Jesus is so much more than a holiday

I get it.

Most people grew up in church. It became a weekly ritual. For the very religious ones, attendance required three visits per week. Minimum.

Then annual observances became the norm. Christmas to celebrate the birth of Christ. Easter, His resurrection. There’s a myriad of documents, theories, and arguments about the actual time frame of His birth. We won’t get into that.

I see a trend in Christian circles, and quite frankly, it grieves me deeply.

I’m not here to beat you over the head with the true meaning of these holidays. Jesus instead of presents and commercialization. Jesus instead of Easter egg hunts and candy. Regardless of origins, no one is going to Hell if they participate in those activities.

It’s ludicrous to even think that way.

Jesus paid too high a price for us to only honor Him twice a year. 

This weekend, thousands, if not millions will don their fancy clothes, paint on an extra layer of make-up, and walk into a building to thank the Nazarene for everything He accomplished over 2,000 years ago.

Some will become angry on the way to church, overcome with an undeniable swell of road rage. Some will purposely walk right past at least three homeless people, holding onto merely a shadow of empty hopes and faded cardboard signs. Some will verbally abuse their spouse as they exit the car in the parking lot. Some will smile at the greeters standing just inside the front doors. Some will avoid eye contact.

People, who haven’t attend church on a  Sunday since the first episode of The Walking Dead premiered, will suddenly appear on Easter Sunday. Why is that?

We’ve been trained that if there is one day not to skip out on church, it’s Easter. We can live like Hell all year, but if we walk through the doors on that Sunday, that special Sunday, it’s all good. God will overlook everything else.

Come on.

It’s time to punch religion square in the face and start acting like the people Jesus died for. 

It’s time to stop playing church on Sunday and start being the Church every day of the week.

God peered down the timeline of history and hand-picked us to breathe life. He was excited at the prospect of living inside of us. Living inside of His very own creation.

Jesus didn’t hang on a tree just so we could recite a quick prayer and have our card punched for the train ride to Heaven. He hung there so we could die to our self and follow Him.

We should be on our knees every single day thanking Him for the ultimate sacrifice. Thanking Him for being the example of love we don’t have time to be.

If we’ve reduced the Gospel to an Easter or Christmas story, shame on us.

We have the incredible opportunity and privilege to be ambassadors for our Creator. We were formed from dust of the Earth, but yet our Maker wants to live through us. He wants us to show the world what love looks like.

Jesus was our example. He modeled Christianity for three years. Out in public. Where everyone could see what it meant to live a selfless life. He left instructions for all generations to follow Him.

Stop thinking you deserve to have a good life here on Earth. Stop thinking you deserve the praise of man. Stop thinking you deserve to be treated better at work.

If we want what we truly deserve, we can saddle up the horse and start heading south. Way south. What we deserve is Hell. Jesus went through Hell so we wouldn’t have too. And we only want to pay Him homage twice a year?

Come on, Church. Come on, Saints. We can do better than that.

Jesus was born, crucified, and emerged from an empty tomb. For us. He gave it all so we could once again be reconciled back to our Father. Our original Father. The One from Whom all of life springs forth.

People need hope. People need love. If you are truly born again, there are no unlovable or unreachable people. I’m tired of hearing those words spoken. Those people don’t exist to anyone who has truly become love. Everyone has potential, destiny, and created value. It’s that simple.

Jesus is so much more than a holiday.

He’s the very reason for our existence.

Pre-order my new book, I Believe

I Believe is now available for pre-order. The release date is April 14th, but you can order your copy now. When it goes live for sale, it will automatically download to your reading device.

 

 

Here is a sample from I Believe.

 

Remember Me

It’s nearly time to pay for all of my sins.

I have to be completely honest. I don’t want to die. I’m sure anyone can understand those feelings. Even though you might judge me for all the wrong I’ve done, I hope you can see me as just another man. A son. A brother. A loved one. Someone who has messed up in life, but not a horrible person.

I don’t want to be remembered for my failures, but rather as a man who took responsibility for his crimes. I am a thief. Of that fact, there is no doubt. Everyone knows it. I guess most will remember me for that reason alone. And I can’t say that I would blame them.

