God's Will Be Done?

Sometimes we look around and see the world as descending into a state of depravity. We are witnessing murders of the innocent, slothfulness with an attitude of entitlement, greed and sexual depravity. As Christians with a godly world view most would probably agree. We shake our heads and grieve the loss of the innocence of our children and long for a return to a love and respect for the ideals we find in scripture. I wonder why God holds his hand of wrath in a world so corrupt. It seems as if we must be living in the end times approaching the return of Christ. "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God," 2 Timothy 3:1-4. As we pray, we often do not even know where to begin in petitioning Christ for revival in the world. The issues are so great I find my heart's desire difficult to articulate. Christ taught us to pray. "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9. 

 

The first thing we are to request, the desire of our hearts should be that God's will be done. That sounds wonderful and like the very thing to hope for but do we really realize what that means or do most of us think that just means that all the bad guys get what is coming to them and there is no more heartache for those who love Him. Well. . . that is part of it, but when we ponder the full meaning I wonder if some Christians would have God's will as their heart's desire.

 

Picture the world if God's will were accomplished through His children like this: The government does not provide for the needy, that is the churches job. Welfare would not exist, and those who do not work but are capable of working go hungry. "For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat." 2 Thessalonians 3:10. For those not capable of caring for themselves, their care falls to the church. This is accomplished by everyone in the church tithing the amount of their income BEFORE taxes because that is "the first" tenth. Then the church would have the resources to provide for the widows, orphans and the poor. “When you have finished laying aside all the tithe of your increase in the third year—the year of tithing—and have given it to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled," Deuteronomy 16:12. If God's will were really done on earth then every little petty grievance we have with one another would be forgiven and we would have united hearts toward ALL of our brothers and sisters in Christ, not just if those who hurt us are appropriately contrite and ask for forgiveness. "Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." Colossians 3:13.  If God's will were to be done on earth we would cheerfully give whatever is asked of us to whomever does the asking. "Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." Matthew 5:42. If God's will were really done on earth church discipline would be carried out purging the church of anyone refusing to turn from their sinful ways after being rebuked and  righteousness is attempted to be restored. "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector." Matthew 18:17. If God's will were done on earth we would humble ourselves to every authority in place over us that does not contradict God's law. This is regardless of if we think they deserve it or are qualified. "Therefore whoever  resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves." Romans 16:2. If God's will were done on earth we would work six days a week and rest one. "Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest,. . ." Exodus 23:12. If God's will were done there would be no adultery and no divorce, we would love our enemies. ALL who call themselves children of God would be a part of a local church body and serving the Lord according to the gifts he is given. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25. We would not be entertained by shows like Modern Family, Grey's Anatomy, or even Golden Girls, that make a mockery of the sanctity of marriage. "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." Philippians 4:8. I could go on and on.  

 

Wow, that was a long paragraph! But I think I made my point. When we pray for God's will to be done on Earth, we are not just praying that everyone else do what they are suppose to do. That is a call on our own lives for God to work His perfect in US as well. That is all encompassing. We must allow God's will with our finances, our words, our actions in public and in our own home, and even allow God's will to be done in our thoughts. There is no such thing as insignificant disobedience. The world will be much different than we can imagine if God has His way here. It would also be much more infringing on our lives than we would care to admit. It is so challenging to turn the mirror on ourselves. How often when we are hurt or angry do we stop to examine OUR fault in the matter. That takes real spiritual maturity.  Are we really ready for "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven?" If so, we are moving even closer to Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

Snow Day

Yesterday a clipper system pounded the northeast with blizzard conditions. Up to three feet of snow and 60 mph winds along the coast did not just cripple but paralyzed auto, rail, and air travel. On our farm here in the mountains of northeast Tennessee, the tail of the system swept through quickly but dropped just enough snow for many schools to be cancelled. I love snow days! I know that many struggle during times like these and my prayers are with those who are facing hardships because of it. For my personal life, it seems that on days like today everything moves a little slower. I have time to read a great story with my kids or bake a special treat.  It is an opportunity to just slow down. Scripture tells us that we are to be purposeful is in slowing down and spending time with Christ. I think the reason snow days are such a pleasure is there is no guilt in not running hither and yon at break neck speed to accomplish the day's agenda. It is expected for safety reasons to stay home. There must be intentional times of rest and contemplation in our lives for us to stay close to Christ and maintain healthy relationships with our family.

