Posted in Faith, Leadership, Life Inspiration

EXPECTATION AND SANCTIFICATION OF A CHILD OF GOD

There is a consistent struggle in my life that I know I was cut from the cloth of, but it doesn’t make it any easier to live in the garment.  The reason I land on this topic today is, because I stood before someone earlier this week and had to defend why the truth and transparency is important. Then I heard a pious air hole explain their “theories” of religion and I almost puked. The two have much in common for me and have created me to be who I am. You see, I changed garments in 1996. Believe me when I tell you that I still have pieces of the previous garment in my pockets, but the new garment that the Lord gave me reminds me somewhat of Joseph’s coat of many colors given to him by his earthly father. I’m not of Joseph’s caliber of person. Likely our only common thread is that our Father gave us a new coat and people don’t understand why.  

Genesis 37:3-11 KJVS

Not long after that his brothers throw him into a pit and sell him into slavery. They kill a critter and soak Joseph’s pretty new coat in the blood and convince his father that he’s been killed. But of course, God had a plan. This story is one of my favorites and for many reasons, not of the least which is the new coat. 

So let’s talk about this garment for a minute. 

It Caused Contention

[3] Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. [4] And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him.

I’m here to tell you, because I’ve witnessed it in multiple people; any time God does something new and exciting in someone’s life there are people who get upset. People didn’t get upset because I got saved, they got upset because I changed garments and it was very colorful! I made it a point to stand out because my Heavenly Father had given me a new garment and I was going to wear it proudly. And if you didn’t wear yours proudly, I wondered why? Unlike Joseph, I knew that all my heavenly siblings had been given the same coat. But they’d take it off. If they were with friends who perhaps didn’t have a coat (the unsaved) they’d take theirs off so they could fit it. I’d either wear it, or we wouldn’t hang out if it bothered people that bad. If they went to work, they’d leave their garment at the house and put on a work garment. Work and faith don’t mix for most people. Praise God, God blessed me with employers who understood and honored my new garment. I didn’t ram my new found faith down anyone’s throat, but I sure didn’t hide it. When I began Ridgeview News, I still wear my garment. I’m going to stand before the Lord one day, and He’s not going to put on a different hat to judge my secular life and then put back on His “spiritual” hat and judge my faith. Nope, they are one in the same in the eyes of the Lord. Have I made mistakes in the secular world. Oh yeah. And in my spiritual walk as well. That coat has gotten soiled on many occasion, God always had a stain remover handy when I came back home.  I know, metaphors can get confusing sometimes, but to put it in layman terms, God forgave my failures, wiped the slate clean and allowed me to begin and again. Many times. In those times of contention, do we forgive those who have sinned against us? Really? With a clean non judgmental slate never to be thought of again. Not likely. 

I know this because I’ve recently brought up things that people did years ago. I wasn’t harboring any anger or ill will about it,  I just liked remembering that people who didn’t like my new coat had issues. 

It Caused Comparison

[5] And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more. [6] And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: [7] For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf. [8] And his brethren said to him, Shalt thou indeed reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over us? And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, and for his words.

His brothers wanted to know, “who died and left you in charge?” Like Joseph, I have upon a few (few too many) occasions, called people out. Right or wrong, I really don’t know, but I know it made me look as though I thought I was God’s favorite and they should straighten up because Dad and I had been discussing the situation. I didn’t for one second think I was better than them, but if they weren’t going to recognize their issues, perhaps I’d just enlighten them. Nobody like’s being called out. Me included, but for some reason I’ve always lived in a world where someone called me out on my stupidity. I’m pretty sure God set that into play too, to keep me humble. 

The point being, God did allow all of this to take place, so that He could show those who thought they were above judgement that they would be judged and God was in control. 

It Caused Controversy

[9] And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. [10] And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? [11] And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.

Even Joseph’s father, who gave him the coat and started the whole ball rolling didn’t really understand why Joseph was speaking this prophecy. But it does say that his father “observed” it. He took note of it. People don’t have to like what I say. I’m okay with that. I’ve not liked a lot of things, many preachers have said. But, I’m smart enough to look at someone who wears a garment of Christ and take note of what they say because I could be wrong. 

Joseph’s father was wrong. Joseph did indeed end up being over them as ruler. But that’s not the point of my focus today. The point I wanted to bring attention to was the fact that Joseph took every position he had in life serious. As son, as prisoner, as servant, as ruler. It didn’t matter, he lived every position he had as a child of God. 

Our garment is different than everyone else’s if we are a child of God. It’s a royal robe with expectation and sanctification. We are without excuse for not “observing” what God’s doing in our lives. 

Love and hugs from the Jesus Chick today. God bless ya!

Posted in Christian Service, Grace, Leadership, Life Inspiration

Willingly or Dragged… it’s a choice

Go Willingly

Genesis 37:28

Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

It is said that Joseph’s journey into Egypt was a 30 day march for which he likely would have been bound by chains. While his brothers in all their “kindness” opted not to kill him, they certainly would have had his blood on their hands if something had happened to him. In their anger about Joseph’s arrogance (in that he bragged about one day being ruler over them) they sold him to be a slave with total disregard for his safety or the brokenness of their father’s heart. Along that thought line this morning I have to wonder how many times have I sold the Father’s Son out for a piece of the world and the privilege of not being governed.

