Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I Peter 1:3-8
Last year the Church on Rogers did a big study on the Book of Peter. Peter’s epistles are stunning in their clarity, forcefulness and their last days focus. I would actually suggest in their focus on eternity and the idea of eternal life. And, my loved ones, those things are very different from one another. I love Peter! I am not sure I am a "Peter was the first Pope" adherent (some historical facts mess it up for me) but I am of the school of thought that indicated that Peter was one of the two or three most significant of the apostles; a true leader of the movement to which I am a follower.
Lately, since it has been such a big part of my thinking as I have had dialogues to many who were on the fringes of faith I have been studying the idea of belief and salvation. Within first and second Peter we, as the current Church can learn well from his words recorded in Scripture on this topic.
In the passage above Peter is declaring the glory of our new birth, what we would call our “salvation experience”. “In (God’s) great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope . . . into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (v.3-4). In recounting to us the experience of our rebirth through Jesus’ resurrection, Peter connects it immediately with eternity. And, in doing this for us Peter enlightens us to several things:
1. The fullness of our salvation is not just in being saved from sin and hell, and being viewed by God the Father as a new creation, though these are all true and wonderful. A "more" complete understanding has the regenerated/saved man or woman with our ETERNITY beginning when we are reborn. The magnitude of this is not shown in time. It is shown by emphasizing that the riches we receive will always contain their full value..."never fade" is not a term we consider when we count the cost in buying good and services and products here on earth. To be sure we value solid, long-lasting, great warrantied products (Yugo or Mercedes?) but the inheritance a newly birthed believer receives has unending, never fading and always "worth everything" value!
2. Salvation is not just the moment we surrender to the calling of Jesus, and receive Him as Lord and Savior. That is the moment of decision. We have that as a beginning, but the fullness of our salvation comes “in the last time” (v. 5). In other words, what we enter into reaches it’s completion when Jesus returns to reign on the earth and create a new heaven and earth; a paradise that will be similar to the original but that will never fade or tarnish. In this last time God and man dwell together in face to face intimacy free from the curse of sin and free from intermediary things; we no longer will talk in metaphors, analogies, similitudes and parables about what that will be like. We will simply live within the Glory of God.
What Peter describes is the transformation of your citizenship. Our salvation changes our citizenship from earth to Heaven, setting us on a course of Life that is Eternal! This Eternal Life is God's quality of living, being, moving and seeing. As such, it sets our vision on a life that is WAY beyond a one year plan; a 3 year plan; a 5 year plan or ever a few decades, but one that stretches on forever and that has significance, adequacy, importance, passion and meaning! It should cause us to long for and love the day of Christ’s return, so that we can receive the fullness of what He paid for with His shed blood.
I have to tell you guys that what I just described is much different than the common Christian mindset that views salvation as a “get out of Hell free” card; some plastic-coated, round edged, business card sized paper that we place in our wallet or purse and go ahead with our lives as “usual”. Salvation, Eternal Life, began at a moment in time when it was obvious to us of our need and that only in Christ could we fulfill it. It is an ongoing process of change and maturity. It does not leave room for a, "life as usual" mindset. No! It calls us to rethink and "re-heart" EVERYTHING about the way we live as we focus on a life with and in Jesus Christ.
So, what happens now?
1. Regenerated & Revitalized Worship! “In this you greatly rejoice” (v.6). We THANK Him for saving our souls and we worship Him for inviting us into His Eternal Kingdom. We worship Him NOW because it is a precious gift of faith that we give to Him. We worship now because it recognizes His leading and calling and daily work in us. For, when He appears, our faith will become “sight”, and worship will be automatic!! Today, we make a CHOICE and it is this: I WILL WORSHIP WITH ALL OF MY BEING & WITH ALL OF WHO YOU ARE MAKING ME — and this blesses Him even more. Our short lives in this “tent” (our natural body) giving Him our daily praise and honor fulfills what is working in us namely our salvation.
2. Trials (v.6-7). I call this the "hassles of faith”. Paul called it “fighting the good fight of faith”. Peter tells us we WILL “suffer grief, in ALL KINDS of trials”. These are NECESSARY components to purify and strengthen our faith. Our natural inclination in trials is to doubt everything we believe. But, as we stand firm, with our eyes on eternity and worship Him in the midst of trouble, frustration, etc. — our faith becomes real. Faith that isn’t tested isn’t really true or trustworthy. Trials are a gift to strengthen us so that the faith we have has true SUBSTANCE.
3. We Love Him, NOW. We love Him now, knowing that we will see Him, soon. And, as we look forward to our Eternity with Him present, and give Him the gift of our voluntary love today, we're filled with joy that has no fully expressible measure in this earthly dimension (V.8). Why? Because as we set our heart and mind on the things that are Eternal; as we grow to realize Eternal is more than just a "long time", we actually begin to taste of the eternal pleasures of God and it happens in the sweet now and now for it is this realized joy, evoked from our current love and relationship with Jesus Christ and through Him with our Heavenly Father that gets us to a life well worth living!
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Monday, April 26, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Unmet Expectations
I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. - Philippians 1:20
Last night I read an article (more like an interview on the run) of Charlie Sheen. Essentially the interviewer asked Sheen as he looks back on his life if there were things he wished he had not done. Smugly Sheen retorts, "Have you even been paying attention to my life? Why would I want to have given up any of that? I wish I wouldn't have gotten so much heat for some of the less fortunate things that people misunderstood but hey...hell no; it's a good life just as is!"
