When we are called to put on the New Man we are challenged with something radical, something which by reason of Who He is must result in an upsetting of the natural, earthly order of things. It is a major upheaval. Why? Because this New Man is Totally Other. This New Man is of Heaven. This New Man is Spirit. This New Man is foreign from this world. And when we put on THIS New Man, we are going to be at once set apart from the world and earmarked for something larger than we can fathom with our mind, something apart from flesh and blood, something we call "Spirit and Life".
Many years after having first put on the Lord Jesus, Paul declares that he is still trying to apprehend the One Who has already apprehended him. The height, width, breadth, length, and depth of this New Man, this Heavenly Man, is quite beyond what we can measure apart from Spirit-revelation. We are more familiar with and have more confidence in the old man than we do in the New Man. By the grace of God, this has to change. When we truly see the New Man we transcend the old man. And this, in a nutshell, is how God accomplishes the work of decreasing us and increasing Christ.
"Bring forth the best robe and put it on my son (Luke 15:22ff)."
It would be helpful to illustrate what it means to clothe oneself with Christ. In the story of the prodigal son we find such an illustration. The phrase "put it on" my son is the same Greek words used as in "put ye on" the Lord Jesus. It is even the same word in English - "put on". So the connection is clear. In the fullness of time God brought forth His Son, and we are told to put Him on, to be clothed with the best robe.
Praise God! We are not laying down a rule for Christian life and saying that in order to be a good Christian you must start doing this, that and the other, and then you must stop doing this thing or that thing. That is the natural approach. But when the son returns to his father, we do not hear a word of rebuke (except from the elder son). It is not a question of our being "worthy", for the son frankly admits he is no longer worthy to be called a son. Nevertheless, he IS a son. The remedy our Father has for him is not what we would expect. We are looking for a rebuke, or a reproof. Perhaps we are looking for some new list of expectations, punishments and rewards. Instead, he is given the best robe, a ring, and shoes for his feet. This is grace!
To put on the Lord Jesus is to be clothed with the very best robe. This robe makes us look better than we really are. But when we are dressed with the best we begin to act differently. Our behavior and our conduct is the fruit of who we are, not the cause of what we are. Paul never gives us commandments for the sake of commandments. He gives us a lot of instruction regarding our conduct, but it is always based on who we are in Christ, not who we hope to be in ourselves. Having put on the Lord Jesus, we are enveloped with Him and His character replaces our character. His Life is received in exchange for our life. If we cooperate with the Life we will naturally find our behavior is changed.
But what of the elder son? "Son, you are ever with me, and all that I have is yours (Luke 15:31)." Hallelujah! There is no partiality with God, however much we may think God is being more fair or more generous to some brother or sister. Not so: the robe, the ring, and the shoes only represent the "all", the fullness of the Father, and "of His fullness we have all received (John 1:16a)". The Father says, "All that I have is yours!" Who can dare ask God for a single thing apart from the Son? ~ C Brogden
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Prayer
by John Wesley; "Lord, I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will, rank me with whom You will. Let me be employed by You or laid aside for You, exalted for You or brought low by You. Let me have all things, let me have nothing, I freely and heartily yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. Amen."
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Listening to Autumn
Autumn is slipping through summer's branchesand I am listening.
I am listening to the dying
flowing forth from autumn's being.
I am listening to the life
hidden in the dying.
I am listening.
I am listening to the trees taking off their lush green garments.
I am listening to the leaves turning, turning, ever turning.
I am listening to the burning bush of autumn.
I am listening to the falling of this season.
I am listening.
I am listening to the song of transformation,
to the wisdom of the season,
to the losses and the grieving,
to the turning loose and letting go.
I am listening to the surrender of autumn.
I am listening.
I am listening to the music of the forest's undergrowth,
to the crunch of leaves beneath my feet,
to the miracle of crumbling leaves becoming earth again.
I am listening to the beauty and fragility of aging.
I am listening.
I am listening to the wheel of the year turning
to the cycle of the seasons,
to the call for harmony and balance.
I am listening to the circle of life.
I am listening.
I am listening to days growing shorter,
to the air turning crisp and cool,
to the slow waning of the light,
to the stars that shine in cold, dark nights.
I am listening to the growing harvest moon.
I am listening.
I am listening to happy harvest cries,
to hearts overflowing with thanksgiving,
to tables laden with gifts from the earth,
to baskedts overflowing with fruit,
I am listening to the bountiful gift of autumn.
I am listening.
I am listening to a call for inner growth,
to my need to let go of material possessions,
to my need to reach out for invisible gifts.
I am listening to a call for transformation.
I am listening.
I am listening to the death of old ways.
I am listening to the life force turning inward.
I am listening to the renewal of the earth.
I am listening.
I am listening to summer
Handing over autumn
I am listening to the poetry of autumn.
I am listening.
~Macrina Wiederkehr
Blow the Trumpet
Joel 2Sound the alarm...Blow the shofar
The Day of the Lord is at hand..Declare a day of repentance, a holy fast day.Call a public meeting. Get everyone there. Consecrate the congregation.Make sure the elders come, but bring in the children, too, even the nursing babies,Even men and women on their honeymoon— interrupt them and get them there.Between Sanctuary entrance and altar, let the priests, God's servants, weep tears of repentance.Let them intercede: "Have mercy, God, on your people! At that, God went into action to get his land back. He took pity on his people.God answered and spoke to his people, "Look, listen—I'm sending a gift:Grain and wine and olive oil. The fast is over—eat your fill!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
The Harvest
Jesus described the end of the age. He said the "harvest is the end of the age." Whatever else may happen at the end of the age, one thing we know for sure: it is harvest-time. Jesus said angels would be activated and would accompany us in the harvest. (Matthew 13:39) Angels will help with the reaping of the fields. They will take people out who persist in evil. A divine sorting into holy and unholy groups is already underway. The stakes are high. This battle is over the harvest of souls that Jesus paid for on the cross.
Satan’s tactics are all designed to discourage the workers so as to prevent the harvest. Like Tobiah and Sanballat, a pair of evil workers who tried to discourage Nehemiah from rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4), They are desiring to weaken us. Also, James the Apostle emphasized the need for wisdom over money in the last days. He said wealthy people are guilty by reason of the rust on their riches. "In the last days you have stored up your treasure." (James 5:3) Wealth is another mark of the last days. Covetousness will be uncovered in these last days, when wealth is abundant, but hoarded. It is a sin to live in luxury while laborers in the field have to do without. Why was God angry? Why was the Judge standing at the door? It wasn’t about people living comfortably– God has no problem with that at all. God wants us blessed! The Lord of the Harvest (Mt. 9:38) was angry because his workers were being deprived. His anger was about the harvest in the field being neglected. God waits for "the precious produce of the soil." (James 5:7) The season of harvest is simultaneous with the season of judgment. The threshing of the wheat looks and feels, to the wheat, like tribulation. The ancient paddle or rod used by Romans to crack the husk off the grain and let the breeze carry away the chaff was called in Latin a tribulatum.
