The Evidence of God's Love: From: Holy Spirit, To: You (Do Not Open Until...) - Pt. III

If you haven't experienced it yourself, you have probably seen someone go through it. The difference between many of the rooms we walk into are a result of the perpetual battle going on between flesh and Spirit, and that is why many of us experience either loneliness or a sense of true belonging. Do not get confused with the external, environmental sense of belonging or loneliness. You can never read the setting in a book to determine the outcome of the story. In the case of community, a sense of belonging, or loneliness, is found within, and when people find true, genuine community, they know it.
Why do they know it? Because deep down inside we are given with the innate desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We feel connected when others around us genuinely enjoy our company. While this part of the Gospel, unity with fellow believers, is crucial in the development of the newborn Christian. there is another gift that far surpasses the connection we feel with the church body, and this connection is much, much bigger than ourselves.
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." We gain true freedom from bondage when we dip into the blessing of the Holy Spirit, whether or not our fellow believers are encouraging our walk with Christ. Now that we are given the blessing of community, our mindset should be on connection with the Spirit, as well as a constant download of the wisdom the Holy Spirit provides.
When Paul preached and spread the Gospel, he warned those who heard him that "Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, [he] relied on the power of the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:4). Why? So we would "trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God" (2:5). Paul understood that his freedom did not come from the people around him, as encouraging as they might have been. His hope was found in God the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is what took him deeper than he could go, and it gave him freedom from bondage.
Other than giving us freedom, why else would we want to be driven by the Spirit?

1. In order to comprehend the mysteries and secrets of God, we must tap into the Spirit:
"...so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us." (1 Corinthians 2:12)

2. When people lived under the Old Covenant, the glory was to remain sacred and untouched and unseen. Moses actually had to intercede on behalf of the people of Israel. Under today's Covenant, we can see and hear within our hearts the wonderful blessing of transformation into his likeness (Romans 12:1-2).
"..the veil is taken away...all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord...makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." (2 Corinthians 3:17-18).

3. The Holy Spirit gives us confidence and boldness to live out our true calling - this genuine confidence cannot come from believers, but can merely be encouraged by them (Philippians 2:1-4). Paul calls us to be one in spirit together, encouraging one another to live out love, being "one in spirit and of one mind." However, we receive that confidence and boldness through the promise of the Holy Spirit.
"...as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. So we are confident.."(2 Corinthians 5:5-6).
"Since this new way (the New Covenant talked about in part I) gives us such confidence, we can be very bold" (2 Corinthians 3:12).

4. The power of the Holy Spirit gives us peace and hope that transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
"...by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" (Romans 15:13)

5. We receive conviction to live out a healthy lifestyle with our body, including what we see, hear, touch, and think about.
"...don't you know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

6. You are chosen by God to be imitators of him, and in doing so we receive conviction when living in the Holy Spirit.
"...because our Gospel came to you not only in Word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

7. We have access to his thoughts! Isn't this amazing? We can access his thoughts about us, the world, and how we can be stewards of it.
"No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:11)
*Remember, we have been given the Holy Spirit, which is "God's own Spirit." = "...but we understand [the Lord's thoughts] because we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:15-16).

These seven reasons we should invest in the Spirit on a daily basis is only touching the surface. Paul goes much deeper than this, and he encourages us as a body of believers to dive into the secrets of the Holy Spirit. Through the Holy Spirit, we have the mind of Christ, We understand and comprehend the vast knowledge of God when we are devoted to the part of us that is so much greater than our ordinary self (1 Corinthians 2:16). In fact, the Holy Spirit is the very part of us that makes us extraordinary.

As a challenge, begin looking to the Holy Spirit within you for guidance. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalm 37:4). One way to "delight yourself in the Lord" is to seek the Holy Spirit. As you do that, you will begin to understand what your hear truly desires.

Go deeper with the Holy Spirit, because with it you will discover things much bigger than yourself.

How to Figure God Out

Most relationships are like rollercoasters - up and down, up and down. And, though some may argue they have one that is mostly up (or mostly down), it is safe to say no relationship will ever grow if it is 100% up. Why? Because we're dealing with vastly different people. Like snowflakes, we are all completely different from one another; different mindsets, approaches, ideas, hobbies, dislikes, and triggers for different moods.