Well good for you Charlie. But, I look back on my life and there are things I wished I had done differently. How about you? Have you ever had expectations that did not get fulfilled? Perhaps a coworker let you down. Perhaps you were trusting God for something in your life that never materialized. Perhaps you became devastated by an unmet expectation that you felt you were entitled to. Or, perhaps YOU let you down in some way that as you look back you now realize colors your life in a way that embarrasses you or brought dishonor to the cause of Jesus Christ and your walk with God.
Expectations can be a difficult trap for each of us if we are not fully committed to God's purposes in our lives.
The verse I've based this little devotional on was written from prison by the Apostle Paul to the people of the region of Philippi. Paul had an expectation. He anticipated that his life would bring glory to God, whether through his continued ministry or his death. His joy in living was not based on his expectations getting fulfilled, but on remaining true to the purpose for which God made him. God's glory and honor must be upheld regardless of the things about his life. The glory of God was preeminent.
Yesterday I vented a distasteful hurt to a loved one. Guess what? I regret it. GASP! What? John? You should have no regrets. Oh, but I do. When we react to circumstances with bitterness and resentment as a result of unmet expectations, we are saying that we know better than God, and that God has made a mistake in not meeting our expectations. We have to look past the history and into the face of God the Father. We must recognize Romans 8:28, "All things work for good to them who ADORE God..."
The process of resolving unmet expectations may require full disclosure to the individual who was the source of the unmet expectation. In my case this is true. It also means communicating how the unmet expectation made you feel. This is not to make the person feel obligated to meet the expectation, but simply to provide a place where reconciliation and healing can occur. If God was the source, then it is important to share this with the Lord. However, once we have done this we must let go of the situation and allow God to work in our hearts the grace that is needed to walk in freedom from the pain of the unmet expectation. If we do not do this, we will allow the seed of bitterness and resentment to enter in. This seed of bitterness will create leanness in our soul (we get skinny responses from God and have a thin and narrow relationship with Him instead of the fulness of His presence in our lives) and eventually will spread to others in our actions and in how they pick up the hypocrisy of our faith. God is either good all the time or He is not. What is it with you and I?
Last night I had to ask myself is my God in control or are people's actions and reactions to me going to drive my emotional and spiritual health. Perhaps you need to ask yourself today if you have any unmet expectations. How have you responded to them? Have you processed this with the Lord and others who may be involved? These are the steps to freedom from unmet expectations.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Last night I read an article (more like an interview on the run) of Charlie Sheen. Essentially the interviewer asked Sheen as he looks back on his life if there were things he wished he had not done. Smugly Sheen retorts, "Have you even been paying attention to my life? Why would I want to have given up any of that? I wish I wouldn't have gotten so much heat for some of the less fortunate things that people misunderstood but hey...hell no; it's a good life just as is!"
Well good for you Charlie. But, I look back on my life and there are things I wished I had done differently. How about you? Have you ever had expectations that did not get fulfilled? Perhaps a coworker let you down. Perhaps you were trusting God for something in your life that never materialized. Perhaps you became devastated by an unmet expectation that you felt you were entitled to. Or, perhaps YOU let you down in some way that as you look back you now realize colors your life in a way that embarrasses you or brought dishonor to the cause of Jesus Christ and your walk with God.
Expectations can be a difficult trap for each of us if we are not fully committed to God's purposes in our lives.
The verse I've based this little devotional on was written from prison by the Apostle Paul to the people of the region of Philippi. Paul had an expectation. He anticipated that his life would bring glory to God, whether through his continued ministry or his death. His joy in living was not based on his expectations getting fulfilled, but on remaining true to the purpose for which God made him. God's glory and honor must be upheld regardless of the things about his life. The glory of God was preeminent.
Yesterday I vented a distasteful hurt to a loved one. Guess what? I regret it. GASP! What? John? You should have no regrets. Oh, but I do. When we react to circumstances with bitterness and resentment as a result of unmet expectations, we are saying that we know better than God, and that God has made a mistake in not meeting our expectations. We have to look past the history and into the face of God the Father. We must recognize Romans 8:28, "All things work for good to them who ADORE God..."
The process of resolving unmet expectations may require full disclosure to the individual who was the source of the unmet expectation. In my case this is true. It also means communicating how the unmet expectation made you feel. This is not to make the person feel obligated to meet the expectation, but simply to provide a place where reconciliation and healing can occur. If God was the source, then it is important to share this with the Lord. However, once we have done this we must let go of the situation and allow God to work in our hearts the grace that is needed to walk in freedom from the pain of the unmet expectation. If we do not do this, we will allow the seed of bitterness and resentment to enter in. This seed of bitterness will create leanness in our soul (we get skinny responses from God and have a thin and narrow relationship with Him instead of the fulness of His presence in our lives) and eventually will spread to others in our actions and in how they pick up the hypocrisy of our faith. God is either good all the time or He is not. What is it with you and I?
Last night I had to ask myself is my God in control or are people's actions and reactions to me going to drive my emotional and spiritual health. Perhaps you need to ask yourself today if you have any unmet expectations. How have you responded to them? Have you processed this with the Lord and others who may be involved? These are the steps to freedom from unmet expectations.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Monday, April 19, 2010
Just How Much Has God Told Us?