Pressure is a good word to describe what is now coming against the saints. Everybody in the world feels it, but God’s people are especially targeted. Pressure is like heat. Eventually it cooks out and uncovers whatever constitutes our soul. Pressure comes from two sources: internal and external.
Internally, we can wreck our own lives if we ignore or if we conceal our sin, if we hang on to an inadequate self-image, if we hold on to old hurts and refuse to forgive, or if we settle for a woefully deficient barely-get-by kind of faith. Character issues are not peripheral to God’s purpose in our lives. Do you realize, that with sufficient Christ-like character, we can actually cause time to be on our side? We can be so strong in spirit, so joyful in praise, so filled with enduring hope and so out-fitted with genuine faith that we can actually wear the Devil out! I have seen it happen. This is the patience of the saints. The Judge is on our side. He will rule in our favor.
Externally, we face enemies that are not flesh and blood, but sometimes these enemies utilize people who don’t know what they are doing. Therefore, we need to adapt our ways and our thoughts to line up with God’s ways and God’s thoughts (see Isaiah 55) God has ways that reveal His wisdom. We will never defeat Satan using Satan’s ways. God’s wisdom works, not human cunning. Its source is heaven, not the world. Divine wisdom is (or should be) demonstrated by apostolic models of covenant love in communities that are living by overcoming faith. With sufficient Spirit-inspired faith, we can move mountains of Satanic resistance out of the way, advancing God’s kingdom as we keep putting our hand to the plow and doing His work.
God is restoring a new measure of apostolic and prophetic teaching to the Church that will enable us to deal with both of these realms using new insight into God’s Word and Gods ways.
God is training his children to persevere, to overcome, to band together so we can stand together, so we can survive and thrive in the heat of the battle, and live to see the glory of God, multitudes saved, Satan’s works destroyed, and Christ glorified among the nations. Real faith emerges from the fire purified, not destroyed. God’s payback time has arrived. The devil’s plan will backfire on him as we cast him out or wear him down. If he sticks around past his eviction notice, he’ll have to listen to us praising God and worshipping in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14, 18). We have heard our Lord’s instructions, "having done all, stand therefore…"
Satan’s tactics are all designed to discourage the workers so as to prevent the harvest. Like Tobiah and Sanballat, a pair of evil workers who tried to discourage Nehemiah from rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 4), They are desiring to weaken us. Also, James the Apostle emphasized the need for wisdom over money in the last days. He said wealthy people are guilty by reason of the rust on their riches. "In the last days you have stored up your treasure." (James 5:3) Wealth is another mark of the last days. Covetousness will be uncovered in these last days, when wealth is abundant, but hoarded. It is a sin to live in luxury while laborers in the field have to do without. Why was God angry? Why was the Judge standing at the door? It wasn’t about people living comfortably– God has no problem with that at all. God wants us blessed! The Lord of the Harvest (Mt. 9:38) was angry because his workers were being deprived. His anger was about the harvest in the field being neglected. God waits for "the precious produce of the soil." (James 5:7) The season of harvest is simultaneous with the season of judgment. The threshing of the wheat looks and feels, to the wheat, like tribulation. The ancient paddle or rod used by Romans to crack the husk off the grain and let the breeze carry away the chaff was called in Latin a tribulatum.
Pressure is a good word to describe what is now coming against the saints. Everybody in the world feels it, but God’s people are especially targeted. Pressure is like heat. Eventually it cooks out and uncovers whatever constitutes our soul. Pressure comes from two sources: internal and external.
Internally, we can wreck our own lives if we ignore or if we conceal our sin, if we hang on to an inadequate self-image, if we hold on to old hurts and refuse to forgive, or if we settle for a woefully deficient barely-get-by kind of faith. Character issues are not peripheral to God’s purpose in our lives. Do you realize, that with sufficient Christ-like character, we can actually cause time to be on our side? We can be so strong in spirit, so joyful in praise, so filled with enduring hope and so out-fitted with genuine faith that we can actually wear the Devil out! I have seen it happen. This is the patience of the saints. The Judge is on our side. He will rule in our favor.
Externally, we face enemies that are not flesh and blood, but sometimes these enemies utilize people who don’t know what they are doing. Therefore, we need to adapt our ways and our thoughts to line up with God’s ways and God’s thoughts (see Isaiah 55) God has ways that reveal His wisdom. We will never defeat Satan using Satan’s ways. God’s wisdom works, not human cunning. Its source is heaven, not the world. Divine wisdom is (or should be) demonstrated by apostolic models of covenant love in communities that are living by overcoming faith. With sufficient Spirit-inspired faith, we can move mountains of Satanic resistance out of the way, advancing God’s kingdom as we keep putting our hand to the plow and doing His work.
God is restoring a new measure of apostolic and prophetic teaching to the Church that will enable us to deal with both of these realms using new insight into God’s Word and Gods ways.
God is training his children to persevere, to overcome, to band together so we can stand together, so we can survive and thrive in the heat of the battle, and live to see the glory of God, multitudes saved, Satan’s works destroyed, and Christ glorified among the nations. Real faith emerges from the fire purified, not destroyed. God’s payback time has arrived. The devil’s plan will backfire on him as we cast him out or wear him down. If he sticks around past his eviction notice, he’ll have to listen to us praising God and worshipping in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14, 18). We have heard our Lord’s instructions, "having done all, stand therefore…"
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Ok..so I posted twice in one day...
We should seek Truth, regardless of how it makes us feel, whether it is positive or negative. Paul says he has no confidence in the flesh. Over-confidence is a deadly form of pride, and relying totally on positive, encouraging input is a recipe for disaster. Maybe your only hope is to lose confidence! If you are in the flesh then you need to be brought to a place of discouragement - the sooner the better! Maybe the secret to overcoming is not in shouting the victory but crying out to God in despair and admitting defeat. What if, instead of embracing positive and encouraging thoughts about ourselves, we go to God and freely admit that in spite of all our positive and encouraging helps we have made a total mess of things and we don't know what to do?
We need to revisit our Christianized value system and ask some hard questions. What makes a message "good"? What makes a church service "edifying"? What makes a Christian song "anointed"? What makes a ministry "positive and encouraging"? Does God even consider these things as important criteria at the judgment seat of Christ? Do I judge these things with righteous judgment, or do I judge them by my feelings?
