In the beginning was a thought or concept. God, throughout time, has expressed that thought in various ways. He expresses himself as wind. He expresses Himself as light. But, in Christ, He expresses Himself as a man so that we might see and know how He intended us to live as men.
When God speaks, concept becomes concrete. Thought moves into the tangible. He is bigger and more than you imagine. He is the only reality. We, like all the earth, are but an expression of that Truth. Like the form painted on a canvass by the painter, the artist is real. The painted forms are not. Still they have influence and power, moving us to think and feel and act in response. God, from the beginning, is. We are but the breath of that thought.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Friday, December 2, 2011
Sweet Surrender
God will not force us to obedience. We must submit willingly and deliberately place ourselves under His authority.
The devil would tempt us to resist God, to willfully seek our independence and control of our own lives. This is idolatry - placing someone/something else in the place of God and responding to it and or him as God. In this case, we become our own idol.
Perfect love dispenses with the fear that God wants to hurt us or trick us or abandon us and instead allows us to come close to Him, close enough to feel His heartbeat and respond to the things that move Him.
From the crook of His arm, perhaps for the first time, we gain His perspective on the world but we are not overcome because we see it from the protection and comfort of His embrace. In time, if not at once, our eyes will light upon someone or something from which we cannot turn away and He will confirm, "I am sending you for this." As we begin to move forward we do not fear for the one we move away from we also move with and behind simultaneously.
The devil would tempt us to resist God, to willfully seek our independence and control of our own lives. This is idolatry - placing someone/something else in the place of God and responding to it and or him as God. In this case, we become our own idol.
Perfect love dispenses with the fear that God wants to hurt us or trick us or abandon us and instead allows us to come close to Him, close enough to feel His heartbeat and respond to the things that move Him.
From the crook of His arm, perhaps for the first time, we gain His perspective on the world but we are not overcome because we see it from the protection and comfort of His embrace. In time, if not at once, our eyes will light upon someone or something from which we cannot turn away and He will confirm, "I am sending you for this." As we begin to move forward we do not fear for the one we move away from we also move with and behind simultaneously.
Living in Eternity Today
The things that God has declared already exist in the spiritual realm. It is your faith that moves them into the natural realm. (Be it unto you according to your faith.) When you hear and believe it moves that reality from the spirit into the natural.
Eternity is not subject to the laws of this world. Miracles are the eternal breaking into the natural i.e the super-natural. When you begin to think about the laws that govern this life...this world, it cuts off your faith and stops the progress. It is the reason Peter began to sink into the water. The laws of this world do not allow such an act.
Born again, I am eternal, not bound by time, space or the natural laws (gravity, motion, matter...) of this world. Faith allows you to move past those boundaries as well.
Faith changed the 'natural properties' governing the widows meal and oil, the river for Naaman, the wall in Jericho, the fish and loaves, the tomb and death itself for Lazarus. (Active) Faith is a substance, a force that changes the natural by bringing the eternal to bear upon it. It is an act of defiance.
Faith brings the eternal into existence i.e. into time ("be it" here) .
Eternity is not subject to the laws of this world. Miracles are the eternal breaking into the natural i.e the super-natural. When you begin to think about the laws that govern this life...this world, it cuts off your faith and stops the progress. It is the reason Peter began to sink into the water. The laws of this world do not allow such an act.
Born again, I am eternal, not bound by time, space or the natural laws (gravity, motion, matter...) of this world. Faith allows you to move past those boundaries as well.
Faith changed the 'natural properties' governing the widows meal and oil, the river for Naaman, the wall in Jericho, the fish and loaves, the tomb and death itself for Lazarus. (Active) Faith is a substance, a force that changes the natural by bringing the eternal to bear upon it. It is an act of defiance.
Faith brings the eternal into existence i.e. into time ("be it" here) .
Let There Be Light
"The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light." Rom. 13:12
Light is armor. It is a defense against the darkness. The very act of choosing to do right, to speak truth, to forgive defends your heart and mind and spirit against evil. Arm yourself with goodness and mercy and grace.
Light blinds the enemy. Light exposes. Light wards off attack. You shine and you pray fervently in the Spirit and God shall be with you.
Light is armor. It is a defense against the darkness. The very act of choosing to do right, to speak truth, to forgive defends your heart and mind and spirit against evil. Arm yourself with goodness and mercy and grace.
Light blinds the enemy. Light exposes. Light wards off attack. You shine and you pray fervently in the Spirit and God shall be with you.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Trial by Fire
Beloved. Our brother, Paul, calls us the Loved ones. It's a reminder of our relationship to Christ and to him. We reserve the term for those dearest to us, so it seems odd to start a letter about suffering with this address. Why would God allow his loved ones to suffer? But God's truth is that loved ones must too be tested and in the course of walking out our faith, we will experience the fire of trials.
