Why Marriage Doesn't Matter......Or Does It 2.0?

The last days have seen every conceivable response to the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage.  But are we not missing the point to some degree?  Do we have a healthy understanding of eschatology (end times) as it relates to marriage?  Even if we do, we must continually be reminded. Stay with me for a few minutes and see why, in one sense, marriage matters immensely, in another sense, it doesn't matter at all.

Anyone who knows me or has followed this blog knows my stance on marriage and why it matters.  I will reiterate this to some degree here.  So why am I stating that marriage doesn't matter?  I believe there has been a gross overemphasis on marriage as the status quot for happiness and meaning in life both in this life and the next.  It impacts not only the overemphasis on the need for marriage by homosexuals but also the cultural normalcy in church life as it relates to singleness.  No one teaches a theology of singleness anymore.  I will not do it at length in this post but I may at some point.  It needs to happen often in our day, especially from the pulpit.

We all know that generally speaking the gay marriage agenda has had a dual argument which emphasizes the impact of marriage on civil rights, as well as whether they have the right to the same loving union "before God" as heterosexuals do.  I am not arguing for or against that in this post, though as an evangelical Christian, clearly I have reason to suggest that gay marriage should get a biblically based "bad rap". 

Singleness among the secular/worldly heterosexual culture is actually gaining ground as many unbelievers and not a few professing Christians are loosing an appreciation for the covenant commitment of marriage that was established by God from the beginning as the means by which family is held together and the earth is filled through reproduction.  They are either remaining single by choice because they are placing professional growth over the importance of family; or they are choosing to live together without marriage, a commitment that is not approved by God.  

It is being observed more and more by those observing church culture that singleness in the church is often being downplayed unintentionally.  It is thought that their needs to be more teaching that encourages marriage and family, while not making singleness faux pa.  We must teach both what healthy marriages should look like and what biblical, healthy singleness looks like.

This is applicable to any single, whether you are heterosexual or homosexual in orientation.  The choice to remain single and celibate for any period of time in the face of sexual attraction of any kind must be driven by a love for Christ and a proper understanding of the gospel.  You cannot do it because people say you should.  You must be motivated by a passionate appreciation for all that Christ has done for you and a healthy understanding that this life is not the end all.

Why Marriage Doesn't Matter

The Apostle Paul teaches that in the interest of not having divided interests it is better not to marry.  Here is the passage in 1 Corinthians 7:6-9, "Now as a concession, not a command, I say this.  I wish that all were as I myself am (single).  But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.  To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am.  But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry.  For it better to marry than to burn with passion."

In the grander context of chapter 7, Paul is encouraging those who are already single to pursue singleness as it relates to their God-given ability to be singularly focused on Jesus and the gospel.  He is not encouraging singleness for the sake of singleness or selfish pursuits that do not have Christ and the Great Commission (Matthew 28) at the center.  At the same time he brings balance to the thought, acknowledging that God has not granted everyone the gift of singleness and thus celibacy.  Jesus speaks to singleness and celibacy as a gift as well in Matthew 19:10-12.  As I said, I would love to speak to singleness more at another time and flesh out these thoughts further but I must move on as this is not the main point of this post. 

To be clear regarding marriage, we are certainly given permission to be a witness to the love of God in Christ Jesus as married men and women who are raising a family.  That can be exhibited in the form of a strong Christian witness in the everyday life of work and home or it can be in the form of ministry, be it pastoral, para church or in some official missionary role.  While singleness may make flexibility easier, being married does not limit what God wants to do in your life.  If we are not clearly driven to remain single for the sake of being free to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth, unhindered by familial responsibility, then we should be getting married.  

In Matthew 22:23-33 the Pharisees are challenging Jesus about the resurrection.  In so doing, they question Jesus about marriage in heaven when a spouse has been married to multiple people in this life.  They specifically reference Deuteronomy 25:5.  Jesus' answer was this, "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven."(Matthew 22:30).  

Here Jesus is making clear that marriage is a temporal thing.  It is not the main point because it does not exist for all of eternity.  Once a person dies and, if a believer, begins eternal life with Christ in Glory; the marriage relationship ceases and sex as a means of fulfillment and reproduction is no longer necessary.  In effect, in Heaven, marriage does not matter.  So why is it such a big deal in this life?

Why Marriage Does Matter?

So what is the main point?  Why all the hubbub about marriage if it doesn't matter?  Well, basically, because it does matter.  I know, it sounds contradictory.   Here's the thing, in eternity marriage to each other does not matter because we will be married to Jesus.  In fact, if you are a believer, you already are.  You may be thinking, Huh?  Let me explain.

As explained in Genesis 2:18, 21-25 God gave Adam a helper made from Adam's rib and Adam called her Woman.  God said in vs. 24, "therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."  They were to "be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it." (Genesis 1:28)  So at the most basic level marriage is a man and a woman in a committed, covenant relationship between them and God, making babies and managing the earth's resources to the glory of God.  

Now, if there was any confusion about whether this was God's design for marriage, a few thousand years later Jesus comes on the scene and clarifies.  In Matthew 19:3-12, he clarifies his position on marriage, divorce, remarriage, and single celibacy.  In vs. 4-6 He says, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh?  So they  are no longer two but one flesh.  What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." 

 Sound familiar?

Ok, so we know how marriage is defined by God but what is it's purpose in this life?  This is where the Apostle Paul is helpful.  In Ephesians 5:22-33 Paul writes what have become some of the most controversial, offensive verses in our feministic day and time.  Unfortunately, many a man has abused these verses and many a woman has wanted to ignore them.  This is because both parties have completely missed the point of this passage of God's word.  That is why they are offensive and controversial; not because God's word is imperfect or bad for us, but because sinful man has distorted it and mangled it's application.

