(unmarked journal entry)

God gets our best.

hands down, no questions asked. His purposes and will deserve our best. His gifting and blessing to us deserve a return in kind. why do we hold back the best for ourselves? why do we convince ourselves that God is pleased with our petty offerings and half-hearted worship?

since when does the King of the universe play second fiddle to teeny-tiny us?

there is no excuse. and this isn’t about works. this is totally a heart issue. if our hearts are where they should be, then there’s no way that our gifts and lives wouldn’t show it all day, every day.

but instead, the church is still muffled by the roar of culture and her blessing to the world is still stifled by her closed hands and silent mouth.

rise up church!

open your mouht!

unclench your hands!

rise up church!

freely you have received, so freely give.

open hand.

open heart.

rise up!

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(sidebar)

selfish hearts and a desire to protect ourselves from perceived ‘harm’  from others has been killing our effectiveness for our Groom, Jesus. why do we allow the world, which Jesus overcame for our sake, to regulate what we are supposed to be doing? why do we act as though it has some sort of regulatory power over our Christian walk?

break free, bride!

we are in need of a liberation, but not from physical slavery. our slavery is to culture and expectation. we are held back by perception and unseen, unproven potential for emotional ridicule. what a ridiculous set of circumstances to keep the work of God from taking place. why do we care what the world thinks?

if we are living for Christ and being honest about that life (which by all accounts should be God honoring at that point) why do we worry about what others think about us? so, according to the worldly vantage point of someone else, we do not meet their expectations.

whoop-dee-do.

so, if you don’t conform, maybe you won’t get the best job with the best pay. who are you serving?

so, if you don’t conform, people may look at you like you have two heads. who do you want to please?

so, if you don’t conform, you may feel ‘left out’ of what is going on culturally. who are you trying to follow?

these are not complex questions. these are not deep revelations. but we must ask ourselves these questions.

choose this day, for yourself, whom you will serve, whether it be the gods of the people who surround you, or the God of heaven whose hand brought you and your ancestors out of ‘egypt’ by His great grace…and then do not hesitate to lay out your best for Him. He is the only one who deserves it…

life is choice.

choices have consequences.

choose wisely.