Made

In 2002 MTV launched a television program called Made.  The show’s official Facebook page describes it in this way:

Why stand on the sidelines watching others live your dream? Are you too shy or think you're not "cool" enough to get in on the action? Or do you simply lack the self-confidence and motivation? Well, maybe it's time to stand up and get MADE! It goes on to say this: If you want to be MADE? Send us a video telling us why!

For thirteen seasons the show documented the lives of teenagers as they were made into everything from ballet dancers and rappers to BMX bikers and beauty pageant contestants.  They were made under the direction of an expert in that area of interest, a coach.  As much as those teens wanted to be made, the process of reaching their goal was difficult and hard fought many would want to give up and argued vehemently with their coaches.  Some would quit but through the patience and persistence of their coaches partnered with family and friends, a good support system, they went on to reach their goal of being made. 

I watched the show off and on for a few of its thirteen seasons but it wasn’t until recently I correlated the show’s concept with being a Christian.  When you accept Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life it begins the process of being made.  Instead of being made into a ballet dancer or a BMX biker as a Christian you are being made into Christ. (Philippians 2:5-6) Jesus said in John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. As you are being made you have an expert coach, too, just as those many teens did. His name is Holy Spirit.  No one can whip a new believer into shape and transform them into a little Christ like Holy Spirit can!  This particular being made process is equally difficult, really, even more so.  (Philippians 1:29, Matthew 5:10, Luke 6:22)   What believers have as coach that those teens didn’t is the Comforter.  <Note to self: Insert worship break here> 

And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple Luke 14:27.  Can’t you just hear your pre-made friends telling you to save yourself and come down from the cross?  You know, the ones who remind you of how much you used to hang out and party.  The friends who either think you’re going through a phase and are waiting for you to fall or the ones who walk away from you because you have made a decision to be made, truly transformed and committed to put on Christ.  Any of those things can be enough to tempt you to give up and turn away from your coach and quit the made process.  Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

What is being made?  Do you remember when it was popular to wear bracelets with WWJD on them?  Well, instead of asking what would Jesus do ask yourself what did Jesus do. He was baptized by John the Immerser. He was filled with the Holy Ghost.  He was severely tempted by Satan and afterwards ministered to by angels.  Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  He preached repentance and the kingdom of heaven and in the process of doing so his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them, Matthew 4:24.  Greater works shall you do also!  Do you need another worship break? Go ahead then and get slain in the spirit.  Tell God how much you love him and are thankful for His mercy.  Hallelujah!

Being made is being in the midst of the battle between the law of the mind and the law of sin.  Paul said it best in Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.  This coming from a mighty man of God, the constant fight to bring the flesh under submission.  It is also not being conformed to this world: but being transformed (made) by the renewing of the mind.  It is proving what is good, acceptable, perfect, and the will of God.  (Romans 12:2).  Don’t get weary in well doing.  The Comforter is with you. 

You were created in His image and likeness.  Being made is embracing that and operating from the kingdom position you were created for, teaching and preaching the kingdom of God.  In that position you can approach the throne of grace boldly. (Hebrews 4:16)  Being made is your all access pass to Father through Jesus Christ who intercedes on our behalf.  My God! Being made is acknowledging that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and then knowing He intercedes on your behalf!  Okay?  I’m going to die for YOUR SINS and then once I am resurrected and ascended into heaven I am going to be an advocate for you to the Father.  Talk about foolish things to shame the wise!  What an utterly ridiculous concept! In no way does that make logical sense but my spirit is rejoicing because it is so.  Verily, verily I say unto you MADE, written in the book of life of the Lamb!

 Like they said in the show “I want to be made!”

Lessons Learned

I have a habit of being in places and wondering why I am there. Don’t misunderstand me, I know I've been led to those places by the spirit but what's not always immediately apparent is what I am there to learn.  Recently, I went to see a renowned evangelist.  If I named the person most of you would know who it was.  Anyway, I had to go.  I just didn't know why. I expected to hear a good word but what Holy Spirit was going to teach along with it is what I was anticipating. 

