Good as God is

“You gave your good Spirit to instruct them and did not withhold your manna from their mouth and gave them water for their thirst”

Nehemiah 9:20

What does it mean to be good? Does it mean to look out for others? Does it mean to give to your local food bank? Or does it mean to be good to self and family?

The reality of it all is that in the terms of man there are a variety of definitions for good. We see “good” as merely being an adjective and not a state of being. We utilize the word “good” to describe a situation or condition, when we should be utilizing the word as the title of a state of being.

When we say a person is good, it should not be in reference to their acts, but in reference to what they are. I know this may be difficult to differentiate, but it is essential in understanding the “goodness” of God.

God is not good because of what He does, but because of who He is! When we begin to understand this fact then we begin to understand the true Spirit of God.

Notice Nehemiah stated that God gave His good Spirit and this Spirit was to instruct. Again, today, we see that God has given His good Spirit and this Spirit is to instruct. What is He to instruct us in? Simply, He is to teach us how to be good, not as an adjective, but as a being.

Now take notice to the second portion of this scripture. A quick examination here will show how the Holy Spirit instructs. He instructs us through manna (bread) and water. Have we not learned that Christ is the bread of life and His spirit is like living water?

It is important for us to accept that in our natural state we are not good. But when we accept Christ and receive His Holy Spirit we can be. As we take in more and more of his Word (manna) and drink in more of His Spirit (water) then we can be transformed into something more than what we once were.

As we grow from not good (I hesitate to say bad) to good we understand the source in which we are tapped into. As man we can only use the word “good” to describe something, we fail to hold the capability to actually be good. However, with Christ we can become good not because of who we are, but because of who He is. Keep that in mind this week as you draw closer and closer to being good.

Beyond Doubt

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”
James 1:6

Doubt. It is a pretty ugly word isn’t it? It is often taught in churches that we are to never doubt when we have faith. We are taught that doubt is the antithesis of faith and therefore we must avoid it at all costs. To this point I can only say that I DOUBT that is truly the case.

James teaches us that we are to have no doubt. He teaches that if we do doubt then we are simply like an undulating wave of indecision that lacks the strength to be decisive. We will walk this earth doubting our abilities causing us to go any which way the wind blows. To this point I can agree.

So now I have fully confused you. Good! I would hate to have you think you know me to well.

All joking aside, what I am getting to does hold water, even if it is wavy. Doubt is a complicated matter and we must understand the role it plays in our lives in order to understand what doubt we should avoid.

I believe that many of you will find that you have struggled with doubt many times in your life. I know I certainly have. Let us begin with the idea that doubt is not the problem, but what we doubt can be.

First we must never doubt God. God is faithful. God is on time. God is our Father. God is many things, but He is not to be doubted. Most of all God is not man.

I find that most of my doubt does not revolve around God but around me. I doubt that I have the ability. I doubt that I am good enough. I doubt that it is possible. This doubt is not always wrong and at times can be used for good.

When I feel that doubt rising in me it becomes an alarm. It signals my need to turn to God that much more and search His Word for guidance. In doing so I do not doubt Him, but I doubt myself. By taking this doubt and embracing it I am actually becoming closer to God. You can do the same.

When James teaches that we are to ask in faith he is speaking to this exact matter. When we doubt ourselves, essentially recognizing our own shortcomings, we should look to God out of faith in His power. You see in this manner we do not doubt in God. We do not become waves blown by the wind, but instead we come stalwarts focused on the steadiness of our Lord.

Today I challenge you to acknowledge and embrace your doubt as a way to latch on to Christ that much more. Use your shortcomings for good. After all when we are weak He is strong.

Eternally Forgiven Life

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Romans 8:1

So who is your biggest enemy? What is your biggest obstacle in life? No doubt many of us will respond with a triumphant “Satan” or claim that “temptation” is what they struggle with most, but what if you just admit that your biggest downfall at times is you.

