This was the note I posted on Facebook a while ago. I feel it is a good fit for the blog. I don't know when my next blog is going to come, but I may post things like this or even songs or scripture that inspires me along the way.
Prologue (3/12/11):
For those who have been close to me over these past six months (and now for those who are new to this conversation--thank you for letting me volunteer you as a "tag"), you know I have been on an incredible healing journey, not only for myself but for my wife as well. Part of this journey is finding out who I was created to be and how I can share that with the world. I am to live a life without fear of persecution. This has always bothered me growing up because if you are persecuted that means people will know the real you, and what you really stand for. I lived a life growing up feeling a lot of fear, shame and guilt for who I was and what I have done, even if I hadn't done anything. So for me to write what I'm writing now and to share what I wrote on 11/27/11, two months almost to the day after my story came out and my true healing began, and to not have any fear of persecution is a sign, wonder and miracle in itself, all through the glory of the living Christ Jesus, my redeemer, mediator and advocate, who dwells in my heart and soul. I write and share all of this because I love you, and you all need to hear what I wrote on that chilly November morning when I was at home instead of hunting in Cloverland, Wisconsin.
The context behind what I wrote is we've been studying Hebrews at Valleybrook Church. Hebrews is a sermon that was given to a bunch of reformed Jews of the time. No one knows who the actual "author" of Hebrews is, though there is a lot of speculation. The really cool this about Hebrews is watching the Old Testament and New Testament come alive and merge all the history of the OT into the, at that time, emerging truth of the NT. The biggest "theme" of Hebrews is teaching the Jews of the day how to actually inherit the Legacy of God through what his son, Jesus, did for the entire world. So that is where the title, "Legacy of Choice" and a lot of my references come from.
Also, that morning I felt really sure on my heart that I would have to share announcements at church that morning (something I never have done at Valleybrook, nor has anyone ever suggested), but in obedience to what the Holy Spirit was prodding me to do (in that same obedience I type now), I wrote and that is why it's set up to the Valleybrook congregation that morning. I didn't share the message with the church that morning, as when I was driving there it was revealed to me that I wouldn't have to...just writing it down was enough because God was going to use it at a later time. OK enough set up--
11/27/11
Legacy of Choice
God, you are the everlasting God. You have provided us a living promise of a legacy that we don't deserve but are fully thankful for. Your grace and love toward us are truly remarkable and have forever humbled us as your chosen followers. You, Jesus, are the ultimate redemption toward our sin and ultimate death. We ask you to fill this room (and I ask him now to fill your heart as you read this) with your Holy Spirit, to bless our eyes, ears and hearts and prepare our our souls to truly see, hear and feel what you have in store for us today. We ask for your blessing and protection from distraction as we sit in fellowship and worship you, as you reveal yourself to us. In your mighty name, Jesus, Amen!
[At this time announcements would be given, and as was happening at this point, the announcer would share a bit of what was going on in their life/heart (usually Greg Mitchell, lead overseer, would be doing the announcements) at this time. So this is what God revealed that I was to share]...
As I was lying in bed this morning, I tried to recollect the teaching from last week. I couldn't remember! Do you know how embarrassing that is!! However, God started filling me with memories of the past week of how he was transforming my life through the message -- of how all the choices I have made over the past week have been cutting and exposing my heart and healing and freedom have been setting in. Then it hit me -- head and heart knowledge -- it's time we quit living a life that separates the two. We live in a higher accountability to God because we know what God expects of us!
James says that to know what to do an not do it is sin! Think about that -- to know what to do and not do it is sin!
That seems like an awful lot of pressure, doesn't it? When we live for God out of love and obedience and the willingness to choose him time and again, the pressure is off! When we commit ourselves to God and his grace for us, we choose freedom! A freedom that we get to inherit through Christ's triumph on the cross and resurrection over sin and death!
To choose -- that appears to me at least to be the cornerstone of Wounded Heart and Pure. We can choose to go all in and receive God's grace, mercy, love and freedom through healing, or we can choose to live in the world, live with our crippling wounds, live with our crippling addition to lust, porn, work, alcohol, drugs, pride, shame, fear, selfishness, you name it. Paul's warnings are clear in Romans, Chapter 6:1a: "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
CHOICE! One of my biggest sins is to play the "What If" Game: what if this, that, another thing, here, there--picked this job, that job--lived then with what I know now, etc. STOP IT! Stop it!
God revealed to me this morning that part of his legacy includes his will for our life and the intimacy we gain from that to reveal his glory.
Look at Samson (or Sampson). This dude had unreal strength and promise in his life. God still used him to destroy Israel's enemies even though Samson chose a heart of the world through lust and defiling of his body--chasing after Philistine and other gentile women. He ended up a blind, rageful man, but still God used him to bring down the entire Philistine elite.
