I'M BAKING MY CAKE & EATING IT TOO! What about you?

Many people (including gluten-free folks) enjoy, like, and appreciate a good cake.  Whether that is for a party, a holiday, or celebration of sorts cake can make or break a gathering.   Whether you are a homemade butter cream icing cake consumer or a whipped creamed one, can we simply just start at a place of unity.....WE LIKE US SOME CAKE!

But the interesting thing about cake is that it's comprised of many things that on their own wouldn't be consumable or pleasant to consume.  Take for instance this recipe for my favorite type of cake (Yellow Cake with Chocolate or Fudge icing).

• 1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups (135g) cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 2/3 cups (356g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (6 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup (2 oz) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (8 oz) buttermilk

So, consider each one of these ingredients as people or a person......do you have what it takes in your life to make something sweet?    Do you have people that are like eggs that have a thin shell, squishy insides, ideas, or theologies but have protein and other needed nutrients for making a delicious cake?  Do you have flour folks that depending on their make up are whole wheat or enriched with things that too are absolutely necessary to bringing a good cake together.   Sure on their own, they are really hard to consume and frankly have the ability to physically suffocate or choke you.   Now many of us love butter and folks that are smooth and velvety like them make life interesting.....far more than margarine.  And no cake can be made without the likes of sugar or some sweetener and vanilla to make it sweet and smell delightful!  Who are the people in your life that make living life sweeter, fragrant and wonderful?   Cakes need a pinch, or in this case 1/2 tsp of salt, and salt helps to preserve things.   Who are the people in your life that help to preserve relationships that need it, or that act as an antiseptic to the wounds that life may inflict?  Lastly, (and sure I didn't list all the ingredients because I know you are more than intelligent enough to gather where I'm going), who are the vegetable oil folks that help to make sure things that shouldn't stick, don't?  

Because the reality is once you have all the proper ingredients, just when you think your life is all set and settled, there's a firing/cooking element that will be intense and uncomfortable for all of us. The ingredients themselves go through a process where they come together after they've been whipped and blended.  
The recipe states it will take 45 minutes, but in life relationships....real healthy and authentic relationships are formed & forged and it takes more than 45min.  So, stop, look, and listen........

STOP and evaluate what are you missing to make your life sweet?  In order to do this you will need to first see (LOOK)who has the LORD placed already in your life that maybe you've rejected because they are different, or not like you.   And now LISTEN, you can't make anything meaningful if everybody is salty (except everyone sick) or all of your friends are syrupy sweet fellows...your friend/acquaintances/confidants should be as diverse as the ingredients to making a cake, because whether we know it or not, whether we want to our not......WE ARE ALL MAKING SOMETHING!  The question is what, and would we want to consume it, or serve it to those whom we love?

I SAID....LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said " Love is the only force capable of  transforming an enemy, into a friend."  While many people may believe nowadays that's soft, outdated, rhetoric let me remind you that before they were King's words, he borrowed them out of (the Gospels) Luke's account of the words of Christ, when he penned Christ's teachings regarding loving our enemies in Luke 6: 27-33

27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much!

Christ had every intention on truly TURNING THE WORLD UPSIDE down in their thinking to the extent what HE SAID, and HAD TO SAY, literally sounded crazy to those listening.   Rarely do you find homes today, that are teaching children to respond in this manner when faced with a school bully even.   But the point of this blog post isn't rail parenting, it's really to encourage you to do something that literally might actually change the world, if in fact you learn something from my testimony.

A little over a year ago, I was at my local Target, doing what I like to do at Target, shop!  While in the check out isle, I observed a pregnant lady having some financial difficulty checking out.  I don't remember all she had, and the price of her goods, but what I do remember is deciding to do what Christ suggested HIS LISTENERS (who may have become followers) to do when faced in such a situation is "Do to others as you would like them to do to you." As I paid for her goods, her mom (whom attention she was attempting to get) comes over and she says, " This guy just paid for......" to which her moms response was " Oh you didn't have to do that, here let me give you......" to which I declined, told them GOD BLESS YOU ALL, and gave them one of my business cards that communicated I was a Pastor.    While this excerpt has a lot to do with our relationship with those who curse us, who hurt us, who even can or may have abused us...this lady hadn't done any of these things to me.   If asked was she a Christian I'd have to say no or I don't know.  For those of you seeking to say, "Ray isn't that judging....?"   Maybe, but we all observe one another and make judgments, and that's not really the point.....but what is the point is what happened this week to remind me of why is it important to seek opportunities to be obedient and the results of doing so.   

