The balanced side of grace

July 20, 2005So, we made the trek last night. Four hours down to Atlanta to attend the second to last Louie-led edition of 722. If by some chance you’ve lived under a rock (or are just deprived) and don’t know what 722 is; go to http://www.722.org and you can watch everything. Otherwise, you understand how cool it is to go.

As I evaluated the happenings of last night I come across two main things that stick out to me, one “natural”, the other is something the selfish part of me isn’t comfortable with.

We walk in, it’s crowded and hot, we’re a tad late, and sit on the floor in an isle. Suddenly, I find myself consumed again. Consumed by a God I can’t understand. One who shatters every comprehending, “Hey, I think I get this!” bone in my body. I’m uncomfortable at the thought of how he works from time to time because I’m finite and can’t see the whole picture he is painting. So this is what I naturally fall to, being uncomfortable. This uncomfortableness (this is not a word I know, Microsoft just told me so) though is one I’m content in. If God were something I could “get”, he wouldn’t be God.

As I continue to ponder the “uncomfortableness” thought, I ask myself a question. “Why does this feel so natural?” “Why am I content and comfortable in “uncomfortableness? This is completely against my ‘wanna feel secure/hate the risk side of things’ nature.” I find the answer no less than a moment after wondering.

It’s because this is what we were created to do. It is sewn into every fiber of our being as a human. It is what God intended for us to do when he thought each of us into life. To stand in awe of Him! To be consumed by Him. To come to the feet, bowed down, realizing our position in the grand scheme of things, and worship Him. Making much of Jesus. He created us for His glory. It’s the only reason we’re here. So naturally, it feels “natural” to do what we were created to do.

Louie stands to speak and you can feel the attention of the room drawn to one person. On the edge of their seat, Bibles and note-taking materials rustle as three thousand college age folks lean in to hear what God has laid on his heart today. Of which he so efficiently communicates.

This is the part where the selfish side of me is gently disappointed because he knows the answers. He just likes to “not think about them” from time to time. The message was on Grace. But, not the easy side of it we often like to hear. The part where we’ve been saved and nothing can pluck us out of his hand. This was the works side of Grace. Not that works are what saves you, but grace doesn’t exist without them. It’s like boiling water without steam, as a friend put it. Fruit proves grace. Grace is outward, visible, productive and fruitful. We are put on this earth to fulfill works he has already laid out for us. God gives us power to serve God. Hmm… this one took a minute… Then he made a statement that is often debated, but completely true. “What you get in Heaven is based on your works here on earth” (2Cor 5:10) You can either have a peanut to lay at the feet of Jesus, or you can have a few truck loads. I’d hate to get to the thrown and only have peanut to lay at the feet of my savior. Yeah, I’m in heaven, but I’m ashamed. My face is in my hands and I’m crying because I finally see that I wasted it. I have only a peanut to show for my life and everything He gave me here on earth. This flies in the face of the whole “fire insurance Christianity” that’s so prevalent.

This is the balanced side of grace.

Louie earlier said something I didn’t expect. He made the comment most of us think is inappropriate and overstepping our bounds. He said it’s ok to say to your friend “I’m not sure your saved.” Part of me inside went “uh-oh”. Our culture tells us this is exclusive and intolerant. Most would reply with something along the lines of “How dare you question my salvation!” In asking a question like this though your not being judgmental, you simply see no fruit, so you’re worried. It’s what a true friend would do. Hearts that are hit by grace are hearts that turn and serve God. If grace isn’t coming out, did it ever go in?

After the evening I was left with a thought of “I only get to bow down one time for the first time and I wanna lay down as much as I can at the feet the God of wonders”


So, was it worth 8 hours on the road, 3 hours of sleep, and a really hard morning getting up at 6? Yeah, … it was.

The next one is August 9th for all you college age folks out there.

glad im just a normal kid

July 15, 2005dang good movie last night i saw... (yoda, has nothing to do with willy wonka)

but i seem to have forgotten my quote i was going to write about... probably b/c i got 3 hours of sleep... thanks for the floor spot bj...

was the movie good?
yeah, at time is questioned a couple of the liberties they took with the original story... but how do you argue with tim burton... or willy wonka....

i sure am glad im just a normal kid, im not crazy smart, i dont watch TV all the time, my parents aren\'t rich, my mother fed me food other than chocolate, i was taught to compete, but not at gum chewing... we saw in this movie what happens to kids like that (you blow up like a blueberry, get sucked up into a pipe, disfigured by stretching machines, or thrown to your death by a angry mob of possessed squirrels {never knew squirrel was spelled like that}... not a good thing... then little people from other lands come out and sing songs about how stupid you are... im really just glad im normal...

definitely a movie to see, especially if you liked the first one!

