The Fellowship of the Unashamed

Dr. Robert Morehead tells the story of a young man from Rwanda who was forced by his tribe in 1980 to renounce Christ or face death. He refused to renounce Christ and was murdered on the spot. The night before he had written the following commitment which was found in his room.  Oh that we all could make this kind of commitment for the Gospel of Christ and become a member of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.

"I am a part of the fellowship of the Unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit Power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. 


I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by presence, learn by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.

My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, back up, let up, or shut up until I've preached up, prayed up, paid up, stored up, and stayed up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until He returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes.

And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear for "I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.." (Romans 1:16).

The Costs of Sanctification

In today's devotional in My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers says,  "Are we prepared to pay the cost of sanctification?  The cost will be a deep restriction of all our earthly concerns, and an extensive cultivation of all our godly concerns.  Sanctification means to be intensely focused on God's point of view.  It means to secure and to keep all the strength of our body, soul, and spirit for God's purpose alone. Are we really prepared for God to perform in us everything for which he separated us?"

I love this.

First, what is sanctification? The process of being set apart for God's purpose, the process of becoming more like Christ.  It's not easy, it's not always fun, and it's sometimes straight up painful.

Second, what are the costs of sanctification?  "a deep restriction of our earthly concerns" and "an extensive cultivation of our godly concerns"  So, a lessening of what the world values and an expanding of what God values.  You may be saying, 'Well that sounds good, that doesn't sound like a cost, it sounds like a benefit, I want to value what God values.'  I agree, I'm sure most of us would.  But what about when what we value contradicts with what God values?  How we use our time, spend our money, make our money, what we do with our free time, the type of clothes we wear, the type of house we live in, where we live....the list goes on.   Are we willing to let go of what we value to receive what God values?

Third, are keeping all the strength of our "body, soul, and spirit" for God's purposes?  Or, are we so spent physically, emotionally, and spiritually that we have nothing left to offer God.  Are we so busy doing our 'job' that we've forgotten to do our jobs as followers of Christ?  Does God receive the first fruits of our energy,  our emotions,and our souls?  Or do we allow the pressures and cares of the world to drain us?

Fourth, God has set us apart for a special, and unique purpose!  Each one of us has a part to play in the story we find ourselves in.  God is working all around us and He invites us to join Him EVERYDAY!  Are we accepting His invitation?

My road to sanctification is long and winding.....but I have faith that I'm moving in the right direction.  As the Psalms say, "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free." (119:32 NIV) Sanctification is hard, but God's yoke is easy and His love is undeniable.  Cling to Him and He will set your heart free.

The Local Church is the Hope of the World

I recently attended a wonderful church service at Willow North Shore, a satellite of Willow Creek Community Church, which was started by Bill Hybels 36 years ago.  It just so happened that that Sunday was the anniversary of the church’s establishment so Hybels gave the main message.  Wow, did he hit the nail on the head.  Apparently, Hybels has often been quoted for saying, “the local church is the hope of the world.”  During his message yesterday he told the story of when he first came to this realization and how it's affected his ministry since.

As I sat there listening to the message and worshiping in the moment I clearly felt the Holy Spirit’s presence.  This ‘feeling’ was an answered prayer as I had specifically asked God to rein down on me during the service, to reveal Himself.  As is always the case, God is faithful to provide when we seek Him with our whole heart. Listening to the passion in Hybel’s voice brought tears to my eyes.  He eloquently stated what I had been feeling for some time:  There must be something more that the Church can do.  We must be able to affect people’s live more greatly and more directly than we are  now.  To summarize his message, Hybels challenged us to become an Acts 2 church.

On the drive home I had a great conversation with God.  Essentially, my thoughts went like this:

"God, I know that You want to bless me.  I know that you plant desires in my heart and that as I trust in You, You will fulfill them in your timing.  But Lord, if I know that You place the desires in my heart why do I so often feel undeserving of them?  Why am I so quick to deny the blessings You provide? Why do I doubt that you want to bless me abundantly?  For even Your Word says that You came so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  I pray for You to expand my territory, to use me in a mighty way, to provide for me and yet when you do all these things I feel spoiled and unworthy.  How dare I question how you chose to bless me."

As is often the case, God spoke to me through my own thoughts, answering my questions as I was still forming them, challenging my own thoughts.  He's good like this.   God desires to bless us richly.  There is nothing we can do to earn these blessings.  He does it because He loves us unconditionally.

That Sunday I was reminded of the Church's role in this temporary home.  There is much work to be done here on Earth.  But, I was also reminded of God's goodness - He desires to bless us abundantly as we serve Him and serve others, if only we will allow Him to do so. 

Reminded of my love

One of the books I’m currently reading is Crazy Love by Francis Chan.  I’m about halfway through….so far it’s been okay, not anything earth shattering but a good reminder nonetheless.  I think the book is definitely applicable for those maybe a little newer in their Christian walk, but me, I’m an old hat.  Ha, ya right.  Anyways, moving past the book review…a section I recently read caught my attention.

