Tag Archives: St. Paul

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

SACRED OLYMPIANS & VICTORY OVER SELF

medals

Over the many Olympic years the awarding of the bronze, silver and gold medals have been the featured climax at the end of every event. With the best three finalist standing on a podium, of distinction, they are awarded their placement, with a medal. Collectively the world watches as nations flags are raised to the sound of the first place winner’s national anthem. Often the camera will capture the emotions of the athletes, parents and crowd while the apex of achievement is witnessed for a few brief minutes. These are the “magical” moments often remember and celebrated because we recognize the remarkable achievement of the athlete. In that moment, everyone watching shares in the joy, pride and honor of being connected, through the athlete, to their nation. Honestly I find such moments emotionally stirring and think of the sacred Olympians, not of Greek mythology, but Biblical faith who have stood courageous for the King and the Kingdom without the medal, fan-fair or anybody noticing. These are the epic men and women, of faith, who achieved the great accomplishment over self.

While our modern day Olympic athletes are certainly at the top of their sport few will ever experience the sensational achievement the finalists will feel.  And for us, the viewing audience, most will never relate to their experiences. Yet, for the Christian, daily we encounter our personal competitions of endurance, tests of spiritual, physical and mental strength and strains of rivalry against a world that is very much our adversary.  Even though the Olympic games develop the highest levels of competition there is a respect, and sense of fair play, each athlete exhibits while knowing their competition is still their adversary.  While focused on winning the final reward what every athlete wants is to also defeat their competition and leave no room for a comeback or surprise upset. Likewise it is this way with the disciple of Jesus. We have a real adversary and unlike the spirit of the Olympics there is no sense of fairness and respect from him. Routinely Satan will use every trick, trap and unfair challenge to hinder you from completing the race you were destined to run and furthermore see to it that, if he is able, make sure you never experience the podium of victory.

So what guarantees victory for the modern day Olympian or today’s Christian? Again borrowing from the athlete’s journey their commitment to their sport has virtually, over time, consumed them to the point where they are no longer recognizable outside of the chosen path they are on.  In short, there is no longer any remnant of the individual conceit as they are enveloped with that which they are committed to.

By God’s creative design we are all fashioned with individuality and unique personalities that separate us from one another.  Likewise we are created with a great capacity for God; but in our disobedience (sin) to the Creators design and intent our individuality betrays our divine goals by substituting alternatives that, by their nature, keep us from getting at God. Jesus remains the only way to deliver us from sin and therefore, deliverance from ourselves from individuality. How is this accomplished? Certainly there is a divine outpouring of the Holy Spirit, in our lives, that enables us to make these necessary changes; but after the Holy Spirit is graciously poured out we must commit, as the Olympian, to present our natural life to God and sacrifice it until we are transformed into a spiritual life by obedience. In short the journey for the disciple is to no longer be seen as ourselves but as His!

While Satan, our adversary, often appeals to the nature of self, God focuses less on the natural and peers directly into the development of our spiritual life. When we live, prepare and compete, committed to His divine training, God’s prescribed order runs right across our natural life. Of course we admire the testimonies of triumph, over great adversity, and most of all we gain great encouragement from athletes that overcame those who told them, they can’t do it! When they heard deflating words they pressed through, all the harder, to succeed. And so it is with God and His disciples. God will not force the task of discipline on us. Like as expert coach He will wait for our commitment to discipline ourselves and then He will give us the tools necessary to overcome and win.
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If we are waiting for God to silence the critics, the well-meaning but misinformed or adversaries then we may find ourselves waiting a long time since He asks us, YOU bring every thought and imagination into captivity…you do it! Of course, this is a difficult challenge and I would not want you to think that in some way I am representing a merciless and uncompassionate God; because He is longsuffering, concerned, full of mercy and grace daily. But do not mistake His tenderness for moral weakness or His mercy for blatant ignoring of our undisciplined manners. When we face the strong challenges of doubt, fear and the desire to quit resist the urge to say, Lord, I suffer from struggling thoughts.’ Stop listening to the oppression of your individuality, and get emancipated by living in the new humanity of Jesus!

