Ephesians 4:25

"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body."

-Ephesians 4:25

Get rebuked! Rebuke people! As Ben-David leaves today this is whats on my mind. But God is showing me that this verse is more of an exhortation to the unbelievers. I remember in high school, when ever religion would come up, i would say something along the lines of, "I know what i believe, i hope you find it."

Speaking truthfully to your neighbor to me sounds like we need to speak the truth in full. We are all members of one body, that body being the church, and the church is called to the great commission in matthew 28. Simple put we cant spend time dancing around the truth and never getting to it. Granted you have to say it seasoned with salt, and be culturally sensitive. Put away the false hood of saying yeah you're a good person, because there is none that are good but God. And the only way we can be re-signed to God's team is through accepting that Jesus is Christ. 

I'm so happy i grew out of the timid, shy christian i was in high school. I am a man of God and i'm never going back. I'm no longer chasing after the wind, but I'm in my Father's will. Sharing with those the Holy Spirit brings to me. After all God doesn't need us to voice His beauty, but He wants us.

Ephesians 4:23

"to be made new in the attitude of your minds;"

-Ephesians 4:23

When i think about my own mind… evil men of the past are dwindled in the potential of my flesh. The leaders of the pornographic industry, Hitler, anyone you can imagine; i am the same in thought as them. The only thing that separates us is they actually did it. However, our minds were the same. 

Now after knowing who Jesus Christ is, i still have those thoughts, but i know they are not glorifying to my Creator. Therefore i allow God to dismiss them when they enter into my mind, and that is the difference. My attitude in my mind has changed. Just last night someone said something stupid to me, when they really didn't need to. Instead of retaliating in anger, i went straight to my room to pray. 

I will continue to seek God's direction in such situations. Like my father always tells me, "Don't be wise in your own eyes. Take it to God." If it wasn't for God my attitude would be very unpleasant. 

Ephesians 4:22

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;"

-Ephesians 4:22

I was taught, with every Bible story pointing to Christ. He showed me how to conduct my life. Jesus Christ is my Savior, Lord, and Teacher. I used to aspired to gain the world. Trying to find that spot where i would be everything any man could be. The man that every woman wanted. Filled with money, anger, and pride; empty of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ had more in store for me than the simple temporal life, He had Eternal life in my story, so He broke me down until i saw He had a path for me to follow. Instead of the rabbit trails i was blazing on my own. 

After seeing how Jesus Christ, Paul, and a host of others lived, I could easily throw in the towel for the world. After all, if i seek the Kingdom first, everything else will be added unto me. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." (Matthew 16:24b-25). Today i am a new creation, and being that, i did my devotionals, reminding myself that i'm a sinner, in need of a savior. Going through the crucifixion in scripture, i have my priorities right, so i will be taught by Christ every morning. My old self is dead, but i'm going to put a bullet in it every morning just incase.

Romans 12:13

"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."

Romans 12:13

When i think about this verse the first thing that comes to mind is material things. But Paul told us, "…we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 corinthians 4:18). So with that thought in mind, unconditional love is what people need. So many times ill find myself being so prideful, so conditional. That i have forgotten that Jesus is Christ, and He emptied Himself so that i might have eternal life. So in practicing hospitality, i just need to love. I need to practice denying myself through fasting and praying. So that when a brother in Christ acts in a way that i wouldn't. i can give him the love that Jesus Christ gave me. Hospitality is friendly and generous… I wont be stingy with love any longer. "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2).

romans 12:12

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

-Romans 12:12

As i watched the Passion of the Christ, I was reminded of who Christ is. He took the beatings, because it was what was needed in order that we might be saved. He was patient through the beating, because He knew one day i would be complaining about my momentary troubles, and i would be reminded of the worst death you can die… and He did die for me. Through the entire thing He was in constant prayer with His Father in Heaven. 

It was such a good reminder to me to know what Christ did for me. I am such a sinner, that i forgot that Jesus is Jesus Christ. All i am is a jar of clay, hard pressed on every side, but not crushed because of Christ. I will keep my eyes on whats eternal and not what is temporal…. and i will do so by reading through Luke 23 every morning. 

Enjoying my time here, in the ups and humbling times... God is good

Romans 12:10

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves."

-Romans 12:10

Dear Father in Heaven, you know my heart. You are closer than my own soul. For me to withhold any thoughts from you, would be me lying to you. You know that i would do anything for a brother in need. But you also know that in my heart i like to play judge, deciding if they really need it or if by my help they will only continue to be lazy. i often find myself forgetting that i'm a sinner. You see me looking for those splinters in my brother's eyes, while i have the whole forrest in my own sight. 

Dear God, come and help me. I remember when i saw the muslim nation as my enemy, dreaming of going into their land and murdering them, for the simple reason that i was American. I remember fighting every guy who disrespected anyone in high school, thinking i was doing God's work. All i have ever done, is taint the title we know as "Christian." It took 2 things for me to change my viewpoint, a jack johnson song called "sleep through the static" "The truth is we say not as we do. We say any time, anywhere just show your teeth, and strike a fear. God wears camouflage, cries at night and drives a dodge, pickup the beats, stop hogging the feast, thats no way to treat a enemy." And Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him…" After this i saw that You love me, but You were not created for me… but I was created to worship You. So it was about time i stopped being my own judge and submit to the real Judge. You blessed America and You continue to bless us, but You is not American. 

Lord i got passed all of that, you allowed me to get drunk with all the people i judged. Intoxicated in sin, i was the same as anyone else. But in that you still had your hand upon my life, you taught me that i could love anyone. Anyone who was broken, i had the same wound, i could relate to anyone Lord.  The whole time you had me going to church, fake as could be. You gave me that too Lord, in order that i might see the fakes, because they were just like me. 

Than You set me free from all of that. I got deep in your Word. With that i got more involved with the church. Some of the church will be my friends through all of eternity. They are my brothers, my fatherly figures, my motherly figures, and my little sisters. However Lord, you know that there are those christians who sit in clouds of arrogance. This was once me Lord, still is, and i hate that part of me. I hate them Lord. I'm not devoted to them, especially in brotherly love. You have seen me in life, You have seen me gather the wise, the brave, and the broken who have qualities to be on fire for you…. but you have also seen me chase off anyone who would put a bitter taste in the mouth. The arrogant, the annoying, the lazy. God they are created in Your imagine. You do not see the physical that man sees, but you see their heart… Lord why cant i see the heart? 

They ruin things that i can see Lord… but i want to see what you see, are they building in your Kingdom? Are they producing fruit that i cant see, because of the planks in my eyes? Lord let me see what you see, give me your eyes for one moment. 

On earth i can crush any man who comes against me. But i don't want to. I want to love. I want my chest to drop, i want the tension in my back to subdue. Lord more than anything i want to come home to you… but you have lessons for me to learn here. 

You know i don't like people Lord. I love you, and you loved people… the sick, the broken sinners. I love them also, its these religions people i don't love Lord, and that is a conflict because we are supposed to be of one mind, one accord. I will continue to pray for devotion to You Lord so that i might be able to honor everyone in the church above myself, and not just the ones i see fit.