If I do not love God, it is because I do not believe I am loved.

“Believe the gospel,” easier said than done, I know.  However, I must say, as a Christian for about 4 years, that is the one thing I have found most lacking amongst the people I have met inside and outside of churches.  This is what I mean.  We are infinitely more sinful and conspiring than we would ever dare admit, and transversely, we are infinitely more loved and accepted than we ever dreamed because of what Jesus Christ has done for us.

It isn’t complicated, but the truth is our hearts must be soaked in the gospel every morning, every afternoon, and every night.  It’s out of the fact that we are already accepted that we preach, serve, and sing, not in attempts to be validated by our performance.  Granted, as a performer, this is something that I struggle with when I take the stage.  Every day I am assaulted by the pride of doing well or the sorrows of being insufficient.  Every day, I am profoundly aware that I need the gospel.

Religion says, “I obey, so I am accepted by God.”  But the gospel says this, “I am accepted by God based upon what Jesus has done for me, therefore I obey.”  So when we preach this, when we believe this, two things will happen.  One, we are humbled.  Being sinners, we realize it is not our services, our accomplishments, or youth programs that justify us before God.  It is Christ’s work ALONE that makes us right.  And it is His grace in us that enables us to do anything for Him.  Isaiah 26:12 – “all that we have accomplished, He has done for us.”  Secondly, we are given great confidence to approach the throne of grace in our time of need, since it is not our performance that we rely upon to do so. 

So here are the two things: great humility, great confidence.  This is what the church needs.  At the highest of human achievement and purity, Christ has gone HIGHER.  Under the depths of our failures and wickedness, Christ has gone lower.  To the successful and accomplished, recognize that you are still in need.  To the fallen and broken hearted, know that salvation is right where you fell.  This is His gospel.

It is not His need for what we can do, but simply, our need for what He has done.  

Great humility. Great confidence.  May the God of grace give us both.

-Wendell Jiao

I’ve been asking a lot of questions about character lately. My strong views and what I thought I knew have been either strengthened or torn asunder. What a person says…his words, or even who he appears or claims to be are no longer enough.

Talk is cheap. Quoting scriptures is even cheaper.

I don’t ever want the duality of having one hand raised high to praise God’s name while the other hand brings Him dishonor and shame.
I don’t want the arrogance of claiming exclusivity of God’s preeminence in my life and at the same time wound and maim the body of Christ.

I want to live my life with less words and more actions…promise less and deliver more.
I want my every action to be engulfed in wisdom, truth and love.
I want God’s love to be the ONLY way I love.

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right, persevering,
and steadfast spirit within me.

Arrogance vs. Confidence

Arrogance tears down
Confidence builds up

Arrogance = insecurity
Confidence = security

Arrogance is void of humility and humbleness
Confidence is void of haughtiness and ego

Arrogance is loud and obnoxious
Confidence is quiet and strong

Arrogance is selfish
Confidence is selfless

Arrogance is filled with guilt and shame
Confidence is open and unashamed

Arrogance is pretentious
Confidence is reserved

Arrogance is corrupt
Confidence is virtuous

Arrogance is full of lies
Confidence is based on truth

Arrogance revels in ignorance
Confidence is grounded in wisdom

Arrogance says “Everyone else is wrong and I’m the only one who’s right”
Confidence says “Truth and Wisdom are my guides”

Arrogance is shunned by God
Confidence is the way to approach God

Arrogance is where God ends and you thrive
Confidence is where you come to the end of yourself and totally rely on God

ARROGANCE

1 Samuel 2:3
Do not keep talking so proudly
or let your mouth speak such arrogance,
for the LORD is a God who knows,
and by him deeds are weighed.

Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.

Isaiah 13:11
I will punish the world for its evil,
the wicked for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty
and will humble the pride of the ruthless.

Mark 7:20-23
He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’ “

CONFIDENCE

Isaiah 32:17
The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever.

Proverbs 3:26
for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being snared.

Ephesians 3:12
In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

So, at the end of the day…when all is said and done…which one are you? Which one will you choose to be?

Which one?

Editor’s Note: Iman Serna is the eldest son of Rev. Manuel Serna, former Senior Pastor of SJBCI. Iman currently lives in Oklahoma with his wife Karen and son Troyer Keane. Iman is also serving as the Community Pastor of Destiny Church in Broken Arrow, OK.