This past Sunday our Worship & Outreach Pastor, Rowland Smith, taught on the topic of worship (I know, hard to believe). One of his primary points in the sermon was that true worship requires sacrifice. He challenged us to study the topics of worship and sacrifice in Scripture…so that’s what I did…and I was surprised by the first thing God showed me.

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices.
I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.
Hosea 6:6, NLT

Now, at first it might appear that this passage is contrary to Rowland’s message that worship requires sacrifice. But that’s not the case. God is using a little hyperbole here to get our attention. God had commanded His people to offer sacrifices and He isn’t changing the rules here.

So what is God saying? He is saying that he requires MORE than just rote sacrifice…He wants more than the action of sacrifice…more than checking the box…He wants more than just us following the letter of the law. What does He want from us? He wants US. He spells it out in two simple phrases.

God wants us to…

…show love

…know Him

This might look and sound easier, but I don’t think that’s really the case here. Offering sacrifices had turned “easy” for God’s people, but it was supposed to cost them something (hence the word “sacrifice”). And here God says He wants more than sacrifice…so it would stand to reason that this is going to cost us even more.

This leads me to believe that there is more behind these concepts and words of “show love” and “know Him” than meets the eye. So over the next couple of days I’m going to break it down…study them…and share the results here. If you have, or get, and keen insights share those…we are all in this together!

To you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies!
Do good to those who hate you.
Bless those who curse you.
Pray for those who hurt you.
Luke 6:27-28, NLT

Now this is tough love! And it’s not fair. It’s backwards. Makes you wonder what Jesus was thinking sometimes doesn’t it? I mean come on…love your enemies? Do good to those who hate you? Pray for the people in your life that hurt you (and not just hurt you once, but that hurt you over and over again!)? He just can’t be serious!

Or can He?

And if He is serious…why? Why should we act this way? It certainly isn’t in our nature (pretty much the exact opposite is our nature). Why does Jesus command us to love like this? Two reasons…

One: He calls us to be different, and that often means taking the rougher road (the 4×4 road instead of the paved road). Loving those who already love us is the easy way, and according to Jesus it’s what everyone else is doing already:

If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that?
Even sinners love those who love them!
Luke 6:32,NLT

Two: Because loving those who we don’t want to love and loving those who hurt us is how God acts…and He wants us to act like our Father. He wants us to be like Him. Imagine that! I don’t know about you, but that’s what I strive for pretty much every day…to be like my Father.

Love your enemies…
Then…you will be acting as children of the Most High,
for He is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked.
You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.
Luke 6:35-36, NLT

Don’t miss who he’s talking about here. Who has he been kind to? “Those who are unthankful and wicked.” Hmmm…sounds a lot like a guy I know…I see him in the mirror every day! God has been (and still is) kind and compassionate to me. All He asks is that I return the favor to others.

Yes, it’s tough love. But is anything really worth doing ever easy?

I must tell you right up front that I will likely not communicate very well on this topic, because every time I try it seems to fall a little short of my intentions (my best of intentions). I’m not sure why…other than the fact that I’m just a big goof.

As I said in my last post, I am currently reading out of Messy Spirituality and what I read this morning has struck a cord deep within my spirit. Yaconelli starts off by stating what we all “secretly” already know:

Many of those who attend our church have always wanted to go to church, wanted to know God better, longed for a better relationship with Jesus, but more often than not, they feel as if they would end at a church where they were made to feel as if the “mess” of their lives disqualified them from the possibility of on authentic spiritual life (pg 35).

I confess that this is exactly how I feel on any given day. My life is a mess and I struggle everyday for authentic spirituality…a real, genuine relationship with God. Sometimes I feel like I have, like I’m on the right trail, but other times I don’t. I want to help others find this authenticity in their relationship as well. Although I often feel like such a “goober” even trying to talk about spiritual things (”what will people think”, “what right do I have anyway”, “what a loser!”…all run through my head at one time).

Yaconelli says what I feel and what I think (and he does it much better…this is the book I wish I could write!). That’s even the point of this blog…to share my own personal spiritual journey…my learning process of walking and living with God—warts and all (and I’ve got plenty of them). So if you are looking for an example of an imperfect guy who is still trying to follow Christ…look no further!

