Christianity is a Charge, not a Badge

Beloved, Christianity should be a charge put on us by others, not a badge we tag on ourselves. Calling yourself a Christian is not what leads people to identify you as a follower of Christ. Actually following Christ is what should lead people to call you a Christian. There is an important difference. If we have to be the first to specify ourselves as a Christian, then we may not be “living a life worthy” of the name.

And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians. –Acts 11:26

Not everyone that decides to put on the name of Christ has actually
put on Christ, and been baptized into His death and resurrection. Many still flaunt and feed their growing ‘pet’ flesh, but just wear the Christian sweater over it. But any associate of Christ should be found dead in the flesh, and only alive in “the Way, the Truth, and the Life” of Jesus.

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have
put on Christ. –Gal 3:27

Christianity is not just a label that you self-proclaim, but an indictment of society as evidenced by one’s radical love and obedience to Christ. Those on the witness stand of your life should be convincing the jury of your unquestionable association and resemblance to the son of God.

Another saw him, and she said to the bystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” –Matthew 26:72

Our belief in Jesus should not only be our defense, but our prosecution! Their testimony (not just ours) should be a convincing case of our kinship to Christ, beyond all reasonable doubt. If many of us were taken to court for wearing our Christian badges, the charges would be dropped, because no witness would be found in heaven, earth, or even hell to convict us.

But the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" –Acts 19:15

This is a challenge to myself, as well as all disciples. In our hearts AND in the streets, let’s be the generation "called by His name"!

Does God Find You Attractive?

Contrary to popular belief, God is NOT attracted to any and everything, not even if the name Christian is slapped on it. As people love to quote: "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder", and yes God beholds those things that are right in His eyes... and enjoys only those things. He is a gentleman with standards also. He doesn't degrade/ prostitute himself.. so He seeks out men and women that are pleasing in His sight -- His eyes -- His beholding -- His standard of beauty.

God is teaching me that He does not unequally yolk Himself, but only draws near to those who invite His Spirit and His Truth; so to love me, He must prune me (Rev 3:19). If I am to remain in His jealous gaze, I must remain in His refining fire (Deut 4:24). If I am to be His lover, all other lovers must be abandoned (Hosea 2:7,14,16). To please him, I must obey and allow Him to finish His work in me both "to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13).

And yes, to be noticed by God, I must come away from the crowd... I must come alone.
*smiles and runs off to be with my beloved...


REFERENCES and PROMISES
Numbers 23:9
For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, Not reckoning itself among the nations.

2 Corinthians 5:9
Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.
(Whether I feel Him present or not, whether I'm seen by others or am in secret).

1 Thessalonians 2:4
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.

1 John 3:22
And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.

Matthew 12:18“ Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.

John 8:29
And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.

Romans 8:8
So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

1 Corinthians 7:32,34
But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord... There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:10
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Ephesians 6:6
not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

1 Corinthians 14:1
you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; 2 for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

MARRIAGE: the EXCEPTION, not the EXPECTATION?

Blog entry 12/14

1 Corinthians 7 – marriage was the EXCEPTION, not the rule. Staying single was the STANDARD expectation and exhortation spoken. Marriage was only suggested by Paul if there were “EXTREME CASES” where a man could not control his lusts. So if everyone is getting married (or desiring marriage) today, what does that say about our lusts (passions)… ? Mind you, like Paul cautions, if someone marries, it is NOT a sin. However, like he admonishes, “those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that”-1 Cor 7:28.

Paul is aware of the urgency of the times and just wants us running as hard as possible, as light as possible, to save as many as we can. God has offered the Kingdom to this world, but then states that the Kingdom is within us; thus, he has offered us to the world. Our life is no longer our own, so we cannot waste it on civilian affairs. LIVES ARE WAITING TO BE REDEEMED by the fragrance of Christ that God has placed in our earthen vessels. So my encouragement today is just the same as Paul’s, check to see where the urgency of your heart really is. Even though it is God’s pleasure to give us marriage if it is our heart’s desire, it says something about our spiritual character if we’re panting after “the troubles of marriage more than the suffering of missions.” Of course, I am preaching this to myself also. If you find yourself frequently consumed with the thoughts and desires of marriage, ask God to give you an increasing passion and burden for the least, lost, and lowly. You cannot change your heart, BUT YOU CAN PRAY to God who changes hearts :-)

I pray our hearts will be so ablaze for the Kingdom so that whether or not we marry, our lives, relationships, and children will be poured out for the sake of the cross alone… to the very last drop.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!


p.s.*******THIS IS NOT AN ANTI-MARRIAGE NOTE (I MAY get married one day :-)

YES.. Jesus is my crutch.