Being different from someone close to you can be difficult. Why? Because life is easier when everyone agrees with you or looks up to your lifestyle. Teams work better when they agree to a common cause. Congregations form when they agree to the Scriptures and the concepts being taught at church. Everybody feels better when the environment breeds a sense of agreement, nodding of heads, and the word "yes" and "no" said in unison.

Usually, when we come across someone too different than us, but close enough to us, we do one of four things:

1. We try to change them.

2. We conform to what they do/say.

3. We completely walk away from that friendship

4. We accept them for who they are, despite being different than us.

At this point, it is safe to say any other response or reaction would probably fall under one of the three categories listed above.

For example, say your close friend does not like any physical sport, and you do. You have gone all of this time avoiding any physical sport with this person because he will awkwardly join in and fail miserably or he will continue to say no. You have spent most of your friendship agreeing with yourself that you will save him the turmoil of wishing he had never joined in on the "fun," so you never ask him to join you. Finally, the day has come when you ask. Well, if you were following #1 in the list above, you would strive to devoting all of your time changing that person's mindset, treating your friendship with that person as if you were a salesperson and he were your client. You expend all of your energy trying to change that person.

After failing to get your friend to succeed at enjoying what you enjoy, you step into option #2. You consider this to be the only opportunity to save the friendship - by conforming to the very hobbies your friend loves. You try as hard as you can to enjoy World of Warcraft, but it's simply not the same as a good game of basketball. This virtual world is too exhausting to enjoy, so you politely tell your friend this isn't working.

Now you are left with option #3 or #4: walk away or accept them. 

Interestingly, we do these things with God sometimes. In our minds, we want God to be a certain way so we can like him. We try to change him in our minds. We use the grace he has given us as an excuse to do whatever we want. We talk about how some of the laws are so "Old Testament." We want God to fulfill our every need and go as far as disguising our wants as needs. "But God, I need this..." We exchange a heart of gratitude to a tongue that demands from a long list. We complain to God and call it "venting." 

Sometimes, we shrug our shoulders and pout, "Ok...fine. You are God and I am not..." We treat the journey like it is something to whine about until God "hears" us. This, like option #1, takes so much energy and time. We are not fully grateful to God because we are tiring ourselves out with prayers that begin with "But God...." Whether we speak these things directly to God or not, we have this mentality that my life will have to be a living Hell if I am going to have to follow him. We are tricked into believe that God will put us behind bars and take away our fun the moment we show ourselves to him.

So we are left with two options. We accept God for who he is or we walk away from God because of who he is not to us. Unfortunately, there are many who choose the second option. They are tired of the mysteries and the false hope and trying to solve God like he's a puzzle that's missing the last piece. Over time, these people move on and accept the notion that God is not worth their time. 

Whatever the case is, each option above takes so much effort. It takes endless amounts of hair-pulling, teeth-grinding, face-grabbing, and tear-shedding to understand the depths of who God is. Most give up. They separate themselves from him and depend on ignorance and/or bitterness to move on, independent from believing in what they do not understand. Some believe the world will be good to them, giving them fame and attention. And some, still bitter, choose to live the rest of their life slamming God every opportunity they can. Why? Because we long to figure out what we don't know. We desire to have life understood. We crave knowledge and yearn for that knowledge to be at our fingertips. When we don't understand, we look for something else to take its place.

All along, 1 Corinthians 2 exists. And all along, Paul has it clear-cut. We don't need to solve God. We don't need him to be like us or us to be exactly like him to know who he is. Besides, the best relationships are not about what you do together, but about getting to know each other. A relationship with God does not need to involve hobbies or the difference between comfortable and uncomfortable, but it is simply about getting to know the deep love that God desires to lavish on you. God loves you more than you know, and though it comes as a mystery, it is worth pursuing. God is the captain of a ship called Love, and he is good at what he does. He is masterful at it. You don't need to be good at it to receive his love. It doesn't need to be your "hobby" for God to pour it out to you. The moment you spend time with him, with a heart wide open, you become one with him. You share his thoughts and think his ideas (1 Corinthians 2:12)

As we walk this journey, many will falter. Many give up. You might be on the verge of giving up, or you know you never will, but you question God. You are angry at God. You don't understand him, so you are bothered. But be encouraged. Paul says, "What we have received is not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words" (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). 

God and his spiritual realities cannot be taught through mere human words. It cannot be fully understood by man's words, but words inspired by God himself, which is Scripture and those who listen to the prompting of the Spirit:

2 Timothy 3:16 - "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 - "For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power,with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction."

