Aaron Bennett

For many years, I've ignored a crucial part of Jesus' invitation to become a disciple.  After 10 years in ministry, this is something I'm just beginning to truly understand.  

 I stink at fishing

I like to be inside, much more than outside. I really do love to experience nature, as long as I have a beautiful hotel room waiting for me when it’s all said and done.  As Jim Gaffigan puts it, I’m pretty, “indoor-sy.”  Imagine my confusion as I began to study the true meaning of living as a disciple.

If our churches are going to thrive in the next decade, producing genuine believers and not just consumers of Christian culture, this is a subject we’ve got to get a handle on.  Volunteers, givers, and regular attenders are awesome, but disciples are what Jesus commanded us to go and make.  I’ve grown up in church, and for the past decade, I’ve worked at an amazing church.  Even I have to admit that some times this subject seems a little unclear.

As we prepare to plant Spring of Life church, I’ve really begun to look into this idea.  There are a couple of things that are pretty obvious in scripture.  First, a disciple is someone who follows after Jesus.  We see this in the first encounter Jesus had with his future disciples, Peter and Andrew.  In order to truly be called a disciple, you have to be hungry for Jesus.  You have to lean into what He says, be willing to drop some stuff and to go where He goes.  There is a second qualifying factor for disciples that we find in Jesus’s innovation, that we often neglect.

Here it is —

Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:19

Um… ok.  I want to be a good Christian and everything, but I tried fishing once.  It didn’t go so well.  My Uncle lived on the lake when I was growing up.  One afternoon my dad took my brother and I down to the water.  I had grand ambitions as my dad baited my hook.  I learned back, pushed the little button on my Donald Duck fishing rod, and swung my arm forward. I caught something on my line!  The bad news, it was my uncle’s black Labrador. That officially ended my fishing career.

 Why did Jesus talk about fishing?

Why did Jesus phrase the essence of being a disciple in such a specific way — fishing?  I think it’s because He was talking to fishermen.  If I could have some creative license for a moment, I think Jesus was saying the following, “I know you’re not super religious.  That’s good.  I know you don’t realize your life could mean more.  It can.  Here’s what I’m offering.  I’m going to take everything that you are, and I’m going to redeem it for my purpose.  But make no mistake - my purpose is people."

Here’s how that is beginning to play out in my life.  When we first moved to Portland, I felt challenged to become “relevant.”  I asked myself, how could I get the message of Jesus in front of others.  This often resulted in brainstorming forms of ministry that felt just as foreign to me as fishing.  What I’m beginning to learn though, is that God is willing to use the real me.  He has plans for the guy that likes movies, culture, NPR podcasts, and yes…branding.

 Being a "Branding Consultant" of Men (and Women)

Yesterday, I met a new guy at work. He has a big, vibrant personality.  He likes to bounce Peanut Butter M&M’s off the wall and catch them in his mouth.  He’s not afraid of interrupting people to start a conversation. This might get on someone else’s nerves, but it’s a Church Planter’s dream.

I was standing in a neighboring office space with my phone, testing the light for an upcoming video shoot.  He walked in and offered to help. He asked me about what I do, and I told him I am a pastor looking to start a new church, and that I am beginning to build a creative agency.  He said, “me too — but not the pastor part.”  It turns out he has a pretty healthy client list of businesses that he’s worked with.  He’s also made some pretty sweet videos.  I told him that while I love videos, but I am striving to become a branding consultant.

“Spiritual branding?” he asked.  

“Kind of,” I responded.

 I continued... What I like about branding does have a lot in common with what I like about Jesus.  I think that bad branding tries to slap a label on the outside of something. That’s what I believe religion does.  Jesus, on the other hand, cares about who I am.  Because of my relationship with Him, He reaches in deep. He cares about every part of me.  He knows that I’m not good enough to meet God’s standard, so He is good in my place.  He is changing and growing the real me.  That’s what good branding does.  It helps people discover the gold inside of their organization.  It helps them see what they want to be, and how they can tell a better story. I love Jesus because He is rewriting my story every day.

“Cool.  I like you,” he said.  He leaned back and looked at me for a minute.  He gave me his business card and we made plans to follow up with a lunch meeting.

