Someone to Hate...

     That someone is me. I am someone to hate. Not for you to hate, but for the world. Do I want them to hate me? No, but it proves something. It proves that I am of Christ. Jesus said in John 15:18-21:

If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will also keep yours. But they will do all these things to you on account of My name, because they don’t know the One who sent Me.

      All those evil things the world does to me, and to you, were done to Jesus. We should count ourselves worthy to be treated as our master was treated. Jesus was hated by the world because of what He stood for, so we should also be hated because we stand for Him. We should be someone to hate.

     Now, you may be wondering, "Where did this come from?" Well, it actually wasn't my idea to begin with. It all started with my checking of facebook this morning. Low and behold, there in my news feed was a new song from Christian metal band Demon Hunter. The song? Someone To Hate. Here's the lyrics:

(Verse 1)

A figure for the closing of time, the antagonist divine
Void of vacant word, one final answer to be heard
I will carry my decree into a storm of lead
This is total war, my want for tolerance is dead

(Pre-Chorus)

To my last breath
I am someone to hate
I will spit upon the idol for which you stand
I will carry the weight
I will bury your deception with a wrathful hand

(Chorus)

Heart is cold, and my weapons are washed in blood
I avow to the call on high
My resolve in the blessed above, in this ever-consuming divide

(Verse 2)

A figure for the closing of time, the antithesis defined
Threat to faith untrue, I am the enemy of new
All you advocates of Hell, you corruptors of free will
The culling is nigh, better get your fill

(Pre-Chorus)

(Chorus)

I am the cry for the falling of time

(Bridge)

Born into the lust within our eyes
Taught to write the scriptures for our lives
We inherit the lies

To my last breath, to my final day

(Chorus)

      Now, I know most of you probably wouldn't like the sound of the song. That's just the nature of music: some people like some music, while other are partial to a different style. But the lyrics hold the message of what we should stand for. Do we spit upon the idols the world serves? Do we carry the weight of our own cross? (Luke 9:23) Is our resolve truly in the Lord? Are we willing to carry the Word of God to those who need to hear it, even if that means passing through a storm of lead?

     Unfortunately, I think most of us would have to truly answer no to those questions, myself included. But this is what Christ has called us to! So it is our duty to carry this out. In each of our own individual lives we must forsake the idols of the world, take up our cross, and carry the decree of the Lord wherever He leads. Can we do it? No, not by ourselves. Only by His power in our lives. And it's that power that we have through the Holy Spirit.

     Are you living in such a way that the world hates you, because you stand for Christ? How can you stand for Him more? We must ask ourselves these questions and seek the answers to them by spending time in prayer. Christ has called us to be like Him. So we must become someone to hate. Are you someone the world hates?

Life and fire...

     It's the middle of February, and I haven't updated this blog in a few weeks, so I figured I should add another post ;) Sounds like a good enough reason, right? Well if it's not, too bad...cause a new post is coming at you!

     My job situation has seen a big change recently. Well, sorta. The change won't actually happen until June 25th (or possible a little earlier), but I know about it now. You see, the Saturday after my last post was the CEF of Oregon State Board Meeting. At this meeting, one of the items on the agenda was an issue Rod Franz, the State Director, and I had talked about during his last visit to CEF HQ in Warrenton, Missouri while I was there for CMI. The core of that issue was, "CEF is still in the 20th century when it comes to technology." That's where I come in.

     Completely to my surprise, the board opened the floor to Rod...who then turned it over to me, and I got to share my heart for what I wanted to see happen within CEF when it comes to tech. After that, we ended up talking for about another hour, at the end of which the members of the board voted that I would be appointed to a new position in June or as soon as I can get funding. So, come June 25th, I'll officially be the Director of Communications and Technology for CEF of Oregon.

     There's a whole lot of responsibilities attached to that title, but it's pretty much the job I've always dreamed of. I mean, I get to work with computers 8 hours (or more) a day, and drive across the state to assist others with computer issues in local CEF chapters. That's two of my favorite things to do and I get paid to do it! The only issue I have is that the driving might be a little... problematic at a future point...but I'm sure that'll work out since God's called me here and He's also called me there...so they have to work together.

     Now about the fire I mentioned in the title. I've come to realize that it has become my job to be a lantern bearer. Or, more correctly, a lantern keeper. There is a flame that I have been entrusted with, and it's my job to keep that flame alive. So the flame stays in the lantern, and the lantern stays with me, until it's time to release that flame into something bigger.

     Yeah, I know, more cryptic messages in my posts, but hey...at least this gives you something to guess at, right? Anyway, I hope all is going well with you readers, and that God is blessing you in your life as much as He is in mine. Until next time...