Is Jesus your Reason or your Excuse?

^{Romans 6:15
15} What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!

Many times I have been counseling with someone only to have them say, "yes but God will forgive me".  And I think that, that was the same problem that Paul was dealing with in his letter to the Romans.  Do we knowingly sin because we know that we will be forgiven?  
I think that can be the excuse for people actively engaged in an activity that they know is wrong.  But on the other hand I think most Christians, if asked the question would say "No".   As least I would hope that they would say no.  But question I want to propose to you today is, "What is sin?"   

I believe that sin is anything that falls short of God's best for you.  Now there are some sins that are sin for everyone, and the Bible is very specific about those sins.  But some sins, may not be sins for everyone.  What is sin for me, may not be sin for you.  The sin comes when we are not living and doing what God has called us to do.  Look at Jonah, God called him to go to Nineveh, but instead Jonah decided to go a different way.  Not everyone was called to go to Nineveh, so not going to Nineveh would not be sin for everyone.  But Jonah was called and decided to run away from God's calling on his life and that was sin.

So what happens when God calls us?  Do we go immediately and do what God is calling us to do, or do we run away in the other direction?  Or maybe we don't run away, but we stay in the same place.  

God tells us that he has plans for our lives, plans that give us hope.  He has direction for us.  He has goals for us.  But how many of us, consult him when writing goals?  How many really seek him first or do we start out on our plans and directions and then ask God to bless it.  

Or are we so concern about knowing every last detail, that we never even get started?  Are we living our purpose?  

Jesus knew his purpose, and he lived that purpose to the end of his life on earth.  He was not distracted by everyday life, but was focused on what needed to be done.  Everything he did, was getting him to his ultimate purpose.  And he got to that purpose at exactly the right time.

Where do we fall in the spectrum of living our purpose?  Are we going the right direction?  Are we going the right speed?  Are we standing still?  or Are we running away from God's best for our lives?

Is Jesus our reason or our excuse?  Jesus tells us to follow him.  To watch him, to learn from him.  If we do that we see the Jesus was our perfect example or how to live our purpose.  Don't let the "love and mercy" of God, excuse you from being exactly who he made you to be.

If you are not sure what your purpose is, there are ways to discover your purpose.  
1. Know that your purpose will always align up with God's Word.  God is not going to call you to be or do anything that is against his word or commandments.
2. God gives each of us gifts and talents, so what had God already given you?  Now this may or may not be the ultimate determination, because sometimes God calls us out of our comfort zone in order to grow us into who he wants us to be.  Think of Moses, speaking was not a gift, he would probably of thought he had.  
3.  What is your passion, what concerns, ideas, thoughts keep you up at night?  What are you drawn to?   Now I'm not talking about what worries keep you up at night, but what concerns make you wish you could do something, change something, donate something, invent something?
4.  If there was no money involved what would you want to do?

Sometimes sitting down and just writing, using the questions above will lead you to where God wants you.  But we must also listen.  What is that nagging thought that just won't go away?  Maybe God is trying to tell you something.  Listen to other people, sometimes, if we are paying attention, you will get confirmation from others.  
God doesn't want his plans to allude us, he wants us to pursue them.  So if we ask and we listen he will tell us.  He won't tell us everything, so don't wait around for every last detail, but he will tell you enough to get started today, and then each day he will reveal more.

 

Cross Walk and Bomb Scare

Every year our city has a Cross Walk to commenerate Jesus walking to Calvary before he was crucified. This was the 28th year that this walk has been going on, but it was my first time to participate.  I had been wanting to go for a few years, but this was the first year that it worked out that I could make it.  

When I decided to go, I didn't call any friends or anyone to ask them to go, I just kinda went.  I figured that there would be someone that I knew, because a lot of people attend, and because people always tell me that I know everyone, so I was bound to know someone, right?

When I got to the movie theater, where everyone was meeting, I noticed that everyone seem to have a group of friends that they were meeting up with.  Every time someone new arrived there were shouts of "hello", hugs and "how are you?"   But as for me, there was no one that I knew.  I suddenly felt very alone, wanting to run back to my car and leave.  But then I started thinking, "is this how Jesus felt on his cross walk?"   Did he feel all alone in a sea of people?  What was Jesus thinking as he was walking, carrying the cross to his death?   What pain he must have felt, when he heard Peter deny him.  Where were the others?   The ones who only less then a week before, who were singing his praises, ready to crown him king.  As I looked around, I wanted to feel what Jesus felt, I wanted to know the pain my savior suffered on my behalf.  

As I watched the people gather, I wondered what were they here for?   Were they here to remember our king, or were they here because a friend asked them to come?  Was it social or was it personal?   

What about those that were there, that day over two thousand years ago?   What compelled them to come see Jesus crucified?   Were they there because there neighbors were?  Were they there because they wanted to be there for Jesus, or were they caught up in the crowd, yelling "Crucify Him"?   

