Amazing Grace

Recently, I have been bending my heart around falling IN LOVE with Jesus. To be madly, head over heels, to die for IN LOVE with Him. Not just emotion, commitment or duty, but to genuinely be consumed by/with Jesus. As I have pursued that-full on-the Lord brought me to a place of asking if HE was enough. Am I satisfied with JUST HIM? My answer has been yes, that I want MORE of HIM. I am not looking for more to do, for Him to do more for me...I just want to live and move and have my being IN HIM and LOVE HIM with all my heart, soul, mind and strength-totally given to Him, holding nothing back.
The question that came back to me in that pursuit was "is my grace enough". If that is all you get...of me (thank God it isn't all we get-for He is GRACIOUS), is My grace enough. What if GRACE is all I get?
I really had to step back and evaluate my heart, to honestly say, No. Wow, what a revelation. To think that grace has appeared to all men (being Jesus) bringing salvation, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires, to live sensibly, righteously and godly. (titus 2:11-12) It is grace that has saved us. (eph 2:5) His grace should be enough.
And yet, the reality of my heart was that is really wasn't. I said I was grateful for His grace. That it was sufficient for me. But it wasn't until earlier today that Grace truly became amazing to me. For it was I who walked according to the course of this world. It was I who lived in the lust of my flesh, indulging it's desires. It was I who was disobedient. But God, being rich in mercy and because of His love for me, even when I was dead, disobedient and not even realizing the depth of my sin, made me alive. He breathed on me. So that He might show the greatness of His grace and covenant. It was because of His grace that my I am free. For it was for freedom that Christ died. (Gal 5:1) His grace has set me free.
I have been searching for freedom....and I realized today that Grace has set me free. I got in the car today and the song Amazing Grace came playing through my ipod. But not just the traditional words. The words of a new chorus began to ring in my car and in my heart as the realization of His Grace swept through my soul.
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, My Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood, His mercy rains
unending Love, amazing grace.
And for the first time ever....I can honestly say, His grace is enough. My chains are GONE...I am FREE.


ALL FOR YOU

run to you

Several months ago, standing on a beach in Daytona with a precious friend, the Lord gave me these words....a cry from my heart to His and from His to mine.
Run to you

Standing on the shore
Wanting to know you more
I breathe deep and cry out-Lord.
As the sand of the sea
You are the air I breathe
I drink you in, make me free….to

Run to you
I breathe you in
I know there is more than there has been.
I run to you
I breathe you in
In these moments I reach to you, my friend.

Son shining down
Stirring my heart somehow
I breathe deep and cry out-Lord
Passion swelling up in me
You are the air I breathe
I drink you in, you make me free….to

Run to you
To breathe you in
I know that there is more than there has been
I run to you
I breathe you in
In these moments I reach for you my friend.

You are the air I breathe
Setting my heart free
As I run after you, with all of me.
You are the worth risking for
You are Holy Lord
You are more than I have dreamed….

So I run to you
I breathe you in
I’m finding more than there has been.
I run to you
I breathe you in
Come further, come higher, come in!

ALL FOR YOU

birthdays

Today was my birthday. Because it wasn't a "big" one, I wasn't all that stressed about it, upset about it or excited about it. It was just a day, that marked the beginning of life for me.
My life has been full of beginnings, firsts and markers of remembrance. Today was not necessarily memorable. We went to church. We went to baseball. We had some meetings. I argued with my husband. Had dinner with my best friend. Received some nice cards. Drove through the drive thru for lunch. It is not a "marker" kind of day. It was just a day.
Until tonight, when someone stopped me and asked what was different about today from this time last year. I thought for a minute about my house, then my weight-neither are marked differences from last year. I thought about the ministry, my children, my husband. And though there is significant change in all of those things, I was not happy with that answer either.
What is different about me this year-from last year. ME...not the stuff in my life...but ME. Wow...that made it easy. I love Jesus more today than I did a year ago. I am striving after Kingdom life more today than a year ago. My heart is sold out, chasing after a relationship with Jesus-more so than a year ago. The answer....is summed up in Jesus. More of HIM, less of me.
So, how will I remember this birthday? pleasant well wishes, fights, distractions, activities, business, gifts, laughter, smiles...have all marked my day-making it nothing special. But today-I was reminded that change has happened in me this year and that makes this year a GOD one, a good one. May I continue to grow up in all aspects of HIM.


