better to not know the truth, than to know it and ignore it

It is by God's grace that I have come to know Him, and he has revealed His Word to me in a new light. I read verses I have read over and over again, but now it's like I am now reading them for the first time. Understanding them in a completely different way. I wonder how I read them before and did not see. And I know it is because God has opened my eyes and my heart to his truth. I am extremely aware of the responsibility this gift bears. I now know what God requires of my life, and I am fully responsible for whether or not I choose to give Him what he requires. We are all responsible for our sin, whether we know it is wrong or not. But I can no longer plead ignorance or hide behind lack of understanding. Jesus' words are clear:

"That servant who knows his master's will and does not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:47-48

Today, I'm reading 2 Peter and find this again, as I'm sure I will find it many more places...

"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them." 2 Peter 2:20-21

thought of the day

When is dying really gain? When the only thing we are living for is Christ.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Phillipians 1:21

When you get to the point that you are no longer living life for you own agenda, when your life is spent only on Him, you realize you have nothing to gain from this life. Dying is then gain for you. Living, is simply Christ.

the reality of my life, in light of Christ

There is a story of a town in Maine that was bought out, and was going to become the site of a great hydroelectric plant. A dam would be built across the river and the town submerged under water. When the project was announced, the people were given many months to arrange their affairs and relocate. During those months, a curious thing happened. All improvements ceased. No painting was done. No repairs were made on the buildings, roads, or sidewalks. People knew how pointless investing in their current lives within that town would be. For in a few short months, the town would be destroyed and everything in it would be gone. What a terrible investment to invest anything at all into their current life in that town. How pointless to spend anything making their short time there more comfortable. Instead, suddenly everything they invest in is for their future life in the new place they will move.

I also think how suddenly all the stresses of anything that has to do with life within that town, suddenly vanishes. The little stresses that are wrapped up in a life in that town can no longer exist, because the reality is, none of it matters anymore. The weight of things that people were worried about for their lives there, no longer have any weight. Likewise, you are no longer concerned with the concerns you had about your life in this town. Instead, you look ahead and begin thinking of things that will affect your future life.

This is the reality overtaking my new life in Christ.

better to be poor

I'm thinking about how Jesus said the the gospel is good news to the poor. In contrast, the rich man, walks away sad when he hears the gospel. Isn't this a revealing comparison?

What is the difference between a rich man and a poor man? Worldly goods, things, stuff. The rich man, hindered by the way he clings to his riches, cannot accept the gospel of Jesus, because this gospel requires a man to lose himself... to devote all he is and all he has to something other than himself. The rich man, has a lot to lose. But to a poor man, who has nothing in this life, and has nothing to lose, the gospel is purely good news. Wouldn't it then be better to be the poor man? Perhaps... and Jesus does say, "blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

When you become a new creation in God, the Bible says the old has passed away. You have died to yourself, your ambitions and goals and dreams for your life. You lay those down, and you take up Christ. And Christ in you will use your life for a drastically different purpose than you would have.

thought of the day

"Why are we saving for potential future need when we are surrounded by present dire need?" -David Platt-

I believe Jesus meant what he said, and it's breaking my heart

Letting yourself believe that Jesus meant what he said is devastating... it's devastating to your way of life, but also to the reality of the lost. As you begin to realize what a life truly given to Christ looks like, you are faced with the heartbreaking reality that many professing "christians" lives don't look like this. I know in my heart being a follower of Christ isn't just calling Him Lord, but making Him Lord of my life. But how many "christians" are doing just that: calling him Lord, making a profession of faith, and then basically doing what they want with their lives. Continuing with their plans and dreams and goals for their life, instead of dying to themselves, and taking on new dreams, new goals....God's dreams, God's goals. And I know in my heart when we fail to do this, we have missed it. And it's a crushing reality because I know in my heart "christian" people I know and I love dearly, still need to be saved. In Luke, Jesus says:

"Not everyone who says to me "Lord Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only He who does the will of my father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?" Then I will tell them plainly, "I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!"

As I read this verse, I can't help but picture these people on that day. People who called him their Lord, but never made him Lord of their lives. Jesus isn't talking about atheists and muslims here. He is talking about people who called Jesus their Lord. Who called themselves Christians. Who did things in His name. Who thought they were on the right path. Who will be shocked to find out that they weren't. And Jesus said they will be many. What a sick, dreadful feeling when they realize they missed it. That this God required their lives, required that they lose their own dreams, goals, and direction in life, and do the will of the father. It isn't enough just to acknowledge that he is Lord, and slap a label on our current lives. I think about people I love experiencing this despair and it breaks my heart. I want to tell myself it will be ok. Surely it will be. These people love God, go to church, serve in their churches, and are just really good people. But I know in my heart the truth. And I don't know what to do about it.