I don’t want to be a “fake Christian” who acts like he always has it all together…because I don’t. God has a lot of work to do in my life. And I think that is exactly where God wants us..smack dab in the middle of our own failures and inadequacies and messiness. That’s who He wants to have relationship with…that’s who He wants to shape and transform and heal.

I commit, here and now, to do my best to be real and authentic and genuine (of course, I will often fail because I’m a mess ). I commit to walking with God with all of my heart and mind and soul. I commit to being imperfect and allowing Him to fill in the gaps. I commit to turning to Him in my all too frequent moments of need. And finally, I commit to taking others along the journey with me (family, friends, and anyone else who dare give it a shot).

A closing thought from my reading this morning for us both to chew on:

Spirituality looks like whatever you and I look like when we’re thinking about Jesus, when we are trying to find Jesus, when we are trying to figure out what real Christianity looks like in the real world (pg 37).

I know what you’re probably thinking: “Not exactly earth shattering news here!”. But it’s not exactly what you think (but yes, I am a mess).

I started reading a mew book this week called Messy Spirituality by Michael Yaconelli. Here’s a quick excerpt from the back of the book that explains the basic premise:

Messy Spirituality was written for the silent majority of us who have been convinced that we just don’t do Christianity right. Michael Yaconelli dares to suggest that imperfection, unfinishedness, and messiness are, in fact, the earmarks of true Christianity; that real Christianity is messy erratic, lopsided…and gloriously liberating.

Something in this concept rings true in my spirit…which is why I picked up the book to read as part of my devotionals. I certainly agree with the theology and concept. And so far it has not disappointed, and has caused me more than once to pause and ask God to help me process what I’m reading. Above all, I want to be an authentic Christ follower and this book is challenging me to do just that (in some new and unexpected ways).

If you’ve read the book, please share some your thoughts and favorite parts. If you haven’t, I encourage you to pick it up (it’s short but full of good stuff!). I’m only one chapter in so far and would love to be part of a Notorious Sinners group (you’ll have to read it to find out what that’s all about…a little teaser for you).

We all know what faith is right? Most of us can quote the proper Scripture…

Now faith is being sure of we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1, NIV

I must admit, however, that I still struggle with the practical concept of faith (and maybe I always will). This morning God put the word “faith” in front of me too many times to ignore…and all within on passage of Scripture…

We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ
…
People are made right with God when they believe that
Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood.
…
It is based on faith. So we are made right God through faith and not by obeying the law.
…
There is only one God, and He makes people right with himself only by faith…
Romans 3:22, 25, 27, 30; NLT

God is at work within me to clarify what I truly and practically believe about this word and concept: FAITH. He is at work and I’m trying to listen and learn. The process won’t be over today. And don’t get me wrong…I know what faith is. I’ve studied the word and I am a believer and follower…I have faith in God. God is working at a more practical level. How am I living this concept of faith? What does it mean for my everyday?

As I said, the process will take some time. God wants me to wrestle with this and come to terms with it. But I think I know where it’s heading. Practically, the question is if I am truly trusting God with everything. Is He who and what I turn to always? Do I only need Him or do I think I need other things? It’s hard to explain…and I feel like I’m missing it completely (maybe that’s because it’s still churning within me?). Eldridge hit on it a little bit in my reading from Walking with God this morning (and I’m sure he says it much better…he does have an editor after all)…

There is no greater disaster for the human heart than this—to believe we have found life apart from God. And this shift I’ve been describing—this coming to believe that what I don’t have but long for I actually need—is the opening stages of the disaster. For whatever reason, we have come to believe that God is not enough. (Page 183, emphasis mine).

My faith…lived in practice…has something to do with believing (deep down) that I can only find true life in God and that He is more than enough…I don’t need anything else. More to come on this topic as God continues to reveal His truths to me on this topic.

What are your thoughts about this FAITH word? What insights do you have that you can share? We’re all part of this journey and I really do want to hear what God is speaking into your heart and life…it helps me along the journey too…

I have been captured by this word and concept this week: Transformed. God has been replaying the idea, the word over and over again in my mind and spirit for the past week. This morning he led me to do a little research on the word itself from Scripture (thanks to my Libronix program this wasn’t hard to do!).