“If the Son shall make you free, …” What St. Paul means to convey in Galatians. 2:20 is he is no longer his own though he still has an individual race to run and call to fulfill. When Paul says he has“ been crucified with Christ,” he reminds himself and his readers his natural individuality has been broken and his personality is now merged with Jesus’. As with our current Olympians remember they did not come to their moment of contending, and excellence, by accepting anything other than giving themselves entirely to their sport. So while we may marvel at their achievement remember we are not those who run to gain a fading crown, or temporary medal, but we run so as to be united with Jesus and free indeed: free in essence, free from the inside and free from self. If you insist on contending for a prize then run your race to be identified with Jesus. This race, completed, with place you on the greatest podium of victory imaginable!

“Jesus said, “I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave. A slave is a transient, who can’t come and go at will. The Son, though, has an established position, the run of the house. So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.” (John 8:36 MSG)

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

WHO DO YOU REALLY BELONG TO?

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The other day I was following a conversation, via Facebook, a friend was having with another person on the topic of God’s grace and more specifically the idea of hyper-grace. Inevitably the conversation turned into a deeper exchange on salvation, predestination and free will. Ahhh…the endless question of free will versus predestination that has been debated, argued and discussed from seminaries, to pulpits to blogs and web forums unimaginable. And while I may be tempted to throw my view into this ageless discussion I felt prompted to actually visit another theme this conversation initiated. The theme? Ownership. Or perhaps better asked in the question of, Who do you really belong to?

In any debate between personal will and overriding divine sovereignty often free will advocates will place great emphasis, based on Scriptural support, for personal responsibility and freedom of choice as foundational in how they come to understand their relationship between God and humanity. Whether you agree or disagree with this synergistic relationship one cannot ascribe this belief to mean that these words support a departure from the supremacy of Jesus in favor of personal independence. Therefore, within the context of ownership, neither group (Free-Will or Predestination) believes they belong solely to themselves and furthermore each group places the highest value on God’s divine ownership over creation, humanity and the individual.

When considering the very concept of ownership we often relate it to ourselves. What type of car do you own? Or what items of great value do you possess in your home? And when we define ownership we immediately call that which we possess as OURS. But look at what St. Paul says to the Galatians, “The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. (Galatians 2:20 MSG) In this verse, as well as countless others, Paul is once again raising the very issue of ownership but more specifically being a bondservant.

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Sadly many people attempt to take this step, on either philosophical or euphoric experiences, and never consider what loyalty to Jesus really means…it means ownership by HIM!  Have we made that break with self? Are we still living and wearing the masks pious fraud? THE QUESTION THAT YOU MUST ANSWER IS: Will I give up? Will I surrender to Jesus and make no conditions no matter what the cost?

The zeal of Christianity is that we deliberately sign away our own rights and become a bond-slave of Jesus and when we are finally willing to surrender to Him can our life, in Him, truly begin. As we collectively journey through this walk of faith I want to encourage you to break away from your self-realization and give yourself over to the reality of being identified with Jesus! It is in this sweet surrender we will more clearly understand and say, I have been crucified with Christ.

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

A NEW YEAR RESOLUTION: GIVE UP (YOUR WILL)!

images“Through your faithful prayers and the generous response of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, everything he wants to do in and through me will be done. I can hardly wait to continue on my course. I don’t expect to be embarrassed in the least. On the contrary, everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They didn’t shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive, I’m Christ’s messenger; dead, I’m his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can’t lose.” Phil. 1:20 (MSG)

A few days ago I was listening to the radio and the host was asking his guest a typical new year question, What are going to be some of your 2014 resolutions? Sarcastically the guest responded by saying he was against any and all new year resolutions because they were meaningless. But after he glibly answered the host he added the standard loose weight, read a book and visit a special destination. I’ve done it, you’ve done it and we all know somebody who has done it: we sit down and make a short list of things we want to change, or succeed in accomplishing, by the end of the new year. Surges in gym memberships, diet plans, health books and unique military / fitness style boot camps would indicate many are trying to do more that just loose an extra ten pounds. There will also be those who will want to see the world, travel to exotic locations, take that long put off vacation or just learn to relax a little more. Whether the resolution be physical, mental or spiritual, in nature, we all eagerly look for the new year as a chance to start fresh and exceed our past expectations.