Why are a certain Christian personalities popular? Why do I read their books and listen to their messages? Will a steady diet of positive and encouraging words cause me to see myself as I am, or will it seduce me into thinking I'm better than I really am? Do I wish to be entertained into spiritual dullness or challenged into spiritual maturity? Am I going to eat cotton candy and bubble gum for the rest of my life or am I going to seek strong meat?
Sometimes, in spite of my best efforts to put a happy spin on things, the most positive and encouraging thing I can say to a person is, "I encourage you to repent, because if you don't, I'm positive that your life will only get worse. I encourage you to lose all confidence in yourself, take up the cross, and put your life in the very capable hands of Another, because I am positive that apart from Him you can do nothing." The more self-centered you are the more negative and discouraging this sounds - and that is EXACTLY the way it should be. ~C. Brogden
We need to revisit our Christianized value system and ask some hard questions. What makes a message "good"? What makes a church service "edifying"? What makes a Christian song "anointed"? What makes a ministry "positive and encouraging"? Does God even consider these things as important criteria at the judgment seat of Christ? Do I judge these things with righteous judgment, or do I judge them by my feelings?
Why are a certain Christian personalities popular? Why do I read their books and listen to their messages? Will a steady diet of positive and encouraging words cause me to see myself as I am, or will it seduce me into thinking I'm better than I really am? Do I wish to be entertained into spiritual dullness or challenged into spiritual maturity? Am I going to eat cotton candy and bubble gum for the rest of my life or am I going to seek strong meat?
Sometimes, in spite of my best efforts to put a happy spin on things, the most positive and encouraging thing I can say to a person is, "I encourage you to repent, because if you don't, I'm positive that your life will only get worse. I encourage you to lose all confidence in yourself, take up the cross, and put your life in the very capable hands of Another, because I am positive that apart from Him you can do nothing." The more self-centered you are the more negative and discouraging this sounds - and that is EXACTLY the way it should be. ~C. Brogden
A Holy God
God is holy. That means He is set apart. He is "other-than", not like this present world nor like our fallen human nature. God is not contaminated with sin or impurity. His thoughts and ways are high above ours. He dwells in a lofty place, but also with those who are meek and tremble at His Word. His holiness is accompanied by humility, therefore His power is never arbitrary or capricious. He is gentle in His love for His people, even while His holiness upholds His justice.
I wonder, God himself must be humble.. a new thought. Could it be true? Immediately I thought of Moses, the meekest man on earth. God said concerning Moses that He revealed Himself to ordinary prophets through dreams and visions. But not so with Moses. This humble man had face-to-face encounters with God. That’s how much God values humility. I remembered the New Testament Scripture that said God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Humility attracts grace. Pride is incompatible with God. I thought of Jesus, who said, "Take my yoke upon you, for I am meek and lowly of heart." Yes, God is holy and He is also humble. This revelation of God’s nature caused me to fear Him in a fresh way.
How will the fear of God affect our lives? The first thing it will do is to cause us to turn away from sin. "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Prov. 8:13). I know God is perfectly just and that He will cause me to reap what I sow, therefore, I fear Him. The holy fear of God is not the same thing as being afraid. I am not scared of God, but I fear Him. I am sustained by His unchanging love, but I am not casual about encountering His holy presence. The fear of God is clean. It is healthy for us. It is not a condemning, controlling, paralyzing fear.
The primary way the fear of God is shown in our lives is not with emotions, like being scared, but with obedience to His Word. In this way, the fear of God sanctifies us. Therefore, two forces drive us to obey God. Both are appropriate. They are fear of God, and love for God. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). We treat God’s Word the same as we treat God. Either we respect it or we despise it. To ignore God’s Word is to have no fear of the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is not a feeling, but a decision that leads to submission to God. The Scripture says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:21 NIV). The fear of God results in us respecting and receiving one another. This is a mark of Christian humility. It is a characteristic of living in community, of being in God’s family.
I wonder, God himself must be humble.. a new thought. Could it be true? Immediately I thought of Moses, the meekest man on earth. God said concerning Moses that He revealed Himself to ordinary prophets through dreams and visions. But not so with Moses. This humble man had face-to-face encounters with God. That’s how much God values humility. I remembered the New Testament Scripture that said God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Humility attracts grace. Pride is incompatible with God. I thought of Jesus, who said, "Take my yoke upon you, for I am meek and lowly of heart." Yes, God is holy and He is also humble. This revelation of God’s nature caused me to fear Him in a fresh way.
How will the fear of God affect our lives? The first thing it will do is to cause us to turn away from sin. "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Prov. 8:13). I know God is perfectly just and that He will cause me to reap what I sow, therefore, I fear Him. The holy fear of God is not the same thing as being afraid. I am not scared of God, but I fear Him. I am sustained by His unchanging love, but I am not casual about encountering His holy presence. The fear of God is clean. It is healthy for us. It is not a condemning, controlling, paralyzing fear.
The primary way the fear of God is shown in our lives is not with emotions, like being scared, but with obedience to His Word. In this way, the fear of God sanctifies us. Therefore, two forces drive us to obey God. Both are appropriate. They are fear of God, and love for God. Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). We treat God’s Word the same as we treat God. Either we respect it or we despise it. To ignore God’s Word is to have no fear of the Lord.
The fear of the Lord is not a feeling, but a decision that leads to submission to God. The Scripture says, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ" (Eph. 5:21 NIV). The fear of God results in us respecting and receiving one another. This is a mark of Christian humility. It is a characteristic of living in community, of being in God’s family.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Jesus, Mean and Wild??
"As Jesus draws near, so rises the storm. The reasons for the increasing storm are many. When Jesus draws near, he draws near as Lord, and he implicitly challenges all other lords. These lords - greed, lust, ambition, pride, and so forth - do not care to be toppled from their pedestals, and during a crisis, when their lordship is challenged, they will demand even greater devotion. This, in turn, only aggravates our dis-ease, and we sink deeper than ever into loneliness, guilt, shame, and despair. The closer Jesus gets, the more violent the storm within. It gets to the point that either we must die or Jesus must die, and our souls fight ferociously for self-preservation." ~ Mark Galli
Thursday, September 21, 2006
The Hands of God
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
But it is a much more fearful thing to fall out of them.
Did Lucifer fall through knowledge?
oh then, pity him, pity him that plunge!
Save me, O God, from falling into the ungodly knowledge
of myself as I am without God.
Let me never know, O God
let me never know what I am or should be
when I have fallen out of your hands, the hands of the living God.
That awful and sickening endless sinking, sinking
through the slow corruptive levels of disintegrative knowledge
when the self has fallen from the hands of God
and sinks, seething and sinking, corrupt
and sinking still, in depth after depth of disintegrative consciousness
sinking in the endless undoing, the awful katabolism into the abyss!
even of the soul, fallen from the hands of God!