Two passages seem to cover the topic best:

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world,
but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.
Romans 12:2, NLT

What counts is whether you have been transformed into a new creation.
Galatians 6:15, NLT

Two things strike me as I meditate and consider these passages. First, it is God doing the transformation…I am obviously involved in the process, but it’s God doing the real work—He is the only one with power to affect this kind of change in my life. Frankly, I have demonstrated time and again that I am am powerless within my own strength alone to change pretty much anything (certainly anything that really matters).

Second, is that both passages talk about this transformation as wholesale change…not incremental change: “into a new person” and “into a new creation”. These are not small, piece meal changes. We are talking “Big Bang” versus “Evolution” (pardon the pun). I must confess that I am still wrestling with this even as I type. Is this transformation then only done when we are saved and become Christ followers? Don’t we continue to be shaped and molded into His image as we walk with Him? I believe that’s the case, but that doesn’t seem to be what these two passages are referring to.

What are your thoughts on this topic? I am certainly thankful for this type of transformation in my life! I couldn’t have done it without Him…wouldn’t be who I am today without Him changing me from the inside out. I’ve never been the same…

God has really been speaking to my heart over the past few weeks…and boy have I needed it. He’s been showing me areas in my spiritual journey where I need healing and restoration—and he has been providing both! It’s a great place to be and I am truly thankful for it.

One of the things He’s been working on with me is where I turn to when life gets tough or things aren’t going the way I expect them to. Too often I am turning to the wrong things when I should be turning to God. It’s not that the things I am turning to are necessarily wrong (although sometimes they are)…it’s just that my heart should be turning to God for strength and comfort. And with His help I’ve been doing that more and more.

So this morning I read this in my devotional time and it was yet another reminder for me on this topic:

Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.
Psalm 146:3 NLT

Where is my confidence? Too often it is in other people…those I think are “powerful” in one way or another. Where should my confidence be? In God alone. I’m starting to get the picture.

My reading this morning from John Eldredge’s Walking with God has struck a cord with me…and has me wrestling with this foundational life question:

What is the right way to look at life?

Before you read on too far, how do you answer this question? How do you look at life? Is it random? Is life hard? Is life supposed to be easy? Is life about getting stuff?

The right answer is that life is supposed to be about God…about loving Him and getting to know Him personally. From the book…

The first and greatest command is to love God with our whole being. Yet, it is rare to find someone who is completely given over to God. And so normal to be surrounded by people who are trying to make life work. We think of the few who are abandoned to God as being sort of odd. The rest of the world—the ones trying to make life work—seem perfectly normal to us (Page 87).

This has me thinking today about how I look at life. Am I just trying to “make it work” or am I truly focused on making God the priority in my life? Am I taking His blessings and making them idols? Do I think of God as “a means to an end rather than the end itself”? John makes the point in this chapter that too often we are looking for God to make us happy…when the only way that ever happens is by us selling out to God. By loving Him with everything that we’ve got.

And God doesn’t often play a passive role in the idolization (is that a word?) of our lives. He desperately wants our hearts to be in the right place, focused on Him. In fact, it’s on this point that God promises to test us:

The Lord your God is testing you to see if you
truly love him with all your heart and soul.
Deuteronomy 13:3, NLT

This leaves one final (and probably obvious) question: Are you and I passing the test? Only you can answer that one for yourself. Me? I’m working on it.

Have you ever asked yourself this question: What does God want from me? I know it sounds a little sacrileges, but I think we all wonder and ask this question in some form or another. Maybe we ask it when life is getting hard (as it often does). Maybe we ask it when our spiritual lives are running a little on the dry side or when we just can’t seem to connect with God like we want to.

So, what does God want from us?

I got the answer (or at least part of the answer anyway) in my reading from the minor prophets this morning:

The Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Micah 6:8, NLT

Three things are listed her that God wants from us (or requires of us):

1. Do what is right
2. Love mercy
3. Walk humbly with your God

Seems like a pretty simple list right? I leave that answer up to you. Which of these three do you find most difficult? Which comes most naturally to you? Which one is God speaking to your heart and spirit about as you read this right now? Let God work in your life…you know what He requires, you know what He wants…now let Him do His thing. Walk with Him and learn from Him. It’s hard at times, but all in all it’s a fun journey!