I'm currently sitting in the LaQuinta Hotel in Paris, Tx - waiting on 12:00 noon so I can go pick up a check... then head home. I have a few minutes to share a few things that have been pouring through my soul this morning... most of it is related to the picture above.
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In the picture above - I just spent some time this morning - soaking it all in.
You can either see it as a picture of total weakness or of eternal power.
It's either a weak man who couldn't save his son holding him in self-centered pity...thinking, "I'm sorry this world is so hard and I couldn't protect you. I'm sorry I wasn't a good father... bla bla bla..."
Or
You can see it as the greatest source of power, strength, and love known to mankind?
Is the father a loser in your eyes? A Weakling? A passive failure?
Take a moment to answer the following questions honestly from your heart:
- Have you ever felt that you were in a losing - never ending - cyclic game called life?
- Have you ever felt like you were following a defeated religion?
- Have you ever dove beyond the surface of your beliefs and wrestled with the option of total submission to a Way of life and faith?
- Have you ever felt like the depths of your failure and sin in life is so filthy that no one can ever know about it or understand you?
- Have you ever felt completely MISUNDERSTOOD BY LIFE?
- Have you ever felt like you were chasing after the wind in the name of faith and hope?
- Have you ever felt like the relationship you had with God was too shallow and superstitious to be authentic?
- Have you ever tried to really connect with God and failed?
- Have you ever dove into the depths of spirituality and faith only to find yourself more powerless and "weak" than you were when you started your dive?
- Have you ever looked at the entire ministry of Jesus and walked away thinking, "What was all of that for? It seems to have made no difference at all. It appears that his efforts to be loving and strong ended in failure." ???
- Have you ever been on the brink of giving up hope because the journey of faith has left you powerless at times and feeling alone/crazy/afraid?
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- Have you ever felt really ALIVE? If so - When?
- Have you ever felt really CONNECTED TO GOD? If so, what was that like?
- Have you ever felt God's love and perfect protection?
- Have you ever endured hardship willingly as if you were in training?
- Have you ever felt deep in your heart that you were following the only True God and truely believed that there is no other?
- Have you ever deeply repented and walked out the transformation of every pattern of your mind that is contrary to total surrender to God's will?
- Have you ever walked consistently over time in the Way of Christ ... without any reservations to your level of obedience to His voice and Word?
- Have you ever felt like: "I get it - I'm lovin' it - I'm FREE?"
- Have you ever felt like: "I can't believe I get to experience this in my life? Why me? I've have to share it?
- Have you ever WALKED...IN...TOTAL...PEACE?
- Have you ever rested really well in the midst of chaos?
- Have you ever found the capacity to praise God with true JOY in the midst of turmoil?
- Have you ever gone a day and won EVERY BATTLE?
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I'd like to submit to you - that the answers to EACH of these questions CAN be a bold YES.
I believe Christ completely understands the depts of all of this.
Jesus' Ministry was a seeming failure, his life appeared to have made no difference, he was naked, murdered, ineffectual, and appeared to be a losing God.
But in his weakness and vulnerability, the world would have the capacity to come to know the love of the Great Compassionate One... The True God.
The WAY and CROSS of Jesus Christ will ALWAYS remain a scandal of foolishness - uncomprehendable to the carnal mind...especially to those who seek a triumphal Savior and a prosperity gospel.
The season that the world is in today - is a day of triumph - but it's rooted in faith.
Triumph and wholeness belong to you - but you have to fully submit and recieve it day by day... by Faith!
If you're serving a Losing god... then I submit to you that there's a need for you to run uninhibitedly to Jesus and ask Him to reveal to you the True Victorious Father of Life.
Don't hold anything back...He's all powerful and perfect in all his Ways!
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