Let me see if I can break it down briefly so as to make clear what the point of this passage is. Ephesians 5:22-24 is to wives.  In it Paul instructs wives to think of themselves not as worthless or inferior to their husbands, but rather as a valued treasure that, in relating to her husband, is intended to reflect the church universal as it relates to Christ.  The church submits to Christ because it is responding to His love for her.  The wife submits to her husband as an act of submission to Christ, because of Christ's love for her.  She is entrusting her husbands role, and his obedience to the requirements of that role, to Christ's authority.

Now for husbands.  Ephesians 5:25-29 teaches husbands how to love their wives.  The answer is we are to love our wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.  As husbands we are to die to ourselves and live with the purpose of representing Christ's love to our wives.  Just as Christ washes His church with His word, we as husbands are to wash our wives with the water of the word. We are to value her as our greatest treasure and treat her as such.  If we do that, she will have a much easier time responding with loving, respectful submission because not only is she trusting her husband to Christ, but she will actually be able to trust herself to her husband.

Paul continues to build his case by quoting both God in Genesis and Jesus in Matthew, writing in Ephesians 5:31 he says, "therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife and the two shall become one flesh".  From here, Paul get's to the obvious point in Ephesians 5:32 when he says, "This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the Church."

He is answering the question, "Why does marriage matter?"  It matters because God intends the husband/wife relationship to show the world how Christ loves his church and how the church is to respond to that love.

Jealousy for Jesus In Singleness!

If you are a single believer in Christ, that does not mean you are relationship-less.  You have a covenant relationship with Christ.  You also share in this relationship with a huge family of brothers and sisters in Christ.  Whether they are married or single, we will all share singleness in common in Heaven.  These are the only relationship that will matter in eternity and it starts the moment you place your faith and trust in Him.  Do not think that you are inferior or somehow less valuable.  Every child of God is infinitely valuable to Christ.  He died for you!  For that reason you should be jealous for Jesus in your singleness.

You have a special opportunity in your singleness to impact the kingdom in ways that only a single person can.  Not to take anything away from marriage and family but, there are burdens and responsibilities that a single person does not have to carry.  This makes them flexible and thus uniquely qualified for certain tasks that only God knows about.

You may or may not ever be married.  Regardless of whether we are married or not, we must make every moment count for the kingdom.  We must live vertically, always considering what God's purpose is in all that He places before us.

Jealousy For Jesus In Marriage

When marriage is thrown out via divorce, distorted in the form of abuse or infidelity, or by changing the sex of the parties being married, it vandalizes the very image that God intends it to reflect. That is why we must be jealous for the protection of this covenant relationship.  We must be jealous for Jesus because in a sense, whether husband or wife, as God's children we represent Christ to the world.

Wives represent Christ through willful, loving submission to their husband just as Jesus willfully submits lovingly to God the Father.  Husbands represent Christ's sacrificial love for the church as they sacrificially love their wives.

We must not respond simply with the occasional expression of distaste for "same-sex marriage", but by ensuring that our own marriages are representing this biblical model appropriately.  When we are having difficulty applying biblical principle to our marriage for each other, we must do it for Jesus.

We must always remember that, as believers, our covenant relationship through marriage in this life is always intricately tied to the marriage covenant in which we take part; as part of Christ's bride, the church of Jesus Christ.  In that respect, male or female, Christ is our husband and we should submit to Him out of our love and appreciation for His sacrifice for us.

Our marriage to our spouse in this life matters immensely to Jesus because of it's reflection on our marriage to Him.  He cares that it is successful not just for our happiness, but for His glory!

Make Your Marriage Matter for Christ's Kingdom!  Lift up the name of your Eternal Husband!

In Christ's name,

Josh

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What Would I Do If My Kids Were Gay?

I have shared a good bit regarding homosexuality on FB.  I have received my share of push back.  I have wrestled with how I would write on this topic as a blog post.  I have processed a lot of ideas in drafts that have not been published.  While this may not be the only post I write on this topic, I realized that a personal concept such as this question provides a platform that makes the whole thing real for me as well as anyone else reading it.  It is a real question with real possibilities.  If you have ever wondered where I fall on this topic in general, I think this post will shed quite a bit of light.  

The liberal article I reference below went viral.  You don't see that very often with conservative pieces.  I don't care about hits or likes for me personally, but I do want the truth to be proclaimed and lives to be changed.  There are a lot of good resources and examples out there for Christians who are striving to live an obedient Christian life. They need to know about them.  So if this registers with you and you think it would speak to others please share and share alike.  Here goes.

What would I do if my kids were gay?

No, I am not the first person to contemplate this question or write about it.  However, in today's culture, I may be one of the few in my tiny circle of influence who would write a biblical, yet still loving response to that question. I have considered writing about this thought process before, but I am admittedly driven to it now by this article.  An article in which a man speaks to this very question.  I will speak to it on a personal level, as a parent, as well.  First, I have a few brief thoughts specific to this man's article.

This man is not only a professing Christian, he is also a Pastor.  This makes his response doubly dangerous.  When we profess Christ we stand on a name with great authority, consequently our very Christian witness reflects on the character and teachings of God's word.  However, as a Pastor there is an even greater accountability and a stricter judgement on what is said (James 3:1).  There are aspects of this pastor's thoughts that are good.  He wants to love his children impartially, shamelessly, and devotedly.  He does not want to see them suffer shame or persecution at the hands of haters because of their same-sex attraction.

These are Godly, loving desires that any parent should have.  However, when that love is unwilling to call a sinner to repentance and warn them of the judgement to come, no matter how well intended, even if that sinner is their child; that parent is grossly deceived and is misleading their children to certain eternal death, unless the Lord intervenes.  I pray this man repents both as a parent and a pastor or he will lead many astray.

For myself, I can no longer sit by and watch people who not only call themselves Christians, but some of whom are functioning in a role of pastor, write and make statements that throw the gospel under the bus in the name of love.  They misrepresent Christ's sacrifice and God's word.  It is irresponsible and damning for those who take those words seriously.

