So I've recently been contemplating the humility of God and studying meekness. I've been studying Matthew 5:5 where Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Meekness is faithfully cultivating a servant's heart to esteem others better than yourself. The one who is meek lays down his life for others. He is gentle, tender, kind, patient, and not looking out for himself. He is not always demanding his own rights or his own way He is not focused on himself. He's doesn't defend himself. He doesn't always have to be right, have the last word, win the argument, or prove his point. The one who is meek is given to serving others, to taking the low place, and to living for the benefit of others. More and more I am coming to see how much I lack meekness!
Why does God require meekness of us? I believe primarily because He is the God who is meek; He is the Humble King. He leads in humility and governs the earth in meekness. Meekness is one of the core values of His Kingdom.
Jesus embodied meekness as He walked on the earth. In John 13, He does the unthinkable! He washes the feet of His disciples. This was the lowest job reserved for the slave of the house. And here God takes a towel and a basin of water, bends down and begins to scrub caked dirt, mud, and animal waste, etc off of the feet of the disciples. We all remember the story. When it's Peter's turn, he freaks out a little bit. He had an authentic revelation of who Jesus was, none other than Messiah, the very Son of God. And He cries, 'No! Jesus, you will NEVER wash my feet!' We are quick to criticize Peter, but let's put it in a little more modern scenario. Can you imagine Jesus, in all of His glory, showing up at your house for no other reason but to take out your trash! This is not beneath Him to do that. I can hear it now, "No! Jesus, not You. You don't have to do that. I'll take out the trash. You can't take out my trash. It's trash and You're God!"
Our God is a servant. We can never receive Him as King until we first receive Him as our Servant. It is humility for God to even look at things in heaven and in the earth (Psalm 113) and yet He takes great delight in embracing meekness and humility daily to serve you and I. Every time He speaks to us, every time He provides for us, every time He heals us, He is putting His humility on display. He is the God of Humility and Meekness, the One who is the slave of all, (Mark 10:44) and He invites you and I to be just like Him. I want to live a life of meekness!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Let Him Kiss Me
In the book of Song of Solomon, we find the greatest love story ever told. We are given an allegory of the love that Jesus, as represented by King Solomon has for us His church, as represented by the Shulamite. The Song begins in verse one where the young maiden cries out 'Let him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth, for your love is better than wine.' Mouth here could be better translated as Word. She in essence is saying, 'Let him kiss me with His word.' This is not to be understood as a sensual request, but rather a cry for revelation and to experience His love. She is asking for her heart to be awakened in the love of God. She wants revelation to come and her heart to be moved by God. She wants to know Jesus, His heart, His emotions, the way that He feels about her. She has heard about the beauty of intimacy with Jesus, but now she is crying to experience it for herself.
We weren't made to live at a distance from God. We weren't created to live bored with God and blinded by religion. Our hearts were made to flow back in forth in love and intimacy with Jesus our Bridegroom. We were made to live in the romance. Our hearts weren't made to be romanced by movies, novels, or other cheap thrills. The highest expression of romance was not even meant to be shared with another human being, but rather with God. He is the Author of Romance. He is love and He created us in order that He might lavish His affection upon us. We were designed to experience the incomparable love of God.
Do you ever wonder why we have always loved fairytales? We love the story of the handsome, charming, strong, benevolent King who falls in love with the poor girl who has nothing to offer him but love itself. We rejoice, when against all odds he wins her heart, fighting any foe who would stand in his way and seek to harm his beloved. Why do we love these stories? Why will we watch movie after movie simply re-telling this age old tale? Because it is our story--it's the story of the Gospel. Jesus the King of all Kings has fallen in love with us, those who have nothing to offer Him. He is determined to fight for us, to win our hearts, to destroy all that hinders love in our lives, until He has all of us. This is not just a fairy tale; it's the Romance of the Ages; it's our story.
The young maiden in the Song cries out 'Your love is better than wine.' She has tasted of His love and is convinced that it is better than anything, than everything. When we really taste of His love, we'll forsake the 'wine' of this world. We'll leave behind all the passing pleasures of sin. This love truly satisfies. The love of Jesus is absolutely intoxicating. See we were made to live addicted. We were made to experience pleasure. All the addictions to be found in this life, all that brings us momentary pleasures, are cheap counterfeits. There is no greater inebriant than experiencing the love of the Bridegroom Jesus. His love is better than wine!
Today I want Jesus to kiss my heart with His word. I want a spirit of revelation, that I might know Him, that I might believe in the love He has for me. I want to experience a love that is better than the choicest of wine. I want to be romanced by the Bridegroom Jesus...Let Him kiss me.
--Jamie
We weren't made to live at a distance from God. We weren't created to live bored with God and blinded by religion. Our hearts were made to flow back in forth in love and intimacy with Jesus our Bridegroom. We were made to live in the romance. Our hearts weren't made to be romanced by movies, novels, or other cheap thrills. The highest expression of romance was not even meant to be shared with another human being, but rather with God. He is the Author of Romance. He is love and He created us in order that He might lavish His affection upon us. We were designed to experience the incomparable love of God.
