Contented?

How content are you in your own skin?  Crazy question, you think?  Approach it this way. Consider some or your recent decisions, nothing big, just something like what you chose to wear, or some place you wanted to be seen. Now ask yourself, “Why did I do that?” Was it to impress someone, to try make others think of you in a certain way? Or, was it a genuine expression of who you are?  So many people spend huge amounts of resources, time, and energy trying desperately to make others like them, to be who they think they others want them to be. In the process, they turn into empty shells, living behind a mask of pretend, saying things they don’t really believe, buying things they do not really need.

My point today is not to point you in the direction of self-centeredness nor am I suggesting that you would be better off if you chose to be an obnoxious person who cares nothing for others. Understanding how others perceive us, learning how to participate in the social interactions around us is an important part of a happy life. But, it is a lie, a terrible enslaving lie, that tells us we would be loved more if we were taller, thinner, richer, smarter … and the list goes on.

One of the basic truths of the Gospel is this – God knows you, inside and out, and He loves you! He does not love you because you are white, black, female, male, old, young, poor, rich:  He loves you because you are. Christian, do you know this to the core of your being? By faith, will you accept that He loves you, right now, where you are, as you are? Paul, inspired by the Spirit, puts God’s love in focus with these words. “"Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But, God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!" (Romans 5:7-9, NIV)

In love, He offers to enter our lives, by the Spirit, and walk with us in a process of transformation that we Christians call – sanctification. That is just a big word that means we become useful to Him as we discard the old ways that were centered on Self and take on the character of Jesus Christ. IF we know He loves us, we do not do this to try to make Him like us, nor are we concerned about the opinions of other people. Our one desire is to be who He wants us to be, nothing more, nothing less.

What freedom is found when that truth is received in faith and becomes the cornerstone for our daily decisions. The silly choices to pose and pretend make no sense to us. The pressure to conform to the expectations of others has no effect on us. We learn to rest securely in our Father’s embrace. "Fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Romans 12:2, The Message)

Are you sick of trying to be someone you are not?

Does the constant stream of messages about who you must be and what you must do get tiresome?

Is your heart constantly restless, comparing and coveting in a search for happiness?

Give it up! In prayer thank God for the life you have and for His love where you are. Confess the failures and sins to Him and thank Him for His promise to transform you, inside out. Get real – truthful with yourself, refusing to participate in the world’s “BS” (sorry, I just can’t think of a better way to say that) that makes slaves out of those who keep saying things that are inauthentic.  The peace of God will settle over you.

Here is a word from the Word. Meditate on it, in all of its simplicity and profundity!   "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it." (1 Timothy 6:6-7, NIV)   At peace with who we are in Christ, letting the Spirit make us who He wants us to be, and focused on our eternal home given to us as a grace gift – we will live with joyful peace.

________

Good, Good Father

(Casting Crowns sings a great song about God’s love)

I've heard a thousand stories

Of what they think You’re like

But I've heard the tender whisper

Of love in the dead of night

You tell me that You’re pleased

And that I'm never alone

You're a Good Good Father

It's who You are

It's who You are

It's who You are

And I'm loved by You

It's who I am

It's who I am

It's who I am

I've seen many searching for answers

Far and wide

But I know we're all searching for answers

Only You provide

Because You know just what we need

Before we say a word

You are perfect in all of Your ways

You are perfect in all of Your ways

You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Love so undeniable I can hardly speak

Peace so unexplainable I can hardly think

As You call me deeper still

As You call me deeper still

As You call me deeper still

Into love love love

Anthony Brown | Pat Barrett

© 2014 Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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But, it was so much fun, right?

Ever had a conversation with a Christian about the past, their “Before Christ” days, and sensed that they still had some leftover desires for those things?  When we are called to follow Him, He asks us to let go of this world to own Him and – let’s be honest – that can be difficult! The familiar, even though we know it is not God’s best, wraps around us like a comforter.  When things get stormy in life there is the temptation to return to old things, former paths.

The people of God, when they were called out of Egypt to journey to the “Promised Land” set out with great hope. The reality of living in the desert, even with God’s daily provisions, soon got to them and they longed for ‘home.’ (see closing song by Keith Green, “So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt.”)  "The people soon began to complain to the Lord about their hardships; …  the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:1-6, NLT) Their complaints brought suffering.

In Genesis, there is the story of Lot’s wife who became a pillar of salt on the plains of Sodom. God’s angels rescued Lot and his family from the city before its destruction, telling them to run for the hills and not to look back. She did and you know the story! The life she knew, though lived among corruption, held her affection and she turned back but her choice brought death.

