Even my fortune cookie knows what God is about to do!!!

We are called to give up everything and I discovered I cannot think of being able to do that. I was at the Passion Conference in Atlanta, and with some friends, we went to a park right outside of the cnn center. I went to take a nap on a concrete slab. Thinking that I was so tired it didn’t matter. Now it was super cold the day before like thirty degrees! And on top of the there was a breeze. We saw a man sitting on a step with a blanket over his whole body. Now when I went to go take a nap, I couldn’t. It hurt. It was noisy. It was cold and miserable. Then it dawned on me. Could I really give up everything and live comfortably in Jesus? It is a question that has stayed with me for days now.
I want us to take a moment and reflect on that question. I am along with you in this prayer to find out if we are comfortable in Jesus, and I mean REALLY comfortable.

Does it scare you that most people think that about you. Well that is if you love Jesus. You ask most people “of the world” and they would say the same thing, and you would say the same thing about them. 

Jesus was not like this. And I know what you are thinking, that you aren’t Jesus or you will never be like him. To those who think that…YOU are stupid. J

Jesus wanted to hang out or talk to those who are deemed hated or outsiders, and yet as Christians we find our clicks and comforts and stick to them. Is that really a good way to take up your cross? If that is the response you have to to the whole “take up your cross” thing then it wasn’t that bad for Jesus. 

We are called to be like Jesus and I have to say when it comes to sharing his love…we share hate more. When we have a mindset of wanting to share the love of Jesus by screaming and shoving sins in the faces of those who are “wrong”…We are not like Jesus at all.

It bothers me that we have come comfortable by this. I rather hang out with the people that see we have ALL sinned and we are all on the same playing rather then the people who pick and choose who can be where and what…

This was all product of a conversation with Grace Bryson and Maliek…Love you guys

The beginning of James 2 ask that very question when it comes to partiality. Why do WE do this? Yes, I include myself. 

We insist on picking a choosing who we, as Christians, share the Gospel with. THIS IS A PROBLEM. 

God makes it very clear that ALL have sinned and fallen and yet we sometimes think we are better than others. We know this is a problem but yet we do nothing to stop it or fix it. We sit in our bubbles and pray for God to bring him or her your way so you can lead them to cross. YOU ARE SCREWED when it comes to that theology.

Think about it like this. What if God decided not to die for you but for everyone else. What would that do to you and the way you act to things. How much do you have to hate someone to keep the news of God sending his son to die for everyone…how much do you have to hate someone to keep the Gospel from them. 

I pray for you and I to realize this. I had the honor of leading a Bible study on this passage last night and I pray your life is screwed up by this passage and you let only God make it straight.

P.S. Love the Skubala Guys Group!!!

This passage should wreck your world. I challenge you to let this be your prayer for the next week or even your life.  

You know we are surrounded by so much today and our lives are often identified by what we do or who we are. Sin is often a thing that comes along with these things. Along with being surrounded by so much, we are surrounded by people that are so easily ready to judge us. 

Jesus in his perfect sacrifice commands us to throw off all these things and focus on Him. He is good, perfect , and the creator of you. In this focus, He said there was a joy with him when he went to the cross.

This is why I am writing this. Does it excite you still to know that Jesus had joy when going to the cross. He in this said “I know what you have done, and I’m glad to die to make all that right. 

If this statement of truth does not excite you and make you want to live different you really need to look at your walk with Jesus. This should excite you to live like him. We have all been to the point where we really didn’t want to do something even though we know it was for the best. 

What if that certain person said to go die for people that hate you…THAT IS WHY I LOVE JESUS…HE SMILED AND SAID HE WAS GLAD TO DIE FOR ME! YOU! THEM! THE NATIONS!

Go Praise The Lord!

Genesis 3 is where we are going to be at! And instead of me putting the verses on here, I want you to open the Bible and take notes and read it and test it.

