The Puzzle

This is a shot today of our dining room table at home. I'm somewhere in the middle of piecing together 1000 pieces that all look a lot alike and yet are each uniquely different. When I'm done, I'll have nice picture of a lighthouse--right now, I have chaos.

I started doing puzzles several years ago when I was going through a period of stress. It was suggested to me that the exercise of building a puzzle might just help me relax. I think that it does help.

I always start by building the border--that way I know what my limits are. Next I look for easily recognizable and unique patterns like the buildings which I clearly finished first. These pieces are unique in color and it's not too hard to see how they fit together. The hardest part are the pieces that all look alike--in this case the sky and the water. Sometimes I have to resort to trying each individual piece in succession until I find the perfect fit. It can be tedious work but it really feels good when you see a piece drop into place perfectly.

I am in the process of trying to decide if I am supposed to stay at Cornerstone or if I might be a better fit somewhere else. The border seems to be in place and so I'm simply looking for all of the other pieces that might look like me. I have a unique shape, a unique color, and somewhere out there is a unique space just waiting for my arrival. God is the one building the puzzle to which I belong--a puzzle that we might call the Kingdom of God. I've been doing lots of praying, lots of searching in the Scriptures, and lots of talking with my friends and family. I would like to see God simply drop me in place but this puzzle piece seems to have been given a choice.

I would ask all who may stumble upon this post to take a moment and to lift up some prayer for the Samples' family.

Perhaps Moses was working on a puzzle when he prayed to God, "You tell me, 'I know you well and you are special to me.' If I am so special to you, let me in on your plans. That way I will continue being special to you. Don't forget, this is your people, your responsibility" (Exodus 33:13, The Message).

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - This Is How It Feels To Be Free

God says, "You're Good to Go"!

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). What an amazing promise! NO condemnation! Why is there no condemnation?

"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death" (Romans 8:2). There is no condemnation because Jesus has released us from the tyranny of the law. The law of sin and death has been replaced with the law of the Spirit of life. Jesus has perfectly fulfilled the law. This applies to us in to very practical ways: #1--Jesus fulfills obedience to the law resulting in righteousness (life) and #2--Jesus fulfills disobedience to the law resulting in death. The righteousness that Jesus has created through his obedience is more than what we could ever do in our own "self-righteousing" efforts. "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:20). The only righteousness that counts is Jesus' righteousness. The stuff we produce just isn't good enough. Isaiah says that our rightousness is like old dirty rags (Isaiah 64:6).

"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). Following the rules can never make any of us truly righteous. The law can't get it done. Therefore we are all set up for condemnation. However, the only condemnation that God will ever provide has already been provided towards Jesus Christ. God condemned sin once and for all in the death of Jesus.

"So that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to te flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). Here is the positive result: Christ-followers fulfill the law--not in the flesh but in the Spirit.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). In the middle of Romans 8 during this great and weighty teaching on how Christ fulflls the law on our behalf we have yet another awesome promise: All things work together for good to those who love God and are called to His purpose. EVERYTHING works out good for Christ-followers! Through Christ, God takes away our garbage and replaces it with treasure. Christ's death fulfills the wages of our sin (death) and also fullfills the wages of obedience (righteousness).

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that he would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Romans 8:29-30). Here it is spelled out for us: Christians have been predestined to look like Jesus. God predestined--God called--God justified--God glorified! What's left for us to achieve? Absolutely nothing!

"What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God,who also intercedes for us" (Romans 8:31-24). Who can condemn us? It certainly cannot be God--He says that we are good!!! Who can accuse us? It certainly cannot be Jesus--He is too busy praying for us!!!

Geoff Moore - A Beautiful Sound

I came to the conclusion last night having heard an amazing testimony that I must abandon every single bit of control that I would place upon my future. My inability to even influence my next breath should make that an obvious conclusion.

Rich Mullins - Elijah

This is one of my favorite songs...

Audio Adrenaline - Ocean Floor