should be a source of great appreciation.  Appreciating is something we should all take time out to do for the greater appreciation we have for all that God has put around us, the more we are walking in His footsteps.  Let us focus on finding God’s beauty in the world each and every day for if we do, we will often find not only the beauty of others but also within yourself.  What are the beautiful things and people in your world that you need to appreciate more of?  How can you better see beauty through God’s eyes?  My prayer is that in a world that is often moving too fast, we stop, pause, and reflect on the beauty God puts before us each and every day.  Amen.

Where We Started

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.  Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.  1 Corinthians 13:11-12

One of things I marvel at is how much you grow when you are under duress or being challenged.  There was a time like that at work where things did not start off so well in this period of transition.  Things that I normally did well were not done well, and where I believed I was good suddenly became areas where I began to question.  Months later, I paused and reflected to see where I was. There were a number of questions I had. Did I do as well as I felt I should? No.  Were we on schedule to make it to the ultimate goal?  Yes.  Did I learn something from it?  Definitely. It all boiled down to a very simple phrase; I’m not where I want to be, but I’m a lot closer to it now then from where I started.

Spiritual growth is an essential process from which we come to know and love God better.  In reading 1 Corinthians 13, my thought was these verses felt out of place considering that this is known as the ‘Love’ chapter (Love is patient, love is kind . . . ).  However after reading it more, it was a good place to remind us of the importance of continually seeking to learn of and grow in God.  Love is of course the most important part of the relationship (Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13), but how does love grow?  If it does not grow, it becomes stagnant and eventually will start to fade.  These verses are thus prescriptive for how a healthy relationship with God works.  While our dependency of God is to be childlike (see Matthew 18:3-4), our relationship with God is to be where we dive into its complexity (puzzling reflections in a mirror) and pause to reflect both where we are and where we must go (all I know now is partial and incomplete).  Call love and spiritual growth the yin and yang.  Both are necessary for us to feel whole with Him.

Loving God requires all of our entire being.  Jesus said we must love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, and soul.  To capably do so, we must continue to push ourselves to learn of God and seek Him through His word.  One of my favorite R&B songs talks about maturity this way:

So we search for answers to our questions

Looking for a(n) answer

No answers but we're taught a lesson every time

Through mistakes we've learned to gather wisdom

Life's responsibility falls in our hands

                                                  - 'Boys to Men' – New Edition

 

Seeking God in all things and learning both through successes and failures give us the necessary growth for us to become better lovers of God and others.  What obstacles are inhibiting your spiritual growth?  What is you plan to have a continually growing and healthy relationship with God?  My prayer is that we understand our spiritual growth is not where we want it to be but we are closer than where we started.  Amen.