Save me from that, O God!
Let me never know myself apart from the living God!
D.H. Lawrence 1885 - 1930
But it is a much more fearful thing to fall out of them.
Did Lucifer fall through knowledge?
oh then, pity him, pity him that plunge!
Save me, O God, from falling into the ungodly knowledge
of myself as I am without God.
Let me never know, O God
let me never know what I am or should be
when I have fallen out of your hands, the hands of the living God.
That awful and sickening endless sinking, sinking
through the slow corruptive levels of disintegrative knowledge
when the self has fallen from the hands of God
and sinks, seething and sinking, corrupt
and sinking still, in depth after depth of disintegrative consciousness
sinking in the endless undoing, the awful katabolism into the abyss!
even of the soul, fallen from the hands of God!
Save me from that, O God!
Let me never know myself apart from the living God!
D.H. Lawrence 1885 - 1930
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
WE BE TREES??
People are compared to trees throughout the Old Testament. In Psalms One we see that a man who delights in the law of the Lord is "like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither."
Jesus tells us that a tree is recognized by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. We are very much like trees. People recognize us by the fruit we produce. If we are producing the fruit of kindness or joy, then people will recognize us by that fruit. Have you checked your branches lately to see what fruit is there for people to recognize you by.
1. Trees have a unique habitat which they thrive in, and so do we. We should take the time to evaluate our current habitat. Who knows we might need to be transplanted.
2. God gave us trees to enjoy and to eat the fruit of some. We should do this more often. It will improve our quality of life. We should spend more time looking at and enjoying trees. It's good for the soul.
3. When planting a tree consider the water source. Trees and people thrive best when we are rooted close to a river of life. Jesus said, "I am the water of life."
4. Trees and people are recognized by their fruit.
5. Jesus knew a lot about trees. This is reason enough to concern ourselves with them-to love them, enjoy them, and learn from them.
TREES
by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems were made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Jesus tells us that a tree is recognized by its fruit. A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. We are very much like trees. People recognize us by the fruit we produce. If we are producing the fruit of kindness or joy, then people will recognize us by that fruit. Have you checked your branches lately to see what fruit is there for people to recognize you by.
1. Trees have a unique habitat which they thrive in, and so do we. We should take the time to evaluate our current habitat. Who knows we might need to be transplanted.
2. God gave us trees to enjoy and to eat the fruit of some. We should do this more often. It will improve our quality of life. We should spend more time looking at and enjoying trees. It's good for the soul.
3. When planting a tree consider the water source. Trees and people thrive best when we are rooted close to a river of life. Jesus said, "I am the water of life."
4. Trees and people are recognized by their fruit.
5. Jesus knew a lot about trees. This is reason enough to concern ourselves with them-to love them, enjoy them, and learn from them.
TREES
by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems were made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Law of Sowing and Reaping..
Galatians 6:7-8 (Amplified Bible)
Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:7-8 (New Living Translation) Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
Do not be deceived and deluded and misled; God will not allow Himself to be sneered at (scorned, disdained, or mocked by mere pretensions or professions, or by His precepts being set aside.) [He inevitably deludes himself who attempts to delude God.] For whatever a man sows, that and that only is what he will reap. For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.
Galatians 6:7-8 (New Living Translation) Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.
belief systerms...
If you accept a Belief
You reap a Thought.
If you sow a Thought.
You reap an Attitude.
If you sow an Attitude.
You reap an Action.
If you sow an Action.
You reap a Habit.
If you sow a Habit.
You reap a Character.
If you sow a Character
You reap a Destiny.
(author unknown)
You reap a Thought.
If you sow a Thought.
You reap an Attitude.
If you sow an Attitude.
You reap an Action.
If you sow an Action.
You reap a Habit.
If you sow a Habit.
You reap a Character.
If you sow a Character
You reap a Destiny.
(author unknown)
Monday, September 18, 2006
Our Father..
Psalm 103:6God makes everything come out right; he puts victims back on their feet. He showed Moses how he went about his work, opened up his plans to all Israel. God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, he's rich in love. He doesn't endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is his love to those who fear him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, he has separated us from our sins. As parents feel for their children, God feels for those who fear him. He knows us inside and out, keeps in mind that we're made of mud. Men and women don't live very long; like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, But a storm snuffs them out just as quickly, leaving nothing to show they were here. God's love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him, Making everything right for them and their children as they follow his Covenant ways and remember to do whatever he said.
Friday, September 15, 2006
We, like sheep
Luke 15:4-7 (New American Standard Bible) What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? "When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. "And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' "I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Isaiah 53:5-7 (The Message) The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
Isaiah 53:5-7 (The Message) The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Healing Process
" For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
God believes in the principle of highest and best use! Certainly our perfect use is to fulfill the will of God for our lives. To see that accomplished, it’s important to take an active role in the removal of harmful behaviors and attitudes.
" You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
The point must not be lost to us. It is very important to repent of our sins, and to seek to correct the mistakes of the past, but part of that process is to go in a new direction. Our new self is made in His image! Now, we are to live like it. The Apostle Paul wrote in the great chapter on love:
" When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)
The Greek word used for "put away" is ‘katargeo’. It is a strong verb meaning to abolish, wipe out, or set aside. Childish perceptions need to purposely be reviewed and replaced with accurate understanding, and with biblical truth. In the Book of Ecclesiastes it reads; "...a time to plant and a time to uproot." (3:1-NIV) I also want to share with you about tearing up roots- bitter roots.
" See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)
We have all had parents that were less than perfect. Maybe we had situations that happened to us that hurt us, or frightened us. If we have allowed ourselves to become resentful and bitter over people and events in our past, we have allowed bitter roots to take hold. Just like the root system of a plant, these resentments can go deep and spread to many other areas of our lives. The only way to deal with a bad root system is to tear it out. When it comes to our bitter roots, that means we must seek the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. If we hold on to these feelings, just as Scripture promises, they defile many.
Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:
* Who do I yet need to forgive and set free from the prison of my mind?
*Who have I judged or criticized and have long since forgotten?
*Is it possible that I have judged, criticized, and/or raged against my parents and God and that memory is buried in my innermost being?
* Do I have the attitude that life is unfair and that problems seem to track me down?
* Am I presently involved in an "impossible" relationship that seems to have no workable solution?
* Am I teachable enough to accept the fact that there might be deep, hidden things buried in my memory that I have long since forgotten that I need to release to the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
* How willing am I to experience Ecclesiastes 1:18,("For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, with much knowledge comes much grief.")to find the answers to my problems and who I really am?
* Is the law of sowing and reaping working in my life and in my relationships in a beneficial way?