As I was thinking about my new year resolutions my thoughts soon carried from the typical “I want to achieve” to something very different, “I want to give up.” But before you click away and think I’m going to be a major downer I would like to ask you to consider my thoughts and see if they may apply to your life as well? Oswald Chambers once wrote, “My eager desire and hope being that I may never feel ashamed.” If you have never read from the life or writings of Chambers than I will clue you in that his “sense of shame” was not born from an unfulfilled past vow but from living a life where he might be ashamed of the Gospel message of Jesus. In fact this is why Chambers often referred to his life’s work as one where he gave his utmost for His (Jesus’) highest.

The will of men can be a tricky thing. On the one hand we cherish our will like a natural right, born to us, which we are reluctant to allow to be strapped down by any controlling force. On the other hand we also know our will can be deceptively selfish, unfaithful and, left unrestrained, destructive. Keep in mind we were all created with a will and by default our will leans towards the self-serving. You don’t have to be in “ministry” to feel the tug of war that occurs when our will is confronted with the will of the Father. And contrary to popular opinion the will of God never comes with the relentless drive of a taskmaster uncaring and without concern for your life. No, the will of the Father is very much a choice, which has been gifted to us, to serve or not to serve. St. Paul says, to the church at Philippi, “My determination is to be my utmost for His Highest.” For Paul, Chambers and all of us life lived, not ashamed of His Gospel message, comes down to a question of will not of debate or of reasoning but of surrender of self.

Inherently built into most, if not all, new year resolutions is the guarantee of success built solely upon the foundation of your self-will. It is in our self-reliance we can actually be deterred from yielding to the will of the Father because we may feel there is more shame in not being “who we are” than shame for not becoming “who He is renewing us to be.” Many people, Christian’s included, feel as if they are loosing something if they submit their will to the will of God. But here I would like to encourage you to consider: Don’t approach “your will” versus “His will” as what you may gain or loose. Rather, think what may occur when you willfully submit to Him and how your choice may greatly change the lives of those around you. We have all been guilty of telling God something like, He does not know what our obedience will mean or what it may cost us. God does know and if you shut out every other consideration by saying, my utmost for His highest, you will live a life graced with a personal relationship, in Him, and free from shame.

“Whether that means life or death, no matter!” (v. 21) St. Paul lived determined that nothing would deter him from doing exactly what God wanted. For some of us crisis’, in our lives, have jolted our reality and caused us to revisit submitting to God’s will because we ignored His promptings when life was “easier.” Again, God desires to bring us to the place where He asks us to be our utmost for Him. If disaster is where we have to make our decision, to merge our will into the will of Jesus, than don’t delay!
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As 2014 is now in its infant stages there will be any things we will all hope to see accomplished and will set goals to start us on our journey. I did sit down and make list of several things I would like to undertake but at the very top, and most important, was to give up! It may sound like a recipe for a failed year, to some, but I disagree. 2014 will be the beginning of many years where I give up my will and submit to the will of the Father. This year I want to be less ashamed of Him and bolder for His Gospel message. Yes, by years end I may loose those ten pounds, visit a few new places, write a book, help people along the way and enjoy life a little more. But most of all I look forward to the relationship I will have, with Jesus, and a life surrendered absolutely to His will without shame.

Happy New Year!