If there were a way I could atone for everything I’ve done, I would most certainly make every effort. Unfortunately for me, the list of my wrongdoings is far too long. The judge has decided that I will no longer be held prisoner.

It’s been decided that I will be put to death along with two other men. Other criminals.

There is nothing more I can do but accept my fate. I have been a prisoner for quite some time. At least, in one way, death will be freedom. It’s not exactly how I imagined my release, but it’s a release nonetheless. I’m tired of staring at bars where rays of the sun barely peek through each morning. Where guards toss unrecognizable food carelessly into my cell. I can’t remember the last time I ate something that wasn’t picked up off the floor.

I’ve had plenty of time to sit in silence and contemplate what death might be like. I’m not entirely sure what I believe. From time to time, men would come and speak to us about God. They would tell stories of Heaven and Hell, good and evil. We were shown the error of our ways and the eternal punishment that would follow this life. Just a couple of days ago, they spoke of the Messiah, Who had finally come. The one prophesied about in the ancient scriptures.

That would explain the feeling of chaos that filled our city walls. We heard stories of miracles, healing, and about a rebel who didn’t follow our religious leaders. He spoke of Heavenly things, but not in a similar fashion as everyone was accustomed to hearing. It was reported that He claimed to be the Son of God.

That, in itself, was blasphemy. A crime punishable by death. We had only one king, and everyone knew the consequences of not bowing at his feet. The Romans were known throughout the land as being ruthless when it came to enforcing people’s obedience. There was nothing they deemed off limits in their methods of torture and ways to make people suffer for doing wrong.

They were going to crucify me. Crucifixions were common in our day and age. It was the Romans preferred method of dealing out punishment. I had never witnessed one myself, but the stories I heard were enough for me to get a clear picture of the process. Such a painful way to die. The unsettling fact was that most people didn’t die right away. It could take hours or even days.

I didn’t want to suffer. Since childhood, I had considered various ways I might die, and none of them were favorable. My biggest fear was drowning. I would never have been a good fisherman. I had several friends who had met death at the hands of an angry sea. Some of their bodies had never been found.

Being crucified had never occurred to me. The Romans would either tie or nail me to a cross. The rusty nails would hurt more, but in the end, it wouldn’t matter which method was used. My fate was sealed either way.

I awoke that morning with a heavy heart. It’s a strange thing to realize I wouldn’t live to see tomorrow. It wasn’t long before the guards came and pulled me from the cell. It was time to march up to the mountain where they would carry out our sentence. They pushed me toward the massive crowd that had gathered in the temple courtyard. I had no idea what was happening, but many people were shouting.

The guard pulled me to the front, past the throng of people, and shoved me to my knees. I wasn’t sure if I was just a spectator or would soon be an equal participant in the punishment. A man was chained to the whipping post, and the soldiers argued about who would take the first turn. They had completely stripped away his clothing and dignity. I could see bruising on his face blood dripping from cracked lips.

He didn’t utter a sound. Not even one word in protest.

 

To be continued…

I’m Sorry

I normally only publish on Mondays, but this is something that has been weighing heavily on my heart. I took a month off of Facebook and other social media apps. It was pretty awesome. Nothing legalistic or depriving myself of things as a religious fast. I just wanted a break. On a daily basis, we are bombarded with ads, opinions, and millions of people trying to prove their point/beliefs/convictions to the world. I see hurt, anger, and frustration on a daily basis. This is my apology to those who have been hurt, abused, or cast aside in the name of Christianity.

If our job was to beat people down in judgement, Jesus would have applauded the plank in our hands instead of pointing out the one in our eye.

Dear You,

I wanted to take a minute to just simply say, I’m sorry. 

I’ve been there. I’ve been the one to rant and complain about your actions without explaining the truth about your created value, purpose, or destiny. I’ve used the defense that, as a Christian, it’s my job to tell you the truth. I’ve heaped guilt and condemnation upon your head by abusing the word love. I’ve preached at you with the selfish motive of trying to change you. To point out how wrong your lifestyle is. 