 

Scripture makes it clear the importance of having restful, peaceful time with Christ. "And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat." Matthew 6:31. We are to work hard at the different callings of our lives, to be diligent in our work, whatever it is. Everything we do is to be done with purpose. "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." Colossians 3:23-24. There has to be a healthy balance. God worked for 6 days to create the universe then He rested. He created us to need rest, but why? He could have made our bodies to run our entire lives without sleep. He could have made the Earth to be daytime all the time, which is a contrast to the way it will be in heaven. There will be no darkness or night there at all. "And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him.  They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.  There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever." Revelation 22:3-5.  God did create us to need rest in this life.  We are to come away from the distractions of this life to be rejuvenated in and by the Holy Spirit.

 

Our rest comes from the Lord. It is a prevalent deception in our culture that tells us we must put ourselves first in order to properly be able to care for our family. We must have "me" time. We need to follow our heart, do what feels right, do what makes you happy. I challenge anyone to show me where any of those ideas are found in scripture. A verse I love so much and have used  before is Song of Solomon 2:10 "My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away."  But the key is coming away with the Lord. There is a huge difference between being distracted temporarily from the challenges of this life and coming to the well OF life and being renewed to face the challenges again. Our temporary respite is not a fix. When we return from our time distracted from our struggles we are no better equipped to deal with our life than when we left. But if we spend our quiet time resting in the Lord and seeking His will, and listening to His voice, the struggles we face are much smaller and better perspective when we return.

After Jesus was baptized, which signified the beginning of his Earthly ministry, He took some time away  to prepare. He did not go to the beach resort of Joppa. I'm not knockin' the beach. I love the beach!  He went to spend time with the Father. He fasted for 40 days. Christ knew that He would be facing unfathomable hardships and went to the Father for the strength His human body needed. When we are depleted of all the resources we have, and life is so full that we are frazzled, we need more than a snow day. We must spend time abiding in Christ. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28. I love snow days and quiet times with my family. I love going to the beach and making life long memories with them. When life feels like it is too much, distractions are not what we need. We need Christ. He is always the answer and the only answer. Whether it be an hour, an afternoon, a day, and occasionally a weekend, Kevin and I are both supportive of each other when there is a need to be with Christ. Understand there are some needs that our spouse cannot meet for us, and that is okay. Spending time alone with Christ is necessary to drawing closer to Him. We must make it a priority for ourselves and encourage our spouse to do the same.

What is the Value of the Cause?

Today, being the national recognition of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, I have been pondering the magnitude of his contribution to the Civil Rights Movement. The passion and resolve he, and countless others, had to right a horrific wrong in our nation cannot be fully comprehended today. This is an excerpt of Dr. King's speech given June 23, 1963 in Detroit.

If he doesn’t beat you, wonderful. If he beats you, you develop the quiet courage of accepting blows without retaliating. If he doesn’t put you in jail, wonderful. Nobody with any sense likes to go to jail. But if he puts you in jail, you go in that jail and transform it from a dungeon of shame to a haven of freedom and human dignity. And even if he tries to kill you, you’ll develop the inner conviction that there are some things so dear, some things so precious, some things so eternally true, that they are worth dying for. And I submit to you that if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live. 

The speech in its entirety can be found here. The message he so eloquently conveyed was to not be afraid of enduring hardships for a cause so imperative and to which the ripple effects of consequences are so profound. The reverend knew there are issues of such importance and ramifications so vast that a line in the sand has to be drawn. He knew there were times the value of the cause was greater than the value of life itself.  

