Seeking a Sign

I have a question for my readers.

If you personally witnessed a "miracle" of God, would you more easily believe in God?

If you were with Moses when God parted the Red Sea, would the existence of God be undeniable to you?



While most of us would like to think witnessing a miracle of God would seal up any lingering uncertainty, it is rarely the soul source of faith. What I mean by this is miracles of God in and of themselves are not the answers to doubt. "Signs" cannot be the source of our faith. Furthermore, seeking a sign for proof of God is actually rebuked by Christ.

Luke 11:29-30
When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

Earlier I asked if witnessing the parting of the Red Sea would erase an individuals doubt. According to scripture, this miracle had little impact on the people of God. In chapter 14 the Israelites cross the BOTTOM of the Red Sea and in chapter 16 they are lacking food and doubt God will provide it. Now scripture does say that after the parting of the Red Sea the people feared the Lord and believed in him and his servant Moses (Exodus 14:31). However, their incomplete faith is apparent in their grumblings for food in chapter 16. How can one witness a sea part and not fully trust God in everything from that point forward? It is apparent that since the Israelites didn't find their faith only in "signs", that God doesn't intend for us to find our faith only in "signs" either. The Israelites didn't need to witness the parting of the Red Sea to believe in God. God's existence is beyond "signs" because it is written on our hearts (Romans 2:15).

So what else supplements our faith?

While God himself is ultimately the source and giver of our faith, his holy word is also another well of faith.

Roman 10:17
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Ultimately, faith is something given by God. Faith is most commonly granted or increased by the confirming of the truth that is written on our hearts with the truth that resides in scripture (the word of God). Miracles are something God did and still does. However, seeking miracles in order to obtain faith will not only leave you disappointed, but also working against how God designed faith. Seek God's face in prayer, scripture, and community. Walk by the Spirit and love others.

Grace and Peace,
JoMo

Hello everyone! Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Today's post is grounded in a pretty simple truth. In fact, most believers of Jesus Christ reading this have probably already developed this perspective. However, it's good for all of us to be reminded of simple truths from time to time.

Anyone who has set a goal in life understands the commitment, motivation, and perseverance involved in obtaining that goal. We decide we want something and we begin taking the mental and physical steps necessary to achieve our desires. However, these desires we have seem like pretty good ideas until trials and setbacks come along. All of a sudden, the desire to lose fifty pounds doesn't seem so plausible after only losing two pounds the first week and gaining four pounds back the second week. Or how about the individual who decides to quit drinking alcohol? Monday through Friday was a breeze, but everyone is going out Saturday night and not joining seems like social suicide. For me, it was wrestling. I clawed my entire life to obtain wrestling success. Ever since I was six years old my life revolved around early morning runs, grueling practices, and cutting weight. Needless to say, I had some major moments of question during my sixteen year wrestling career. There were days I wondered if I would ever reach the end, and even if I did I wondered if it would be worth it. However, I knew that what was ultimately going to satisfy me wasn't necessarily the results, but rather finishing the process. So, I pressed on.

We experience this same struggle in our spiritual lives. The difference is, our spiritual lives encapsulate our entire human existence. Whereas the examples mentioned above are segments within our human existence. Experiences we get to start and end ourselves. With the examples above, most individuals only call upon mental and physical fortitude. Our spiritual life obviously requires us to call upon our spiritual fortitude. Which explains why our spiritual lives can be such a struggle and in some cases a wreck. Most individuals incorporate spirituality so sparingly in their lives. In fact, I would venture to guess that most people only call upon their spiritual fortitude within their spiritual life.

So where am I going with this?

Ultimately, our spiritual life (our walk with Jesus Christ) is like any other goal. Expect there to be good days and bad days. Days where you want to run through brick walls for Jesus and days where you just aren't sure if you can keep running the race. In fact, our spiritual goal of following Jesus is more difficult than any other worldly goal in that 1)the finish line (or prize) is unseen and 2)following Christ is contrary to the ways of this world. So people pursue weight loss, sobriety, wrestling success, ect. with the idea that these goals are obtainable. In other words, people have hope. Hope is the same thing that allows us to sustain a lifetime of spiritual highs and lows in a walk with Jesus Christ. And hope is only obtained and increased through struggles.