If you pass someone stumbling, weak-bodied, and limping along on a crutch, would you taunt him, call him a pitiful handicapped, and proceed to yank the crutch from under his arm.? Most would answer no to this question.. but then do this very same act daily towards their Christian associates.

Many atheists, agnostics, pagans, neutrals and the like love to "enlighten" Christians by letting us know that our "Christianity is only a crutch for the weak".. needy.. foolish.... and to that I confidently respond, YES IT IS... and YES I AM.

Because, yes, I am that man. I am the weak, limping, stumbling leper in this walk of life. I am the retard who is a licensed professional at driving my life into obvious walls, off steep cliffs, and into dark waters with visible "do not feed the alligators" signs.. only to come out mauled EVERY SINGLE TIME; and with not just external losses mind you, but fatal internal injuries and shattered bones. Yes, I am that prideful handicap that cannot even stand, yet stubbornly pushes away all familial/loving support in an attempt to sprint off to my dream INDEPENDENTLY, believing "I can do anything I want if I just push myself hard enough".. and of course, FALLS FLAT on my back, PARALYSED no matter how many steps I managed to make forward. Yes, I am the terminally ill, who is foolish enough to think I will live a long life, and may even find immortality through my hard work and charity. *sighs*

It's really sad, I know.. but hey, the first step is realising I have a problem, and by golly I did, after discovering that my worsening shortness of breath was being caused by a hole in my heart (or spiritual PFO - it is congenital, meaning it’s a defect that exists from birth) [stroke.org].

I must say, it took a while to find help, since most kept offering me their blind, limited advice, or similarly broken bodies. Others were even confident enough to believe I could heal like they did by developing "self-improvement" habits. But it seems, I must have been a unique case, because I was broken beyond "self-repair". Others even assured me that "nothing is wrong with you, this is the norm for everyone". Thought all was lost, and even got depressed but got a wacko thought that saved my life-- "even a hi-tech robot is repaired by its creator", because only the developer would know the all the complex inherent factors that were hidden away behind the scenes. And thus the search began... and my physican was found... "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." --MArk 2:17

It seems being messed up wasn't "normal" after all.. just the norm around here :-) So yes, Jesus is my crutch, my meds, and my chemotherapy... my warm blanket, my bandaid, and my vitamins... my Healer, my Physician and my preventative treatment. YES, Jesus is my all. So now that I'm taking my meds (which is the only reason I look barely stable) I can keep up with you guys, who ARE NOT sick, and thus don't need a physician.. BUT, by golly, I still need my crutch.. take it away, and I am as dead as a doorpost... so please stop trying to yank it from under me. Thanks, I appreciate it :-)


REFERENCES

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means,'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." --Matt 9:12-13

Song of Solomon 8:5
Who is that coming up from the wilderness, leaning on her beloved?

Luke 11:34
Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light, but when it is bad, your body is full of darkness.

Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Giving Sexy Back

God makes things beautiful, but God never brought sexy into the Kingdom. He never looked at sexy and thought "it is good" and decided to give it to His people. So the fact that we came into the Kingdom and did not see it there, does NOT mean that it left. Sexy was never here! God never intended it for "His called out ones". So why are Christians BRINGING SEXY BACK?! Why do we feel the need to usher in something that was never promised to us. Why are we carrying a banner that goes against the very definition of holiness... which He called us out to be (James 4:4). Yes, Christian, you got called out.. stop comparing yourself to other people, even others in the church.. God called YOU out by name (John 21:22).

Quite frankly, I think the confusion between the Kingdom and the Church has fed, and even created, this misconception. The Kingdom and the Church ARE NOT SYNONYMS. "The Kingdom is not a religious system, an institution or something that can be organized into committees or study groups. If we are to capture this culture with true Kingdom values ...we [may have to] start using terms that are unique and don’t carry the baggage that the word “church” does".. if that is what it will take to shake us out of our worldy mold. The Ekklesia/ Bride of Christ/ Disciples are not called to be sexy!

The Church is being transformed to look more like the Kingdom, NOT the other way around. God is not lowering His Holy standards to comply with changing church culture, He is calling us up to meet His, and to STAND on it. So yes, I am sure you have seen sexy in the church. I am even sure you have seen sexy in me! But please!.. bretheren, do not use me or the church as your measuring stick, or else you may miss "His kingdom come". I am not writing this blog based on my own standards, because I am not calling people to myself! “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true" (John 5:31). I AM CALLING PEOPLE TO CHRIST. Of course, I am striving to be more like Him, but I AM NOT HIM.