I’ve completely discounted your views and beliefs because they are opposite of mine. I’ve called you names, argued your every point, and even decided to wash my hands of you, because you aren’t worth saving. I’ve said things like “Remove all negative people from your life” or “Life is short, don’t waste it with negative people” or even “You cannot hang out with negative people and expect to live a positive life.” Thankfully, Jesus never thought that way.

I’ve stood outside abortion clinics with huge signs that read, “Mommy, why do they want to kill me?” and “Babies are murdered here.” I saw you walking towards the entrance, and I tried to stop you. Not to say “I love you”, and show you how merciful our God is, but to shout in your face and call you a baby killer. Instead of seeing tears running down the face of an unsure, terrified, shamed, teenage girl, all I see is my agenda. All I care about is making sure you know how wrong your choices are. 

On social media, I’ve posted every scripture verse I can find that speaks against same-sex marriages. I’ve boycotted your stores, products, and creations because you’re gay. I’ve turned my nose up at the very mention of the word homosexual. I’ve seen you walking in the mall hand in hand with your partner, and made a point of glaring at you in disdain. I’ve closed the door to my church and drafted new guidelines that prohibit your presence. I’ve repeatedly enforced my belief that you will most certainly burn in Hell if you don’t repent and change your ways. I’ve scoffed, mocked, and ridiculed you as much as I can through statuses, comments, and blog posts. 

Even though the Bible says to pray for our leaders, I’ve constantly attacked, belittled, complained about, and called you a devil worshiper, Mr. President. Instead of praying that God would quietly speak to your heart and show you His grace and mercy, I’ve made sure to convince all my friends that you are truly an evil man. I’ve verbally attacked the people who voted for you and believe you are a great leader of this country. I make it known that I only vote Republican and look down on anyone who disagrees. 

Again, I am very sorry for the severe injustice I’ve served you by not manifesting the glorious love of Jesus. Even while I was lost in darkness and living a life of death and destruction,  Jesus died on that Cross for me. He died for you as well. Don’t let my actions push you away from a loving God who wants a relationship. Forgive me, and give me the opportunity to love you, unconditionally.

Sincerely,

The judgmental Christian

After a full day of attacking baby killers, thieves, drug dealers, drunk drivers, atheists, devil worshipers, prostitutes, terrorists, and homosexuals, most “Christians” will lay down at night and thank God that He saved them and they aren’t like any of those people. They will sleep peacefully, knowing their names are written in the Book of Life. Then, they will wake up tomorrow and make sure the entire world knows they are a Christian.

We aren’t here waiting for a bus ride into Heaven.

We’re here to love.

The legacy I want to leave

Up until a year ago, life was all about me.

Sure, I was a Christian who loved God and people, but something was missing. My wife and I even spent four years in a ministry, but something was still sorely lacking in our lives. There had to be more to this Christian walk than just living like everyone else. Where was the joy? Where was the peace?

How was I any different than unbelievers? I would get mad when something didn’t go my way. I was easily frustrated. I let the opinions of other people shape my identity. I blamed God for the bad things that were happening in my life. I prayed and read my Bible, but they became acts of routine and not fellowship.

Then we started watching messages from Todd White and Dan Mohler. If you have never heard of these guys, I encourage you to look them up on YouTube. Wow. Up until that point, I had never heard truth preached as clear and sound. The scriptures came alive, and I felt a quickening in my Spirit that had long been reduced to nothing more than a pile of darkened embers.

I finally started to realize who I was in Christ, and everything changed.

Jesus makes it very clear what it takes to follow Him. We have to die to self. We have to give up something that we were never created for in the first place. We were never created for us. We were created for God.

I am going to be perfectly honest with you. I’m still growing into that revelation of truly dying to self. I have made huge progress though. Fortunately, it’s not something we have to try and accomplish on our own, because that would be impossible. We can’t wake up in the morning and “try” to be a good Christian. It begins with a more intimate relationship with our Father. It’s a daily process.