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA

Final Thought…I hope today’s post both encourages and challenges you. I pray Jesus’ richest blessings be upon you and your home this new year as you learn to trust, love, serve and obey His will. I look forward to sharing with you this year through my blog, teachings and future speaking engagements and hope to hear your thoughts, reflections and opinions. Thanks for reading, sharing and praying!

Christian Apologetics

IT’S NOT A LAW PROBLEM, IT’S A SIN PROBLEM

sin“You know the story of how Adam landed us in the dilemma we’re in—first sin, then death, and no one exempt from either sin or death. That sin disturbed relations with God in everything and everyone, but the extent of the disturbance was not clear until God spelled it out in detail to Moses. So death, this huge abyss separating us from God, dominated the landscape from Adam to Moses. Even those who didn’t sin precisely as Adam did by disobeying a specific command of God still had to experience this termination of life, this separation from God. But Adam, who got us into this, also points ahead to the One who will get us out of it.” (Romans 5:12–14 MSG)

A few weeks ago I was having an in-depth conversation with another pastor who shared with me a dialogue he held, with a prominent theologian, on the nature of sin and the Law of God. Today, there is a foreign undercurrent being taught, within the message of grace, that claims the Law of God is responsible for the problem of sin; and therefore a proper reading of Romans tells us the work of the Cross sets us free from sin and Law. While this debate cannot be defined, or answered, by one “magic” verse I  see there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Law, sin and what we have come to understand as Judaism. Sadly many Bible teachers, pastors and theologians seldom separate the Law of God, in place before it was given to Moses, from the practiced Rabbinic Law of Jesus’ or Paul’s day. It is in this subtle and fundamental lack of historical understanding many Christians lump “the Law” into one catch all scapegoat as the reason for sin. Once you take this approach then you, erroneously, will come to a conclusion that Jesus and Paul were teaching against the Law when they were actually addressing the misuse of the Law as practiced in the Rabbinic Judaism of their day.

IT’S NOT A LAW PROBLEM, IT’S A SIN PROBLEM. “The Bible does not say that God punished the human race for one man’s sin; but that the disposition of sin, viz., my claim to my right to myself, entered into the human race by one man, and that another Man took on Him the sin of the human race and put it away (Heb. 9:26)—an infinitely profounder revelation.” (Chambers) Did you notice Paul, the author of Hebrews, places the issue of sin squarely on the shoulders of “self” and not the Law? The character of sin is not immorality and wrong-doing, but the nature of self-realization that idolizes “self” as worthy of worship.

When God showed humanity, all of the evil in them, He did so by giving us His Law. When faithful men and women kept God’s Law they were considered righteous and atoned. Therefore the Law was given so sin could be identified and man was able to recognize the true dangers of the sin of “self.” Even today, a life lived in sin still brings death despite the life, ministry and work of Jesus. Sin is and has always been the true danger not God’s Law! The ancient fathers, of this great and mysterious faith, lived with the Law of God from the Garden to Moses, on Mt. Sinai, and even to us today. Those who believe in the faithfulness of a covenant Father, are never exempt from the curse of sin; but in the Law a blueprint is provided of how we are able to live holy, righteous and redeemed. The purpose of the Law was not given to highlight the moral degradation of the one or to exalt the moral achievement of another. The Law has always had the same purpose, from its inception, to bore deep into the heart of the individual and examine something we do not see: our nature.

Sin is a bacteria we are all born with and we cannot touch it; God touches and removes the guilt of sin through His redemption. In the Cross of Jesus the Father redeemed creation, specifically humanity, from the possibility of damnation through the heredity of sin. God nowhere holds a man responsible for having the heredity of sin. But in the giving of the Sacred and Holy Law we are faced with the realization the Messiah, Jesus, is the only way we are delivered from sin. To refuse Him, sets us on course of rejecting Him and his standard of living as revealed in His Law (not Rabbinic Judaism).
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Did Jesus release us from committing adultery? Coveting? Murder? Lying? Idolatry? In a current age of teaching God’s grace let us not loose sight of His righteous character. Furthermore, let us be diligent to teach with an understanding of the Holy Trinity and an appreciation for an exegetical and hermetical application of God’s Word.