Rather than nitpicking his article at length, I would like to share my heart regarding this question. Yes, the scenario is hypothetical for me, so some could argue that I cannot possibly know what I would do.  If anyone has that thought, I would point to the fact that this Pastor takes a more liberal stance than I will and his thoughts are based on a hypothetical as well.  The hypothesis did not seem to bother the hundreds or thousands that liked and shared his article. It is healthy to think about these things because we have no idea exactly what trials we may face and it is certainly possible to be a devout Christian and have a child who is same-sex attracted.  What is not healthy is that pastor's answer to the question.

This is my family!  I love them more than life itself. My boys are 10 & 6.  I too never want to see them suffer.  I desire nothing more than for them to grow up loving Jesus and desiring to put Him first in everything that they say and do.  I pray that this family will know one another, in fellowship with Jesus, for all eternity.

I pray that my boys will never have to face this scenario but if we did, how would I respond if this question was applied to them?  I believe there are at least three risks to consider when contemplating this scenario.  What is the risk to my soul as I respond to this concern?  What is the risk to the soul of my child?  What is the risk to Heaven's joy?

Risking My Soul

I do not fear what men may do to me or my children.  I do not want my children to suffer because of any one sinful tendency they may have.  I do not believe any Christian should have to because we all have sinful tendencies.  However, if they suffer for the sake of the gospel; because they are standing for truth even in the face of temptation, so be it.  Jesus says that it must be so.  When sending forth the disciples, Jesus guaranteed persecution but instructed them, "do not fear that which could kill the body but not kill the soul.  Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew 10:28, Luke 12:4)

Regarding all manner of unrighteousness, including homosexual acts, Paul states in  Romans 1:32 that, "Though they know God's righteous decrees that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them."

It is an eternally dangerous and slippery slope to manipulate or outright reject the word of God as it regards the sins of the flesh.  When this is done it reflects a lack of love for God, a lack of trust in His word, and a lack of love for the sinner.  I have friends who have and may be still walking this slippery slope.  I want to say to you and anyone else it applies to:

When you condone sin, you are putting your soul at risk! 

When you condone sin, you are putting the sinner's soul at risk!

I refuse to do either!  Silence is not an option.  Silence simply ignores the problem, it does not make it go away.  A person is equally as damned if they die in their sins because you did not share the truth as they are if you change the truth.  Please pray and seek God regarding this, for your sake and the sake of the unredeemed souls in your circle of influence.

Risking My Child's Soul

It is one thing to tell my child, "I love you no matter what."  It is quite another thing to tell my child that God loves them no matter what.  This is putting my own child's soul at risk based on a lie.  I will not do it!

It is not true that God loves everyone the same.  God hates impenitent sinners (Psalm 5:4-6).  God loves His children.  Who are his children?  His children are those who have believed in His name and are born of God (John 1:12-13).  So who says a homosexual cannot believe and be born of God?
Not I!  However, a born-again (John 3) homosexual will not act on their same-sex attraction. They will not be impenitent.  They will be penitent or repentant.  They will turn from their sin and themselves and run toward God.  All sinners stumble however, the choice to ignore scriptures teaching on a given sin is a heart issue.  If their heart is surrendered to Christ, they will repent, ask forgiveness and be forgiven. (1 John 1:9)

A born-again homosexual will learn that they no longer need to identify as a homosexual.  They will learn that they have been set free from the power of the law of sin and death.  They have died to that nature which identified them as gay.  They can now identify as a born-again child of the Most High God whom may wrestle with same-sex attraction, but is no longer enslaved to it.  They will learn that they are adopted into the family of God and can now call God Abba, Father.  As a child of God they are now set free to follow the ways of the Spirit of God.(Romans 6 & 7; Romans 8:1-2, 12-17).  

They will learn to rest in Christ's righteousness which has been credited to them as their own.  They will learn that, as a child of God, they no longer have to fear death and judgement because Christ paid the price for every sin that they will ever commit.  They only need walk in obedience to God's commands and by God's grace, repent of sin as it arises.  This will be evidence that their life in Christ is legitimate.

These are a few of the many gospel truths that I have already begun teaching my children.  If they began developing feelings of same-sex attraction, I would continue teaching these things.  Nothing would change because these truths do not change no matter what our sinful inclinations may be. They are just as true for the single man or woman inclined toward fornication or the married man or woman inclined toward adultery as they are for the single homosexual inclined toward the same sex.

Again I will ALWAYS tell my children that I love them and strive to show them that I love them!  I will look for any source of support that I can find, beginning with my undying love and affection. What I will not do, is affirm the desire to pursue any sinful lifestyle, up to and including the homosexual lifestyle.  They will know that I love them, but I will continue to uphold the truth for the sake of their souls!  Any philosophy which suggests that withholding this truth is more loving than declaring it is A LIE!!!

I will not hold my children's hand to Hell!  If I could I would drag them kicking and screaming to Heaven.  That is not how it works, but if I could I would.

THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOLKS!

This is not joyless, identity stealing, oppressive hogwash.  This is the yoke-destroying, chain-breaking, joy-giving, hope-wielding gospel of Jesus Christ!  He came to deliver any sinner from their sin and to empower them unto a life of obedience, if they would repent of their sins and put their trust in Him.

Now, I am not so naive as to suggest that the same-sex attraction just disappears for anyone who believes.  I would not teach my children that, gay or not.  I would teach them that by God's grace, anyone wrestling with same-sex attraction can either live a satisfied, joy-filled life of celibacy or; that perhaps God will empower them to move beyond their same-sex attraction and enjoy a heterosexual marriage.  I know of people whom have experienced one or the other of these results, while still having some semblance of same-sex attraction.  God has done it both ways for His children because He always knows what is best.  He always does what is best for them and what will bring Him the most glory.