I’m praying for my friend, and for more open doors.  I didn’t have to use a track, an app, or a “share the gospel” outline.  (I love all of those methods, by the way.)  I just began to fish with what I had.  I am more excited everyday about what it means to be a disciple.  Now through His Spirit, I can’t wait to make some.

 Practical Thoughts

Learning without sharing creates a passive approach to faith.

Some of the best ministry happens outside the walls of the church.

Your interests are not separate from God's plan for your life.  They are the very thing God will use to connect you with others.

Gospel conversations are best when they are natural.

It hit 88 degrees in Downtown, Portland today.  I met Amy selling bracelets on the sidewalk.  She sold me a pink and purple model for my daughter.  I was her first customer, although she's only been in business for a day.

 SHE FOLLOWED HER BOYFRIEND TO PORTLAND

Amy moved to the city from Tampa, Florida a few months ago to follow her boyfriend.  The pair met online on a website called airG.com.  It's an online community where people play and bond over mobile gaming.  She held down a steady job in Florida at a Burger King, but the minute she had the money, she book a flight to PDX.

Amy and her boyfriend camp out by the Morrison Bridge.  She admits that things got loud there last night, and she didn't get much sleep.  She knows that theft can be an issue, but she didn't seem afraid to go back.  She says the people there can be, "iffy."

 DISPLACED BY A PORT-A-POTTY

Up until recently, the pair were staying near a Lucky Labrador Bar.  I checked, and found three locations.  She said they have to move because there camping spot has just been replaced by a port-o-potty.  Amy answers every question with a smile.  Although the temperature rose around us (and under us on the red brick pavement), she seemed to be settled for the afternoon.

Amy is pretty cheerful about her current homelessness.  She said that when it comes down to it, her experience is, "not that bad."  She goes to Red Door on Saturdays where hungry people are given hot pancakes.  She admits that while her parents are divorced, her dad would be pretty upset to find out that she was sleeping by the bridge.  She turns 30 soon, but she is reluctant to divulge her true living situation to her father.

 SHARING HOPE

I shared with Amy that I am a minister looking to start a church downtown.  I told her a brief summary of our plan, and our vision and hope for individuals in the city.  She smiled warmly.  She made sure to ask when we were going to begin.  I told her about the inspiration behind our church - John 4.  I told her that Jesus had a conversation with a woman on a very hot day.  They met by a well.  Jesus told her that she had a spiritual thirst even greater than her physical thirst.  He pointed out that relationships with men would never satisfy the deep need of the woman's heart.

I went on to share about what Jesus has done for us.  I shared that we are separated from God by our sin.  This is where our thirst comes from.  In the depths of who we are, we want God.  Jesus laid down his life to pay for our sins.  Anyone who trust in Jesus can be restored to God.  When this happens, our thirst finds a spring of life that will never run dry.  Amy said, "I love how you tell that story."  I can't wait to find her again, to continue this conversaiton.

 MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE

Before I left, I asked if there were any misconceptions about homeless people that she would like to clear up.  "Yes," she responded.  "We're not all hooked on drugs, and alcohol, and smoking."  It turns out, one of Amy's parents smoked growing up.  She hated the way it made her clothes smell.  She always wanted to take a shower after coming home.

-----

Andrea and I recently go the chance to head back to Georgia to perform a wedding for two of our close friends.  It was an amazing trip.  Not only did my gorgeous wife convince me to dance at the reception, I got to go on a "mini-ministry tour” to talk about all that God is doing in Portland.  On Sunday my pastor invited me to speak for a few minutes in all three morning services at our sending church.  Later that evening, I got to preach at a new partner church.  It was a really cool service.  At the end, the missions pastor gave a head nod to the congregation, and 30+ people surrounded me to pray.  Last but not least, during our final night in town, I got to share at our former college ministry.

It was all a bit surreal.  I just kept thinking, “wow— this is actually happening.  Jesus is moving and we have things to talk about!" In a lot of ways, we have a LONG way to go in our journey to plant Spring of Life Church.  However, I can’t believe that some of our dreams are beginning to come true.  This mission has been such a personal dream for so long.  Sometimes it feels strange to share it with others…but it also feels amazing.