 

I have to say once I arrived at the venue the atmosphere was something to behold. Had I been in tune it would have been palpable. (By the spirit I knew I was there to observe)  There was electricity in the air because the people were excited. Their excitement was multiplied seven-fold when the evangelist began to speak.  Honestly, I've never witnessed anything remotely like it.  Anyone would envy, yes envy, to have such feedback from a congregation.  She had their attention from the first word she uttered. Much of the time most of the people were on their feet.  Some were speaking in tongues, one man was running around the building, a women was shaking like an epileptic, the best way I can describe it, and hitting herself repeatedly on the forehead.  It was pandemonium!  All the while I kept wondering if the excitement was for the word of the Lord or for her.  I didn't hear a lot of what she was saying because I was so distracted.  


Interestingly, how Holy Spirit works, what I needed to hear I had no problems hearing. Although I didn't get caught up in the pandemonium, the word that did penetrate the noise had a profound impact.  Somewhere in the midst of all the noise part of a scripture came to me- and when they heard the law they rent their clothes.  The actual scripture is 2Kings 22:11 And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, that he rent his clothes.  If you skip down to verse 13 the king says: Go ye, enquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.


  The people were incited and jumping, shouting, and running around the building but no one rent their clothes!  No one was solemn and seeking to ask the Lord how I can tear up this person that I have become; rent my clothes, be renewed and put on Christ.  The evangelist was saying some powerful things but the atmosphere was that of a pep rally and not a call to the glory of God.  What I didn’t observe, however,  was the call to repentance because the kingdom of God is at hand.  That was the lesson I was there for.
   

Recently while having a conversation with a friend on an unrelated subjected, she mentioned to me that the Lord will sometimes show you how not to be.  I’ve often visualized myself speaking to large crowds in the days before I gave my life to Christ.  I wanted to be recognized as someone with something to say– something people would pay to listen to.  Looking back I had absolutely nothing to say outside of life experiences and certainly nothing worth paying for.  I was worldly and could only speak on worldliness. I surely thought that having large crowds in front of me could validate me because I couldn’t validate myself. 
 

What is interesting to me now is since I have given my life to Christ I see, again, myself speaking in front of large crowds.  However, instead of a message of worldliness, I have a kingdom message– the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I don’t need validation because I know who I am in Christ and am beginning to walk in who He has called me to be.  I will know for a fact that wherever I speak the lesson will not be about me and how I might incite a crowd but about Him who sent me and His message of repentance and reconciliation to Father through Him. 

Additionally, Holy Spirit showed me a lot about myself.  (Yes, the lesson continued days later!) He showed me how I was not much different than the people I was observing at the evangelist’s conference.  He showed me that religion was starting to get a foothold in my life.  I had to address whether on Sundays I went to church because I wanted to be there versus I was expected to be there.  He took me back through the past three years of being a church member and showed me instances where I idolized certain church leaders.  He revealed to me how I worshipped the worship rather than relished having an encounter with God.  He pointed out how I can visit another church and then compare their worship to what I was accustomed to.  He showed me how, in those instances, when comparison stepped in it meant that I worshipped the worship I was accustomed to.  

He even took me back to a time years ago when I didn’t appreciate the praise and worship at a women’s conference and Him admonishing me that it didn’t matter what I liked.  They were worshipping Him and I needed to set aside my prideful ways.  Really that’s what it was, pride in the fleshy aspect of church and there was nothing godly in my attitude.

He revealed to me how the flesh can be activated in church and bypass the spirit.  He showed me that a person may think he’s having a spiritual encounter when it has been the flesh that was engaged all along.  The flesh loves a good choir and a good word.  Even how one responds to the presence of God within a congregation can be manufactured.  The times when it is asked to lift up hands to God as opposed to being moved to lift them up by the spirit.  He was showing me the difference between a church experience and an encounter with His holiness.  He showed me how very easy it is for good people to invoke a counterfeit experience.  My God, thank you for teaching and correction. Thank you for caring enough to make sure I learn the hard lessons.  It not easy trying to unlearn what I’ve been learning but, God, you are patient and merciful.  Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.  I thank You, Father, for dealing with the pride in me.  How easy was it for me to say look at them when I should have being saying look at me; heal me.  Forgive me.  I repent. Thank you, Jesus for saving grace. Lord, Jesus, in your name I pray. Amen