I may never own a chocolate factory, but I\'ve got more than I could ever comprehend with the God of Wonder that lives in me. . . and the story I\'m taking part in (through Him)... Dahl himself could never imagine!

Why aren\'t people passionate?

July 08, 2005As i sit to write this afternoon I am tired from work. All day though, as I process box after box, one question has rought every thinking bone in my body. One posed by a close friend just Wed. night, and now one i can\'t understand. My friend looks at me, seemingly out of nowhere, and says in a loud voice \"Man, why aren\'t people passionate?!?!\"

I think I replied with an \"I just dont know\", but the question still lingers within me. So I ask myself, and I think, then God lays on my heart an answer.

Why aren\'t people passionate about their relationship with the creator of the universe? Did you catch that? The CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE! The same one who created everything they are passionate about! I can only think of one answer... the deceiver.

Satan pushes the idea that our Lord and Savior is weak. The things of this world are important. He was just an old man a long time ago. You\'ve got your fire insurance, go on about your way. Don\'t worry about taking people to the party with you, they\'ll find their own way. Then we unknowingly accept these concepts as reality, or maybe we don\'t in our thinking, but we do in our actions. . . This is the biggest lie ever told in the history of mankind... Our God is weak, therefore we aren\'t passionate about Him!

When in reality, one day, every knee will hit the dirt and every tounge old and new, willingly or not, saved or unsaved, will shout at the top of their lungs JESUS IS KING!!! (even the phsych teacher you\'ll meet in college who swears that God is just a handicap idea created by humans to make themselves feel safer) Satan will be defeated and our God will reign! The victory has already been won! (see the book of Revelation)

Jesus asked Peter \"Do you love me?\", He asked him this 3 times.. at this Peter was hurt. But, it seems to me that Jesus is asking Peter something that we miss. I think he is asking him, \"Peter, are you passionate about me? You love me, but are you passionate about me?\" He is asking YOU the same question! We see that Peter defintely learned to be passionate later on. (read about how he died!)

We\'re passionate about lots of things...guitar, music, politics, art, cars, our b/f, g/f, the country, clothes, our religion, sports, and many other things... but why not our relationship with God himself? The one who gave us this feeling we call passion!

Satan tells us a lie! And, we believe it! If we are not passionate, we are not affective in the world we live in! Satan knows this!

Look at the pic below this writing... why aren\'t people passionate?

\"Jesus, PLEASE make me passionate about you, your kingdom, your work, and your renown! Let me live every moment of every day for your glory alone! I\'m begging. . . \"

I forget. . .

July 07, 2005

photo from justincredible


Occasionally, in my wondering through this waiting room we live in, I forget. I forget what I am, a representative of the most high God, a new creation, cleansed by the blood of Jesus. I forget that he was the sacrifice that gives me a relationship with my creator. I loose sight of the reason I live my life. I forget his love for me, and that no matter how fast i could run or how far I could go, He is faster and will go farther than I ever could!

He went to the cross with YOU and I on His heart and now WE are identified in Him!

He is waiting on YOU!

He is PLEADING \"{insert your name} I want you! I want to do more through you than you could ever imagine! Draw everything you need from me. I have more than enough. Put your life in my hands, I ... LOVE ... YOU!\"


But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
Ephesians 2:12-14

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
1 John 1:7

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Colossians 2:13-15


Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

Thankyou Jesus. . . God\'s working

July 05, 2005I\'m resting on the counter by my office today and my boss walks up and mentions the time I need off to go to NY. . . without me ever mentioning it to her. . . then she proceeds to inform me that it will be no big deal for me to take that week off!

I had never mentioned it to her because i was worried and nervous about asking b/c i\'ve already had a lot of time off, but she mentioned it to me...

walking away, all i could say was \"Thankyou Jesus\". . .