Calling You Out.

 I went to see the band CAIN in concert over the weekend. They have a song "Rise Up (Lazarus)". It's a song about Jesus calling us out of the grave. Just like Lazarus.

John 11:43-44 New Living Translation

43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!”44 And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

I have heard this song many times, but when it was played live, it just hit different. Powerful! Hands raised in the air, I could feel the Holy Spirit speaking to me. He asked me what Jesus has been calling me/us out of? How comfortable have we gotten on our own. We are too scared to make a move, when God tells us to move. He wants to wake us up. Call us out of our tombs, just like He called Lazarus!

So what grave is Jesus calling you out of today? 

Your past? Are you to comfortable living in the past? Once we accept Jesus, our past is gone. A new life begins. A new life in Him!

2 Corinthians 5:17 New Living Translation

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

Is He calling you out of your sin. Are you comfortable in your sin. It is something that you are familiar with.

1 John 1:9 Living Bible

9 But if we confess our sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. And it is perfectly proper for God to do this for us because Christ died to wash away our sins.

Is He calling you out of addiction? Pornography? Drugs? Idols?

1 John 2:16-17 The Message

15-17 Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

All the above mentioned things are graves to us. Meant to keep us captive and not to live. We feel like a stone has been rolled in front of our lives. Jesus came and rolled those stones away. 

Jesus is calling us out of all of these worldly things, but He is also calling us into a life with Him.

Galatians 2:20 Amplified Bible

20 I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

So I encourage you today. Jesus is calling us. We need to rise up and become more like Him. To live the life that He went to the Cross for. He is the chain breaker, life giver. He is everything we could ever need!

God bless.

PK.

The World!

 There is a song being played on the radio with lyrics that go like this. "I Don't Want To Love What The World Loves, I Don't Want To Chase What The World Does. The title of the song is "First Things First" by the band Consumed By Fire.

This song has really gotten me to think about what I chase and desire. Am I really chasing after what God wants for me? Or am I chasing what the world wants me to chase? The world wants you to be the king of your own world. Put yourself first. That's why there are so many self help books to help "us" out. The world wants you to love yourself first. The love of money, big houses and fancy cars. It seems lately that the world is more about me, me, me. How dare you get in my way. I am offended by everything that goes against what I believe. 

I don't want to love or chase any of that. I want to chase after Jesus and what He has for me. I don't want to love worldly things. I want Him first. He is enough for me. I'm not saying nice houses and cars are wrong. I just don't want them to be my primary focus. I don't want to sell my soul to attain those things. That's right. Cars and houses are things. Cars will rust and fall apart. Houses become dilapidated.

You know who never breaks down or gets rusty? Jesus. Jesus is eternal. I want that! I want to chase after Him. Love Him. Serve Him. Like the song says, *First Things First*. He is the first thing in my life! Everything that I do, I do it for Jesus. Work, play, everything.

You might notice along the way as you begin to serve and worship Jesus, you will lose some friends or family. In fact some people may even hate you for your new life. That's okay.

John 15:18-19 Amplified Bible

18 “If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you.

Remember, Jesus has called us to new life. A new life in Him. He still lets us operate in the world. Be a disciple for Him! To point people to Him.

1 John 2:15 New Living Translation

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

So I urge you today to chase after and love things that really matter. Jesus. He is EVERYTHING that you will ever need.

PK

Body Shop.

 Today, two months after the accident, I got my van back from the body shop. Let me tell you. It looks sharp. Probably almost better than brand new. Can't tell where the impact was. Where the paint was left behind by the other vehicle. Scratches, dent, everything, gone! Really fine job by the body shop.

I started thinking about Jesus and how He makes us new after we get dented, scratched, broken, as we go through life. We go to Him in such sad shape, and just like the body shop repaired my van, He will repair us! Make us new. He just wants us to come.

John 15:3 Amplified Bible

3 You are already clean because of the word which I have given you [the teachings which I have discussed with you].

You see, we don't need to get a new set of clothes, a fresh haircut, or get squeaky clean to come to Jesus. He accepts us as we are. Broken, hurting, in need of a Savior!

Just like I didn't have to go and have my van washed before taking it in to get worked on, it's the same with Jesus. We go to Him and present ourselves to Him. Flaws and all.

Like the body shop took off the door and replaced it, took off the broken parts of the body and fixed them, Jesus does the same for us.

2 Corinthians 5:17 New Living Translation

17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

What a new life it is. You will not be sorry to accept Jesus! He loves us and wants the best for us!

Like the body shop wanted only the best outcome for my van, how much more does Jesus want for us?

John 10:10 Amplified Bible

10 I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

My encouragement tonight is this. Don't wait (think) that you have to have your life together before you can come to Jesus. You can do it right now. Right where you are.

John 3:16 New Living Translation

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

Do it tonight. Tomorrow may be to late!

PK.