Romans 5:3-5
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Keep running the race. Stay to the narrow path. Walk by the spirit. The finish line is always closer than you expect!

Grace and Peace,
JoMo

Are you blessed?

Let me begin by saying that God has given me the ultimate blessing of awaking my heart to his son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Next, I was born in a country were I am not prosecuted for believing in, worshiping, or proclaiming Christ.  Next, I was born into a situation were I have shelter, easy accessibility to food, and CLEAN water.  Next, I was blessed with all five senses and all four limbs.  On top of it all, I got to go to a recognized state university where I received a college degree.  I am statistically a lottery winner.  I have lived a life in 23 years that most people can either A) only dream of or B) it takes them their entire life to obtain it.  It is in the mist of all these blessings that I can't help but wonder how I happened to be born into the "correct" situation.  Now what do I mean by the "correct" situation?  Well, while I am so thankful for every physical and financial blessing, the only thing I have that ultimately matters is Jesus Christ.  Although I didn't fully call on Jesus until July 28, 2011, I grew up going to church and having truth spoken into my life (like most American children).  This repetitive exposure crossed with the delay in recognizing the importance of Jesus Christ is what brings me to my point for the day.  While America is saturated with truth (Christianity), we take so for granted the spiritual blessing right in front of us that many never really KNOW Jesus.  We have "Christians" everywhere, but we treat our faith and the church like a youth sports program.  We have one practice a week (weather permitting) and we all get together once a year for a potluck to talk about how everyone is a winner.  America has the right religion, but we as a country do NOT have the right relationship.  We are blinded by professional sports, flat screen TV's, wealth accumulation, sexual satisfaction, status, and self exultation.  We have the truth of Jesus Christ sitting right in front of us (I would bet most people are within a stones throw of a Bible based church), yet we keep just enough Jesus in our life to give us what WE need (comfort, security, salvation?).  Yet walking with Christ isn't about filling OUR spiritual needs.  Walking with Christ is about fulfilling your purpose as a creation of God.  Your purpose of glorifying and worshiping God.  A purpose we will only be able to fully achieve when we are made complete in heaven.  Nonetheless, we are to strive to glorify God in every situation.  This is made easier when an individual no longer lives, but instead Christ lives in them.  Christ in them allows them to live and walk by the spirit (walk with Christ).

Romans 8:3-4
"For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.  By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Galatians 5:16-18
"But I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

There are a lot of people in America who really love Jesus!  And just for the record if you watch professional sports on a flat screen TV, I am NOT saying you don't love Jesus.  The only point I am trying to make is this:  America is extremely blessed to have the truth of Jesus Christ currently prevailing over other religions, let us then LIVE the truth many of us CLAIM and be the church.  If you feel blessed by God that you truly KNOW Jesus Christ and are saved, show it by walking by the Spirit with boldness and courage!

Grace and Peace,
JoMo

Works

I don't know why, but there seems to be a lot of misconception about works verses grace.  Let's begin with this:

Ephesians 2: 8-9
"For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Grace alone is what has saved you, me, and anyone else that has ever claimed Jesus Christ as the son of God.  So we're all good right?  We have grace and it's a free gift, so we can shrug righteousness and entertain wickedness and folly?  NO!  So if we're saved by grace alone and not our works, why do we need to focus on works?  The answer is... you don't have to FOCUS on works.  If your heart has been truly awakened to Jesus Christ and you love the Lord, works and righteousness are things that either happen or convict you... this is an overflow of the perfectly righteous Jesus Christ who now lives in you.

Matthew 5: 17-20
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

How in the world am I supposed to reach a level of righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees?  Fortunately for us, the scribes and Pharisees were so concerned about human exultation for themselves that they cared more about works than loving Jesus.  If Jesus lives in you, you've inherited his righteousness which easily surpasses the scribes and Pharisees.  Simultaneously, if Jesus lives in you, you will desperately seek righteousness.

John 14: 15
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments"

Some of Jesus' final words to the disciples!