I would provide them examples of men such as Wesley Hill one of the founders of Spiritual Friendship.org and Sam Allbery one of the founders of Living Out; they are both Christian ministers who are also celibate men that have learned to overcome the temptation of succumbing to same-sex attraction.  That is not to say that it is altogether gone, but they are not slaves to it.  They have found victory and satisfaction in Jesus.

I would also introduce them to the story of Jackie Hill Perry, a former lesbian that got saved and is a happily married, heterosexual Christian rapper.  Also, Rosaria Butterfield, a professor at Syracuse University, a former lesbian and author of The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.  She is also living a happily married, heterosexual life.

As I said, I would provide any source of biblical hope that I could find to my same-sex attracted child while continuing to affirm my love for him, God's grace for him, and striving in any other biblical way I could to support him.

Risking Heavens Joy

This is not a tag-on.  In a sense, it is equally as important as the other two risks I have discussed.  But what does it mean to risk heaven's joy?  Luke 15:7 ends The Parable of the Lost Sheep.  It states, "Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."  This parable begins a string of three parables that regard celebration over the lost treasure of a repentant sinner that has been found.

What we must realize is that, when we minimize the tragedy of sin and the importance of repentance in the life of a sinner we not only aid in their condemnation, we are agents in removing the opportunity for Heaven to rejoice.  Who or what is heaven?  Heaven consists of every impenitent sinner who became a repenting saint in this life, and is now perfected and worshiping before the throne of grace in eternity.  It consists of the Angelic hosts, and most importantly it consists of the Godhead; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  All three of those parties, including those believers still living this life, lose the opportunity to rejoice; all because of the lack of repentance by every sinner that is deceived and led astray regarding the profundity of the dangers of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Heaven wants to rejoice!  God sent His Son and Jesus willingly gave His life so that they could rejoice over impenitent sinners who are now repentant, saved souls.

Love Them!

Your children, my children, murderers, pedophiles, rapists and yes, homosexuals; every sinner that needs to know the Savior must be loved by us. "God demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)  He didn't differentiate between sins, race, nationality, or gender.  "For there is no distinction between Jew or Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.  For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!"(Romans 10:12-13).

Some of you may have balked at my list of sinners above.  You may not like the idea of lumping our children in with some of those other heinous concepts, but why not?  None of us are sinless.  We may differentiate between sins, but God does not.  It only takes one sinful act of rebellion to make us eternally guilty before a Holy God.

If we deserved death yet received grace, how much then should we be showing that same grace and compassion for other sinners.  The greatest expression of appreciation that we can show God for what He has done for us is to declare that Good News to others as often as possible.  If we truly believe this Gospel, should we not want to tell it to anyone who will listen.

Like it or not I have to acknowledge that my child is not a perfect little angel, no....he is a viper in a diaper!

   

Or at least he was when he was in diapers and he continues to be a sinner now.  You get the idea. Whether it is my child, my neighbor, or my coworker, the greatest way that I can ever show them love is to share the Gospel with them.  So, whether my child expresses an inclination toward same-sex attraction or not, I will keep the Gospel in front of him for as long as I have breath and I will show the Gospel to him by striving to give him as much sacrificial love and affection as my strength will allow.  It is my joy to do so as his Father.  Sinner or Saint, he will always be my child, but I want my child to celebrate the goodness of our God with me in Heaven for all eternity.

I hope you would want the same for yours!

May it be so in Jesus name.

Josh

Broken Together (A Song, A Video, A Marriage, A Lifestyle)

I want to share a couple of touching videos connected to a beautiful song that is incredibly appropriate to our day and time as it relates to marital commitments.  It could apply to life on some level but the song really applies to marriage.  If I may, I would like to share a few thoughts of challenge and encouragement.  This can and should apply to anyone, married or contemplating married.  Even if your marriage is fine, this will bless you and encourage you to pursue continued success.  If your marriage is not fine, I beg of you, please keep reading!

Anyone who has read my blog's and follows me on FB knows that I have a passion to see biblical marriages succeed in our day.  I know far too many marriages that are over or extremely broken.  Many are marriages between professing Christians.

The problem is, our culture has developed such a romanticized, self-centered, my way right-a-way mentality, that many bible-believing Christian men and women are reading the bible through that lens and failing to see the truth.  We think that love is a must-have feeling rather than a choice we make.  Scripture knows nothing of loving when it feels right or if it feels good.  We also tend to think that a good relationship is tied to a good sex life.  Consequently, intimacy in the form of sex is placed at the center of relationships and if/when it ceases or becomes much less frequent, suddenly we no longer feel the same desire to remain committed to this person that we say we love and promised life-long commitment too.

[ I will give one brief qualifier by stating that  I know there are some very difficult situations and that the bible provides two very clear acceptable reasons for divorce.   Adultery or abandonment by an unbelieving spouse.  To be clear, these are not the situations I am addressing here.]

What If Christ Treated Our Relationship Like That?

The truth is that this sin-sick world is broken and as a part of that world, so are we.  We see the flaws in everyone else but find it difficult to see our own.  We think that if we look hard enough, we will find someone who is "as perfect and selfless as we are."   I've got news for you, that kind of perfection only exists in one person; and that is the person of Jesus Christ.  

James 4:4 teaches that when we are far too friendly with the world, as we often are, we are acting as adulterers toward God.  In fact, he goes on to say that being a friend of the world makes you and enemy of God!  Even with our greatest effort, we are altogether unfaithful to God compared to His faithfulness to us; compared to all that He has done for us.  If Christ were to turn from His commitment to His bride in the same way that we reject each other, we would all be damned for eternity.  

