“Lord, make me see thy glory in every place.”
— Michelangelo

“Lord, grant that I may always desire more than I accomplish.”
— Michelangelo

I continue to sense a discontent in my spirit. I am not downcast, I am not discouraged, but I am not satisfied. I read the pages of God’s Word and see people invited into something miraculous and divine and I want it. I sense the Spirit of God alive in me; hungering for community with similarly awakened souls. I feel the unction and commission of God to spread this Good News; that God has invited us to share His Spirit…He desires to dwell within us, and give us resurrected life in the present and in the now. I speak these words to people today and hear them affirm the words, but discern doubt in their heart. While this may sound judgmental, I am inclined to examine the fruit…and where there is none or there is little, I question the veracity of the root system and the soil of that individual’s life.

I am determined to live the life taught in the gospels. I am determined to build upon the foundations and teaching of the apostle-disciples and I will not be quieted. A curious phenomenon has emerged during this season of my life; when I talk or share my thoughts about this brooding of my spirit, the most common response from others is to encourage me or try to “fix” me. The problem is I don’t see myself as the one needing “fixed” or “encouraged.” You see, I know it is God, The Holy Spirit, who has “broken” me and I don’t want this brokenness to be fixed. God has placed a hunger for Himself in my soul and nothing less than overflowing portions of HIM satisfies. For this reason, I am mystified when I encounter others who profess love for and relationship with Jesus, but seek their satisfaction from worldly endeavors. I don’t get it.

I know the call to follow Christ is one that demands everything. I know that once we have given our life to Christ, we are given to the mission of Christ. Therefore, any agenda other than the mission of God is anti-Christ (see Matthew 12:30).

I am just ending a 60-day meditation in the Gospel of Matthew. Some things I take away from it are (1) the incredible life that Jesus offers to us; both on this earth and in this physical life and the immortal-eternal life spent (physically) with Him in the new heaven and new earth, and (2) the incredibly narrow path and high bar that life calls us to be accountable to until Christ returns or our physical life ends.

Highlighting the fifth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus begins to teach the precepts of His Kingdom; for living now and tomorrow-eternal. I believe, in my own words, the Beatitudes, which depict true followers of Christ, can be summarized as follows:

1. True disciples are dependent upon God
2. True disciples are discontent with the sin nature
3. True disciples are confident in their Christian position
4. True disciples  desire to reconcile and restore God’s Kingdom
5. True disciples are compassionate, patient, forgiving, and merciful
6. True disciples are innocent and childlike in their purity of heart, not cynical, skeptical, doubting, flippant, and/or selfish
7. True disciples are “reconcilers” (and this should not be confused with compromiser)
8. True disciples willingly release their rights and/or lives for the sake of and salvation of others

Indeed, Jesus raises the bar for those who answer the call to “follow him.” Jesus makes it very clear (Matthew 5:13-16) that our Christian faith and our ability to reflect the image of God (Imago Dei) is a non-negotiable. Jesus says we will truly reflect His glory, or we will be “thrown out.” He says our acts of mercy, justice, healing, and righteousness should illuminate our world (community). He goes on to make clear (Matthew 5:17-20) that we “do not misunderstand why he has come…” Jesus says; “Unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” Ouch. If these words do not convey accurately his intent; I find these closing words difficult to argue with; “You are to be perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

I have been reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians and from the prophet Jeremiah this morning. The following passages captured my attention:

Colossians chapter one –

• vs 1: “…chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.”
• vs 6: “This good news is bearing fruit everywhere changing lives…”
• vs 9-10: “…God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit.”
• vs 25: “God has given me the responsibility of serving His church by proclaiming His entire message to you…”
• vs 27: “The message; CHRIST LIVES IN YOU!”
• vs 28: “…so we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect (mature) in their relationship to Christ.”
• vs 29: “That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.”

Jeremiah chapter one –

• vs 7: “You must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you…”
• vs 9-10: “Look I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant.”
• vs 17: “…Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them.

I do not know what this next season is on the horizon and I’m not sure when it will fully break into the “now,” but I am very aware that God has been stirring me for a long time and the next season will bring change. I vow faithfulness to Jesus, my Savior, my God. I know, in my heart, I trust Him implicitly.

“The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.”
— Michelangelo

Reveille – pt. 1 is a post from: iCrucified

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Main Entry: rev·eil·le

Etymology: modification of French réveillez, imperative plural of réveiller to awaken, from Middle French reveiller, from re- + eveiller to awaken, from Vulgar Latin *exvigilare, from Latin ex- + vigilare to keep watch, stay awake — more at vigilant Date: 1644

1. : a signal to get up mornings
2. : a bugle call at about sunrise signaling the first military formation of the day; also : the formation so signaled

Wake up.

^ESV Romans 13:11 Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.

^NRS Ephesians 5:14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

^NIV Revelation 3:2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.

^NLT Revelation 3:3 Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpectedd as a thief.

Wake up.

This has been echoing, echoing, echoing…beating, beating, and beating in my head-heart for a long time, but especially so for the past several months. My heart is burdened for people…so many in the world I live are “sleep” walking their way through life…blind to the realities and promises of the God of all creation, Jesus Christ. I am fearful for the many and I am fearful for the people that Holy Spirit has led me to shepherd over and minister to. So many in the circles I have traveled have “over-personalized” the gospel message reducing the proclamation of God’s Kingdom to individualized salvation. While our relationship with Jesus is intimate and personal, if this personal relationship isn’t made public in word and in action…it has not been made personal at all.

“…indignant and insulted…the temple leaders and religious leaders questioned Jesus over his actions. Specifically, they were concerned over his leading children astray… Jesus’ response to them was this question; ‘Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures?’” –Matthew 21:15-16

Over the next few days and weeks I will try to flesh out some of my thoughts in this blog with regard to the promises of life our Lord has invited us to partake in; a life free from the bondage of sin. All of these promises clearly spelled out and contextually accurate in their interpretation from the Bible. There is no reason for us to be accused of the same failure as the Sadducees and religious leaders in the day of Jesus.

“…Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.” Jesus – Matthew 22:29

Wake up.

^CSB Proverbs 6:9 How long will you stay in bed, you slacker? When will you get up from your sleep?

^NLT Psalm 57:8 Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.

“Whoever hungers for righteousness wants to live actively according to God’s righteousness; this is proper for the person with a good heart. One who thirsts for righteousness wants to acquire the knowledge of God that one can gain only by studying scriptures. This is fitting for the person with an attentive heart.” –Anonymous

Reveille: Introduction is a post from: iCrucified

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Post tags: Jesus, kingdom of God, Meditations, Reveille

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