What does that mean for us today? What cause is consequential enough for us to draw a line in the sand, stand with a spine of iron, and with unshakable resolve know, without a shadow of a doubt, we would die for it? That is part of the job description as a child of God. Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, has a very similar philosophy to Rev. King. Paul is writing to Timothy from a prison cell. He is fairly certain he will die a martyr's death, and that time would not be far off. But as he faces this reality, he is not melancholy and mournful of the pain he will endure, wallowing in his unfortunate turn of events. He remains bold and purposeful in his dedication to the cause of Christ to which he willingly offers his life. Because the cause of Christ is worth far more than Paul's life. This evidences the value Paul places on the mission. "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." John 12:25.

What I find unbelievably inspiring about Paul's words here, is his utter lack of awareness and disregard for his own condition. He is not afraid of death and is sharply focused on giving Timothy final instructions so he can continue spreading the gospel after Paul's death. I envision Paul in his cell being reminded by someone, 'Don't you know you are going to die soon?' and him with hardly a glance responding, 'There is no time for that. I need to get this instruction to Timothy.' After completing his directions he gave these reassuring words to him. "And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!" 2 Timothy 4:18.  Paul was not afraid! He was devoted even unto death to the cause of Christ. He wasn't afraid because he had nothing to fear. His life was not his own to spare and it could not be snatched unwittingly from the sovereign Lord who was in control of it. It was probably going to be painful and humiliating but it soon would be over and on top of that, God would receive glory for it all. You see, all measure of fear has its root in an aversion to pain, heartache, or loss of life. When we accept pain and heartache as inevitable parts of our life and regard life itself as a vessel to be sacrificed as the Lord sees fit, it strangles fear. Friend, let me say that again. It strangles fear! "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18. Pain and heartache often are devastating and nobody welcomes it. But accepting it, knowing that Christ is still with you, God himself is in you, makes it able to be endured and kills the fear.

When we believe and understand our position in Christ, and understand the sovereignty He has over our lives, we comprehend that Satan is powerless. He is POWERLESS, to wield his attacks on us and be successful without Sovereign God's permission. The only thing Satan can do is make us afraid he can. We are cherished, protected, covered, and sheltered by the mighty hand of God. Our lives will last as long as He wants them to. The cause of Christ is worth braving the fires of Hell so the message in its entirety is delivered. Sacrifice of any kind is difficult but by it very definition it declares higher value for the item for which it is sacrificed. Cambridge dictionary defines sacrifice this way: to give up something for something else considered more important. The value of the cause is priceless. How much then does it devalue Christ and His purpose that we will not even sacrifice sleep to be about His body, the church, on Sunday morning? How much is knowing Him devalued when we will not sacrifice time for our own pleasure to get to know Him better by studying His word? And how much does it devalue His power to not sacrifice time wasted for our amusement to spend extensive time in prayer? Our lack of sacrifice for these godly things is evidence that they do not hold as much value to us as the things we would be sacrificing.

Dr. King's cause, the Civil Rights Movement, was valued far higher than that of a single man and he called on his followers to make those important sacrifices to bring about changes our country desperately needed. It was to liberate those who had been oppressed in this country for more than a century. Paul's cause, as well as ours, is valued even higher. It is to liberate all of humanity and free us from the oppression and bondage of sin. What will we as individuals sacrifice for that? There is no pain too great, no heartache too devastating to not be endured and no life too admired to not be sacrificed for that cause.

     

Legalism or Obedience? What's the difference?

I think and pray a lot about what the Christian life is supposed to look like. The more I study, the more I realize how corrupt our society has become and are desensitized to ungodly and wicked behavior. I recently saw this quote, "We are not supposed to act like other Christians we are supposed to act like Christ." The line between legalism and obedience at one time was very blurred for me. It is becoming more clear everyday due to God's grace. I used to fear being aloof and alienating those I could touch for Christ, and then on the other hand, compromising obedience to God's word to be more spiritually appealing and acceptable to others. I have considered this verse. What does it really mean? "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law,that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;" 1 Corinthians 9:19-21.