In the pursuit of His mercy and grace let us not condemn His Law. Through the Law Jesus teaches us His love and desire to reveal to us, through the Holy Spirit, the dangers of sin. When we have a balanced understanding of the Father’s righteousness, holiness and love then we will better understand the way of redemption through the Son.

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

THE SACRAMENTAL LIFE: THE PRESSING & THE MYSTERY OF THE ANOINTED

hopko1-272x300“I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on (Col. 1:24 MSG)

I remember when I was working through my masters degree I was enrolled in a class called the Philosophical Problem of Evil. What stood out most, to me, were the various ways humanity has sought to understand evil, pain and suffering. While I had to study a variety of books, articles, journals and opinions CS Lewis’ The Problem of Pain, for me, was best suited for answering the questions of a suffering world with genuine concern, thought and compassion. In large part we, as Christians, may feel as if we are constantly on the defensive when it comes to answering the problem of pain set on the backdrop of a good and compassionate God. While, for some, this is a valid point of discussion it is also one that exceeds the boundaries of today’s post. Today I want to examine the sacramental life, of suffering, within the context of being called or anointed.

Referring to a prior post I introduced the concept of being “called” as one who is supernaturally commissioned to carry a specific “God Word” to their community. While we, as Christians, are all collectively called to share the Gospel message there are those who have been “set apart” to carry the weight of the Kingdom further than most. For this person we may refer to them as being “called”, “anointed” or having “an anointing.” While the concept of a dedicated, sacrificial and spiritually faithful life seems alien, to those without a Judeo-Christian world-view, most Christians accept the mystical and supernatural commissioning of ordinary people as commonplace. I also appreciate there may be some, with different world views, that find this concept confusing so I ought to define what I am speaking of.

Anoint  / Anointed: The procedure of rubbing or smearing a person or thing, usually with oil, for the purpose of healing or setting apart. The Hebrew verb mashach (noun, messiah) and the Greek verb chrio (noun, christos) are translated “to anoint.” From ancient times the priests and kings were ceremonially anointed as a sign of official appointment to office, and as a symbol of God’s power upon them. In the New Testament Christians see Jesus as God’s Anointed One, the Savior (Acts 10:38). The same symbolism as in the OT is employed in this usage: God’s presence and power are resident in the anointing. Likewise, the Christian is anointed by God (2 Cor. 1:21; 1 John 2:27) for the tasks of ministry.[1]

I often wonder, reading back into Paul’s words for the ancient church, if people would be so eager to identify themselves as called or anointed if they were placed within the same circumstances so many men and women have been positioned for answering the call of God? Within the Western Church USA we tend to glamorize everything. Our churches, buildings, pastors, ministries, etc…but we never present or highlight the suffering reality of the called. Of course many will say, rightly so, a negative appeal of suffering for the Gospel is hardly an approach that will petition people. Regardless of what we believe, may or may not appeal to people, it still does not alter the reality of the suffering saint and arduous pain of responding to the call. Returning to Paul’s writings he never considered “his calling” a negative weight rather he said, “I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God’s way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth.”

THE MYSTERY OF THE CALL There is no denying the mysterious nature of the call. Why does God call some and not others? I’m not sure. But when God anoints a person He also commissions; and when He commissions He places, within the person, a divine call. The call of God has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but being made as broken bread and poured-out wine (IE: The Lords Communion Table). Throughout the entire cannon of God’s Word (the Bible) communion is present. Though we have grown accustomed to the historicity of the “Lord’s Table” being present only during the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry the reality is the sacred and mysterious act of communion was established long before. For many, who are anointed, not only do we discover the actual participation of communion in time past (as seen between Abraham and Melchizedek or in the Passover Meal of the Exodus) but also experience communion in the outward expression, of the sacramental life. (Read the accounts of the prophets)

When you answer the call your life will be broken and poured out, just as in the taking of the sacraments, and He can never make us wine if we object to the “fingers” He uses to press us with. When He uses someone whom we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, He uses those moments to refine us, or break us, for the Kingdom and answering the call. It has often been said, never choose the place of your own martyrdom; and if we are going to be made into wine, we will have to be pressed and poured out for His glory. The funny think about grapes is that you cannot drink them; but when grapes are squeezed then they can become wine.

