Thursday, April 14, 2011

Two posts within minutes of each other?

How about a little update on my journey with grace?

The other day I was reading Acts 10 and was floored when I came to this verse:
25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.”
Now, I could obviously spend time talking about how this is amazing because we shouldn't make other people idols and no one can be Christ for us and blah blah blah, but I want to focus on the other side of this....

I sin. I too am a man. I am not perfect. I too am a man. I am NOT Christ. I too am a man.


In fact, we are all men. We are all sinners.

So why are we surprised when we sin against each other? Why do I hear so many Christians(!) talking about other Christians(!!) and their sins, and how they were hurt, and how "well that was such an unChristlike thing to do."
Well, obviously. Because, surprise!: We are not Christ. No one else can be Christ for us. Only Christ can. Stop expecting others to be perfect! Stop slapping grace in the face!

[Side note: this does not mean that we should excuse unrepentant sin. That's a whole 'nother topic.]


As Christians, we still sometimes get angry and feel offended and end friendships and relationships because of it. Do we not understand the dire situation we are in, our incredible sinful state, in which our indwelling sin hates our Savior and hates showing His love and truth?

I am learning to live in grace to others. Not get angry when they sin against me. If anything, I will hate that they have sinned against a perfect, holy and beautiful Lord. But not against me. I am nothing. I am no one. As Peter said to Cornelius, “I too am a man.”

A City Not Forsaken.

There are days,
moments,
hours,
I have to remind myself of a simple Truth:

God is not absent.

Was He absent when the Israelites were wandering? Was He absent when Joseph was in prison? Was He absent when Jesus was sweating blood in the garden? Was He absent when Peter denied Him not once, not twice, but THREE times?

Was He absent when His Son died on the Cross because of MY sins? Was He?

He is not absent. He has not forsaken me, He has not forgotten me. I could quote many, so many verses right now, but honestly, I just want to marinate in that Truth.
He is not absent. 

I will be A City Not Forsaken. Greater things are still to be done in this city.


 (Thanks, Alece, for reminding me of this in a post of yours).

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Acts.

I am reading Acts, and I absolutely love it. I love reading the beginning of the early church. I love following the struggles and the amazing things that God did in their midst. I love feeling as though I am hearing the commotion after Christ ascended.. the excitement, the sense of Truth, the love and passion for Him. Love and passion I so desire for the church today.


I was reading Acts 4 last night, and read this verse:
    [13] Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
(Acts 4:13 ESV)
Okay. Now this may seem normal to everyone. But I read this and it blew my mind.
Because they had been with Jesus.

I know, whatever, right, we knew they had been with Jesus, they were disciples, not a big deal, blahdeblahdeblah.

But no. They had been with the SON OF GOD.
God Himself. God in the flesh. God. God walking the earth. God breathing and preaching and healing and praying and GOD. 
God walked the earth and these men hung out with Him, just chilling, for three years. 

Does this not blow anyone else's mind? Imagine that, if Jesus were walking in the flesh today, and we just got to spend three years learning straight from Jesus. Not from His words written on the page, not from the Holy Spirit leading us every so slightly in one way or another and we say "Oh Jesus wants me to do this or that..".. no.. Jesus. Walking with God. With Him. For three years. Constantly. In the flesh. Seeing Him die on the cross. Then feeling the immense joy and awe after He rose again. Watching Him ascend. Dying for the Truth. 

Walking with God in the flesh. 
Anyone else with me on how amazing that is?