This week my home was scheduled to have 11 out of 15 windows replaced, and the Ferguson Windows were doing the work, but what I didn't know is that Ferguson contracts other companies to help them accomplish all of their business.  I opened the door and their stood a male and female team that were to do my windows.  I somewhat gathered they were either related or very tight knit as a work group.  We exchanged pleasantries and they commenced to do the work while I commenced to leave to go to work for the day.  I came home for lunch to check on the progress and my sick son, to be welcomed with an " I don't know how to tell you this, but I know you from the young lady."  She fumbled over her words for a moment, then said....a year ago I was pregnant and you did something very nice for me at the Target around the corner."  My mouth dropped, and I was like NO WAY!  She continued to tell me she knew it was me, when I gave them a card before I left to contact me if they had any issues, and after I left she was paralyzed to do any work because she realize she was being entrusted to care for my home.  

We laughed and she teared up a bit, and shared with me how she has kept my card all this time, and her mother remembers this occurrence as a day they had faith in humanity again.   Now our conversation didn't go seriously spiritually sideways, but of course I mentioned the amazing hand of GOD that brought our paths to cross again, and she stated how honored she felt to be tasked to do the work on the home of someone that really blessed her as a stranger.  They were at my home for two days, and they will possibly be back in the VERY NEAR future to replace the last three basement windows, but the next time they will be back as dear friends, not hired hands, or strangers, or enemies.  I am not sure if that is where our stories will end, but it sure was an incredible moment to hear her story, how a kind act blessed her then, and how it REALLY humbled and bless her mom to know she met me again on different terms.  

LADIES AND GENTS.....I pray you can seriously consider enacting LOVE in your dealings with all people, so that you can turn their worlds upside down, and later find yourself standing on your head by how GOD turns your world upside to see things RIGHT SIDE UP!  #LGLP

THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION OF OUR LIVES

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
    who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
⁶ That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes.  They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives.

 ⁷ “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.
⁸ They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”  ⁹ The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?  Jer. 17:5-9

 

 

As I sit here at the table attempting to rest on my "Sabbath Day", I'm challenged by this verse, and more so by the very last text in this scripture excerpt...."The heart is deceitful above all things, and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?"  Because we live in a culture where we follow our hearts (emotions/feelings) more than we follow the LORD.   I mean think about it.....do we REALLY allow the LORD to lead us in many of the decisions that we make?   We all make hundreds if not thousands of decisions a day, some that impact people immediately, some that impact a few, some that have the potential to literally change the world....and I wonder do we ever really consider the LORD when we "pull the trigger" on whatever the decision is for the moment.

 

Preceding this 9th verse God says "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, relies on their abilities, and whose heart turns away from the Lord."  This is devastating to whomever is this person.  In this section of Jeremiah this was written to the people of Judah regarding their sin.  But if this is our/my devotional verse for the day....one has to answer these questions to get to the single most important question of our lives.

 

1)  Do you, are you trusting in a man/woman?  (Whether it's your pastor or the president...or whomever do you "trust in them" or do you "trust them to be human, and capable of making a mistake," that is forgivable under the eyes of God.)

 

2) Do you rely on your own strength or someone else's on a regular bases, so much so that you find yourself relying less and less on the Holy Spirit? (Is your faith your default, or the last resort?)

 

3) Has your heart turned away from the Lord?  (This is probably the biggest.....because it's impossible to be a complainer with your heart facing Christ.)  When we can find more fault in, or about than be thankful for......your heart is in a bad place.    Not only is it in bad place, but it will lead you to a darker place.   Verse 9 reminds us that the heart is deceitful in other words it's skilled at getting or attempting to manipulate people or things to get what it wants.  This is why we have a culture that does what feels good, not what's good for it.   This is why marriages end.   This is why many people leave jobs, schools, churches, cities, etc.....because they actually believe that JESUS or GOD wants them to feel good, and be comfortable.  

 

Last time I checked....Jesus challenged his followers to drop what they were doing and follow Him.   He told some to sell all they had, and follow Him.    He told others to let the dead bury their own dead, and follow Him.   He cared about their heart being turned toward the Father, so much so that their bodies followed their hearts desire to be with and connected to Him.  

 

I don't recall Jesus asking his disciples ever...."How did that make you feel?"  Nor did Paul ever ask for feedback regarding any of his letters......it wasn't that they weren't compassionate....they were actually extremely compassionate, but they knew the heart of man, and the only way to keep that heart from ruining their lives and the ministry was to encourage them to keep their hearts turned toward the will of God.   So the single most important question is not, what you are thinking, or how do you feel about....., or what would you like to do?   

