What I have learned In Organic Church

Okay so I’m not a great blog writer! Oh well lol sorry had to get that off my chest. I always feel I have to write a magical piece every time I write.

Since I have moved here for Organic Church the Lord has built some deep relationships between myself and other brother and sisters. I have found such an acceptance like never before. A sense of knowing I belong. I have a variety of brothers I hang out with. Some who I just have a blast with. They get my crazy personality, and I am able to let loose.

Others on another hand who are just spazes that I really enjoy spending time with. I am always entertained, and they always keep me laughing (well not always but come on lol). These relationships are Jesus Christ to me. Obviously, he can’t be seperated from his body and I experience his Love by there lives, but personally I enjoy hanging out with the Lord the best.

Don’t get me wrong I get the fact that he is not apart from his Bride. However, we still have alone time with him like he did when he was here with his Father. You know why he is my favorite person to hang out with? Because I can just be. That’s right do nothing, say nothing, act nothing, entertain nothing. Breathe in and Breathe out. There always seems to be this sense of pressure to speak when you are with brothers and sisters in the natural. Not always but you get my drift.

When I am with him I am in complete peace. Though I don’t always feel at peace I am at peace if that makes sense. He knows me best, I can laugh at my crazy thoughts when I am with him, cry, express my love and its never overbearing for him. He doesn’t see me as unhealthy. My father sees his son in me even when I come all jacked up. Without being cheesy I really can say Jesus Christ, you are my best friend.

Intimacy

It an amazing picture a brother shared at a brothers meeting a couple of weeks back. How are hearts are like a garden, and they have to be kept. If you don’t they become consumed by weeds and the vegetation goes bad.

What is it to have relationship with our Lord. It’s a beautiful thing. We wake only to lay down our lives, so that he can live his through us. We lie down at night only to do the same thing. Our hearts are continually before him day in and day out.

What a precious thing that we cannot in of ourselves even live life. Get ready in the morning, work, pay bills, run errands, spend time with brothers and sisters without turning to him first. It truly is a humbling thing to know apart from him we can do nothing.

One thing that I personally have noticed is intimacy and what it looks like. When I spend time with the Lord we get to know each other that much more. However, I have noticed that when  I get busy in the business of life I miss him so much, and when we finally get time I feel like we are catching up. Though he never leaves us, and there are times when he feels so far away. In my experience I have to rekindle the fire when I take a longer period of time away from him then I’d like to.

It’s actually real practical. Lets say you have a co-worker you see every day. Thus you converse with on a regular basis. Then lets say you take a vacation, and come back you have to catch each other up on all that has been going on. Your relationship is still in tact it’s just catching up is a must.

What I am not saying is that your back sliding if you don’t hang out with him all the time. It can’t come out of duty. However, when we spend time with our Lord it becomes addicting. He is our prize possession. He is the answer to every question. He knows us better than anyone. He loves spending time with us. Apart from his captivating Love we can do nothing.

 

What is Real Love

Lust defined could be stated that it is only out for one’s self. To take and not give anything back. When it doesn’t get what it wants it produces anger, hatred, bitterness, etc…

Love on the other hand is the most beautiful thing that we can ever know. I have a question to whoever reads this post. Do you know how much your Father in Heaven loves you? Do you know you are the apple of his eye? Do you know he is obsessed with you?

He doesn’t keep records of your wrongs. Literally the instant after you sin you are forgiven. He doesn’t raise his voice at you. If you look at the role of a father here on earth you can find some great treasures. A child looks to their father for comfort, for balance and stability. A child will often throw a fit only to get a response, but the father just remains calm. If he were to react and get angry or loud the child would then not look to their father for that same balance he once found. There is security in his calm composure, this is how are father is.

He loves spending time with you. Did you ever get grounded growing up as a child. I’m sure if your human you did. Did you ever think your parents had to do it for discipline so you would know right from wrong, but secretly I believe at some point they enjoyed it. They got to spend time with you (teen years) when you weren’t running around with your friends. Sometimes he will ground us spiritually not because we did anything bad, but because he wants to spend time with us.

