INTENTIONAL PUPIL

God’s been having me write out some scriptures for myself to study and really chew on, if you will.  

For me, writing it down, or typing it, helps get it into my heart more and more.  

He’s really put it on my heart to be an intentional pupil of His Word, like basically back in college, getting a Major in God Studies :)  

(That's the last page of the Bible...and across the page are Noah's footprints from his last night on earth...)

Some of them are being spurred on from a Daniel study I’m doing by Beth Moore.  But He has put it on my heart to encourage others, as well, and for my own accountability.  Please don’t think I’m trying to re-write scripture.  I’m just stringing it together for the overall message, into one challenge to myself, for a complete thought.  I hope it encourages your hearts, too, on your own journeys.  

Love, Ade xoxox

It’s from The Message, Hebrews 12, John 11, 1 Peter 1 & 2.


“Do you see what this means – all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on?  It means we’d better get on with it.  Strip down, start running – and never quit!  No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.  Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in.  Study how he did it.  Because he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God...when you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through.  That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!  God is educating you; that is why you must never drop out.  This trouble you’re in isn’t punishment; it training...it pays off handsomely, for it’s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.  Clear the path for long-distance runners so no one will trip and fall...Help each other out.  And run for it!  When Jesus got the message, He said, “This sickness is not fatal.  It will become an occasion to show God’s glory by glorifying God’s Son.”  So roll up your sleeves, put your mind in gear, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives.  Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing.  You didn’t know any better then; you do now...let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness.  You call out to God for help and he helps – he’s a good Father that way.  But don’t forget, he’s also a responsible Father, and won’t let you get by with sloppy living.  Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.  Even though it has only lately – at the end of the ages – become public knowledge, God always knew he was going to do this for you...drink deep of God’s pure kindness.  Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.  Present yourselves as building stones for the construction of a sanctuary vibrant with life, offering Christ-approved lives up to God.  To you who trust him, he’s a Stone to be proud of...for the untrusting, they trip and fall because they refuse to obey, just as predicted.  But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high-calling...God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you – from nothing to something..Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it.  Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.  Live an exemplary life among the natives...then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives...good citizens...It is God’s will that by doing good, you might cure the ignorance of the fools who think you’re a danger to society...cultivate inner beauty, the gentle, gracious kind that God delights in.  I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime.  Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure; genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine.  When Jesus wraps this all up, it’s your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of his victory.  The Day is coming when you'll have it all – life healed and whole.”

What's right will be wrong and what's wrong will be right...

Doesn't anyone else find it curious that Eve didn't think it strange to have a conversation with a snake?!!!

Em and I have talked about this quite often and our theory is that quite possibly animals were able to speak in the Garden. I'm not saying that's true, I'm just thinking out loud here...(Now, for those who don't think the Bible is literal, the story of the Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve is just that...a story...and, if you don't think the Bible is literal then, relatively speaking of course, Jesus isn't the only way to God...)But, since the Bible is literal, it's a story in that it's an account of a very unique and special time in the history of God's people. A time where God literally walked with His creation. Where every animal came to Adam to be named. Where God and man and woman hung out...not in boundless freedom but within a loving setting where God said all of it was theirs to enjoy, but not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Why? Why not eat from it? What's the big deal? Well, God knew what the big deal was but satan made that decision appear to be one of little or no consequence...he made it seem enticing. "You're not really going to die..." It'll feel good, come on, it's not as big a deal to disobey the Living God of the Universe as you might think...I did it a while back...see, I'm still 'alive'...come on, now, give it a go...The tree itself was not 'evil' if you will. The act of choosing to eat from it after God had warned not to was what was truly detrimental..the beginning of life outside of God's physical presence. No wonder the devil wanted company...he was miserable!

You see, when Jesus said the anti-Christ would come, he told us so we would know. He told us about the signs of the end of the age, so we would know. God wrote His word down on paper for us to read and feast off, so we would know. People who don't read God's word then are easily deceived by things that sound good, politically correct, peaceful, because let's face it...an anti-Christ coming and the end of the world...that doesn't sound like 'fun times'. No, we'd rather go about our busy lives, attending this and that, doing good deeds and 'getting along' with everyone, not standing for Christ, because, well, we need to 'love our neighbor'. The rest of that scripture, which is truth imperative, reads, "Love your neighbor as yourself." If we love Christ yet do not share Christ's love with our neighbors we aren't loving, nor do we really believe God's word to be true. Loving our neighbors means telling the world about God's love for them in Christ...that's why He came. The ultimate Love Story for all mankind!

So, back to the Garden. I personally know that if I were in the back yard watering the trees, let's say, and a snake was in my Aspen tree, I'd freak out, and run in the house to call for help. That's one. Two, if the snake tried to strike up a conversation, if I didn't pass out first, I'd look at him square in the eye and say, "The Lord rebuke you, satan! Get away from me!" And, because of the authority Jesus' name carries in all existence, he'd be required to slither his slimy ass out of my yard...

But that's what I'm trying to say here. "Anti" means: opposed to or against. Notice in the Garden that the devil didn't say God wasn't real, true or God Almighty, Creator of the World. No, in fact, he referred to God as 'God' in his conversation with Eve...he knew who He was and called Him 'God' with a capital 'G' appropriately. What he did do, and with obvious success for the untrained woman, was distort God's earlier conversation with Eve so that it presented itself to her in a much more appealing, human way.

