LION TRUTH

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Job 13:7-12

7 “Are you defending God with lies?

    Do you make your dishonest arguments for his sake?

8 Will you slant your testimony in his favor?

    Will you argue God’s case for him?

9 What will happen when he finds out what you are doing?

    Can you fool him as easily as you fool people?

10 No, you will be in trouble with him

    if you secretly slant your testimony in his favor.

11 Doesn’t his majesty terrify you?

    Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you?

12 Your platitudes are as valuable as ashes.

    Your defense is as fragile as a clay pot.

The Book of Job is a tough pill to swallow for many who read it.  The things God allows to happen in Job's life are heart-breaking from the limited scope of our linear perspective.  Yet, listen to his words:  "Will you slant your testimony in His favor?"  How many of us, in this modern spiritual climate, when multitudes shake their fist to the sky and accuse God of the brutalities committed by their fellow man (all the while dismissing His Lordship for their own) -  how many of us have tried to slant our testimony in His favor?  How often do we try to make God "look good?"  To twist our testimony just enough to win back the heart of the lost to His goodness?  Yet, here is Job - struggling to survive the bitter onslaught of an enemy committed to obliterating his faith and condemning his soul by using his own fears as a blueprint for destroying everything he holds dear.  And in the midst of this acidic experience Job maintains a indefatigable grip on his humility and God's sovereignty.  "Do NOT make excuses for God - or you make Him out to be less than He is," he says.  God doesn't need our defense - or anything else from us.  He is after our hearts.  All he wants is 100% of our hearts, 100% of the time.  He wants our worship.  Not because He is an egomaniac, but because He is Life Eternal.  And worship (the supernatural "bow and kiss"), as the essential expression of intimate relationship with Him, exposes us to the life of God and immunizes us to any long-range plan the enemy could conjure against us.

As Augustine of Hippo has said, so rightly, "The truth is like a lion; you don't have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself."  Friends, let's let God be God.  Worship Him.  Kiss the Son and soar above destruction. (Psalm 2:12).  Don't slant your testimony.  Speak truth. Stay humble.  And let the Lion roar for Himself.

Forever panning for gold,
Chris Liotta 

Lead Pastor
Rivergate Church
Chris@WeAreRivergate.com




© 2016 Chris Liotta

THE CIRCUMCISED HEART

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I had a conversation with a friend this week and the subject of having our hearts circumcised became a significant discussion point.

WARNING:  The rest of this blog is for mature readers.  The content won't be crass, but the value of the nuggets are in the detailed parallels drawn between literal male circumcision and the figurative circumcision of the heart.  If you would find discussion on the male anatomy and the process of circumcision offensive, stop reading.  If not, read on and surrender more of you to all of Him.

Romans 2:28-29

28A man is not a Jew because he is one outwardly, nor is circumcision only outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew because he is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise does not come from men, but from God.

Undoubtedly, the practice of circumcision has a physical context, but the meaning and implication of it are Spirit-driven.  The beliefs to which we hold create an internal atmosphere that affects our outer life.  The condition of our spirit commands the behaviors and fruit of the flesh and soul.  Circumcision, therefore, possesses value only to the degree by which it is a reflection of covenant relationship with God.  And it's covenant power is constrained by the limits of our own surrender.   God wants us to circumcise our hearts.  He inspires us to do so by hinting toward some rewards, symbolically, through our understanding of the effects of male circumcision.  There are lots of ways to look at this, and a good doctor can probably blow your mind with the parallel potential, but here are a few of my own nuggets.

1. Male circumcision hurts.  We do it anyway because we believe the benefits will long outlast the pain.  Let God circumcise your heart.  The glory revealed through you afterwards is worth the pain now.
2. There is a reason why the penis is a part of our body that we call our "privates." We don't show it to just anyone.  A heart circumcision deals with your "privates" as well.  Don't think you can give God permission to circumcise your heart, if you are still committed to keeping your secrets.
3.  The foreskin being removed in circumcision is a natural part of the body.  It's removal isn't necessary for normal function, or the result of some disorder or disease.  It is the circumcision that is unnatural.  Your heart is the same.  Circumcision of the heart is unnatural.  What's natural is to protect and hide what's in there.  In essence, there is nothing wrong with your heart before circumcision.   Circumcision of the heart isn't natural - it's supernatural!  And if you want to live the supernatural covenant life with God, you must allow him to circumcise your heart.
4. Okay, for the sake of space, here's the last one.  The tip of the penis is ultra sensitive.  The foreskin covers the tip so that the penis is only stimulated by that which the person allows to touch it.  Circumcision forever changes this, exposing the sensitive tip to everything in proximity, regardless of the will of the one to whom it belongs.  When God circumcises our hearts, we surrender our right to a protective sheath over our hearts - a sheath that we alone will use to control how and why we are stimulated or aroused in our spirit and soul.  Allowing God to circumcise your heart will commit you to exposing your most sensitive inner man to that which touches, stimulates, and arouses the heart of God.  In this condition, you declare to Papa, "Let me feel what You feel.  Let my heart be touched by what touches Your heart.  Let me be aroused by what arouses You!"