But NO!  Though spiritually perfect and sinless in his divine nature, he became broken, yet never sinful in his human nature.  He did this for us.  Scripture tells us that Christ died for His bride, the church.  We are told that he loved us so much that he died for us even "while we were yet sinners"(Romans 5:8).  Even as we rejected Him, He was loving us.  All that He requires of us is that we, as His broken, sinful bride should love, honor, and respect Him. 

This example of selfless love and sacrifice by Christ is applied to us even as we are expected to demonstrate Christ to the world through this marriage relationship.(Ephesians 5:21-33) 

Be Reconciled

Many of the reasons for failing marriages come down to what the courts have termed "irreconcilable differences".  Rest assured that this an altogether unbiblical, man-made idea.  2 Corinthians 5:11-21 tells us that even as we are in Christ, we are no longer to live according to the flesh.  We are to remember that, being in Christ, we are now a new creation.  Even as we are reconciled to God through Christ, He has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  We have been entrusted with this message, that Christ came to reconcile the world to himself through forgiveness by becoming sin on our behalf.  We are Christ's ambassadors, representatives.  How can we represent His love for His bride if we are unwilling to demonstrate forgiveness and reconciliation in our own marriages?

Remember in Matthew 5:22-24, "So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother (or sister) has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother(or sister), and then come and offer your gift."   (Emphasis in parenthesis are mine.) 

This is something I think much of the church has forgotten.  That is, no matter what your relationship; brother, sister, father, mother, son, daughter, husband, or wife; as a disciple of Christ you are always that persons brother or sister in Christ.  As such you are commanded to love, forgive, and be reconciled to them.  Those people could be classified as neighbor or enemy as well and still we are commanded to love, forgive, and be reconciled.  Why?  Because that is what Christ has done for us.

Yes We Are Broken

It's true.  Every single one of us is broken.  If we are to be successful at reconciliation, we must lean in to the reconciliation that Christ provides for us regarding our relationship with God the Father.  He is praying for our success.  He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us through discipleship, prayer, and meditating on His word.  If we leave any one of those means of grace out, we are not pursuing success to the fullest extent that we can.  He has also promised that He will never leave us, nor forsake us(Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5).  So why should we expect that He will not help us to do the same for our spouse if we are willing to put forth undying effort on Christ's behalf.

In the words of the song I am about to share with you, we must learn to be Broken Together.  That does not mean years of misery while simply tolerating each other; though it could if you are not both committed to the cause.  But someone has to start.  Someone must begin allowing Christ to dominate their part of the relationship.  I cannot guarantee you what the end result will be.  

What I can tell you is what Christ has done and is doing for you now and how that must impact you if you fully understand and appreciate the sacrifice He made for you.  Once you realize that the God of the universe is not only rooting for you, but that He promises to love you through every step of the journey and bring you peace, comfort, and joy like no one else can; you will want to honor him by giving your all for your marriage.  If you don't want to give your undying commitment to your marriage, then you do not fully realize and appreciate all that Christ has done for you.  That no only affects your relationship with your spouse.  It will affect your relationship with Jesus.

The Song and The Writer

Mark Hall is the lead singer for Casting Crowns and I believe he wrote, if not co-wrote this song.

These are his thoughts on the song and the current crises surrounding marriage:

Marriage is tough. We bring a lot of fairy tales to the picture when it comes to marriage. We bring them to the altar with us [thinking]: ‘This is going to be perfect. We don’t have to be apart. We can just wake up together every morning and no one is going to have morning breath. We’re not going to have any problems.’ And then the problems hit and you don’t know where to file those into your picture. . . The idea I’m trying to say is: ‘Can you lay down who you thought I was and love the ‘me’ that is? Can we take this from where we are now and realize that I can’t be that person?’ Only God is going to be able to make this work and broken people can be broken together.

His thoughts are much more brief than mine but hey, he is a song-writer, I am a blogger.  He writes in lyrics, I write like this.  I hope both methods will have some effect on how any reader of this is thinking through their own marriage and the marriages of those around them.  No matter who we marry, we will never be perfectly complete until Christ returns and sin is no more.  We will always be broken, together or apart. We have to be broken together, not only in our marriages but as part of the body of Christ.  We must look out for each other and we must allow ourselves to be looked after by each other.  May it be so in Jesus name.  

I am providing two videos of this song.  One can be found here.  The other below, though it may only be view-able from the blog page.  To access it from the email just click on the title of the blog.  It should be a hyperlink.  Both videos are tremendously touching and I pray you will allow both to minister to you.  

Blessings, Josh

Death on the Cross for Death Through the Cross

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  for whoever would save his life will loose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:24-26, Mark 8:34-35) 

In this passage two things are happening.  Jesus is referencing his own death, unbeknownst to the disciples. At the same time He is giving them and us a sobering definition of what it means to be a believer and one of His disciples.  Christ gave us death on the cross so that we could live out death through the cross.

The Glory of Martyrdom

Have you ever talked through the scenario in which you have a gun pointed at your head, or maybe that of your family, and you are told to deny Jesus or they will pull the trigger?  I have had many of those conversations with other believers and overheard the same kind of conversations without being a part of them.  It sounds horrifyingly noble right?  There is something morbidly glamorous sometimes about the idea of being a martyr.  It happens all over the world in our day and it has been happening ever since the New Testament church was born.

It is so easy to act as if martyrdom had some glory attached to it that makes it easier because we are "paying the ultimate price".  Besides, "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord right?"
(2 Corinthians 5:8)  

There are many testimonies of the genuine faith and hope that resides with those whom live in countries where Christians are killed for their faith  However, most of those believers come to genuine faith and repentance with a solid understanding that it may cost them their life or the life of their family in a very short period of time.  I would wager that many a professing "Christian" in America would crumble and fold in their profession of faith if they were faced with such a horrifying fate.  That is because in America the "cost of discipleship" is not at the center of the message, if it exists at all.

