Blog series: John (part 2)

Last week we looked at a brief overview of John the Baptist; however, this week I want to look a little deeper in his purpose and the reason behind the things that he did. I’m just going to be straight to the point here. John’s entire purpose was to lay down his life so that others could experiences Jesus. Let me say that again. His ENTIRE PURPOSE was to lay down his life so that through his laid down life others could experience Jesus. You see, John understood something that if we could grasp it today would greatly change our approach to ministry. He understood that a life well spent is not a life spent building John the Baptist International, but instead a life well spent is a life void of other lovers, a life laid down so that others can experience Christ.

John laid down things that were not easy and many today would not be willing to lay down. Because of his heritage John should have been teaching in the temple as a priest, the highest honor and prestige that one could hold at that time; however, because John understood his purpose he realized that if he did what his fathers before him had done then nothing would change. In essence he realized that the modern approach to ministry was not effective and that he needed to kill off some traditions and lay down some other lovers before he could accomplish what he was called to do. Because of this he chose to go off into the wilderness to prepare himself for the things that God was calling him to do. How many people today would be willing to walk away from popular ministry to go into the wilderness and chose to live a fasted lifestyle. These people are greatly needed. Imagine for a moment, a “John the Baptist Generation.” A generation of worshipers who lay down their other lovers. A generation whose sole purpose is to prepare the way for others to see Christ. This is the Lord’s generation. This is a generation that would walk into the hospitals and empty them out. What would you be willing to lay down to be a part of that generation?

Blog Series: John (Day 1)

For this series I would like to look at a man named John the Baptist. Over the next few weeks I want to go into detail about his life, his passion, grooming habits, and his message. John the Baptist is a key figure in the stories of Jesus. According to the Gospels, John's role was to announce the coming of Jesus: in John 1:23 he tells interrogators, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord.'" According to Matthew 3:4, he wore clothing made of camel's hair and ate locusts and wild honey, and baptized people in the river Jordan.

Now I would like to point out in this very first post that this dude is not Baptist. This guy would be kicked out of most Baptist churches, and most churches for that matter. He didn’t groom himself very well so he probably didn’t smell pleasant and he was rather outspoken in his feelings for the religious leader; however, that is an entirely different message. John was a man who lived a fasted lifestyle and preached a radical message that was uncommon for the time. His purpose in life was not to build John the Baptist International but instead to live a life laid down of all other lovers and a life devoted to preparing the way for Christ; but, there is more on that next week when we go into the details of John’s lifestyle.

blog series

For some time now I have been trying to write a few devotional blogs here and there; however, for now I think I am going to try something different. Over the next few weeks I am going to write a devotional blog series. The plan is maybe 1 topic a month or so; however, it may change. I hope to continue this after I finish the 1^st series but that will depend on the responses I get from this. I do not really want to just write something that is one sided where I do all of the typing and talking. I would really like your input and feedback on the topics being discussed. This blog series is going to be copied placed on several different sites (i.e. Facebook, Myspace, Blogspot, etc.). I will try to relay comments to the other locations where it is posted. The first post of the series will be posted on Nov. 10, 2008 so please check back then and leave your feedback.

Distracted

I was in a training class today and everyone was doing some computer based video lessons. I finished before everyone else as usual; however, as I was sitting there waiting for everyone to finish, I could hear the sound of the videos that they were listening to and it was really distracting. I feel that we do that some times in our walk with God. Even though we have been listening to God's voice that is leading us many times we can hear about what others are being called to do, and we get distracted from what we are supposed to do.

Heart turned to another

Several months ago while I was alone trying to pray and seek God, he allowed me to feel how his heart felt in one area. I was reminded of a time in my life when I was consumed by this one girl. She was all that I had thought about day and night and I truly enjoyed being around her and with her. I can honestly say that I absolutely loved/love her. One evening we were alone outside and she began to tell me how she desired to get back together with the person she had broken up with just a few months before. My heart was broken. I had seen that relationship and while she was in it she was not treated right. He was always belittling her in public and honestly in several ways hurting her. Maybe not physically hurting her but emotionally ruining her. As I was thinking about this I began to wonder. How many times do we do this to God. We spend time with him and tell him that we love him; however, we are constantly reminding him of that other love that we have in our life. Telling him of the things that we want to do apart from him, or reminding him of the relationships that have drawn us further away from him. While we are doing this he is sitting there weeping asking us if we even understand. If we only knew how he wanted to love us. How he desired to wrap us in his arms and tell us that we are loved. Telling us how, if only given the chance, he would be all that we ever wanted and needed.