And he cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?" Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again." And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. - I King 17:20-22
I am still thinking through what I am about to share with you. The record of my thinking on this is not complete. In the aforementioned little verse we have a first time account of God raising the dead. Previous to this He had taken Enoch straight to heaven alive but this was the first time the truly dead are truly brought back to life.
So here is my question: What is Elijah thinking here? How does he dare ask God to do such an unprecedented thing?
You see, Elijah could not go back through the record like some astute and learned prophet (or teacher, pastor or theologian) and try to find another instance of resurrection and say, "Ah! Precedence recorded in the Scriptures - there's a situation like we have here in the present time. You see? God did it there. He will do it here.”
How much do we use precedent to determine what we commit God to doing in our current circumstance? How much have we limited God in our practice by only what He has done in the Bible? And worse yet, in precisely the way He did it (Anyone have an Alabaster box of oil around anywhere? Anyone?)
You see guys God never claimed to provide a written record of absolutely everything He has ever done. And I believe He has left the record incomplete, so to speak, so that we will not trust in the past but in the God who is fresh and alive and creative and real; able to meet today's need today and He can do it in unprecedented methods today. If He wants He can inform you to use Crisco or HoneyTime Honey!
Elijah had no, "God by the numbers" manual to follow. Instead, he relied on his relationship with his Heavenly Father. Elijah's ability to receive direction from God singularly and directly was his spiritual "trick". We should call this faith. However, we don't. We call something else faith. We call faith what we don't know but hope for and maybe it will and maybe it won't happen Elijah had only his faith in the living God. But, in Elijah's case it was a practiced faith. He had spent hours in prayer, reading, fasting, focusing and more than these, meditation and listening so that when the time came Elijah KNEW what God wanted to do.Why? Because God told Him.
Don't you wish at times that you had a book where you could look up "healing," or "impatience," or "forgiveness"? Okay. "What to do when I'm (without forgiveness, in need of healing, lack patience) in the face of testing": here are steps one, two, three, four, and five. And in case of severe emergency: six, seven, and eight.
Ta da! You'd have the answer!
Or, what to do when death comes: Steps A, B, C & D. If it is the dearest friend you've ever known:and F & G. If it is your own child: then E and H and possibly I.
But my loved ones there's no such manual. And for this we should be grateful! We should raise our voices and shout to the heavens! We should dance and laugh and sing HIS praises!. Why? Because it means He must speak to us, with us and through us individually. It also means we must read, pray, sing, praise, glory and meditate on and in Him.
Thankfully, in His Word God does include principles to follow in most crises, but not a precise procedure in difficult or impossible situations. He lets us know that our relationship with Him should cause us to have certain character attributes. We know how I spirit should respond. But Jesus came to restore our ability to hear and receive from our Heavenly Father. God leaves us on the cutting edge of today so that we will trust in Him and the principles in His great and gracious Word and those principles will drive us to Him...personally...throne room of God stuff...in HIS presence. That's all we have but isn't THAT amazing? And my loved ones...get into that...get into your intimate relationship, like Elijah with the God of the Universe but also of your life because one thing I am learning, day-by-day as I grow in my life in Jesus is this: That's enough.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
I am still thinking through what I am about to share with you. The record of my thinking on this is not complete. In the aforementioned little verse we have a first time account of God raising the dead. Previous to this He had taken Enoch straight to heaven alive but this was the first time the truly dead are truly brought back to life.
So here is my question: What is Elijah thinking here? How does he dare ask God to do such an unprecedented thing?
You see, Elijah could not go back through the record like some astute and learned prophet (or teacher, pastor or theologian) and try to find another instance of resurrection and say, "Ah! Precedence recorded in the Scriptures - there's a situation like we have here in the present time. You see? God did it there. He will do it here.”
How much do we use precedent to determine what we commit God to doing in our current circumstance? How much have we limited God in our practice by only what He has done in the Bible? And worse yet, in precisely the way He did it (Anyone have an Alabaster box of oil around anywhere? Anyone?)
You see guys God never claimed to provide a written record of absolutely everything He has ever done. And I believe He has left the record incomplete, so to speak, so that we will not trust in the past but in the God who is fresh and alive and creative and real; able to meet today's need today and He can do it in unprecedented methods today. If He wants He can inform you to use Crisco or HoneyTime Honey!
Elijah had no, "God by the numbers" manual to follow. Instead, he relied on his relationship with his Heavenly Father. Elijah's ability to receive direction from God singularly and directly was his spiritual "trick". We should call this faith. However, we don't. We call something else faith. We call faith what we don't know but hope for and maybe it will and maybe it won't happen Elijah had only his faith in the living God. But, in Elijah's case it was a practiced faith. He had spent hours in prayer, reading, fasting, focusing and more than these, meditation and listening so that when the time came Elijah KNEW what God wanted to do.Why? Because God told Him.
Don't you wish at times that you had a book where you could look up "healing," or "impatience," or "forgiveness"? Okay. "What to do when I'm (without forgiveness, in need of healing, lack patience) in the face of testing": here are steps one, two, three, four, and five. And in case of severe emergency: six, seven, and eight.
Ta da! You'd have the answer!