Do you ever wonder why we have always loved fairytales? We love the story of the handsome, charming, strong, benevolent King who falls in love with the poor girl who has nothing to offer him but love itself. We rejoice, when against all odds he wins her heart, fighting any foe who would stand in his way and seek to harm his beloved. Why do we love these stories? Why will we watch movie after movie simply re-telling this age old tale? Because it is our story--it's the story of the Gospel. Jesus the King of all Kings has fallen in love with us, those who have nothing to offer Him. He is determined to fight for us, to win our hearts, to destroy all that hinders love in our lives, until He has all of us. This is not just a fairy tale; it's the Romance of the Ages; it's our story.
The young maiden in the Song cries out 'Your love is better than wine.' She has tasted of His love and is convinced that it is better than anything, than everything. When we really taste of His love, we'll forsake the 'wine' of this world. We'll leave behind all the passing pleasures of sin. This love truly satisfies. The love of Jesus is absolutely intoxicating. See we were made to live addicted. We were made to experience pleasure. All the addictions to be found in this life, all that brings us momentary pleasures, are cheap counterfeits. There is no greater inebriant than experiencing the love of the Bridegroom Jesus. His love is better than wine!
Today I want Jesus to kiss my heart with His word. I want a spirit of revelation, that I might know Him, that I might believe in the love He has for me. I want to experience a love that is better than the choicest of wine. I want to be romanced by the Bridegroom Jesus...Let Him kiss me.
--Jamie
Friday, August 31, 2007
Do you know God?
Today I'm praying for a spirit of revelation (Ephesians 1:17-19). I want to really know God, not just know about Him, not just know Bible verses. I want to know Him! I want to know His heart. I want my soul to be impacted by His emotions, the way He feels about me. The more I know learn of Him, the more I realize I don't know Him at all, not even a little bit. A young man by the name of Elihu is my hero. In Job 36:26, he makes a profound statement, 'Behold, God is great and we do not know Him!' I do not know God and yet He longs to reveal Himself to me. God wants to be known us, by His people. The greatest glory of my life is to sit before the Lord, in recognition of the poverty of my own soul, and ask Him to reveal Himself to me. Proverbs 25:2 says, 'It's the glory of God to conceal a matter and it's the glory of kings to search it out.' It's our eternal glory to search out the knowledge of God. The knowledge of God can be simply defined as, who God is, how He feels, and what He thinks about you.
More and more I am coming to see that I have bought into lies concerning the knowledge of God. We all have. A.W. Tozer says it well, 'The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.’ What are some lies you've believed about God? Perhaps you've regarded Him as mostly angry, critical, and disappointed. Maybe you've viewed him as a strict disciplinarian, a demanding judge, a harsh drill sergeant, or a stern businessman. Perhaps you've thought of Him as far removed from your life, detached, distant, and aloof--a kind of God who is too busy to think about the daily affairs of your life. Maybe we think of Him as non-emotional or indifferent, like He won't do good or evil; He just doesn't do anything at all. Perhaps we think of Him as we think of our earthly fathers or other authority figures that we've known, maybe as cold, abusive, non-affectionate, non-relational, always busy, or never satisfied with anything that we do.
The greatest question facing you today is 'Who is God?' What you think about God is the most important thing about you.
The Bible gives us insight into God's nature. Here are just a few things to consider today about God: He is mostly glad (Psa 16:11, Psa 45:2). He takes great delight in you (Zeph 3:17, Psa 16:3). He cherishes you (Eph 5:29). He is attentive to even the most minute detail in your life (Psa 139). He is deeply aware of every movement of your heart (Pro 15:11). You are valuable to Him, in fact He has numbered every strand of your hair (Luke 12:7). He sees you as beautiful (Song of Sol 1:15). You bring Him pleasure (Psa 149:4). With one look of your eye toward Him, you steal His heart away (Song of Sol 4:9). You overcome God (Song of Sol. 6:5) In your weakness, He finds you lovely (Song of Sol 1:5). His love for you is stronger than death (Song of Sol 8:6). He is a good, caring, affectionate Father (Mat 7:11). He is a Bridegroom whose madly in love with you (Isa 62:5).
Do you know Him this way? Do you know God? We need a spirit of revelation.
More and more I am coming to see that I have bought into lies concerning the knowledge of God. We all have. A.W. Tozer says it well, 'The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.’ What are some lies you've believed about God? Perhaps you've regarded Him as mostly angry, critical, and disappointed. Maybe you've viewed him as a strict disciplinarian, a demanding judge, a harsh drill sergeant, or a stern businessman. Perhaps you've thought of Him as far removed from your life, detached, distant, and aloof--a kind of God who is too busy to think about the daily affairs of your life. Maybe we think of Him as non-emotional or indifferent, like He won't do good or evil; He just doesn't do anything at all. Perhaps we think of Him as we think of our earthly fathers or other authority figures that we've known, maybe as cold, abusive, non-affectionate, non-relational, always busy, or never satisfied with anything that we do.
The greatest question facing you today is 'Who is God?' What you think about God is the most important thing about you.
