Posted on

We have a purpose

Ephesians 4:15-16 (AMP) But speaking the truth in love [in all things—both our speech and our lives expressing His truth], let us grow up in all things into Him [following His example] who is the Head—Christ. From Him the whole body [the church, in all its various parts], joined and knitted firmly together by what every joint supplies, when each part is working properly, causes the body to grow and mature, building itself up in [unselfish] love.

This Sunday I had the privilege of delivering the message to our church. My husband was (and still is) recovering from turbinate reduction from the previous week, and was not quite ready to be a part of the world again. One of the biggest challenges is having to open and close the service. We have an amazing team at Connect Church, and they stood up and took roles that really made for a great day.

My husband and I have been in a series for the past six months called, My Calling. Why? We have become a culture of people that wants to know what our calling is and what our purpose is. The answer they receive, to keep them or draw them, is that it is self focused. Our answer has been counter culture but Kingdom culture. We all have the same calling and that is the ministry of reconciliation. Even though I am called to be a pastor, my initial calling and everything I do within that scope must be to fulfill my main calling of the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). We all have the same purpose and that is to grow in Christ. We all have different gifts and my gifting to teach and administrate is to be directed to the purpose of growing in Christ. Therefore, putting them together my ministry of reconciliation will also bring others to their purpose of growing in Christ. I am no longer developing my gifts, I am developing my purpose.

Ephesians 4:21-24 (AMP) If in fact you have [really] heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus [revealed in His life and personified in Him], that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude], and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation].

We have been made new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17), but that does not mean that our old nature does not try to live. Before we knew Christ, we lived independently of God. That is the old nature and thought patterns we having to constantly put off. The deceitful desires are not just something a new baby in Christ has to be aware of. It is for all maturity levels. That is why Paul tells us to be “continually renewed in the spirit of the mind.” What do we constantly have to renew about in our mind? Who we are in Christ…I am rooted and grounded in Christ, I have the mind of Christ, I live according to Christ, and I am free because of Christ. When I lived independently of God I thought about self first, now that I am not independent and called into the ministry of reconciliation, I think about ways to promote others to Christ. My desires are fulfilled when I seek the Kingdom of God first, because my desire is to see others united with Him. He gives me the desires of my heart because I am walking in Kingdom Purpose, to know and grow in Christ.

How are some ways I can renew my mind to put on the new nature everyday? Know that you are now a child of God (Romans 8:16). You do not have to try to become a child of God when you are one in Christ. You are now grounded in the truth of your salvation (John 8:32). You are now a Kingdom citizen. Christ paid the price for your emotional freedom, you no longer have to be a slave to your feelings (Galatians 5:1). You have been accepted and forgiven (Romans 5:8). Christ paid the price for you even when you were still a sinner. Your position of submission is a choice (Romans 13:1-5). Just like believing and renewing your mind regarding everything that you are a part of, submission is a choice. We have to renew our mind for submission. It is essential to our growth and maturity in Christ, but in the culture we live in today, it is one of the hardest for the believer to do. There is freedom when you do. Let me be a witness to that. I no longer live, but Christ in me, is what Paul constantly tells us. When we refuse to submit, we are choosing that independent old nature, we are still living for ourselves. I am rooted and grounded in Christ, He can have every part of me.

What is my purpose? To Grow in Christ. What is my ministry? The ministry of reconciliation. When I focus on these two things I am living now free in Christ. I cannot help but want to share that freedom with others. It is really quite simple and not self focused anymore. I am now Kingdom focused!

Father, You are so wonderful. Thank You for being our creator. You created us in love and desire us. Thank You for sending Your Son as a expression of that love. Thank You for sending us the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher of love. We repent for the times we still lived for us, independently of You. We are choosing to renew our minds in Christ and putting on the fullness of what He came to restore us to. Thank You for Your patience and mercy as we grow in that fullness. We invite You into every part of ourselves. We are now secure in You and have no fear of letting go to submit to Your authority, even when it comes through the avenue of mankind. Let us not look at each other the same way, but through Your perfect lens. We are thankful for the ministry You have entrusted us, the ministry of reconciliation. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose love today. We choose growth today. We choose freedom today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

A vow from rejection

Ephesians 4:2-3 (AMP) With all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another in [unselfish] love. Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].

We are in the middle of what we call “Holy Week.” This is the week we are reflecting on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Jesus came to give us restoration. He restored our relationship with the Father, but He also restored us to peace, to fullness and to wholeness. He restored us to Kingdom purpose. So why are we still looking at each other as broken and ready to hurt each other?

We have turned the thoughts that “not everyone will understand us” into “not everyone is for you.” It is okay when others will not understand us, but when not everyone is for us, then we have an enemy. Why? Our thoughts are now they are out for our harm. I have a question. Does the thought that not everyone is for you bring you peace? Does it bring you the desire to seek restoration? Does it bring you the desire to seek unity? Then can we say, does that match the character and nature of God?

Romans 12:14-18 (AMP) Bless those who persecute you [who cause you harm or hardship]; bless and do not curse [them]. Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief]. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself. Never repay anyone evil for evil. Take thought for what is right and gracious and proper in the sight of everyone. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

I know that when I have thoughts that someone meant to harm me, or they were hoping that I would fail, it does not bring me peace. It brings me anger. It brings hurt. It brings in comparison. It brings the feeling of being unloved. So why is it okay for us to say “not everyone is for us.” The enemy, the devil, is not for us. However, we do not fight against, nor struggle against, flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12).

