With Unveiled Faces

“If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness. For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.” – 2 Corinthians 3:9, 10

Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have been granted a glorious life through the power of God. The old covenant (the law) is holy, righteous and glorious because it comes from God. However glorious it may have been, all that the law did was expose the sin in the lives of God’s people. The law made it plain to God’s people where they fell short of God’s glory, but the law was powerless to help people overcome sin. The ministry of the old covenant brought condemnation because it pointed out sin and its tragic consequence: death; but the ministry of the new covenant brought righteousness and life. The law was necessary, but it was never intended to be permanent. God’s people had to experience condemnation so that they could appreciate God’s mercy and forgiveness. His people had to experience death so that they could appreciate the life-giving Spirit. The new ministry of the Spirit is even more glorious. The changed hearts and lives of believers is an even more miraculous work of God than lightning, thunder, and earthquakes.

“Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away.” - 2 Corinthians 3:12, 13

Because of this surpassing glory, we live our lives unveiled by the power of hope. Paul seems to believe that Moses covered his face because the radiance of God would fade after he spoke with the Lord. Paul thinks that this action kept the Israelites from understanding that the glory of this old covenant was only temporary. In Christ, the veil is taken away. Because we know, and have experienced, the glory of God we have an everlasting hope. We believe and confidently, boldly profess that our God is a God of his word. Through Jesus Christ, we are directly connected with God and his glory. Because of our confidence in the glory of the new covenant, we live our lives with unveiled faces. What we know and what we profess is nothing to hide. We should not be afraid to see where God can take us. We shouldn’t allow our comfort and apprehension to cheat us out of experiencing God and his all-surpassing glory. We must boldly let God use us as his servants in his way, letting God’s glory take us places we may never have imagined.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” – 2 Corinthians 3:17, 18

As we are strengthened by hope, we are also transformed by the power of the Spirit. Numerous places in the scriptures refer to freedom as freedom from death, sin, law, and condemnation. In this context, for Paul, freedom is the removal of any barriers that might hinder spiritual understanding. As for the Jews, their diehard dependence upon the old covenant and its ways became a barrier that separated them from God and his ever-increasing glory. They were unable to recognize Jesus as the glorious Messiah that all of their beloved scriptures were pointing to. Therefore, they were unable to accept Jesus and ultimately their hearts became hardened, which resulted in their being even further separated from God.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Those 10 words can and will forever change your life. When Christ died for our sins, and was resurrected, the veil was removed. Now, we are free, nothing stands in our way of our experiencing God and his glory to the fullest. That is, nothing but ourselves. We must choose live in this freedom. We mustn’t let fear imprison us. We mustn’t let doubt enslave us. We mustn’t let the way we have always done things become the barrier that prevents us from experiencing God and his all-surpassing glory. Paul refers to this glory as “ever-increasing.” This implies an ongoing, never complete experience. As the Holy Spirit works through our lives, we step by step come closer to God’s perfect way of living. It happens little by little as the Holy Spirit points out more areas of our lives that need to be submitted to God’s will. As the Spirit is changing us, the glory of God is reflected in our lives as a beacon of light and testimony to the world of God’s greatness.

Unveil your face and allow the glory of God to be witnessed in your transformed life!

The Greatest Love

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to us. It is a really amazing thing to think about, isn’t it? I mean who could possibly love me (you) so much that they would willingly put their one and only Son in harm’s way to protect me (you)? God does. And God does love us that much because that is God’s nature. God so loved because God is love. This great truth is the motivation of God’s plan. 1 John 4:10 says, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” In his book "3:16", Max Lucado writes the following about John 3:16… “If you know nothing about the Bible, start here. If you know plenty about the Bible, return here. John 3:16 is a 26 word parade of hope; beginning with God and ending with life, urging us to do the same.” We must realize our need for such a gift as this. “For God so loved”…because of God’s great love for us, we must realize one very important truth: Sin is not breaking God’s law, it is breaking God’s heart.

Because this very precious gift is free, we are left with the greatest choice. God’s gift…Jesus’ sacrifice…challenges us to a decision. Because God has gone to such great lengths to protect us from ourselves, we must choose to either accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, or reject him. John’s gospel teaches that Jesus does not come to condemn the world or judge the world. Jesus doesn’t need to condemn anyone. If we refuse God’s precious gift, if we refuse to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we call judgment and condemnation on ourselves. We have to choose Jesus for ourselves. Blaise Pascal once said, “If I live my life like there is a God, and find out in the end that there isn’t, I have gained much and lost little. But if I live my life like there is isn’t a God, and find out in the end that there is, I’ve gained little and lost everything.” We choose to believe Jesus is the Christ, and by believing we choose life.