Take a moment and reflect on your perception of your own ability. We will often find that we are most critical of our own actions and misgivings. It is like we understand the principle of forgiveness when it comes to family and friends, but check forgiveness at the door to self-reflection.

Stop it!

Stop forgiving others while you condemn yourself!

The above-mentioned scripture states that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Are you in Christ? If the answer is no, then we need to have a different conversation, but if it yes, then you need to renew your mind.

A renewing of the mind is essential as we move forward in our God appointed lives. First and foremost you must remember it is not all about you. If it were then life would not be very exciting, now would it? It must first be all about God and your relationship with Him.

All good things come to those who trust in the Lord. This saying holds true each and every day of your life. In fact you have probably heard, read, or said those very words yourself. Well today I challenge you to start living them.

I feel like I need to tell you to go sit in front of a mirror, smile, and say “I am good enough, people like me, and praise God because yes I can do anything.” But that would be corny and slight similar to a television skit. Instead just live out your life trusting that God chose you and forgave you.

When I am in my pulpit and say “Salvation, not condemnation” I am speaking to all people, not just the ones outside of the four walls. It is time. Time to stand up and stop being your own worst enemy. The devil is already trying to tear you down; stop giving him a hand.

I will end with this. God loves you. He knew you in your mother’s womb. He knows the hairs on you head. He knows you better than you know yourself. And He chose you anyway. Stop condemning what God has forgiven and start walking in his precious gift, eternally forgiven life.

Give it All

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

In any given week I find myself traveling throughout much of Stark County and even up to Akron. During these drives I often pass by the local churches and read their signs. There are the standard “Jesus Saves”, then there are the inspirational, and some are even comical, but the one I crossed this week was subtly upsetting.

The sign I read this week read: “Make Jesus part of your 2012”. At first this does not seem like much of an issue. Right? But when you evaluate it further you will find that there is one word that is actually quite disturbing. That word is “part”. See I believe that this is the whole problem with the faith; we all just want Jesus to be a part.

Jesus did not come to Earth and save us from our sins just so He can be a part of our lives. Instead as believers, young and old, Christ is to be our whole life. Remember, in the scripture above, He has begun a good work in you and plans to see it into completion.

God is not some novelty that we pick up on Sunday, or if we are really religious on Wednesday as well. He is meant to be part of our life all the time. When Paul walked the Earth he did not put Jesus down when it was convenient, instead he picked up the cross that much more when it wasn’t. This is how Paul allowed Christ to complete a good work in him.

As we begin this year we each need to look at ourselves and find how we are going allow Christ to have all of us, so that we may have more of Him. They say that you can have too much of a good thing, well they are wrong. You cannot have too much Christ and I challenge you to try.

So in conclusion all I can say is press on for more. Don’t give up with where you are now, for you can always have more. We have yet to come to that time of completion and therefore there is always more to come. Don’t just give Jesus part of 2012, but give Jesus all of 2012.

Garment of Salvation

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness”
Isaiah 61:10

Over the past few years as I have grown in my ministry and relationship with Christ there have been many questions that I have wrestled with. Often times these questions will sprout from curiosity in how my brothers and sisters in Christ relate to the world. Not so much as to what they abstain from, but how they testify and exhort the Word of God.

Anyone who has heard me preach will know that I firmly believe in “Salvation, not Condemnation.” The thought in this phrase is that all to often we attempt to judge or even clean a person up before we share the true glory of Christ. Over the years this has done nothing to advance the Kingdom. Instead it has made the faith into bigotry full of judgment, something Christ Himself taught against.

People often quote John 3:16, yet neglect to read the very next verse where it states that Jesus did not come to condemn but to save. It is true that there is a day of judgment, but that day has not yet come and WE are NOT the judge or even the jury. We have been told to do two things, love God and love others. How is our judgment accomplishing either of those tasks?

In reference to the quoted scripture at the top of this scrawling I want us to take note of the order of things. Isaiah reports that we are first clothed in garments of salvation and then covered in a robe of righteousness. This order is essential for us to understand.