So, for us to be wise, we need to realize that 'anti-Christ' isn't necessarily someone who will come and be a militant, hateful person. Why would we follow someone like that? We are educated enough to discern that. Like, when Osama or Sadam rose up in their corners of the world, don't you think it was obvious they were bad guys! I mean, really, looking back, since many of us weren't alive at the time, isn't it obvious to see that Hitler was a whack job? But still, people have followed these men because they obviously told them something that sounded good...at least at first. And, Jesus said there would be 'anti-Christ's' meaning, plural, meaning many people would oppose Him...They may even call God 'God'. What will happen, however, is people will loosely claim Christ's name (you know, in order to entice followers of Christ), saying they are 'community organizers' meaning all-embracing do-gooders, and it will sound right and good and humanitarian and earth-friendly so people will follow...because, who wants to be left out, right?

In the meantime, while that is happening, if we stand strong and follow Christ, we will be persecuted. It may not look like public hangings or crucifixions, but think about how if you are currently a Christian you are judged for believing that God's word is true and that Christ is the only way to salvation...Jesus did love everyone. He came for everyone. He died for everyone. He does not exclude anyone who will believe in His name. He was inclusive...whether people followed Him or not was their choice. He was very offensive and really miffed a lot of people...political and religious leaders of the day, especially. He wasn't fluffy. He hated sin. He hated being separated from God's presence and experience that on this earth on the cross so that He knew exactly how we feel apart from Him...but because He was intimate with God, He knew that the things we try to fill our lives with were dissatisfying, leading to death. That is why He came. That is why He died. That is why He conquered death and rose again and prays for you and me. That is why there is nothing in ourselves we can do to 'do' good or 'be' good enough for God. Grace is grace. Grace is free. Grace is only found in Jesus Christ. Religion is false. Christ alone is true. Loving Jesus is not PC. My Facebook political status reads: Incorrect

If talking to snakes in backyards around the world is a common thing nowadays, I am clearly out of the loop...and I'm not interested in getting in on that 'loop', thank you very much...but the question is: "Do we know when snakes are talking anymore?"

Association

So, I am always curious and intrigued by the answers I hear from people when asked about their faith or what drives them. Typically when the answer of a person is a declarative membership to a specific denomination or organization, "I'm a Baptist...I'm a Presbyterian. I'm a Lutheran. I'm a Catholic. I'm a Mormon. I'm Unitarian. I'm non-denominational. I'm Charismatic. I'm New Age. I'm a follower of The Secret. I'm Christian Reformed. Dutch Reformed. Reformed Reformed. I'm Southern Baptist. I'm an Atheist. I'm Agnostic. I'm Muslim. I'm Jewish. I'm philanthropic. I'm Conservative Southern Baptist. I'm Evangelical Free. I'm Anglican. I'm Roman Catholic. I'm Orthodox. I'm Mennonite. I'm Republican. I'm Democrat. I'm Methodist..." I hesitate and wonder. I know the person desires to be associated with something bigger than themselves...kind of the point of religion and politics, ya know, but the fact that the first thing out of their mouths is the brand and type of their church or un-church, well, to me, it's always a red flag.

Now, before you go postal on me, I'm not judging you for belonging to a specific denomination. A long time ago I used to say emphatically that I was Catholic. After that, I made sure everyone who met me knew I was a Born-Again, Charismatic Christian. If you asked me today, I'd tell you that I love God with my whole heart and am so grateful He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for me. I will only live for Him and I will die for Him only. I do not pledge my life or loyalties to the Pope, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Hagin, Beth Moore, Benny Hinn, Joel Osteen, Oprah, or any other big name 'evangelist' type, no matter their 'faith' or religion.

The only man that walked the earth that I would live and die for is Jesus Christ, who was 100% man and 100% God. The reason I am writing all this today is I feel strongly to encourage anyone reading to figure out Who or who you believe in and follow accordingly. The reason a denominational or organizational answer is a red flag to me is that some people associate more with their name brand church or community than they do with Christ, or whoever it is they believe in. Speaking specifically to people who associate themselves with the name "Christianity", the reality is, some people don't know jack squat about Jesus. They read more novels and watch more Oprah or 'JesusTV' than anything every written by the Creator of the Universe, ie the Bible and have no clue that this Jesus, the One way to God, made it possible to be free from the curse and live for eternity in Heaven, but they have no clue what Heaven is. "It's a nice idea and nice people go there, but bad guys don't..." Really? How do you know that? Did someone tell you or did you actually read it yourself? As a stay at home mom, some women find more comfort from reading whatever is on Oprah's Book Club or on her 'Favorite Things' episode than dusting off the family Bible and finding the true keys to abundant life. I don't hate Oprah, but she didn't die on a cross for me or for anyone else (just thought I'd throw that out there...)

Jesus didn't come to earth to say nice fluffy stuff that made people feel good and tingly. He didn't blow sunshine at people and say, "I'm the son of god." He said in response to this: "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God," "Yes, it is as you say." Jesus didn't ever claim to be one way to God. He claimed to be the only way to God. He also never left God open for interpretation, meaning, whoever you think God is or who He is to you. This isn't like which pair of jeans fits you best or if you like your spinach fresh or sauteed.

This message does not have to be offensive...we either follow Jesus Christ or we don't. We know Jesus said He is coming soon. When that day arrives and we are asked about our faith, not our good intentions, our denomination or organizational membership, but our faith, what will our answer be?