Or, what to do when death comes: Steps A, B, C & D. If it is the dearest friend you've ever known:and F & G. If it is your own child: then E and H and possibly I.
But my loved ones there's no such manual. And for this we should be grateful! We should raise our voices and shout to the heavens! We should dance and laugh and sing HIS praises!. Why? Because it means He must speak to us, with us and through us individually. It also means we must read, pray, sing, praise, glory and meditate on and in Him.
Thankfully, in His Word God does include principles to follow in most crises, but not a precise procedure in difficult or impossible situations. He lets us know that our relationship with Him should cause us to have certain character attributes. We know how I spirit should respond. But Jesus came to restore our ability to hear and receive from our Heavenly Father. God leaves us on the cutting edge of today so that we will trust in Him and the principles in His great and gracious Word and those principles will drive us to Him...personally...throne room of God stuff...in HIS presence. That's all we have but isn't THAT amazing? And my loved ones...get into that...get into your intimate relationship, like Elijah with the God of the Universe but also of your life because one thing I am learning, day-by-day as I grow in my life in Jesus is this: That's enough.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Friday, April 16, 2010
A Summer Thief - Be On Guard!
But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into - Luke 12:39
I awoke this morning feeling close to God. Perhaps it was that the last major thing I did last night was pray with a wonderful brother in Christ. Or, perhaps it was that it was how smoothly the morning wen; how refreshed I was by a great nights sleep.
The notion of my serene and peaceful heart got me thinking, "hat are the times when you and I are most vulnerable to being caught off guard by the enemy of our souls?" I was reading through the history of Israel and there it was. Apparently and historically one of those times is just after we've had a great victory. We are doing a study right now at the Church on Rogers on the Life of Christ. It wasn't much of a leap to consider Jesus and His life. When He was baptized and was about to begin His public ministry. He was taken away into the desert to be tempted by satan. First, great victory in the form of obedience to the Father and then comes the trial.
Leisure time is another place in which satan seeks to take us off our normal routine of personal quiet times. I have grown accustomed to recognizing either my sinful nature rising up in me or the enemies attacks on me or my life in the normal routine of everyday living. I am also convinced that if you are growing in the knowledge of God the Father that our senses are tuned to the need to draw upon God's Spirit to see us through the activities of each day.
However, when we get away from our routine and go on vacation, we can often drop these routines. We wrongfully think that we do not need to spend time with the Lord during leisure times. We take a vacation from our communications and times with God.
This is a grave mistake. The vacation becomes a test of character. During vacations we turn freely to what we enjoy and perhaps get least of during the rest of the year. But also, the vacation reveals to us what is at the core of our existence.
A teacher in a large school reportedly said, "The greatest difficulty we encounter is the summer vacation. Just when we have brought a student to a certain discipline and place in their study habits, we lose him; when he comes back we have to begin all over again." It is the same in our spiritual lives. It only takes a small crack in the door of our heart to lose our spiritual focus and take 2 steps backward.
This summer, be on guard when times of retreat are made available to you. Use these times for spiritual refreshment, not just physical refreshment and/or a time to rebuild relationships on earth. Find new ways to walk hand in hand with your God. and in this way you will keep the thief from entering the house which is your soul.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
I awoke this morning feeling close to God. Perhaps it was that the last major thing I did last night was pray with a wonderful brother in Christ. Or, perhaps it was that it was how smoothly the morning wen; how refreshed I was by a great nights sleep.
The notion of my serene and peaceful heart got me thinking, "hat are the times when you and I are most vulnerable to being caught off guard by the enemy of our souls?" I was reading through the history of Israel and there it was. Apparently and historically one of those times is just after we've had a great victory. We are doing a study right now at the Church on Rogers on the Life of Christ. It wasn't much of a leap to consider Jesus and His life. When He was baptized and was about to begin His public ministry. He was taken away into the desert to be tempted by satan. First, great victory in the form of obedience to the Father and then comes the trial.
Leisure time is another place in which satan seeks to take us off our normal routine of personal quiet times. I have grown accustomed to recognizing either my sinful nature rising up in me or the enemies attacks on me or my life in the normal routine of everyday living. I am also convinced that if you are growing in the knowledge of God the Father that our senses are tuned to the need to draw upon God's Spirit to see us through the activities of each day.
However, when we get away from our routine and go on vacation, we can often drop these routines. We wrongfully think that we do not need to spend time with the Lord during leisure times. We take a vacation from our communications and times with God.
This is a grave mistake. The vacation becomes a test of character. During vacations we turn freely to what we enjoy and perhaps get least of during the rest of the year. But also, the vacation reveals to us what is at the core of our existence.
A teacher in a large school reportedly said, "The greatest difficulty we encounter is the summer vacation. Just when we have brought a student to a certain discipline and place in their study habits, we lose him; when he comes back we have to begin all over again." It is the same in our spiritual lives. It only takes a small crack in the door of our heart to lose our spiritual focus and take 2 steps backward.
This summer, be on guard when times of retreat are made available to you. Use these times for spiritual refreshment, not just physical refreshment and/or a time to rebuild relationships on earth. Find new ways to walk hand in hand with your God. and in this way you will keep the thief from entering the house which is your soul.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Knowing That You Know That You Know That You, For Sure Can Know!
So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed. - Isaiah 28:16
Our Christian walk can be organized, dissected, implemented, executed and defined in oh so very many ways can't it? The many great teachers and preachers, writers and speakers who have changed my perspective is now reaching small population center size.