Last of all though there are many points to be made about your heavenly father loving you. Love gives and expects nothing back. Let me ask you one more question. What is the point of giving a gift if you expect something in return? It’s wouldn’t be one plain and simple. That to me is the most beautiful definition of Love.

You are a son/daughter of the Living God. His banner over you is Love. He is here for you never to leave you nor reject you. Never to be ashamed of you, or disappointed. Your Father Loves you. Actually he is obsessed with you.

 

Easy to Reject

I am finding with our Lord that he comes in a way that is easy to reject. When I was a little boy my Dad bought me a guitar. I remember I took lessons forever, and had wanted a guitar just as long. I remember my Dad being so excited to show me my new guitar, and of course it was a surprise. As I walked into my room from playing there it was. This is the horrible part of the story. It wasn’t the guitar I wanted.

I didn’t like it at all. It wasn’t the color I wanted, the size and shape, it wasn’t the brand. Not one thing about it did I like. I remember my face gave it away. How bad I must have hurt my Dad. I recently  realized that is what we do with our Lord.

When he gives us a gift of himself we too often then not reject it. Wether it be suffering, joy, a desire of our heart but not the way we thought it should look. It’s never the way we seem to want it. Well this might be the case for only me, but I wine, kick, complain, scream because it wasn’t what I thought I should get.

This is who he is saints. A gift, whether it be in a form of a desire, or if he never gives us a desire of our hearts this is our Lord. He gives gifts that are perfect. Longsuffering is perfect when it comes from him. When I recently realized this I realized how much I hurt my Lord when I reject his gifts he gives me just like I hurt my Dad that day. May we be a people who are just thankful to be receiving a gift.

Riches in Christ

I was having a talk with a co-worker today, and I stumbled upon Christ. I was telling her how I was so excited to put more money into my savings for the last couple of weeks, and after doing it today the excitement left immediately. I was telling her how I had a similar experience with getting a flat screen T.V. She followed that by how she is always so excited to go on vacation then after getting back she is very disappointed.

I quoted Proverbs 27:19 to her “Hell and destruction are never full, so a mans eyes are never satisfied.”

I realized what it meant that Christ is our riches, and rubies, and emerald, he is our treasure. I didn’t fully get it. Today I got a glimpse of what that means. Well for one Christ is infinite, never-ending, inexhaustible. He lasts forever, so we get excited about him in the same kind of way but it’s different.

See our Lord isn’t like a flat screen, savings account, vacation, he is forever. He lasts always, he is not a goal but an ongoing vision. I picture a river that never ends. Truly his steadfast love never ceases. Though I will still get excited about my goals when it comes to natural things. I am learning to be like Paul whether in want or having plenty Christ is my contentment. He is my all in all.

 

Pain

It is impossible to deny my Lord, Though I have before over and over again,

When it comes down to it, black and white I must retreat to my friend

He comes close but, oh so am I resistant

Closer than a brother seemed so good at the time, now resistant

Hate, anger, frustration screaming voices, blood, swet, tears

Waterfall, rain, cleansing, a new state of mind, fears,

Shaking, scared all seems too much to bare,

Pointing the finger, left, right, no one cares,

Brokeness is a gift, so its been written

Kings, Queens, to the holy of holies smitten

I come naked, no more hiding, all barren and true

To you oh Lord, all of me to you…

The Sower

Song of Solomon 8:6-8 “Love is Fire, and jealousy endures to the grave. That no water can quench, and no river can drowned out. If a man were to give all he has for love it would be utterly despised.”

When looking at the parable of the sower in Mathew 13 you find some interesting things going on. We have things in us still that the world and the church put on you that were never intended to be there.

 ^{MATHEW 13: 24} Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶ But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The weeds are the things that were never supposed to be there. This however does not delay the Lord in implanting his life inside of us (seed). As we grow in him the weeds (sins, addictions, etc..) these things have to manifest eventually. If we are to go on with the Lord we have to allow him to deal with these things for a period of time which is never comfortable.

We cannot hide our issues they have to rip the soil of our hearts, and grow into a weed. However, the Lord separates the weeds from the wheat (his life) to be burned never to return again. This relates to the vine that doesn’t produce fruit he prunes.