ALL FOR YOU

intimacy

recently, I have found my heart craving more intimacy. Not just in my earthly relationships, but also with my FATHER in heaven. I don't want just to be "friends" or a "christian". I want the abundance of Covenant, intimacy, consumation and Oneness. I have been sitting in the thought of being consumed and therefore consumated in a relationship. Not just being consumed with, but consumed by. That desire has stepped even further...not just becoming one, but being as ONE. Jesus' prayer for us was that we and the Father would be one as He is one.
Intimacy is part of that process. Opening up yourself, transparency and vulnerablity-are all things most of us fear but are the very things that are required for intimacy to occur. Whether with a friend, a spouse or our Father....we must be willing to open up in order to be intimate friends...intimate lovers and intimate with our Father in heaven.
I am beginning to understand the risk of intimacy. But I am also beginning to crave that risk...as I seek more than just the normal walk with Jesus and long for a oneness and a closeness that comes only from intimacy. I want intimacy with Him....for us to be ONE. Which means I must be willing to open up and be vulnerable, trusting that the ONE I am giving my life to will never leave me, forsake me, hurt me...but do only that which is for my good.




ALL FOR YOU

GOSPEL

Had so many requests for this, decided to just post it...

"The gospel is more than heaven and hell, more than what happens when you
die, but the hope and calling of what we live everyday."
The Gospel is MORE than just what happens when you die. And yet, we seem to
want to communicate and ask ONLY the question... If you were to die
tonight, do you know for sure that you would go to heaven? The reality is
that most of us won't die tonight...for most of us, we are all going to
wake up tomorrow. Sure, I am concerned about where people spend eternity.
But the essence of the gospel is not to keep people from hell. It is that
God might have for Himself a people for His name, His renown, His glory
and that we might LIVE everyday with Him, for Him, about Him.

The question of the gospel is NOT about what happens if we die tonight,
so much as it is what will happen when you wake up in the morning. The
essence of the gospel is NOT about trying to get people into heaven when
they die, but about realizing that the Kingdom of Heaven comes to live in
you NOW.
I mean, let's think about it. To die means to be in the presence of
Christ. That isn't a bad thing. And for those who have half a brain, to
offer them the choice between heaven and hell...they will take the get
out of hell free card every time. But is that really what the gospel is
about? Is it merely offering people a get out of hell free card? Isn't it
more? Isn't it more than what happens when we die? Isn't it more than
just dying and going to heaven? Isn't it more about what happens as we
live?
The gospel is more than just dying and going to heaven. It is what
happens everyday in us as we live here for Him. It is why Jesus preached
the KINGDOM of HEAVEN, the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is why Jesus tried
to help us see that the gospel is about understanding that you have
already died....and Christ has come to live in you. For the gospel means
that you have been crucified with Christ, therefore I no longer live, but
Christ lives in me. The gospel is Christ in us, the hope of glory. The
gospel is not about being safe from hell, although that is a pretty cool
by-product of it, the gospel was given that we might be a people, a royal
priesthood, set apart for his loving and choosing, to honor and exalt
Him, to live lives worthy of the gospel HERE! NOW!
We try to convince people to give their lives to Jesus based on where
they will spend eternity. (again a cool by-product), but the gospel of
the Kingdom (which is what Jesus preached) is NOT ONLY about where we
will spend eternity, but how we will live HERE.
Maybe a better question is not just if you died tonight, where would you
spend eternity? But if you live tomorrow, how will you live? The gospel
of the Kingdom means that Jesus has shown up HERE-not only that we are
waiting to see Him there, in the by and by, sweet...over there. I want
the KINGDOM LIFE NOW! Sure heaven will be great. But I KNOW that the
eseence of the gospel is not about then...it is about now. It is about
the transforming power of JESUS causing us to live and die for Him.
Doxa
Christy Upton
I RUN in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart FREE. Psm
119:32
ALL FOR YOU

