History's greatest investment has zero risk and a greater return than any other

Today, my family will receive a sizeable influx of money: tax return, sales bonus, commission check, then my standard by monthly salary. What we do with that blessing from God is different from what the world would do. The world will buy something nice, like a new car, or they'll put it in a strong investment fund with a nice yield. Will I do any different? Well, ultimately no ... but where specifically will the money go?

We are called to give God of our first fruits to simply acknowledge that it all came from Him, so we give 20% of the gross (not net, but gross, because we're giving of the first fruits, not of the after-tax amount) to our church, who is dedicated to sharing the Gospel, going on Mission, helping our community, and making the world a better place for the glory of God. We then find a brother or sister in need, and give a chunk to them. Then, we invest a portion. And with the balance, we may or may not buy something nice. Less nice by worldly standards, but nice nonetheless.

Why? Because we know it all came from Him. And even if we look at this from a secular standpoint, is it not the best approach to put our money (as well as time and talent) into the investment which promises the greatest yield? Of course. Well, that investment is in the Kingdom! Nothing even comes close to God's promised APR. And there is no risk involved in this investment. Our Treasure will, without any doubt, be stored up for us in heaven.

In short, as for me and my family, we will bank on God's promises.

He has the greatest financial and life advice in both history and non history. The Creator knows best... And besides, I've seen the returns personally, right here on Earth.

Lord thank you for your provision, and for making it so clear. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.

Grace and mercy. What do they mean, really?

Grace and mercy. We use the terms all the time to reflect God's nature and how we should be: graceful and merciful. But what do these words mean? From a Biblical perspective, what are grace and mercy, respectively?

Sidenote: I tend to get them backwards often. In fact as I was writing in my journal this morning I defined them in exactly the opposite way. Then I corrected after thinking about it.

Mercy is defined as not getting something bad that we really should, if Justice were to prevail.

Grace is defined as getting something good that we don't deserve and have not earned.

God extends Grace to us in that we do not deserve, nor have we earned, what we are to receive... the full inheritance of God, equal to that of Jesus, His only begotten son. Woah. And because this is true, we are to extend Grace to others, giving when others have done nothing for us, nor will they likely.

God extends Mercy to us as we continue to sin, choosing not to extend righteous justice when He has full rights and reason to do so.

Think of the thief on the cross, or the man on death row who accepts Jesus into his heart just before his execution, or a lifelong atheist who wakes to the truth... All find grace and mercy... immediately.

Unfair? Well, that's just it. It isn't fair. That's Grace and Mercy for you. It's God's to give... and He did, through sending His only begotten son to pay for the sins that were primarily against Him!

What? Yeah. Wow.

God, You are love, and Jesus is the greatest representation of that. The cross is the greatest proof of that. You are wonderful, and I love You and trust You fully. Thank you for your infinite grace and mercy.

In Jesus name. Amen.

Rescue Mission

I can be a blunt person at times. Some would call it pushy, but I'll stick with "blunt". It's just that I want so much for them to know that, "I get the skepticism. Really I do. I was that highly skeptical person. And I still am a bit." But once I acknowledged that my constant skepticism was, in effect, blocking my willingness to look further into this "faith" concept, things started popping up out of thin air. 

These "things" were there all along, of course, but I had put up impenetrable blinders that had me, well, blind. The terms "dead in my sin" or "asleep" are often used to describe how I was.

And I was just that: asleep ... with that blurred forward vision you get when driving sometimes. You've experienced what I'm talking about. You get zoned out and do not notice what you've passed, the cars around you, the clouds up ahead, and so forth. That's where I was. Of course, when you're in that zone, anything you're not focused on is blurry at best (completely absent more likely), resulting in an incomplete grasp on reality.

And when I look back on my asleep self, I'm painfully aware of the same blindness in people all around me. I want to shake them awake ... and sometimes that bluntness angers people. That's not my intention, of course, but it is the periodic outcome.

But I know, now awake, that these people and really just the former me. They are zombies who don't know they are zombies. Just like I did, they scoff at the mere idea that they might be entirely blind to what is most definitely there. And that scoffing doesn't offend me at all. Rather it makes me ache for them, as though they literally are the old me. I yearn for them to take a break, a small sabbatical from their pride, to consider ... to just take a naked, vulnerable moment to seek the Truth behind the facade.

This is not an easy thing to do, I know. In fact it's an incredibly hard thing to do. We're all pretty sure we're dead right. To stop in our tracks and consider a possibility that we are the one missing something? That takes extraordinary humility. That takes making oneself fully vulnerable for a moment, which the world teaches us from day one to never, ever do. But that humility is what God is actually waiting for.

God is not looking for pride, ego or an "I'm strong on my own" demeanor. In fact, he hates that. What He is looking for is for us to - in His time - empty ourselves of this delusion that we are all that ... so that He can create in us what He initially intended. The perfect, far far better us.