Chan quotes from John Piper, who poses the following question in his book God Is the Gospel: “If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”

Perhaps some background leading up to this question would be helpful.  In this particular chapter Chan is discussing our love for God.  He prefaces this section with a beautiful story about his wife’s grandmother and how, near the end of her life, she spent hours praying with God and how she looked forward to the start of each new day in order to spend this time with her Savior.  As I read about this woman named Clara I questioned (as I’ve done before) my love for God.  Do I truly love Him?

Chan goes on to describe how we act when we’re madly in love with someone.  I’ve been in love like this a few times and must say, he hit the nail on the head.  Staying up all hours to talk, driving long hours just to see them for a little while, doing things you’d never thought you’d do for someone; being apart is painful, being together never last long enough….As I read this I compared it to how I am with Christ – it’s not like this, not any more at least. 

But after I read the question posed by Piper, about being in heaven without Christ, I knew.  To me there is no heaven if Christ is not there…..all of those good things would be empty and meaningless.  And this, this knowing, reminded me and showed me that I do love Christ, that my love for Him runs deep and cannot be shaken. As I was smiling and resting in this, God reminded me that all ‘madly in love’ relationships start off with big burning flames but true relationships are those where the burning embers survive the test of time; where years later, when the flames may have diminished, the burning embers still remain, fueling off of one another, constantly generating heat.  And this is where I am with Christ, with my Savior, with the One I love, who loves me unconditionally, undeniably. 

Chan, F. (2008) Crazy love. David C. Cook Publishing: Colorado Springs, CO

Piper, J. (2005) God is the gospel. Crossway: Wheaton, IL

Little Lamp, Big Light

I was walking home from work tonight chatting with Jesus....He's always available for a good chat.  As I approached my house I thought it looked awfully bright.  For a moment I thought I had left more than just the one lamp on but I realized I hadn't.  Instead, it was just one little lamp casting a big light.  And  then it hit me; or I should say Jesus hit me.  Of course He didn't really hit me, He wouldn't do, more like a nudge.  A nudge that said, "See, just one little light can shine really bright.  You are like that light.  You are just one but you have the opportunity to shine really bright.  You have the opportunity to touch so many lives if you open your heart and allow me to shine through you." 

And of course He's right.  I am just one light but I do have big opportunities to shine brightly.   I'm realizing more and more that God has me in public service for a reason....to share His love with the hundreds of people I interact with.....really though, we're all in some form of public service.  We all interact with lots of people.  So, is your little light shining brightly?  Is God's unconditional love passing through you to the lives of those around you?  I pray it is for you and for me.  Amen.

The Darkness of Dismay

Over my past few blogs I’ve hinted at this “thing” I’m going through right now.  It’s a hard thing to explain.  Essentially, I feel like I am distant from God in a way I haven’t experienced before.  I’ve questioned whether it was me, my thoughts or my actions causing this distance.  I feel like this “thing” is really big; a really big distance.  And yet in other, smaller ways I know that God is right there with me.  I’ve blogged before about how I love when God shows up in little ways…really little ways - but when He does it’s big, at least for me.  Because for me it reminds me that He is here, in the midst of this crazy world we live in, and He cares about the details….those little details that in light of recent events like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan really shouldn’t matter and yet they do…they do matter and sadly they have the ability to consume our thoughts.  And God shows up in these, which is AWESOME. 
       So this morning God woke me up….early.  (It’s 3:27 AM as I write this)  It’s these early, early wake ups when I tend to cry out to God and ask Him where He is….knowing full well He’s right here with me, He did wake me up after all.  And yet I don’t feel Him.  I want to feel Him because that’s what I do, that’s how I am.  I want to feel in love.  I want to feel happy at work.  I want to feel the joy of Christ…..well right now I don’t have a lot of feeling going on.  In fact, I’d say that the zest for life that I once felt, is gone.  Please, don’t be concerned.  I know exactly the reasons for this:  I moved 2,000 miles across the country, left my job, my family, and my friends to spend time with my father who passed away almost precisely 5 months after my move.  I’m now in a beautiful community with wonderful people, but it’s not the same….it’s not my community, they aren’t my people.  I’ve been uprooted from my foundation and as I recently blogged about…this action of uprooting can have dramatic effects on someone’s relationship with Christ.  That is where I find myself.  That is the “thing” I’m going through.