When we die to self, there is nothing else to do but become more like God. Ephesians says we are to be imitators of God. What is God? He is love. Our objective on this earth is to become love. Well, what does love look like? It looks like Jesus. Jesus was the visible image of an invisible God. He was love personified. He modeled the Christian life that we need to live out.

Last week, I gave you an example of Jesus acting like us instead of love. You can check it out HERE. Oh, how life would be so different now.

I want to walk this earth just as Jesus did. Loving everyone. Healing the sick. Praying for the blind. Raising the dead. He is living inside of me, so there is no reason not to do those things. It’s all about faith. Just because I might not see things happen when I pray, that doesn’t change the truth of His words. We’re not here to live by feelings. We’re here to live by faith. The Bible says living by feelings is demonic, so why would we want any part of that?

I want to love my wife with God’s love. Not saying “I love you” in order to hear it back. Not praying that God will change things in her for my benefit. If we ever pray that God will change someone just because we have an issue with them or because it would make our lives better, it becomes all about self, and that’s a dangerous place to be in. (I’m not saying I have an issue with my wife. I just want to keep growing in God’s perfect love.)

I want to model Christianity for my kids. If we go to church on Sunday morning, but get angry, frustrated, and pottered by life every other day of the week, then we’re just teaching our kids that being a Christian means going to church. I want them to see the love of God in how I discipline them, father them, and love them. I don’t want to punish out of frustration, because then it’s all about me. If I punish them, it needs to be done in a way that continues to show them their true identity in Christ. I want them to fully understand their created value from God.

I want to stop passing silently by people on the streets and in stores who may never have heard about God and how much He loves them. Who knows that the next person I walk by, without saying a word to, might be contemplating suicide? They may need the hope that I carry inside of me. They may just need someone to love them without expecting anything in return.

I’m done with living for myself and following the way of man’s wisdom. The way that seems right to a man leads to destruction. God’s wisdom leads to life.

What is the legacy I want to leave behind?

It’s simple. Jesus.

Are we living in fear or by faith?

Webster’s Dictionary defines fear as this:

to be afraid of (something or someone)

to expect or worry about (something bad or unpleasant)

to be afraid and worried

Webster’s Dictionary defines faith as this:

strong belief or trust in someone or something

belief in the existence of God : strong religious feelings or beliefs

a system of religious beliefs

There is a glaring difference in the meaning of those words.

I read somewhere that the word fear is mentioned 365 times in the Bible. As if God was telling us each day not to fear. Whether or not that is just coincidence, I still think it’s pretty cool.

There is no grey area here. We are either living in complete fear, or by total faith. It can’t be both.

We can tell exactly where we are by how we respond to certain situations. We all go through stuff. We face trials, pain, and loss. I heard a sermon a couple of weeks ago during which the pastor said God allows us to go through all those things to teach us lessons. That is a very warped and inaccurate view of our Father. The enemy wants to tear us down and leave us wondering whether God loves us or not. He uses life to control us. We get the call that a loved one was just diagnosed with cancer. We immediately fall apart and start calling on God to do something. That’s fear, not faith.

Faith is hanging up from that call and thanking God that he has given us power over sickness and death. It’s visiting that loved one in the hospital and sharing Jesus with everyone there. Nurses, doctors, technicians. We hear the word cancer, and we gasp. Why? Because that word instills fear in our hearts.

We have the very same power inside of us that raised Christ from the grave of death. That same power can defeat cancer. We have to walk in faith.

If you’re going through anything that relates to death, loss, or destruction, then it’s coming straight from the pit of Hell. The enemy is here to kill, steal, and destroy. Not God.

Fear is turning to God when things have gone wrong. Faith is knowing He’s already there.

We are all at different stages in our walks with Christ. Some are just beginning, while others are more experienced. Our relationship with God is constantly growing. It’s not just saying a prayer and we’re good to go. In a marriage, you don’t just say “I do” and then wait for the relationship to mature. It takes effort.

