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Sunday, September 29, 2013
A Jesus Perspective
> A Jesus Perspective
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> I need a Jesus perspective in my life everyday. Not just in times of trouble or despair.
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> Jesus perspective had no racism in it. No pride in one culture or race.
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> What would Jesus say to anyone who has financial problems, health problems...etc
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> Philippians 4:7
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> 5 perspectives to discuss today!
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> 1 Peter 2:11-12
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> Any crisis we face on earth does not change anything for us eternally!
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> #1 this world is not my home!
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> We need to be reminded that we live in a broken world. Our world is not meant to be perfect. We get mad and upset when bad things happen. We think that we deserve all good things!
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> #2 Everything in this life is temporary!
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> 2 Corinthians 4:18
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> Jesus understood that this life was meaningless with regards to sufferings and blessings. True blessings and peace comes only in heaven.
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> What am I investing in? What has taken priority in my life. I should not be consumed with the next 50years but the next 50,000 years which is not even true eternity!
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> #3 Putting hope in money is bad!
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> 1 Timothy 6:3-12; Matthew 6:19-24
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> #4 Focus on the blessings!
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> 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
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> #5 God is our only hope and he is always with us!
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> Philippians 4:4-7
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The Truth
> The Truth
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> Truth is disappearing! Today truth is not something we believe is absolutely true. We are conditioned to expect broken promises and half truths.
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> Mark 10:13-16
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> Jesus would always call attention to the truth..."I tell you the truth". Jesus highlighted what was important to get people's attention.
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> Jesus points out how little children receive gifts. I must receive the gift of the kingdom of God the way a child does! A child receives any gift regardless of what it is with pure joy!
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> When an adult gives a gift there is an underline responsibility to give a gift back. Adults feel a responsibility or guilt to have to earn it or repay it. Children do not feel obligated. They except the gift without guilt or compulsion!
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> Children are excited about the gifts they receive and they tell everyone about it!
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> I have received the greatest gift from the greatest giver! Am I grateful for the gift of salvation. How am I showing my gratitude?
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> Mark 10:29-31
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> I cannot out give God. My sacrifice will never earn me anything. Regardless God is going to bless me with so much more than anything I could hold on to. Letting go of what ever I am afraid to let of go is what God is asking of me. As a result God will bless me.
The Full Measure!
> The full measure!
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> Ephesians 3:14-19
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> It was Paul's prayer that we might be filled to our full measure of Gods love! How much time do I spend praying for others?
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> Do I feel like I am filled to the full measure of God?
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> Being filled to the full measure has three requirements!
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> God power!
> God insight!
> God moment!
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> Do I want to be filled to the full measure of God? Am I tried of feeling or living half empty? God want to change me continually from the inside out.
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> Vs. 17 - it starts from the heart!
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> The world does not live for the glory of Christ...the world lives for itself! Am I living to glorify Christ or living to satisfy myself?
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> With out Gods strength we cannot have Jesus in our hearts and without Jesus in our hearts we cannot be rooted in love!
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> Pray for a God moment in my life...vs. 19-21
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Demas Syndrome
> Demas Syndrome......scriptures on Demas.....Philemon, Colossians, 2 Timothy
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> Demas was with Paul and was noted in Philemon and Colossians as a brother of God and in the faith. In 2 Timothy Demas leaves God to chase after the world!
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> Why do we chase after the world? We want to change some circumstance. We want ideal lives. We don't need to change our circumstances but flourish in the life that we are in.
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> 1 John 2:15-17
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> The things of this world may help make you better off but it can never make better men. The world is competing for my love. God on one side and the world on the other side trying to push for my life. Either God is either pushing the world out or the world is pushing God out!
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> We are all investing in a failing company. We either buy more and more stock in the world or we realize that the earth and the things of this world will all pass away!
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> Is there anything that brings me more joy in life than my relationship with God?
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> Is there anything I'm not willing to give up for God?
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> To love perfectly means to hate perfectly! God loves perfectly and he also hates perfectly! If you really love something then your really hate anything that threatens that love!
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> If I don't hate sin then I am not loving God.
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> What is my definition for success in life? Do I value more the definition of success defined by the World?
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> I need to live on this earth with eternity in mind!
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> Everything I do on earth will either bring joy or regret!
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> Am I caught in the Demas syndrome and don't even know it?