Christianity is tied to the American Dream in this country and church goers are fed a man-centered gospel that makes salvation all about them and promises them "Their Best Life Now".  Many pastors messages are laden with pop-psychology designed to affirm positive self-esteem, rather than calling sinners to repentance and reminding them of the cost and self-sacrifice that should be expected of anyone who would call themselves a follower of Jesus.

Satan's Master Plan for America

I, along with others, believe that this positive-thinking, prosperity message is Satan's master plan for America.  You see, we are an affluent nation.  Most of us have never known the kind of poverty, sickness, and despair that people in third-world countries live daily.  So rather than threatening our lives, it is more effective to numb us to the effects of sin by relativizing truth and then give us a gospel that costs us almost nothing.  In fact, it promises us health, wealth, and happiness.  It tells us that what we want is what we should have and what God wants us to have.  The gospel becomes all about what we can get out of professing Christ, rather than making clear the command to proclaim Christ and the cost that is associated with that.  The former is a lie.  Can there be benefits to the Christian walk.  Certainly, at times.  But this should NEVER be the motivation for obedience.

The promises of abundance and perfect health etc. that are in scripture are primarily designated for the life that is to come for every genuine believer, NOT this life.  If you look at the early 1st century church you will recognize that.  There's was one of persecution and suffering.  They may have had their basic needs met but few were living an affluent life.  In fact, their were very specific instructions and warnings given to believers who were "rich".  While people were healed at times, the message that was preached was not, God wants to heal you.  It was repent and believe the Gospel, and sometimes people got healed.

The first century church understood something. They knew that Jesus said in John 16:33, "In this life you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world."  Paul taught us how to view tribulation in his second letter to the Corinthians, "So we do not loose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary afflictions is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal"(2 Corinthians 4:16-18).  

We must not be seduced into a pursuit of self-fulfillment in this life in the name of Jesus.  Certainly he intends our needs to be met and he absolutely blesses some more richly than others.  There is nothing wrong with making a living and making the most of this life with the skills, talents, and gifts that God has provided however, that should not be the central message or purpose of our lives.  

NO, He would have us die to ourselves and spend our energies and the overflow of those energies spreading the good news that apart from Christ we are damned sinners; but that because of Christ death, burial, and resurrection we can have eternal life with him in the new heavens and the new earth.  We must tell them that THERE is where the majority of the promises will be fulfilled and that it is but a heartbeat away.  This life is but a blip on the line of eternity.

Take Up Your Cross!

When Jesus used this metaphor of taking up your cross, it was not a call to be willing to die physically for the cause of Christ.  At least that was not it's only purpose.  In a manner of speaking that would be easier.  If your faith is real and you die for Christ then you are with Him.  End of story. It's a wonderful ending and while He calls many to that end, those are still the minority.  I would argue that the primary intent of the statement "take up your cross" was like that of the disciples most of whom did die for their faith eventually but actually lived many years and died as older men.  Yet they died to themselves in the spirit long before they died to themselves in the flesh.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer's most famous quote is found on page 99 of his book The Cost of Discipleship.  In it he says:

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.  It may be a death like that of the first disciples who had to leave home and work to follow him, or it may be a death like Luther's, who had to leave the monastery and go out into the world.  But it is the same death every time, death in Jesus Christ, the death of the old man at his call."

This was the primary focus of Christ's demands upon our lives as His disciples.  Luke, author of the gospel by the same name, adds the word "daily" to the command to take up our cross(Luke 9:23).  I think anyone who reads these words of Christ in the other gospels honestly will recognize that the idea of daily sacrifice through obedient discipleship is understood.

This is much harder in a sense than dying once.  As I said before, Jesus died ON the cross so that we could live to die daily THROUGH the cross.  To die daily means actually exercising the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control(Galatians 5:20).  We will actually have to learn to walk by the Spirit and crucify the flesh.  We have to learn to overcome fear of man by God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit in order to share the Good News of the gospel.

Taking Up My Cross
I for one, struggle though I may, would rather take this route.  While there is more time to mess things up, there is also more time for God to glorify himself in my sanctification.  The more I become like Him and learn who He is, the better witness I can be to the world.  In addition, their is a joy that comes from learning to trust Him in obedience.  Though I am worlds away I, like Paul, want to be able to say that:

"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.  That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." (Philippians 3:8-11)

Doxology
I hope you are both challenged and encouraged at the same time by this post.  If you were uncomfortable or offended by the challenges to the "health and wealth" teaching as part of Satan's plan of deception, I hope you will at least investigate and consider the dangers that are there.  If you have lived in fear of death or persecution or you have struggled with unresolved illness or financial challenges I hope that you have found some encouragement here. This is NOT your best life.  IT is yet to come and that should encourage you.  Faithfully follow Christ now in whatever capacity he allows, trust in His finished work on the cross, and show forth the fruit of repentance and obedience by serving HIS best interest rather than your own, and you will enjoy an eternity of no guilt, pain or sadness.(Revelation 21:1-4)  I leave you with one of my favorite doxologies.

"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen" (Jude 1:24-25)

Coram Deo,(Living before the face of God)

Josh

"50 Shades" The Lie of Satisfaction's Source

Here, here, and here are three well written articles taking differing perspectives on the approach of the movie "50 Shades of Grey" based on the book by E. L. James.  None of them are approving of or promoting the watching of the movie or the reading of the book.  In fact two of them stand very strongly against the need to watch or read the material in order to be justified in speaking against it.   In fact as Christians we should be highly discouraging this movie or book to everyone we speak. This is the right thing to do.

Or Is It?

Psalm 101:3 states that "I will set no wicked/worthless thing before my eyes"

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus states in Matthew 6:22-23 that, "The eye is the lamp of the body, so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 

Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Here we have the Psalmist, the Lord Jesus, and the Apostle Paul all affirming that it is unwise and dangerous to take anything into our minds and thus our souls that is evil and ungodly.  Instead we should be meditating on the glorious truths of scripture, for in God's word is life everlasting.