These two truths keep us grounded in our faith, and because of our faith - being "...fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises" (Romans 4:21) - we can be counted as righteous in his sight. We believe God for what he reveals to us in his timing. As we trust him and believe in him without wandering thought, we receive the blessing in knowing more of him and being promised "the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:16).

We know his thoughts, and he freely gives his thoughts to us. Just be you. Let God be God. You don't need to be him when he wants you to be you. He wants to show you, teach you, and instruct you to see things the way he does. That can only happen when we act like his child, not his owner. It isn't your job to figure God out. It is God and the Holy Spirit's job to reveal him to you. And He will do it. Just listen, love, and be amazed by what he has in store. As we continue walking, running, tripping, stumbling, and sprinting through life, remember:

"'What no eye has seen,
    what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived'—
    the things God has prepared for those who love him—
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit" 
(1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

There is a River: Personal Story

With a chapter like this one, it is hard to determine a good place to begin. Since 2013, this chapter has been the philosophy of my life. It has made a tremendous impact on how I should view my relationship with the Lord. It has even given me a deeper understanding of how I should define my lifestyle.

                And it all started with a tree.

                In 2013, I concentrated on what that tree meant to me. It was the opposite of the wicked and it helped propel myself towards obedience in Christ. My devotion was to the Lord. I was promised prosperity through persistent communication with God. Everyone around me benefitted from the joy I gained when I walked in step with the Holy Spirit. “They are like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither,” the words promised. “…Whatever he does prospers” was what gained my attention the most. So, I didn’t walk in step with the wicked. I did not stand in the way of sinners. I guarded my heart, knowing that “everything [I] do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). I “fix[ed] my gaze directly before me.” Nothing could pull me under because the Lord rooted me near streams of water.

                I prospered. I was unshaken and unmovable.

                I blogged about Psalm 1; I drew art about Psalm 1. I even spoke prophetic words about Psalm 1. Everyone knew about Psalm 1 because it rolled off my tongue like a silky milk chocolate from one’s mouth. Life could no longer throw its curveballs. I was free from anything that was wicked.

                …until 2014 hit. I began school year number three. I began to pour into the students, aware that they couldn't pour back into me even if they tried. They are 5^th graders, knowing they need to learn but not always wanting to. I began at a reasonable pace until the students needed me more and more. The more they needed me, the more I poured into them. I loved on them daily, often exchanging my impatient fury for God’s heaven-sent wisdom and delight. Romans 12:8 was my verse. If encouragement was my gift – encourage. If diligence was my gift, serve with a good attitude. Romans 12:8 took me through each day. One thing Romans 12:8 didn’t do was what my chapter could: fill me up when I emptied my all into that classroom. Each night, whether it was 4pm, 6pm, or 10pm, I would leave all of my love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and gentleness (Galatians 5:22) there, behind locked doors. On every desk would be the remains of each Fruit of the Spirit. Was I content? Yes. Unfortunately, I was also empty.

                I was so empty that I couldn’t show anymore fruit in my basket. I would cry randomly, for no reason. If someone looked at me, they would see straight through me. My face would show the emptiness. I was transparent. Then the Lord took me back to 2013. He told me about that same tree, drinking from that same stream. The stream never went dry and the tree never withered. The Lord came down to my level, my empty-cup level, and started filling my roots with that same water, from that same stream. It never went dry. As He poured, He whispered, “When the world beats you down, there is a river.”

                When the world beats you down, there is a river.

                I lost it. My cup overflowed through my eyes and my tree didn’t just drink up. It grew leaves, flowers, and my branches grew thick. Where? That same stream. It never left me, and it never will. I didn’t need to know about how to be righteous. I didn’t need to know what happens to the wicked. I didn’t need to know the difference between the two. I needed to know that God richly blesses the righteous and that I will be richly blessed because “The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight” (2 Samuel 22:25). It is his sight of me that I am righteous, and I made righteous because of His grace.

                The Lord saw me as an empty vessel, and He did what only He could do on that August 28^th, 2014: He filled me up and recharged me so I could continue being a vessel.

                That tree can prosper because there is a particular stream that fills it. Psalm one is all about the stark contrast between the righteous and the wicked. However, it is also about the beauty of God’s unending grace and love when we are “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). When we choose to be righteous in all we do and allow God to work in us, He promises to fill us with the gifts of the Spirit.

