People can think and speak as they will, but the design behind God’s creativity still remains absolutely, incredibly, and intimately beautiful.
Church. I’m talking to you on this one.
And those reading this that are not a part of the Church, I would love for you to read these words that are directed towards what you could be, and quite frankly, what Christ is willing to give you.
I don’t care about your denomination or theological beliefs. I’m not interested in your views on salvation, tattoos, alcohol, heaven, hell, or the end of times. And honestly, I don’t think God does either.
He’s more interested in your heart. He’s more interested in you for who you are. Right now. Not even what you could be or what you once were, but who you are right now… And, well… That’s become my heart. In the sense that I’m more interested in your heart. I don’t need your opinions, I need you.
Church. We are family. A matter of fact, we’re more of family than your blood brothers or sisters, or mom and dad. Flesh can only go so far, but what’s the limit of your soul? What’s the Spirit’s limit? Does He really have one?
I’m not telling you this from my interpretation of my experiences/beliefs, I’m saying this from a place that’s been with God and has had truth revealed to me through Scripture and prayer.
What are we supposed to look like as the body of Christ? Who are we supposed to be? What are we called to do? Where are we called to go?
The truth is this….
If you are a person that has met with God, a person that has believed in Jesus Christ and His message, a person that has turned from self to Christ, and a person that has a real relationship with God, then I would just like to announce the truth that you are a son or daughter of the most high King, you are a friend of the savior of the world, you have the Holy Spirit living within you, you have your name written in the book of life, and you are my brother or sister.
That’s what’s up. And that means that we… Me and you. We’re family. Not metaphorically, but literally, we are family. We go beyond blood. We go into eternal spiritual reality.
I’m going to go into a little bit of some awesome words and truth God has given me, and then go into a little bit of God’s Word (the Bible) and what that says about us; You know, His Church.
First, know that there is so much to say about this and that there’s so much to what God has said and done in my life, but hopefully the words that He’s wanting you to hear will be typed in this blog.
I’m currently at debrief in Malaysia, and that means that I’m surrounded by my entire squad as well as our awesome leadership team. As I sit here, as I walk around, as I soak it all in, what’s right before me is family… What’s right before me are my brothers and sisters. What’s right before me is an army. What’s right before me is a bride.. Actually, The Bride. What’s right before me is The Church. And dang. Is this not just absolutely beautiful.
I love these people…
Like, I LOVE THESE PEOPLE!
God has done some molding and building in my heart, and it is so cool to be able to look across the room and see someone that’s so loved. To see someone that I love and care about so deeply. A love that’s unconditional. A love that goes on and on. A love that ultimately came from God. Only God could give me the love that I have for these people… And you should ask my team here in Malaysia, it hasn’t been all rainbows and lollipops.
Starting out this country with my new team, my heart was hard. Our team was divided. We were already defeated before starting our journey together… And then. Well, and then God did some God stuff…
The people that I was bitter towards, my brothers and sisters, well… We became family. Like, legitimate family! There’s a unity and bonding that can’t be made up or acted out. We have so far to go, because I mean, well, there’s an infinite amount of growth that could come from our infinite God.
But we are family. We are one. We are together. We are not perfect. We do not agree on everything. And this has not been an easy, joyful ride. But, with willing hearts, with hearts ready to meet with God, hearts that strive for truth, that led us into unity. That led us into family. For our hearts that were led towards His, were led towards each other’s… And isn’t that how it works? Isn’t that what it’s about?
Just earlier today actually, I was sitting in a cafe with one my awesome friends, and I began thinking about her. I just let the moment that we were in, soak in. I thought about my other brothers and sisters on the race. My team. My squad leaders. My coaches. My squad mentor… My squad. C squad…
I began to be overcome with love. I began to be overcome by the Spirit… It could’ve gotten more out of control, but I let it happen… I was sitting there with her, and my eyes began tearing up. My heart started pounding a little harder. My smile turned into laughter. And my emotions started to run out of control… I couldn’t help but just be overcome by the experience and understanding that God was giving me… The peace. The joy. The hope. The love… I love them. God has taken ahold of my heart, and is pouring his love inside of my heart…
Now, it’s not like I walk around always feeling all emotional and overcome by how much I love them. Sometimes I don’t necessarily “feel” all lovey towards them, but since when did love have to have emotion behind it. And that’s important to remember.
Love is more than emotion. Sure, love can lead into emotion. But it’s more than that. It’s so much more than what we feel… And isn’t that a good thing?
