Relationship First

God created Human kind, first and foremost, to be in relationship with Him forever. He desires to have a loving, intimate, personal, exclusive partnership with each of us that compares to no other. Reading the gospels and learning directly from Christ as he teaches his disciples is an undeniable source in understanding the depth and brevity of a God first relationship. Matthew 10:37 (NET Version)  Jesus says the following: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me..." 

We all have to ask the question, does Jesus rise to a level in our every day lives and hold the highest of plateaus in our hearts, even surpassing those precious ones we endear here on earth?  The Life Application Bible says this regarding Matthew 10:37: " Christ calls us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this life. Love of family is a law of God, but even this love can be self serving and used as an excuse not to serve God or do his work." To be candid, I don't normally put much stock in biblical commentary because it's human interpretation and opinion. However, I read this for the first time as I was preparing this blog entry and it honestly confirmed exactly what I've felt the Holy Spirit has been trying to teach me for some time now.

Putting and loving Jesus first is something that most Christians are fond of saying but are we actually doing it? I know in my life this has been a struggle.  Life on this earth isn't easy there is so much that comes at us seemingly at warp speed, both good and bad. It is a lot easier to focus on those things we see, hear and experience first hand via our senses day in and day out. Before we know it, and without realizing it, Jesus is pushed aside relegated as an interested bystander.

The question today is as we look at are own lives is Jesus actually first above all others? In essence, are we willing to do all He asks of us, no matter the cost? It's what I ask myself daily and many days I fall short. For those of us who call ourselves Christians, may we strive to Live the Life Jesus has called us all to live.

Tradgedy to Triumph

On October 8th 2014 the date of my last draft for this blog at about 2pm I was stricken with a stroke in the brainstem. This effected my balance (not able to walk), swallow, eyesight (double vision and ability to read), stamina, coordination and left me with extreme dizziness. After months of rehabilitation I am able to walk and swallow. Additionally, my eyesight and stamina are improved enough to continue this blog. I give God the glory for all progress and I thank Him that what the enemy meant for the worse He will use for the better, much better!

I can't say that when I was in the hospital during the early days of the stroke that I didn't question  why me or contemplate doubts as to God's goodness, I did. However, what came increasingly more evident while laying there in the hospital bed was just exactly how short this life is. The Bible calls it a vapor. As I reached out and sought Him during those trying times, the desire to know Him more intimately and to continue this blog grew stronger and stronger. God granted me a second chance and seared my heart with desire to serve Him in fullness with undying allegiance to the completeness of His Word.

Since the stroke I am exceedingly more appreciative of of God's sovereign love coupled with a deeper longing for living the life He desires born again saints to live. I truly believe according to His Word, He is asking all of us who call ourselves believers in Christ to do our very best to live this earthly life JUST for Him!

Please join me on this journey as we explore the Word and sincerely seek to hear and see the Heart of God! I invite questions, comments, even criticism if tempered with positive engagement and goodwill.  My goal is to foster loving discussion focused on how we all can live a deeper more committed, unfiltered, impactful Christ first life.

NEXT BLOG ENTRY COMING SOON!

"And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Matthew 10:38 (NET)

Introduction and Welcome

LIVE THE LIFE

Three years ago my wife, family (two preteen boys at the time) and I began a journey to become missionaries to South Africa. We were able to actually take a trip to South Africa in early 2012 and spent nearly three months there. Our ministry continues and eventually we will move to South Africa and carry out the specific calling God has given in literacy education and sport ministry. During and since that time as we prepared our hearts for this ministry the Lord has opened up another area of ministry and taken me on a spiritual journey that has led to the writing of this blog.

The purpose of this blog is to explore in scripture and through Holy Spirit guidance what it means to live the life, the Christian life. Everyone who is a professed believer and follower of Christ have their own ideas of what that entails. However, do we really understand the brevity and scope of meaningful, selfless, fruit producing,  new covenant living? The Journey we are about to take through this endeavor is to help all of us come into a greater understanding of God's exceeding compassion for his children and the extraordinary life he ordained for each of us to live . We all have a specific calling of God on our lives through Christ Jesus  (Ephesians 2:10) that goes much deeper than most of us realize. Won't you join me on this journey and lets pursue this together and strive to live the life God has set forth in and for all of us!.


The same prayer that Paul prayed for all of us in Ephesians 3:14-19 I offer up today:
^"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on the earth is named.  I pray that according to the wealth of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner person,  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that, because you have been rooted and grounded in love,  you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,  and thus to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God."

Next post will be Saturday 09/27 entitled Relationship Essential Part 1.

Note: I will be posting on Wednesdays and Saturdays and invite feedback as long as it is respectful and in good taste. Disagreeing is fine and I am open to discuss any content I post and will always be respectful to those who do not agree. This is a pursuit of truth not for my own gain but to the glory of God.