struggling with all His energy

I have wanted many times to explain and share my heart as to the title of this blog, “struggling with all His energy.” I hope this post will give you my heart and why I do what I do, and one reason why I long to grow in Christ myself.

Colossians 1:24-29 (ESV) 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

What is the minister to take from this exhortation from Paul? I do not intend to exegete the passage but I hope this story from a sermon I am preparing gives a glimpse of the powerful truth Paul gives in his example to the minister of the gospel.

A young couple deeply desired to have a child. It had been nearly six years since they married and four since they began praying for a child. It seemed as though all the prayer along with doctor visits, strict diets, and treatments were all for naught. Was God unhappy with them? Had sin caused this hurt? All of their friends were having children and were starting their families. Every birth was more of a burden than a time of rejoicing to this couple. But God had heard their prayers and God did understand their desire. The four years of waiting seemed as only a day when Grace arrived. She became the passion of them both.

Years went by and their love only grew stronger for the little girl. They could not understand how anyone could have this much love for another. Among all the joy were struggles and problems but all paled in comparison to the blessing God had placed in their care. All was well until one fateful night. Grace was now thirteen and was sleeping soundly when she found herself trapped, mouth covered and terrified as a man who she did not know began carrying her out of her room. She had time to let out a small scream after biting the hand of the intruder.

Her father hearing the sound sprang from his bed into the hallway seeing in the faint darkness the outline of the predator. Without hesitation he ripped his daughter from the intruder's hands noticing in the moonlight from a window the shimmer of a knife blade quickly moving in his daughter’s direction. He threw himself between the knife and his daughter receiving the cut of the knife directly in the face. Quickly the intruder exited the house leaving behind the scar of that night on the father’s face

More years went by and Grace, now a young woman, had become deeply committed to a young man and talk of marriage began. The young man wanted to ask her father for her hand in marriage, and the night had arrived. Looking intently into the face of grace’s father, all the young man could notice was the severe scar, barely resembling the face of a man, yet reminding him if the intense love he had for his daughter, a love willing to sacrifice his very life for her. Still yet he asked, “May I marry your daughter, Grace.” To which the father responded, “Promise me you will love her the way I have loved her.”

The minister has been entrusted with preparing Christ’s bride, the church, to be presented complete when Christ returns. To do that we must love her as Christ loves her. Christ gave his life for her what are we to give?

The day of the wedding finally arrived.Grace was beautiful. Standing with her father behind the closed doors to the sanctuary, neither could hold back the tears. All the years of prayer, struggles and laboring to raise his daughter in the Lord had paid off. His love for her was evident by the scars he bore on his body, but even more was the image standing there before him in a white dress, pure and innocent about to meet her bridegroom. The doors opened and Grace’s father walked her to the alter with head held high, his job was complete and it was the bridegroom’s turn to take his place as her provision now. “Who gives this bride in marriage,” asked the preacher. “Her mother and I,” he responded knowing that he would not even trade his scared face for this day.

One day the church will be united to her bridegroom. Are you willing to fill up the afflictions lacking in the body of Christ. I don't know about you, but that is a hard question to answer. May God give the grace that we may be faithful to this task as we procliam the mystery hidden for ages but now made clear to Christ's church.

Don't miss out?

As a response to a dear friends blog, If I perish, I perish.

It also amazes me that there are those who think that they cannot whole heartedly follow Christ because they might miss out. The amazing thing is, that is me to often.

Don't miss out? Don't miss out on what? Let's just be frank, the reason we do not want to miss out on the things of this world is because they are more important to us than Christ. We enjoy our sin. That is why people sin isn't it? If sin were not fun, if sin were hard work, would people be as apt to do it?

Take for instance a teenage boy, (I a going to be "to the point" here) who is a sexual relationship with his girlfriend. The truth of the matter is, he likes it. He likes it enough that he is willing to risk in order to have it. There is a satisfaction in his actions. This is not to say they are right, just to say that it is obvious the action is worth doing to him.

To break this down to the simplest form, this young man does not consider a relationship with Christ worth more than the moment of sin, providing instant pleasure. A relationship with Christ is hard work and it does not satisfy him the way sex does. We could go into all of the consequences of the sin and the reasons why he will pay for his sin, and the possible situations that it will produce, yet all this has taken a back seat in his mind for the gratification. Christ is seen as less valuable than sex.

