The Call (part 1)

I haven't blogged in a hot minute.
A lot has happened within that very hot minute.

LEGOO (Let's Go)

2011 oh what a year it's been thus far! You know when God has called you to really dig in and you really haven't for whatever reason? You know when God brings this about for you because you're on a long ting and there is work to be done? lol. #YeahThat

I've realllllyyyyy been pondering upon the core of Christianity. The heart of God. The things that really matter in this existence. It's been a mindblowing time. A life changing time. A very serious time and I'd like to share some of that.

First of all, God showed me how unserious I was being. If you read Matthew 7:21 you'll see that not everyone who thinks that they're saved is actually saved and that many are on their way to hell, totally oblivious. In fact the Bible makes it clear that more are deceived than are saved. This is probably the peakest/deepest thing I have ever pondered, yet in the past I have merely acknowledged and skipped over it. But why?

I believe it was because, whether I realised it or not, I was measuring myself against a standard that was not God's standard. You see what God has revealed to me is just how much He is about the heart of man and how much He is about relationship with Himself. God desires a clean heart and pure hands and the the first one leads to the latter. He holds things like forgiveness, judging, anger etc in such a high regard and we (well I) skim over them. When you go to a church where people aren't really that on fire for God and you live in a world full of general lukewarmness it is easy to slip into measuring yourself against these other believers. When you are one of the faithful few, when you are the one with your hands up in worship whilst others are shy, when you are the one that can finish the Bible quotes ("He who finds a wife finds a?.."), when you go to Bible study and the occassional prayer meeting, when you do all of this Christian stuff that other Christians often don't do you can lose focus of the standard and the whole point of why we are here. We are here for the glory of the Lord and to live in relationship with Him. That is why Christ died! In the words of one brother "the dead truth is that this is a life for a life exchange" (Christs for ours).

Anyone can go to church on time, anyone can go to Bible study and take notes, anyone can carry a speaker up some stairs at 9.30am, anyone can lift up their hands in a worship service and sing loudly whilst their mind is elsewhere because they're just singing and not praising cos they're not in a deep relationship with God so their heart is empty, anyone can quote Bible scriptures and call people "Bro" and "Sis" and smile in the presence of all of these generally bubbly people. People from all different religions manage to not have sex outside of marriage, not splash their money on foolishness, not watch secular programmes or listen to secular music etc.
What is the core of this thing? What is the difference between a "good" Atheist, a "good" Muslim and a Christian? Well that is a blog topic by itself lol. But relationship with God is essential. Do we really know Him? In Matthew 7 Jesus says to an unsaved Christian "depart from me, you who work in iniquity for I never knew you". Deep. Can we sit down and argue with eachother about different doctrines and put other people and other churches down because we've labelled them "UnBiblical" meanwhile our own hearts and lives are unbiblical and we don't even realise?!?!?! Can we live lukewarm lives when we are called to be so radically changed and set apart from unbelievers that we are like aliens among them? (It's Biblical).

It's so serious because I've been that guy! "What? Your church believes in tithes and tries to make you feel bad about not giving 10%? Naa that's not Biblical" *proceeds to offend and upset said "Brother" with an unloving spirit and badly disguised judgement/self righteousness*. What the hell is that? It's in the name of Christ but Christ would have nothing to do with it! Yet it's spawned out of hours of Bible study done without the love of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Newsflash! You can read your Bible for hours a day, go to Bible college, study deep theology and not know God and go to hell having told saved believers whose understanding is slightly flawed that they were "dodgy" or not "sound". It's SO serious!

The Bible says to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling". I have truly trembled this year and you know what? I'm really glad that I did. I now know the meaning of that scripture and the seriousness of the need to do it.

We are called to be men and women of God, who walk in relationship with Him. What is the greatest commandment? "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul, with all your mind and with all your strength" and the second greatest commandment is like unto it "Love your neighbour as yourself".
Do we really know how deep that is? I don't even think I do to be honest! It's craaazzzyyy. I could have reeled that scripture off to you casually for the last 5 years and only in the last two months have I really actually begun to understand it. Love God. It's a command. It's not optional. It's the greatest command. The Lord God almighty desires relationship with us and look at what He did to achieve that! 

The most important thing is not to carry speakers early in the morning, or hand out tracts, or delete all of your secular music or dress modestly or any of that stuff. When we truly seek God and enter into relationship with Him these things iron themselves out of their own accord because we have spent time in the presence of God and cannot casually delve back into that stuff that is in the "grey area". When we love God and seek Him we don't want to cling to them anymore. 

Sins that I have struggled with and mental idols that I have clung onto for years have been smashed and cast down, some almost over night because my heart was for God and my desire was relationship with Him. To know Him and to glorify His name. God has used me more in the start of 2011 then he did in the whole of 2010 because I have gone to a new level of surrender (another blog topic) and because I have sought to know Him and been in tune with Him and the Holy Spirit. 

My whole thought life has been transformed as has my prayer life. It's so easy to be sucked into things that are not necessarily bad but at the same time are not condusive to the glory of God i.e. work, college, uni, relationships, clothes, school, social networking, cars etc. These things easily consume our mind but it is actually beautiful to just walk down the street and talk to God and feel His presence and know that He is with you and smile while all of this meaningless chaos goes on around you. 


It's actually beautiful.

I think I have too much to say lol. I'll leave it there. It's been broken, abrupt and the opposite of eloquent but it's my life, it's my walk with God and it's me growing, ranting and learning.



God Bless you and may you work out your salvation!