       So…back to being woken up by my loving Father at 3:27 AM.  As I’m doing what a lot of people do in the middle of the night (hint, the room with a toilet), a take a look at what Oswald Chambers would have to say on this day about my current situation….and low and behold, God showed up.  I take comfort in Chamber’s message for today from My Upmost for His Highest:

      "At the beginning of our life with Jesus Christ, we were sure we knew all there was to know about following Him.  It was a delight to forsake everything else and to throw ourselves before Him in a fearless statement of love.  But now we are not quite so sure.  Jesus is far ahead of us and is beginning to seem different and unfamiliar – ‘Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed.’ (Matthew 10:32)

      There is an aspect of Jesus that chills even a disciple’s heart to its depth and makes his entire spiritual life gasp for air.   This unusual Person with his face set ‘like a flint’ (Isaiah 50:7) is walking with great determination ahead of me, and He strikes terror right through me.  He no longer seems to be my Counselor and Friend and has a point of view about which I know nothing.  All I can do is stand and stare at Him in amazement.  At first I was confident that I understood Him, but now I am not so sure.  I begin to realize that there is a distance between Jesus and me and I can no longer be intimate with Him.  I have no idea where he is going, and the goal has become strangely distant. 

       Jesus Christ had to understand fully every sin and sorrow that human beings could experience, and that is what makes Him seem unfamiliar.   When we see this aspect of Him, we realize we really don’t know Him.  We don’t recognize even one characteristic of His life, and we don’t know how to begin to follow Him. He is far ahead of us, a Leader who seems totally unfamiliar, and we have no friendship with Him.

      The discipline of dismay (emphasis added) is an essential lesson which a disciple must learn.  The danger is that we tend to look back on our times of obedience and on our past sacrifices to God in an effort to keep our enthusiasm for Him strong (see Isaiah 50:10-11).  But when the darkness of dismay comes, endure until it is over, because out of it will come the ability follow Jesus truly, which brings inexpressibly wonderful joy.”

      The darkness of dismay.  Dictionary.com defines the noun dismay as: “sudden or complete loss of courage; utter disheartenment; sudden disillusionment; agitation of mind; perturbation; alarm.”  I would definitely say at times I’m experiencing disheartenment and disillusionment in my walk with Christ for all the reasons I’ve mentioned before.  But, as Chambers says….I will take heart and endure this season with the faith that it too shall pass and when it’s over my relationship with Christ will be even stronger and even more wonderful.   After all, faith is not a feeling.  Faith is “being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  (Hebrews 11:1)  In my case, faith is also being sure of what I hope for and certain of what I do not feel.  While I may not always feel God’s presence when I find myself in the darkness of dismay, I will endure until the darkness is over.  I will continue to trust in my God’s great undeniable love and continue to walk in the plan He has prepared for me.  Amen.

Are We Inviting the Enemy In or Do We Just Not Keep Him Out?

I've heard that the true test of a Christian is to remove him from the environment in which he is familiar and comfortable and place him somewhere new.  Then watch and see how he responds and reacts.  Does he still love his neighbor like himself? Does he still consider others before himself?  Is he still willing to lay his life down for his brother?  Does he still exhibit the fruits of the spirit? (Galatians 5:22-23: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.) Is he still growing in his relationship with his Savior, Christ Almighty?

I currently feel like the subject of this 'experiment' described above.  Although I voluntarily  removed myself from where I was comfortable and familiar, I am in a new place nonetheless.  (Sure it's not that new since I've been here for a years now; but compared to the almost 7 years before it still feels new at times.) So, the question is - how have I done?  Do I love my neighbor like myself? Do I consider others before myself?  Am I willing to lay my life down for my brother?  Do I exhibit the fruits of the spirit?  And most importantly, am I growing in my relationship with my Savior, Christ Almighty?

Honestly, if this was an exam I'd probably make a 50%.  If it was a pass or fail....I'd probably fail.  (Unless the professor was nice and graded on a curve.)  Isn't that sad to admit?  It's certainly hard to admit (insert humbling moment).  This is coming from a girl that loves God, thinks Jesus is amazing, and relies on the Holy Spirit for her next breath at times.  So why the change?

First, I'm probably being too hard on myself.  I'm sure if I asked others around me they would put me more at a 75%.  But still, why not a 100%  Why?  Because I'm snarky at times (I like this word because it sounds just as not nice as it is.)  Because my mouth runs - a lot.  Because I work (once again) in the public service industry, which tries my patience.   Because I forget (often) that the world does not revolve around me.  Because I have a blind eye and deaf hear to the needs of those right in front of me.  

As I was praying this morning about this very thing,  I asked God what I had done, if anything, to let the enemy in.  His response was a question (so typical).  "What have you done to keep Him out?"  OUCH.  Me, being a dense dope at times, asked - 'What can I do?'  (Yes, I regretted it as soon as I asked it.)  But our God is gentle, and polite, and non-condescending, and truly exhibits that there are no dumb questions (not like us at all thankfully).  He gently directed me to Ephesians 6:10-18 the great passage about the Armor of God.  Forgive me if I've written about this before, I obviously needed a reminder today.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God , so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.   And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and request.  With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (NIV)

God is with us all the time and He sends the Holy Spirit to help us; but it is our job to do our part to keep the enemy out.  Every day we must guard our hearts from this guy - he's a sneaky devil. (wink) Remember where the light does not shine the darkness prevails.  May God's undeniable love continue to encourage you and call you to put on the full armor of God and shine His light for all to see.  Amen.