This morning I was feeling less than uninspired so I took a short walk at which time God gave me a lil sumpin' sumpin' and I think it was more for me than you but I hope you find it useful. IF you are one of those people who loves notes, organization, order, etc. it just might ring true for you
One way that I realized I view my walk with the Lord has been "life stages." Mine seems to have been made up of four distinct and progressive parts. I get this from some language I had been reading as the Church on Rogers has been going through the Life of Christ in a series of messages I titled, "Hello! My Name is Jesus".
Jesus, in explaining the life of true faith compared our growth and development to building a house. First, we must prepare to build by laying a solid and sure foundation. That foundation is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Any foundation other than Christ will not stand. (I Corinthians 3:11)
Second, as we begin our walk of faith with the one true God, we realize the trials, testings, miracles, and challenges in life are designed to provide "faith experiences" that demonstrate tangible evidences of His work in and with us; Moses' burning-bush experience, Peter's walk on the water, Joshua's parting of the Jordan River, John's son Chuck being run over by a car at 16 months, Cindy's mysterious illness, etc. These experiences built faith. The depth and width of our calling is directly proportional to the faith experiences He allows in each of our lives. But, and more than that, they grow and develop our spiritual character as we allows the Holy Spirit control during those troubled and oft heart-wrenching times. So, the message we embrace, the lessons learned and the love, grace, mercy and compassion received from the throne of God create in us "God capacity". We become more in Christ. As my friend Os Hillman would say, "If God plans an international ministry with you, chances are you will experience a higher degree of faith experiences compared to another." Why? It is likely you will need to look on these to ensure your calling and provide testimony to His work in your life.
The third stage deals with motivations. "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord" (Prov. 16:2). What is the motive behind my actions? Is it only financial accumulation? Is it to gain control? Is it to create independence? The primary motive must be to glorify God. His leading in you brings honor and glory and power to His name amongst the nations (and your sphere of influence) forever! So, to take such action requires a growing desire to please Him. It takes obedience to Him.
Finally, the actions we take are ever and increasingly God lead. We find that more of what we do, we turn over to Him. We wish a life that in all aspects is less separated into spiritual and carnal or into church and real life. We realize everything we do, in every breath we take is an offering of love and gratitude to the one who gave me life!
Here we must ask, "Do we have the skill, quality, and ability to enter into new and ever-increasingly bold activity?" So often we have not trained ourselves adequately to be successful in our endeavor. You would never want someone working on your teeth who had not been trained and certified as a dentist. Before you begin your next project, ask yourself these four questions:
1. What is the foundation this project is based on? There is only one - Jesus!
2. What experiences has God demonstrated in my life that indicate His involvement?
3. What is my motive for entering this activity? Am I doing this or can I do this to My Heavenly Father's Glory?
4. Do I have the skill, quality, and ability to accomplish the task? Am I prepared mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually?
Answering these questions will tell you whether God will bless your daily activity. I hope this gives you some good stuff as you go through your week.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Our Christian walk can be organized, dissected, implemented, executed and defined in oh so very many ways can't it? The many great teachers and preachers, writers and speakers who have changed my perspective is now reaching small population center size.
This morning I was feeling less than uninspired so I took a short walk at which time God gave me a lil sumpin' sumpin' and I think it was more for me than you but I hope you find it useful. IF you are one of those people who loves notes, organization, order, etc. it just might ring true for you
One way that I realized I view my walk with the Lord has been "life stages." Mine seems to have been made up of four distinct and progressive parts. I get this from some language I had been reading as the Church on Rogers has been going through the Life of Christ in a series of messages I titled, "Hello! My Name is Jesus".
Jesus, in explaining the life of true faith compared our growth and development to building a house. First, we must prepare to build by laying a solid and sure foundation. That foundation is none other than Jesus Christ Himself. Any foundation other than Christ will not stand. (I Corinthians 3:11)
Second, as we begin our walk of faith with the one true God, we realize the trials, testings, miracles, and challenges in life are designed to provide "faith experiences" that demonstrate tangible evidences of His work in and with us; Moses' burning-bush experience, Peter's walk on the water, Joshua's parting of the Jordan River, John's son Chuck being run over by a car at 16 months, Cindy's mysterious illness, etc. These experiences built faith. The depth and width of our calling is directly proportional to the faith experiences He allows in each of our lives. But, and more than that, they grow and develop our spiritual character as we allows the Holy Spirit control during those troubled and oft heart-wrenching times. So, the message we embrace, the lessons learned and the love, grace, mercy and compassion received from the throne of God create in us "God capacity". We become more in Christ. As my friend Os Hillman would say, "If God plans an international ministry with you, chances are you will experience a higher degree of faith experiences compared to another." Why? It is likely you will need to look on these to ensure your calling and provide testimony to His work in your life.
The third stage deals with motivations. "All a man's ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord" (Prov. 16:2). What is the motive behind my actions? Is it only financial accumulation? Is it to gain control? Is it to create independence? The primary motive must be to glorify God. His leading in you brings honor and glory and power to His name amongst the nations (and your sphere of influence) forever! So, to take such action requires a growing desire to please Him. It takes obedience to Him.