What if what they said hurt my feelings? What if they did not help me succeed?

I just did a online fundraiser to raise funds for our youth at attend summer camp. I needed to raise $500 for the deposit. We raised $100 of it through them. There was also the option to donate without purchasing the product. We raised another $100 that way. What would your thoughts be if you started seeing people on your feed using the same source (setting up their own fundraisers), but they did not give into yours? It is not for the same cause. What do we do? They did not give into mine, so I am not going to give into theirs? What about when those that you thought would support you, don’t?

How about this real life scenario? I had planned to have my 18th birthday party at my grandmother’s pool. I had also invited a bunch of people. Another girl, in the same grade, had one a few weeks before and lots of people were just having a blast. My party came up and just one of my friends showed up. When I was much younger, this pool was the hangout spot for all the neighborhood kids. You could find my friends and I there just having a blast. Now flash forward to my 40th birthday and it is during the COVID lock down. My family decides to throw a surprise let’s have a car parade party. Sounds fun? Let me tell you it was awkward when not many cars show up. However, I did have more than one friend show up this time.

What does all this have to do with the idea of not everyone is for you? The root of it is rejection. This is the vow we have used to protect our hearts. Will it bring peace? Jesus was sitting at a table knowing that very evening that one of his close friends would betray Him. He still fed Him. He did not tell the others and point him out as “not for us.” He loved him. Jesus said, “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets (Matthew 7:12).” Who is He talking to? Us. The nature of man is to do the opposite. We want to treat others on how they treat us. When Jesus tells us to treat others the way we want to be treated.

My verse at the beginning is a continuation of a thought by Paul. He starts off with: So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]”… In the Modern English Version, Ephesians 4:1 states, “walk in a manner worthy of the calling you were called.” What am a I called to? The ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:10-21). As I mature as a believer, my focus is on reconciliation, not who showed up for me. Have I had moments of immaturity? Yes. By the world’s definition was I right? Yes. However, if I follow the example of the Word I am not. I have had to die to that part of myself. It has been one of the hardest things to do. What does it cost? My pride. What do I gain? Peace. Those vows only bring bondage and I would rather live free.

Father, You are all I desire, not for what You can do for me but for who You are. I thank You for sending Your Son to be the Prince of Peace, He is the ultimate example of what it is to serve and love unselfishly. I repent for coming short in areas, when I wanted to live for me. I repent for getting mad and holding people hostage for them not showing up for me. I desire to live a life worthy of the call of restoration. I desire to live a life of Your character, Your integrity and to grow into the maturity of Your Kingdom. I thank You that Your Word has been written on the palms of my hands, it has been inscribed on my forehead and it pours out of my mouth. I thank You that it is for the purpose of reconciliation, so that I focus on Your truth. I take captive every thought, imagination or argument that I have had to bring division to my calling. I choose love today. I choose forgiveness today. I choose hope today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Posted on

One Year Later

It has been a year since the Stay at Home Order in Alabama. We were told that we should only go out of our homes to get the essentials (i.e. groceries, toiletries, home repair, etc.). Masks were not mandated yet, but you saw people wearing them in public, as well as, gloves of all sorts. There was toilet paper, disinfectant wipes and spray shortages.

Our kids were on spring break at the time. Since my kids are athletes, and how else are we suppose to get teenagers away from electronics these days, I made them run every morning. We lifted weights together, at the house, every day. I tried to keep them as active as possible. It brought me back to the days when I was growing up and my grandmother would keep us outside during the summer so we would not just watch television all day. We would ride our bikes to a friends house or they would all come over to my grandmother’s and swim. It was too cool for the pool to be open, so one rode his bike all over the neighborhood and the other learned to climb ladders and hang out on the roof.

What made me want to write about this was because as pastors my husband and I had to adjust, but we did not want this to change the core of what we believed the church should be. There was a quote being posted around Facebook, it said, “Your Pastor has never pastored a church through a Pandemic before. When he opens people are going to say he should have closed. When he closes people are going to say he should have opened. When he shakes hands people are going to say he has faith. When he shakes hands people are going to say he’s foolish. He’s going to make some difficult decisions to protect the flock considering everything from your spiritual growth to legal liabilities that you aren’t even thinking about. He has the incredible responsibility of looking over the well being of his flock. Remember this:No one wants things to go well at church as much as your pastor. Your pastor needs your prayers and support right now. And although you can’t touch him, give him an air high 5. 😄 support your pastor in prayer.”

Ephesians 4:11-13 (AMP) And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church]; until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].

This is our calling and our role. It breaks my heart that the body was separated during that time physically, but we should not have been separated spiritually. There have been many things that have happened in the past year. A real shaking occurred. The shaking could have gone two ways: 1) it could have shaken us awake and brought us closer together to unify, or 2) it could have shaken us to divide us. Whatever you are going through in your life right now, I pray that things were shaken to draw you closer to Him. That is what I chose to do this past year.

It breaks my heart that the body was separated during that time physically, but we should not have been separated spiritually.

Yes, my family did get hit with COVID-19. It effected me different than everyone else in my home. Both of my grandparents passed away this past year. Both of my husband’s and my parents have had long term effects of the virus. They are coming out of it, it has taken a few months. We know of those that have been put on a respirator and recovered. It has been a year that changed our world. So please continue to pray for us (your pastors and leaders) as it has been a year of not knowing what to do and still doing it. We did not give up on you. We are here wanting to see you grow in His spiritual completeness and exercise your gifts in unity.