Missing Jesus

I have been a Christian for almost 30 years. And I am not much older than that. I have been a preachers kid, a preachers wife, a worship leader, a teacher, a Bible study leader, a precept leader and vbs director, and blah, blah, blah. I have loved God with All that I am, served Him with every fiber in my being and have worshipped Him with every ounce of my soul. But this isn't really about what I AM....it is really about what I am not...or maybe have not been.
I have only in recent months realized that somewhere in the midst of all this "stuff" that my heart was not IN LOVE with Jesus and that I had missed Him in a religion that bears His name. He had been lost in the shuffle. Sure I loved Him, I worshipped Him. I was grateful to Him. I was forever in His debt. I would serve Him. But I have realized that I was not IN LOVE with HIM, consumed by Him, overcome by Him, made one with Him. My life was not wrapped around Him.
My every waking thought was not what does He want. My every movement did not revolve around His desires. My heart was not fully given to Him.
But that is changing. I must confess....I am IN LOVE with this man-Jesus. I am overwhelmed with HIS passion. His offenses are becoming mine. His loves are changing me. His agenda is what I desire.
I miss HIM when we are not in sync. I long for more time with HIM. I want to talk about Him, talk to Him, walk with Him, live for HIM.
I am coming to think that many of us have missed Jesus...that maybe I am not the only one. I thought for 30 years that I had the Jesus thing down...but am realizing I was completely wrong as I see that He is in all, for all, above all. That all things are summed up in Him and that He is and I am not. I am consumed with that idea and don't want it to change or go away.
And so...I don't want to miss Jesus any longer. I want to chase Him, Sprint towards Him and never slow down. I just don't want to miss Jesus in a sea of religion.

ALL FOR YOU

What do you want?

Really, what do YOU want? What do you REALLY want?
Have you ever wanted something and then once you got it you weren't so thrilled with it? Or maybe it wasn't all it was cracked up to be? Sometimes I wonder if we know what we really want.
I mean we can say we want MORE of JESUS, but the question comes back...REALLY? What do we really want? We can say with our lips the "right" thing-that we want more of Jesus, but is that really true of our hearts?
Cause Jesus will give us MORE if we want it. So the dilemna is not that God is withholding Himself from us, but that the true desire of our hearts (which the Father sees even though our words say something else) is not REALLY to have MORE of Him.
There were two men who were sitting alongside the road, crying out to Jesus. The crowd, told them to be quiet. They sternly told them to be quiet. I am sure the voices around Jesus were loud, many clamoring for His attention and asking for "things" at every turn. I am sure the crowd wanted them to be quiet-not out of reverence, but so they could be heard over them. But instead of being quiet, they cried out all the more. Jesus turns and asks a simple question. I don't know if there was compassion in His voice, frustration from everyone yelling at Him or if he was sincerely looking for someone that just didn't want something...but wanted Him. But He looks at these two men and asks them...What do you want?
What they wanted had to be evident. They were blind. But He asks, What is it you want?
Their response, "LORD, we WANT our eyes to be opened." Master, we want to see! We know WHO you are and we want our eyes opened!
Jesus was moved with compassion, He touched their eyes and they immediately regained their sight. AND FOLLOWED HIM.
What is it you want? Do you want your eyes opened? Do you want to see? Do you KNOW who HE is? Are you sure? Is that what you REALLY want, because after Jesus touches you, you follow Him.


ALL FOR YOU

to the praise of His glory

There is much talk about predestination and the doctrines of grace these days. In fact, it is nothing new. It has been something argued and discussed for decades. Much of that argument surfaces out of Eph 1. Honestly, I believe in being predestined. It is not something I need to debate. However, I do believe that we have missed the purpose of that teaching. When you dig deeper into that passage, you will find that the entire purpose for the talk on predestination is to the praise of His glory. Wow, what a thought...set apart for His glory. Not just set apart. It isn't about elitism or some who are not chosen, it is about God choosing so that He gets more GLORY. Which defines our purpose-our lives are to be to the praise of His glory. We are chosen, set apart and saved for HIS GLORY. We are HIS to the praise of His glory. We have an inheritance, have been redeemed, sealed and sanctified to the praise of His glory.
We can sit and argue about predestination...but God doesn't get any glory in that and the whole point was to the praise of His glory.
Anyways....Eph 1 tells us that all things are summed up in Christ. So, why are we debating-isn't it time we stop arguing over misunderstood doctrine and begin to live the purpose behind it....summed up in Christ-to the praise of His glory.



