Baby Steps

Today I rediscovered a basic truth about the Christian life. I realized that to accomplish a God-sized task, each one of us must begin with "Baby Steps"

Too often in the Christian walk men and women try to run before they even know how to crawl. We realize that God has a calling on our lives and one of two things begins to take place. Both options involve the task of running. One will run to the calling while the other will run away from their calling.

The first person can see the "big picture" Immediately this person races off on their quest to change the world. While this is an incredible attitude to have, there are many obstacles that lie ahead for this dear saint. What we must all realize is that to fulfill God's calling we must rely on God's timing.

I am the first to admit to hearing God's call and trying to run before I've learned to crawl. Today I was in the car for quite a long time and I began to reevaluate where I am in my walk and in what direction I am travelling. It has taken a long time for God to teach me how to stand and today I needed to make sure that my footing was firm before I continued walking. I understand that to move forward in my calling and destiny that I must take baby steps toward my goals, because like a toddler, I have a tendency to fall flat on my face.

I have a desire to GO and PREACH and TEACH and DISCIPLE. But before I can do those things, I must let God's sweet spirit refine my heart so that my intentions are pure and my goals are His goals. My heart must be able to love unconditionally and it must break for people. My spirit must be strong yet kind so that I might lead like Jesus. God has brought me so far, he has carried me for so long. At one point in my life I thought I was ready to run, and run I did. Until I began tripping over my own two feet. And now I realize that if these things are to be fulfilled, and I know they will, I have to be patient and move move like a toddler just beginning to walk.

Instead of running off to complete a God-sized task, the faithful Christian must be willing to undergo God-sized refinement!!!! For it is in the refiner's fire that God's ultimate plan is revealed. Just like a baby learning to walk, we will all fall down numerous times before we can run. But once we are ready and fully trained we will be able to then and only then take off running full steam ahead.

And then there are those that will run as fast as they can away from their divine destiny. Theses people are simply afraid of God wants them to do. But I have realized that true joy can not be found until we turn our eyes away from fear and toward the One that has valiantly conquered fear.

The person that runs away is no different than you and I, they are not necessarilly living in sin. But like most of us they are uninformed to the true beauty of God's glorious calling. We all need to learn the providing and protecting attributes of God. Once a believer can completely trust in God's sovereignty he can then begin to take baby steps in the direction of his calling.

Thus, the two runners are presented with the same question. What will be done with your divine purpose?

Remember BABY STEPS!!!!!!

Why do I worship?

I was asking myself this question today as I talked to a pastor of a rather influential church. Why don't we get it? Why can't people understand the reason we were created? Why can't the church realize it's main function? Why do I worship?

You're probably saying what don't I get? I worship God. That's exactly how I've felt my entire life. God is good, God is great, yada yada yada. But until recently I never grasped the reason for my existence or the reason for creation at all. I know we were all taught that we were created to worship God, that's great but how do we worship? Why do we worship? Why do I worship this God that thought it would be best to create me the way that I am? I know I would have done things differently. But then I'm brought back to reality by the simple fact that I'm not God and God's ways are not my ways and so on. And so why do I worship Him if His ways are not my ways, why don't I worship something that agrees with me, like a boulder?

The entire concept of worship has been so abused by the church in the last century that none of us fully understand, nor ever will understand, it's complete purpose.

I don't want to talk about forms of worship, but rather why we worship. I've come to realize that not one of us will ever worship in the same manner, they may be similar but my heart will never say the same thing as yours.

So why do I worship God? The short answer is that I, alone in my own power, am incapable of worshipping God. Yes I can go through the motions, but that is only because I want to please those around me, hence my worship is people directed rather than God directed. Yes we were created by God to worship God, but because of sin we are entirely incapable of even coming close to acceptable worship.

The only way that I can worship is to be drawn into it by something or someone stronger than myself. This is called the leading the of the Holy Spirit. You see, your job is not to concentrate on the form of worship, your job is to submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Our job is to live our lives in such a way that everything we do, everything we say is directed by this indwelling. Thus bringing Glory to God, the entire premise of the Bible as stated in the book of Romans. I truly believe that our job as followers of Christ is to simply give up. To give up control of our lives, our thoughts, our actions. Give up everything that was held dear to our old self. Once we give up control, we have no choice but to do that which we are called to do, worship.

So why do I worship? The answer is simple, yet profound. I worship because I have no choice, I can't do anything else. If I live a life of full surrender, everything I do, everything I say, will be done out of worship for my God.

lata

mike

Jan 3 First blog ever

So yeah this is my blog, welcome, if anyone ever reads it. I've never really felt the need to blog before, but I want to share with everyone the craziness that runs through my head all day long. So if you want to know then keep reading, if not you're not hurting my feelings by not reading.

Just so you know, I'm a follower of Christ. I never refer to myself as a Christian just b/c that is a title that is earned. It means to be like Christ or to be an imitator of Him. So how can I call myself an imitator if I can't see myself. That is for others to decide, I simply follow. With that being said I have an immense desire to know and serve my God with my whole heart. But you see, I'm human and I screw up a lot. I have a tendency to be judgmental, to be arrogant, prideful. I fight everyday with these inner sins just like you do. So this blog is pretty much going to be a reflection on my journey. Nothing more. Maybe someone will see truth in what I say. Some may be offended. but hopefully no one will ever be able to say that I don't love them or that I am not an active follower of my God. Well there's the intro see ya tomorrow.

peace -

mike