And YES!.. I am judging, so that I can be judged (Matt 7:2). I am throwing the boomerang out there to stir up disciples, just so it can come back and hit me hard, and provoke me to righteousness. And yes, this is for those who profess the love of Christ.. not outsiders. "For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges." (1 Cor 5:12-13). We are supposed to sharpen each other, but usually we refrain from speaking, fearing what others will say about our eye planks. But bring it on! PLEASE show me the planks in my eyes, because we are running to Christ together, and my plank will only end up tripping up your race too.

Men, women, brothers and sisters, let us give the world back it's "delicacies" and refuse to eat of the king's table (Daniel 1:8). Rather, let us feast on the true King's Word which will transform us, from the inside out; Let us set ourself apart, "exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25). Those who are called by His name, I am calling you out, let us give sexy back... it's starting to stink up the place.

References

BEAUTIFUL - Having qualities that delight the eye.
Synonyms: admirable, angelic, appealing, beauteous, charming, classy, comely, cute, dazzling, delicate, delightful, divine, elegant, excellent, exquisite, fair, fascinating, good-looking, gorgeous, graceful, handsome, lovely, magnificent, marvelous, nice, pleasing, pretty, radiant, ravishing, refined, resplendent, splendid, statuesque, stunning, symmetrical, wonderful

SEXY - being erotically attractive to another
Synonyms: arousing, flirtatious, erotic, hot*, inviting, provocative, provoking, racy, risqué, seductive, sensual, sensuous, slinky*, spicy*, steamy, suggestive, titillating, voluptuous

John 5:30
I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

Modern Parable: 2 Kids - 1 Spoilt Brat - 0 Growth.

During a lengthened fast recently I got a revelation bigger than $10 million.

I didn't see it's value then, but more and more I'm realising God has given me a renewed set of lens with which to see my true spiritual conditions even clearer, and to thus improve my resulting actions.

Imagine you have 2 kids. One of them pretty much ignored, given a few morsels once a week, usually on a Sunday, maybe a few "treats" on other days, when you find "enough time" ..just enough to barely survive. The other, very spoilt, overfed, wasteful, comforted at the first sign of discomfort, bribed with gifts whenever a tantrum is thown, ego well-stroked, pride seldom-rebuked ... a rotten brat!

Now ladies and gentlemen, I am sure you're probably thinking along the lines "Not my kids! I would never raise kids like that... over my dead body!" And folks, that is exactly right! OVER.YOUR.DEAD.BODY these are kids you now have.. and nurture.. no need to imagine. Or more like, WITHIN your dead body maybe. But definitely portions of yourself, made in your image, given to you to steward. Drum roll please, as I present to you, your spirit, and your flesh.. in that exact order.

YES, the 2 children I described above are your very own spirit, and flesh, respectively. A scraggly emaciated spirit man, and a selfish, greedy, plump kid aka, your flesh. But it gets even better, the first child, your spirit nature, is only an infant... a malnutritioned one at that... yet a newly created being that was birthed with hope and destiny in it's eyes. The latter, is a professional and haughty mischief-maker, that began enslaving the newborn from day one to do it's bidding, and to exist only for it's benefit.... all this happening with your help and approval as the parent of the house. And even worse, you daily swear up and down to your friends that the first, the newly created toddler, is your favorite child, because of this child's lovely, quiet and gentle demeanor... while you daily watch it get oppressed by it's older sibling, and only turned your head.

Believers, I am not talking about the unsaved either. I am describing the 'church', the very disciples of God. I am describing myself.

Disciples, their is work to be done! Alot of disciplining/persecuting/crucifying of the flesh, that Christians seem to run from is allowing the flesh to run rampart with his luxurious lifestyle, high-maintenance desires, need for worldly entertainement and being fed constantly... and it has tied the hands of our very spirit man, because we have unconscioulsy sold our spirit man into slavery to it's sibling, by starving it's growth and living on milk alone.. but empowering the hand of the greedy, needy flesh which has forced our spirit man to bow in fear and subjection.

And then we wonder why no signs and wonders are being performed. Frankly, it's a joke, watching us pray and ask to perform MIGHTY WORKS in Jesus' name.... because our spirit man can barely stand up and fend for itself in it's own house.. our bodies, much less in the spiritual neighborhood outside.

Bretheren, disciples, let's get to work!


"No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (NIV)
--1 Cor 9:27


References (NKJV)

Galatians 4:29
But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now.

Romans 8:5
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

1 Corinthians 5:5
deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Romans 8:12
Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.