Philippians 2:12-13 says (emphasis mine):

¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³ for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

The word fear in this passage isn’t the Webster’s definition I mentioned earlier. The Greek word translated “fear” in this context can equally mean “reverence” or “respect”. We are all working through our salvation. It’s a process.

The reason Jesus was able to endure His time on this earth as a man was because of love. He was love personified. He walked out Christianity and gave us something to follow. He had no fear. Why? Because He was perfect love.

1 John 4:18 says:

¹⁸ There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.

If we are walking in perfect love, then we won’t live in fear. Our goal on this earth is to become love. God is love. We are to be imitators of God. (Ephesians 5:1)

If we worry, fret, and live in constant fear, we aren’t walking in love. 

It really is that simple.

If you can’t love someone because they might not give it back, you’re living in fear. Faith says “I love you.” Period.

If you have to set boundaries around yourself because of people, then it’s all about self, and you’re living in fear. Faith is not distancing yourself from people, but loving them.

If you can’t approach someone in a crowded mall to let them know how much God loves them, you’re living in fear. Faith walks over and shares the hope of glory within us.

My goal is to completely surrender myself to perfect love and drop all fear to the curb. It’s the only way to truly follow Jesus. He said to deny ourselves.

Fear is all about self. Faith is all about surrender.

Let’s talk about sin

Back in October, I wrote an article entitled, Is a sinless life possible? Needless to say, it stirred up quite the conversation. Especially when I said my simple answer to that question is yes, I believe it’s possible.

I’m not trying to convince you of anything. We are all the stewards of our own hearts. I’m not here to go 12 rounds debating this either. That is pointless and a waste of time. My blog is about things I believe and how I live my life. It’s okay if you think I’m wrong. I’ts okay if you want to call me a heretic or accuse me of blasphemy. None of that changes my beliefs or the fact that I love you.

When I read the Scriptures, especially when it comes to sin, I always do the if/why thing. Let me give you some examples.

If it’s impossible to live a sinless life, why would John say this in 1 John 2 (emphasis mine):

 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Notice he says IF we sin, not when we sin. There is a huge difference. The word “if” implies that it may not happen. When says it will.

When it comes to the topic of sin, so many people point to 1 John 1:8-10, which says:

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

John is talking about the born again experience. If anyone says he has no sin, he deceives himself. Why? Because we were born into sin. We need to confess our sins so God will forgive us. Not only does He forgive our sins, He cleanses us from all unrighteousness. This stuff is so powerful when read in the proper context.

If it’s impossible to live a sinless life, why would Paul say this in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

When we are born again, the old is gone. Done. Settled. Wiped away. We are a brand new creation. That means all of our past is obliterated. Sin no longer has any control over us. One of Satan’s biggest lies is making us believe that just because we have the ability to sin, we are nothing more than sinners trying to make it through this world. We are not sinners. We are saints! Paul never addressed his letters to the “sinners” of the different churches, but to the “saints”.

If it’s impossible to live a sinless life, why would Paul say this in Romans 6:11:

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We are dead to sin. People will point to Romans 7 and say that Paul was writing about what a wicked person he is. Why would he talk about how dead we are to sin in one chapter, and then go on to say he can’t get away from sin in the next? That doesn’t make any sense. Paul is painting a very clear picture of the difference between walking in the Spirit and walking in the flesh. When we become born again, the flesh no longer has power.

There is probably a lot more to be said on this topic, but I will end here for now. I will leave you with this paragraph from my previous post.

And if Jesus already forgave  ALL our sins, why do we think we have to grovel on our stomachs, weeping and wailing whenever we do stumble? If bad thoughts enter our mind out of nowhere, we immediately think it’s something inside of us, and we seek prayer, deliverance, or at least counseling. But, it’s coming from the outside, from the one who was already defeated. Yes, we repent and go in the other direction, but we don’t need to accept condemnation and guilt. It can be as simple as saying “Father, I know you didn’t create me to think like that. It isn’t me. I love You so much. Thank you for dying on that Cross for me. Thank you for making it possible to walk in righteousness. I thank you that I no longer live by my flesh, but by the power of Your Holy Spirit.”