 Dreaming vs doing

The world is full of dreamers.  I am one of them.  I have waaay more things that I would like to do than things I have already done.  This experience caused me to dig deep, and ask myself:  what is the difference between dreaming and doing? I think there is a key factor that always sets the two apart — SACRIFICE.

Lots of people heard our amazing ministry updates that weekend.  Only a handful saw how painful it was to pack up our suitcases, and step on the plane.  This is the first time we’ve left Georgia without knowing when we would come back.  If I’m being uncomfortably truthful, I always get a little depressed when I get back to Portland.  It takes a few days to shake off the blues.  We’ve learned that this is just part of the process. We love our ministry, and we never doubt our calling.  However, we would be foolish to deny that being 3,000 miles away from our family brings on a very real pain.

We’ve begun to learn that pain is not the enemy.  It’s a necessary part of living out a vision.  You might get what you want, but it will probably hurt at some point along the way.  This is a normal part of life -- in every area.  In order to reach a fitness goal, it requires sacrificing time and preference (or so I’ve heard).  In order to reach new heights in academics, a person has to give up some of their free time.  To move forward in a relationship, other acquaintances might be neglected.  

There are a lot of dreamers, but not a lot of people who are willing to pay the price for their dreams.  I know this in a personal way.  For years, I was one of those people. In some ways, I still am.  

 purpose behind the pain

Sacrifice is clarifying.  It forces me to take stock of what I really believe in, and to pursue my calling with everything I’ve got.  Sacrifice also connects me with the heart of God.  The very substance of the hope I have was born out of sacrifice.  I’ve been made whole because a loving God sacrificed something of immeasurable worth — His son Jesus.

Andrea and I recently go the chance to head back to Georgia to perform a wedding for two of our close friends.  It was an amazing trip.  Not only did my gorgeous wife convince me to dance at the reception, I got to go on a "mini-ministry tour” to talk about all that God is doing in Portland.  On Sunday my pastor invited me to speak for a few minutes in all three morning services at our sending church.  Later that evening, I got to preach at a new partner church.  It was a really cool service.  At the end, the missions pastor gave a head nod to the congregation, and 30+ people surrounded me to pray.  Last but not least, during our final night in town, I got to share at our former college ministry.

It was all a bit surreal.  I just kept thinking, “wow— this is actually happening.  Jesus is moving and we have things to talk about!" In a lot of ways, we have a LONG way to go in our journey to plant Spring of Life Church.  However, I can’t believe that some of our dreams are beginning to come true.  This mission has been such a personal dream for so long.  Sometimes it feels strange to share it with others…but it also feels amazing.

 Dreaming vs doing

The world is full of dreamers.  I am one of them.  I have waaay more things that I would like to do than things I have already done.  This experience caused me to dig deep, and ask myself:  what is the difference between dreaming and doing? I think there is a key factor that always sets the two apart — SACRIFICE.

Lots of people heard our amazing ministry updates that weekend.  Only a handful saw how painful it was to pack up our suitcases, and step on the plane.  This is the first time we’ve left Georgia without knowing when we would come back.  If I’m being uncomfortably truthful, I always get a little depressed when I get back to Portland.  It takes a few days to shake off the blues.  We’ve learned that this is just part of the process. We love our ministry, and we never doubt our calling.  However, we would be foolish to deny that being 3,000 miles away from our family brings on a very real pain.

We’ve begun to learn that pain is not the enemy.  It’s a necessary part of living out a vision.  You might get what you want, but it will probably hurt at some point along the way.  This is a normal part of life -- in every area.  In order to reach a fitness goal, it requires sacrificing time and preference (or so I’ve heard).  In order to reach new heights in academics, a person has to give up some of their free time.  To move forward in a relationship, other acquaintances might be neglected.  

There are a lot of dreamers, but not a lot of people who are willing to pay the price for their dreams.  I know this in a personal way.  For years, I was one of those people. In some ways, I still am.  

 Purpose Behind the Pain

Sacrifice is clarifying.  It forces me to take stock of what I really believe in, and to pursue my calling with everything I’ve got.  Sacrifice also connects me with the heart of God.  The very substance of the hope I have was born out of sacrifice.  I’ve been made whole because a loving God sacrificed something of immeasurable worth — His son Jesus.