The Bible gives us insight into God's nature. Here are just a few things to consider today about God: He is mostly glad (Psa 16:11, Psa 45:2). He takes great delight in you (Zeph 3:17, Psa 16:3). He cherishes you (Eph 5:29). He is attentive to even the most minute detail in your life (Psa 139). He is deeply aware of every movement of your heart (Pro 15:11). You are valuable to Him, in fact He has numbered every strand of your hair (Luke 12:7). He sees you as beautiful (Song of Sol 1:15). You bring Him pleasure (Psa 149:4). With one look of your eye toward Him, you steal His heart away (Song of Sol 4:9). You overcome God (Song of Sol. 6:5) In your weakness, He finds you lovely (Song of Sol 1:5). His love for you is stronger than death (Song of Sol 8:6). He is a good, caring, affectionate Father (Mat 7:11). He is a Bridegroom whose madly in love with you (Isa 62:5).
Do you know Him this way? Do you know God? We need a spirit of revelation.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
A Good Idea
So this weekend I had the random thought that it would be a good idea for me to start blogging, web journaling, or whatever cool 'techie' term you want to use. It's not like I don't have enough that I am doing...I have lots of time to write. In all seriousness, I do want to attempt to blog. I process things best through writing. I am looking forward to taking a little time throughout my week to share what the Lord is doing in my heart as I sit before Him in the House of Prayer, things I'm learning, things I'm teaching, and things that are transpiring in my life.
I'll start this post by sharing a portion of a sermon that I did last Sunday on being 'Poor in Spirit.'
At the end of the day, there is a little piece in all of us that believes we have some goodness to offer God. We are aware, in touch at a certain level, with our barrenness, our inadequacies, and our shortcomings. However, we also keep a record of how good we are: how much we are reading, praying, fasting, giving, serving, etc. We are aware of our strengths and we so often build them up to cover and hide any of our weaknesses. We lean on our natural and spiritual giftings and because it is impressive to men, we think it is likely impressive to God. Because our giftings are bargaining chips with men, we assume that we can use them to bargain with God. Somehow we think that we can outweigh the wickedness of our hearts by doing good deeds to counteract our wickedness. We think if we somehow manage to do more good than evil, and that we are doing better than others, we are ok and in good standing with God.
When we are shocked by the darkness of our own heart, we are trusting in our own dedication to God. When we say, ‘I can’t believe this is in me, I should be so much further along than this.’ God replies, ‘I knew it was in you all along.’ When we are shocked by the truth of our hearts, it is an expression of our own pride. We must settle it, without God we are wicked to the core. When God is our strength and when we understand He is merciful, we will go to him without any accomplishments or bargaining chips, without anything to contribute. God’s commitment to us is far greater than our commitment to Him.
Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."
The Kingdom of God is populated only by those who are poor in spirit, those who have no goodness in and of themselves. To be poor in spirit is to be spiritually bankrupt without God.
Jesus says to the man who is 'rich' in spirit and justifying himself, coming to God with his bargaining chips, "You really are poor. Go sell all you have. Trash your résumé. Mark all your gains as losses."
Jesus says to the 'spiritual beggar, the poor man', who has nothing to offer God, "You are in fact poorer than you think you are, and you are loved and desired by God more deeply than you’ll ever know. The Kingdom belongs to you."
I'll start this post by sharing a portion of a sermon that I did last Sunday on being 'Poor in Spirit.'
At the end of the day, there is a little piece in all of us that believes we have some goodness to offer God. We are aware, in touch at a certain level, with our barrenness, our inadequacies, and our shortcomings. However, we also keep a record of how good we are: how much we are reading, praying, fasting, giving, serving, etc. We are aware of our strengths and we so often build them up to cover and hide any of our weaknesses. We lean on our natural and spiritual giftings and because it is impressive to men, we think it is likely impressive to God. Because our giftings are bargaining chips with men, we assume that we can use them to bargain with God. Somehow we think that we can outweigh the wickedness of our hearts by doing good deeds to counteract our wickedness. We think if we somehow manage to do more good than evil, and that we are doing better than others, we are ok and in good standing with God.
When we are shocked by the darkness of our own heart, we are trusting in our own dedication to God. When we say, ‘I can’t believe this is in me, I should be so much further along than this.’ God replies, ‘I knew it was in you all along.’ When we are shocked by the truth of our hearts, it is an expression of our own pride. We must settle it, without God we are wicked to the core. When God is our strength and when we understand He is merciful, we will go to him without any accomplishments or bargaining chips, without anything to contribute. God’s commitment to us is far greater than our commitment to Him.
Matthew 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."
The Kingdom of God is populated only by those who are poor in spirit, those who have no goodness in and of themselves. To be poor in spirit is to be spiritually bankrupt without God.
Jesus says to the man who is 'rich' in spirit and justifying himself, coming to God with his bargaining chips, "You really are poor. Go sell all you have. Trash your résumé. Mark all your gains as losses."
Jesus says to the 'spiritual beggar, the poor man', who has nothing to offer God, "You are in fact poorer than you think you are, and you are loved and desired by God more deeply than you’ll ever know. The Kingdom belongs to you."
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