Stairs of Torture

We have terrible steps in our house. They have sharp edges. They are too short for my size 13 foot, They are jagged, and they often hurt my feet. I have so many times walked down them and hurt my arches, toes, the balls of my foot or otherwise really bruised them. So much so that I finally got tired of it. So, I purchased soft cushy carpet step covers. They are brilliant! So soft and cushy they make my feet rejoice. I want to just stand on the steps now, and enjoy the comfort! After only a day of having these new carpet covers, I tried to go up the steps. As I took my first step I was remembering and preparing myself for the pain of walking up the old steps, as if there were no carpets there. I got myself ready and almost cringed as I began to walk up the stairs. My muscle memory got the best of my body, but as soon as my foot hit the stairs, I felt the new carpets! It was a feeling of relief, joy, and happiness that hit me. My body immediately relaxed. Suddenly, I felt like my feet were delivered from the incessant torture that they received every time I would walk up and down the steps for the past three years. I thought immediately of our new life in Christ. We sometimes come back to the same situations of life that we had experienced before Christ. Often in those moments I have thought, "oh no! here it comes again, the pain, the sin, the hurt, the torture of our everyday life apart from Christ!" And we even sometimes physically cringe and prepare ourselves for the onslaught of whatever condemnation is coming our way, like I did when I tried to go up the stairs. Romans 8:1 says, "there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” We are free from the cringeworthy life that we knew before Christ, sort of like the cringing, and pain of my stairs. Are you preparing yourself around every corner for the condemnation of the world, like I was preparing myself for with our torturous stairs? You can be free from all condemnation through faith in Christ! If you have not decided for Christ, then don’t wait! Choose to be free of the cringeworthy condemnation of this world. Place your faith in Christ choose freedom! Christian, If you are in Christ, stop cringing like there is some condemnation coming, prepare for the blessings of life in Christ. Act like you are a son or daughter of God, and adopted into his family! You are not longer cursed, but eternally blessed in Christ!

Sometimes we Christians are preparing ourselves for a condemnation and a curse, and Jesus says, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?…Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more (John 8:10).” Jesus does not condemn us because he was found to be a curse for us. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us…Galatians 3:13). He was condemned in our place so that he can in return say, “Neither do I condemn you.” Are you like me preparing for pain, torture, and condemnation. Or are you expecting blessing, freedom, and justification because that is your position in Christ! This was a freeing realization, an epiphany that I walk around as a Christian expecting condemnation even though I am free from all condemnation. Not only am I free from condemnation, but I am a recipient of his glorious eternal blessing, which is the exact opposite of condemnation. How can I walk around as if I am about to receive a foot beating like I got every time I walked up and down my stairs. I recently watched the new movie “Tortured for

 

Christ” the story of Richard Wurmbrand who spent many years in Communist prisons. His feet were so badly beaten that he could no longer walk regularly for the rest of his life. I remember vividly when he visited my Bible school and sat on the stage in his wheelchair because he could no longer walk on his own because his feet were so badly beaten all those years. He said that although the prison had taken his physical freedom away he had never felt more free. In his book “Tortured for Christ" he wrote, “I have found truly jubilant Christians only in the Bible, in the Underground Church and in prison.” He had found the freedom that Christ had won for him on the cross and had no longer let himself be bound by the constraints of this world, Oh, Lord let us taste of the same wine that these men of faith tasted. Let us walk up the stairs of freedom and blessing. Lord we will no longer walk up the step of torture and condemnation! For you have set us free, and, “if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed (John 8:36)."

American Memorial Day is also Pentecost Monday

 Memorial day is a long tradition in America. It is one of remembrance of those who have fallen in American wars. I find it a good tradition to remember the freedoms we have as Americans as a result of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Germany also celebrates today a very good Church tradition. It is Pentecost. Germany has a long tradition of church holidays. Some are better than others. This one I find incredible. Pentecost is the celebration of when the Holy Spirit descended on the first believers in Jerusalem after Jesus ascension. What followed was one of the most powerful sermons ever preached. Peter preached powerfully in the name of Jesus, and explained to those standing there what was happening. Here's a bit of the passage.

"When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came
from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.

And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel...

“...Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it...

...he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing...

...Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:1-16, 22-24, 31-33, 37-39 ESV)

This whole story is pretty amazing and incredible that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on the early Church like this, and even until this day when we believe in Jesus we receive that same Spirit at a guarantee of the gift of salvation. 

What I also understand about Memorial Day in remembering people that have given their lives to secure American freedoms, I find also in Pentecost. These holidays are one in the same in so much as Jesus has given His life to secure our Freedom, and the Holy Spirit is the promise of that Freedom in Christ. 