What that means is: To meet people where they are; to extend grace and mercy to the deceived and mis/uninformed; to not let cultural, racial, economic, and national differences divide and distract from the one true message of the gospel. The message that there is one true God in the form of the trinity, God the Father, God the Son [Jesus Christ], and God the Holy Spirit. The message that Jesus Christ created the universe and everything in it. He, to redeem the fallen soul, became flesh, lived a perfect life, and sacrificed himself to pay the punishment for our disobedience. He literally defined and determined all that would be true and righteous and in turn defined what is wicked and corrupt and would be for all eternity. Those things cannot and will not change. But while living a godly and holy, set apart life we must not compromise. For us to live like the world and take part in the cultural norms that go along with it devalues the message. 

Our opinion of the importance of the precepts given to us in God's word is irrelevant. "Therefore you shall love the Lord your God, and keep His charge, His statutes, His judgments, and His commandments always."  Deuteronomy 11:1. Our love for the Savior is the motivation to obedience above the desire to please ourselves. Notice that the "love the Lord your God" comes first! To question His charge, statutes, judgments, or commandments, is prideful above what the word prideful can covey. To base piety on ones ability to be obedient is the definition of legalistic. To obey for the sake of being spiritually superior is legalistic, offensive, religiously elitist and alienates people from Christ. The flip side of that same coin is to obey and deny myself out of pure love and devotion to Christ who sacrificed Himself for my salvation.

How easy is it for us to convince ourselves that to enter into a sexual relationship outside of marriage is ok because that command is old and outdated. We tell ourselves that gossiping and slandering a struggling believer is ok because we shared it only in the strictest confidence. Filling our minds with sexually explicit or violent images that eliminate the value of human life in movies is ok because it is fiction. God specifically speaks to all of these issues and many consider taking them seriously is prudish or legalistic. No,  it is obedience at its most beautiful not when we do it to expound about our piety, but when we do it out of pure devotion to Christ, knowing it is because Christ knows it is what is best for us. He knows that a sexual relationship outside of marriage damages and scars the heart.  He knows that slander and gossip divides the body of Christ and causes challenges in the heart of the one gossiping, making a heart of unity almost impossible. He knows that violent and sexually explicit images affect the way we view reality and wants our hearts to remain pure and soft. His laws are always for our best interest.

The closer we come to Christ in our daily lives and the more familiar we are with His heart, the clearer it becomes that the purpose for God's law is not to oppress but to liberate. Legalism glorifies and celebrates human effort and self.

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21. Obedience to the law is out of love and devotion to our Lord and knowing that His precepts were given out of his great love towards us. We are to never be disobedient to God under the pretense of not alienating others. Yes, many times devotion to Christ will alienate people. Read more about this in the post entitled "They Will Hate Me." It is well documented that when followers of Christ have been persecuted and reviled and died a martyr's death because of devotion and refusal to compromise their beliefs, those are the times when the world has been impacted for Christ. We must not compromise.  When we are obedient even to precepts that go against what modern culture and often the modern church embrace we glorify God by valuing what He has ordained to be good and right. Obedience out of love does not equal legalism.

    




 

How Do We Get There?

I have travelled to several of the largest cities in the United States including, New York, Los Angles, Miami, and Atlanta. One time I got turned around driving through downtown Atlanta looking for Turner Field. My mom, Sarah Grace and I were meeting up with the guys to see the Atlanta Braves play. A times, after turning either left on this street or right on that one, we could see the stadium in the distance. We just couldn't figure out how to get there. It was almost comical! I even stopped at one point to ask a stranger, who said he lived in Atlanta, how to find the stadium. He looked at us like we were crazy. But he couldn't tell us. I thought that was weird. How does a resident of Atlanta walking down the sidewalk in downtown not know how to find Turner Field? That is a challenge many in the church are facing today. So many of us are going to church, walking around the downtown of our spiritual existence and have no idea how to find the main attraction. It doesn't have to be that way. God's desire and expectation for His children is so much higher.

