Being real.

I can get madder than a hornet.  I have a very hard time extending a particular kind of forgiveness.  The kind of forgiveness that requires a whole lot of investment of my hurt heart and a whole lot of no heart investment from my offender.  Ya know what I'm talking about?  The kind of forgiveness that you want to extend ONLY AFTER they absolutely know and understand the offense they have caused you.  The kind that needs proof of some suffering first.  Like twisting their arm as hard as I can in effort to show them the offense.  After all, if I don't, how in the world can they see the magnitude of my awesome forgiveness.  Are you stepping in this with me?  Or am I all by myself here?

This may come as a shocker but people who love and serve Jesus have the same feelings and emotions as the rest of the world.  We haven't been magically set free from all human struggles. 

Like I've said in the previous post, I'm not a violent person, but I do like vindication now and then.  I have to admit there are a few times I would love to lob off a couple fingers as pay back.  (gasp!)  Sorry if I've disappointed anyone.  Just being honest.
I believe to effectively minister to broken people, we have to be able to say we've been there, we've suffered the same thing, we have felt the same feelings.  We need to keep it real. 
At the end of the day, I always want to be authentic and I will always lay out all my (shoulder) chips to the one who is authentic, and never ever to the one who hides behind an "act" of perfection.  I will always put my stakes on the stories of redemption over the stories of perfection.

Because I am a screw up at times, who loves Jesus...I know I will have victories and failures in how I deal with my junk.  And we all have junk....Jesus even did.  Now hold up before you start calling out..."Blasphemer! Heretic!"

Some of my favorite verses in scripture....
...since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.   For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.  Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Is those two verses not totally amazing!  What hope for me!  He knows my struggle, He's able to sympathize with my struggle cause HE HAS BEEN THERE!  And what I love even more, it says, YET He was without sin.  And that's why I love Him so much!  That's why my relationship with Jesus is worth everything!  He shows me the way, He has sent His Spirit to empower me to do as He did.  And when I fail, there's no condemnation, but forgiveness that was paid at the cross.  All my past, present, and future failures forgiven! That's complete victory now.  Right now.  And right now.

So if you see someone missing a couple fingers out there somewhere, you know why...Will you tell them you know me and on a positive note, I'm using our example to minister to others?  I am sorry.  Keeping it real.  :)

Just a chunk.

Marks of a true Christian.

When I study scripture I usually use the New American Standard Bible translation. However, I do have a love for the English Standard Version Bible and use it quite a bit as well.
In the book of Romans I'm digging into the passage titled "Marks of a True Christan" (in the ESV), which is in chapter 12 verses 9-21.
These verses consist of a whole lot of green dotted lines if your an inductive studier. And if you are, you know we LOVE green dotted lines because they are commands. And we LOVE commands because in obeying them we are totally speaking God's love language.  (by our obedience He knows that we love him, John 14:15, 1 John 5:3)

I'm focusing on verse 12:9....
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

In the nasb it's translated "to love without hypocrisy". The greek word for hypocrisy is anypokritos (G505) which is translated unfeigned, undisguised, sincere. This love should be authentic, not a counterfeit. How in the world do I do this? I'd be misleading if I said I love everyone and you can tell by my actions. But I totally get the idea of loving a person, but just not liking them. But is that ok? The bible has a lot to say about love.  And how to do it.

In the book of John, Jesus said "Love one another, JUST as I have loved you".  In the book of Romans it says to "love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor".  In the book of 1 John it says "if anyone has the world's goods and sees a brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him".  How about John 15:13 ...there's no greater love than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 
In the book of Luke, Jesus says "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He is kind to the ungrateful and the evil".

We are to be different than how the world would react to our enemies.  There's a lot opinions and conversations as of late circulating about the Westboro baptist preacher who recently died.  This preacher was one who spewed hatred towards a group of people, his behavior and beliefs were far from what I would call one who claims to follow Jesus.  So it's easy to fall into retaliation towards this man and the people that follow his teaching and allow our mouths to speak hatred but when we do, aren't we doing the exact same thing we are condemning him for?   God said in Ezekiel 18:23 & 33:11 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked and not rather turn from his way and live?  Although I can't be for certain how he will be judged, I can guarantee God's not swing dancing in celebration that another one bit the dust and not welcomed into His kingdom.  God is patient not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.  Any and all in the greek mean ANY and ALL.