Finally, the actions we take are ever and increasingly God lead. We find that more of what we do, we turn over to Him. We wish a life that in all aspects is less separated into spiritual and carnal or into church and real life. We realize everything we do, in every breath we take is an offering of love and gratitude to the one who gave me life!
Here we must ask, "Do we have the skill, quality, and ability to enter into new and ever-increasingly bold activity?" So often we have not trained ourselves adequately to be successful in our endeavor. You would never want someone working on your teeth who had not been trained and certified as a dentist. Before you begin your next project, ask yourself these four questions:
1. What is the foundation this project is based on? There is only one - Jesus!
2. What experiences has God demonstrated in my life that indicate His involvement?
3. What is my motive for entering this activity? Am I doing this or can I do this to My Heavenly Father's Glory?
4. Do I have the skill, quality, and ability to accomplish the task? Am I prepared mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually?
Answering these questions will tell you whether God will bless your daily activity. I hope this gives you some good stuff as you go through your week.
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
I'm Free! I'm Responsible! Er...What!!!???
Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision - Joel 3:14
It seemed so simplistic I had to look it up. Sure enough this quote is credited to George Bernard Shaw. He said, "Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it." Over the last several weeks, months I suppose, we have watched and listened, prayed and echoed our positions as our government wheels turned slowly on huge matters of importance. We must fight the urge to pass the buck. In a day when most people easily hand off responsibility...push it downline, Mr. Shaw's words bite and sting to those with conscience; to those in whom the Holy Spirit is at work. .
True leadership carries with it a few privileges and perks, but living with the responsibility of that task makes a reserved parking space and your own bathroom pale into insignificance. I want even start on government. Government is out there somewhere...we don't really touch, taste, walk and talk it.
But this one might hit home...
Conceiving children is (and should be) a moment of sheer ecstasy, but rearing them as a loving and caring parent represents years of thankless responsibility. Our society, many societies are rift with the fruit of both legislation and morality that passed that buck along. The results of which are tragic.
Running an organization that gets a job done, leaving those involved feeling fulfilled and appreciated, can be exciting, fun, and with the kind of "stretched" feeling of accomplishment, but it's a nightmare unless the details of responsibility are clearly set forth and maintained. It's disheartening and often fatal to organizations when the buck gets passed downline, through the executive ranks, mid-management, workers and down to the new kind in the mail room to ensure the important work gets done.
Big projects and meaningful achievements may be conceived by visionaries and dreamers but its the doers that ensure the right activity is executed that "get 'er done". It is not by armchair generals who watch and frown from a distance but by brave troops in the trenches, not by fans in the bleachers but by committed coaches and players on the field, not by those who stay neutral and play it safe but by those who get off the fence of indecision, even though their decisions are occasionally tough and unpopular that make our country go, our businesses succeed, our teams victorious.
"...for the Day of the Lord is at hand in the valley of decision!"
Chuck Swindoll relates this story he saw in the Wall Street JournalAll this reminds me of a full-page advertisement I saw in the Wall Street Journal:
DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Sometimes the decision to do nothing is wise. But you can't make a career of doing nothing. Freddie Fulcrum weighed everything too carefully. He would say, "On the one hand . . . but then, on the other," and his arguments weighed out so evenly he never did anything. When Freddie died, they carved a big zero on his tombstone. If you decide to fish, fine. Or, if you decide to cut bait, fine. But if you decide to do nothing, you're not going to have fish for dinner.
We have been studying the Life of Christ as told by Peter (and probably Luke a bit) to the Gospel writer Mark. If The Church on Rogers has learned anything during this study it is this: God has a different set of definitions for words we commonly use. Here is one of those occasions where we have a great paradox. You see, you and I might conclude, thinking in earthly terms and not in Kingdom of God terms, that pure liberty would mean pure choice to do anything or nothing. But that isn't God's view.
In the Kingdom economy the secret of true liberty as we pass through this earthly life, is responsibility. And that calls for decisions, decisions. Tough decisions. Lonely decisions. Unpleasant decisions. Misunderstood decisions. Courageous decisions. First, personal then actionable community decisions.
As I recall, Jesus rarely missed a meal because he just couldn't decide...He often had fish for dinner. Our friend Freddie Fulcrum should have read more Jesus...less Drucker or Tom Peters or whoever else is popular in the business world... perhaps.
With me, this week, commit to action lead by taking responsibility for the things God has put in your hands to do. If you have a job excel! If you are a parent realize you are accountable for the actions, welfare, growth, and most importantly spiritual welfare of your children. If a husband, to lead your household in a godly fashion using the gifts God has given you. And if a citizen, then to do all in your power to uphold the principles of a higher Kingdom; integrate those in your decisions to talk but more importantly to act in accordance with your responsibilities as a member of your nation...decide with me to be a decisive Christian... I remain
InHISgrip,
~J~
It seemed so simplistic I had to look it up. Sure enough this quote is credited to George Bernard Shaw. He said, "Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it." Over the last several weeks, months I suppose, we have watched and listened, prayed and echoed our positions as our government wheels turned slowly on huge matters of importance. We must fight the urge to pass the buck. In a day when most people easily hand off responsibility...push it downline, Mr. Shaw's words bite and sting to those with conscience; to those in whom the Holy Spirit is at work. .