This situation is simplistic, I admit, but the truth is in any sin we choose the sin over our relationship with Christ. What that says is, we do not truly know or are thinking about who Christ really is. The treasure he is and the true joy that he can bring. We have set our sin ahead of Christ because we do not know him well enough to know that it is absolutely ridiculous to trade a growing relationship with him for a moment of selfish desire.

We must go back to the book and remind ourselves of the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ. We must, when tempted, set our minds on things above. Why? Because if we truly know what the things above are, sin, in comparison, seems complete nonsense. As C.S Lewis says we are content on making mud pies on the shore when God is offering us a holiday at sea.

If you desire the things of this world more than Christ, then ask God to capture your heart and show you the truth of how much he is worth and what a relationship with him is priceless.

Why can Esther (The woman in my friends blog) walk all over South Korea, loose toe nails and risk life, because she understands that Christ is worth so much more, and to disobey is to deny what she truly desires. May the Lord reveal to our complacent, stubborn hearts the same truth.

Love Requires Discipline

Fifty years of artistry had placed a old but vibrant gentleman in the seat of honor. Gathered around were those dressed in black tie honoring the life and work of this fading inspiration. Hung around the hall were examples of a life spent recreating the events and memories that related all humanity together. It was his gift to society and his contribution to the world, his life on display.

Gleaming with confidence, he was approached by a small girl. "I like your paintings. My dad has one in our house, sir." "Well thank you," he replied. The young girl responded, "I wanted one for my room, but daddy said that the cost to much for just my room. I was wondering if you might draw me a picture on the paper I brought so I could hang it in my room?" Flattered the aging artist quickly took the sheet of paper and sketched a picture of the little girl in pencil.

Later that night as the ceremony and peagentry was at its height, the master of ceremonies unveiled what had been heralded as the masterpiece of the artists life. Before it had even been conceived and produced its place in the Louvre had already been promised. Three years of painting went into its creation of which only 2 months were spent on the canvas displayed that night. Scraps and failures were piled in the corner of his studio, wasted canvases discarded until the perfect work was completed.

Gasps came from the attendees as the cloth was removed. It was as if a photo had been taken and placed upon the canvas with oils. There was no doubt that the artist had spent tedious hours crafting and perfecting this amazing work of art.

Which of these works did the artist love more? The pencil sketch of a little girl quickly scratched on paper or oils meticulously spread across a canvas to be hung in a prestigious art museum?

C.S. Lewis writes, "We are, not metaphorically but in very truth, a Divine work of art, something that God is making, and therefore something with which He will not be satisfied until it has a certain character." The very fact that God chooses to discipline his children is the very proof of His amazing love.

Some would say that if God really loved us, then he would do whatever it takes for us to be happy. God would remove all suffering and allow us pleasant existence. Rather than being a divine Father, most want God to be a divine grandfather. Is love nothing more than kindness, or is there more? On this question again Lewis writes, "Kindness consents very readily to the removal of its object - we have all met people whose kindness to animals is constantly leading them to kill animals lest they should suffer. Kindness, merely as such, cares not whether its object becomes good or bad, provided only that it escapes suffering."

Is this the God that we really want? More importantly, this is not the God that scripture reveals. To want a God who is merely concerned with our happiness is to ask for less love, not more.

God disciplines his children because he is scrapping those things that are contradictory to his character, those things that make us unlike Christ. The love of God requires discipline, because he will settle for no less than perfection. God will not quit on you! He will not give up on you! God is constrained by His love for you in Christ and cannot accept anything less than what is in your best interest. Trust in the discipline of God. Heed His corrections. You are a masterpiece in process and the master Artist has many brush strokes left to complete.

As Henry Blackaby writes, "God knows we are missing out on the life for which He created us. Because of His love, God disciplines His people when we depart from Him and sin against Him.

Do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves , and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. - Hebrews 12:5-6

A Heart Shift

On a crisp Friday night, the small town gathered for their weekly ritual. Bright under the lights, full moon shining, the players trotted onto the field, small white puffs of vapor rising from each helmet giving evidence of winters advance, only restrained by fall's last days. The season nearing end was building the noticeable pressure to win. The struggle through the fall had positioned the hometown boys for a playoff spot, the first in nearly 20 years. Leading the charge all season had been what had become a local phenomenon. A timid and cautious Junior had transformed into a record breaking, nationally recognized senior quarterback. Considered to be a top recruit every game presented opportunity for scouts to see him in action, from Florida State to USC.

