The Gift Of Undeserved Everything

I think the best gifts are the ones that we don't earn.  There aren't many things that feel as good as the joy and surprise of an unexpected treasure. 

Recently, my father-in-law bought my wife a really fancy gaming laptop completely out of nowhere.  Brandy was totally blown away, since a computer of that caliber felt like an unattainable dream.

Now I'm NOT AT ALL saying that expensive gifts and earthly  belongings are the best way to show love (it all fades away to dust).  But seeing how happy Brandy was at receiving something out of a father's generosity reminded me of our Heavenly Father pouring out HUGE and UNDESERVED gifts on His children.

And when you get right down to it, EVERYTHING the Lord gives us totally and completely undeserved. From the breath we take each moment to the freedom from sin in Jesus, all of the things we should be thankful for are given to us out of GRACE ALONE.

Think about it, nothing you work for is really a gift.  In the same way, our blessings are not a payment for our wages.  Jesus AND ONLY JESUS completed the work of salvation, so He's the only one who should receive anything.  BUT HERE'S THE KICKER:  Christ shares His inheritance and life that He bought on the cross with us!  Praise the Lord.  You probably know all of that, but man do we need to stop and thank Him constantly for such a blessing!

SIDE NOTE:
Another part of what defines a gift, at least in my understanding and interpretation, is the choice to receive it. I know that the very word "choice" is a theological debate hot-button (which I will typically avoid in these devotionals), but I really think that the choice to thankfully receive a gift given is part of what makes a gift fundamentally different than a mandate.

But I don't think our human nature likes being told it's unworthy.  In our flesh we don't want anyone or anything (God included) to question our well-deserved earnings.  When we work or do ministry, it is easy for us to desire the praise and affirmation we believe we are owed by the world.  WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS. In every success we must thank Jesus and turn our praise, and hopefully those around us, towards the true giver of every good gift.

Now I don't think we are being sinful when we are happy after receiving a compliment or if we get excited when somebody enjoys a piece of art we create, God delights in our accomplishments too.  It's just a matter of perspective and understanding that we couldn't do what we do without the gifts and skills the Lord has blessed us with. Jesus really, REALLY loves us.  He loves and desires us enough to give Himself WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS.  So don't think for a second you are not valued or beautiful.  In Jesus we are made a wonderful fragrance and a blessing to His heart.  We just HAVE TO REMEMBER that all of those realities are only made possible by His love for us before we ever loved Him. The second we believe He is our Lord and forsake the world's offer, we are made children of the King and inheritors in His family!

I want to finish with a thought that filled me with a great amount of joy this morning.  If I deserve nothing of what I have been given or will be given in the future, then HOW MUCH MUST GOD LOVE ME that He constantly pours out the gifts anyway???  Seriously, I think I'm MORE confident in my worth knowing that God doesn't have to give me anything, but He CHOOSES to give me more than I could EVER ask for or earn.  Not having the capacity to repay God means that we should receive His gifts humbly and thankfully BUT WITHOUT ANY GUILT, HE WANTS TO BLESS YOU

HE LOVES YOU ALL SO FREAKIN' MUCH.  Jesus deserves everything and Jesus lives in you, so you get to share in the greatest treasures in all of reality.  God's love is awesome and we didn't even have to work for it.  Pretty cool stuff.

Here are some scriptures for the day.  I hope something blessed you.  I'm not a great theologian, but I hope some nuggets of truth and encouragement find you in today's devotional.


Romans 5:8
 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

James 1:7
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Romans 8:28
 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

1 Peter 4:10
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:

1 Corinthians 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

1 Corinthians 10:30-31
 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.





Ephesians 3:7
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power.

Confidence in Our Conscience: 2 Corinthians 1:12, 1:21-22, and 12:9

Meditate, if you will, on these three passages of scripture:


"For this is our confidence: The testimony of our conscience is that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with God-given sincerity and purity, not by fleshy wisdom but by God's grace."     ----  2 Corinthians 1:12

"Now it is God who strengthens us, with you, in Christ and has anointed us. He has sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts"  ---- 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  --- 2 Corinthians 12:9

I challenge both myself and the reader to stop and evaluate ourselves.  When we think of our daily walk and ministry, do we have a CONFIDENCE OF CONSCIENCE?  Next, if we do in fact feel confident, WHO ARE WE CONFIDENT IN?  Do we draw a sense of peace and security from our approval of our own works, or do we grasp the magnitude of His humbling grace and guidance?

Having grown up in church life and teachings, it's easy for me to immediately equate the word CONFIDENCE with a much more sinful one: PRIDE. But there is a vast difference between  humble confidence in the power of God's Spirit guiding our every moment and foolish hope in our own strength.

The passages from 2 Corinthians call the believer to rise up in Christ's power and live "with God-given sincerity and purity" and love the people around us without fear of our sinful weakness.  EVEN MORE, Paul said that he would "boast all the more gladly of (his) weaknesses" because Jesus is made EVEN MORE evident when contrasted with human failure.

