New Covenant

Ezekiel 16:3 says, “… [Ezekiel] say, ‘Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem, “Your origin and your birth are from the land of Canaanite, your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.” ’ ”

You may be thinking, “I think I clicked on the wrong blog.” Let me assure you’re in the right place. You also may be thinking, “What a strange verse to start off a blog.” Well, to be honest, it’s the beginning of a beautiful story. If I wanted to tell the whole thing it would take up this entire post, so please, if you have the time and devotion, turn in your Bibles and read Ezekiel 16.

This story talks about a girl who had a very violent and bloody birth and was cast out into the streets with no hope of life while only a baby. A man (God) walks by and takes the baby to His safe keeping. He raises her and calls her His own. When she grows up, she becomes a queen but trades her wealth to become a prostitute. This was symbolic to the way that Jerusalem was acting towards God.

It all started back with the Israelites on the bank of the Red Sea where their disbelief in a God who had just saved from their oppressor was very evident. They complained against Moses, but as soon as God showed up, they responded in “Reactional” Worship. I create this new word to describe a syndrome to describe those who only praise God when He shows up and saves, but in the times where they can’t really see His hand, there is no praise in his or her mouth. This sort of worship only lasts for a little while but is soon drown out by fear, doubt, or just the world and its snares.

I love this picture that God, through Ezekiel, paints. It says in verse 34 of the same chapter, “Thus you [Israel] are different from those women in your harlotries, in that no one plays the harlot as you do, because you give money and no money is given you; thus you are different.” Israel’s adultery came with the bringing in of idols and gods from other countries. They didn’t really gain anything from playing the harlot with these gods, but they just fulfilled their own fleshly desires. There was no payment, but instead they gave money in order to have the people bring in gods.

Something beautiful happens in verse 60. It says, “Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.” There are two different covenants here: one from the past and one that He will put into place. The first one is the Abrahamic Covenant and the second on is the New Covenant. This is so beautiful because it’s a picture of the cross. We see that Jesus specifically died for people who He raised and loved their whole lives, yet turned against Him. He draws them back to Himself.

Again, I love this picture because I believe we are a very adulterous generation. Don’t you think? My brother always said, “Do you want to know what you love? Figure out what you spend the most time on.” We have so many things fighting for our attention and our time consumption, and in the process, we are giving our hearts to things that will fade away and won’t be remembered whatsoever. This is idolatry. God has raised us and called us His own, yet we don’t focus our time on serving, knowing, and making Him known.

Don’t walk away from this post with guilt and saying, “I can never love God fully.” This is so right, and I’m convinced that there has never been a day in your existence where you have fulfilled the greatest commandment. You might have spent the whole day sleeping, and having abstained from evil, but you have never loved God according to His fullness. The New Covenant is completely grace-based. It’s silly to think that we could be perfect in this life, so God had to sent His Son, which I think we should take seriously.

Who do you love? – Forsake All

Kingdom Minded

Colossians 3:1-2 says, “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above not the things that are on earth.”

For a lot of us, we are entering into a new stage in our lives. Most of us don’t really know what is going to happen next, yet we wait in anticipation. For those who are just on the sideline of our lives, they watch with excitement to where we are about to go. For some of us, this means new friends and new dreams. This post is for everyone, but it’s especially for my friends who are going to college this next semester.

Yesterday, I came back from a week of church camp. I had the joy of leading a bunch of Jr. High guys to know more about Christ. The leader over me, who I switched teaching with during the camp, made a few statements that really got the groups attention while everything I said seemed to go over their heads, but who knows! She shared this verse that I’ve put above in order that we would Seek and Set.

This resonates with me as enter into a new world with new people and new goals. Will I finally be able to seek after the Lord with all my heart? Will I make provision so this may happen? This verse helped me come up with a college “Mission Statement” if you will. It’s as follows: I will only engage in activities that help my profession and conviction. This is not to become the most legalistic person on campus so let me explain myself a little more.

The purpose for our existence is to glorify God with all we do. The outcome of this is His fulfillment of joy in us and ours in Him (John 15:11). Matthew 6:33 says to seek first the Kingdom of Christ and all these things will be added to you. I wonder if we get to caught up with “these things will be added to you”. The glory of God is not a means to an end but the fellowship with God is what creates joy. There is no way to get joy without worshiping our Creator for who He is. Our search for joy is in essence the search after the presence of God and His glory.

No matter where you are in life, college student or not, your life is not your own. It belongs to the One who created, saved, and secured you. We also studied this past week about the completion of the Kingdom. When Jesus comes back to get us, there will be so much joy. I wish we thought about the end times more, for I am sure that is the fuel for the seeking and setting in our lives. If we truly understood that only some things will last and others won’t, that would completely dictate the way that we lived. I know you’ve heard this a million times, but as you read this, I’m praying God would show and reveal truth to you.

The hardest part about this is that the world and its sin is so enticing that no one falls short of this. Even while writing this, I think of all things I could do that wouldn’t advance my profession or conviction (By which I mean what God has called me to do for a living and the fact that I am certain He is the only One worth living for). I’m preaching a dream that will one day be completely obtainable and enjoyable. However, this shouldn’t stop us, though it may discourage us, from living a life that is Seeking the face of God and Setting our minds on Him daily.

My prayer for us is that we would become His children who are Kingdom Minded – Forsake All

God is Greater

Psalm 48:1 says, "Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise, in the city of our God, his holy mountain." This is the cheif end of man. I've said it so many times and will continue to say it; we were created to glorify God. However, to glorify God, there is a fullness that is implied. I think this is where we get misled as a church all around the world. We show up on Sundays and Wednesdays to praise God as we should! What we're missing is the rest of our lives that should be praising God. God doesn't demand a 25% return on us, nor 50%, 75%, or 99%. He desires all of us. I pray that I will realize fully that God has given me all that I am and He deserves everything I am.

The potter can say to His finished work that it is completely his. There is no portion of the created that he can claim for himself. I believe it was Andrew Murray who gave the picture of a God who owns every plot of land and that there is not even a square inch that God does not jealously shout over "Mine!" If we truly believe that God created the heavens and earth then why is it so hard for us to understand that He also owns it. No where do we see it recorded that God gave someone else the keys to the earth and then go watch over a different galaxy. He is here.

Think about his nearness and tremble, for there are very recent times in which I wish that God was not near me. I wish He didn't look at what I do or know what I thought. He is entitled to my praise from every part of my life and body, and when I deliever so much less than that, there is no use to my life. I hate to be the guy who tells people that they are useless, but unless you are living for the glory of God, the truth will soon be revealed. I also take this and look at how much of my life has gone to waste to immorality and lust. It's time for a change.

God's love reaches over the oceans and galaxies and universes to touch your heart. While He is over the entire realm of existence, He lives within you and desires to be close to you. He is worthy of all praise and adoration and even more so because He loves us. I've been dealing with so much sin that keeps controling my thoughts and actions but God loves me even while I'm in this. His love will never leave me, and for that alone, He is worthy of all my adoration and praise.

There really isn't a point to this message besides the fact that God is greater than all this world has to give and should be glorified accordingly. I've been listening to so many songs that say that God is greater and that there is no one like our God. This is so true, but why only say this with out mouths when these words are justified by our actions? I ask for your prayers as right now I'm in the middle of spiritual warfare and complete failure and desloation doesn't look too far away. Even so, my God is gracious and just to forgive and loves me even while I am a sinner. He calls me His own.

How great is our God? - Forsake All