Here are some things we can do to deal with our answers:
* Make a list of the people that you need to forgive. Include in this list those whom you have judged or criticized in the past and in the present.
* Make another list of people whom you know who hold resentments against you. Include those who have in some way held charges against you.
* Who are the people in your life now who are irritating you or are in some way causing you problems? List them.
* What seems to happen to you repeatedly in your life and in your relationships? (Betrayal, insults, put-downs, judgments, neglects, etc.) List them.
This can be a painful process but it is well worth it to be free of our pasts. The most important part of this process is to bring everything to the Cross! No man can ultimately forgive our sins or our pasts. No man can heal our emotions or our hurts we have suffered. No man that is except one, Jesus Christ. When we bring our lives under His control, the slate is wiped clean. On a final note, the word confess means to bemoan and throw away. Own - Bemoan - Thrown!
WHY WRITE IT OUT?
It helps us to focus and be specific. We can tend to generalize our sin(s) so it does not seem so bad. Identifying our sins and character defects( more sins), is important in stopping behavior patterns, such as blaming others, and in becoming aware of self-destructive or defeating thoughts that are rooted in childish fears. We must forgive others but we must also forgive ourselves. To write this out helps us to have clarity of thought and purpose.
RESULTS
The end result of working, of agonizing our way through this is best described by our Creator Himself.
" Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs." Isaiah 61:7 (NIV)
Prayer: Lord God, help us to press on in , even when it is so hard to face the sins, hurts, and destruction of our pasts. Give us your Grace, your Wisdom, your Strength, but most of all; thank you for your everlasting love. In the Name of your precious Son...
God believes in the principle of highest and best use! Certainly our perfect use is to fulfill the will of God for our lives. To see that accomplished, it’s important to take an active role in the removal of harmful behaviors and attitudes.
" You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV)
The point must not be lost to us. It is very important to repent of our sins, and to seek to correct the mistakes of the past, but part of that process is to go in a new direction. Our new self is made in His image! Now, we are to live like it. The Apostle Paul wrote in the great chapter on love:
" When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me." 1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)
The Greek word used for "put away" is ‘katargeo’. It is a strong verb meaning to abolish, wipe out, or set aside. Childish perceptions need to purposely be reviewed and replaced with accurate understanding, and with biblical truth. In the Book of Ecclesiastes it reads; "...a time to plant and a time to uproot." (3:1-NIV) I also want to share with you about tearing up roots- bitter roots.
" See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many." Hebrews 12:15 (NIV)
We have all had parents that were less than perfect. Maybe we had situations that happened to us that hurt us, or frightened us. If we have allowed ourselves to become resentful and bitter over people and events in our past, we have allowed bitter roots to take hold. Just like the root system of a plant, these resentments can go deep and spread to many other areas of our lives. The only way to deal with a bad root system is to tear it out. When it comes to our bitter roots, that means we must seek the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God. If we hold on to these feelings, just as Scripture promises, they defile many.
Here are some questions we can ask ourselves:
* Who do I yet need to forgive and set free from the prison of my mind?
*Who have I judged or criticized and have long since forgotten?
*Is it possible that I have judged, criticized, and/or raged against my parents and God and that memory is buried in my innermost being?
* Do I have the attitude that life is unfair and that problems seem to track me down?
* Am I presently involved in an "impossible" relationship that seems to have no workable solution?
* Am I teachable enough to accept the fact that there might be deep, hidden things buried in my memory that I have long since forgotten that I need to release to the ministry of the Holy Spirit?
* How willing am I to experience Ecclesiastes 1:18,("For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, with much knowledge comes much grief.")to find the answers to my problems and who I really am?
* Is the law of sowing and reaping working in my life and in my relationships in a beneficial way?
Here are some things we can do to deal with our answers:
* Make a list of the people that you need to forgive. Include in this list those whom you have judged or criticized in the past and in the present.
* Make another list of people whom you know who hold resentments against you. Include those who have in some way held charges against you.
* Who are the people in your life now who are irritating you or are in some way causing you problems? List them.
* What seems to happen to you repeatedly in your life and in your relationships? (Betrayal, insults, put-downs, judgments, neglects, etc.) List them.
This can be a painful process but it is well worth it to be free of our pasts. The most important part of this process is to bring everything to the Cross! No man can ultimately forgive our sins or our pasts. No man can heal our emotions or our hurts we have suffered. No man that is except one, Jesus Christ. When we bring our lives under His control, the slate is wiped clean. On a final note, the word confess means to bemoan and throw away. Own - Bemoan - Thrown!
WHY WRITE IT OUT?
It helps us to focus and be specific. We can tend to generalize our sin(s) so it does not seem so bad. Identifying our sins and character defects( more sins), is important in stopping behavior patterns, such as blaming others, and in becoming aware of self-destructive or defeating thoughts that are rooted in childish fears. We must forgive others but we must also forgive ourselves. To write this out helps us to have clarity of thought and purpose.
RESULTS
The end result of working, of agonizing our way through this is best described by our Creator Himself.
" Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs." Isaiah 61:7 (NIV)
Prayer: Lord God, help us to press on in , even when it is so hard to face the sins, hurts, and destruction of our pasts. Give us your Grace, your Wisdom, your Strength, but most of all; thank you for your everlasting love. In the Name of your precious Son...
Preparation for battle
It is what is left behind you after everything else is taken away that counts…and that is your relationship with God and His Son Jesus Christ - which brings a peace that surpasses all understanding…"
Although many of us are reborn children of God, we still somehow do not experience the fullness of that which God has purposed for us. He want to equip us as warriors in victorious living.
If you are a reborn child of God you are automatically a warrior in God's army. However, do you know who your enemy is, what your weapons are, how to use them properly and effectively; do you have a strategy for the battle plan?
In Joshua 5: 8 we read the following: "and after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed."
Not only were God's people preparing to go into battle, they were also circumcised. The Israelites had to remain in the camp until they were healed, and totally restored before entering into battle - wounded and bruised soldiers cannot enter into war.
We as God's children, also need our hearts to be circumcised… before going into battle. We need to be clean before the Lord so that our enemy satan has no advantage or grip on us.
Healing after circumcision does not happen overnight, it is a process, and so it is also with God's children…we as the Church, the Bride of Christ, not only need to be circumcised, but need to be healed, so that we can be warriors of stature, before entering the battle.
Although many of us are reborn children of God, we still somehow do not experience the fullness of that which God has purposed for us. He want to equip us as warriors in victorious living.
If you are a reborn child of God you are automatically a warrior in God's army. However, do you know who your enemy is, what your weapons are, how to use them properly and effectively; do you have a strategy for the battle plan?
In Joshua 5: 8 we read the following: "and after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed."