James 2: 14-17
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  So also faith BY ITSELF, IF it does not have works, is dead."

James is NOT saying works save you... they don't... it's God's grace through ones faith that saves.  What James is saying is that if God's amazing grace has captivated your heart to the point of claiming to believe in Christ, you will realize a foreign righteousness that is Jesus within you that produces works and increases faith!  When Christ occupies a house (a soul) he does not merely stay there, he proceeds to clean the place up!  If an individual does not seek righteousness and has no inner conviction to pursue acting as Christ would act in any given situation, that individual may want to consider whether Christ truly resides within them.  Live gratefully in God's free grace, but realize living with Christ inside you comes with pursuing a life of righteousness!

Grace and Peace,
JoMo

The Greatest Gift

All of us have that one Birthday or Christmas were we got the gift of all gifts.  The one thing we wanted more than ever.  The thing that we kick, and screamed, and cried for.  I was a spoiled child, so mine is a tie between the Jurassic Park Compound, a full train set, and a Playstation 2.  While I remember receiving these gifts, they have long since been collecting dust in a storage room.  Now days, I recognize that the greatest gift I actually received was grace.  Grace that I didn't deserve.  Grace that was extended nearly 2000 years before I was born.  I'm obviously talking about the gift of Jesus.  I remember truly claiming Christ July 28, 2011.  It's been almost a year and my greatest fear is that Jesus will start collecting dust like the earthly gifts back in my storage closet.  We are all afforded the worlds' greatest gift everyday... Jesus.  Unfortunately, very few of us choose to cherish Jesus daily as the gift he really is (this would be me).  Keep this in mind next time the world has you down.  If you're in Christ you've received the greatest gift ever TODAY and it is no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you.  Cherish Jesus and his word daily!

1 Corinthians 15:1
"Now I would remind you, brothers of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are BEING saved, IF you hold fast to the word I preached to you- unless you believed in vain."

Paul notes that being saved involves holding fast (continually cherishing/receiving) the gospel!  Thank you God for the gift of Jesus!  May we never grow inoculated to this gift or the truth of the gospel!

Grace and Peace
JoMo

Glorify God!

When I woke up this morning my heart just wasn't in the right place.  I think sometimes I focus too much on my heart condition (or how I feel) instead of just living in obedience.

What should I do when I'm tired?  Glorify God!

What should I do when I don't understand?  Glorify God!

What should I do when I'm angry?  Glorify God!

What should I do when I'm stressed out?  Glorify God!

What should I do when finances aren't perfect?  Glorify God!

I'll be the first to admit this is easier said than done.  I'm just trying to relay the idea that obedience without heart is better than no obedience and no heart.  I also think it's interesting how acting in obedience has a way of changing your heart condition.  As cheesy as this sounds, obedience is the wind to the hearts sail (yes, I made that up).  Start acting in obedience and discipline and you're heart will fall into place.  We're of the flesh, and as a result there will always be a struggle with our spirit (Galatians 5 and 6).  In other words, our heart isn't going to be in the right place all the time.  This requires that there be times of walking in obedience even when our hearts don't feel like it.  Ultimately, it is keeping your election pure in Christ through obedience that will realign your heart with God's.

Grace and Peace,
JoMo

Who is for you?

How often do we compare our walk with Christ to others walks?  Furthermore, how often do we look at our own walk as more correct?  I think the Bible offers a good verse in relation to this dilemma.

Luke 9: 49-50
49 John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us." 50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you."

Jesus really simplified that! The important part here is that the man casting out demons was doing it in Jesus' name.  Today there seems to be so much that divides us as Christians.  We get so hung up on what denomination we prefer, style of worship music, practicing of spiritual gifts, ect but Jesus doesn't want those differences to divide the church.  Jesus is saying if you truly recognize him as the son of God, then your on the same team.  Now I won't deny that Christ followers still need to be cautious of false teachers and prophets.  The only conclusion I'm trying to get to today is: Instead of looking at all the little differences that divide us as Christ followers, let's look at the one major thing that unites us... Jesus Christ!

Grace and Peace
JoMo