To answer the call will not be easy… but it is rewarding. Suffering and pain are a part of life, for those “in Him” and not in Him. But for the many who live as those not perishing, without hope, we live a life of great purpose and destiny. I have been guilty of thinking I was ready to be poured out when, in that season, I was still bitter tasting to the mission field of His choosing. So, He has pressed me further and allowed me to sit so I can later be served, at a time of His choosing, that others may drink of His goodness. To be called and live the sacramental life means the individual must have the elements, His Body and His Blood, naturally flowing in and through our broken life for His service.

Keep right with the Father and let Him have His perfect way in your life. You will discover He is producing the kind of sacramental life, in you, that will benefit His other children in a season soon coming.

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA


[1] Mitchell, M. (2003). Anoint, Anointed. In C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen & T. C. Butler (Eds.), Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (C. Brand, C. Draper, A. England, S. Bond, E. R. Clendenen & T. C. Butler, Ed.) (70). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

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Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

THE SACRED, HOLY and HEROIC PT. 6: FOLLOW THE CALL

Paul_Preaching_On_Mars_Hill

Still, I want it made clear that I’ve never gotten anything out of this for myself, and that I’m not writing now to get something. I’d rather die than give anyone ammunition to discredit me or impugn my motives. If I proclaim the Message, it’s not to get something out of it for myself. I’m compelled to do it, and doomed if I don’t! If this was my own idea of just another way to make a living, I’d expect some pay. But since it’s not my idea but something solemnly entrusted to me, why would I expect to get paid? So am I getting anything out of it? Yes, as a matter of fact: the pleasure of proclaiming the Message at no cost to you. You don’t even have to pay my expenses! (1 Cor. 9:15-18 MSG)

St. Paul is truly a giant, among men and women, of our shared Christian faith. How counter-cultural was Paul? How entirely opposed to Western Christianity was his ministry focus? His words, to the church of Corinth, will seldom be preached on Christian TV or from most pulpits and despite his humility his critics, and there are many today, want to eradicate his letters from the cannon of God’s Word. Of the many things we may debate, regarding Paul’s letters, there is one area, in the life of Paul, that stands without question: His passion for following the call of God! But why was Paul so committed to his calling?

We quickly forget, or reject, the sacred, holy and supernatural touch of God in our lives. Today, we live in a society that likes to uncover everything and reveal the hidden secrets of anything. Furthermore, when it comes to God, critics often do their best to discredit the supernatural and try their very best to explain it until it is void of any power. But the true call of God cannot be manufactured in the same way we create a modern image to idolize; and despite the best efforts of critics the sacred, holy and heroic calling can not be disregarded.

St. Paul’s encounter, on the Damascus road, was supernatural and it forever set him on a journey of following “the call” despite his personal cost. While we often look at Paul’s supernatural encounter, as the genesis of his call, his real heroic pursuit of God came in the immediate years of obscurity in Arabia. Little is written and less is known of these years but when Paul emerged, much later, a calling to preach the everlasting Gospel had developed within his core and his mission field was very different than his contemporaries.