Last weekend, I got picked up by an UBER driver.  The man behind the wheel was friendly, and had a gorgeous African accent.  Our conversation began with the normal stuff. 

You live around here? My wife and I just moved here from Georgia. 

Wow, Georgia?  That’s far! Just 3,000 miles. 

What brought you to Portland? I’m a minister, and we’re looking to start a new church downtown in the next few months. I always love to see where the conversation goes from there.  I really should write about these encounters more often.  On this particular day, my driver and I had powerful 15 minute talk that helped me fully understand the heart behind what I believe. A church?  What kind of church? It’s called Spring of Life.  It comes from a conversation Jesus has in the Bible, found in the Book of John.  He meets a woman who doesn’t consider herself to be religious, and He introduces her to a powerful hope.  He recognizes the thirst that everyone has, and shares that He came to be the answer.

[Usually, conversations continue on from this point.  It’s the chance when I get to share the Gospel.  My driver seemed to agree with me about Jesus.  Then, he took a left turn.]

What do you think about Christians who act greedy? What do you mean? What do you think about Christians who use the government to exploit the poor? (I wanted to side-step a political debate, and get to the heart of the matter.)  I believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the greatest living hope the world will ever know.  I believe it’s the truest answer for dignity, life, and purpose for every soul on earth.  I also believe that Jesus cared deeply about the poor and the powerless.  They were often the focus of his ministry.  Jesus was also the toughest on people who used their wealth and advantage to exploit others.  Especially religious people. So who are you voting for? I don’t know yet.  I think it’s important…but only kind of. What? I think that years ago, I gave up on the idea that the government can do the Gospel’s job.  I think the world is so very broken, and government is limited in how it can help.  Government is focused on changing large groups of people from the OUTSIDE in.  The Gospel treats the whole person.  It begins with the hearts, but it should never stop there.

Yes…but what about the poor?  They need more than religion. I agree.  I met a poor elderly woman this week who needed prescription drugs. She asked me for $18 to get her medicine.  She teared up as she told me about her painful arthritis.  I don’t give out cash, but I try to help when I can.  I had more than $18 in the bank, and I offered to walk to the pharmacy with her.  She resisted, and asked again for the money.  I told her I didn’t have the cash (true), but I pleaded with her to let me buy her medicine.  I pressed 3 or 4 times.  Eventually she told me, “God Bless You,” and walked away. I didn’t make the offer because I’m special.  I did it because I could, and I genuinely believe it’s what Jesus would do.  We live in a world full of people that feel like they have to rely on the government, because they can no longer trust the compassion of Christians.  

I know I’ve been guilty of that many times, but I’m trying to change. Government liberals would say that the woman I met needs help getting her medicine.  I agree.  Government conservatives would say she was looking to exploit someone’s kindness for ulterior motives.  Again, I agree.  In this tension, we have an endless political debate, resulting in a soul crushing culture war.  Here’s the problem — I think this woman needed more than a government program.  I think she needed a person who could notice the nuance in the situation.  A person who actually cared about what happened to her.  She also needs hope that only Jesus can give. The next day, I was standing outside of a coffee shop.  A woman approached me, with similar tears, asking for money.  She said she hadn’t eaten all day.  I opened the door to the coffee shop.  I told her that we could go in, and she could order anything she wanted.  She beamed as she entered the store.  She ordered a regular coffee and a simple pastry.  She thanked me repeatedly, and I got to share with her for a moment.  A few dollars really changed her day. Government would place both of these women in the same category —and government would be wrong.  Government programs are big and clunky.  Because of their size, they sometimes fail to help the people who need it the most, while being exploited by others who have learned to work the system.  The Gospel doesn’t have this problem, because it calls for individuals to help others in a sacrificial and intentional way.   <read more:  scriptures about poverty>

OK.  But what kind of difference is that going to make? Not much if it’s just me.  That’s why I want to plant a church.  I believe that the same spring of life that God places in in the hearts of His children is meant to flow like a flood of justice into our cities, towns, and communities.  What would happen if 100 Christians began helping people in need, every chance they got, and used this as an opportunity to share about the hope that we have?  What if 500 Christians began to pool their resources so that they could pour them back into their communities?  What if 5,000 Christians in a city made it their mission to bring the Gospel to broken people, believing that Jesus wants lost people saved AND hungry people fed.  This is not radical.  It’s just Gospel.