Amid the chants and cheers, boisterously coming from the stands, the quarterback, focused on the task ahead and the win so desperately needed for a playoff birth and his future career in NCAA sports, was interrupted by an unmistakable look from a young girl in the stands. Knowing not who she was, his attention had suddenly been changed in an instant. The sounds of cheerleaders, the thump of news choppers overhead, and the yells of the crowd faded in a silver screen moment. Their eyes met and time slowed to a crawl. As well known as he had become in this small town and even around the nation how could he have missed such a gorgeous girl in the school hallways everyday? Why had she not found her way to him? All those things however didn't seem to matter because he had one thing now on his mind, what is her name and how can I meet her.

The movie moment was cut short however as his running back gave him a hard slap on the helmet and the team began their pre-game warm ups. His attention however was not so focused anymore, his mind kept wandering to the stands where she was sitting trying one more time to find that moment to let her know he took notice.

The game that night took a different turn. It seemed nearly every pass was a little off the mark, handoffs were sloppy, and defenses that he had seen on tape a hundred times looked confusing and different than expected. Not only had the crowd noticed, but so had the coach, which he realized as a time-out was called from the sidelines. Huddled with the offense the coach began chiding, "Where are you tonight, kid? We need you out there?" All of which was background. He had noticed that the young lady moved from her place in the stands. The rest of the time out was spent glancing from the coach to the stands looking for where she may have gone.

Heart shifts. They happen everyday and in the most unexpected places. Once committed to a day before the Lord in service and worship one finds oneself amid temptation drawing attention away from the task at hand. Focus is moved away from the Lord and the object of reflection replaces our relationship to the Father in a moment.

The trouble for many of us is how we handle these intrusions. Sudden shifts of the heart are not taken captive and steered back to a relationship with the Father, instead we act upon them and allow them to draw us away until we find ourselves wondering how we got so far away. Henry Blackaby writes in his study Fresh Encounter, "People can become substitutes for God. . . . Religious activity and tradition can become substitutes for a relationship with God. We can be busy going through the motions of religion and never experience life in Him."

Where is your focus? Do you find yourself far away from God, or maybe even just a little out of step? Go back to your original focus, return to your first love and find satisfaction in your life, the Lord God. Even the smallest event or change of attention can pull you away from your first love. Realize when it happens and put your mind back on the things above.

Change

I sat and thought of an unusual occurrence amid all the rainy days here in Louisville the last week. Not to long ago I was greeted through the back door by a loud but muffled announcement in 3 year old English from a dirty sand box covered little boy, "Daddy, I wanna stay OUTside!" With a stomp of the foot and a matter of fact frown my son's position had been established to which, as a strong and firm father, I responded, 'Well your mother said to come in and change clothes. She will get us both if you don't." "I don't' want to change," he said with a puppy dog face, knowing that it was going to happen.

I don't want to change either most of the time. This may come as a surprise to some seeing that I have lived in 10 different residences in the past 8 years, worked 8 jobs in that same time, and have attended 3 different schools and five different churches. Still yet, one thing has remained constant, God's leading in my and my family's life. What a journey and what a future. There is really no certainty about what tomorrow will bring or where tomorrow will take me, yet one thing remains, God will be leading.

Personally, the reason I don't like change is because I often attach situations to God, rather than God to situations. I see events for God rather than God in events. The difference has always been allowing God to be the constant and the events as peripheral. But, certainly I fail, instead seeing events and people as constant.

People change. Events change. Friends come. Friends go. Life is easy. Life is hard. But the words of Jim Elliot ring true. "Wherever you are be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God."

Do not be paralyzed by fear. For as my pastor says often, "You worship what you fear." Instead be hopeful and ever ready to recognize and take part in what God is doing in and around you. You never know what He has up his sleeve when it comes to his glory, except that it will glorify His Son, and that it requires your involvement.

If God is changing you or your surroundings right now, trust His work. Do not mistake what has been and what will be for who is.