Good time to think on....Abhor what is evil, hold fast to what is good.  Greek word for abhor is apostygeo meaning to dislike, have a horror of.  It's regarding what is evil not who is evil.

This blog entry is getting longer than what I anticipated.  But there is so much jumbling around in my head about just this verse and recent reaction of some people.  I want to be careful not to speak of God as if I know or think I know what He should be like or should do.  I feel sorry for the people that do, they carry a burden that is not theirs to carry.  It is dangerous to speak or even suggest to know  about how God should punish those who commit evil and judge salvation.

In understanding God's holiness there is no measuring stick that would suffice, all evil is evil compared to His holiness.  I haven't seen in scripture that God has a chart to compare evils.  Sin is sin.  I know that's hard to wrap our minds around and if you can, it's because a false God was created, a God that passes personal expectiations and qualifications, it's to say "I make a better god".  God's not a push over.  He is completely holy, fair, just and absolute love, all at the same time.  His thoughts are not our thoughts, neither are His ways our ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His thoughts and ways, than ours. (Isa. 55:8-9) 

I love that God is infinitely huge and I can never ever figure him out....If I could, He wouldn't be very big at all.

Just a chunk.

A mind spillage of scripture.

I have a tattoo.  And I rather like it.  But it doesn't come without skepticism and at times an undesirable attitude from others.

It's on the inside of my wrist, it says "Redeemed".  The reason I got it, wasn't for shock value, wasn't because of a midlife crisis.  I didn't get it so that others would know what I am.  I for sure didn't get it to make sure Jesus knew what I was.

I did it for me.  I did it to remind me that I'm not defined by my past or my bad decisions or my wrong choices.  There was a time, in my earlier Christian walk that I allowed things in my past to haunt me.  And still from time to time the enemy will bring things to mind and since I'm a visual person I love that I have a visual aid, like a big blinking sign!  I can point to my tat and say to the enemy, "dude, did you read the sign?!".  I am no longer that person, I am a new creation.  I'm no longer a sinner but a saint.  All because of the sacrifice Jesus made for me.

The sad things and the trials from my past are not forgotten.  They were allowed for a reason and none of them will be wasted.  They were allowed and entrusted to me for the very reason to help others, what better way to see the glory of God for once was, and is no longer.  It extends hope to a hurting world.  To know that someone has been there and survived, not only survived but thrives.  It becomes your ministry!
 
When my circumstances try to rattle me, when a trial arises, I know God's at work and I watch for Him.  I know I'm being entrusted to something important that will be used for His kingdom, and His glory.   If I know and trust Jesus, I want to say "bring it on!".  I said I want to, not that I always do or have.  I'm thankful for those around me to remind me of these things.  We need each other for this very reason...to encourage and to build up one another to fight a good fight.  We know the end if we've read the book, but we don't have to take things laying down...we can fight a good fight.  I'm not a vicious person, I don't like or welcome conflict.  But it does feel good in the midst of it to sucker punch the enemy when he least expects it.   I know who I am in Christ and so does the enemy, that's why he's merciless toward the children of the King.

I am redeemed, a child of the King.  Jesus has provided me the power to defeat any temptation thrown my way.  He's equipped me for everything I need to live out a righteous and holy life.

The enemy wants to kill, steal, and destroy but Jesus provided armor and the weapons to fight.  Doing a word study in the greek on dunimas translated power, I looked up every word in scripture for power.  It knocked my socks off.  We can walk in confidence!  We have a huge God, who loves us and provides all that we need in every single circumstance. 
I'm bolder, more confident, and have a whole lot of courage because I believe in Jesus and His Word.

Just a chunk.

The Race.

What do you think of when you hear "run the race"?
Do you think of wanting to cross the finish line first?  Do you think of the training it will take?  The preparing?  Wisdom you will need to make decisions in the midst of the race? How about the prize?

What if I said, "You ARE in a race, the race of this life!"  Are you training and preparing for the race of life?  Are you seeking the wisdom needed to participate in this race?  And the big question that may make you a little squeamish....Do you still want to cross the finish line first?  Or do you even want to be in this race?