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Why Family?
> Why Family?
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> From the beginning "Adam and eve" two become one. Think of the power in two becoming one, united, unity....etc
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> Abraham was blessed through his children.
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> God chose to be know as the "father" of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.
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> Before time even began....there was family in heaven. Father and Son in holy union. In Genesis it says " let US make man in our image."
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> Gods plan is that we have a family like his. But this does not mean that our physical family is perfect. Dysfunction is inherit in family. Our spiritual families and relationship with God is meant to fill the gap!
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> Why family....because God loves family. Family is what God compares his relationship with us and the church.
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Aim For Perfection.
> Aim for perfection.
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> Basketball analogy....no matter how far away the basket is you aim for it. The further away the basket is the harder the shot. But I shot will never be made unless we aim for the basket!
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> Two opposing truths? Proverbs 26:4-5 for example. Faith vs deeds is another example.
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> Am I suppose to be perfect? Should I simple live my life on faith alone.
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> Matthew 5:43-48
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> Do I am for perfection in every area in my life? Aiming for perfection seems almost unchristian and works based.
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> Jesus does not call us to be perfect because he thinks we can be perfect but because without aiming for perfection we are destined to fail.
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> Am I aiming for perfection?
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> The standard is perfection and the bible has teaches the an opposing truth that when we do fail we grace is there but the standard is still perfection!
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> What is my standard and what am I aiming for?
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> 2 Corinthians 13:11
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> Every time I aim for perfection I will never reach perfection. But isn't that the point?
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> 1 John 1:5-7
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> Walking in the light does not mean that you are perfect and without sin. Walking in the light ensures that when we fall short Gods grace covers us with the blood of Jesus!
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> What areas in my life do I settle for less than perfection. Where I except "just good enough"?
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Monday, April 22, 2013
Abraham's Faith
Sunday, February 24, 2013
God's Will
Wilmer McLain: refused to take part in the Civil war. He had friends on both sides. He moved up north to Virginia thinking he could escape the war. Ironically the war started in the battle of bull run that took places in the city near Mclain's plantation. McLain wanted nothing to do with war and it started in his back yard. He moved again south and he found himself in the same situation. The war ended and a deceleration of peace was signed in his house. He lost everything in his first plantation and lost everything in his second plantation as a result of the war.
We can't escape the war. I am in a spiritual battle that I cannot escape. Is Jesus Lord? Jesus is my commander and leader! Jesus has to be Lord in my life.
Joseph in the same way was giving a destiny that he did not ask for or was he seeking but he accepted Gods will for his life. To understand what Joseph went through we have to understand what it meant to marry in the Jewish culture.
1st stage included an arranged relationship. The family of the father had to pay the family of the bride. The 2nd stage was and agreement period and it was considered binding even though they were not officially married. The third stage was the actual ceremony of the wedding.
Matthew 1:18-25
Mary was pledged (2nd stage) to be married to Joseph and found to be pregnant! He was a righteous man who's character was being questioned because of Mary's pregnancy! Joseph could have abandoned Mary and totally humiliated her but chose not to! Joseph died to his pride and chose compassion instead of anger or revenge. He must have struggled with even believe Mary that she had not been unfaithful.
In order for Joseph to for fill the will of God in his life he had to be broken. His heart had to be broken. Joseph surrendered his pride and accepted this!
Joseph surrendered his privacy! By taking Mary as his wife he subjected himself to public humiliation. Joseph life was going to public. He was to raise the messiah.
What has God asked me to surrender for him. What has been my response?
Joseph surrendered his personal priorities! What Joseph had in mind for his life had now changed.
Matthew 1:22-23
God is in control. He chose Joseph for a reason. This is what Joseph needed in his life! Through surrender Joseph was able to for fill his destiny!
Doing Gods will is not about convenience but always about sacrifice! Am I shuttling between north Virginia and south Virginia to avoid the battle?
Matthew 1:24
When Joseph woke up...time to wake up!...Joseph did what God commanded him to do! Follow God and simply do what he commands me to do!
Joseph headed over his pride, priorities and his privacy....Joseph like Jesus said not my will but your will be done with my life!
Monday, January 28, 2013
What Price Will You Pay
No Limits!
Mark 5:1-34
How far am I willing to go for God? How far was Jesus willing to go? He was willing to leave the comfort of his home, to be poor, to suffer and eventually sacrifice his life for God.