One of the saddest lines of the New Testament is written by Paul about a ministry colleague named Demas.  The old apostle was on death row, writing his last letter to Timothy. Can you feel his emotion in these words? "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica." (2 Timothy 4:10, KJV)  We do not know the details but it is not too hard to imagine that Demas decided to go home concluding that if following Jesus was going to get you killed, like Paul, he wanted nothing more to do with the Way.  The Bible does not tell us if Demas ever found his way back to Jesus.

Are you feeling the tug of the sins of the past?

Has fatigue or disillusionment set in, making those old pleasures attractive once again?

Are you struggling to ‘let go’ of what you know to possess the Promise?

Take a lesson from those referenced passages. The past is a dead-end. You can’t really go back, and would you want to? Our word from the Word tells us how to stay the course.

"Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. … do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:32-36, NIV)  "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

There is joy in the journey when faith inspires hope and we can see the promise that waits.
God, keep us from looking back and help us to keep looking to Jesus.
Amen

_________

So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt

(Enjoy this song, fun, but with a point!)

So you wanna go back to Egypt

Where it's warm and secure

Are sorry you bought the one way ticket

When you thought you were sure

You wanted to live in the land of promise

But now it's getting so hard

Are you sorry you're out here in the desert

Instead of your own back yard

Eating leaks and onions by the Nile

Ooh what breath for dining out in style

Ooh, my life's on the skids

Building the pyramids

Well there's nothing do but travel

And we sure travel a lot

'Cause it's hard to keep your feet from moving

When the sand gets so hot

And in the morning it's manna hotcakes

We snack on manna all day

And we sure had a winner last night for dinner

Flaming manna souffle

Well we once complained for something new to munch

The ground opened up and had some of us for lunch

Ooh, such fire and smoke

Can't God even take a joke? Huh? NO!

So you wanna to back to Egypt

Where your friends wait for you

You can throw a big party and tell the whole gang

Of what they said was all true

And this Moses acts like a big shot

Who does he think he is?

Well it's true that God works lots of miracles

But Moses thinks they're all his

Oh we're having so much trouble even now

Why'd he get so mad about that c-c-c-cow (that golded calf)

Moses seems rather idle

He just sits around, he just sits around and writes the Bible!

Oh, Moses, put down your pen!

What? Oh no, manna again?

Oh, manna waffles

Manna burgers

Manna bagels

Fillet of manna

Manna patty

BaManna bread!

Keith Green

Copyright 1978

Insiders, chosen

I generally loved school except for physical education class. Not being athletic, lacking the skills for most sports, I knew that when it was time to pick teams, I would be standing alone at the end of the process. The captains first selected their friends and then those with greater ability. Finally, when no one else was left, one of them would call my name – “Scott,” without enthusiasm. It was as sad as it sounds. The memory brings a wry smile today and a greater appreciation for the need to include everyone, to take notice of those that others devalue.

You need never feel left out, without value, or overlooked! Reflect on what Jesus said to His disciples. "I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other." (John 15:15-17, NLT)  

The Son of God does not value us just for our usefulness or function. He says that we are friends, not servants. Oh yes, we do serve Him but not because we are compelled to do so by fear. We are invited to KNOW Him, love Him, and be included in His plans. Pride has no place, He reminds us, because we did not earn this right, nor did we come to some realization because of superior intelligence or insight. He chose to make Himself know to us, coming to find us, ‘while we were still sinners.’  Beyond that, He says that He has given us real purpose, to do things that have eternal value, a participant in the work of God in this world.  It gets better!  And, He has given us the right to use His name in prayer, giving us access to the Presence of God when we pray.

It is not just children who can sing “Yes, Jesus loves me!”  He loves me and you. Each of us needs to know this, settling securely into the promise, so that in a world that demeans, devalues, uses, abuses, or ignores those who somehow miss out on “desirable” qualities, we will not become miserable and mean in response. When we know we are chosen, dearly beloved children of the Father, we will stop striving, pushing for the front of the line, trying desperately to carve out a place for ourselves. Instead, we can be exactly who God wants us to be, caring little for the approval and/or acceptable of others.

The enemy of God and good will conspire to cause you to feel ‘left out’ and unloved. Refuse his lie. Meditate in the Word, thank God for the amazing love of Christ Jesus, that is not just for the world in general, but for YOU specifically. Yes, the One who knows you best, loves you most.  You are beloved, desired, sought out – chosen to receive His love.

Here is a word from the Word. Here we learn of the responsibility that comes with being the Father’s beloved child.  May we who are loved, learn to love well.  "As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)

________

Who You Say I Am

Who am I that the highest King

Would welcome me

I was lost but He brought me in

Oh His love for me

Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

Free at last

He has ransomed me

His grace runs deep

While I was a slave to sin

Jesus died for me

Yes He died for me

In my Father's house

There's a place for me

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

I am chosen not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me not against me

I am who You say I am

(Oh) (Yes) I am who You say I am

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan

© 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055