Not only were God's people preparing to go into battle, they were also circumcised. The Israelites had to remain in the camp until they were healed, and totally restored before entering into battle - wounded and bruised soldiers cannot enter into war.
We as God's children, also need our hearts to be circumcised… before going into battle. We need to be clean before the Lord so that our enemy satan has no advantage or grip on us.
Healing after circumcision does not happen overnight, it is a process, and so it is also with God's children…we as the Church, the Bride of Christ, not only need to be circumcised, but need to be healed, so that we can be warriors of stature, before entering the battle.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
POSITIVE AND ENCOURAGING?
by Chip Brogden
"And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 'There is yet one man,Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" (IKings 22:8).
At first blush there would appear to be nothing wrong with something labeled "positive and encouraging." Three Christian radio stations service my area, and all three of them make the same claim: that they offer positive and encouraging programming for the whole family. The appeal is obvious: no one wants to spend a lot of time dwelling on things that are negative and discouraging. But I have discovered a flaw in this positive and encouraging, family-friendly environment that should be addressed. This desire to provide people with a positive and encouraging experience (whether itis by radio or by television or by church service or by website) creates an unrealistic expectation in the hearts and minds of the audience and congregation who have come to rely on "the ministry" to keep them properly fed. Content is judged not according to Truth, but according to how I feel about it. Do I feel good, positive, encouraged, uplifted, and happy afterwards? If so then all is well. Or is it? We must seriously question things that pass themselves off as"ministry". It is clear that the practice of "ministry" - whether itcomes in the form of a sermon or a song - is becoming synonymous with"Christian Entertainment." It is not so much what they say as what they fail to say. The most glaring omission in this positive and encouraging Christian sub-culture is meaningful reference andteaching along the lines of taking up the cross and denying self, andI would suggest this one thing sums up most of what is lacking in Churchianity today. I do not mean a wistful remembering of the cross that Jesus died onfor our sins, as this is given a fair treatment. I refer to the following "positive and encouraging" words from Jesus that somehow get overlooked:
"He that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:38). "Jesus said to them all, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that hehas, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:23).
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, andwife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own lifealso, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever does not bear hiscross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26,27).
"Someone asked, 'Lord, will only a few be saved?' Jesus answered,'Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate, because I tell you this: many will try to enter but will not be able to'" (Luke13:23,24).
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the Kingdom ofHeaven, but the one who does the Will of my Father in heaven"(Matthew 7:21).
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord' and do not the things which I say?"(Luke 6:46).
Since taking up the cross is basic to discipleship, why do we not hear more about it? Because crucifixions are not "family friendly"!Those who understand the cross in a practical way - meaning, thosewho are actually following the Lord Jesus as a disciple - know that this denial of Self is hardly a positive, encouraging experience. Dying is not easy! Letting go of my will and embracing the will of Another is hard! Being crucified daily is not a positive, encouraging event. And so, in order to fulfill its obligation to its audience, Christian entertainers (pastors, preachers, prophets, and performers) must skirt the issue. If we look hard and long enough we might find anecdotal evidence of a song here, or a sermon there, or a few words sprinkled in that seem to hit the mark. Let us thank and praise God for anything we can get, but a few obligatory references to the true cost of discipleship every so often tend to get lost in a vast ocean of Christian speak that mostly focuses on the positive and encouraging parts of the Bible and virtually ignores the hard, but necessary, sayings of Jesus. Look at what the king of Israel says of Micaiah the prophet: "I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me." Yes, this is the heart of it. To a carnal, worldly generation the prophetic wordis supposed to always be positive and encouraging, always speaking good things concerning me and always tickling my fleshly little ears. The Micaiahs are not allowed on Christian television, and they are not welcome in Christian churches. In my spirit I get the sense sometimes that when you talk about anything that isn't deemed positive and encouraging the people are sticking their fingers in their ears, squinting their eyes shut, and shouting "la la la la lala la la" to themselves. Maybe if we pretend like we don't hear it or see it then it will go away. We do not want to hear the Truth becauseit is too depressing! It makes us feel bad. That, after all, is the most important thing - not whether a thing is Truth, but whether a thing makes me feel better! Those who only seek the positive and encouraging route are those who gravitate towards the quick fixes and the easy answers; religious activities that do not require a lot of time and effort, and preferably, no effort at all. We have special numbers to call for prayer, and we have preachers to tell us what the Bible says, and we have Christian bookstores to give us things to read, and we have the Internet to keep us connected with other Christians, and we have Christian music playing in the background to keep us in the mood. What could be easier! Just think how much more effective and powerful the Early Church could have been if only they had the same positive, encouraging support system that we have today! Do you realize that almost every false prophet mentioned in the Bible is positive and encouraging? That is not to say that to be positive and encouraging is to be a false prophet, but it illustrates something. It demonstrates a weakness, a flaw, in human nature. We naturally embrace those things that lift us up and make us feel good, and we naturally shun those things that are unpleasant to think about. A false prophet is able to deceive people precisely because there is something in humankind that desperately wants to believe nothing but positive, encouraging things about themselves. What am I suggesting, that we seek out things that are negative and discouraging? No, we should not necessarily seek them out, but we should not automatically shut them out, either. We should seek Truth, regardless of how it makes us feel, whether it is positive or negative. Paul says he has no confidence in the flesh. Over-confidence is a deadly form of pride, and relying totally on positive, encouraging input is a recipe for disaster. Maybe your only hope is to lose confidence! If you are in the flesh then you need to be brought to a place of discouragement - the sooner the better! Maybe the secret to overcoming is not in shouting the victory but crying out to God in despair and admitting defeat. What if, instead of embracing positive and encouraging thoughts about ourselves, we go to God and freely admit that in spite of all our positive and encouraging helps we have made a total mess of things and we don'tknow what to do? We need to revisit our Christianized value system and ask some hard questions. What makes a message "good"? What makes a church service"edifying"? What makes a Christian song "anointed"? What makes a ministry "positive and encouraging"? Does God even consider thesethings as important criteria at the judgment seat of Christ? Do I judge these things with righteous judgment, or do I judge them by my feelings? Why are a certain Christian personalities popular? Why do I read their books and listen to their messages? Will a steady diet of positive and encouraging words cause me to see myself as I am, or will it seduce me into thinking I'm better than I really am? Do I wish to be entertained into spiritual dullness or challenged into spiritual maturity? Am I going to eat cotton candy and bubble gum for the rest of my life or am I going to seek strong meat? Sometimes, in spite of my best efforts to put a happy spin on things,the most positive and encouraging thing I can say to a person is, "I encourage you to repent, because if you don't, I'm positive that your life will only get worse. I encourage you to lose all confidence in yourself, take up the cross, and put your life in the very capable hands of Another, because I am positive that apart from Him you can do nothing." The more self-centered you are the more negative and discouraging this sounds - and that is EXACTLY the way it should be.