So many young people, kids and babies joined us on our walk today.  And I wondered, did parents bring their kids out to see Jesus crucified?   Did they tell their children the truth about Jesus and what was happening?   Did they point and say, "see her, that's his mom"?   

There are times in our history, that when asked everyone can tell you where they were and what they were doing when it happened, the Kennedy assassination, the Space Shuttle explosion, the Twin Towers coming down.  Was it the same for the ones in Jesus' time.  Did they talk about the day the earth shook and the sky darkened?   

Right as we were beginning our walk I felt a twinge in my knee, and I thought, "praise The Lord".  I wanted to feel some pain when I walked.  Jesus did.  To me this was not a fun time, I did not wave to the passing cars.  This was truly a time to remember, to allow myself to feel and to say thank you, for I know that even if I was the only sinner in the world, Christ would have still died for me.  

As we were walking our 2.2 mile route, we were suddenly stopped.  It seems someone called in a bomb threat at the park where we were heading.  As we waited, I thought about Palm Sunday when the Pharisees wanted Jesus to quiet the people down.  Jesus said that even if the people were silenced, the rocks would cry out.  Here the enemy was trying to silence Jesus' people, doesn't he know that even if he stopped us, the very rocks would sing praises to The Lord?   As the police made us wait, I thought, what would stop me from praising my savior?   Would I stop, under the threat of death?   I can honestly say, that no, I will praise Jesus and spread the Good News, even under the threat of death.  Nothing will stop me.  

So I ask you, do you know Jesus?   If you were to die tonight, do you know where you would wake up tomorrow?   You see the Bible tells us that all have sinned.  We have all done things that are wrong and against God's Law.  And because of that sin, we all deserve death and eternal separation from God.  But God humbled himself and came down to Earth, Jesus, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and then voluntarily died on the cross to pay the price for our sin.  You see, it was the Jews or the religious leaders or the government that placed Jesus on the cross, it was His Love For You!   Jesus died for you, was buried in a tomb and then rose again three days later, thus conquering death.   That was God's part, that is His gift to you, our part is to accept this gift.   We must admit that we are sinners, that we deserve death, and accept God's gift as payment for our sins.  When we ask Jesus to come into our hearts, he does and cleanses us from all unrighteousness.  

If you already know Jesus as your savior, please respond with "amen" below.   If you have never done this and would like to, please go to my website and leave me your contact information.  I would like to pray with you, answer any of your questions and send you a Bible.  

God Bless.  

Licking the Spoon and Taking out the Trash

Esther 4:14
For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Luke 19:40
But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cryout.”  

I can remember as I was raising four boys that sometimes things went to the closes son.  So if you were in the kitchen while I was baking, then you got to lick the spoon, likewise if I saw you when it was time to take out the trash, then you got that duty.  It was much easier than looking for another son, when one was always close by.  All I knew is that something was there to be offered or something needed to be done, it didn't matter as much by whom, just that is got done.  Some things were met with excitement and other things were met with "Awww, why me, I did it last time"  But sometimes there would be a blessing given to the one who did what was asked of him.
It seems that God often works in the same way.  When Esther wasn't sure whether or not she wanted to go before the King regarding the plot to kill her people, Mordecai assured her that God would deliver the Jews, even if He had to use someone else.  
When the Pharisees wanted Jesus to quiet the people and stop them from praising Him.  Jesus told the Pharisees that even if the people didn't praise Him, the rocks would. 
God's will, will get done, either with us or in spite of us. 
But how much more exciting it would be, to be the one that God uses.  
So how does God pick who to use?  Does He look for the brightest, strongest, handsomest, richest?  No, although being those things does not disqualify you from being used, it is not what God looks for.  Much like when I would call the son closest to me, God is also looking for those close to Him.  
Are you spending time with God?  Are you in His word?  Are you spending time in prayer?  
When you are close to God, you will hear His voice when He calls and believe me He will call.  
What will you do when He calls, will you joyfully do what is ask or will you argue "why you?"  
I pray that you will step up and do whatever it is that God calls you to do.

During my 90 days transformation, I have been asking God to use me.  I have been praying for the eyes of Jesus to see what needs to be done, and asking for a servant's heart to do whatever is asked.
Some examples where God has used me in this last few weeks have been:  
1.  I was able to pray with an elderly man on the bus who had just broke his cane and was worried about getting home.  He was also feeling that God must be mad at him, and I was able to share with him, God's love.
2. I was at the right place and time, when my step grandson was having difficulty breathing.  I was able to first calm him down and then get my son and his mom, who called the paramedics.  I was also blessed to use this as a teaching moment for my three year old grandson, as we prayed together for brother Joey and his parents. And then;
3. This weekend when we had a yard sale, God told me to put up a sign that said, "Need Prayer" and I was able to pray with several people that came to the yard sale.
See God did not look for anything that the world would look for, I am not some great prayer warrior, what I was, was staying close to God and then obedient when God called my name.
God wants to use you too.  
Please leave a comment about how God is using you, or any prayer request that you may have.

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