 There's so much more to this than we've looked into here.  Friends, the circumcision of the heart will hurt, but it's worth it.  We will be exposed.  No more living, thinking, or feeling under the illusion of darkness and secrecy.  We will be forever at the mercy of God's agenda for our souls.  We will begin to feel what He feels - every supernatural pleasure and stinging pain.  But it's worth it.  He's worth it.  You're worth it.  Even now, I feel the blade at my chest.

Forever panning for gold,
Chris Liotta 

Lead Pastor
Rivergate Church
Chris@WeAreRivergate.com




© 2016 Chris Liotta

TIME FOR FAVOR

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A fresh read of Esther recently reminded me of the power of favor - and its flip-side dangers.  This study could get REALLY in-depth, but I've tried to nuggetize the highlights.  Read the full story here:

The Book of Esther

Maybe you have considered these before, but here's what stood out to me...  

1. Vashti refuses to visit the king and his friends when he requests.  This is not a crime, but certainly an insult.  As a result of her attitude and actions, a decree is written ex post facto and she is banished - forever.  A bad attitude, laced with enough pride, will not only remove, but reverse favor.
2. Esther is whisked off to the palace.  Her sweet spirit earns her the favor of Hegai, custodian of the king's harem.  A good attitude, laced with enough humility, will capture the attention of those strategically placed to release favor.
3. Esther's favor snowballs into royalty.  Those who handle even the slightest favor well will soon experience the momentum of favor.
4.  Mordecai reveals a plot.  His humble attitude and genuine care for Esther earn him her ear, which saves the king.  Favor is powerful enough to function through multiple degrees of separation.
5. Haman is exalted.  His service to the king was noted and rewarded.  Favor isn't only a reward for righteousness - it can also be a test for it.
6. The Jews are in peril and Mordecai confronts Esther.  All the favor in the world won't mean a thing if you are afraid to tap into it.  Favor wants to bear fruit.
7. Haman has private dinners with the king and queen and yet loses his joy because one Jew won't bow down to him.  No amount of favor will satisfy a heart full of pride and hate.
8. Mordecai steps into grace, while Haman builds a gallows.  Walking in righteousness makes you a target for supernatural favor. God moves heaven and manhandles hell to protect the true recipients of His favor.
9. God gives Haman a last chance.  If he would only humble himself when Mordecai is honored, he could continue enjoying favor.  Favor wants to remain.
10. Esther comes before the king. Contrast this to Vashti.  Eshter actually breaks a law worthy of capital punishment, but her attitude and actions save an entire generation.  Favor, times faith, times humility, equals miracles.  Favor makes you a magnet for the impossible.
11. Rather than humble himself during Mordecai's parade, Haman festers and plots and fails his righteousness test.  Favor, divided by pride, times sin, plus hate, equals judgment.
12. All the people of God enjoy the victory.  Don't think you won't experience the favor of God, just because it wasn't you who was chosen to live in the palace.  The fruit of favor is shared by the family, not just the few.

I hope you enjoyed these!  Now, go soak in the favor that Jesus died to release into your life...

Forever panning for gold,
Chris Liotta 

Lead Pastor
Rivergate Church
Chris@WeAreRivergate.com




© 2016 Chris Liotta

BEAST MODE

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"Beast mode"... It's a phrase my teens use when bragging about or admiring the power or dominance of a thing.  I don't know how long it will be around (Perhaps even now they might say, "Dad, that was so 'last year."  Nobody says, "beast mode" anymore."); but there is something of Jesus that I hear in it.  It is laced with a violent abandon to the status quo.  It conjures the image of The Hulk - so emotionally evoked that a transformation occurs making him unstoppable.  Our table-tossing, Lion-of-the-Tribe-of-Judah, consuming-fire-of-a-God has just such a 'beast mode' quality.  When it comes to His love, He rips open gates of bronze and breaks apart bars of iron to get to His kids and free them (see Isaiah 45:2).  He is love (see 1 John 4:8-21).  And Love is BEAST MODE.  Love violently ejects fear.  Love boldly goes first into the dark void of self-sacrifice.  Love is the undefeated champion.  Love is the greatest.  Love is beast mode.  And when we love - with His essence, His version, His Name, we are functioning in the beast mode power of God.

