Hey, Superkid! Here we are in February already, and 2017 is ticking away. I know Jesus has some amazing plans that He wants to become reality for us. Last month we talked about that “Come to Jesus” meeting many parents feel the need to gather the family for. How did it go? I pray our message last month helped you to understand and gain from a time of correction in a different and better way. It’s easy to hear the word “correction” and want to run from it like the children of Israel did, as we learned last month. I believe the truths we talked about last month, will lead you to new places in Jesus for the rest of your life (to reread, go to kcm.org). It’s in these “new places in Jesus” that you will find amazing adventures with Him.
Superkid, I’m talking about a new relationship with Jesus. A relationship that is more like knowing someone as your best friend than just knowing their name or a few facts about them. Would you like to know Jesus in a new way? I hear you saying, “Yes, Commander Kellie!” (Picture me jumping up and down!)
The good news is, you’ve already started this journey. By being open to correction and teachable, as we talked about last month, you’ve opened the door to REAL friendship with Jesus. He said to His friends in John 15:14, “You are my friends if you do what I command” (New International Version). But it isn’t just about obedience, it’s about opening your life to Him to have command over. Look at Hebrews 12. The whole chapter is about running the race or living the life God the Father intends us to. In the first part, it talks about keeping our eyes on Jesus. He is the One who fought for us to be close to the Father! And He is the One who births FAITH in us and also DEVELOPS it. Faith for what? Faith to remain, to run the race and to make it through all the obstacles we have to overcome.
Think of life like a race on TV, with challenges, obstacles and hurdles and you have a COACH! He is telling you what you need to know to win each phase of the race. Watch out for that pit! Duck! Lean to the right! Slow down and focus! Don’t slow down, hurry! Can you picture this? Is the coach being mean to give such direction? NO! He is simply giving DIRECTION and CORRECTION.
How is that different from what the Lord does for us? Back to Hebrews 12: Why did the children of Israel get so afraid when the Lord coached them on how to get away from Pharaoh and the ways of Egypt? As we discovered last month, He was not correcting them because He was displeased with them. He was DIRECTING them on how to get to the Promised Land and a new way of life.
Hebrews 12 describes correction as a wonderfully, loving, NORMAL function of a great Father! Why do people run from it? The alternative is a disconnected, uncaring, uninterested parent. That is NOT our Father! He sent His only Son, Jesus, to be our Savior, to pay the price for us to be God’s kids forever! Hebrews 12 says we don’t come to Mt. Sinai, a place of flaming fire, darkness, gloom and whirlwind like the children of Israel did. We COME TO JESUS and to a gathering of God’s children, whose names are written in heaven. We come to Jesus, whose blood says, “You are forgiven!” My favorite part of this “Come to Jesus” meeting is what verses 25-29 say in The Message Bible.
So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he’s told us this quite plainly—he’ll also rock the heavens: “One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered. Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!
Jesus is doing some housecleaning in us, Superkids, because He has great things for us to do! Everything that could slow us down, hurt us or keep us from a life of freedom and victory with Him, is being swept away and burned up! No one likes to clean house but everyone likes a clean house! So even though correction isn’t always fun, and change isn’t easy, the new you will love the new way!
So let every Superkid say, “Bring it on, Jesus! Make me shine! And if there is anything in me or about me that You don’t like, burn it up! I am running my race and I’m going to WIN!”
WE WIN, SUPERKID! ♥
Commander Kellie