The Seed Blog: I'm a Mess!

I had several directions that I planned to potentially go this week…Wanting some “Lifting and Faith-Increasing” sermons…After the many hard-pressing sermons we have endured lately!
As is often the case…God Spoke clearly… And I had to change course!...And this Message seemed to take on the mentality that Jude…The half-brother of Jesus… Had when penning his Epistle.
Jude 1:3
The subject of today’s Study is, not only needed and powerful!...But one of the most uplifting… In our day… That we could hear!...And is actually… Almost a Part 2… To last week’s Study!...From How much God Loves you… To… What are we going to do about it?! So… Please open your minds… Prepared your hearts… And GROW WITH ME TODAY!

e are in fast changing, God-rejecting times…And the influence of our culture is undeniably all over us all! Many people in this congregation… And following Christ everywhere…Have a real desire to live for… And draw closer to Jesus Christ! But… The problem is… We seem to keep messing up!
Often in all the “Fresh start” we try to make for Him! Only to fall right back into our worldly or lukewarm life again!
Sometimes in the sins we seem to keep returning to!
Sometimes in our relationships we treat selfishly!
Sometimes in the faith we seem to lose, every other day! The grudge we rekindle within days of letting go again!
Sometimes… In that big sin… We slip and fall into! Which will not let us ever feel things can be the same again!
And so… We surrender!
To the feeling that Jesus is constantly disappointed with us!
To the feeling we will always be one of the “Moderate Christians!” Which God will probably never use amazingly!
To the feeling that we cannot experience anymore of Jesus…Than we have now… Because we are too given to failure… Too weak!
Sometimes… Even to the feeling…“He must just be DONE with me!”
Let’s put aside our feelings… Put aside other’s condemnation & opinion…And simply look at the Truths… That Jesus reveals in His Word! Not only will it help our self-condemnation…But… It will show us the Way to overcoming our lukewarm…Even broken messes in life!
Will The REAL Disciples, Please Step Forward?!
We read the Gospels about Jesus and His disciples…And we marvel at the works the disciples achieved in their days! Healings, miracles, teaching & converting thousands! We see the difference they made in history! We see the brave ways many died in their Faith!...And it leaves us feeling “less-than”… Feeling common & longing!
But… Even when these disciples…Walked with, listened to, and watched Jesus every day…
Even though they were “Hand-Picked” by Our Savior Himself…Look at the honestly of Scriptures…And the humanity of the disciples!
The disciples were in all regards… A disappointing disaster!! Every step of the way! They didn’t listen to His clear teachings of why He was there! Because they were so focused on getting what they wanted (Rome)! They missed almost every Lesson He taught…Constantly disappointing Him with their narrow minds & lack of faith! Until Jesus was actually exasperated at times! (Matthew 17:17)
They showed that their own recognition & position in His Kingdom…Was often their focus… Even when walking with Him! (James & John)…In Jesus’ darkest hours of His Life… When He was stressed & broken…They overlooked His pain… And argued about who was greatest! They fell asleep while He begged for their support in prayer!...And they all left Him to be arrested and crucified! Peter denied knowing Him in the middle of His Suffering!...As Jesus watched and listened! No one but John, even stood by Him as He Died on the Cross! Thomas doubted Him, even after He Arose again!
Jesus’ closest, hand-picked friends…Misunderstood Him, criticized Him, denied Him, betrayed Him…And left Him to Die Alone against the world!
But… Not only did Jesus choose not give up on them… Not leave them…Not choose to use some one else… Someone more worthy & able! Jesus LOVED them to the very END!
Jesus kept His Faith… His Power… His Passion… IN THEM!...Even in all their failures and selfishness!...Because He saw their hearts… Their very souls!...And He knew:
Matthew 26:41
Jesus doesn’t give up on us in our failures! He doesn’t see you as too average or weak to be used incredibly! He isn’t repelled by your mistakes… Ready to move on to someone else! You are not overlooked… Or put on the shelf!
Get this! You are just as precious… You are as loved… You are as USABLE…As every disciple He Chose!...As Moses… In all his successes and failures!...As David… As Paul!