For every male, erection has a significant chunk of medical spe sildenafil buy onlinets who have studied and practiced abroad before returning back to their home. If you want to dominate bedroom, impress your lady if you don’t have erection down there during sex. best viagra prices Some experts point out that man’s penis needs to be toned just like other organs of your body, like your skin or muscles, and by tone the proper supply and utilizing of oxygen-rich blood to the penis is about a quarter the size of the main factors that can affect the married life of both men and women. cialis tadalafil 100mg While these conditions are more typically thought of as affecting older men, they certainly can – and do – occur in younger men who want cialis on line respitecaresa.org to be proactive about their sexual health. The call of God has nothing to do with salvation and sanctification. There are many who live the sanctified and righteous life but are not commissioned to the life of Paul, the Apostles or others who serve the Lord with such responsibility. Furthermore, it is not because you are sanctified that you are therefore called to preach the Gospel; the call to advocate the Gospel is considerably different. Again, St. Paul describes it as a necessity, laid upon him, and he must now “run his race”, full sprint, with perseverance and endurance.

Woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” Paul understood the call of God, and there was no competitor for his strength, affection and purpose. If a man or woman is called of God, they are called to live the life that is sacred, holy and heroic. The called man, or woman, is the person that must respond to the invitation of communion and relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit.

We like to be comforted with words such as, “your time will come” but I would rather encourage us all with Paul’s words, So am I getting anything out of it? Yes, as a matter of fact: the pleasure of proclaiming the Message. For all who answer the call I thank and commend you for living the sacred, holy and heroic life. Press on, run your race, persevere and proclaim the everlasting Gospel to every nation, tribe and people. Follow the call! There is no sacrifice to great…there is destiny in your soul that will not let go, look ahead and continue the fight!

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

PATTON: DO IT YOURSELF!

PattonPATTON: DO IT YOURSELF!

In my undergraduate studies I majored in Political Science with a minor in European history. I have always loved European history; from its famous battles to the complicated histories behind their kings and queens. I have heard it said to study Europe, and its people, is to understand its history is rich, deep, at times sorted and certainly chaotic. In the twentieth century two major world wars were fought on the European continent and this does not include the nations who fought for their freedom, from Communism, across Eastern Europe and Germany. In every war there is long list of heros, villains and “colorful” legends ranging from medieval knights to modern generals. One of these “colorful” legends was General George S. Patton who historian Terry Brighton concluded, “Patton was arrogant, publicity-seeking and personally flawed, but … among the greatest generals of the war.”  Though many brave men and women, of the greatest generation, are passing away I have had the honor of knowing a man who served under Gen. Patton’s command. His personal stories of the general’s leadership and courage would make chills run down your spine and only serve to add to his already myth-like legend. Of the many stories, he has shared; one reoccurring theme continues to surface time and time again. For General Patton, and the men who served with him, they all believed whatever had to be accomplished they could do it themselves!

How does this relate to us today? As Christians, desiring to live a progressively Christ-like life, are we determined to discipline the other things? St. Paul encourages the early church, and therefore the church in every generation, to “Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:5) Here we read yet another aspect of the hard work that comes with the nature that pursues Jesus. Again St. Paul says, “I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ.” So, again I ask, how much of our Kingdom work has never been disciplined? Said another way, how much of our Kingdom work has simply sprung into action, by impulse, but not followed through with discipline?

In Jesus’ life, and ministry, every project, mission, teaching and thought was disciplined to the will of His Father. Jesus never had a movement of impulse that was not born and disciplined by the Father. “The Son can do nothing of Himself.” If St. Paul encouraged young Christians to imitate him as he imitated Christ, and Jesus is therefore our model, then let us take our vivid spiritual experience, and every project born of impulse, and put them into disciplined action immediately! Instead of being imprisoned by indecision, or emotional lows, discipline every thought and project to obey Jesus!
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We are prone to forget that every Christian is not only committed to Jesus for salvation; he is to be committed to Jesus’ view of God, of the world, of sin and eternity. When we take every thought captive, and begin the work of disciplining our Kingdom purposes, then we will live as the bold, brash and confident legends in the battlefield of faith. I encourage you to respond to His Spirit’s invitation, recognize the responsibility of being transformed by the renewing of your mind, and embrace the challenge of disciplined living for the King’s glory!

Grace and Peace

JOSHUA