                As we encounter God in a variety of ways, we can rest assure that God will bring us into His glory throughout our lives. Joshua 1:8 says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” If we fix our eyes on the Lord, He promises to fill us in ways only He can do it. In all you do, remember that His love is available to those who seek Him wholeheartedly.

Whenever you doubt the Lord’s faithfulness. Whenever you feel lonely, doubtful, and burdened. remember:

There is a river (Psalm 1:3).

Keeping the Faith - Runner's Terms

Running is an interesting hobby. It takes time to appreciate, and most of the time, it's like a movie without a happy ending. Why do most of us run? To be happy and healthy. But, when you press play on your iPod, do your stretches, and prepare your 4-mile run, it's not the most exciting feeling. For the most part, you just want the end result. Once you begin running, time halts. Every second feels like an eternity, and every muscle in your body reminds you that bedtime is better than any physical activity you try to perform. You envision an effortless prance through the field, but you feel torment. You dream dreams of bounding with the antelopes along the lush hills of Ireland, but you are constantly awoken by the harsh realities of being out of shape. 

Often, running and life go hand-in-hand. Just like running, life can sometimes be one twisted ankle after another. Eventually, we throw our hands up and yell back, "Why me?!" When we watch the Hollywood movies and look at Facebook pictures of our friends at parties, we envision that perfect society we've created in our head. No trickery, no harsh realities. Unfortunately, what we wish for does not come true.

As life continues taking its course, it continues taking a toll on our lives. We begin to lose heart, and just like running in a race, we begin to feel discouraged. We feel dehydrated, hurt, and our legs give out. Quitting never sounded better. All of the cliche "You can do it!" posters only mock your chances of making it.

Well, you do have your reasons. You do have your excuses. And boy, are they good. They could almost convince anyone that your moping, whining, and complaining is perfectly acceptable. According to Scripture, though, no reasons or excuses are worth responding that way: "Do everything without grumbling or complaining, so that you may become blameless and pure" (Philippians 2:14-15). And, according to Philippians, this means in all circumstances. It does not say, "Do certain things without grumbling or complaining." It says everything.

So, now that we understand when it is acceptable to complain, whine, and moan, we should look at Paul's response to our desire to quit running the race of life:

Galatians 5:7-8: "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you (God)."

The Galatians - the people Paul was speaking to at the time - were believers in God and the Law, but began being led astray. They were runners who were quitting on their faith. Circumstances caused them to throw in the towel. Paul confronts them and asks, "What reasons do you have to quit? You were doing well!"

We often look at circumstances around us and think there are enough adequate reasons to stop running, unaware of how well we were actually doing. While it is crucial to attend to your feelings and understand where they come from, we have to be careful so as not to remove ourselves from the race. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, "...let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith (NLT)." So, with Jesus as our Usain Bolt of life-runners, we can now follow his lead because he was a "champion" during his time on Earth. Jesus demonstrated what a Christ-like life should look like as a human being with feelings, skin, bones, and a soul.

So how can we "run with endurance the race God has set before us"? First, we can "Set our mind on things above, not on earthly things" (Colossians 3:2). Additionally, we can "Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the full amour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:10-11). Finally, we can "Rejoice always, pray continually, (and) give thanks in all circumstances..." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - also Philippians 4:6). There is nothing like combating the world's troubles with praise, thanksgiving, and genuine prayer to our Lord.

As a cross-country runner growing up, the phrase heard most often was, "Pace yourself." In running terms, that meant to save the sprint for the last .1-.2 miles left. The last leg was meant to be an all-out sprint because it was an opportunity to pass a lot of other runners who did not pace themselves very well. As a result, if the last tenth of a mile were run correctly, the runner would usually climb three to four spots in the ranks because of this all-out sprint. Despite feeling nauseous and woozy at the end of the race, there was satisfaction in knowing you gave it your all; you held nothing back. When Paul wrote to the man he was mentoring, Timothy, he said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7).

When you are ready to be with God in Heaven; when your time comes to a close, do you want the assurance of knowing that you were ready to meet with him for eternity?  Do you feel you could say that today? No matter what happens in this lifetime, you know with 100% assurance that you did not waver in your faith? Do you want the confidence of knowing that you fought the good fight?

Which House is Yours?

