Sojourner Thoughts

Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! 

I am reminded today that the purpose and goal of this life is to know God and to glorify Him through our lives for as long as we have breath. 

My heart breaks that a 14 year old young man would see no other option in this life than to end his life. The unanswerable questions begin for this family today. What could I have done? How could this happen? Didn’t he know we loved him? What do we do now?  I am struck with the thought that this young man came to me and prayed just a few weeks ago at church. Full of life, very humble and willing to receive all God had for him and yet he still ended his life. Why? What more could I have done to help him? What do I do with this today?

The truth is that ALL of us will come to the end of our life at some point. Death is as much a part of life as birth, but so rarely do I consider the reality of the end of my time on the earth. But today I find myself wondering, How do I proceed with a “normal life” when I carry the HOPE of the world around with me?  I know and understand the goodness and graciousness of God because of the access granted through Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. I have been entrusted with the message of reconciliation between God and man, with the mandate to be His ambassador to everyone that He wants to be their friend so much that Jesus died to make it available. 

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 MSG.                           All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.

From this day FORWARD, I am abandoning any desire to be “normal” and moving into the peculiar position of a representative of the radical goodness, love and grace of God to EVERYONE!  I am fully launching into the deep waters of MEGA-GRACE. As I was praying about this MEGA-GRACE word that is being released right now, I heard the Holy Spirit say that (1) The Law was Grace, (2) Jesus came to bring Grace upon Grace (John 1:16 NASB – For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace), (3) The baptism of the Holy Spirit is Grace upon Grace upon Grace. The law shows us our need for Grace, Jesus death on the cross covers us in Grace and the Holy Spirit empowers us to receive and OFFER Grace to others!  Thank you God for your Grace!!

Finally, I want to encourage everyone who believes and follows Christ to remember the words of Peter in 1 Peter 2:11-12 – Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.  How we live does matter!  What we value does matter!  How we treat others does matter!  Let us live in such a way that people see that we are different and be quick to offer an explanation of how Christ changes our desires in this world!!

Much Love,

Seth