 

It's:  What is GOD, JESUS, the HOLY SPIRIT telling you to do? (Not what you think....but what are they actually telling you to do.)   God was/is always specific....He didn't tell Abraham to  climb any mountain.  He didn't tell Noah to build whatever he wanted to build.   He didn't tell David you'll be someones king.   He didn't say I'm sending a Savior, but you won't know who He is.  Jesus reminds us that His sheep, know His voice...so whatever the decision put your heart in check and do what Christ has specifically told you to do. 

 

As for me........I know I'm to remain focused on the GREAT COMMISSION and COMMANDMENT (which equips me to fulfill changing lives, transforming communities, or whatever the mission is) and leave the rest to Him, so that I really don't have time to complain about...because there's work to do in me, and around me through loving God, and loving people.  What are THEY (the Trinity) telling you to do?  Be Blessed

BE ALL THAT YOU CAN BE.........In God's ARMY!

¹⁵ Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that has nothing to be ashamed of, rightly dividing the word of truth.  KJV

 

Concentrate on doing your best for God, work you won’t be ashamed of, laying out the truth plain and simple.  MSG

 

¹⁵ Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.  NLT

 

¹⁵ Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. NASB  2 Tim. 2:15

 

 If we all had to have our beds, lockers, or houses checked.....oh my it would be a totally different world.  But the since I get when I read 2Timothy 2:15 is for us, the believers to take our studying of the WORD of GOD serious, if for nothing else to show our Father our devotion to learning about Him, His will for us, and His WORD.  Hence the picture above.....I read into the text that we are essentially to BE ALL WE CAN BE FOR GOD!  None of us will be perfect, but it's always about putting our best foot forward in learning the WORD.   But unfortunately what I see, what many of us see, is that we are a lazy people.  For instance according to recent publishing for college students they are expected to spend 3hrs of studying for every credit hour.   The average H.S. student is expected to spend roughly 4-6hr a night studying.   Now I know few to none of us, or our kids study to this max, but we can all agree that some study more than others.   To be even more realistic some don't have to spend as much time, as they retain more, while others don't study as much as they should.

So what is one to do......The WORD is true, and doesn't lie.....so are we....believers to actually study the WORD of GOD?   Are we really expected to know scripture?   YES and YES!  I grew up being told that the BIBLE is our BASIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE LEAVING EARTH, and if I'm honest....if I truly had spent more time studying earlier in life, it very well may have saved me from many of the mistakes that I made.  Wisdom is knowledge applied....and if you don't have knowledge of the WORD you can't apply it to everyday living so in turn you find yourself making the same mistakes (financially, relationally, professionally) expecting different results, which we all know is insanity.

So PASTOR RAY, what do you suggest we do:  I thought you'd never ask..

1) Since you, we are roughly in church for about 1-2hrs, while 20-40min of that is given to presenting the message, that you'd devote at least 30-1hr reading/studying the verse for yourself.

2) This is assuming (cause we should be doing this) review any notes you have taken, see if there's something you missed.  If you can go online to listen to the message again, or have a CD, utilize those tools to help in your studying.

3) Challenge your pastor/church leadership, if there is something you don't understand call them, and ask them to explain it, in most cases they would love for someone to ask them to further impart spiritual knowledge.

4) Get into a small group, a Bible Study at your local church....in ACTS 2:44-47 it was in these small groups that people grew in faith, and wisdom, and as a result the church grew.   We were designed for community, and without it, we are only an island to ourselves.

I'm sorry but there is nothing much more shameful than a said believer showing up to work on Monday, and being asked " What was the message about.....?"  Only to have them tell you....they don't know, they can't remember.....because this is not showing yourself approved.   This is showing them you are not a student of the WORD, and you could've actually not even gone to church and produced the same answer.   It's time for us to wake up, Christian brothers and sisters....and in our hands should be  the tools necessary on Sunday morning to take notes, jot down ideas that spin from the our full engagement into the WORSHIP EXPERIENCE on SUNDAY.  I currently see a few folks taking notes, others grabbing CDs after service......but only GOD knows are you taking growing in knowledge/wisdom serious enough that you are changing how you love and live in a post-modern world.  


You know what was mind blowing, and impressive....?  Watching the movie The Book of Eli, and seeing how one man dedicated his life to getting the WORD of GOD in him so much, that he memorized.  When I think of 2Timothy 2:15....I can't help but think of the example that man had of being able to recite the WORD cover to cover.  It would be incredible if we all could do that, me included....but for now....can you at least begin taking notes, studying, get into a group, and being ready to give an honorable, and intelligent answer when someone asks you...."What was the message about...?"   LGLP247

COMMUNITY SERVICE

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  Gal. 5:22-24

Some people are sentenced to community service........CHRISTIANS are called to it......it's part of who we are.  The question is could the people in your community (neighborhood), work place, and even family have you convicted of being a Christian?  LGLP

And A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAID.........

