Youre Not A Threat Once Dead

Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed." -Romans 10:11

It is a noble thing to die a martyr. To believe in something so much that you would let go of your existence in this world to hold tight to your convictions. Of course as a redeemed child of GOD this conviction is worth your the giving up of your life. We shouldn't ever discount the conviction and bold faith of those who have given up their lives in the name of Christ. Many times we declare in our prayers -God I would die for you, I want to give up anything you ask of me, even my life! But as I was pondering this thought one day, "if someone were to hold a gun to my head and asked if I believed in JESUS CHRIST..could I say yes?" I responded to this thought YES God I would!

But then God asked me something that made me stop my thoughts.."If you'd die for me..wont you all the more LIVE for me?" He continued to whisper a call to my heart that I feel he is speaking to so any of us who call our selves Christians. I just felt him saying to me..

"So you desperately declare into existence the fact that you believe in me, you so love me that you would die declaring my existence and lordship. Yes I want you to have this faith, this zeal even unto death. BUT my child-- if you would be so bold and confident as to not fear death-what is keeping you from jumping this barrier that lies before you? You would die-will you then not live?! You want to make the exceptional choice of faith-a risk-then live your life with no regard for the consequences. NOW, not tomorrow, not this week, but today in this moment. In this time step out-speak it out for accountability. Follow. Go. Forward. Come closer. Move. Now in this time I want to be glorified through you. There is a measure of faith found in speaking out the dreams I have deposited in you. Stand now. Stand strong-stand firm. Stand and live as the zealot I created you!"

Basically I felt like God was saying yes, those who die standing on ME as their rock-they have a special crown placed on their head by me. But I have so much for you here on this earth, if you would die in my name then live a radical life in my name. I feel like he is asking his church to become EVEN MORE UNDIGNIFIED THEN THIS. Let's start living a radical, loud, passionate life full of zeal for our God. He deserves a life lived to the fullest, lived boldly. Once we are dead, the devil isn't threatened by us and the only thing that still influences people is the LIFE we left behind, and how that was lived. So lets be a threat to the devil's plan and choose to not die, to get out easy. Lets DO HARD THINGS, take the risk to live loud enough that the WORD of God gets under people's skin. Lets LIVE for our LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.

"And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to five your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice- the kind that will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this to much to ask?" -Romans 12:1

Moving Forward (Call forward II)

In Psalm 18 we read God's call to move forward.To trust him and step boldly out into what he has for us. God's kingdom is one that is forcefully advancing... There is so much in this scripture, but I want to narrow down to a few verses..
Psalm 18:31- 35
"For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?
God arms me with strength; he has made my way safe.
He makes me as surefooted as a deer, leading me safely along the mountain heights.
He prepares me for battle; he strengthens me to draw a bow of bronze.
You have given me the shield of your salvation. Your right hand supports me; your gentleness has made me great."

Some principles that I want to draw out of here, God has been bringing this scripture back to mind often. So i want to point out some of the main points that pop out at me.

1) God is a solid rock
-how much comfort we should be able to draw from the fact that our God is a SOLID ROCK. No matter the circumstances you find your self in, when all other things you had previously relied on , all you had put hope and trust in-even if and most likely WHEN they falter and shake, God doesnt. Even though that person that so influenced you for GOD is out of your life-GOD is not. Even though that ministry that was all that held you together, when that falls apart GOD DOES NOT. Our God does not change, he is always able to be trusted.

2)GOD arms me with strength
-when you think back over the things that you have tried to accomplish in your own strength, what do you remember? Perhaps a scary situation where you thought you had the upper hand and then were left to watch it fall apart.... maybe just failures? We can't try to do things in our own strength. When we rely on ourselves, or other human beings-failure is inevitable. But we have a God who doesn't fail, doesnt falter, and has no shifting within him as discussed above. Let God be the one to arm you with HIS strength and you will be able to scale a wall.

3)SUREFOOT as a deer
- this thought brings me to my previous blog "Isnt a sure footed slip better than in ill fated fall?" I had been reading Hinds Feet On High Places, and its gives this beautiful picture of how God leads us across the dangerous, rocky, unsure times in our lives and makes our way safe. He gives us grace to walk across these times and not need fear-because he is leading us. Just follow in his footsteps.

4)HE prepares me for battle
- Notice this doesnt say he prepares us in the midst of battle, even when we arent in the middle of the battle, God is preparing us. We need to recognize that there is a battle to be fought and we need to actively take part-but let God prepare us. He wont ever put us through something that he hasnt already previously equipped us with the ability to handle. This doesnt promise an easy route, but one that we can overcome. The preparation for a battle can be hard, uncomfortable and inconvenient, but when the enemy attacks you are glad you are well equipped.

5)Shielded support in gentleness
-I think this portion speaks to how we must constantly turn back to God and recognize his hand in all our victories. We must recognize what the shield of salvation is. And what could it be other than to say, that above all else, because of our salvation-because we have Jesus Christ as our Saviour-he is our ultimate protection, he is our ultimate shelter. A shield that keeps us from the enemy's arrows that are aimed at our hearts. God's support is all in all what holds us up. Even if we are wounded, if we stumble you can see this picture of God swinging your arm around his shoulder and supporting you as you continue on, again this reminder to take on Gods strength and not just your own. "Your gentleness has made me great." How does that fit into this verse? These scriptures about bronze bows, preparing for battle and leaping on dangerous mountain tops, how does gentleness fit here? It fits in that God's gentleness towards us is a continued testament to how we are blessed with any and everything that we are blessed with. If God didnt look on us with compassion where would we be? God's gentleness is his heart toward us, his heart of love and hope-and it is this very love and hope that gives us the victories in the battle.

So how about it, are you going to hear your Father God Commander's voice as he calls you forward into this battle. Will you trust in HIS UNSHAKABLE CHARACTER even when all else is falling apart? Will you rely on HIS STRENGTH and understand that yours alone wont ever be enough? Will you take a leap of faith and believe he will make you SUREFOOTED where ever you go as long as you are following him-even amidst the dangers of mountain heights?? Will you step up and let him TRAIN YOU AND PREPARE YOU FOR BATTLE?

He is calling you forward, will you respond?

"For this, O Lord, I will praise you among the nations; I will sing joyfully to your name. You give great victories to your [kings]; you show unfailing love to your anointed.." -Ps 18:49-50