[awkward silence]

And that’s why I’m glad you have Jesus. But it’s not enough to keep Him to yourself.  Christianity isn’t meant to be lived alone.

Can I have some information on your church?

————– I got out of the car, feeling refreshed.  I process things out loud, and the conversation helped me to establish my own personal conviction and my mission in this city.  I will participate as a citizen to cast my ballot in the election process, but I am very well aware that the change I want to see cannot come from a president — it can only come from The King.  I LOVE my country, but I want more than a great America.  I want to see His Kingdom Come.

Proverbs 20:13 - Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

Proverbs 21:5 - The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.

Proverbs 22:2 - The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the maker of them all.

Proverbs 28:6 - Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

Proverbs 31:8-9 - Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Proverbs 17:5 - Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

Proverbs 29:7 - A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.

Amos 5:24 - But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

SERVING THE POOR

Proverbs 19:17 - Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.

1 John 3:17-18 - But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Isaiah 58:10 - If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.  (blessings are promised to those who help the poor.  It makes you happy.)

Acts 20:35 - In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Proberbs 28:27 - Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.

1 Timothy 5:8 - But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Matthew 26:11 - For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

The world is angry, and for good reason.  I’m angry too.  I get angry when I see ISIS successfully carrying out terrorist attacks.  I want them brought to justice.  But I also want something more - I want Revenge.  The real kind. 

I want to stand over the enemy, and watch him suffer.  I want him to pay for what he has done.  I think that sometimes people mischaracterize Christianity as weak, because we’re called to turn the other cheek.  I think these people are missing the point.  Jesus isn’t weak.  In fact, Jesus will have vengeance over his adversary.  If we stand with Jesus, so will we.  We just have to get onboard with the real enemy. 

The Bible paints the picture of a sinister serpent, hell-bent on defaming the name of God, and destroying everything good and precious.  He’s the author of lies, the leader of sins, and the creator of chaos.  Satan is the kind of creature that laughs when babies get cancer.  He offers cheap thrills to entrap weak minded people into joining his mission of death and destruction.  I hate him.  And that’s ok. 

There are two people in the New Testament that Jesus notably refers to as Satan.  Judas & Peter.  In both circumstances, Jesus is able to love the sinner while attacking sin’s source.  Jesus knew both Peter and Judas were the human shields hiding the real rebel.  Peter and Judas were responsible for their actions, but they were simply yielding to another person's plan.  Jesus’ response — kill the killer & decimate his plan. 

Jesus shed His blood to save every Peter and Judas (and everyone in-between) who repent and believe.  He rose again to crack the back of Satan and steal his greatest weapon.  Death has been defeated and all those who stand with Jesus will live again. I still want ISIS to pay.  But Satan would love that.  He knows he’s lost in the long run.  He knows that one day he’ll be cast into a lake of torment as the children of God look on.  The day of justice is coming.  However, Satan gets satisfaction every time he entices others to share in his doom.  I hate what ISIS has done.  But I hate Satan more.  I don’t want him to have even the tiniest milligram of glee. 

I want to see every miscreant, villain, and killer redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  I wish I could say it was because I love them.  I’m not there yet.  I want to see them saved because I want revenge on the real enemy.  I want his plans to fail and I want to see his shady kingdom crumble.  I want to see Light pierce the Darkness as the truth sets people free. 

I see Harry all the time.  He hangs out on the corner of 9th and Taylor in front of Starbucks.  Everyday, for several hours, he stares at the place where we are dreaming of planting a church.  Harry has been homeless for years.  Harry doesn’t stand with a cardboard sign or a collection cup.  He stands selling a newspaper called Street Roots for $1 a paper.  On a good day, Harry earns what he needs for his modest survival:  $20 a day.

I stopped and spoke with Harry for a few minutes today.  Business isn’t good right now.  A couple of his regular customers have been relocated for their jobs.  Even though the weather is getting better, people aren’t stopping to talk.  In the past few days, he hasn’t made more than $10.  This is a huge concern for him.  If I’ve ever met someone with work ethic, it’s Harry.  I’m in Director Park almost every week day.  Harry is usually at his post.  I gave him $5 for McDonalds and bought a paper.  Harry gives the greatest hugs.