Once we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our choosing Jesus is God’s greatest glory. God’s power is revealed in those who come into the light and live by truth. Again, we have a choice. Some people choose darkness. Immersed in their own wrong behavior, they have no desire to be disturbed or change. Those enveloped by the darkness avoid the light for fear of having their darkness exposed for what it is, rebuked for what it is…SIN. But those that choose Jesus? Those who choose Jesus are allowed the “shine” so that the power of God may be revealed in their transformed lives. Stepping out of the darkness and into the light is not something that comes naturally for us (see Rom. 7:15, 18b, 21). We can, however, choose to follow Jesus. Jesus says in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

We can choose to follow Jesus and have the darkest corners of our lives illuminated by the light of life. Once that happens, Satan has no power there anymore. That part of our lives he once controlled, he no longer controls anymore. It is under the lordship of Christ! For God so loved…and perfect love drives out fear. Free yourself from the oppression of darkness and evil. Step into the light and let the love of Jesus warm your heart and soul. Darkness does not have to be your lord and master anymore. Where ever you are in life, Jesus loves you right there, and he desperately wants to set you free.

Why would God sacrifice his one and only Son? Two reasons:
(1) God loves you with the greatest love.

(2) You can’t enter eternal life without God.

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

Seven years ago I began a journey, a journey that I mistakingly thought would only take me three years. I began work toward my Master’s degree. When I began the program, I was under the impression that if I devoted my time and energy accordingly, in three years I would complete a Master of Arts in Religion from ACU. Time, life, and the will of God have a way of changing things. That three years came and went. Tack on another four years, and now here I am…I HAVE ARRIVED!

I wish that I could say that the journey has been an easy one. I can say, however, that it has been a rewarding one. I have been able to take classes from 3 different institutions, learn under an amazing list of professors, make some life-long ministry friends, and watch God mold me and shape me in some mind-boggling ways. I am exhausted, but to tell you the truth, I am so excited right now that I don’t feel it. I am so pumped to be where I am.

Tomorrow is the big day! I am leaving tomorrow morning for Abilene, Texas. When I get there, I will purchase my academic regalia…black robe and hat, maroon tassel and hood. I will meet my parents for a nice graduation dinner…Texas Roadhouse, here I come (nice big and juicy steak)! Then I will wait patiently for 7:30pm when the ceremony will begin. When they call out the “S’s”, I will walk across that stage and receive a piece of paper from ACU signifying that I have acquired enough credits to be awarded a Master of Arts in Religion. To me it will be so much more than a piece of paper. To me, it is seven years of love, encouragement, and patience from so many in my life. To me, it is knowledge that can never be taken from me. To me, it is seven years worth of a journey that has brought me closer to God than I ever thought possible.

I have so many people to thank. I first want to thank my wife. She has been my cheerleader when I wanted to quit; she has been my compass when I was distracted by so many things; she has been my reminder when I seemed to forget why I was doing all of this; and she has been my best friend, constantly pushing me when I needed to be pushed, and listening to me when I needed to vent. I want to thank my kids. They always seemed to understand when daddy needed to go to the library, or the church building, so that he could find a quite place to read, study, and write. I want to thank Kimi for being excited about my graduation and encouraging me to go through with it. I want to thank Jace for always greeting me at the door and being so excited that I was back from a class or a study session. I want to thank my mom and my dad for constantly telling me how proud of me they are, and constantly encouraging me to finish what I had started.

And I can’t end this without thinking my leaders and friends from the Kaufman Church of Christ. I want to thank the elders for financially supporting my education. I am so relieved that I never gave up, and I pray every day that I can prove to them that it was money well spent. I owe so much to this church that I will forever be in debt to them. I want to thank the elders for the constant patience and flexibility, letting me have the necessary time off to drive to Abilene or Austin for a week here and two weeks there for classes. I appreciate the prayers and the slaps on the back as they pushed me to complete my work. And I want to thank my church family. None of this would have been possible without the massive amount of love and encouragement that I have felt from all of them. I have always known, no matter what, that this family would always be there for me.
I HAVE ARRIVED!!! Just continue to pray for the safety of me and my family as we travel to Abilene and back tomorrow. Thanks again to all of you!

Faded Leather or Faint Heart

Like I said in my previous post, I am in Austin finishing up a graduate class. I have had the opportunity to stay with this awesome family, Dean and Mary Johnson, while I am here. On the way home from class yesterday, Mary (who is taking the class as well) and I were sharing little things that had blessed us in our lives. One of the things she shared with me was a small quote, “A Bible that is worn out usually belongs to someone who isn’t.”

This quote got me to thinking. Keeping it in mind, take a look at this passage from Psalms 119:9-16…

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.

10 I seek you with all of my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands

11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.

12 Praise be to you, O Lord;
teach me your decrees.

13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.

14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.

15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.

16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

How can you keep your life pure? By living according to the word of God. One thing you discover about the writer of this Psalm, is that there exists within his heart a deep love and appreciation for God. If you read on through Psalm 119, life experience has taught this writer that dependence on God has proven to be an ally in life. For him, there is something to knowing God and knowing God’s heart. Therefore, he meditates on God’s precepts and considers his ways. He doesn’t just read the word of God, he meditates on it and tries to make sense of what it means for him and the way he lives his life.