And it’s not just thoughts that try to enter, it’s old desires and the sinful nature of our former self.

So, yes, I believe a sinless life is possible. I believe it’s possible to walk in complete righteousness with God. The Bible says too much about it for me not to believe that way.

Above everything else, we are to seek His righteousness.

Stop trying to do God’s job

I want to apologize up front if this post comes across a little stronger than usual. Time is short. People are dying. As a Church, we need to take a long, hard look into the mirror, and figure out real quick-like how we are representing the word, Christian.

It’s not our job to change people. Let’s start with that.

We sow seeds. Sometimes, we get the amazing opportunity to water those seeds. God brings the increase. God, through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, brings conviction into people’s hearts. He brings change.

We’ve got to stop thinking everyone is wrong if they don’t believe exactly as we do. To put it quite simply…that doesn’t matter at all.

We need to stop debating with atheists, agnostics, and Mormons. We need to stop boycotting every single business that supports gay marriage. We need to stop pointing out everyone’s faults.

And we most certainly need to stop saying, “Loving people means speaking truth”, when it’s used as the ammunition in our judgmental weapons.

I’ve come to the point now where I don’t even look at the comments section on any controversial blog posts or articles. Especially those found on Christian sites. It’s utterly ridiculous to see people arguing and fighting among themselves in the name of Christianity. It literally makes me sick to my stomach. And I used to be one of the very same people I’m writing about today.

To be blunt…we need to get over ourselves.

Why have we reduced the Gospel to not loving people just because of what they do? How they decide to live their life? How they dress? The words they use? Who they marry? Whether or not they have tattoos? The songs they sing? Because they smoke or drink? The movies they watch?

Jesus looked straight into the eyes of the soldiers hammering nails into His hands and feet, and asked His Father to forgive them. If there was one man on this entire planet who had every right to be ticked off, offended, and hurt, it was Jesus. He didn’t even entertain those thoughts, because He chose to deny Himself and become love personified.

Why do we have this pressing need to always be right, and argue our point to the bitter end? Why do we get so easily offended by non-believers? Why are we walking around hurt by others? Why are we hand picking those we decide to love?

I know why. It’s because we’re still holding on to our rights.

If we truly want to follow Christ, we have to give up every single right we think we have. We have to give up everything we were never created to be in the first place. Die. To. Self

Jesus didn’t say deny the devil and follow Him. He said to deny ourselves.

Stop trying to be judge, jury, and executioner. Stop telling people they are wrong. Stop using scriptures out of context to prove a point. Stop assuming just because a person smokes, they hate God. Stop telling people you love them while expecting something in return. Stop denying people service in your restaurant because of their beliefs or sexual preferences. Stop going into a church building every week because it’s the Christian thing to do. Stop asking God to change people because it would make a situation more comfortable for you.

Stop trying to be anything other than love personified.

Just stop.

Do we truly want it all?

I don’t want to admit this, but I will. I’m all about being open and transparent with my readers. You aren’t going to Google me and find a skeleton party in my closet. I want to be honest with you.

I love Golden Corral.

There. I said it out loud. Whew. That wasn’t nearly as difficult as I imagined inside my head. I’m a sucker for an all you can eat buffet. GC, Chinese, pizza, etc.

I love the variety that a buffet offers. It’s usually impossible, but I try to get a little taste of everything. In the past, I would polish off four plates and not think anything of it. These days, however, I stop myself at two. I’m in my forties now. I can’t eat like I used to. Don’t you just (insert verb of your choosing here) people who can eat all day long, and not gain an ounce? Tape worm or metabolism? I don’t know.

When it comes to the Gospel, Jesus makes it crystal clear what’s available to us as believers.

The Gospel isn’t a buffet where we pick and choose what we want, and discard the rest. 

Why would we not want it all? Christianity is divided into so many different denominations, doctrines, and beliefs, that’s it’s impossible to keep up with them all. Most times, each church or ministry has one main focus. They operate in one small portion of the Gospel.

Some are driven to help the poor.

Some focus on discipleship.

Some on healing.