If you do not want to read the blog, get the summary in this video:

The Three Little Pigs has always been known as a classic bedtime story that sparks the interest of children around the world. In fact, its popularity has become so immense that there is more than one version to watch or read. While one version is more graphic (the wolf actually murdering the pigs), the other version has the pigs running away and finding refuge in the highly intelligent pig. Ultimately, despite the various versions available, the moral remains unchanged.

"With good work comes good fortune," one might suggests. "Heed the wisdom of the wise," another exclaims. Again, the message stays consistent throughout the decades.

So, it all begins with mother pig recognizing that her three piglets' childhood have inevitably come to a end. They have all grown up and have a chance to put to practice what they learned. The first two pigs quickly grab what they feel will make a shelter to live in, while the third pig takes his time. However, the major difference between the first two pigs and the third is the mindset they have. Pig 1 and 2 want to build a house as quick as they can; the sooner they finish, the more time they have to relax and enjoy life on their own. Pig 3 builds his house out of bricks, cement, and blueprints he has set up. His house is built out of sturdy material that will not collapse; he has a plan. The result of picking these resources means more labor and less relaxation time. Yet, Pig 3 recognizes his preparation will pay off.

As a result, Pig 1 and 2 find themselves buried beneath the wreckage of their own clumsiness, while Pig 3 eventually fools his enemy and triumphs over him. Pig 3, while he spent a majority of the story working, knew his hard work would pay off and keep him safe.

The philosophy the third pig carried with him worked: Prepare in advance what you need to do so you are ready when the enemy comes. The big bad wolf was prepared for a meal, but was the pig prepared to protect himself?

Jesus uses an illustration to communicate how crucial it is to be grounded in Christ:

"I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well-built" (Luke 6:47-48).

Then Jesus adds what it would look like to not obey:

"But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins" (6:49).

We have an enemy who is constantly after us. He "prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Like the wolf, our enemy wants to destroy us, deceive us, and lie to us. He comes wanting to blow our house, our foundation, and our security in Christ, down. Not giving up, he wants 'The bacon.' Are we ready for him when he comes to us? Do we have confidence in the framework of our life? Do we trust that our foundation in Christ is going to keep us from harm?

The way we build our house is up to us. We can spend our life without purpose and without being grounded in anything. James 1:6 commands us with a similar warning: "Be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind."

If we walk in our own desires like Pig 1 and 2, we will get swept away and lost among our own ineptitude.

In Luke 6:47-49, Jesus offers two paths. In each, there is a reward/consequence that follows. Fortunately, we don't have to be like Pig 1 and 2; we have Scripture. We also have the Holy Spirit that dwells in us when we receive his guidance and recognize our inability to run things independently. James 1:21-22 provides more direction: "So get rid of all filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls. But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says."

The Word of God, including the Holy Spirit, is your foundation. Rest in it, and the big, bad wolf will be huffing and puffing, huffing and puffing, and nothing will come down.

As you live out your journey, are you being swept away, ensnared by the desires the wolf has for you? Or, are you grounded in the Word and carefully listening to the guiding of the Holy Spirit? You always have the option, but either way, that wolf is coming to blow at your house.

Throwing Stones

If you were asked if you have ever sinned before, you would probably nod your head or reply with a hesitant "yes." You might even boldly go into exhorbitant detail, making others provide you a quizzical look. Well, if you lived in the Old Testament, you would not be as prepared to nod your head.
If you broke Sabbath and did not keep it holy, you were put to death (Exodus 31:14); if you curse your father or mother, you were put to death (Exodus 21:17). In John 8:2-11, the Pharisees brought forth a woman caught in the act of committing adultery. Armed with stones and eager to punish the woman, the Pharisees asked Jesus what should be done to the woman (the intention was to trap Jesus). The Pharisees added that the Law of Moses commanded such women to be stoned.
So, what do all of the accounts have in common? If you sin, you die. Under the Law of Moses and the Old Covanent laws found in the book of Exodus, it was made clear that there were major punishments for committing various sins, and the major punishment was death (Exodus 20-23). There was no hope if you were caught in sin because that is what the Old Covenant was about.

Now, if we go back to the story of the adulterous woman, we notice that Jesus' response connects to what the New Covenant does in contrast to the Old Covenant:

"Let anyone of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. (John 8:7)"

We are all seen as sinners, including the Pharisees, yet the difference between the Old and New Covenant is not the sinning, but the saving. Consider what made the New Covenant a necessary change to the laws:

 First:

Hebrews 8:6 makes it clear: "But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood (Old Covenant), for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises (NLT)" In other words, God has brought about a better covenant through Jesus Christ. 