True leadership carries with it a few privileges and perks, but living with the responsibility of that task makes a reserved parking space and your own bathroom pale into insignificance. I want even start on government. Government is out there somewhere...we don't really touch, taste, walk and talk it.
But this one might hit home...
Conceiving children is (and should be) a moment of sheer ecstasy, but rearing them as a loving and caring parent represents years of thankless responsibility. Our society, many societies are rift with the fruit of both legislation and morality that passed that buck along. The results of which are tragic.
Running an organization that gets a job done, leaving those involved feeling fulfilled and appreciated, can be exciting, fun, and with the kind of "stretched" feeling of accomplishment, but it's a nightmare unless the details of responsibility are clearly set forth and maintained. It's disheartening and often fatal to organizations when the buck gets passed downline, through the executive ranks, mid-management, workers and down to the new kind in the mail room to ensure the important work gets done.
Big projects and meaningful achievements may be conceived by visionaries and dreamers but its the doers that ensure the right activity is executed that "get 'er done". It is not by armchair generals who watch and frown from a distance but by brave troops in the trenches, not by fans in the bleachers but by committed coaches and players on the field, not by those who stay neutral and play it safe but by those who get off the fence of indecision, even though their decisions are occasionally tough and unpopular that make our country go, our businesses succeed, our teams victorious.
"...for the Day of the Lord is at hand in the valley of decision!"
Chuck Swindoll relates this story he saw in the Wall Street JournalAll this reminds me of a full-page advertisement I saw in the Wall Street Journal:
DECISIONS, DECISIONS: Sometimes the decision to do nothing is wise. But you can't make a career of doing nothing. Freddie Fulcrum weighed everything too carefully. He would say, "On the one hand . . . but then, on the other," and his arguments weighed out so evenly he never did anything. When Freddie died, they carved a big zero on his tombstone. If you decide to fish, fine. Or, if you decide to cut bait, fine. But if you decide to do nothing, you're not going to have fish for dinner.
We have been studying the Life of Christ as told by Peter (and probably Luke a bit) to the Gospel writer Mark. If The Church on Rogers has learned anything during this study it is this: God has a different set of definitions for words we commonly use. Here is one of those occasions where we have a great paradox. You see, you and I might conclude, thinking in earthly terms and not in Kingdom of God terms, that pure liberty would mean pure choice to do anything or nothing. But that isn't God's view.
In the Kingdom economy the secret of true liberty as we pass through this earthly life, is responsibility. And that calls for decisions, decisions. Tough decisions. Lonely decisions. Unpleasant decisions. Misunderstood decisions. Courageous decisions. First, personal then actionable community decisions.
As I recall, Jesus rarely missed a meal because he just couldn't decide...He often had fish for dinner. Our friend Freddie Fulcrum should have read more Jesus...less Drucker or Tom Peters or whoever else is popular in the business world... perhaps.
With me, this week, commit to action lead by taking responsibility for the things God has put in your hands to do. If you have a job excel! If you are a parent realize you are accountable for the actions, welfare, growth, and most importantly spiritual welfare of your children. If a husband, to lead your household in a godly fashion using the gifts God has given you. And if a citizen, then to do all in your power to uphold the principles of a higher Kingdom; integrate those in your decisions to talk but more importantly to act in accordance with your responsibilities as a member of your nation...decide with me to be a decisive Christian... I remain
InHISgrip,
~J~
Thursday, March 4, 2010
A Freedom All Can Confidently Choose
I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you today: I place before you Life and Death, Blessing and Curse. Choose life so that you and your children will live. And love God, your God, listening obediently to him, firmly embracing him. Oh yes, he is life itself, a long life settled on the soil that God, your God, promised to give your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - Deuteronomy 30:19,20 (The Message)
I was thinking this morning on an early mentor to my Christian life. His name was James Singleton. He was a man of character, and an unwavering single-minded focus on his faith and button-downed in terms of what he believed. One thing he believed was that the concept of sin was being swept away by the psycho-elements of Christianity. Personal responsibility for how we acted and displeased God was being lost under a barrage of pseudo-scientific explanations where each of us was now fully NOT responsible for the way we acted.
The concept of sin was being lost to the church. This was back in 1976. The "modern" world had no place for the archaic concept of sin.
Ya, right.
But my friends and family it is now 34 years later since I had those discussions with this man of faith and power. Sin, the ability for a person to, independently and willfully displease God, is very much alive. No number of books, symposiums, classes, advanced courses or experts opinions to the contrary can change the simple, oft-repeated experience billions of times a day where humans separate themselves in deed, thought and attitude from the God who provides them life. The Greek word, in our New Testament that is translated sin is roughly the word hamartia (ham arr tee ah) and in Greek means to miss the mark. God the Father has a target in mind, His Son actually, and we fall short or miss that ideal in the way we act and/or think daily.
It is a source of heartache, feelings of guilt, aggravation and personal disappointment for most who call themselves Christians.
I wish I could guarantee all of us full freedom from sin 365 days a year, but that is not possible. As long as we roam the earth we will fight a battle, a personal battle with personal sin. I have given great study and thought to the idea of perpetual sinlessness (theologians call it "sinless perfection"). It will not be ours to enjoy until we are given glorified bodies and we are at home in heaven.
But their is good news. The relationship that Jesus re-established for us with His life, suffering, death and resurrection has provided us the leadership we need; the continual presence of our God in our lives and His direction as we both speak with and listen to Him. We don't have to sin on a constant, day-after-day basis. The actions of the Savior has freed us to accept counsel and get direction from a personal relationship with God.