THINK ABOUT IT!  How excited and fearless (while still humbly) should we live knowing that EVEN WHEN WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH Jesus will be glorified through His own confident authority within us.  How fantastic is that?!

The "down payment" that is His world-creating/life-changing/sickness-healing Spirit gives us the anointing to go and do His good works.  THERE IS NO OTHER STRENGTH NEEDED, the power of the MAKER is inside of the believer.  

So no matter where you've been recently in your walk, or how adequate you feel, pray that God would encourage you with grace to walk boldly, humbly, and CONFIDENTLY in the power to minister that He's given you through Jesus.  It isn't with your strength that hearts are changed, so don't worry about how strong you feel.  Be bold in weakness and conduct yourself above reproach so that the world would know Jesus is alive and strong to save!

Repentance

My wife and I have recently become frequent fliers at the Vineyard church in Maryville, TN.

I can say without a doubt that this has been the most spiritually refreshing couple of months we've enjoyed in several years.

Aaron, the preaching pastor at our church, was speaking about repentance this past Sunday as a part of a larger sermon series on prayer.  God has been preparing my heart for over a year to hear what I needed to hear in that lesson.

Pastor Aaron spoke about a huge misunderstanding and dangerous perspective regarding the subject of REPENTANCE.   For so many Christians, even the word "repent" sounds like a punishment.  We know we fall short and because of our failings God is going to make us go through a tiring and painful process of earning our way back into his favor... WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

The act of repentance is a BEAUTIFUL GIFT OF GRACE!  We are called, nay, invited to embrace our Savior and get right back on the horse, riding in the direction of His will.  We don't have to go through a painful punishment period or retrace steps, we just "fall forward into grace"- as my friend Andrew Soreano (wonderful dude and awesome missionary) would say.  God brings us in an instant to the place we were right before we stumble.   But I had, for a good long time, been living in the lie that I was doing a terrible job and it wasn't worth trying to get back to a place of obedient walking and ministry.

As any of you who have spoken to me recently would know, I've been in a season of doubt.  Not doubting God (His self, love, or provision), but doubting myself.  Without being aware of what I've been doing, I've spent far too long in a rut of self-induced-guilt-trip-earn-my-way-back-to-Spirit-led-holiness-and-all-without-joy religion.

I haven't had a bad year, in fact it's been both financially and relationally blessed, but I've been giving myself a hard time.  My daily times of devotion, prayer, and scriptural study have been negligent at best.  This is a GENUINE PROBLEM that needs to be corrected.  There is a great deal of holy conviction at work in that area of my life.

BUT, instead of running towards God's open arms in repentance and skipping along our merry way, I've been constantly hesitant to push forward for the fear that I have lost the right to walk alongside Him.


THAT IS RIDICULOUS!   I know now that I need to constantly battle the enemy's lies about my current spiritual state.  Though I am definitely responsible to live in obedience (and deal with discipline and consequences should I stray), there is still NOTHING that makes God love me less or want me less!

The creator of the universe didn't come to earth as a man, suffer ultimate punishment, rise in death's defeat, and pour out salvation and His Spirit on me to take it all back after a dry season!  He adopted me and walks in and with me FOR LIFE!

I needed the reminder of that sermon to redirect my focus.  I am looking forward to a revamp of disciplined devotion and study and prayer, hopefully leading to a season of new spiritual heights and discoveries.  I am EXCITED TO REPENT.  What a glorious gift, to turn away from my weakness and TURN TOWARDS THE ARMS OF FORGIVENESS, SONSHIP, AND GROWTH IN JESUS!

I'll be blogging more (almost daily) to keep myself accountable and log any revelations from study time.

Much love and Grace and Peace to you through the Spirit of Jesus Christ!

To Skate

Man I love skateboarding.  And I don’t mean to insinuate that I am some great skater or something, that is not AT ALL the case. 

I’ve only really tried to push myself in skateboarding, and more recently longboarding, a handful of times.  But, even if life or fear or injury pushes me away from it for some time personally, I have and always will think that the ART of skateboarding is beautiful and worthy of the upmost respect.

People that create on a board are artists of the highest caliber, whether or not the world gives them that credit.  

I hope my current training season grows into a lifelong habit of learning, strengthening, and perserverance. 

I’m not naturally adept at the sport, nor am I courageous in great amount.  But I want to see how far I can go while growing new skills and friendships to boot.

Go skate

Darkness is dead, but hard to kill

I legitimately struggle with my dead self sometimes. I know we all battle the old selves that remind us of our pre-Christ ways, but there are moments when I'm literally foaming at the mouth (so to speak) in my mind and spirit. The smallest thing can set it off, then I feel like a totally different, and much more wrathful, person. Pray for me. Pray that God restores sanity to my soul in moments when I am overwhelmed by things I can't even target or specify. God is huge and sin is dead through Jesus. But I honestly feel like a dark-Grady wells up sometimes and makes my blood boil. I'm a cheery guy and most of you never see this, but pray please. I don't want loved ones to suffer.  The Holy Spirit is good to deliver His children.