ALL FOR YOU

consumed

I have spent recent days in much thought about being IN love with Jesus. Not just loving Him, but being IN LOVE with HIM. Being in love means that you can't wait to be together, can't stand to be apart. That you enjoy being together and look forward to that time. It is intense. It is intimate, passionate and consuming. Consuming....that is a word. When you are IN LOVE and in COVENANT, you consumate that relationship. The act of two becoming one flesh consumates the covenant. It is the act of being consumed with another and by another.
I am only beginning to understand that Christ IN me is the hope of glory. That it is no longer I who lives, but Christ IN me. Being IN love with Jesus, means being IN Him. Being IN Him, means being consumed by Him and with Him. It is the act of 2 becoming one. It is not Christ and me, but Christ IN me.
I think many of us love Jesus, but most of us are not IN love with Jesus. We have not given ourselves to Him. We have not been consumed with Him. I want to love Jesus, but I also want to be IN love with HIM. I want to not be able to wait to spend time together, hate being apart, constantly calling upon Him. I want to so enjoy our time together that nothing else on earth could bring such pleasure. I want it to be intense, overwhelming, intimate, passionate and CONSUMING. All of Him and None of me...nothing else.

ALL FOR YOU

believing is seeing

and He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief. Matt 13:58

Truth was truth then and it is true now. The reason we don't SEE Jesus work is the same as it was 2000 years ago...we don't believe. He does not do miracles where there is no belief.
What is the answer? Lord help our unbelief...so that we may SEE more of YOU!

ALL FOR YOU

ALL FOR YOU

Have you ever felt imprisoned...not necessarily behind bars, but captive none the less? Held in bonds in something that makes you feel like a prisoner? Have you ever felt trapped in your own life. Captives of our own souls? I have. But once you taste freedom...there is no turning back to that life. Once you taste and see that the Lord is good...well, freedom is an acquired taste. It comes from tasting and then yearning for more-being willing to fight for and to chase after it.

I have been thinking a lot about the issues of FREEDOM. In fact, I have been overwhelmed by the thought from Galations 5:1 that says it is for Freedom that Christ came to set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

I long for MORE FREEDOM. In fact, I am realizing that God created us to be free. From the beginning it was so...in the garden of Eden. Yet, sin came and took us captive, making us slaves. However, Christ came that we might be free...and free indeed. But not the kind of freedom most of us think. It is the freedom to do what is right, not to do whatever you want. For once we are freed from sin, we are enslaved to God-and God alone.

We were not meant to be captives....we were meant to have freedom.
Col 2 says IF you have died with Christ, (picture of true believer!) to the elementary principles of the world, WHY as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as "do not handle, do not touch." If God has granted us freedom, then why do we live as if we are captive? Why do we continually submit ourselves to the religious rules? The Pharisees had over 600 rules. Just rules...is that freedom? They meant nothing...and Jesus said so. Do we really need rules if we are free? Could it be that freedom is the ability to do what is right without the rules enforced...out of a love, passion, intimate relationship?
In Gal 5, Paul addresses this topic yet again by saying do not subject yourself AGAIN to a yoke of slavery. (he goes on to talk about circumcision-which was an outward sign of religion that people were trying to press in on others.) I love that word again....it so applies to us. AGAIN-as if we have done it before. He knew we were going to do it. He knew that we would be pressed to conform even in church. He knew that His yoke was easy and light and so He speaks to the issues of freedom concerning these things.

God wants us to have freedom, but it is our choice. We must stand firm and choose not to subject ourselves to the yoke of slavery. We must not submit ourselves to the decrees of man, but follow fervantly after God. We must know that Freedom is found in following Him alone.

John 8:36 says if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
John 8:32 says that the truth will set you free.

Jesus is all about FREEDOM in HIM.....and that means in HIM....nothing else, nothing more. God is not a warden, but a deliverer. He is so committed to your freedom that He was willing to be taken captive Himself and crucified for it...so that you could run free. But freedom in Him....looks like Psm 119:32: I RUN in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.
Freedom is running after Him and His commands.
Gal 5:13 says for you were called to freedom, only do not turn your freedom in to opportunity to sin, but through love serve one another.
1 Peter 2:16 says act as free man, but do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves to God.
Rom 6:22 says But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.

Freedom.....not to do as you want, but to do what is right. Enslaved to God. So running after His commands that your heart is set free, not bound to the yoke of slavery-of sin or religion, but to be free in the truth, free indeed. Free to serve, free to love, created to be free, called to be free...free to stand firm...to discipline your heart. This is true freedom....

