Living the Right Life is Wrong

Are you tired today? Are you worn out?  Possibly it is the consuming habits of being right and being correct. I face these lies every day in a world where information is easily accessible and the glamourous lives of our peers is displayed in front of us.  We desire to be the standing point of reference. We want to be right. We want to be wise. We want to be noticed for our knowledge and our correct stance.  

Tonight I heard a sermon that discussed the difference between living a life of rightness and righteousness. Suddenly, I began to see significant parts of my life that I had been living to follow the "right" path instead of a righteous one.  A life of rightness is one governed by a series of works that equate to what we believe is a salvation-worthy life, while a life of righteousness is the humble submission to the will of God for the Glory of God.  

God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:21

I started thinking more about this though and the depth at which we believe a life of rightness is a commandment of God.  We all desire to be right. We desire to have the correct political opinions, and we share them on social media. We all desire to be right in our theology, and swiftly correct those that are liberal or those that are too fundamental. We find joy in the argument and find passion in fueling a fire that only leave both parties more distraught and discouraged that we were in the first place. 

I am going to use a phrase often spoken in Sunday School all the way through adulthood... "We are on the same team." But, you know what is crazy? If we call ourselves follower of Jesus, we literally have submitted ourselves to the commandments of ONE truth and ONE calling. Although interpretations may differ and the ways in which our Heavenly Father reveals himself to us is different for every individual, at the end of the day, we exist to make Him famous.   

God formed, sent, and sacrificed his Son not so that we would correctly follow Him. He didn't send his son so that we would follow him in the most radical way. He didn't send his Son so that we would find the solution, the answer, or the RIGHT way to be a follower!  He sent His son as the redemption for our sin and the atoning sacrifice for our sins.  He sent His Son so that we have the ability to Follow! Period. That's it.  

Let us stop searching for the manner that is most obedient. Let us simply be obedient. Let us stop searching on how to be a rightful follower suited for the King. Let us submit, and follow. 

Jeremiah 9:23-24 

²³ This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, ²⁴ but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.

Being right is our feeble human attempt at making ourselves more clean and worthy to be presented to our God. Let us not waste time toiling in useless works. Only His Son can cleanse us.  Let us instead understand who our God is. Let us search Him. Let us know Him and His commandments. Let us exercise the kindness and justice for His people and His creation. It is in these fundamental acts that we transition from the pursuit of earthly rightness to heavenly righteousness.   

At Hand

Do you find yourself fueling your day with the dreams of tomorrow? Do you find yourself powering through your day with caffeine? Do you find yourself numbing your feelings with alcohol? Or gossip? Or stress-relief techniques?  Do you find yourself dreaming of the future so that you don't have to submit to the reality of the present?  Do you find yourself looking to the world as a solution to the world?  

Often I find that when I am in my deepest yearning for peace and comfort, I numb my current state with something of the earth. Isn't it so funny how we believe that the answer to pain, sadness and grief can be found in the place where those feelings originate?

We have been called as followers of Jesus to submit ourselves to God. We have been commanded to seek Him in the midst of our tired and weary state. 

"Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4: 7-8 

When we draw near to the earth, it does not draw nearer to us. When we seek comfort from the earth, the comfort does not grow in the knowledge of what our world is. In fact, isn't the opposite true?  Yet, our God lavishes His love and His peace on us as we submit to Him and find our answer in Him. Our world is a stagnant world. It cannot grow close to us. It cannot comfort us. It cannot turn our mourning into laughter.  

Let us always remember that our God yearns for the spirit that He has made to dwell within us!  (James 4:5) When we befriend the world, we lose the precious connection God planted within us from our conception.  The Spirit in us as believers is only nurtured after submission to God. By befriending the world and seeking its aid for our distress, we show our God that HE is not GOOD enough! We show the world that HE cannot SATISFY! Yet the reality is that the entire time we grieve, and cry and seek understanding from our world, He looks at us from afar saying, "Child...I am JEALOUS for you and the spirit within you!"

Why do we not seek him when we need energy? Why do we not seek him when we face confusion? 

Even when the world seems closer and "at hand", our GOD is even closer than that. While the earth stands still, our God seeks us with all of himself. And, who can be closer than that..?  

Investigate

God is looking for imperfect men and women who have learned to walk in moment-by-moment dependence on the Holy Spirit. Christians who have come to terms with their inadequacies, fears, and failures. Believers who have become discontent with ‘surviving’ and have taken the time to investigate everything God has to offer in this life.- 

Charles Stanley

Life is an investigation- investigating who we are, who we want to be, who the successful people are (and what makes them that way), as well as discovering the reason we are on this earth.  

Whenever someone asks me what a passion of mine is, I often respond, "Theology". I love the study of why people believe what they believe and why they believe it. I love the investigation. I love the soul searching. It is SO human, and so real. It reveals our doubts, our concerns and our dreams. 