So today as you celebrate Christian freedom in Germany and American freedom in America, take a minute and seek the filling of the Holy Spirit as as a sign of the promise. "How am I filled with Holy Spirit"? you ask. I'm glad you asked, here is a passage that describes how we can be filled...

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV)

HAPPY MEMORIAL PENTECOST DAY!!!

Tag der Deutschen Einheit: A Picture of Freedom in Christ & What the Church Should Be

Tag der Deutschen Einheit:

Is a Picture of Freedom in Christ and what the Church Should Be

            We have, as a family, been in Germany for almost two weeks now. Our first German holiday is the German Re-Unification day. It is celebrated on October 3. in the fall of 1989 East Germany and West Germany were Re-Unified after many years of Post World War 2 Communism in the DDR Government. I remember vividly President Reagan saying, "Mr. Gorbachav tear down this wall"! Then on the day when the wall came down, I can remember people standing on top of the wall with sledgehammers swinging with all their might to destroy this wall a symbol of bondage, fear, and control. This had such an impression on me as a teenager. I did not understand the full implications, at the time, But a young man standing on top of the wall trying to destroy the wall was an irrevocable image on me as a teenager...

  

            Later on a short term missions trip to East Germany we took a tour of Leipzig and found out that the freedom movement started with prayer everyday at one of the larger churches in Leipzig. The Deaconesses would meet daily for prayer for the liberation of the East German people and the fall of the DDR. In the weeks to follow the East German people marched for freedom against the borders that the DDR had set up, and the tanks and soldiers that stood against the people were ordered in some confusion from the top level commanders to stand down. Was that confusion from God? Of course! God threw the DDR Army and commanders into confusion so they could not stand against the march for freedom. We know from a thorough study of scripture that God rises and falls dictatorships, governments, and kingdoms (Romans 15). The picture then of German Re-Unification became clearer and clearer to me. Also the picture of our freedom and Re-Unification in Christ becomes clearer with these earthly pictures of peoples and governments Re-Unifying.

            I think today of Galatians 5:1 Where the Apostle Paul says, "It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." This is such a great verse in light of such a historic and unpresedented event in human History. I know a pastor that lived and served as a pastor in the DDR and now in East Germany near Leipzig. I asked him if it was a possibility for the DDR to fall a year before it actually happened. He said, "never, it was an impossibility." He also said, "In My mind the DDR would never ever fall like it did. It is truly a miracle from God." This is the same thing we see in Galatians 5:1. Christ has set us free, and it was a practical impossibility that we would have been set free from sin by our own power, thought, ability, or works. This freedom that Christ has given from sin and death is a miracle of impossibility!

            I also think today of the Church, "Tag Der Deutschen Einheit" is a picture of the Church. Our unity in Christ is a picture to the world of the great work of salvation, redemption, and grace to a broken world. In a world that experiences discord, and broken relationships we the Church can relay the message of freedom, hope and unity in Christ. These are values that the world typically is not exposed to. When we as a Church can exhibit these qualities then the world can see and pay attention to the countercultural way of Christ. His way is an impossiby free way. His way is the miracle of impossibility. Let’s celebrate the Re-Unification Day in Germany as a real world example of our impossible Re-Unification in Christ that he has so graciously made for us. Our great hope in him is that in bringing that same message to a world that so desperately needs Christ, the world might also be Unified to a good and loving savior in impossibly miraculous ways.

The Opposite Way: Study on the Beatitudes

The Opposite Way: Week 6

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. "But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:19-34 NASB)

Open: Does wealth and fame make you happy? Why or why not and give an example.
This is a video of Tom Brady video "there's gotta be more than this?" He has won three super bowls 2 times the super bowl MVP. He will make in 2011 $18 million dollars for an 18 week season with 16 regular season games. That's $1,125,000 per game. He is married to Gisselle a supermodel who is the most successful model in history banking $33 million. And this is his life. He says in this video "There's gotta be more than this". Check it out


1. The Opposite Way is serving God over Wealth
What are some examples of people serving wealth in our culture?
"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:24 NASB)

2. The Opposite Way is freedom from Worry
Are the things Jesus says we worry in the passage below actually the same things we really worry about? Are they worth worrying about? Does worry do anything for us?
"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25 NASB)

Close: Francis Chan "the new Middle Road" Describes the way most people think about religion or faith or living the Christian life and he concludes that the christian faith is meant to be lived radically and wholly, There is no middle road, just a narrow one in which we follow Christ, or a wide road that leads to destruction.