and I want more!ALL FOR YOU

Anniversary

Today is my 16th wedding anniversary. It is a GOOD day. My husband brought home a dozen roses, a card and a promise of a night out....and a night in....lol! God has blessed us with a Covenant Love...it is a good thing, a God thing.
As I thought about our love and the celebration of it, I have been amazed by the journey we have been on and look forward to the journey ahead. I am mesmorized by the idea that through 16 years, good and bad-the passion has not faded, but only increased through the bonds of intimacy. Intimacy is key-not passion. For from intimacy comes passion.
The same is true for our walks with Christ. The longer we walk, the passion should not fade away. In fact, it should be more intense as the intimacy grows deeper. It make look different...more focused, more intentional, but it is strong and vibrant none the less.
Just like marriage, our passion and our intimacy for one another has got to be priority, that which we work on and are intentional about-so that our love does not fade away. I am thankful for a husband who understands that...and for a FATHER who explains it to us...so we can have good relationships!
Time to freshen up...I have plans....
ALL FOR YOU

Revolt

Revolts bring about revolutionaries. From revolutionaries come change. Jesus could be described as a revolutionary. Which caused me to pause and wonder what He would revolt against. Sin would be the normal answer, but I am not totally sure that is what His revolt was all about.
Although He came to redeem us from sin, as I read the gospels I am challenged by the thought that Jesus revolted against religion. In fact, He was down right defiant against it. He antagonized the religious. He was in their face. His very teachings stood in the face of what they stood for and taught.
I am wondering if Jesus walked the earth today, if the revolt would be the same. I can't help but hear Him say a resounding yes. A revolt against religious. He is simply looking for people whose hearts are fully His, fully seeking Him, full on, full throttle.
I wonder if Paul walked through our town if He would see our places of worship and think we worship an 'unnamed god' instead of the One who created it all.
I am thinking....Revolution is needed. We need a revolutionary-Jesus, to lead the way. He did...He revolted against religion and was defiant against hypocrites. If He is in us...Shouldn't His cause be ours?
ALL FOR YOU

ALL FOR YOU

2 responses

Jesus enters a small town and finds 2 men possessed by demons. The demons immediately recognize Jesus and realize that their end is coming. They say to Him, "if you are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine."
I have heard many ask what the pigs did to deserve such a sentence, for not long after the demons entered the swine, the pigs ran off the edge of the cliff into the sea and died. The story is not really about the pigs. In fact, it isn't really about the demons either. It is about the herdsman, to whom the pigs belonged.
You see, the pigs had herdsman that were at the very least watching over them. When Jesus sent the demons into the pigs and the pigs went over the cliff, the herdsman had a response to Jesus. They ran away!
They ran away and went to the city to report everything that just happened. Now, in my opinion, the event was a pretty miraculous, cool thing that I would have loved to have been present for. However, these guys thought differently. In fact, I am guessing their report was less than favorable. I mean...They did lose their pigs in the deal.
So, by the time Jesus got to the city, the whole place came out to meet Him. Not to say thanks for saving us from the demons, for making it where we could pass by the place where they were, for the miracle, for not sending the demons into ME. NO, they came out to implore (strong word) Him to leave. Jesus, the Son of God shows up, casts demons into pigs and the people ask Him to leave. Why? Because they lost their pigs? Crazy thought!

But when we encounter Jesus, we have 1 of 2 responses to Him. We are either amazed by Him or we will implore Him to leave. We will either be gripped by the amazing grace, mercy and sacrifice of Him or we will be afraid of loss, change and His power and will implore Him to leave. We will either be drawn to His love, His tenderness and forgiveness or we will be fearful of what He will require, the transformation that He will bring and what that will mean to us.
The question today....Is which response do you have to Jesus? Think carefully-before you say the first. Be sure that you have not asked Him to leave because what He wants done makes you uncomfortable. You would rather be in control of your pigs than to lose them to the King.
ALL FOR YOU

hypocrites

Reading through the sermon on the Mt in Matthew, my eyes fell on these words in chapter 6; "do not be like the hypocrites". Four times in that one chapter, Jesus speaks to His disciples and says the same thing. DO NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES! I think He was trying to get a point across to His followers.
There is grave danger for us and for the church when we don't heed Jesus' words. Today, the nice word for hypocrite is "religious".
So what does a religious/hypocrite look like?
1 : a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue or religion
2 : a person who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings
an actor, a stage player, a pretender
Throughout His ministry, Jesus vigorously exposed and denounced the hypocrisy of many, especially the scribes and Pharisees-the religious leaders of their day. They paraded their charitable deeds, praying and fasting as a theatrical display to win the praise of men. They sought to give the appearance of being godly, but they were actually blind to the truth of God. This is what Jesus WARNS against.

Hypocrisy is professing to be what one is not and is generally applied to religious character. It is forbidden to the Christian .

