The Seed Blog: Don't Be a Chicken, Be a Pig!

We’re going to cover a lot, so just focus on what is for you. Somehow, most Christians today have this deeply embedded, subconscious idea in our hearts that living for Christ simply means: removing what Jesus calls “Sin” from our lives, then continuing to live, do, work, go, buy, act as we have planned in life, as long as it is not overtly sinful—hoping to get blessings and favor from Him because we have proclaimed His Name and have removed the destructive things of which He disapproves. But this mindset is completely foreign to what every Scripture actually calls us to be as His disciples. Many of us are living our lives for Christ halfway at very best; removing and avoiding sins in our lives and not even trying too hard at that. But never really giving our entire lives to Him, as every page of scriptures command and instruct. We are not surrendered and belonging to Him in our lives. We are simply changing a few things about our lives, removing a few things that are considered offensive to Him. And as long as our lives do not seem overtly sinful or openly offensive to Him, we consider this as having devoted our lives to Him. In the Great Breakfast Buffet of Heaven, we are chickens, offering a few eggs here and there. But we are called to be pigs, offering bacon and sausage. All in, totally committed, costing everything. I say that jokingly, but stop and consider: is He truly “Lord of all” in your life? Romans 11:36 - 12:2; Matthew 13:44-46; Galatians 2:20.

Seriously consider if the men and  women who made it into Scripture, who are supposed to show us how to be close to God, had just “curbed their sins a little bit” and decided that was what it took “to follow God with their lives.” Would Noah have dedicated 75 years to building an Ark? Would Abraham have left his “well-to-do” family in Ur to chase a Promise he didn’t understand I n a land he’d never been to? Would Moses have faced the most powerful man on earth and wander in the desert with those who questioned and rejected him? Would Daniel have risked the highest office in Babylon to instead be offered as lion food? Would Hosea have married a prostitute? And went back to her again? Would Mary and Joseph have destroyed their futures simply to be shamed and rejected all their days? Would Paul have given up a powerful, prestigious position to become hunted, tortured, imprisoned and executed? Would John choose boiling in oil only to be exiled to slave labor on the Isle of Patmos? Would Jesus Christ have offered Himself to torture and death as a Criminal? These people chose to change every facet of their lives; chose to leave their lives, leave or change occupations. They chose to leave relationships, start new relationships; chose to go against governments and society; chose to leave the life they had planned to accept a new one. Some to join in God’s Will and Mission on earth; some to avoid disobeying His Commands. All by choice, at great change, even risk of great loss: Colossians 3:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15. These core statements about becoming a disciple of Jesu are not just sweet ‘theological or spiritual declarations.’ They were not just for exemplary Bible characters, and today are not just for a few, select Saints. But for every person who has surrendered to the will of Christ. Nothing has changed; we are called to this same life right now. Just because we have trouble recognizing, just because we may resist or ignore this fact does not make it less true. Living for Christ with your whole life is not just about sinning les, not just about what to let go of, but about everything you pick up, change, pursue, and decide your entire life, being given to Him in love and trust. First, remove yourself from consideration. Do not start, or interrupt one thing we consider from here with: “I deserve to have this. This is what I want in my life. This is where I’d like to go. What I would like to attain. I only have one life, one chance. Isn’t my life and happiness important? I don’t like change. I’m just fine where I am.” Let me ask you something big here Hopefully, it will be a serious wake-up call): What would have happened if any of the men of Scriptures felt their own lives were too important, too special, or worthy above others to change, interrupt or be given to God’s Will? Would we even know who they are now? Would their lives really have mattered in the scheme of things? Would their personal successes have made the impact, their lives made, when given away? Would we have God’s Word or Will? What if Jesus—God on earth—had felt His Life was too special? Would you even be sitting here with breath in your lungs? What if every grave dug for someone who died to protect your freedom, whose life was just as unique, special, promising, and full of potential, was never dug because they were too special and chose self? Would you be sitting here? God knows all of your potential [He gave it to you], and He wants you to be joyful and successful. But also know that your idea of success in this world is based upon a completely different foundation than God’s. And His successes are what truly last in the end; His are the only ones that matter. Know that we wouldn’t even have an opportunity at success if He had not placed us here, gave us what we have now, and saved us from our own destruction. Therefore, our life is not even ours to even decide what we think should be done with it because we have literally chosen to give it away to Him, just as He has done for us. Know that your life and mine are absolutely no better than all the lives given for us to be here today and know about His Salvation for us; no better than all the hurting, broken lives around us now. Know God’s way of measuring your life as successful Is based upon nothing else but your willingness to give it away to Him: Luke 14:33. We start with humility, real perspective, and sacrifice. And then we ask ourselves some easy (but revealing) questions. The key is this:
Answer these questions in honesty and decide if you are willing to change whatever they may reveal simply because God is Worthy, because He became our Servant, because we want to serve Him more than we want our own life. 1) Are you living right now, where I shouldn’t be? Are you literally dishonoring Him with my current lifestyle or habits? That means pornography, substance abuse, living with someone, having unwed sex, freeloading off someone else, holding grudges? If you know you have embraced something in your lifestyle that you have justified or put off dealing with, you are not surrendered to Him and you must start here. He is smarter; He Loves perfectly; He has reasons for everything He asks. Trust Him wholeheartedly or stop lying to yourself. 2) Are your relationships in His Will? Are you with someone Scriptures say you shouldn’t be with because they are not following Him? Because they are not Scripturally free to be with you; (divorce for wrong reason/wrong sex); because you are not Scripturally free to be with them and should be trying to reconcile to the one you left. Trust that He has a better Plan with the right person that will bring more fulfillment and less pain. Are you contemplating or actively pursuing a divorce from someone who has not Scripturally given a reason? Focus everything on honoring and healing them as His wonderful plan compels us to do in real love rather than chasing what you feel you deserve or want instead. 3) Do you put your desire to enjoy leisure activity and downtime over the importance of knowing and serving Him? Do you spend hours a week enjoying social media, hobbies, sports, games, and yet have no time or desire to spend time knowing Him in study and prayer? Or to spend time serving those in your life around you helping others at home or in His body of believers? No time to invest His world that is lost and broken because you are too occupied with self? Do you even stop and access the needs and desires of those around you? Have you taken an honest look at the conditions of the time and place in which you now live to see where you may be God’s answer, to see where you may be needed right now? Answer the call from God and decide to change what you derive pleasure from; letting your leisure activities and rewards come after you have actually given yourself in joy and concern to God and others first. 4) Is your desire to live a fun, fulfilled life with your family or spouse completely taking the place of anything you would do for God? Are you robbing your own family of the treasure of serving and instead teaching worldliness, selfishness, and pursuit of pleasure over responsibility and commitment? Teach them to humbly serve with you in the most practical and selfless ways. 5) Are you working where He would have you work? The hours He would have you work? Or are you involved in an occupation that is not honoring Him? Are you working so hard to achieve material things that you have no time for God or loved ones? Make the decision to put God first, people first, convictions first, at any financial cost or lifestyle change. 6) Have you discerned the times in which you are living the beliefs, practices, attitudes, laws in your society and weighed them against God’s principles and commandments? And chosen to follow God’s Ways everywhere they are at odds? Or have you taken the easy path going along with the culture, become part of the world around you? Weigh every aspect of the world in which you now find yourself and take fulfillment and joy in drawing a line for Christ and stepping out of the world’s ways, at any cost. Stand for God, stand for real love, stand for truth, and let the world see Christ rather than you. 7) Do you spend your financial and material blessings on building more, having more, and looking better to the world, or being a blessing to others in real need and supporting God’s work? Do you have a nice home, cars, clothes, phones, internet, gaming systems, and yet say you have nothing to give to others or church because you are just too poor? Realize the blessings you have received from Him; realize the real needs of those around you that are so much greater, and show the love and mercy you have received. Your giving is supposed to be sacrificial, supposed to cost something, supposed to mean you might do without sometimes. That is where joy is found, character is built and seeds are planted (faith). 8) Have you simply, literally asked God what would He have you do in His Kingdom and meant it? With the talents, skills, education and opportunities, He has given to you? What would He have you to prepare for, run to, involve yourself in, commit to doing which may be scary, costly, difficult, bigger than you. but is needed for your Kingdom, for your hurting people. Maybe a ministry, maybe missions, maybe teaching, maybe fostering/adopting, maybe just loving on someone near you. 9) Are you focused on genuinely, lovingly addressing every soul that touches or even passes through your life for whatever time they are present? Whether a coworker, a church member, a friend or even a cashier or mechanic? Are you focused with concern on their worth at that moment? Jesus showed the Love of the Father, showed genuine concern and met the most needs one person at a time—usually those He met along the way—because He walked in total surrender at all times. Do those around you see Jesus, or you? When Mary was greeted by the Angel Gabriel and told she had been chosen by God to carry the Messiah, she responded in love and devotion in this way: Luke 1:38. [handmaid]. In the Mosaic Law, an indentured servant working off debt or a criminal sentence to another could (after their debt was paid and they were free to leave), give themselves to the one they had been indebted to by choice for life. If they had been cared for and loved so dearly, they wanted to remain part of the household: Deuteronomy 15:16-17. Mary was saying just this. God had been so loving and kind to her that she had given herself to Him forever as His servant to do whatever He asked of her.
If we know He Loves us so much, if we know we will prosper with Him, it is time for us to forget what we have been taught about being His disciples, exchange who is on the Cross and Who is on the Throne. And offer ourselves in reality as His bond-slave for life. If you do, He will lift you up, give you His Glory and make you His treasured Bride instead.