And this makes me seemingly (sometimes actually) blunt, even pushy sometimes. But it's not in the way I used to be when arguing a topic. Back then, it was all about me winning the argument and being right. Now, it's to draw people to Him, to figure it out on their own, simply pointing out the first step with hope of motivating them to take that step.

Lord, I ask for patience and trust in Your timing. I ask that the seeds I cast take root and blossom under Your care. Thank You for allowing me to be a small part of Your Rescue Mission.

In Jesus name. 

Amen.

You keep saying this word ("faith"). I do not think it means what you think it means.

Faith. In the immortal words of the imminent sage, Inigo Montoya, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

The word faith has been trampled under foot over the last few decades (perhaps far longer) and ultimately redefined in general culture to mean something far different than what God intended.

What most believe the word faith means:

1. Saying you believe while showing little to no signs that you actually do.
2. Believing something fully while most, if not all, evidence points to the contrary. (a.k.a. blind faith, where the word blind is omitted as though it's understood)
3. Your own personal opinion, or whatever you desire to be true (e.g. "Well, I choose to believe this or that.")

Each of these definitions of the word "faith" are wrong ... 100% false. Faith - TRUE faith - means you are committed to and trust fully in something. And you act accordingly, which demonstrates that you really do believe. For example, a person who says they believe a chair will support their weight, but will not sit in that chair with their full weight without some trepidation, or at all, does not actually have faith in the chair, despite what they've said they believe. Equally, someone who says that they need a parachute before jumping out of a plane at 18,000 feet, but jumps out of the plane without said parachute, does not have faith that the parachute is paramount to their survival.

And a person who says they have faith in Christ (that they are a Christian, or a Catholic, or a Baptist, or a follower of Christ, etc.) and that He is in full control and that His ways are best, but does not seek to understand His Word and then act upon it, trusting in it fully, committing to it ... does NOT have true faith. Not by an infinitely long shot.

Faith results in works. To be clear, works do nothing on their own. Nada. Filthy rags. But, equally, faith without works (per James) is dead. A so-called faith without works is simply not the faith God is talking about in scripture. It's an illusion that the enemy is thrilled that you're fooled by. And that illusion is very, very dangerous. It's the kind of illusion that ends with the words, "I never knew you", directed toward you on the final day. I know this is harsh truth, but it's critical.

Wearing a Harvard sweatshirt and saying you went there, when you were never received an acceptance letter, never went to classes there, never lived in the dorms, never passed your classes, never walked the stage and accepted your diploma ... means nothing more than you are a liar, perhaps mostly to yourself. It only means that you claim something that is an outright untruth about you.

This concept is one of the main misunderstandings between Catholics and Protestants. Catholics complain that Protestants believe that all you must do is say a little sinner's prayer (repeat after me) and then all's well. No change in life necessary after that. Conversely, Protestants complain that Catholics are hyper-focused on the law, on works, but are missing the main point in that they do works in some vain attempt to earn points with God. 

Truth is, both sides of this argument are correct in some sense, about some within the population.

• Many self-labeled Protestants actually do believe that all it takes is some heartfelt prayer stated at the height of emotion in order to be saved, and that no further repentance or action is needed. "Return to your previous life with full assurance." This is equally dead wrong on a fundamental level: If you find yourself to be uncompelled to do things God's way in full faith commitment and total trust in Him, you may not really be saved! Again, you may be shocked when Jesus says, "I never knew you either!" on judgement day. This should terrify you!

• And there are many self-labeled Catholics who are following the rules pretty darn well, but aren't doing it because they trust in Jesus, having a personal relationship with Him. This might be because they were taught the truth incorrectly, or they simply weren't listening very well ... OR they simply can't believe that they are saved by grace through faith ... and still believe that they must continue to strive on their own, on TOP OF what Christ did. 

The unfortunate end result is a boat load of so-called Catholics and Protestants who are not saved. Not by a long shot. Faith is a commitment ... not a feeling nor an accumulation of works. And it's by that commitment and trust ... and subsequent action based upon that belief and thankful appreciation that we are saved. Saved, in short, through an "active faith" - one that is alive, not dead.

So, if you are working hard to earn grace, but have not given your full heart, soul and mind to Him, I urge you to do so as quickly as possible. You have - up until now - misunderstood faith and may not be saved. He has been waiting patiently for you to get it.

And if you continue to float in your own world of preferences and actions, saying you have faith and are a Christian, you are likely not saved either, because your faith is not true. You need to get your heart right with Him through full surrender to Jesus, making him LORD (owner and controller) of your life. Then, and only then, will the fruits begin to surface in your life.

Father, let me be a medium of your truth to the world. Let YOUR thoughts, YOUR desires, YOUR attitudes flow through me without soiling it with my flawed thinking. More of you, less of me. Please, I beg you Lord. In Jesus name. Amen.