Our Heavenly Father desires that we investigate him. Dare I say, He wants you to sit down and attempt to critique him, analyze him, and find fault in his perfection. We are human-we want answers! We hope to investigate once we have come up with a hypothesis of why God is. 

When we proclaim that God is good, we search for his goodness. When we hear a friend say God is gracious, we search for evidence of grace. 

God desires an investigation. 

Why? Because he is faultless, perfect, constant, and THE answer. 

The solution to our problem is why we investigate- Our God desires to be investigated. He wants to be our solution. 

When we hear something about our God, let us take time to pray on those truths, and see if He in fact adds up to the world's proclamations. Often the world will lead us astray through their "feelings", instead of the facts of who God is. Or, we may encounter an outlier who is not in touch with the reality of our God. But, once we take in the world, and lay that against the truth of the scripture (our avenue for discovering the true and perfect God) we can discern what is false AND-(this is the greatest part)- we come to know the Lord better through the investigation.   

Here is an Abrahamic Promise for us that will sustain us in our searching. In Deuteronomy, we see a declaration by Moses, through the Lord. 

"But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all of your heart and all of your soul."- Deut. 4:29 

And this will all occur, because we serve a merciful God who will never forget "the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them". And, a jealous God who "is a consuming fire" ready to protect you because He desires YOU and investigates and pursues YOU daily! 

I find it pretty amazing that the God that we pursue is perfect- and it is difficult for us to find the motivation to continue pursuing Him.  Yet, we are so far from perfect- and our God investigates our hearts, searches them, and loves us unconditionally even through the obvious imperfection.   

Let us promise to investigate our God and search the heart of the Lord. We will continually be renewed, finding perfected goodness and holiness!  

Psalm 139:23- "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!" 

The Surprise

What makes a surprise special? For me a real surprise is something that you couldn't even begin to guess-nowhere on your radar and nowhere in your day-to-day thoughts.

Why were Christmases when we were young so special? Many would say Santa. I say it was the surprise. Santa wouldn't be glorified in our society's mind unless he brought a surprise! He brings the gift that is unexpected-wrapped in a way that alludes to the gift, but does not completely make it obvious in the child's mind.

Now, what makes Christianity, special?  To answer this, we must look at Jesus. Jesus was special because He was a surprise. He was and is a fulfillment of prophecy, but the manner by which He came to us and for us was a surprise. He was not a surprise gift, but the way in which He was presented was.

Now let us step back and look at this from the "surpriser's" point of view. You plan a surprise party for your friend, and you are so excited. In fact, you maintain more excitement than the one that ends up being surprised. Why? You see the whole picture. You know the work you put in to its organization and orchestration. You know the special gift you purchased for the individual's birthday. You cannot wait to celebrate with them as this is a new turning point in their life.

Imagine our Heavenly Father planning a surprise party for us. He has prepared the perfect gift-His perfect son. He has invited the perfect people-His creation. He understands that not everyone will accept the surprise- yet proceeds with the planning.

Our God understood that the perfect gift would be a surprise to His creation. But once we understand the gift, it all makes sense. It all becomes clear. It all fits together. And, we are filled with joy. We are filled with the joy we experienced when we were six years of age unwrapping a gift we may not have ever anticipated receiving. Yet once it is opened- it all makes sense, and you are so grateful.

Let us return to Christmas morning excitement when we open our bibles and open our hearts. He was a surprise for a reason- for that moment when we GET IT.   When we get it, we repent. When we get it, we look to Him more. When we get it, we are awe-struck. Surprises are more exciting than the expected.

Surprises are not happen-stance or random. Let us remember that tedious planning goes into a surprise, and to not take His surprise for granted. In addition, let us remember that surprises are intentionally crafted for a specific reaction from the surprised. 

Let us return to the humility and joy of a young child on Christmas morning. Let us regain the reverence and the awe when we look at Him.  


John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth
John 1:15-17 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Act Before You Think

My heart aches this morning. I have recently learned about the theatre shootings in Aurora, CO. The news is filled with correspondants and interviewees questioning, "what has this world come to?!" 


Now, I ask myself, "What has this world become?" How does creation kill creation? What is the motive? What are we doing incorrectly as humans to bring murder and death into this world?


It has just been revealed that the shooting suspect was a 24 year old neuro-science student from the University of Colorado. He was a near graduate of a prestigious program, and now stands behind bars after the killing of twelve innocent human beings. Once again, "how does the world entertain these horrific events?"


James Holmes is a brilliant man who stepped into great, unimaginable sin. Holmes studied the brain, and its intricate functions. He knew the power of the human mind, and all that it could accomplish. 