"And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, 'There is yet one man,Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil" (IKings 22:8).
At first blush there would appear to be nothing wrong with something labeled "positive and encouraging." Three Christian radio stations service my area, and all three of them make the same claim: that they offer positive and encouraging programming for the whole family. The appeal is obvious: no one wants to spend a lot of time dwelling on things that are negative and discouraging. But I have discovered a flaw in this positive and encouraging, family-friendly environment that should be addressed. This desire to provide people with a positive and encouraging experience (whether itis by radio or by television or by church service or by website) creates an unrealistic expectation in the hearts and minds of the audience and congregation who have come to rely on "the ministry" to keep them properly fed. Content is judged not according to Truth, but according to how I feel about it. Do I feel good, positive, encouraged, uplifted, and happy afterwards? If so then all is well. Or is it? We must seriously question things that pass themselves off as"ministry". It is clear that the practice of "ministry" - whether itcomes in the form of a sermon or a song - is becoming synonymous with"Christian Entertainment." It is not so much what they say as what they fail to say. The most glaring omission in this positive and encouraging Christian sub-culture is meaningful reference andteaching along the lines of taking up the cross and denying self, andI would suggest this one thing sums up most of what is lacking in Churchianity today. I do not mean a wistful remembering of the cross that Jesus died onfor our sins, as this is given a fair treatment. I refer to the following "positive and encouraging" words from Jesus that somehow get overlooked:
"He that takes not his cross, and follows after Me, is not worthy of Me" (Matthew 10:38). "Jesus said to them all, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).
"So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that hehas, he cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:23).
"If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, andwife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own lifealso, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever does not bear hiscross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:26,27).
"Someone asked, 'Lord, will only a few be saved?' Jesus answered,'Make every effort to enter through the narrow gate, because I tell you this: many will try to enter but will not be able to'" (Luke13:23,24).
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the Kingdom ofHeaven, but the one who does the Will of my Father in heaven"(Matthew 7:21).
"Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord' and do not the things which I say?"(Luke 6:46).
Since taking up the cross is basic to discipleship, why do we not hear more about it? Because crucifixions are not "family friendly"!Those who understand the cross in a practical way - meaning, thosewho are actually following the Lord Jesus as a disciple - know that this denial of Self is hardly a positive, encouraging experience. Dying is not easy! Letting go of my will and embracing the will of Another is hard! Being crucified daily is not a positive, encouraging event. And so, in order to fulfill its obligation to its audience, Christian entertainers (pastors, preachers, prophets, and performers) must skirt the issue. If we look hard and long enough we might find anecdotal evidence of a song here, or a sermon there, or a few words sprinkled in that seem to hit the mark. Let us thank and praise God for anything we can get, but a few obligatory references to the true cost of discipleship every so often tend to get lost in a vast ocean of Christian speak that mostly focuses on the positive and encouraging parts of the Bible and virtually ignores the hard, but necessary, sayings of Jesus. Look at what the king of Israel says of Micaiah the prophet: "I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me." Yes, this is the heart of it. To a carnal, worldly generation the prophetic wordis supposed to always be positive and encouraging, always speaking good things concerning me and always tickling my fleshly little ears. The Micaiahs are not allowed on Christian television, and they are not welcome in Christian churches. In my spirit I get the sense sometimes that when you talk about anything that isn't deemed positive and encouraging the people are sticking their fingers in their ears, squinting their eyes shut, and shouting "la la la la lala la la" to themselves. Maybe if we pretend like we don't hear it or see it then it will go away. We do not want to hear the Truth becauseit is too depressing! It makes us feel bad. That, after all, is the most important thing - not whether a thing is Truth, but whether a thing makes me feel better! Those who only seek the positive and encouraging route are those who gravitate towards the quick fixes and the easy answers; religious activities that do not require a lot of time and effort, and preferably, no effort at all. We have special numbers to call for prayer, and we have preachers to tell us what the Bible says, and we have Christian bookstores to give us things to read, and we have the Internet to keep us connected with other Christians, and we have Christian music playing in the background to keep us in the mood. What could be easier! Just think how much more effective and powerful the Early Church could have been if only they had the same positive, encouraging support system that we have today! Do you realize that almost every false prophet mentioned in the Bible is positive and encouraging? That is not to say that to be positive and encouraging is to be a false prophet, but it illustrates something. It demonstrates a weakness, a flaw, in human nature. We naturally embrace those things that lift us up and make us feel good, and we naturally shun those things that are unpleasant to think about. A false prophet is able to deceive people precisely because there is something in humankind that desperately wants to believe nothing but positive, encouraging things about themselves. What am I suggesting, that we seek out things that are negative and discouraging? No, we should not necessarily seek them out, but we should not automatically shut them out, either. We should seek Truth, regardless of how it makes us feel, whether it is positive or negative. Paul says he has no confidence in the flesh. Over-confidence is a deadly form of pride, and relying totally on positive, encouraging input is a recipe for disaster. Maybe your only hope is to lose confidence! If you are in the flesh then you need to be brought to a place of discouragement - the sooner the better! Maybe the secret to overcoming is not in shouting the victory but crying out to God in despair and admitting defeat. What if, instead of embracing positive and encouraging thoughts about ourselves, we go to God and freely admit that in spite of all our positive and encouraging helps we have made a total mess of things and we don'tknow what to do? We need to revisit our Christianized value system and ask some hard questions. What makes a message "good"? What makes a church service"edifying"? What makes a Christian song "anointed"? What makes a ministry "positive and encouraging"? Does God even consider thesethings as important criteria at the judgment seat of Christ? Do I judge these things with righteous judgment, or do I judge them by my feelings? Why are a certain Christian personalities popular? Why do I read their books and listen to their messages? Will a steady diet of positive and encouraging words cause me to see myself as I am, or will it seduce me into thinking I'm better than I really am? Do I wish to be entertained into spiritual dullness or challenged into spiritual maturity? Am I going to eat cotton candy and bubble gum for the rest of my life or am I going to seek strong meat? Sometimes, in spite of my best efforts to put a happy spin on things,the most positive and encouraging thing I can say to a person is, "I encourage you to repent, because if you don't, I'm positive that your life will only get worse. I encourage you to lose all confidence in yourself, take up the cross, and put your life in the very capable hands of Another, because I am positive that apart from Him you can do nothing." The more self-centered you are the more negative and discouraging this sounds - and that is EXACTLY the way it should be.