Do I have a limit for what I would do for God? There should be no limit. When there is no limitations, we allow God to open and close doors in our lives and we allow God's will to prevail in our lives!
When we think about Jesus we typically see four types of people around Jesus. There were gatherers or watchers. There were those who followed Jesus but only at a distance. There were those who pressed in and tried to get as close to Jesus as possible to check things out and see first hand what Jesus was all about. Then there was the one who would reach out and touch Jesus! To be one with Jesus. To be connected to him! This fourth person separates themselves from the crowd!
Jesus did not respond to the followers, gatherers but always responded to the ones that reached out and touched him. No one who touched Jesus left the same person. There was change. Their life changed!
Just as Christ had no limit to what he would do for us we too should have no limits for what we would be willing to do for God!
Devotion through strength and honor!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Recalculating
Jeremiah 40
Jeremiah 44
Monday, January 14, 2013
Jeremiah 39
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Jeremiah 38
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Devotion
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
What Matters Most?
Andre Johnson gives to charity every year by allowing 12 kids buy what ever they want from Toys R Us for 80 seconds.
What really matters most in my life?
Matthew 6:19-24
If I could persue anything or have anything what would it be?
There are some many things to peruse in this world...what is your heart set on? We can set our hearts on heavenly things or worldly things.
We chase after worldly things that can never truly be ours! We can not take anything with us! Our worldly possessions all will expire. We need to seek treasures in heaven!
How do you know if your are seeking treasures in heaven? I cannot store up treasures in Haven by accident. If I do not decided to store up treasures in heaven then it will never happen. Is about a choice and a decision to put more value in Godly things.
No one would ever say that they serve money and that money is there god! We justify it and mask our idolatry under the curtain of a savings account, a new card that we MUST have...ect.
A good barometer of where our heart is, is by looking at what we invest our time in. Am I investing my time to advance Gods Kingdom or am I investing in storing up treasures on earth?
Matthew 6:25-34
God warns us not to run after theses things! What things? Everything in this scripture is a need . We have legitimate needs and God knows this!
The pagans run after these things because they do not have a God to meet these needs. I serve a God that will provide these things for me! Trying to rely on my self and provide for my self by chasing after these things is a a form of atheism! With out faith it is impossible to please God!
God says seek his Kingdom first! Is there a dollar amount that would take priority over my relationship with God?
What about dating? If your single do you have faith that God will provide the man or woman that you need? It always come down to faith in God and trusting that he has our best interest at heart!
"His Kingdom and his righteousness"! Means his needs and his will before my own. It's also about Lordship. Who is Lord? I cannot serve two masters!
Seeking Gods kingdom...how often am I sharing my faith, giving to others and laying down my life for God? When we seek God first and when he is priority our life becomes what it was intended to be!
Monday, June 25, 2012
A Full View of Grace
John 11:1
The very things that "delay us" may be that very things that God is using to bring deliverance or salvation.
Sorrow, sin and death: every problem we'll ever have.
Why doesn't Jesus run back to Lazarus? He is omnipotent but we don't understand... There are tough days out there. We have to fight our thoughts and emotions, fight them with the truth/the Bible!
•During the darkest of times i have to be certain of God's love! We have to commit to holding on to the truth, God's truth!
"You can not judge God's love by his actions, conversely, you can't judge His actions by His love."
Sometimes the very thing that is making us suffer is the very thing that God needs to turn me to himself!
Genesis 36
We can not mistake material things for spiritual blessings... The cross. Is our spiritual gift!!
•We have to understand God's character:
Hebrews 11:8-13
Sometimes we think we deserve things/blessings; we act as though we're owed something!
God sees much more than what we can see; all of His discipline is for our own good! Never done mean spirited!
We need to know God's character.
We can not try to conform God to our schedule, we need to walk in His light/his schedule!
Jesus weeps; hurts because they're hurting, because of their lack of faith?
Is my goal comfort or to glorify God?
***If my joy in this life is rooted in my comfort, it can not last!!!***
Our spirit needs to long to die with God! So that we may live in Him!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Dressed For Success
- Our nature is to rely on our selves.
- We are powerless against our own sinful nature.
- in order for us to be strong our strength has to come from God.
- Scheme means to devise a plan or plot an action.