We must first be saved before we can be righteous. Without salvation we cannot even begin to understand righteousness. A well-respected friend once said that the dictionary has very little to say about righteousness, and that is because man has very little to say about righteousness. (Terry, it would appear I listen to you as well). This statement could not be anymore true. The people of the world are incapable of being on or understanding the righteous path because righteousness does not reside in man, but in God.

In summary, what I am leading to is the old idea of “cleaning a person up” or attempting to get them to live a “right life” before they know Christ is fully illogical. Let us first get them to meet our Savior and then let Him wash them. After all did He not wash the feet of His disciples? Is He not willing to cleanse us as well? Let us today reflect on how we share our faith in hope of improving not only others, but ourselves.

Birthed Blessing

“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:20,21

Every time I read the portion of scripture that details the reaction of Joseph to the news of Mary’s pregnancy I cannot but feel a little inadequate as a man. I know that may seem a bit odd for me to say, but think about it. He has just become engaged to a woman and they had yet to know one another in the most intimate of ways. In today’s society I am sure this would pass by with little notice, but in ancient times this was cause for a woman to be stoned.

Joseph had to be swimming in anxiety. There were only two options. One: He defiled his betrothed before the actual wedding and his name would be tarnished as well as hers. Two: She engaged in sexual activity with another man and again defiled his name and Mary would now be executed. To make matters worse an angel came to him and told him that this child was of the Lord’s.

So instead of running away from this woman that was sure to bring him nothing but issues at the Temple, he trusted God. This makes me wonder if I can trust God in the same way? Do we have what it takes to just trust God and his ways, even when our world is telling us that we have committed a grave error?

There will be times in our lives when God will speak to us in such a way that we will want to run instead of receive. At times the ways of the Holy Spirit are foreign to us and we are incapable of fully understanding what it is that He desires. Regardless, we must open our hearts and trust God.

Today, during this Christmas season, I hope that we can all begin to trust God just a little bit more. After all, Joseph did and as a result he was able to share the rest of his life with his Savior. Doesn’t that sound like a gift you want? Do you desire to spend the rest of your days with your Savior? If so then just let go of cultural standards and begin to search for what God wants to conceive and birth in you.

Losing Christmas

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

2 Corinthians 9:7

I can remember as a small boy being full of so much anticipation and excitement for Christmas. Every year we would run down the stairs and look at all the gifts under the tree. It was as if the whole world dumped all their treasures on my living room floor. If you couldn’t tell I really loved Christmas.

Here is the crazy part. My Christmases were always very small. If I remember correctly there were only three gifts every year. We would get some crayons and a coloring book, some clothes, and then some inexpensive toy that I would always adore.

Now compare the first two paragraphs, they almost don’t seem to fit. Do they? Bottom line is that as a child I never knew what to expect, I only knew what I had always had. Sure, I had seen other friends that received mountains of gifts, but for some reason that never bothered me.

In this season of giving we have become so obsessed with who to buy for and how much to give that we have completely forgotten the “reason for the season”. Yes, I have heard the chants from coast to coast about not taking the Christ out of Christmas. How annoyed we get when someone says Happy Holidays or Merry Xmas. But in some ways those are not even the big issue.

Long before the current trend made annual media coverage the enemy lead us astray by getting us to focus on an abundance of unnecessary giving. The word says that the Lord wants a cheerful giver. How cheerful are you when you purchase and give some of your holiday gifts, oops I mean Christmas gifts.

Really, I desire that you take the time to think about this issue. It makes absolutely no sense, and is not biblical, to spend into debt or to fall behind in obligations just so you may give a half hearted gift that you did not want to give in the first place. It is time we stop allowing “the market” tell us what Christmas is about and remember it for ourselves.

Christmas is about remembering the greatest gift ever given. We in turn give presents in honor of that. So ask yourself, does that remote caddy you bought for Uncle Teddy really honor God? Or does it honor a secularly induced guilt you possess within you?

It is time to really remember Christmas. It is time to really put the Christ back into Christmas. It is time to stop listening to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.