Purpose Driven Destruction

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

(John 10:10a)

From the beginning of time we see him working out his purpose with Adam and Eve.

We are all created in the image of God. That image is best seen in the expressions from and in our hearts. Satan cannot take away our salvation but if he can destroy, break or in other ways nullify the heart of Almighty God’s image bearers then He will be happy. God’s glory is expressed best here on this earth through the lives of His children. As Saint Irenaeus wrote, “The glory of God is man fully alive”. Satan’s plan is to break your heart, especially in things towards God. If he can do that then the glory of God coming from your life is dimmed and less of an influence for God.

Satan tried to do this to Adam, the nation of Israel, Jarius, Joseph, Abraham, Daniel, Jesus and millions of others. Where was God when the Jews were commanded to make more bricks with less material? Were was God when Jarius held His almost lifeless daughter in his arms? Where was God as Joseph as being thrown into the dry well? Where was God when Jacob received news of his favorite son being killed by wild animals? Where was God when Daniel was being thrown into the lion’s den? Where was God while Job was getting the mess kicked out of him? Where was He when your husband/wife walked out? Where was he when your best friend died of AIDS? Where was he when you were betrayed by those you trusted the most? Where is He now? Why didn’t/doesn’t He step in?

Each one of those questions is fueled by Satan’s sole purpose to destroy your heart. He wants to steal your joy, your hope. He wants to kill your emotion towards your Creator, your Father and to kill your heart towards Him and in some cases not only your heart but your very life.

Without the well, Joseph would have never brought the Jews to Egypt. Without the cross, no resurrection. God won. He always does.

My friend, you may not see, feel, sense, or even believe that God is with you in the midst of your situation or that He even cares.

He is and He does… One day every question will be answered, every doubt will be erased, every fear quenched, every tear dried. Go ahead, cry, get mad. My prayer for you today is that you will be able to say, even in your brokenness, just as Job did, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him (Job 13:15 NIV) Today may be your “Friday”, but your “Sunday” is coming.

With you, desiring a heart fully alive……...MJ

So Discouraged

Have you ever been so beaten down, so discouraged, so plagued with the sense of failure that you asked God, “couldn’t I just start over from the beginning?”, or maybe you’ve prayed, “If only I had another chance, to begin with a clean slate.”

I remember watching the movie, “Back to the Future” where the star goes back in time and has the opportunity to change the way his life had turned out by making certain people in his past make different choices that give him in turn a better life. Would you do that if you could? Well, don’t get too excited, we can’t do that, but we do have something to rejoice about. No matter how “messed” up your life is, God has provided a way for you to begin again. One of His new mercies towards you today is new breath. If you are breathing today, you have an opportunity for God to make the rest of your days new and therefore change the course of your life.

Your failures do not determine your destiny when you are a child of God. David realized this when he poured out his heart to God after blowing it “big time”. In Psalm 51 we see him admitting to his sin and asking God to have mercy, blot out his transgressions, wash him, cleanse, teach, create a pure heart, renew His Spirit in him, restore joy, sustain him, save him, open his lips to praise, to make him brand new.

Listen to how Eugene Peterson expresses David’s prayer in Psalm 51:7-15 (The Message):

“Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and
I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
Set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close
For blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh
Start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in
Me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my
Sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can
Find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my
Salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise.”

Do you want that? Read Psalm 51 this week and ask God to “shape a Genesis week from the chaos of your life!” He will, if only you ask. Remember your true hope is in Him.

Pastor MJ

Communion With God In Eden

One day while walking through the Dallas Arboretum, breathing in the sweet aroma of the thousands of varieties of plants and flowers I began to wonder what it was like in the Garden of Eden. As beautiful as the Botanical Gardens are it is at best tainted with the imperfections of sin. The atmosphere is not pure, the ground is tainted, and the climate as near perfect as it may be still falls short to the Garden planted and tended by God first then by a near perfect man in a perfect environment.

Something else about the Garden captures my thoughts. Just imagine, what would it be like to be on a small (relatively) part of the earth in a perfect environment with everything you need, want or desire and throughout the day you have one on one conversations with God. He actually walks in the garden and talks with you. He doesn’t think only of what you have with Him, but He cares so much about you that he causes you to see your need, and then fulfills that need by creating a mate for you. A mate made by the hands of the same Artist that just created the sun, moon, stars, the earth and the entire universe. What a deal!

Worship was a lifestyle with Adam. It was not something that was put on. It was not something that He had to labor over. It was not something that he switched on and off. It was life for him to walk, talk, and commune, spend time with, listen to, learn from, and be in the presence of the God of the universe. Everything was just right. Just like it was after God created everything – it was very good!

But something happened. That sweet communion between God and Adam was broken because of sin. That broke the heart of God. He had so enjoyed the fellowship with the one part of creation that was made in His own image. However, He was not going to let sin keep Him away from His precious creation.

Where He had every right to forsake Adam, destroy him and start all over again, God instead pursued Adam and took the first step to restore that relationship. That pursuit continues even today. We all have sinned, but God pursues us to restore the original relationship that He desired to have with Adam. For Adam, God sacrificed an animal, shedding its blood, and used the skin to cover his nakedness. For us God sacrificed His Beloved, shedding His blood and used Him to cover our nakedness before His holiness.

Today as you partake of the Lord’s Supper, praise Him for pursuing you and for giving up everything to bring you back to the garden.

Pastor MJ

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven:

(Eccl 3:1 NIV)

Over the years I have learned much about the changing seasons of life. Nothing in this life seems to stays the same; everything is in constant motion, everything from nature to life’s circumstances exhibit constant transition.

As parents we see this every day. From our children’s first breath, to talking, from diapers to Fruit of the Loom, from walking to running, from pre-school to college, from childhood to friendship it never seems to stop changing. As nature reveals to us, anything that is living grows and goes through transitional changes.

Many people are afraid of change. For some, the only kind of change they like is from a dollar bill. I believe that most people who fear change do so out of the fear of the unknown. There is a sense of security in remaining the same, but on the other hand we may miss out on great adventures and opportunities by shunning change for the familiar.

I had no idea of the constant changes and transitions that I would go through in the just the first 17 years of married life. However, God has blessed me with a help-mate whom I love and trust and know that whatever we face, as long as we are in it together, with the Lord’s help we’ll be okay. No, it doesn’t make the transitions themselves any easier, but it make s the journey through them easier to handle when done together in His strength.

Although everything with and in life goes through changes there is one constant for all eternity. That is our gracious God. "From Age To Age He Is The Same, Yesterday, Today And Forever!" (See Malachi 3:6)

Oh, the comfort we can find in that truth. The same God who parted the Red Sea, raised the dead, created the world and paid the price for our sins on the cross, is the same God that walks with us today saying, "if I did all of that for you, won’t I also walk by your side during every changing season of your life providing comfort, guidance and direction? And if you follow my directions, you won’t go wrong!"

The only fear we should have about change is if we do it without God by our side in the midst of that transition. Other than that, welcome change, it proves that you are alive!
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. (John 14:6a NIV)

Happy New Year, MJ