What Makes It So Different? 

The writers mentioned above have all spoken to some degree to the horrific way in which this story tames down the abusive nature of Christian Grey in his sexual exploits and glorifies the patient, loving behavior of Anastasia Steele, his love interest.  They are correct.  Those whose take away from this story is that, abusive sexual behavior is not only sexy, but acceptable, are being grossly deceived. Those woman who would be inclined to think that they need to "stand by their man" in this behavior and take that abuse are also horribly misled.

But there is an even larger scale takeaway that we need to consider here.  How is "50 Shades of Grey" so very different from say "Deuce Bigolo Male Gigolo"?   I mean if Christian Grey is the abusive sadist of our little diatribe, then Deuce Bigolo must be our little angel right?  He was after all kind of forced into a position of selling himself and all of his efforts were selfless and ended up being oh so considerate of the ladies he was involved with.

The truth is that neither of these are so very different.  While Deuce Bigolo doesn't actually have sex with any of those ladies, the movie is still laden with jokes and suggestive dialogue all of which makes light of what is actually an immoral, God dishonoring profession.  Meanwhile Christian Grey's adventures with Anastasia Steele are, as I understand it, not his first and they are far from selfless.

What Is The Real Issue?

The real issue with this "50 Shades" or any other movie or TV show that makes sexual gratuity seem glorious and common place is that it is actually a spiritual attack.  It is an attack of the enemy of every Christian, Satan himself.  He is using media of many kinds to numb us to every possible sin, making it so normal that we watch it and don't even question whether we should be or not.  Over time this renders us more and more ineffective at being salt and light.

This is evident in it's affect on whether we are comfortable challenging the status quo and daring to insist that sex is a sacred physical, emotional, and spiritual union that was ordained by God to be between a married man and woman.  Christians abound that can barely speak to what the bible actually teaches about a healthy sex life between a married couple, and yes the bible does speak to it.

There are far to many Christian women and probably quite a few men who think that their is something redeemable about "50 Shades of Grey."  Let's be clear, THAT IS A LIE!  Not only is there nothing redeemable about it, but it is is altogether spiritually shameful, dangerous, and offensive to God.  This has been referred to as low grade porn because it contains some of the same ideas of violent sexual activity that are known to be found in porn.  So if you would not watch porn, you certainly don't need to watch this.  If you have ever had a problem with porn, you absolutely should avoid this story.

Find Real Pleasure!

I plead with you.  We need to seriously consider all of the content that we allow in through the lamp of the eye which is the window to our soul.  Once it is in, it never comes out.  Even if you are not trying to think about it, those things often rise up in our thoughts at the most annoying of times.  They love to pop up say when we are tying to have our quiet time or maybe trying to have a Godly conversation with someone.  Sometimes there is an obvious trigger, sometimes not.  It's all good, then out of the blue, from the depths of our memory, come these unsavory images and thoughts.  Then we have to take them captive all over again.

Please, do not read this book if you have not already.  If you have, your imagination has likely already done more with it than is holy or righteous.  Please do not go see the movie and add more images to reinforce the God-dishonoring filth that is already there.

Real pleasure, identity, and satisfaction can never ultimately be found in any relationship with another human being, sexual or otherwise.  The healthiest relationships are between those people who already know that their greatest satisfaction and their truest identities are found in Christ. Those that come into relationships with these truths already embedded are ready to pour out in Christlike love rather than needing to receive so much affirmation and approval.

 I pray that if you have known that before and forgotten it, that you will dive into the word and rediscover who Christ is to you and who you are in Christ.  If you have never known that relationship, then I urge you to read the bible, plug into a church, and get to know other God-pursuing Christians that are doing the same.

There is joy unspeakable and full of glory to be found in Christ Jesus.  He is the way to eternal satisfaction that can never be lost.  He delivers us out of the defiling, destruction of sin and into the fullness of everlasting life.

Always remember:

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him"-John Piper

As you go forward, I encourage you to make the glory of God your goal in all things.  If you do, I promise, you will be satisfied.

May it be so in Jesus name,

Josh

   

Peace In The Valley, Calm In The Storm. Finding Hope When All Hope Seems Lost

Is Hope Lost?
There are so many experiences in life that can cause us to drift toward that thought process.  They can cause us to loose any semblance of hope in all the chaos of life.

Loss of hope and the setting in of despair takes different forms.  Sometimes it comes through a barrage of difficult circumstances.  Maybe you have lost your job and your house in the same short period of time.  Maybe you have experienced multiple losses of loved ones or loved things.  Or, maybe you have only experienced one major disappointment.  People loose hope for all kinds of reasons.  The reasons almost always involves some degree of suffering.

Despair is defined as the complete loss or absence of hope.  People respond to despair in many different ways.  You see it in the news or on the internet all the time.  I have the unfortunate opportunity to see it in patients on the job at the hospital often as well.

Sometimes it comes in the form of sadness over sickness and disease.  Other times it comes in the form of clinical depression over any number of life's challenges.  Granted clinical depression is sometimes rooted in chemical imbalances and then set off by a particular circumstance, though not always.  Still other times despair shows itself in it's most desperate form, death.  Most often self-inflicted in the form of suicide by any number of methods.  Yet, sometimes it is in the form of murder or murder-suicide.


Yes, I am painting a dark picture, but this is the reality of it.  People often live in a dark fog that nobody can see or experience but that person.  They need help and they don't know where to find it. Even those of us who are well balanced and have a faith-based hope, struggle with the daily grind, personal loss and the ever evolving and often horrifying news occurring around the world.


Where Is Hope?
So where is hope to be found in the midst of such dark, depressing realities.  Doctors prescribe medicines which are sometimes helpful, but often become enslaving themselves.   Don't misunderstand me, I am not opposed to clinical evaluations and interventions.  They however, are not the defining and ultimate answer to the problem of despair.