Second:

Hebrews 8:7 gives us the reason a new agreement was formed: "If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said: 'The day is coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.'" Keep in mind as to why God formed a new covanent through Jesus. Clearly, God found fault with the people. We could not live up to the temptations (consider Cain in Genesis 4), the evil, and the ability to remain faithful. To put it plainly, we could not uphold the old covenant because we were dirty sinners. We needed hope, and the New Covenant was that hope.

Third:

Hebrews 8:12 is the redemption scene: "And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." It is through this statement that grace has been magnified through the remodeling of the Old Covenant. God, seeing that we messed up the Old Covenant, wanted to express his love and grace towards us by creating a new agreement that we could withstand.

Exit death and punishment.

Enter grace and love.

Before we throw the Old Covenant out because it is considered "obsolete" (Hebrews 13:8), we have to realize the intentions of Jesus. While Jesus did come to introduce a new Covenant, it does not mean we should erase the Old Covenant that was around for so long. Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it (read Matthew 5:17) - as a puzzle piece finishes a puzzle. The law, incomplete through the disobedience of the people, is now made complete through Jesus.

Most importantly, the Old Covanent required that animal sacrifices were made every year to atone for one's sins. The beauty of the New Covanent is that Jesus is that sacrifice. Blood sacrifices are no longer necessary and all stones can permanently be put away because Jesus is considered the permanent savior of sins. Not only is He the symbol of saving grace, but He is also the introduction of a new promise of life through the grace of God.

Although it is the transgressions of the people that caused the New Covenant to surface, we can take joy in what this New Covenant is all about: Love and Grace. "You are put to death," was the phrase that came with the laws of the Old Covanent. "You are redeemed, forgiven, and covered by the blood of Jesus" is the phrase that comes with the New Covenant. The Law of Love and Grace is now the engine that runs the vehicle.

So, dear friends, let us live in this glorious era and realize the New Covenant is symbolic of the love and grace God bestows upon us everyday. We are no longer the image of sin, but the representation of forgiveness, love, and unfathomable grace.

Being Faithful: Selfish-less

Being faithful to a calling is never easy. Most of the time, we do not want to be governed by another schedule, plan, or set of commands. Our dream vacation consists of what we want to do, when we want to do it; and, every hour of the day is organized by you, and you alone. Even when someone confronts you with the notion that their wish for you is the best option, you don't want to believe them, even if it is the truth. An independent life with no strings attached is exactly what we want. Our culture complains when we have to pay bills, listen to a job training seminar, attend classes on the weekend, and an endless list of other things. Worse yet, we think it is OK to complain; we think we are doing ourselves and those around us some kind of favor. When we moan, we want someone to agree with us in order to ultimately make us feel better. When someone agrees with us, it makes us want to complain more. And, the cycle begins.
What selfish people we are! We gravitate towards getting our way, and when we do not, we throw the tantrums like the ones we spent most of our time teaching children not to do. Our complaining is like a virus that convinces us that our lives are far more important than anyone else's. As Christians, this selfish behavior should alarm us. We should immediately wake up from this deceitful attitude and start walking on the path we are called to engage - and do it with a positive attitude.
If the Lord has called me to follow through on a command, He most likely will not tolerate a negative attitude. However, we still gravitate towards our desires and our own goals. On the outside, we smile and nod, knowing that God will be pleased with us when we cheerfully follow his commands. On the inside, we groan, moan, whine, complain, mumble, daudle, and shake our heads. We may even cut as deep as cussing, refusing, and labelling God as a failure to bring us happiness. As a result, we crush the relationship with God we built. Like a cheating wife, we threaten God and express our desire to walk away from the marriage.
Proverbs is a beautiful book because it talks all about wisdom. Chapter 3, verse 3 says, "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." No matter what, be faithful in what you do. Being faithful means sticking to the cause, no matter what the condition. It means focusing on what you were called to do, and doing it with love and devotion to the Lord. It does not matter how we feel or what we want. In the end, we need to be faithful without expecting anything in return - with 100% of our effort. Furthermore, faithfulness means loyally committing to His Ways and doing "everything without grumbling" (Phillipians 2:14).
Moses is a good example of someone who had a difficult time accepting God's purpose for him.  "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:11), Moses quizzically asked. Even after God reassured Moses, saying, "I will be with you", Moses still had questions of doubt. In the same way, what God has called us to, He will bring us through. God is with us and will pull us through what we are called to do. As chosen ones, God will ensure that as long as we are faithful, we will not fail.
So, since God will bring us through what He called us to, let us have an attitude that spreads the Gospel; "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth" (Psalm 57:11). Remove the grumbling, the complaining, and the selfishness, and instead replace it with praise and devotion. Most importantly, be faithful and "serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people" (Ephesians 6:7).