- The devil's scheme is to devise a plan or plot an action to separate you from a relationship with God.
- Through temptation
- Worldly troubles, hard times.
- Deceit
- Relationships
- Vs 13 Says "when the day of evil comes" there is no "if". We are all in this battle whether we want to be or not. There are no by standers. What do we need in order to stand up against it?
- What do you think the belt of truth represents?
- How important is it?
- Why do you think Paul uses a Breastplate to describe righteousness?
- Why do you think Paul describes our faith in God as a shield?
- How does a helmet relate to salvation?
- How is Gods word used as a sword?
- We have to seek the truth
- Repent and make a decision to live righteously
- We need to accept the Gospel of Christ and share it with others
- We need to have faith in God and make him Lord of our lives
- After baptism what are we given? The sword of the Spirit!
Sunday, April 22, 2012
The Truth About You
- When you look at those 5 things, how does it make you feel?
- Does it give you a sense of value?
- Are you proud of those things?
- Do you take pride in who you are?
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
- Why did God create you? Did God create you to simply graduate from High school, go to college and make a lot of money? Did God create you to just to become everything that you desire to be?
- Why did God create you?
- What do you think Gods plan for you is?
- What does it say Gods plan is for you?
- What does God want from you?
- How does God want you to seek him?
- Possessions you own...money, ipods, guitars, clothes, etc.
- Personality traits you have...funny, outgoing, crazy, etc.
- Sports you play...soccer, volleyball, baseball, etc.
- Things you like...music, television, movies etc.
- Physical characteristics...color of hair, height, etc.
- Where you go to school or live, your hangouts, family situations, etc.
- Anything else that describes you still left on the page...grades, friends, etc.
- What do you have left? "I AM"
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Life and Love of God
From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in-we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. (1 John 1:1, 2 MSG)
Regardless of our shortcomings - Jesus sacrificed himself and we can repent every day!
But the one who keeps God's word is the person in whom we see God's mature love. This is the only way to be sure we're in God. Anyone who claims to be intimate with God ought to live the same kind of life Jesus lived. (1 John 2:5, 6 MSG)
We needn't live in the shame of our mistakes. Accepting that we can NOT be whole without Him is truly the only way we will find peace. Living like Jesus - having a tenderly close and dear relationship can happen for each of us - every day!
I remind you, my dear children: Your sins are forgiven in Jesus' name. (1 John 2:12 MSG)
Living for and loving God is very different from how many of us were raised and is fundamentally to the same as how we care for our worldly possessions.
Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world-wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important-has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. (1 John 2:15, 16 MSG)
Living for others is living for and loving God too!
This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. (1 John 3:16, 17 MSG)
God sent Jesus with hopes that we might choose to, "...live through him."
My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love-so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about-not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. (1 John 4:7-10 MSG)
Those living in and loving God needn't ever fear - a life without worry IS possible in Christ. Let us allow Jesus to remove all these fears and put all that energy into LOVE.
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life-fear of death, fear of judgment-is one not yet fully formed in love. (1 John 4:18 MSG)
And, finally...
We, though, are going to love-love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both. (1 John 4:19, 21 MSG)
My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God's Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he's listening. And if we're confident that he's listening, we know that what we've asked for is as good as ours. (1 John5:13-15 MSG)
Loving others IS loving God. Living for God is following Jesus - the sum of the law.
Monday, April 2, 2012
The Cross Is Our Bench Mark
The Real Me (The Real Us)
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels-everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe-people and things, animals and atoms-get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the Cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 MSG)
The concept of reconciliation - using the industry of financial management to convey BENCHMARKS - the importance of standards
As disciples, the BENCHMARK is the cross. It is the standard and doesn't lie - it's 'actual.'
The world asks us to compare ourselves - we do this very naturally / we size ourselves up with others (neighbors, friends, etc...)
The CROSS must be our one and only standard - size ourselves up to that moment, that sacrifice, that LOVE from and for God!
What happens in our lives when we Do Not follow the cross as our standard? How do we pull ourselves back into the fold when we do?
Talk to our brothers and sisters and BE RECONCILED. Don't stay AWAY from the cross. We don't have to wait or compete with God's grace and his loving peacefulness.
We were made in His image and his likeness - not just in a purely physical manner... In all ways. Cling to Him, His truth, and His sacrifice for each of us - the CROSS.