God's promises have been shared in this blog in an effort to remind us of our strength in Christ: To encourage us not be afraid to follow our calling -- and we all have one; to see Christ for who he is and be empowered to give our entire life to be used for His purpose, even unto death; and to be the advocate for the lowly and weak, the champion for orphans and widows, and offer comfort to the broken hearted. It is such a challenge because we can see where Christ is, like Turner Field in downtown Atlanta. He is where the broken hearted are. He is in the orphanages and is comforting the weak. I have found myself wandering around the downtown of my spiritual walk, comfortable knowing where I am going in my day-to-day activities, able see where Christ is and what he is doing but not having any idea how to get to Him. Dear friend, after praying and searching God's word in a effort to find the way to Him, He revealed the directions. They are in the familiar verses we have heard a hundred times. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse you hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8. All we have to do is draw near to Him. "Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty." Malachi 3:7. It is very simple actually, but do not confuse simple with easy.

We are told in the Sermon on the Mount the attributes of this life that are blessed. Those are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, who are meek, and hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are merciful, pure in heart and are peacemakers, and lastly, who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. That is the road map to where Christ is, not only showing us where He is but how to get there. These are not virtues which come as second nature. It is possible with Christ, however, to develop these traits by leaving the streets on which we wander daily, where we are comfortable and familiar, and follow the manual to Christ. We must come away from where we are and separate from the ways of this world. "My beloved spoke, and said to me: 'Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away." Song of Solomon 2:10. Christ desires for us to come away with Him, but by the very nature of that thought tells us we cannot come away and stay where we are at the same time.

We are to come away to do the work Christ is doing. We are to have the heart of God, as well as His hands and feet, to be about His mission. "Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;  distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep." Romans 12:10-15. This is how we get there. We leave our old familiar surroundings and habits to where Christ is, to be about what is important to Him. This looks different in each of our lives but has the commonality of virtues listed in the Sermon on the Mount. If we want to be closer to Christ the directions are simple but the road is often rocky. It is just a matter of if we have the desire to get there.

For more information about this ministry please visit our website at http://closertochrist.today/

A Sleeping Giant

December 7, 1941 is one of the darkest days in our nation's history. The attack on Hickam Air Force Base and the Pacific Fleet moored in Pearl Harbor was a devastating blow this country still has not forgotten. The U.S. Armed Services at that time was a dominating force in the world. It is reported to be said by Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto shortly after the attacks, "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." The U. S. military was to become a force to be reckoned with.  That war would be fought in both hemisphere, with the help of many allies: Britain, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, and Yugoslavia. Through that teamwork, many suffering and oppressed nations were freed. During that terrible war, 48,231,000 military and civilian lives were lost. Soldiers who stormed the beach at Normandy three-and-a-half long years later on June 6, 1944 are some of the most revered, and respected men in modern history.

 

I think about the reputation of the military force that was awakened that day, as the clouds parted that balmy December morning in Hawaii. How much mightier are we as the army of God? The reputation of that army around the globe is not one of great strength as it was in ancient times. "For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." Joshua 2:10-11. We are soldiers of the same almighty God fighting in the same army. The God of heaven and earth is still the commander over all battles and when we are true and faithful to Him we will not be defeated. Yet we sleep like those who are afraid to fight.  We cower from situations that may offend, bring about ridicule, or, heaven forbid, result in being harmed physically.

 

Our lives are already lost they so they should be considered negligible.  As children of God, we have not been taught that when we give our lives to Christ, at that moment, we become living martyrs. And that is not figuratively speaking. To fully grasp that fact is to move past the fear of losing what we don't have anyway and accept what Christ has for our lives from a whole new perspective. "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." Matthew 16:25. Some think with paralyzing fear about the reality of having to give up our lives for Christ. When did we forget that we already have?!? Or is it that we never really understood that concept from the time we starting following Christ? I admit it is not a thought I embrace quickly, and is easy to say sitting in my living room by the fire with my dog at my feet, but the closer to I draw to Christ the more I understand the level of commitment Christ expects from me. What an honor to be one who Christ chooses to ask to lay it all down for His glory! "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16.