And yet, so many of us engage in the charade. I don't even think we realize that it is a charade. Honestly, most of us think we are 'religious' and that is enough. But as I seek to find the answers to this problem, I am drawn back to the words of Jesus. Don't play the part. Don't be religious. Don't go through the motions of do right things. Don't be involved in liturgy, rote or traditions of man. Don't put on an appearance, dress up and pretend to be fully chasing after me when you are not. Don't parade your good deeds before men, when I see what is true. Don't sing songs you don't mean. Don't do what pleases yourselves in worship, do what please ME.

Isa 29:13 Then the Lord said, "Because this people draw near with their words And honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from me, and their reverence for me consists of tradition learned {by} rote,

Don't be like the hypocrites....these are Jesus' words to His disciples.
So are we?


ALL FOR YOU

shout out!

Just a little shout out to the EBAG girls. Love you guys!
ALL FOR YOU

is it written on your face?

Have you ever met someone that can't hide their expressions, passions, feelings and emotions because no matter how hard they try-it is written all over their face? I am one of those kinds of people. Somedays that is good, somedays...not so good. My passions, my frustrations, my love, my zeal, my disappointments are all written all over my face. I am a what you see is what you get kind of person.
Although I am sure that there are many who would like me to hold it in, pretend, conform and control that about myself, I am not sure it is something I want to change. Because the very thing that gets me in trouble sometimes is also the thing that makes me long to live out loud, reflect His glory and be passionately ALIVE for the Lord Jesus Christ.
I want to be as MOSES...who sat in the presence of God and as a result had the glory of God written all over his face. In fact, He shined so brightly that the people had him place a veil over his face because the glow was so strong that they were afraid. Moses' face was a light beam of the glory of God, unable to hide the presence of God and the power of God in His life. It was written all over his face.
Could it be that I could SO get in the presence of God that His glory could illuminate me and make me the reflection of His glory...beaming out my eyes and written on my face? Oh yes...that is my prayer. Make me a mirror of YOU!

So I am thinking about these things...and while at camp, my son gave me a perfect reminder of what that might look like. He was on the RED team at camp and so jealous for the world to know what team he was on that it was written all over his face. Although, I don't recommend you using your face as a coloring book, I am thinking that the principle is the same-may the passion for our team be so strong that it is written all over our faces!

ALL FOR YOU

chill out?

Chill out, self control, calm down, don't get so excited...all phrases I have heard lately that have made me really pause and think about our passion for Christ-or maybe our lack of it.
We worship with our hands in our pockets and with distracted hearts. We walk with a mediocre step that looks a lot like the rest of the world. We pray as if we aren't sure there is a God who will answer. We sing as if the love song we once knew has faded. We serve with half our heart only half the time. We have lost our focus, our drive, our motivation, our heart, our passion, our love....
However, we play sports with all our might. Dedicate all of soul to our work. Sing in the shower with all our voice. Dance to the rhythm of the world's beat. We cheer with all we are for our college team. We shout, we raise our hands and we sing with all we are-the fight song of the Tigers or the Cocks. We stay late for work and leave church early. We cut grass til we sweat, clean til it shines and practice til it hurts-all for things of little eternal significance.
But we want to chill out when it comes to the God stuff. We want to calm down, remain in control and not get too excited. I wonder if that is what Jesus is saying as He sits beside the throne of God. "they need to chill out. They are getting too excited down there." Or maybe, "they need more self control....get those arms down!" No....I think not....I can't help but think that Jesus is looking at the Father saying....that's all they Got? I died on a cross for them, suffered the whipping post, crawled down the via dolorosa...and all I get in response to that is pew sitting, hands in pockets, hymnal holding, scripted, mediocre following, status quo walking, people pleasing worship. That's it...that's all the response I get?
I can't help but believe that Jesus is crying out....get excited...don't you see what I did? Don't calm down, lose yourself in me and show the world how awesome I am. Unleash the passion in your soul. Begin a revolution of praise for my glory that points everyone to the greatness of who I am. Don't chill out....get on fire! Turn up the intensity, be focused, intentional and purposeful. Be my reflection! Be Bright, pierce the darkness. Be Alive, bringing life into death. Be Present, so that I am seen. Be Truth, destroying the lies. Allow the Jesus inside to burst forth from the controlled and the contained.
Be transformed.....
Chill out...I don't think so. And neither does He!

ALL FOR YOU