I don’t know if you really know this or can grasp the fact that the world has nothing that can make you truly happy. That is going to be key for this “devotion”

You need to admit three things to truly be happy or get on the road to being happy.

1. I HAVE A PROBLEM

• Genesis 3:1-6 
•  We are in a spiritual warfare and it started here and brought sin into the world

That is a huge problem because Romans 3:23 says “WE have ALL sinned…”

We are going to have to put pride on hold for the next part.

     2. I NEED A SOLUTION

Often we try…

• Religion (Genesis 3:7)

Religion clears the room and God will clean out the closet

• Running (Genesis 3:8-9)

Here is something you need to grasp. Myself included. You can run from God all you want, but you WILL NOT out run God.

• Refusing to accept responsibility (Genesis 3:10-13)

Just like the rest of us, they made excuses. That can be one of the things that holds you back from really getting to know Jesus because you can’t accept what you have done and throw off your pride long enough to say that you were wrong and you need something to fix that.

Here is how you fix it.

     3. THE SOLUTION IS JESUS

Because He…

• Destroys the Devil and His work (Genesis 3:14-15)
• Gives me hope (Genesis 3:16-19)
• Cleans up my mess (Genesis 3:20-24)(There was the first death to cover and Jesus was the last!)

God is good isn’t he! If you have not admitted these things, I urge you too. That is what faith and salvation looks like! This is the same story that is echoed throughout the whole Bible….Is it the story of your life?

As I sit in the library of my school, I keep thinking about how I know God. Something more keeps pressing on that fact. The fact that I am known by God makes the relationship so great, and intimate. The same God that created everything that you see today, knows you. Wow! He calls you His and when He does this, you are known by a loving God. Let’s take it a step farther. He knows you better then you will ever know yourself. I find my self convicted by this thought. Often when I am down, I do not go to God as much as I should. There is a problem there. He knows me far more than anyone else (including myself), so He knows what is going on. And even then, I do not dare share my problems. Picture it like this. Your parents tell you to not sneak out and you agree. Later that night you sneak out to drink, and your parents know but don’t say a word, hoping you will come talk to them and tell you the wrong you have done. You never do just because you do not want to admit the wrong or the problem you are having even though they know. This breaks your mom and dad’s hearts. They want to help and be with you, and you will not let that happen. That is what happens when you throw off the fact that God knows you and everything about you. He wants to help and you do not know if He will understand or even help. When God says He knows you, He invited you in to a relationship where God the Father is always there no matter what. He knows you. Do you know that? Run to Him and just talk to Him. He calls you BY NAME, and sits there and listens and talks to you (like a father) and helps and points you in the right direction. He is your dad and we are His kids. How beautiful is that!?!?!?!

Go and talk to Him now and just tell Him about your good times and bad times. Tell Him of your struggles and victories. Tell Him how great He is, cause He called us good. We open more to our friends then we do to the God that made us in His image, and oh I pray that changes.

Hebrews 12: 1-4 comes to mind right now. When it says to fix your eyes and run. That only comes with His help and we need it. And He KNOWS you NEED it.

Remember before you pray right now. He does not need you…He WANTS you.

He said, and He stuck to His Word.

You said, Ask and you will receive
Whatever you need
You said, Pray and I’ll hear from heaven
And I’ll heal your land

You said Your glory will fill the earth
Oh, Like water the seas
You said, Lift up your eyes
The harvest is here, the kingdom is near

You said, Ask and I’ll give the nations to you
O Lord, that’s the cry of my heart
Distant shores and the islands will see
Your light, as it rises on us

 Sometimes it is the hardest thing we will ever have to do. Sometimes I wish I could climb a mountain before having to forgive someone. BUT…it has to be done. Sometimes you will be hurt and sometimes the pain would be to much, but God never said it would be easy. Love is patient and that is what we need and the we need the courage of God to say “I forgive you.” Those words are the hardest thing to get out but the most beautiful thing you can say to someone. Therefore go forth as God says and forgive

“I forgive you”