Word a day (2): Isaiah 54:2

Day 2

YOUR... The Kingdom of Heaven is not a dictatorship; it is not a totalitarian kingdom. We do have one God who completely rules all and His law is iron clad and never changing, but He also wants us to have ownership. In a totalitarian society, a man is told what his job will be, where he will live, and is sometimes not even allowed to leave his country by the government. He has no ownership of his life. Children of God are not drones! He created us all in unique ways. He created melancholy artists. He created choleric managers. He created us all with a purpose in mind, with God given dreams in our hearts. He calls o us and when we finally hear that call and step into it, He wants us to take ownership of that calling. This ownership isn't a nose in the air, taking all the credit, big headed ownership. it is like if I were to go and buy stock in a certain company. I would devote all my needs that relate to that company, to that one particularly and not it's competitors. When talking to people about the company, I would make my case for that company, in which I have invested. When you invest in something, you want to see it grow. When we buy into a vision or calling for out life, we are taking ownership it. God has given me this desire, this city, this time, so I am going to take it on, full force, with devotion and time.

Taking ownership of something is taking responsibility. The story of God is massive and He asks us to take part in it. Just like in Jesus' journey to the cross, Simon of Cyrene took that cross, that calling, and went with it.

But it is still even more than taking responsibility, it is committing something. Time. Energy. Money. When we get the job of cleaning the lobby of our church before service every sunday, we own that job. We do it to our best abilities. When we get the job of leading a congregation into the presence of God on the worship team, we commit, we devote, we put our hearts into it. 

word a day (1): Isaiah 54:2

After reading a book by Louie Giglio called, "I Am Not but I Know I Am"  I was introduced to a new way to study the bible. Basically you take a verse and break it up into individual words. You take a word a day and meditate on what that word means to you. So here is my stab at it with a great verse that i already know, but want to see what else can come of it.

"Enlarge your house; build an addition.

Spread out your home, and spare no expense!"

Day 1

ENLARGE... when Christ left this earth His final words to His disciples weren't "Just take what I've taught you and just sit on it." It's a lot like the land owner who gave his servants the talents and blessed those who did something with what he gave them. They multiplied and prospered, but the one who buried it in the ground because he was afraid was rebuked. We were never meant to reach a comfort zone, and plateau there. We often get to a comfortable place with God and then just remain there. For years i was in that position. I knew God, He knew me, and i thought that that would be enough. I was lukewarm, and we all know what God thinks of a lukewarm christian. 

Think of a river. It is fresh, clean, and cool, continually moving, going somewhere. It has purpose and reason. Now, think of a pool. You know those pools in your neighborhood where the owner's kids are long gone from home and there is no up keep of it. It is stagnant water. It is murky and foul. It isn't advancing, has no purpose, collecting mosquito maggots. Which would you rather drink from? No one would drink from the pool of a stagnant christian with no vision or purpose for there life. 

We are called to grow in our faith. Its a muscle, and the best way to grow it is to nourish and use it. Reading and meditating on the word is the bread to our spiritual bodies. Doing so gives us substance, nutrition, and strength. When the word is bouncing around in our spirit, we receive the wisdom and knowledge God wants us to grab a hold of in order to grow and live life. Prayer is the drink of the spirit, that connectivity with God. It is refreshing. Who do you know better, your flat-mate and best friend for years, or a distant cousin in Milwaukee?It is a proven fact that the more you are in contact with someone, the better you will get to know them. The closer you are to them. And when you talk to God through prayer, you get that same sense of refreshment. That new boost of energy. With out water to the muscle, it becomes fatigued. If we try to take on this world without a prayer life, with out that empowerment, we will fatigue before our time. Giving and stepping out in boldness is the exercise for your faith muscle. Malachi 3:10 says: Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."  When we step out, and give as he has asked, we are working out. It is strenuous, it makes us sweat when we put an amount in the tithe envelope, but we are knowing that God will work it out. We also exercise when we step out in boldness because its getting out of where we feel safe. When we ask someone to church. When we engage ourselves in worship. When we take on responsibilities that further the Kingdom. The list goes on, but God has a plan for us all and in order to fulfill this calling, this purpose, we must continually grow. Continually enlarge ourselves.