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. - Romans 6:17--18
Wonderful, wonderful truth! Choosing righteousness, we enjoy a lifestyle marked by God's blessings, stability, and strength. God's goodness, His Grace frees us to choose, yes more than choose, make ourselves slaves to eternal life concepts, principles and actions. We can decide to walk with God and draw strength from Him to face whatever life throws at us. However, we can decide to walk away from God and face the inescapable consequences of sin.
The next time you are tempted to yield to your old master, Master Sin, remember this: Grace invites you to return and find forgiveness, but it doesn't automatically erase the scars that accompany missing the mark of the high-calling of being God's child; some scars could stay with you for life.
In spite of the terrible consequences sins may bring, grace also means we allow others the freedom to choose, regardless. To do otherwise abuses as much as those who use their freedom as a license to sin. I am a firm believer in mutual accountability, but grace means I will not force or manipulate or judge or attempt to control you, nor should you do those things to me. It means we will keep on helping others to freedom by providing moments of hope. In naval speak we might call it providing "breathing holes." It means we deliberately let go so each of us can grow and learn on our own; otherwise, we shall never enjoy the liberty of an open sea.
So, this little snippet goes out to parents, brothers and sisters and great friends: For most of us, letting others go is neither natural nor easy. Because we care, it is more our tendency to give people hints or advice. The thought of letting them fail or fall is extremely painful to us, but God treats us like that virtually every day of our lives. We tend to clutch, not release . . . to put people in our frame and not allow them any breathing holes unless and until they accept the shape of our molds.
Let us be carriers of love, patience, grace and space. God is still on the throne and is still the greatest weapon in a battle against missing His very best...
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
I was thinking this morning on an early mentor to my Christian life. His name was James Singleton. He was a man of character, and an unwavering single-minded focus on his faith and button-downed in terms of what he believed. One thing he believed was that the concept of sin was being swept away by the psycho-elements of Christianity. Personal responsibility for how we acted and displeased God was being lost under a barrage of pseudo-scientific explanations where each of us was now fully NOT responsible for the way we acted.
The concept of sin was being lost to the church. This was back in 1976. The "modern" world had no place for the archaic concept of sin.
Ya, right.
But my friends and family it is now 34 years later since I had those discussions with this man of faith and power. Sin, the ability for a person to, independently and willfully displease God, is very much alive. No number of books, symposiums, classes, advanced courses or experts opinions to the contrary can change the simple, oft-repeated experience billions of times a day where humans separate themselves in deed, thought and attitude from the God who provides them life. The Greek word, in our New Testament that is translated sin is roughly the word hamartia (ham arr tee ah) and in Greek means to miss the mark. God the Father has a target in mind, His Son actually, and we fall short or miss that ideal in the way we act and/or think daily.
It is a source of heartache, feelings of guilt, aggravation and personal disappointment for most who call themselves Christians.
I wish I could guarantee all of us full freedom from sin 365 days a year, but that is not possible. As long as we roam the earth we will fight a battle, a personal battle with personal sin. I have given great study and thought to the idea of perpetual sinlessness (theologians call it "sinless perfection"). It will not be ours to enjoy until we are given glorified bodies and we are at home in heaven.
But their is good news. The relationship that Jesus re-established for us with His life, suffering, death and resurrection has provided us the leadership we need; the continual presence of our God in our lives and His direction as we both speak with and listen to Him. We don't have to sin on a constant, day-after-day basis. The actions of the Savior has freed us to accept counsel and get direction from a personal relationship with God.
But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. - Romans 6:17--18
Wonderful, wonderful truth! Choosing righteousness, we enjoy a lifestyle marked by God's blessings, stability, and strength. God's goodness, His Grace frees us to choose, yes more than choose, make ourselves slaves to eternal life concepts, principles and actions. We can decide to walk with God and draw strength from Him to face whatever life throws at us. However, we can decide to walk away from God and face the inescapable consequences of sin.
The next time you are tempted to yield to your old master, Master Sin, remember this: Grace invites you to return and find forgiveness, but it doesn't automatically erase the scars that accompany missing the mark of the high-calling of being God's child; some scars could stay with you for life.
In spite of the terrible consequences sins may bring, grace also means we allow others the freedom to choose, regardless. To do otherwise abuses as much as those who use their freedom as a license to sin. I am a firm believer in mutual accountability, but grace means I will not force or manipulate or judge or attempt to control you, nor should you do those things to me. It means we will keep on helping others to freedom by providing moments of hope. In naval speak we might call it providing "breathing holes." It means we deliberately let go so each of us can grow and learn on our own; otherwise, we shall never enjoy the liberty of an open sea.
So, this little snippet goes out to parents, brothers and sisters and great friends: For most of us, letting others go is neither natural nor easy. Because we care, it is more our tendency to give people hints or advice. The thought of letting them fail or fall is extremely painful to us, but God treats us like that virtually every day of our lives. We tend to clutch, not release . . . to put people in our frame and not allow them any breathing holes unless and until they accept the shape of our molds.
Let us be carriers of love, patience, grace and space. God is still on the throne and is still the greatest weapon in a battle against missing His very best...
I remain...
InHISgrip,
~J~
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