Real love as a family doesn’t always look prim and proper. Real love as a family isn’t afraid of calling people out and up into higher places. Real love as a family goes beyond happy, easy, shallow conversations. Real love as a family isn’t about always doing good and being in the greatest of moods. And real love as a family isn’t just about feeling good emotions towards others…. Real love gets messy. Real love goes to those hard, uncomfortable, challenging, and vulnerable places. Real love doesn’t always smile, but sometimes looks more like tears. Real love dies to self and serves others before themselves. Real love doesn’t stay stagnant, it grows. Real love can’t be contained, it’s too powerful. Real love chases after the truth. Real love fights for what’s right. Real love never gives up, even in the times and trials of pain and suffering. Real love looks like being pushed beyond your limits…
Are you starting to see what real love is, and how it’s intertwined within a family?
And this is kind of really important… I mean.. At least that’s what Jesus says. See it for yourself, and see if loving each other as brothers and sisters in Christ (aka the Church) is an important factor in being followers of Christ.
John 13:34-35 – “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
Did you catch the part where Jesus said, “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” And the “Your love for one another will prove to the world. . .”
Love each other as Christ loves us?? What does that even look like?
Well, I’ll give you one really big hint… The cross.
And in loving each other the way Jesus loves us, what is that going to do?
It’s going to show the world exactly who Christ is… By how we love each other as the church, is how we show the world that we are followers of Christ… And in that, we show them Christ.
What about this…
John 14:23 – Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them.”
John 15:9, 12, 17 – “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. . . This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. . . This is my commandment: Love each other.”
John. 17:20-23 – “I am praying not only for these disciples, but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one – as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me.”
What is Jesus talking about? Who is Jesus talking about?
He’s talking about His Church. Us. Me and you…
Reread those words. This is some crazy love we’re talking about, and love that ultimately looks very different than anything else of this world.
He’s calling us to be one, as He is one with the Father… What??
He’s calling us to love each other the way Christ has loved us… What??
He’s calling us to be in perfect unity… What??
So… Well… What does that look like and how the heck can we actually do that… It seems pretty, uhm, supernatural.
And that’s exactly it… We can’t… But He can…
What came when Jesus left? The Holy Spirit.
What’s dwelling inside of you as a believer in Christ? The Holy Spirit.
What’s the Holy Spirit? Supernatural.
Your welcome.
So, in order to love each other the way Christ loves us, be in perfect unity, and be as one with each other, what does that look like…
It looks like family.
It looks like you and me pursuing God with everything we got.
It looks like the Holy Spirit pouring living water inside of our hearts.
It looks like a relationship with the Father, which ultimately leads into our relationship with one another… Our brothers and sisters… Our family.
Our relationship with the Lord leaks into our relationship with others… And only when we’re tight with God, is when we can actually start to look like the people He’s created us to be… We need him in order to be able to love like him.
And look at the early Church… Look at what happened when they lived as people who knew God and had the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of them…
Acts 2:42-47 – “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teachings and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshipped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy an generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.”
Do you see any difference with that Church and your “church”… I mean seriously… Which one looks more like family? Which one looks more like obedience to Christ’s commands? Which one adds up to what Jesus was talking about? Which one looks more like people who meet with God? Which one looks more like people with the Holy Spirit?…
Ask yourself this, seriously… Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit? Have you ever had moments to where you can just feel God all over you? I mean seriously, have you?
Because that’s exactly what it’s going to take to actually “be one”, “be in perfect unity”, and “love each other the way Christ loves us”. It’s going to take you meeting up with the Holy Spirit for us to become this family. It’s going to take me meeting up with the Holy Spirit for us to become this family.
We have a choice… Settle for less than what God not only wants for us but has designed for us, or seek after him with everything we got and allow the Holy Spirit to do some radical, crazy, supernatural things.
We can settle for mediocre, friendly relationships with one another, or strive for perfect unity and Christ like love for one another.
I mean, this isn’t my idea of “Christianity” or opinions on what the Church needs to look like… Read the red words in the gospels for yourself… Jesus isn’t calling us to mediocre, comfortable, easy living… He’s calling us to higher, radical, Spirit filled living…
I’m tasting firsthand what Jesus is talking about… And honestly, there’s nothing sweeter. Being able to just bask in His love and in His heart is absolutely, undeniably the best thing I’ve ever experienced… I mean, who wouldn’t want that?
So, with all this being said and with so much more too say, I pray that the Word of God will continue to come to life.
Holy Spirit, fill us up. Create in us the ability to be a people that love outrageously while holding nothing back. Let us be the unstoppable force we were created to be. Ultimately, just make us more like you.
Let the world see this family… And let this family change the world.