My wife was reading about Abe Lincoln's life and presidency. Here is a man that God used to unite the Union, free slaves and start one of the United State's and possibly world's largest civil rights movements; yet, he was severely depressed! Why? He didn't believe in the afterlife. No Jesus. As James states, what is work without faith?
What more could Lincoln and Samson have done if they chose life instead of death?
We still get a choice! It's time to quit hiding in the shadows of grace and to start fulling living BOLDLY in the life that Christ died for! As I will paraphrase James: Today we choose joy! A promise for living a life in Jesus and freedom, if we choose it -- if we live a life with our head and hearts connected!
Let's pray. God, we so desperately desire your legacy of choice, freedom and intimate will for our lives. You knew of us before creation, knew all of our individual sins and our hearts, and you still love us! Nothing shocks you no matter how dark and brooding our hearts. Jesus, today we choose to live our lives in you, to choose you, no matter the risk it means to us! It is all for your glory. Lord, where you go, we'll go, where you move, we'll move, where you stay, we'll stay. We will follow you because we love you and so desire your intimacy. The same intimacy that David shared with you--as a man after your heart. We desire you, Lord. In your glory and honor Jesus, thank you!
Amen.
Epilogue:
I never got to share that message, but as it turns out, that was exactly the message Nita Bukowski shared with us that day in her sermon entitled, "Sure of Better Things." It was all about choosing God and inheriting his promise for our lives. Nita opened with Heb 6:4-12, and in summary it shows that we get to inherit all of God's promises -- when we inherit a promise, it lives in you.
Nita went onto teach that all promises come through faith and patience. Faith is believing in what is unseen, as it sees the unseen, and patience is the ability to endure and preserve as we wait for God's will to be revealed in our lives. These together help us equip our inherited promise.
At the end of my notes from that day I reflected the following: "Wow, I need this--felt so many times this week through torment and tried going back to the 'house of rebellion' because I was growing impatient with God's plan, but I still need more Character building. His promise is so big it's worth the wait. He wants us to be completely ready for his promises to come into reality--unlike Samson and Lincoln."
Thank you for reading this note. I hope you lock it into your heart and let God use it as he will in your life, as he has used it to shape and form my healing and God Created Identity. Thanks and glory to God for loving us even in our darkest hour and giving us a way out of certain death and separation from him for eternity through his son Jesus! Pass it on to those you love! I'm sorry if I missed a tag to this note! Truth is power and power sets us free! Also, I am not a perfect guy, far from it, but Christ is making me more like him every day through redemption, grace and his mercy!
I love you!
Ken
Prologue (3/12/11):
For those who have been close to me over these past six months (and now for those who are new to this conversation--thank you for letting me volunteer you as a "tag"), you know I have been on an incredible healing journey, not only for myself but for my wife as well. Part of this journey is finding out who I was created to be and how I can share that with the world. I am to live a life without fear of persecution. This has always bothered me growing up because if you are persecuted that means people will know the real you, and what you really stand for. I lived a life growing up feeling a lot of fear, shame and guilt for who I was and what I have done, even if I hadn't done anything. So for me to write what I'm writing now and to share what I wrote on 11/27/11, two months almost to the day after my story came out and my true healing began, and to not have any fear of persecution is a sign, wonder and miracle in itself, all through the glory of the living Christ Jesus, my redeemer, mediator and advocate, who dwells in my heart and soul. I write and share all of this because I love you, and you all need to hear what I wrote on that chilly November morning when I was at home instead of hunting in Cloverland, Wisconsin.
The context behind what I wrote is we've been studying Hebrews at Valleybrook Church. Hebrews is a sermon that was given to a bunch of reformed Jews of the time. No one knows who the actual "author" of Hebrews is, though there is a lot of speculation. The really cool this about Hebrews is watching the Old Testament and New Testament come alive and merge all the history of the OT into the, at that time, emerging truth of the NT. The biggest "theme" of Hebrews is teaching the Jews of the day how to actually inherit the Legacy of God through what his son, Jesus, did for the entire world. So that is where the title, "Legacy of Choice" and a lot of my references come from.
Also, that morning I felt really sure on my heart that I would have to share announcements at church that morning (something I never have done at Valleybrook, nor has anyone ever suggested), but in obedience to what the Holy Spirit was prodding me to do (in that same obedience I type now), I wrote and that is why it's set up to the Valleybrook congregation that morning. I didn't share the message with the church that morning, as when I was driving there it was revealed to me that I wouldn't have to...just writing it down was enough because God was going to use it at a later time. OK enough set up--
11/27/11
Legacy of Choice
God, you are the everlasting God. You have provided us a living promise of a legacy that we don't deserve but are fully thankful for. Your grace and love toward us are truly remarkable and have forever humbled us as your chosen followers. You, Jesus, are the ultimate redemption toward our sin and ultimate death. We ask you to fill this room (and I ask him now to fill your heart as you read this) with your Holy Spirit, to bless our eyes, ears and hearts and prepare our our souls to truly see, hear and feel what you have in store for us today. We ask for your blessing and protection from distraction as we sit in fellowship and worship you, as you reveal yourself to us. In your mighty name, Jesus, Amen!