Some have deliverance ministries.

Some completely ignore the gifts of the Spirit.

Some preach the Bible, but stay away from Holy Spirit.

Some chase after signs and wonders.

If those of us, who call ourselves Christians, can’t even agree with each other, why would a non-believer want anything to do with what we say we have?

In Mark 16:17-18, Jesus says this:

And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.

And in John 14:12-13, He says:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ¹³ And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

What did Jesus do while on the Earth?

Healed the sick. Made the lame walk. Cast out demons. Raised the dead.

I don’t know what He means by “greater things”, but I want in.

There’s a catch, though. I know why everyone is not on board with all of these things.

Too often, we base faith on our experiences and not on the words from Scripture that were penned in red. 

We might pray for someone to be healed, and they aren’t. We say healing isn’t for today.

We beg, plead, and lay hands on a still child, but they don’t come back to life. We say raising the dead is absurd.

We command evil spirits to leave someone, but nothing happens. We say casting out demons doesn’t work.

We quote Biblical promises, post them on our Facebook and Twitter all day long, and believe they are true, but yet we don’t truly believe the very words that Jesus spoke.

It doesn’t matter what we have or haven’t seen. None of that changes the truth of God’s Word.

Faith isn’t receiving news that a loved one has cancer, freaking out in fear, and then begging God to do something. Faith is knowing that even when someone we love is stricken with a horrible disease, the Gospel doesn’t change. It’s knowing that only good things come from above. It’s knowing that the enemy is here to kill, steal, and destroy.

And it’s believing that we have the power inside of us that raised our Savior from the darkened tomb.

Let’s seek first righteousness and His Kingdom. Let’s walk in faith. Let’s do it all together

Image is everything

I read something on a blog over the weekend that made me realize even more why we have such a hard time walking in righteousness.

Someone posed the question, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Why did God create man so weak and sinful?”

My answer to that is simple. He didn’t.

Gen 1:27-28 says:

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

Then verse 31:

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

There is no evil, sin, or weakness in God. He created man in His image. It’s repeated in that verse, so I know it’s important that we get it. Everything God created was good. Until sin entered the Garden, man was walking in perfect righteousness with God the Father.

Satan was very convincing, offering Adam and Eve everything they thought they were missing out on. A couple bites of fruit later, man fell, and the law of sin and death began.

Too often, we relate our identity to our ability to sin.

We walk around defeated, believing we are just messed up people always on the verge of sinning.

One of the biggest phrases used is, “Well, I’m only human.”

So what? God says to live by the Spirit, not by our flesh. So being human isn’t an excuse.

Jesus paid a very high price on the Cross to reconcile us back to the Father. God has given us a chance to reclaim what is ours from the very beginning of time. Our true identity as sons and daughters of the King.

I believe it’s entirely possible to once again walk in righteousness with God the Father. Just as if man had never eaten the fruit. If it’s not possible, then what are we doing here? Jesus didn’t die just so we could get a ride to Heaven. He mapped out the Christian life for us by being born a human, and walking in complete love while on this Earth.

He made a way to reclaim our identity, our birthright.

Being a Christian isn’t about trying not to sin. It’s about total and complete transformation of life.

It’s about seeking righteousness above everything else.

Matthew 6:33 –

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

But, that was Jesus

Stop saying that!

We use the phrase as an excuse when we don’t see things happen.

Jesus was a human, born of woman, grew from a child to a man, got baptized by John the Baptist, and left the Jordan River filled with the Holy Spirit. Then he modeled the Christian life for 3 years. He said to follow Him, so I know it’s possible.

In John 14:12, Jesus said:

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

He didn’t say only a few would do those works. He said whoever believes. That’s all of us, Church. He didn’t say give it a shot and see what happens. He didn’t say try it, and if it doesn’t work, don’t ever try it again.

No, He said if we believe in Him, we will do the things He did, and greater.

I don’t know about you, but I want that. All of it.

Just because we don’t see the results we were looking for, it doesn’t change the truth of His words.

Faith is looking past our experiences and believing the words written in red are true.