God has said many times throughout the old and new testament that he is jealous when we turn our hearts to other lovers. (Ex. 20:15) He even tells us in Exodus 34 that his name is Jealous. In 2 Cor. Paul talks about how we have been promised to one husband, that we might be presented as a pure bride; but, that God is even afraid that our minds will be led astray from our sincere and pure devotion to Christ. We need to Analyze our lives to find the areas where we have other lovers. What are you not willing to give up or lay down for Christ? It is in those areas that you have built up other lovers, or idols. I have found that the only place I do not have power in my life are the areas of which I have not completely laid down.

What are you doing

So I would just like to express my concern for the next few moments. Lately I have been trying to write some sort of devotional to post on here; however, right now I see something going on that is rather disturbing. Now what I am about to say I know does not apply to everyone because there are those who truly do hunger and thirst for righteousness; however, my heart aches for those who are just pretending.
Recently I have seen many people who are rising to places of leadership who do not need to be in leadership. If you are going to take up a place of leadership in the church then by doing so you are setting yourself as an example which others are going to follow. Whether you want them to follow your example or not many will look at you for guidance. If you are a leader in the church and you are going to parties on the weekends or taking pictures of yourself making out with your girlfriend or boyfriend and then posting them all over your facebook or myspace pages then something is SERIOUSLY WRONG! It doesn't matter how big or small your leadership position is, you are still being looked at as an example. What kind of example is that sending to those who are following your lead? How can you expect to disciple others into a pure walk with Christ if they see you doing the very things that you are telling them not to do.
There needs to be more of an importance placed on accountability within the church leaders today. So many of these problems that the leaders are facing could be prevented if when they desire to do these things that they would go talk to one of their spiritual fathers or mothers. I am praying that God would continue to rise up leaders who will submit themselves to the spiritual authorities that God has placed in their lives, and that God would rise up spiritual mothers and fathers whose hearts are turned to their sons (Malachi 4:6). That there would come a time real soon where the ministers would begin to lay between the porch and the alter and cry out for those whom they are leading.

When we pray, God works

Two things about prayer are truly amazing: (1) God listens when we pray. "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (See Mk 11:24). You may not have much clout anywhere else, but when you pray God listens. (2) We seldom pray. We've the greatest privilege imaginable - access to the control center of the Universe -- yet we rarely use it. And our lack of prayer surprises God.

Through the prophet Ezekiel He lamented: "I sought for a man among them who would...stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one" (Eze 22:30 NKJV). Upon learning that Sodom and Gomorrah were going to be destroyed, Abraham didn't rush to warn the cities. No, he chose to "[remain] standing before the Lord" (Ge 18:22 NIV). When God said the golden calf warranted a nationwide death penalty for Israel, Moses interceded and saved them. One translation of Exodus 32:11 says, "Moses soothed the face of his God." An obscure priest by the name of Phinehas begged God not to send the plague, and it was checked. (See Ps 106:30 NIV).

You say "Why place such a premium on prayer?" Simple. Because when we work, we work. But when we pray, God works! Scripture attaches breathtaking power to prayer. "When two of you get together on anything...and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action" (Mt 18:19 TM). Does any other activity promise such results? Did God call us to preach without ceasing? Or have committee meetings without ceasing? No, but He did call us to "pray without ceasing."

Egg shell worship

I feel like we are experiencing what I call egg shell worship lately. Just like when a baby chick is ready to bust through the shell, he probably gives it a peck or two and nothing seems to be happening, but invisibly he is weakening the powers that be. Eventually he probably realizes the gravity of the situation and determines within himself to get out. Something is trying to contain our worship right now, but the wise worshipers are not looking at the wall that is keeping them from the fresh air outside, but rather they are pushing harder, using all their strength, desperately forcing their way to freedom. Whatever this wall is, it has a crack in it, and if we don’t stop, there is a birth in worship about to take place. Push.

Seeking God for yourself

Many times throughout the old testament God was referred to as the God of ____ (Abraham, Isac, etc..) People would know God by the people who served him. It was also common that when they worshiped that they would worship the God of ______ (insert name yet again). Many times today we do basically the same thing except many Christians do not realize what they are doing. We hear stories of missionaries going to foreign countries healing people and casting out demons and we think that it would be amazing if we could do that. There are even times that many have probably attempted some "miracle" while thinking in their minds "if someone else can heal someone then so can I." It is that thought and that mindset the limits us from our full potential that God has in store for us. In Acts 19:14-16 it tells of an account where some people who had just been inspired by Paul went to cast out demons; whereupon trying this the evil spirit responded by saying "Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you." See they had not been seeking God for themselves but instead they were seeking the results that they had seen in paul. The results that they were seeking can be found only by faith and a personal relationship with God. We cannot expect for God to minister through us to the degree that we would like to see if we are constantly looking at what others have done and envying them because of how God has worked in their life. It comes to a point where we have to make the decision not to walk and worship a God while hiding in someone else's shadows but instead to step out and to seek God with all of our hearts. Only then can God truly move in our lives the way that we desire him.