Such meditation pays off in other ways. With his lips, he can recount all of the laws that come from the mouth of God. For some, this may seem like a cumbersome task, to be able to recite all of the laws of God. Before you become too dismissive, do you remember when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert? It was the recitation of Scripture that rocked Satan back on his heels, and reminded him of his place in the kingdom of God. Paul says in Ephesians that we should take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; our only offensive weapon in this spiritual battle.

Maybe that is it…maybe the reason that some of us are so worn out is because we are not fighting back. Our Bibles are not worn. They are not being used. Instead we keep them in their leather sheaths, never exploring God’s precepts and ways, and missing out on the edge that God has honed for the faithful. Maybe we should wear out the leather a bit more in our daily lives. We should open our Bibles more so that we may be equipped in this battle against Satan and the powers of darkness. Then we can be the ones giving, rather than taking, the beatings.

Is your Bible worn out, or are you?

He Answered...Setting Me Free

Isn’t it great how the Lord just swoops right in sometimes and gives you exactly what you need at just the right time? Well, this week I have been in Austin taking yet another grad class on the road toward my Masters degree. I have been at this since 2001, working as a full-time minister and dad. There are no words that are capable of expressing just how badly I want to be done. Seriously, I have been going to school and doing homework since I was in Kindergarten. And just so you know how painful that is for me, I am now 31 years old. I am not going to tell you why it has taken me this long, so don’t ask.

Anyway, now that the light has broken at the end of the tunnel, I have acquired what can only be explained as a serious case of Senioritus. Just when this bug had to bite me, I had to have one of the most difficult classes of my educational career. It is not difficult because of the content. The class is The History of Christianity in America, and I am more than interested in the topic. No, the class is difficult because of the work load. Forgive me while I whine a little. Within this two week course I must read two books and complete a Group Project, take two major exams at the end of each week, and read 5 books and write a book review for each.

I cannot even begin to tell you how overwhelmed I feel right now. I am away from my family during the week. I am away from my church family and closest friends. I am tired, worn out both mentally and physically, and ready to come home. I know, when is he going to stop whining and get to the part that is supposed to be good? Well, as I was feeling really bummed last night, I just went to God in prayer before falling asleep. I asked God to give me the strength and encouragement that I needed that would help me complete these two weeks and move on with life. That is when I decided to open up the Psalms and read for some inspiration. I mean, David, and others, went through some really rough times. Most all of them recorded in the Psalms how God came to their aid and gave them hope. That is when God led me straight to Psalm 118:5-7, 14…

5 In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he answered by setting me free. 6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. 14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

How beautiful is that?

Wounded Healers

I just read in a book by Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer, this excerpt:

“So it is with the minister. Since it is his task to make visible the first vestiges of liberation for others, he must bind his own wounds carefully in anticipation of the moment when he will be needed. He is called to be the wounded healer, the one who must look after his own wounds but at the same time be prepared to heal the wounds of others.”

This description of pastoral care in ministry is so true. Ministers hurt. Ministers have wounds. Yet at the same time they are, in many cases, expected to bandage their own wounds as they run out the door to tend to the needs of others. I am not saying that others, the members of our churches, are naïve to the fact that we have wounds that need tending. No. What I am saying is that this is the ministry to which we have accepted a calling. We have accepted such a calling because we are compassionate about the needs, hurts, and feelings of those around us. We want to help. We desire to see Christ and his love usher the hurting past the conflict in their lives into a pure sense of healing and forgiveness; redemption.

But I also want to point out an interesting role reversal of this thought that I have seen in the church with which I am currently serving. Many of our members have become ministers of pastoral care; wounded healers. Within the past few years, I have watched many of our members who have struggled with their own turmoil, bandage their wounds and rush to the aid of those who were hurting in many of the same ways. Before their own wounds were completely healed, they wrapped themselves up, rushed to their friends, and became a rock and shoulder to lean on in the midst of the pain.

This is not so surprising to me, however, because it is exactly what Scripture teaches. We are told to make disciples, empowering others to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. We are to empower them not only for the ministry of evangelism, but also for the ministry of healing. Paul also indicated that this ministry of wounded healing is the ministry that we as Christians were called to:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

That, my friends, is the beautiful thing about being a part of a community of faith. Yes, we have a wounded healer in Jesus Christ; one who shed his blood to redeem us from ourselves and give us the hope of eternal life. We also have a whole family of wounded healers; those who have been there and can understand our pain. They understand and they can, because they have been there, help provide for us comfort and suggestions for the road of recovery. We must open our own hearts to their care and concern, accepting their help and beginning the healing process.

Praise be to God for our own…Wounded Healers.

Slow Fade-Casting Crowns

As I have seen marriages torn apart lateley with issues such as this, this video ripped at my heart. Watch the video, pay attention to the message, and try to hold back the tears with the little girl at the end.

Marriages, Families, Men are not destroyed in a day. It's a Slow Fade.

Please stop at the end of this video and just say a prayer for those in our churches, our lives, and our world. Pray that the God of all Power and Comfort will give us all the courage and strength to honor the commitments we have made to love our spousese for the rest of our lives. Pray that we will all have the strength to live everyday like Jesus has called us to live.

Casting Crowns Slow Fade Music Video on Yahoo! Music