 

If the body of Christ really could grasp the position we hold in the world we would raise out of our slumber and be the mighty army of God that is feared, and revered. We are the sleeping giant! For so long we have been taught we must be gentle and mild in order to lead people to Christ and it  has put us in a position of being steam rolled by wickedness. We must treat the lost with love and extend mercy and grace. And at the very same time we must not stand idly by while our precious Christ is dishonored. What does it portray to the world if, as followers of Christ, we won't even defend Him? It sends the message that He is not worthy of being defended, and for that we should be ashamed. The drive of a soldier is devotion to the leader or cause he/she is defending, a dedication and a value of the cause that is higher than their own life. Winston Churchill declared, “We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle, nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools and we will finish the job.” We have the tools we need. We have the Holy Spirit abiding in us. We must have the resolve to finish the job. We are expected to dedicate ourselves to the cause of Christ. The closer we are to Him the clearer we see the value of that battle and will awaken from our slumber to defend it.

Our offering

In my life I struggle to have balance. I am sure it is no different than the lives of most. There have been many times I have given much less than what was acceptable. Yet it probably appeared like I gave a decent effort, and maybe even an effort over and above the call. The truth is, God knows when my offering has been woefully lacking. You see, He is intimately aware of the store house that is my heart, which holds the reservoir of time, physical energy, and spiritual maturity, at my disposal. It is important to be actively involved in the lives of my family, trying to make sure we have quality time together, (and I do not buy into the quality-over-quantity philosophy) all while actively serving others. Much prayer goes into what must get laid to the side in order to give an acceptable offering to the Lord. And do we merely want to give an offering that is just "acceptable." What our lives produce is a sacrifice to the Lord. Of all we produce over the breadth of our entire life, the only parts that will survive eternity are what we do as a sacrifice for the Lord and the advancement of His kingdom. The rest will be burned. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10. When our offering is short sighted the consequences are often dire.

 

We must not deceive ourselves in thinking things we do for our amusement is for God's glory. Our hearts must be true to things of the Lord. There have been times in my life when I have had the heart of Cain. He brought what he expected to be an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. His attitude was, 'surely this will be good enough.' How often do we do that? We put forth a lack luster effort and think, that should be good enough. "And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell." Genesis 4:3-5. We have heard our children say, "I did my best," often with an incredulous tone, insulted that we have not received their offering of effort with accolades. Those words are easy to say but God sees straight into our hearts and He is neither impressed nor pleased with our offerings trying to convince Him that we 'did our best.'  

 

It does not say in scripture why God rejected Cain's offering. We do however get a glimpse into Cain's heart when it was rejected. Cain was unwilling to receive correction, act with humility, or repent and change his heart. What we offer to Christ in our day to day lives is evidence of our heart. It is not for others around us to determine because we do not serve for the approval of others. We are to work at the calling God has placed on our lives with fervor and determination. When our hearts are determined and we empty our lives of our own desires then we make an acceptable offering to the Lord. "Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;" Psalm 15:2. It is foolish to think we can deceive God into accepting anything from us that is less than our very best. We often delude ourselves, but never God. And even though the attempt seems so silly, we still try.

Another important lesson we must learn from Cain is how to respond when we are rebuked. It takes spiritual maturity to receive correction with humility and acceptance. Dear friend, when someone loves us enough to share with us painful truths in our lives that impede our walk with Christ and prevent us from drawing closer to Him, we must receive it with humility and a grateful heart, especially when the exhortation is supported with scripture. There are few things more important in drawing the hearts of the children of God into closer fellowship with each other and with Christ than the loving restoration of a brother or sister to righteousness. "He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward, Than he who flatters with the tongue." Proverbs 28:23. We must not be a family afraid to give and receive exhortation.  It leads to disfunction and discord. We must give it with gentleness and love, and receive it with humility and accept that none of us are immune to being deceived by the enemy. We must be grateful to God that He offers restoration as He did to Cain. Cain was so angry and jealous of Able he refused to see his own fault. You know how the story ends. He vengefully murdered his little brother and was cursed for the rest of his life. When we draw closer to Christ and mature spiritually it strengthens the entire body.