Joseph who is an example of Christ, though far from Christ’s perfectness, must have done a lot of self-examination along that 30 day journey. Perhaps that is why, when he got to Potiphar’s house he was ready to be obedient to the will of God. Perhaps he had seen that his boasting had been his demise.

I can understand Joseph, though I’m not nearly as good a person as he. It’s easy to get into that mode when you’re a child of the living God and you know you’re right; but knowing you’re right doesn’t give you the right to sit in self-righteous judgment of other people. I’ve done some self-examination of my own lately.

Self-righteous of the sinner

I can be. It’s not usually my way but it’s not beyond the realm of possibility. I often forget who I was called to minister to in my frustrations with idiot behaviors.

Self-righteous of the self-righteous.

Oh yeah… that’s me. I can’t stand’em. It’s the one thing that will grate on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard. Those high horse Christian’s that are above reproach in their mind and will cut to the core a child of God who has fallen. Don’t get me started…

And then I realize that God didn’t make me their keeper either and my self-righteousness of their self-righteousness puts me in their league. And although I don’t play on their team, when we all stand before God and answer for what we’ve done for Him and against Him, that’s going to be one of those things that have people behind me in line wishing they’d packed a lunch, because we’re going to be there a while.

I need to walk away and find me a sinner and tell them about Jesus. That is where my rewards are and that is where my joy is so why am I wasting valuable time in frustration over judgmental saints.

2015 has me desiring to walk:

  • Walk Closer
  • Walk Confident
  • Walk Content
  • Walk Concerned
  • Walk Compassionate

I do not want to be on a 30 day trek of regret before I get to the part where I still must say, “It’s Your will and way Lord.” Because it is. I can go willingly or I can go in chains, but God’s still going to have His way in my life. Yours too. Let’s walk together, Okay? Please join with me by following this blog and sharing me with your friends. Not that I’m anybody, but that I might be used by God to stir souls for the service of God.

Posted in Christmas, Life Inspiration

What WV and Heaven have in Common

Grist Mill in the Winter, Babcock State Park, West Virginia

Photography credit: http://www.forestwander.com

I have for as long as I can remember, been proud to be a West Virginian. There are as many redneck and hillbilly jokes as ‘Carter’s got liver pills’; some I’ve laughed at, some made me nauseous, but very few have ever upset me. Most are told in good country fun and those that are not, are told in ignorance of the goodness of God that dwells in this place. I don’t think for a second that we are “Almost Heaven” because 1 Corinthians 2:9 says “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” Heaven’s way better than anything here on earth!  But West Virginia does have one thing in common with Heaven… commonality.

Drive down practically any country road in West Virginia and ask for directions and you’ll likely get more information than you wanted! Not only will you get directions, but quite possibly a little family history, political insight or advice on the best place in town to eat. It’s our way. There are the occasional grumpy guss, elitist, or recluse but I can almost guarantee they’re a transplant from another State. It’s just not the nature of the people in rural (Country) West Virginia not to want to help. Yes there is the exception to the rule, for them, I apologize.

The story of Christmas is filled with country. Mary, a virgin girl from the city of Nazareth, who called herself a “handmaid,” meaning servant or voluntary slave (Luke 1:38) is visited by the angel Gabriel with the news that she is to carry in her womb, God. And following her most likely initial shock it says in verses 39-40, And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.  There it is. Just good country people, Mary, Elisabeth and the country Preacher, Zacharias, willing to be used by God. He could have chosen anyone and most would have expected that the Messiah would surely come from a royal estate. But it’s apparent that God’s idea of royalty is unlike ours. He likes country!

And what about Joseph who would be the earthly father of the Christ child? A common carpenter, blue collar worker, although he was of the lineage of David. A man we know very little about, except his trade, and willingness to marry the mother of God, love the Son of God and deal with the stigma that was to come.

And then there were the shepherds, farm boys, who were the lowest of the low in the eyes of society in that day and God sends a host of angels to bring witness of the news of His Son’s birth to these unlikely men. A common thread woven into the Christmas story is common people just like you and I. God didn’t exclude royalty, the wise men received the same news and although it was much later they too were a part of the story of Christmas. No one is excluded from Christ’s story. And although it was a cast of common characters it was far from a common occurrence, it was a once in a lifetime, exclusive event that changed the world.

Jesus’ birth story brings home the message the God uses common, ordinary people to do extraordinary things then and now. God created each of us as a character in His story that continues to be the greatest ever told and each time a “new birth” occurs, at the time of someone’s salvation, the excitement level of that day in Bethlehem is still there and the desire to go and tell somebody! The song go tell it on the mountain scrolls across my mind and cheers my heart with the Christmas Spirit this morning.

I like country. I like common. I love Christ. Go tell somebody!