This cannot be accomplished however by our own efforts. Hints Song of Solomon 8:8 If a man were to give all he has for love it would be utterly despised. We cannot deal with the weeds ourselves. Not by our strength, religion, or self-righteousness. This work can only be done by the Lord’s life inside of us.

So rest assured as we let go and abide in the vine HE will prune all those branches that don’t bear fruit. HE will take away those deep dark things we think are impossible to be delivered from. He will have a bride spotless, so that only his life remains.

For his love is a fire, and his jealousy endures to the grave.

Betroth

When you look at this word what is the first definition that comes to mind? Marriage is hopefully the answer. Do we as the bride of Christ really know what it means to be married to the Lord? Do we really know how passionate his love is.

Song of Solomon 8:6-8 “Love if Fire, Jealousy enduring to the grave, that no water can quench, and no river can drowned out.

We will always be growing in the revelation of the love of Christ, but the glimpses we get are remarkable.

In Hosea he is called to marry a prostitute; which he obeys and buys her to be his own. It is a beautiful picture of Israel (us) and the Bridegroom (Christ). You can see how hard it would be to see the beauty of someone who has slept with several other lovers. Then you have to buy her to be yours. It isn’t the typical romantic love movie you find in movies.

Hosea declares he will hedge her in with thorns all around, she will try to find other lovers but will not find them, then she will try to overtake other lovers, but she will not overtake them, then she will return to him for better off with him is she then now (Hosea 2:6-7). Stunning really his relentless love for his Bride.

She ends up being unfaithful, but the best part is what he says before it happens. ¹⁹ I will betroth you to me forever;
   I will betroth you in^[e] righteousness and justice,
   in^[f] love and compassion.
²⁰ I will betroth you in^[g] faithfulness,
   and you will acknowledge the LORD.

By his faithfulness she will know her husband, and will be overcome by only his faithfulness. Like Hosea’s Bride the Lord Betroth’s us by his faithfulness, and every time he’s faithful we know him more and more. From glory to glory.

 

Ability

Jesus said that he can nothing apart from the Father. He also said in John 15:5 that we can do nothing apart from him. How we tend to forget that all too often. I have found that in myself there is nothing good. I’m weak, and I’m broken for real.

I want to put my trust in so many things along with Christ. My ability to be responsible, to be a good salesmen, to always having a clean house, having good credit, playing basketball, being able to speak clearly, being able to share in a meeting with the saints. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with being a good steward of what the Lord has given you, but when we put our trust in our abilities to do these things that’s where we mess up. It’s in Christ alone, we can do anything. See I’m not responsible, nor a good salesmen, nor a good basketball player, etc… those are qualities of Christ. I depend on him for everything. literally every breath, every movement, everything. If he doesn’t do it, it can’t be done.

The only thing that prevents us from living by his life for the most part in these things is our pride. He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. I have a lot of pride, and when it gets hurt I get offended. When however, I realize I can do nothing and the humility of our Lord kicks in that’s when life comes, grace, understanding. We want to help the Lord, but trust me he’s really good at what he does. I have no ability but Christ in me.

Selfish

I hit a hard reality the other day. I was complaining to the Lord about something I have been wanting and not getting. This wasn’t the first time, and it hit me like a heavy weight punch in the 12th round, I’m selfish.

I was making everything about me. My future cares, work, school, relationships, etc… I was consumed with what the Lord could do for me. I read in ‘Normal Christian Life’ by Watchmen Nee that we can easily make it about the gifts instead of the giver, or the work instead of the worker. That’s exactly what I was doing.

My desire if for Jesus Christ and too often the thing that gets in the way, and to my opinion the thing that can ruin him growing in me, is ME. Whether it’s self pity which can cause bitterness and is truly a sin, or me wanting wanting wanting all the time and never turning to Christ. Don’t get me wrong we can ask for things our Lord loves blessing us, but when it’s not under him being all in all in our lives usually its under selfish ambition (James 4:15).

It’s a good thing to know it’s not about me. He alone is my source of Life!