When I started this blog I promised myself and the readers that I would not only examine other's thoughts, the world, religion and politics but also myself. This is one of those times when I will crack open my head and my heart a bit and let something ooze out in hopes that it will re-focus, strengthen and teach me and maybe encourage someone else in the process.
Sometimes I get caught up in the thought that my life will never be anything important. When I was younger I just wanted to be a famous singer who had the perfect amount of money and a model wife with no kids to get in the way. Oh, and of course I was going to put Jesus first in everything (sarcastic irony #1). As I got older I settled for the idea of maybe just being able to make enough money performing to support my wife and maybe one kid, living in a small tourbus traveling the U.S. As usual I planned to keep Jesus first (sarcastic irony #2). Now I have grown accustomed to the idea of my third child on the way, paying my way out of debt from past sins, sometimes not having enough money and using my musical abilities for a few youth group gatherings and an occasional fill in job to lead worship while I work as a bookkeeper the other 50 hours a week.
Yeah, sometimes I get caught up in those thoughts. The truth is that those thoughts are composed of a few lies. Lies that the world told me and I believed.
Lie #1: You can have it all and Jesus too.
Lie #2: Being a rockstar and rich is far more glamourous than being a husband and a father.
Lie #3: That my life is the focus and that I should strive for it to be important.
The thing that knocks me out of this pattern of thinking is looking at the model that Jesus set for us all in scripture. The Bible tells me that Jesus was not married, broke and homeless. The Bible tells me that Jesus served others even to the point of slavery by washing His disciples feet. The Bible tells me that Jesus was fully man and fully God so He did not have to go to the cross. Instead, He chose to do the will (obey) of His father in Heaven. The Bible tells me that He did miracles and wonders not so he could be the biggest celebrity of the day and well liked but so that we would know the Father and His glory. The Bible tells me that Jesus was disowned by his community and family, denied by his closest friends, betrayed by Judas and murdered brutally.
Knowing what the Bible says presents me with truth that the world thinks is ludacris.
Truth #1: Having Jesus is having it all. If you have everything but do not know Jesus, you have nothing. He is not the cherry to your icecream sunday or the icing on the cake. He is the bread of life and the water that quenches eternal thirst.
Truth #2: Being a rockstar may seem more glamourous than any other mundane lifestyle but it only seems that way because the world has indoctrinated us to think so. If we the words of the Bible fill our hearts and minds then the world's ideas will begin to look extremely foolish and even dangerous.
Truth #3: Despite what we were told in our Positive Action classes in kindergarten, we are not all going to grow up to be president and we will not achieve everything we set our minds to. Our life is not to be about us at all but about bringing glory to God. He gives us one command in scripture that covers all the other commands if we obey it. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength". To do this makes life much more simple. I did not say more easy, better, profitable or even happier as JO would have you believe.
So as I approach my thirtieth birthday in a few months (all of you who are older can stop with the "youngin" wise cracks) I look at my life with truth from scripture and I see a man who is striving to live for the glory of God and not the glory of me. I see a father who wants his children to know Christ. I see a husband who wants to treat his wife in such a way the the Lord is pleased. I see a sinner who has gotten older, fatter, and less interesting to the world but has and continues to be undiservingly used by God to expand His eternal kingdom and show the world the love of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes I get caught up in the thought that my life will never be anything important. When I was younger I just wanted to be a famous singer who had the perfect amount of money and a model wife with no kids to get in the way. Oh, and of course I was going to put Jesus first in everything (sarcastic irony #1). As I got older I settled for the idea of maybe just being able to make enough money performing to support my wife and maybe one kid, living in a small tourbus traveling the U.S. As usual I planned to keep Jesus first (sarcastic irony #2). Now I have grown accustomed to the idea of my third child on the way, paying my way out of debt from past sins, sometimes not having enough money and using my musical abilities for a few youth group gatherings and an occasional fill in job to lead worship while I work as a bookkeeper the other 50 hours a week.
Yeah, sometimes I get caught up in those thoughts. The truth is that those thoughts are composed of a few lies. Lies that the world told me and I believed.
Lie #1: You can have it all and Jesus too.
Lie #2: Being a rockstar and rich is far more glamourous than being a husband and a father.
Lie #3: That my life is the focus and that I should strive for it to be important.
The thing that knocks me out of this pattern of thinking is looking at the model that Jesus set for us all in scripture. The Bible tells me that Jesus was not married, broke and homeless. The Bible tells me that Jesus served others even to the point of slavery by washing His disciples feet. The Bible tells me that Jesus was fully man and fully God so He did not have to go to the cross. Instead, He chose to do the will (obey) of His father in Heaven. The Bible tells me that He did miracles and wonders not so he could be the biggest celebrity of the day and well liked but so that we would know the Father and His glory. The Bible tells me that Jesus was disowned by his community and family, denied by his closest friends, betrayed by Judas and murdered brutally.
Knowing what the Bible says presents me with truth that the world thinks is ludacris.
Truth #1: Having Jesus is having it all. If you have everything but do not know Jesus, you have nothing. He is not the cherry to your icecream sunday or the icing on the cake. He is the bread of life and the water that quenches eternal thirst.
Truth #2: Being a rockstar may seem more glamourous than any other mundane lifestyle but it only seems that way because the world has indoctrinated us to think so. If we the words of the Bible fill our hearts and minds then the world's ideas will begin to look extremely foolish and even dangerous.
Truth #3: Despite what we were told in our Positive Action classes in kindergarten, we are not all going to grow up to be president and we will not achieve everything we set our minds to. Our life is not to be about us at all but about bringing glory to God. He gives us one command in scripture that covers all the other commands if we obey it. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength". To do this makes life much more simple. I did not say more easy, better, profitable or even happier as JO would have you believe.
So as I approach my thirtieth birthday in a few months (all of you who are older can stop with the "youngin" wise cracks) I look at my life with truth from scripture and I see a man who is striving to live for the glory of God and not the glory of me. I see a father who wants his children to know Christ. I see a husband who wants to treat his wife in such a way the the Lord is pleased. I see a sinner who has gotten older, fatter, and less interesting to the world but has and continues to be undiservingly used by God to expand His eternal kingdom and show the world the love of Jesus Christ.
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