[At this time announcements would be given, and as was happening at this point, the announcer would share a bit of what was going on in their life/heart (usually Greg Mitchell, lead overseer, would be doing the announcements) at this time. So this is what God revealed that I was to share]...
As I was lying in bed this morning, I tried to recollect the teaching from last week. I couldn't remember! Do you know how embarrassing that is!! However, God started filling me with memories of the past week of how he was transforming my life through the message -- of how all the choices I have made over the past week have been cutting and exposing my heart and healing and freedom have been setting in. Then it hit me -- head and heart knowledge -- it's time we quit living a life that separates the two. We live in a higher accountability to God because we know what God expects of us!
James says that to know what to do an not do it is sin! Think about that -- to know what to do and not do it is sin!
That seems like an awful lot of pressure, doesn't it? When we live for God out of love and obedience and the willingness to choose him time and again, the pressure is off! When we commit ourselves to God and his grace for us, we choose freedom! A freedom that we get to inherit through Christ's triumph on the cross and resurrection over sin and death!
To choose -- that appears to me at least to be the cornerstone of Wounded Heart and Pure. We can choose to go all in and receive God's grace, mercy, love and freedom through healing, or we can choose to live in the world, live with our crippling wounds, live with our crippling addition to lust, porn, work, alcohol, drugs, pride, shame, fear, selfishness, you name it. Paul's warnings are clear in Romans, Chapter 6:1a: "Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?"
CHOICE! One of my biggest sins is to play the "What If" Game: what if this, that, another thing, here, there--picked this job, that job--lived then with what I know now, etc. STOP IT! Stop it!
God revealed to me this morning that part of his legacy includes his will for our life and the intimacy we gain from that to reveal his glory.
Look at Samson (or Sampson). This dude had unreal strength and promise in his life. God still used him to destroy Israel's enemies even though Samson chose a heart of the world through lust and defiling of his body--chasing after Philistine and other gentile women. He ended up a blind, rageful man, but still God used him to bring down the entire Philistine elite.
My wife was reading about Abe Lincoln's life and presidency. Here is a man that God used to unite the Union, free slaves and start one of the United State's and possibly world's largest civil rights movements; yet, he was severely depressed! Why? He didn't believe in the afterlife. No Jesus. As James states, what is work without faith?
What more could Lincoln and Samson have done if they chose life instead of death?
We still get a choice! It's time to quit hiding in the shadows of grace and to start fulling living BOLDLY in the life that Christ died for! As I will paraphrase James: Today we choose joy! A promise for living a life in Jesus and freedom, if we choose it -- if we live a life with our head and hearts connected!
Let's pray. God, we so desperately desire your legacy of choice, freedom and intimate will for our lives. You knew of us before creation, knew all of our individual sins and our hearts, and you still love us! Nothing shocks you no matter how dark and brooding our hearts. Jesus, today we choose to live our lives in you, to choose you, no matter the risk it means to us! It is all for your glory. Lord, where you go, we'll go, where you move, we'll move, where you stay, we'll stay. We will follow you because we love you and so desire your intimacy. The same intimacy that David shared with you--as a man after your heart. We desire you, Lord. In your glory and honor Jesus, thank you!
Amen.
Epilogue:
I never got to share that message, but as it turns out, that was exactly the message Nita Bukowski shared with us that day in her sermon entitled, "Sure of Better Things." It was all about choosing God and inheriting his promise for our lives. Nita opened with Heb 6:4-12, and in summary it shows that we get to inherit all of God's promises -- when we inherit a promise, it lives in you.
Nita went onto teach that all promises come through faith and patience. Faith is believing in what is unseen, as it sees the unseen, and patience is the ability to endure and preserve as we wait for God's will to be revealed in our lives. These together help us equip our inherited promise.
At the end of my notes from that day I reflected the following: "Wow, I need this--felt so many times this week through torment and tried going back to the 'house of rebellion' because I was growing impatient with God's plan, but I still need more Character building. His promise is so big it's worth the wait. He wants us to be completely ready for his promises to come into reality--unlike Samson and Lincoln."
Thank you for reading this note. I hope you lock it into your heart and let God use it as he will in your life, as he has used it to shape and form my healing and God Created Identity. Thanks and glory to God for loving us even in our darkest hour and giving us a way out of certain death and separation from him for eternity through his son Jesus! Pass it on to those you love! I'm sorry if I missed a tag to this note! Truth is power and power sets us free! Also, I am not a perfect guy, far from it, but Christ is making me more like him every day through redemption, grace and his mercy!
I love you!
Ken
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