Finding Freedom in His Precepts

Precepts. It is not a word that is frequently tossed around, but when it comes to dissecting the meaning of it, we can easily apply it to our spiritual walk. However, in order to apply the word 'precept' to our spiritual walk, it is important to know the definition of a precept. Dictionary.com defines a precept as "a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct." In the case of our Christian walk, it would be any commandment or direction from the Lord.

Psalm 119:44-45 has some good news about precepts, and apparently, they bring freedom and hope. “I will always obey your law, forever and ever. I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” In other words, I will walk in freedom because I have decided to follow the Lord’s directions. I have obeyed his commands for my life, and because of my loyalty to keeping his commands, I now walk in freedom. How magnificent is this idea! The Lord’s direction brings freedom! A verse earlier, we recognize there is submission to the Lord and his ways. “I will always obey your law…” Notice the word 'always.' Obedience to the Lord’s laws becomes a promise, and the result is freedom in Him.

Next, we find out that we play a role in this calling. “I have sought out your precepts.” When we seek the Lord’s direction, when we call out to the Lord, we gain freedom.

Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” When we seek the Lord and his precepts, we are given freedom in Christ; when we “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33) our freedom and so much more is promised.

Do you accept God’s purpose for you? Will you walk closely with Him, following him and walking in freedom? Seek God and his precepts first, and be obedient to his calling for your life. When you do that, you will find freedom like none other. We can have peace knowing that the Lord's purpose in our lives will give us the freedom from trying to figure it all out ourselves. We can go into the world in the name of the Lord knowing that his precepts will protect us and give us freedom in the long haul. 
Trust God completely, and what will follow will be far greater than you can imagine today.  Don't let your past dictate you future, and do not let fear of the unknown keep you from following the Lord completely.

Sowing the Seed

Trees take time to grow. You need to cultivate, prepare, and set the tree up for a successful maturation process. However you plant your tree, it takes a process that lasts a long time. Psalm 1, a chapter-long metaphor about trees and spiritual life, speaks about the appearance of a healthy tree.

"...They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season."

-Psalm 1:3 (NLT)

Notice how this tree bears fruit each season. It is continuously cultivated and given care so that it may bear fruit each season. If this tree is to bear fruit each season, it needs to be cared for every year.

Secondly, notice where the trees are planted. The placement of the trees are crucial in order for growth to occur.  If placed by a riverbank, trees will grow because the stream produces fertile ground. If placed in a desert, surely there will be no growth because the placement is not right.

As Christians, we need to continuously push ourselves toward spiritual excellence. Every season of our lives needs to be cultivated, prepared, and set up for success. In order to be successful as servants of the Lord, we need to prepare ourselves daily. Furthermore, our placement in the world is contingent on how we train

ourselves up as godly men and women. If we place ourselves around wicked behavior, we will prevent positive growth from the spiritual standpoint.

The good news is that, when you place yourself in the midst of spiritual encouragement and continue cultivating your "tree," incredible results show:

"Their leaves will never whither, and they prosper in all they do."

-Psalm 1:3 (NLT)

Like a farmer planting his seeds in the right place, he reward is healthy growth and development. His plantation prospers and there is clear evidence of his hard work. There is actually a story of a farmer sowing seed. It is found in the Gospel of Mark:

 "...As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

-Mark 4:3-8 (NIV)

Notice where the farmer places the seeds. In the end, where he produces the seeds determines whether there is growth or there is not. Some seeds were choked, while others were thrown on good soil. The end result for the latter? They "came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times." When the farmer placed the seeds in the right spot, good things resulted. When you place yourself in good spots, good things will sprout from your life. You prepare and set up yourself for a lifestyle that honors and pleases God. It will "never whither" and will "prosper" in every way.

Do you put yourself around positive role models and good spiritual influences? Furthermore, are you preparing yourself to live the lifestyle you are called to? Like a tree, spiritual growth takes work, preparation, and the right location to develop. Are you doing what needs to be done to create it?