When we begin to think of the power we have as human beings, it is frightening. We have the ability to direct our lives through free will, end our own lives, or end the lives of God's creation. The only thing we cannot do, is prompt our own lives. We cannot create life. Our God gave His precious children immense, unfathomable responsibility. God knew that when His children were born into a world where sin was present, we would need direction and security in the promise of Heaven. 


James Holmes, I believe, saw his life as a dead end. He became so entranced in the academics of the human mind, will, and capacity that sin was allowed to creep into his psyche. 



<sup>Romans 12:9-13 


9</sup> Love must be genuine. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰ Be devoted to one another in LOVE. Honor one another above yourselves.¹¹ Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹² Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Our Heavenly Father gave us direction in His word so that we may avoid scary thoughts and sinful actions, as well as grieve the repercussions of sin. The above verse from Romans, is an example of His direction. No matter how confused we become or the depth of our depression, we can never forget our sole purpose on this earth. We are to LOVE one another and LOVE our Savior. We are to engage in genuine love that does not have any motive other than to please our father in Heaven. We are called to never be over come by evil, "but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:21). 


"But you must return to your God; maintain love and justice, and wait for your God always." Hosea 12:6


Life becomes simple once we study His word. Our mind will fail us, and our mind will make us confused. Our minds are feeble and failing organs in an aging body. Our souls may only be renewed through pursuance of Truth and of Justice and of Mercy. Our souls will be renewed as we follow Jesus, and never allow our minds to fall to the complicated, confusing, and depressing state of our earth. 


I often allow thoughts, criticism, academic research, and ridicule to get in the way of love, hopes, dreams, and prayers. And, I certainly allow negative emotions to block steadfast truth. Why? We are humans, in bondage to flesh, yet eternally set free by a savior. Our emotions will be strapped to a sinful complex as that is our condition. I stand in awe that we are no longer a part of this earth once our human bodies fall away. 


We are allowed to think, dream and imagine, because God owns the concept of an imagination. He gave them to us so that we may do GOOD. So that we may imagine a world where He is ruler and He is physically present.

 I am beginning to see though, before we think, sometimes we must act. This stands in direct contrast to the world's advise of "thinking before acting". Maybe, we should display love, extend mercy, and seek justice, before we allow our mind to wander. It is then that we will think clearly and think under his commandments. It is what He commanded after all, and He is the Great Authority. 

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."  John 14:15


"Love, it will not betray you betray you, dismay, or enslave you, it will set you free. Be more like the man you were made to be. There is a design, an alignment, a cry of my heart to see, the beauty of love as it was made to be."-  Sigh No More, Mumford and Sons. 

Waste

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

-2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Posting Bible verses as a facebook status, or a tweet brings mixed responses. Some may be offended. Others, may try to make the status "light" and remove any serious-ness of the words. And some, benefit from the encouraging words that are posted. I pray many of you are the latter. 

I posted the above verse as a facebook status, and was awaiting any comments. I received two. One stated, "Alexa! I just read that passage this morning!".  I thought, "awesome...The Lord is building her up through the Gospel."  Then, I saw another comment posted by a family friend. The words said, "Well, I think my outer-self is just fine thank you very much.." The words caught me off-guard, yet I believe this reveals a fascinating component to the human life on earth. 

Paul wrote these inspired words of God while in prison. He also wrote these words as he was aging. His outer self, his physical body, was falling apart. He was slowly dying to the outside world. Yet, He was beginning to truly live in Christ. 

This brings up something mind-blowing. First, the world does not have to inhibit spiritual growth or moral transformation. Temptations will be there, yet growth in Christ can continue with or without the allowance of the world. Second, it is never too late to grow in Christ. We do not know how long we will be on this earth, but God never stops working within us until the day we depart for Heaven. 

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

-Phillipians 1:6

Paul also understood that sometimes it isn't until we realize the calamity and depravity of this earth can we begin to imagine the perfection and glory of heaven. Until we are on our deathbed, or witness a tragedy within our family, we cannot comprehend the complete beauty of Heaven. Maybe this is part of the reason those that are elderly begin to have a sage character, and guide us during our spiritual journey. They have lived enough life to understand that the world cannot fulfill them. 

Paul was undergoing what he considered "light momentary affliction." Wait..what?! Paul was experiencing living hell on Earth. Yet he understood that any corruption and destruction the earth brought him, could not distract him from the end all reality of meeting his savior. 

Our outer self is wasting away every single day. And let us thank God for it.  Physical suffering allows us to be strengthened in the spirit. Suffering does not bring us a benefit, but once it is seen in contrast to the beaming light of God, and Heaven's glorious light, the dark world becomes something we want no part of. 

 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands.² Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, ³ because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.⁴ For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. ⁵ Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

-2 Corinthians 5:1-5