Street Roots is a cool organization.  Every year, they give about 400 people the opportunity to sell papers in order to cover their basic living expenses.  It gives homeless people the ability to have dignity while working toward finding housing.  They make exactly $0.75 per paper sold.  The paper itself is pretty good, though Harry admits most people don’t read it.  It covers social issues and local events, and each issue has a profile on one of their vendors.

God isn’t nice.  He is so much more.

My wife came to me recently with some questions about her time in the Bible.  She brought up a couple of passages in the Old Testament that were frankly, a little bit difficult to understand.  There were some passages that seemed to make God seem…not so nice.  This is certainly a different picture of God than we are used to seeing in the many church services, songs, and books that shape our view of the Almighty. 

During our conversation, we came to the conclusion that we were going to pursue God on His terms.  Rather than shaping God into our image, what would it be like to approach Him as He is?  With that in mind, we were forced to admit something.  God, as He presents Himself in the entire Bible, is not nice.  (but He is kind) 

“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5

NICE VS KIND

Let me do my best to explain the difference.  When I think of someone who is nice, I think about a person who is well-mannered, well-spoken, cautious, & non-controversial.  To put it bluntly, I think of someone who has been tamed.  Make no mistake, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, as CS Lewis beautifully points out - has NEVER been tamed.  When I think of someone who is kind, I think of a person whose actions flow from a deep place of love. 

There is a lot of conversation right now about why men are leaving the church.  I don’t think it’s because we play emotional music, let our kids play outside less, or let women teach Sunday school.  I think it’s because we’ve attempted to tame the character of God in order to present a nicer picture of Him.  Most men are not compelled by an invitation to become more nice.  However, when we embark on a journey to see God in all of His glory, fury, majesty, and might, men and women alike will be stirred to the core.   

God is not ours — we are His.  

Without this understanding, we will never fully grasp the whole Gospel.  Here are the things that we repeat often --

God is Love (true) 

God is merciful (true)

God is close to the broken hearted (true)

God is for you, not against you (depends)

God doesn’t want you to suffer  (really?  then why did He tell lots of His servants that their lives would be marked by suffering in this present life?)

Here are the things we often ignore --

God saved Noah, but wiped out an earth full of evil 

God hates sin… A LOT.  When a sinful thing even approaches His presence, that thing dies.  Quickly.

God is kind of scary.  When people got close to Him in the Bible, they rarely raised their hands in worship.  They almost always fell to their faces trembling. 

FIERCE + KIND

These two ideas (FIERCE + KIND) are not contradictory.  They are the two essential pieces of the Gospel.  Because God is fierce, His burning anger for sin has to go somewhere.  The bible teaches that it is directed at you -- the sinner.  If you die in your sins, you will face the full brunt.  Because God is deeply kind, He still wants a relationship with sinners  -- sinner like you.  So where does all of that anger go for those who want to know and be known by God?  What about all that fury, passion, and white-hot glory?  Who paid that price?   

God did.  Think about this for a minute.  Picture an angry God, at the end of days, ready to condemn you for all of your offenses.  He created the cosmos.  You can barely stand the heat of His presence.  He holds your fate in His hands.  This is your moment of reckoning.  What will stand between His wrath and your life?  Jesus. 

But [Jesus] was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.Isaiah 53:5

GLORY + GRACE

If you forget the glory of God, you will never truly comprehend His grace.  When you fully understand what you deserve, you can finally appreciate how you’ve been spared.  That’s the key to deeper love and devotion.  That’s real Christianity. 

Chase the full picture of your creator.  Read the parts of the Bible that are hard to digest, realizing that Jesus is the only centerpiece between God and man.  Don’t be afraid…scratch that.  DO be afraid, and pursue Him anyway.  The world is full of tame, man-made gods.  These idols can’t hurt you, but they also can’t protect you.  By pursuing the true God, you become part of His family.  Then all of His fury and all of His glory are on your side when it comes time for Him to shield you.  That’s the God I want to know.  That’s the God I love. “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”‭‭Psalm‬ ‭18:30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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