There is but one answer.  There is but one hope.  That hope is found in the person of Jesus Christ! Scripture calls Him the "Blessed Hope"(Titus 2:13) and "the hope of Glory"(Colossians 1:27).

I have been burdened of late as I have seen sad story after sad story in people's lives via Facebook, the news, and in real life.  2014 was a very difficult year for many, including my own life and the life of my family.  I wanted to try to give some encouragement by providing at least some of the scriptures that can be stood upon or bathed in when the need arises.  But let me caution us not to wait until things get tough to begin meditating on and devouring God's word into our souls. Make no mistake, we are in a fight.  Satan wants to steal everything that is ours in Christ Jesus.

Many things can cause us to need a grieving period in order to move past a loss.  At no point am I suggesting that grief should not happen or that it should look a certain way.  Grieving is necessary and healthy.   What we must not do is loose hope or trust in God's sovereign goodness through our grief.   Unfortunately to often, even as believers, we do not have a basis of hope to support us through that process.  If we take in God's word prior to the rough spots, then the foundation of  hope will be laid to build your grief upon without slipping into the depths of despair.

Words of Hope

There is scripture after scripture speaking to where our hope is found and what we can do with all of our cares.  Here are a few.  I pray they help.

Psalm 23
The Psalms are laden with grief and hope.  I could list endless Psalms in this discussion.  Psalm 23 is however, one of the best known and often memorized. Psalm 23:4 specifically states, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

1 Peter 5:5-11
Though written in a context of pastoral exhortation, it still applies to all of us as believers who are under pastoral care. It is a word of warning regarding the dangers of the enemy.   It calls us to humility in all things and to remembrance that, no matter what we are going through, we are not alone. There are others that have been through the same struggles you are going through.  God is faithful to see us through, restore, and comfort us.  1 Peter 5:7 & Psalm 55:22 are very similar in this.

Isaiah 40
Isaiah is often referred to as the fifth gospel.  The fourtieth chapter is of the exaltation of the glory and sovereignty of God.  Much of the well known Handel's Messiah is drawn from that chapter. However, Isaiah 40:27-31 is a very well known portion of encouragement for those who may think that God has forgotten them.  For those who wait upon Him, he is always there, interested in what is going on, and carrying us along.

Matthew 11:28-30
"Come unto me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in hear, and you will find rest fro your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

While this could be broken down and looked at more closely, it also pretty much speaks for itself.

Lamentations 3:21-25
Many of you will recognize pieces of this passage as well.  They have been quoted and used in song lyrics extensively. Bear in mind that most of the passage is a listing of the reasons that the author has hope.

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to and end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him."

Psalm 30:2, 5c, & 11-12
Psalm 30:2- "O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me"

Psalm 30:5c- "Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning"

Psalm 30:11-12- "You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Revelation 21:3-4
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.  He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

This one is the culmination of all scriptures having to do with hope!  That moment when all things are made new and sin reigns no more.

Where Will You Find Your Hope


As you can see there is a lot of hope to be found in the scriptures. That hope finds it's genesis and culmination in Jesus Christ.  If you do not have a relationship with the Father through the Son, this hope will not be available to you.  Today can be the day that you find hope like you have never known.  You will die to yourself and begin living for Jesus.  In so doing, you will find life like you have never known.  So look to Jesus.  Surrender your life to the only one whom can give you life everlasting.

If you are a Christian but not living a life of surrender to your Lord and Savior then you are missing out on much of the hope that is available.  In order to experience the fullness of hope that is found in the scriptures we must read the scriptures and live in an attitude of communion with God including intentional times of prayer.

I think one of the best verses that makes clear instruction in this direction is found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  It states, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 

If we will just apply these practices, HOPE will abound!

May it be so in you life and mine.

In Jesus name.

Amen!

Live Like That. The Cry of My Heart.

Hello all.  I hope everyone is well.  

I heard this song on the way to a funeral this morning.  At the funeral, the testimony of this man's life was just like this song.  People did say all the most wonderful things about him.  He did "Live Like That". 

That man is my Great-Uncle Edward Newton and I will be blogging about him soon because I want to show him honor for his faithful, God-fearing life just as I did my Mom.  I hope you will honor him by reading it just as you did for my Mom. Thank you to everyone who has read the post about her.

This song represents my heart as well.  I want to be a mighty man of God, known for his love and generosity .  I want to be known as someone who so appreciated the work of God's grace in his own heart that he had to let it overflow to others.  

I confess I am not even close yet.  There is still so much of me to crucify.  But this song is my hearts cry and I am grateful that it was written by Sidewalk Prophets.  May it remain the undying hunger and cry of my heart and may it become the undying cry of your heart, if it is not already. 

I think of Matthew 5:14-16 which says, "You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand; and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

Please enjoy the video and see the lyrics below.  Blessings.

Sometimes I think 
What will people say of me 
When I'm only just a memory 
When I'm home where my soul belongs 

Was I love 
When no one else would show up 
Was I Jesus to the least of those 
Was my worship more than just a song 

I want to live like that 
And give it all I have 
So that everything I say and do 
Points to You 

If love is who I am 
Then this is where I'll stand 
Recklessly abandoned 
Never holding back 

I want to live like that 
I want to live like that 

Am I proof 
That You are who you say You are 
That grace can really change a heart 
Do I live like Your love is true 

People pass 
And even if they don't know my name 
Is there evidence that I've been changed 
When they see me, do they see You 

I want to live like that 
And give it all I have 
So that everything I say and do 
Points to You 

If love is who I am 
Then this is where I'll stand 
Recklessly abandoned 
Never holding back 

I want to live like that 
I want to live like that 

I want to show the world the love You gave for me 
I'm longing for the world to know the glory of the King 

I want to live like that 
And give it all I have 
So that everything I say and do 
Points to You