Sin's False Love

Buzz words, those words we hear and use everyday. Words that describe where we are in life, where we have been and what we see in others.  Buzz words.  Every year some men come to our college campus holding signs with "Jesus" written on them.  They are proclaiming His love, while shouting out at the students that they are all sinners.  They hit the town, stir up all kinds of animosity and drive away that very day.  Boom, then  gone.
I have been studying a book by Jim McGuiggan, "The Dragon Slayer".  In this book he talks about what sin is.  We all know that God is against sin.  "Whatever else 'sin' is, it is relational infidelity--first and foremost it is against God himself.... Sin is a reality he cannot, will not live at peace with under any circumstances."  We all know He is against sin, but do we know why.  Those men are not telling those students anything new.  They are shouting at them about consequences they do not understand.  If you do not understand the why behind the reaction, if you do not understand the intense love, your mind and heart will have a very hard time accepting the rules.  "But there's anther face of Sin that moves God to deal with it.  He also sees it as a power that destroys his beloved, enslaves his children and cheats them out of the fullness of life he longs to bless them with.  And it deprives him of the joy he finds in their love for him.  God is not only holy, he is a holy lover and that too is what moves him against Sin."

I have been married two times.  I am going to use my life, my two marriages as examples.  These are examples of how we choose to be with God or not.  In these examples I am in no way attacking my ex-husband.  I am in no way saying that my husband now has done no wrong.  We are called to be living examples, this is a living example, only.
Sin was his name... I loved him.  I enjoyed him.  I thought that by marrying him, my problems would be over. I thought Sin would save me from myself.  Los Vegas was our destination.  On our way our friends tried to stop us.  They tried to tell us not to get married like this, but my mind was made up.  I wanted my husband.  We arrived, walked into the Graceland Wedding Chapel, and one of our friends walked me down the isle.  I heard the Chaplin ask, "Who gives this woman away in marriage?"
"I the Dark lord of the universe," was his resounding reply.  And that was it.  I was given away in marriage by the dark lord of the universe in Sin City. I had ultimately made my choice, I married Sin and my soul was sold into a bondage I had never expected.  Sin was so much fun to be married to.  He was adventurous, and wild.  He would make my heart pound with  his untamed spirit, but there was something about Sin that had me so confused.  In one aspect, he would pronounce his undying love for me, but on the other he would beat me down and make me cower beneath his size as he railed against me.  I was in pain and he would pass me the bong, our drug, telling me to take my medicine.  He kept me a prisoner with his continual feeding of what was ultimately killing me.  "Sin becomes part of us; it shapes us, infects us, pollutes us and paralyzes us."

The great confession.  I hit my knees.  My heart, mind, body and spirit had been broken.  What I thought would give me freedom and life was slowly helping me to vanish.  I cried out to God and He in His undying love took me under the shelter of His wings and gave me a new life.  He allowed me to see Him and feel Him by giving me my "savior".  Savior, was his name... The third day after I had met him, I knew he was not for me.  So, in order to run him away, I told him everything bad about me, everything I had ever done.  He didn't run.  His exact words were, "I think I am here to help you heal."  That was it and one year later we were married.  But I was broken, Sin had changed who I was.  Three years after I had committed my life to Savior, I finally told him in all honesty, "I am in love with you."  The healing of a wounded heart had taken place and I was finally falling in love with my life, myself, my husband, my Savior.

This is such a huge part of Christianity that is not thoroughly explained.   It is not just about following rules and living "right", it is all about relationship.  My God is a Holy Lover and He does not want to share me with anyone, especially not Sin.  He knows that Sin is constantly trying to come into our relationship and break it with an affair.  Sin is trying to tear apart what God intended from the beginning.  "It is because he, God, is holy that the only life he can offer is life that has loving holiness at the heart of it.  Those who rejoice in life with him must be holy because he is holy.  He who would love and live with God will have to settle for the only God there is and he is holy!... He makes the move to honor himself but as the scripture insist, he honors himself by redeeming the sinner whom he loves."  I am the bride of Christ and I am so honored that he wants to protect and love me where I am.  He sets himself up against Sin who wants to hurt me.  He does not condemn me.  He loves me and chooses to help me regain who he mean me to be in the first place.  He is my Holy Lover.