The truth is every single person on this earth that draws breath is in this race. It's how we run this race that will make an important difference.   Are we in it to win it?  Is Jesus active in our race and is He going to be at the finish line? 
As a follower of Jesus, we desire, think about, dream, look forward to seeing Him.  But while we still have breath on earth....we are in a race and want it to be a good one.   It's about the who and the how.
We will all cross the finish line, all of us.  How are we going to run it?  And who are we running it with and for?

Hebrews 11 gives a long list of some good race runners that crossed the finish line.  Ones that we can look to as examples for our own race to finish well.  Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel....how about those we know personally?

Hebrews 12:1-2  Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us (all those in Hebrew 11 and add to those you know that finished the race and met Jesus face to face), let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus is with me in this race and at the finish line...these two verses in Hebrews give me some insight into how to run this race.

- a great cloud of witnesses.  A witness is one who has information or knowledge of something, one who can give information, bring to light, or confirm something. "A great cloud" of witnesses is mentioned.  They may be spectators at the race but it seems to imply that they also testify, whether in word or deed, regarding the race themselves have run.  If I study the lives of those mentioned in Hebrews 11, I can glean some wisdom on running the race. 

- every encumbrance.  Encumbrance is only used once in scripture, it's described as a tumor, mass, magnitude, weight, burden, impediment.  What is slowing me down?  Lay it aside, I don't need to carry it with me, actually I don't need it all.  One that I seem to carry is my attitude of  and in the race. I struggle with doubt, failure, fear, worry, pride and jealousy. I need to toss it, it's only weighing me down. 

- sin.  Ok, laying this aside seems easier said than done.  But it says lay it aside.  I tend to carry some of my sin around like an accessory.  But why?  When it's been forgiven, why do I pick it back up and carry it?  I think I do for the same reasons as encumbrances.  I also continue to carry them because I feel better over my guilt, which is only a tactic of the enemy.  By continuing to carry it, I can treat it as a punishment I set up for myself.  It's just stupid, that punishment was paid at the cross for my freedom to live for the one who paid it.  I can get rid of some ugly accessories.
 
- fix our eyes on Jesus.  What am I thinking about in this race?  The way to fix my eyes on Jesus is focus on what I'm thinking about, watching, and doing? I am to take every thought captive to Jesus.  When running this race if my thoughts take me to a place other than Jesus, I need to re-focus.  Jesus is the author and perfecter of faith.  He wrote it, He works it out in me.  None of this is on my own to figure out and to win.  He writes our faith and moves it forward in being better, being bigger and finishing well.

- for the joy set before you.  I need to remember what the joy is. What is it about crossing the finish line well?   Eternal life with Jesus.  Revelation 21....He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.   And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."  And He said, "Write, for these words are faithful and true."  Then He said to me, "It is done.  I am the Alpha and  the Omega, the beginning and the end.  I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.  He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son."  This is the joy set before me.

Hebrews goes on to say...For consider Him (Jesus) who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, SO THAT you will not grow weary.  (emphasis my own)
When Jesus ran the race, I need to consider what he endured for me, for my sake?  Thinking on this,  strength will be sustained.

Do you know your in a race?  Who's at your finish line?  Do you know you don't have to run this race on your own?

I'm in it to win it.  Whether my race finishes tomorrow or years from now.  Whenever it finishes...I do win only and all because of Jesus.

Just a chunk.

Why the name Chunk of a Chunk?

It's a funny saying one of my sisters expressed on one of our birthdays when it came to having chocolate cake.  She wanted a chunk but not a whole chunk which to her it meant smaller but yet a chunk (which in it's own right sounds big)....that's just funny!  Now, whenever we want a part of something but not a whole of something we use that saying around each other.  "Chunk of a chunk please!"

In 1 Corinthians 13:9-12, we are imparted a chunk of a chunk in all that we may know in this life on earth.  But thanks be to Jesus we will know fully as we are known fully when the Perfect comes!  Awesome!

This blog is me sharing chunks of what I come to know when studying scripture.  It's a place I can share of things I learn and want to grow in and hopefully it will be of some encouragement to you!

I am currently working on a chunk God's been teaching me and I will soon post the chunk here.  Know that anything I post here doesn't come without personal struggle and praise to the One teaching it through His Word.

Excited to share chunks of chunks with you!  And please when you think of chunks, visualize an enormous chunk of chocolate cake.  :)