I'VE MOVED!

I changed websites to http://ourhulmehome.weebly.com/ - where I am now blogging with my wife as well as posting updates about the mission work we are pursuing. Check it out!

Recovering Rebels - The Heart of David

            So, I'm actually going to attempt to start a bit of a blog series based around a lesson that is becoming very dear to my heart. Titled Recovering Rebels, I want to spend time briefly sharing how God has transformed my heart of rebellion over the last few years of my life. Not that I am perfect in this regard; nonetheless, I want to begin sharing some of the truths of what I have learned.

            This first post is especially for those of my generation who claim to be part of a "righteous rebellion." Let me start by saying that I used to take pride in the term "righteous rebel," like it was something to boast in. I thought I was doing God a favor by recovering various apostate aspects of his kingdom and calling them back to holiness. I know that there are others who have felt this way. I've broken bread with groups that believe that they are destined to raise up a new Christianity that throws off the bondage and religiosity of the generation of our parents and grandparents. Even as some of you read this, there is a fire developing in your gut that provokes such strong emotion as anger, jealousy, and bitterness. You gather with other groups of young people and forsake the advice of the older generation. You say things like "I love Jesus, and hate religion," and believe that our generation - those born in the 80's to mid 90's, are called to lead the church into spiritual revival. Been there.

            I'm not trying destroy destiny with this post. Actually, on the contrary I want my generation to actually walk into their destiny with the heart of Jesus instead of under the bondage of Satan. I believe that our generation has a calling to help restore the American church back to a place of passion for Jesus. But in order to do so, we must forsake the principle of Satan, which is rebellion. Instead, we must embrace the heart of David, which is a heart after God's own heart.

            I’m going to go into quite a few different aspects of this issue, but if you can identify at all with the previous paragraphs, I want to highly recommend studying and praying over the life of David. You see, David was called, similar to us, to restore a kingdom to righteousness, to be a leader, and even to deal with corruption that was present in the leadership of his youth. However, instead of using this as an excuse to set himself against Saul, who was the corrupt leader of that day, he actually continued to honor God’s appointed authority, who was also Saul, and submitted himself to the hardships that endured.

            This isn’t to say that David participated in the corruption of Saul, nor did he always honor the wishes of Saul, but he did not set himself against God’s anointed. He very carefully recognized that he must not walk in a spirit of rebellion. He did not curse Saul. He did not even celebrate others who attacked and rebelled against Saul’s reign, he actually punished them! Eventually, God himself dealt with Saul’s sin and fulfilled his promise to David. David was humble enough to be patient, though, and by doing so pleased God greatly.

            The issue I encountered as I studied David’s life was this: can there be more than one of God’s anointed? Apparently, there can be! They can even co-exist with the same calling, yet one has to submit to the other simply based on the order in which they were appointed. Does this seem ridiculous? It did to me. However, we must remember that God’s ways are not our ways; His thoughts are not our thoughts. Logically and emotionally, this idea can be confusing and frustrating (especially as a young person). However, biblically and spiritually, it is true and right.

            So from my ramblings of this first post, let me pose a few questions for all of us – no matter how old we are.

1.      Who might be an appointed authority that God has placed in your life to submit to?

2.      Do you believe that God will fulfill his promises to you? Or do you try to achieve them yourself?

3.      Is there a Saul, or possibly multiple “Sauls” in your life? Maybe this is a person, a parent, or an organization.

4.      In regards to any “Saul-figures” you may have identified, are you walking like David walked or do you wish for their failure and misfortune? Are you respecting and submitting to their anointing even if you disagree with it?

5.      Finally, are there others in your life that have a similar anointing, call, or destiny that you can submit yourself to? Are you willing to wait until God actually raises you up to walk in a position you desire or feel called to? Or do you attempt to achieve your dreams by circumnavigating people that have already achieved certain pieces of your dreams?

            Please feel free to comment with any thoughts about this issue. Maybe there is something you would like to expound on or something that particularly struck you. I have not walked perfectly like David, but I am praying that the Lord can recover what I have embraced in rebellion and set me upon a righteous path for my future. I believe that God can restore my generation to not only radically follow Jesus but also to gain freedom from the spirit of rebellion. May the Holy Spirit make this truth ever truer in our hearts and lives.

Alyssa's Beatitudes - Matthew Five from the Eyes of My Wife

These are the beatitudes, looked up in Greek and put into plain words by my beautiful wife. I read these and thought that her translation and commentary underneath was so beautiful, it should be put out for other's to see. Enjoy and be edified as I was:

1. Happy and well off are those who are begging and helpless for the life giving Spirit, for they are the ones that will have riches of the everlasting kingdom and the sonship of royalty and kingship dominion.
2. Well off are those that grieve and wail, for they will be called to be near to God.
3. Blessed are the gentle and mild in spirit, for they shall be a royal heir to good fertile land.
4. Happy are those who crave and suffer after a right standing with God, for they will be satisfied and refreshed.
5. Well off are those who are compassionate towards those who are undeserving, for they too shall receive help in times they are afflicted and destitute.
6. Blessed are those who are purified by fire -  clean and blameless - for they shall gaze upon God.
7. Happy are those who love peace and are pacifists for they will be named the offspring of God.
8. Well off are those who are run after and pursued and despised because they long after a right standing with God, for theirs is the royal power and authority and right to rule over the kingdom.

Compassion and passion. When the gospel is simple there's no reason not to follow it. You either do it or you don't. Love jesus.. love others. The poor don't have back up plans. They cant do it themselves. If you want to know the heart of God looks like... stop and love them. We have complicated the gospel. God said “sit and love.” I wanted to understand the gospel and Jesus brought me to the poor and they taught me about the kingdom of God. Will you stop, will you care? Will you be Christ's hand extended?