Because you are covered by the SAME BLOOD! You are filled with the SAME SPIRIT! You are handed the SAME OPPORTUNITY for Intimacy & Purpose! As a matter of fact… He is LONGING for you…To see that AWESOME REALITY!...And let it change your life! In a very REAL WAY!
The Change!
This honest, UGLY portrayal of all of the disciples…Gave way to their HONEST AND INTRIGUING CHANGE…As their fear of others… Fear of loss… Confusion in His Word!
All… Completely gave way to new lives!
This disastrous bunch of failures…Gave up their normal lives for good!...Came out in opposition… But love…Against all… those who threatened and hated them! They healed… Preached to… And convicted thousands! They wrote… Protected… And carried His Message everywhere!
They stayed the course… Against the world around them…Until it killed all but one of them… Horribly!
Peter, was crucified upside down under Nero!
Andrew, his brother, was crucified for days on an “X” cross…
(St. Andrew’s Cross) It is said he gave the Word for days before dying!
James, was beheaded by King Herod I!
John, the only one not murdered… Was boiled in oil, in an attempt!
But upon surviving… Died of old age on a Prison Island (Patmos)!
Phillip, was hanged in Turkey.
Bartholomew (Nathaniel), was skinned alive in India!
Matthew, was either stoned to death (Babylonian Talmud)…
Or stabbed thru, in the back, standing at the altar of a church! (Foxes)
Thomas (Didymus), was thrust through with a spear in India.
James (The Lesser), was stoned to death.
Thaddaeus, was executed with multiple arrows in Persia.
Simon the Zealot, was crucified.
What changed? What made these narrow-minded, scared, failures…Into spiritual heroes of Faith?! Are you listening?  Do you really want to know? They went from a DESIRE for Jesus (Spirit is willing)…To a DEVOTION to Jesus!  THAT’S IT!
They saw clearly… For the first time…Just how far God had been willing to go for them!...And humbled them… Shocked them… Overwhelmed them!...So completely at that point…That they devoted themselves to drawing nearer to Him…To serving Him…Even more passionately than…When He literally walked with them on earth!
When they had walked with Him… Though they loved Him… Though they believed in Him…
Their motivations were still set on what HE was going to DO for them! On how HE would change their world for the better! In other words… How beautifully He would fit into their plans!!...But AFTER they saw all He’d now done for them…AFTER they saw what He truly OFFERED them…Intimacy with God, like they’d never dreamed!
AFTER they saw His Heart’s Desire to bring HIS KINGDOM…NOT… Just make ours more enjoyable! AFTER they saw His real Love for everyone! Their DESIRE for Him…Turned into a PASSIONATE DEVOTION… TO HIM!!!
They no longer saw their own failures…
They didn’t matter… Only more of Him!
They no longer felt afraid or insecure…They didn’t matter… Only Him!
They no longer lived to prove themselves or be noticed as before! That didn’t matter… Only Him!
They didn’t have time to fall back into their old ways or thoughts…Because they never left Him long enough to grow cold again!
He no longer was just a part of their life…He was their reason for life… HE WAS THEIR LIFE!
Look for a moment with me… Back to the life of Daniel! If you think we have a culture that is hostile…And tempting to lure us away from our beliefs! Daniel watched his family be killed, and his country overtaken! He was carried away to a completely foreign and pagan culture…When he was only a young teenager!...And promised to be accepted… To be given great things…If he would simply adapt to their ways.  Which were inviting! But when time of trials came… When his persecution began…Watch this Passage closely… And notice the key to his success!
Daniel 6:6-7
Daniel 6:10
The LAST FIVE WORDS of that Verse are the KEY!! To why Daniel persevered!  (And we often DO NOT!) To why he was so close to God! To why he was usable by God in such amazing ways!
Against the WILL… And now, even the LAW… Of his land! Daniel persisted three times a day… IN PRAYING to his God! But… Those last five words…“As he had done previously!”… Say it ALL!
He was DEVOTED… Completely given to God… ALL THE TIME! Not when his relationship was in trouble! Not when he messed up and needed a way out! Not when he was sick… Or out of money!
Daniel had no trouble with temptation…Not trouble with fear or intimidation…When the time came…Because he walked with God in DEVOTION every moment!...Because he kept God as his reason and motivation every day!...Because he relied on the Strength of God… Over his own!