In recent chats with a number of folks, the topic of "love" has been the centerpiece.  We have spoken of love as the only logical justification for the manic, unwieldy existence of man in contrast to the tolerant, unfolding plan of God.  We have pondered the experience of showing off our love muscles on the beach of fellowship, while recognizing that it is in the sweat of the gym of friction where they are built.  We have recognized the stamina of true love - that cardio workout which challenges and changes us.  That relational regimen of exercise that conforms us more into the image of our beast mode God of love.  It's where the rubber meets the road.  Love is the evidence of God's nature in us that will convince the world of His presence.  More than any miracle (as much as I love those), love will exemplify the reality of God and manifest the culture of His family in such a way as to draw forth the hidden manna of faith planted in each person.  "Surely, God is God, and you are His," they will say.  So, friends...keep sweating it out in the gym of friction.  Don't give up.  Go after six-pack abs and a marathon set of lungs.  Build those love muscles for the glory of God and the sake of all.  And when the friction comes, go all 'beast mode' and let the Lion of love roar!

Forever panning for gold,
Chris Liotta 

Lead Pastor
Rivergate Church
Chris@WeAreRivergate.com




© 2016 Chris Liotta

THE JUSTICE BUZZ

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Justice is a powerful buzz word right now. Human rights, trafficking, and anti-slavery movements have all donned the mantle of justice as a way of identifying the character of their cause - and rightfully so. Those are phenomenal ministries with the hope of true justice pumping through their veins. So, why is there so much resistance and apathy when it comes to the idea of justice? The Scales of Justice imagery exists to instill a trust in those who view it. The trust is based on the assertion that truth and fairness are at the core of judicial process, which is supposed to reflect our grand social contract. Yet, so many struggle to trust the justice system as it functions on behalf of society. "Where is the truth?" they say, "where is the fairness?" Weak and vacillating expressions of justice are too prevalent to ignore and too polluted to garner support. And they often derail the masses in its pursuit.

It is important to reinforce the reputation and gravity of justice as a concept; and fuel the fires that are starting to burn on its behalf. The origin of the word is the Latin phrase for "law." The root meaning, however, goes back even further to the concepts of "precision, equity, and placement." In other words, justice means that something or someone is placed precisely according to its equity - with equity being the value of a thing that exceeds its cost. The beauty and authority of justice are hidden in its origins. If we are to recapture the honor of justice, we must relent to its true origins. Justice is a slice of the nature of God. It is not subjective to the whims of individuals or the tides of popular society. It can not be legitimately redefined by the elite, nor do the poor corner its market. Justice is a direct reflection of the person of Jesus Christ; and restoring justice to it grand place requires yielding its formation to His word.

If we will do this as individuals, we will experience true justice as a nation. As the church, we have the unique opportunity to reclaim and refresh the glory of true justice. If we will extract our heads from our own portals of impure reasoning, turn from empty, selfish activities, and focus our affections on the person of God and the persons to whom and before whom His wind drives us, we will find that Justice will flow freely and heal the land.

“I'm so turned off by empty religious meetings. So unimpressed with my people's stiff, cerebral conferences and conventions. I am completely disinterested in religious projects, slicked up with falsely motivated messaging and self-centered agendas. I'm really tired of all the professional scheming and hollow, souless marketing strategies. Ego-charged expressions of worship just have to GO! What I'm really looking for is something much more tender and genuine. Do you know what I want? I want justice, true justice on a mission of love—and oceans upon oceans of it.  I want fairness and equity, smart, sincere, and spritually-grounded—rivers upon rivers of it. That’s what I want. You projecting My heart. That’s all I want.

Amos 5:21-24 (Kingdom Paraphrase)

Forever panning for gold,
Chris Liotta 

Lead Pastor
Rivergate Church
Chris@WeAreRivergate.com




© 2016 Chris Liotta