Psalm 107, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.

The Live Project

Acts 8:12, "But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized."

This is a very difficult time to be doing anything publicly in the "name of Jesus Christ."  Why?  Why do we somehow seem "ashamed" to say His name?  Why do I hide when others ask me about what I am doing when I am preparing for a big event in "the name of Christ?"  To some I may seem fake, for I am cautious about my God's name.  I am reluctant to apply "Christianity" to the answer of, "What are you involved with?"  Am I a coward?  Am I trying to be deceptive?  Am I ashamed of my God?

I once heard Ravi Zacharias talking about this exact situation.   He said, "When others ask me what I do for a living I try everything in my power to avoid telling them I am a preacher." (This is not verbatim, but this is from memory only, so go with me on this;) "There is nothing that will kill a conversation faster than letting them know that you come in the name of Jesus."

That is it.... I am Not afraid of who my God is.  I am So Proud of who He is.  However, I am very embarrassed about how He has often been portrayed to others and this is why I feel the way I do.  I want them to see how wonderful He is before they make their preconceived judgments based upon how someone else has displayed Him to them. 

Last night my college kids did a Very Big thing.  We went onto our University's campus and brought a glimpse of our God to their peers.  My kids did amazingly.  I am so proud of them!  This was no walk in the park.  It took many hours of hard work to get everything done.  They spent every week through the summer practicing for this event.  Songs were written and time building our team was crucial.  We all were attacked in some form, from within the group itself and from outside.  But, they held strong and in the end pulled it off.  My goal was to bring who we are as a group to the college, so that when they hear we are meeting they will want to come and see what we are really doing.  I want others to see that it is not just a history lesson and being told how bad we all are.  We are a group of people who are learning how to live out this life.  We are learning to live so that we truly live free.  We are developing who we are, trying to live with integrity, working trough our problems, and realizing how truly valuable we are as people.  Gaining strength in who Christ sees in us is everything.  If we think He looks upon us as failures, "sinners", then how does this boost our self worth and build our self respect?

Through the years, I have learned more about the Cross of Christ.  Every bit of what I have been learning not only gives me value, but this discovery of who He is has truly redeemed me from within my own heart.  I no longer have to hide behind a wall built upon false jokes and false security that seems to guard my heart from the hurt within.  I have discovered the freedom of living with Him and my goal is to share that freedom with others, but first I need them to hear.  I need to understand that they too have been hurt.  I need to understand that if I go brazenly into their territory and shout out  His name, His love is not going to be heard.  I need others who are with me in this journey to see my heart.  I need them to give me respect and even if they do not understand my methods I need them to respectfully submit to my authority as the leader.  My goal is my God.  My vision is His Cross.  My ways are patient and they are tender toward those I can see.  For I see a generation who does not know my God.  I see a generation that needs some time.  I see a generation in need.  How am I going to reach them, if they do not stay around long enough to hear?

Last night we did many things that were great.  We also did things that I would change if we ever have the chance to do another college event, but we are "The Live Project" and this is what we are all about.  We are learning as we are going and growing as we are living.  Our message is the Good News about how valuable we really are.  Our message is the Good News on learning to live out this life.  I am So Proud of my kids.  You did it!  The event happened and others came to see what we were all about, and still others came to give each one of you their full support.  Congratulations Team!  Each time we do a new thing we learn more about this life and we gain more strength to endure the hard work in order to accomplish our goals.  What is our goal?

Our first goal should always be our own relationship with our King.  What is He trying to teach me?  What is He saying to my own heart?  The next big goal is learning to represent His love to a people who have never before seen a love like His.  Everywhere we go in this life we are showing people something.  The only thing He really ever asked us to show is His love...

I want to thank everyone!  Thank you for the time you spent away from your families.  Thank you for coming beside these college students, so they can learn the value in their leadership.  Thank you for all of you who provided us with an amazing abundance of food.  Thank you to all of you who helped out during and after the event.  Thank you for coming and showing us how much you love us, just by being with us.  Thank you for those of you who came and saw a Very Small glimpse of our love of our God.  Please come around again, for I want to hear your voice as well.  Thank you... Thank you.... Thank You