God wasn’t a Truth IN his life…God WAS his life!!!
It Could Be You and Me! YOU… And I… Are every bit… As forgiven… As sought after… As usable… As powerful… As Daniel!...As the Twelve disastrous wrecks Jesus used to change the world!...IF WE CAN STOP FOCUSING ON WHAT A TRAIN WRECK WE ARE…AND FOCUS ON WHAT HE IS… THROUGH US! IF EVERYTHING WE THINK ABOUT OURSELVES & OUR LIVES…CAN SIMPLY FADE… IN OUR DESIRE TO PROMOTE HIM FIRST!
Instead of hiding behind… And being traumatized by…Our victimization… Our failures… Our weaknesses…Understand just how CLEAN… And PERFECT…You’ve been made through HIS CRAZY-LOVING-SACRIFICE!...And then… The real change… The real power… The real closeness…Comes when our DESIRE… Becomes REAL DEVOTION!
Let our culture… Let our own beliefs… Let our lives…Take a backseat to SEEKING HIM AS A WAY OF EXISTING! How can you grow cold to someone you spend every day with?!! So… Decide today! That just like Daniel…And just like the disciples AFTER they saw Jesus’ Sacrifice…To make serving and walking with Him…Literally your everyday PASSION in DEVOTION!
Read with reverence and expectancy… Daily!
Pray for His healing in your mind and soul…
         Pray to know what HE is doing right now!
         Pray to see, forgive, and love others through Him!
Obey and Trust every Word you hear and read from Him!
Change anything that needs changing…Immediately… Without wavering or debating!
Then STAND FIRM!! With no thought given to the cost or loss! Not judging success in life by anything…But what you know is pleasing to the One Who Died for you!
Accept that your failures will be a part of the journey as you go!...And never use them as a reason to quit or go back!...But as a challenge to show how badly you want Him!
Trust His Promise to never let go…And never give up on you!
Philippians 1:6
Isaiah 49:15-16
We have to understand… That in all of the ridicule…All of the temptation… All of the twisting of God ‘s Words…We are NOT facing anything…These disciples and early Christians didn’t face!
THIS IS TRUTH! It is not that things are more unbearable for us…But that we need to choose to give ourselves totally to Him…Just as they did!
Let’s go back to the Passage we began with in closing…And compare ourselves to their world…Then receive the same Inspiration given to them!
Jude 1:3-4
Jude 1:7-9, 11
Does it not sound as if Jude understood the times we are now living?!...And here is his encouragement!!...And Calling for us in these times!
Jude 1:17-25
What were his instructions?
Build yourselves up in your faith! (Draw close daily)
Pray in God’s Spirit! (Seek His Will and Love for others)
Keep yourselves in the love of God…
Expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ! (Understand your acceptance in failure)
Have mercy on sinners… But hating everything to do with their sin! (Avoid the world with extreme passion!)
Lastly… Trust that HE WILL MAKE YOU…
STAND IN HIS PRESENCE BLAMELESS AND BOLD AND JOYFUL!
It’s not the weight of your sin…It’s His Perfect Love…The time is short… The time is now!
Look at how God is working on this Body of Believers!
Come together as His Bride TODAY… RIGHT NOW! And purpose to make this a turning point in our lives.Take away ever reason He can’t or won’t use YOU…As intimately and powerfully as anyone in Scriptures!
And truly… Literally… Daily… Make knowing Him intimately…Make doing His Will above everything else…ABSOLUTELY THE BREAD THAT GIVES YOU LIFE! COMPLETELY EMBRACE HIS ACCEPTANCE OF YOU!...AND THEN LIVE TO DRAW CLOSER TO HIM… ABOVE ANYTHING!...AND HE’LL USE THIS DISASTROUSLY SINFUL GROUP…TO CHANGE THE WORLD AS WELL!
THE DIFFERENCE IN REALLY KNOWING HIM DEEPLY…IN NOT FOLLOWING AWAY AGAIN…IN DOING AMAZING THINGS THROUGH HIM…IS THAT YOU DECIDE… IT’S ALL… OR NOTHING!
LET YOU DESIRE… BECOME YOUR COMPLETE DEVOTION!!