Our highest pursuit

I've been converted. I am now an extreme environmentalist.

I don't think we should just strive to conserve resources and maintain current levels of pollution or damage to our planet. We should be working to return the Earth to its original state before man damaged it.

Of course this will never happen until Jesus returns. The Earth is damaged due to the Curse of Sin; it is impossible for the damage to be reversed until the Curse is lifted. Thankfully in Revelation it says that God will destroy the current Earth and a New Earth will be created, this one to be pure and undefiled as the current Earth once was, and to be our eternal dwelling place with God after the New Jerusalem comes down to rest on the New Earth.

Now don't get me wrong - I do believe that we should take care of this Earth. I know I started this post a bit tongue in check, but I am not slamming those who choose to focus their efforts on protecting the environment. After all, God appointed us as its stewards. It is a sorry steward that deliberately or even carelessly lets the item in their responsibility become damaged or through their own actions lessens the value of that item.

But as with everything else, the most important task set before us is to reach the world for Christ. It is not to influence the government, or to eliminate abortion, or to bring prayer back to schools, or to protect the environment, or to bring social justice to the world around us. It is only after He returns that all injustice will be set right, and all wrongdoers will be punished (and stopped), and all people will do the right things. And also only then will the Earth will be renewed.

There is nothing wrong with any of those pursuits I mentioned, or others that we strive for. Many of them are valid, and some may even be things that God calls individuals to do. But we cannot lose our focus of the world above.

Our constant pursuit above all else should be last words of Jesus: preach the word and make disciples. Our constant cry should be the cry at the end of Revelation: "Come quickly Lord Jesus".

The Fall of Saul

(Note: originally posted as guest blogger on Dallas First Assembly of God blog 10/25)

1 Samuel 15 tells a very poignant story.

It starts off with Saul the great King of Israel. Victorious in battle, slaughtering his enemies, he was the champion of God. The anointed. The chosen to lead God's people.


It ends with a heart-wrenching condemnation of Saul:
v35 Samuel never went to meet with Saul again, but he mourned constantly for him. And the Lord was sorry he had ever made Saul king of Israel.

How did Saul reach this point? How could he fall so far so fast? By doing something most of us do everyday.

My wife and I have been fighting this very thing in our 3 3/4 year old son Connor. There are times we tell Connor to not to do something and he goes ahead and does it anyway. Normal kid, right? But normal for us too. When I ask Connor why he did the thing I told him not to do, his reply is almost always: "But I wanted to ...". There is a direct conflict between his will and mine. He then makes the choice to obey or not.

We make that same choice everyday, probably even every minute. Do we obey God or not? Even in the smallest things that choice is there. It boils down to this: do I value God's commands higher than my desires? Or is what I want more important to me than what God wants?

Saul fell so fast. Don't fall with him.

v22-23 What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.

Praise God!!

(Note: originally posted as guest blogger on Dallas First Assembly of God blog 10/24)

I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. Psalm 9:2

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! Deuteronomy 32:3


Praise God!! Praise Him for the blessings He has given!

Praise God!! Give him praise for the calamities He has spared you!

Praise God!! Praise him for being the unbelievably, unspeakably, inconceivably awesome God that he is!


What, you are going through tough times and don't feel like praising?

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7


Through it all, in it all, because of it all - Give Him Praise!!!

He's not done yet

(Note: originally posted as guest blogger on Dallas First Assembly of God blog 10/22)

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1: 4-6

Not satisfied with where you are at? Not happy with the way things are going? Great! You are just where God wants you to be. He's not done with you yet.

We too often look at what we are today and think that is all we can ever be. But God still has new heights he wants to take us to, with new adventures just around the next bend. Just don't get comfortable where you are. One of the laws of physics states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest, while an object in motion tends to stay in motion. In other words it is easier to start doing something if you are already moving, harder to start if you are sitting still.

So you want God to do something big in your life? Get moving!! Find something to do, some way to press in deeper. Start something new, anything from a Bible Study or time of prayer to trying to apply a new virtue to your life. Maybe you could start being more friendly to waiters and cashiers, or finding a way to help around the church with some physical labor. Whatever it is, find a way to start something new. Anything to keep from getting comfortable with where you are now, or God may not be able to move you.

Walk Humbly With Your God

(Note: originally posted as guest blogger on Dallas First Assembly of God blog 10/22)

Have you ever sat back and just watched people? Maybe at a mall or a sporting event, or even at church? I love doing it, just watching the stream of humanity as it flows past and observing all of the non-verbal cues to what a person is thinking.

It may be a group of giddy teenage girls, or the group of boys trying to impress them. It may be a couple that are obviously having problems in their marriage from the anger they show, or another couple that could not be more in love. Or the loner that is shuffling along wishing he belonged.

Or take the person who is so full of themselves and so puffed up I am tempted to find a needle and pop them like they were a balloon. He or she just struts along, their thoughts of being better than those around them so apparent. It is surprising they lowered themselves to even be around other people.

And then my thoughts turn to me ... what would others think of me as I walk down life's ways? Do I act lovingly to those around me? Do I treat others fairly or do I seek to take advantage? Do I seem like I think I am better than those around me, or do I come across as a friend to everyone? Do I act "Holier than thou", or do I accept everyone as they are?

Most of us like to think we are humble, fair and kind, but remember the old saying - actions speak louder than words. What do those around you think about you?

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV

What are you seeking?

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. Matthew 6:33 (Amplified)

So what are you seeking? What are you aiming at, or striving after? What are your goals in life?

Most of us in the American culture would have to say we strive after money, but our true goal is probably more for the comfort and prestige money can bring. Some are always looking for entertainment; they get bored fast and have to find the next fun thing. In the corporate world power and recognition is the reason for climbing the ladder.

On the social front many are always looking for a place to belong, or someone to love them, or friends they can connect with. Or just wanting everyone around them to envy them, or look up to them, or be the most popular in their crowd.

Everyone has something, or usually multiple things, they are searching for or striving after. What is it for you? A good way to figure it out is to decide what one thing you would make happen if you could. Would it be winning the lottery? Or becoming a celebrity? Or falling in love and getting married? Or becoming young again?

How many of us can truthfully say that one of the things we most desire the most is to see God? That we spend all day trying to figure out how to get closer to Him? That we sacrifice other areas of our lives in order to have time with Him? Is going to church a delight or a chore that you find excuses to not do?

So - can you honestly say you are seeking God above everything else? Why not start now.

Delight?

The BibleGateway verse of the day for today:
Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Do I delight in the Lord? I mean really delight in Him?

I can think of a few things I delight in - some of my favorites are the great smile Emma (my daughter) has when she first sees me when I get home from work, or when Connor (my son) is being loving and wants to give me a big hug out of the blue.

Those are great times, and my heart feels like it is about to burst from the pleasure of those moments. I would love those moments to never end, and keep happening.

But do I feel the same way about spending time with God? Do I ache if I have not talked to him in a bit, do I get excited about the opportunity to be with Him?