However, when we read the accounts of Paul's life and of other early followers, and juxtapose them to the events of our everyday lives, I find it difficult to use the same language. Surely, we all encounter difficulties, some more than others. But how much of our 'sufferings' would qualify as "fiery trials"? Some things are just 'cares of life'. The unexpected flat tire. The cut in pay. The minor injury, the summer cold. The wayward child, the aches and pains, the cancelled flight, the crying baby. The empty nest, the failing grade, the stolen car, the false friend - these God allows just to test our faith, to prune us, to free our hearts and minds from lust and pride, to build our faith and reliance on him. They are not fiery trials. They prepare us for them.
Fiery trials are the sufferings we endure because of our choice to follow Christ and to live life His way. They are the world's response to our standard of living - not how much we make but how we choose to spend it, who we choose to love, how we serve and our persistent stand against injustice. Those who choose to live a life that demonstrates what we believe will be tested and some, by fire. In these we demonstrate God's glory. When we suffer well hearts are changed. Souls are saved. The name of Jesus is lifted.
Most of our modern day, Western world suffering is not worthy to be compared. But when it is, count it all joy. It is a small price to pay for being included in the company of the beloved.
However, when we read the accounts of Paul's life and of other early followers, and juxtapose them to the events of our everyday lives, I find it difficult to use the same language. Surely, we all encounter difficulties, some more than others. But how much of our 'sufferings' would qualify as "fiery trials"? Some things are just 'cares of life'. The unexpected flat tire. The cut in pay. The minor injury, the summer cold. The wayward child, the aches and pains, the cancelled flight, the crying baby. The empty nest, the failing grade, the stolen car, the false friend - these God allows just to test our faith, to prune us, to free our hearts and minds from lust and pride, to build our faith and reliance on him. They are not fiery trials. They prepare us for them.
Fiery trials are the sufferings we endure because of our choice to follow Christ and to live life His way. They are the world's response to our standard of living - not how much we make but how we choose to spend it, who we choose to love, how we serve and our persistent stand against injustice. Those who choose to live a life that demonstrates what we believe will be tested and some, by fire. In these we demonstrate God's glory. When we suffer well hearts are changed. Souls are saved. The name of Jesus is lifted.
Most of our modern day, Western world suffering is not worthy to be compared. But when it is, count it all joy. It is a small price to pay for being included in the company of the beloved.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Would Thou Be Made Whole?
I am often grieved by the popular “brokenness” that is such the trend in Christendom these days. It seems that every other believer you meet is declaring how sad and pathetic and broken he or she is. They seem to take great pains in letting you know the extreme extent of their nothingness. Is this what Christ died for?
“I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Jn. 10:10 We were empty, wretched, sinful and broken, without hope but now are we new creations – full and justified, righteous and whole. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. The Father, looking through the lens of Christ, declares us righteous and rather than rejoicing and running forward in new life we shrink back in horror, shaking our heads in protest, screaming “Not me!”
Imagine an orphan, living as a child slave in the slums of the third world, filthy, hungry, and plagued with disease. A compassionate individual, looking through love, responds by selling most of what he has, enduring torture, and humiliation and near death to purchase and secure the child’s freedom and adoption. The child is overjoyed and accepts his new freedom with sincere gratitude. However, to the father’s dismay, the child refuses to take off his tattered rags, declines to own the father’s gifts and, perhaps worst of all, refuses to be called by the family name preferring the title of slave.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:” 1 Jn. 3:1 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” and it does not honor or glorify Him to declare ourselves to be anything less. This false humility is merely sinful pride turned inside out. True humility owns all that the Father has declared us to be but does so with the understanding that it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Brokenness is but a temporary transition toward that awareness.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Let it Happen - Heb. 13
Dear Friend,
Let love continue. It is the default spiritual response. In other words, what we're spiritually inclined to do is love. But fear, history, the flesh - become natural roadblocks, tempting us to cut off the flow of love. But for us, love must be a way of life.
Love welcomes strangers, remembers prisoners, honors marriage, doesn't covet (is grateful), is content, and constant, consistent. Love (God) is our lifestyle. In [Love] we live, move and have our being. Let this happen.
The spiritual default is also contentment. Let this be. I know the flesh wars, like a petulant child, demanding what it wants at all times, never long satisfied when it gets it, always begging more. But the spirit rests in the fullness of God, overflowing with grace for others. Walk in the Spirit. Let yourself be content. Let yourself love.
"...for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear..." When we are secure in the unconditional love and presence of Father we are free to live in love and walk in peace.
Let love continue. It is the default spiritual response. In other words, what we're spiritually inclined to do is love. But fear, history, the flesh - become natural roadblocks, tempting us to cut off the flow of love. But for us, love must be a way of life.
Love welcomes strangers, remembers prisoners, honors marriage, doesn't covet (is grateful), is content, and constant, consistent. Love (God) is our lifestyle. In [Love] we live, move and have our being. Let this happen.
The spiritual default is also contentment. Let this be. I know the flesh wars, like a petulant child, demanding what it wants at all times, never long satisfied when it gets it, always begging more. But the spirit rests in the fullness of God, overflowing with grace for others. Walk in the Spirit. Let yourself be content. Let yourself love.
"...for he has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you so that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear..." When we are secure in the unconditional love and presence of Father we are free to live in love and walk in peace.
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