But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him.
¹⁶ After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. ¹⁷ And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”  Matt. 3:15-17

After baptizing 9 souls at Connections but over 40 between 3 campuses (I think.....sometimerz might be setting in...please forgive me...and correct me if I'm wrong) one thing became apparent to me at one point:  We have a seriously unique and loving Church!   I had given instructions on how we want to honor God, celebrate & encourage every soul that came up out of the water by singing " You Make All Things New," and after 1-2 attempts the congregation seemed to catch on, and even take over the moment.

When Jesus came up out of the water the heavens opened up and God spoke......how amazing that had to be for John, and anyone else there experiencing this miracle never seen/heard before.   Today, I got to experience a miracle, and many other people did too......where the people of GOD sang songs, literally weeping and rejoicing over the welcoming of each of these new souls, young and old into the body of CHRIST!

I pray you didn't miss the significance of the moment...and hold on to your hats.....WE ARE GOING PLACES...this CALVARY CHURCH IS!  LGLP (changing lives...transforming communities)

NEW LIFE: EITHER YOU ARE LIVING IT OR NOT!

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ³² Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Eph. 4:30-32

In the 90's there was a variety comedy show called " In Living Color", starring the Wayans brothers and the likes of many of today's pop-culture icons such as Jennifer Lopez, Jim Carey, and Jamie Foxx.   The opening line to the show was a questions that went:  HOW YOU LIVING.....(what).....HOW YOU LIVING.....(what).......HOW YOU LIVING...IN LIVING COLOR.... You can do what you want to do........

And it's from there I want to pick up....because if we are followers of Christ can we really do what we want to do?  I mean I realize we do have the freedom of choice, but our choices even as believers have dire consequences.   Our choices can lead to broken relationships, jail, death, and probably the worst of them all....grieving the Holy Spirit.  Grief means to bring deep sorrow or mentally distressed....and Paul then encourages us to then get rid of , throw away, have nothing to do with certain habits and attitudes shouldn't be found in those REALLY LIVING THE NEW LIFE:

BITTERNESS:  according to Prov. 17:25 only a fool brings grief to their father/creator.  Or in Amos 6:12 talks of how we've turned justice into bitterness by trying to force things.  Hebrews tell us to be very careful that bitterness doesn't take root in us........Question is what are you, what have you allowed to take root in you?

RAGE/ANGER these two I paired because I believe they are so closely related.   Anger is an emotion given to us by GOD, and we are cautioned never not to be angry, but rather don't SIN in our ANGER.  Don't let the sun go down, don't let the day end with you being angry because we give Satan a vantage and angle on us, and when that's contained, bottled up in you.....RAGE is the explosive manifestation of uncontrolled anger and unlike CHRIST we SIN in ours and it causes separation and the lost of a witness often in the BODY.

HARSH WORDS so who is that receives your negative opinions and views?  Who are the people that GOD created that you call stupid, or morons?  Do you curse......blessings and cursing should not come out of the same mouth James 3:10.   Remember when you criticize others (who GOD created as well) you are ultimately criticizing their Creator.

SLANDER in an age where people are so self indulgent we actually believe our opinions matter.   Even I will post what's my favorite this, or that......do we ever state half truths, lies?  We speak on gov't, current events, etc......without having all the details which makes it a lie.   We slander people and events often much to the dismaying of the Spirit because we get our emotions into it, and the reality is....WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH so it's best not to comment at all or only use language to BUILD UP!

ALL EVIL BEHAVIOR - just when you thought the above was enough....you know we can come up with EVIL to do.   We'll will contemplate how to get back at our kids, our spouses, our bosses, even attempt to get back at the church and GOD for........you name it.   REALLY?!?!?  That's what followers of Christ do...NOT!  We read of, study and discover the disciples and apostles going through literal hell....even see Peter lash out and slice off a soldiers ear, trying to protect JESUS, well we find out JESUS doesn't need our protection and he rebukes Peter.   YOU ARE NOT CALLED TO DEFEND the WORD, NOR ARE YOU CALLED to DEBATE it vs CURRENT CULTURE.....you are called be WITNESSES.   The WITNESS and LAWYER and JUDGE all have different roles....make sure you are LIVING OUT YOURS.

So what are we left to do......WHAT JESUS DID:  He was kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving to Judas and those who persecuted Him....He even offered up a sincere prayer to the FATHER in the midst of utter anguish.   Stephen a fully mortal man did the same thing....and so can you!  LGLP