Learning to Walk
Rremember those days long ago when our children were learning to walk. First they showed their readiness by pulling themselves up and taking a tentative step or two. My wife and I would reach out our hands and encourage them to walk toward us. We held them up by their hands or by the suspenders on their overalls. We praised every effort and encouraged every attempt. We never grew discouraged, nor did we give up until they learned to walk.
So it is with our heavenly Father: He “taught [Israel] to walk” (Hos. 11:3). He took His children “by their arms” and “drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love” (vv.3-4).
Our heavenly Father stands before us with outstretched arms, encouraging us toward holiness, eager to catch us when we stumble. He picks us up when we fall. He is never discouraged with our progress, nor will He ever give up. The more difficult we find the process, the more care and kindness He expends.
George MacDonald put it this way: “God will help us when we cannot walk, and He will help us when we find it hard to walk, but He cannot help us if we will not walk.” Even though you fall, you must try again. Your Father holds you by the hand.
So it is with our heavenly Father: He “taught [Israel] to walk” (Hos. 11:3). He took His children “by their arms” and “drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love” (vv.3-4).
Our heavenly Father stands before us with outstretched arms, encouraging us toward holiness, eager to catch us when we stumble. He picks us up when we fall. He is never discouraged with our progress, nor will He ever give up. The more difficult we find the process, the more care and kindness He expends.
George MacDonald put it this way: “God will help us when we cannot walk, and He will help us when we find it hard to walk, but He cannot help us if we will not walk.” Even though you fall, you must try again. Your Father holds you by the hand.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
TO KNOW THE FATHER - RESTORATION !
Jesus came to show and to teach us what God's original plan was before the fall.
Only through Him is it possible to restore the relationship.
The world says that true male fellowship comes out of a beer bottle; beer draws men
together and overcomes rejection and loneliness. What a deception!
Our deepest need as human beings is for love. Where does love come from? How can I
receive more love? How can I give more love?
Answer: 1 John 4:7
No man can fill this need. (e.g. Buy milk at the supermarket) People are not the source of
love but only containers that can become empty.
As long as we believe that people are our source, two things can happen:
1. We give up and withdraw, build walls around ourselves and switch off- and much
emotional chaos results.
2. We try to manipulate the person to give us the love that we need; we strive to
perform, we threaten, plead, punish, etc.
When you have bought milk at the supermarket for a long time, you forget how to go back
to the farm - we do not know how to approach God the Father.
To come closer to God the Father through Jesus Christ, we have to relinquish all hope and
expectation of the love which comes from other people. It means offering up all "idols" -
setting your loved ones free and surrendering your relationships with them to the Father
for cleansing and renewal.
SELF WORTH & MEANING - DESTINY
SECURITY IN IDENTITY
The man has to seek his identity through a relationship with God.
(Do you want milk from cow or the supermarket ? - Go to the SOURCE!!)
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for me so that even now I can come to the Father through You. Father, I confess that I have not known you as my Father. For so long I have felt unloved. I need love, Father, and I know now that only you can give it to me. Forgive me for the times that I have manipulated people, threatened and forced them to give me love - and also for the times that I completely gave up and withdrew, blaming them instead of turning to You. Jesus, I give myself to You. You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Here I am, Father, your broken son/daughter. I need you, Father. Only You. I want to receive a revelation of your love for me, Father!! AMEN
Only through Him is it possible to restore the relationship.
The world says that true male fellowship comes out of a beer bottle; beer draws men
together and overcomes rejection and loneliness. What a deception!
Our deepest need as human beings is for love. Where does love come from? How can I
receive more love? How can I give more love?
Answer: 1 John 4:7
No man can fill this need. (e.g. Buy milk at the supermarket) People are not the source of
love but only containers that can become empty.
As long as we believe that people are our source, two things can happen:
1. We give up and withdraw, build walls around ourselves and switch off- and much
emotional chaos results.
2. We try to manipulate the person to give us the love that we need; we strive to
perform, we threaten, plead, punish, etc.
When you have bought milk at the supermarket for a long time, you forget how to go back
to the farm - we do not know how to approach God the Father.
To come closer to God the Father through Jesus Christ, we have to relinquish all hope and
expectation of the love which comes from other people. It means offering up all "idols" -
setting your loved ones free and surrendering your relationships with them to the Father
for cleansing and renewal.
SELF WORTH & MEANING - DESTINY
SECURITY IN IDENTITY
The man has to seek his identity through a relationship with God.
(Do you want milk from cow or the supermarket ? - Go to the SOURCE!!)
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you for laying down your life for me so that even now I can come to the Father through You. Father, I confess that I have not known you as my Father. For so long I have felt unloved. I need love, Father, and I know now that only you can give it to me. Forgive me for the times that I have manipulated people, threatened and forced them to give me love - and also for the times that I completely gave up and withdrew, blaming them instead of turning to You. Jesus, I give myself to You. You are the Way, the Truth and the Life. Here I am, Father, your broken son/daughter. I need you, Father. Only You. I want to receive a revelation of your love for me, Father!! AMEN
PSALM 32 - MSG
Psalm 32: Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be— you get a fresh start, your slate's wiped clean. Count yourself lucky— God holds nothing against you and you're holding nothing back from him. When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up. Then I let it all out; I said, "I'll make a clean breast of my failures to God." Suddenly the pressure was gone— my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we'll be on high ground, untouched. God's my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck. Let me give you some good advice;I'm looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: "Don't be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track." God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. Celebrate God. Sing together—everyone! All you honest hearts, raise the roof!
Monday, September 11, 2006
from Childlike Humility
"The problems facing the Church in our day seem endless and at times overwhelming. Many with the best of intentions have created every imaginable ministry, equipped with an answer for every need. Yet many supposed needs are often only a shadow of the real problem. Are we busy answering questions that don't need to be answered? Have we been distracted, picking leaves that will only grow back, while never touching the root of our own stubborn pride? I am afraid that many have tried to improve the Gospel at the expense of Christ's call to childlike humility."
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Healer
You take my broken heart, and make it whole.; teaching me to trust again. Jesus, You are the lover of my soul. You take my blind eyes and make them see; showing them the bluest skies. Jesus, your love sets me free. And as I remain in You, you promise to remain in me. Jesus, You are making all things new.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
The Father's Love
There's a story of a father and his two beloved sons.
He loved them both and gave them all he had.
Well, the younger went off searching
For what cannot satisfy.
Took the treasure and he threw it all away.
With a broken heart, the father let him go,
Praying all the while that someday he would know....
That the Father's love is for the wayward
And the lost,
For the hopeless and abandoned, broken ones
Full of shame for all he'd done,
Will he kneel before the One
Who offers everything, offers everything,
A Father's love.
In this story of a father and his two beloved sons,
He blessed them both and gave them all he had.
Well, the older stayed home working
For the prize that can't be earned;
Missed the treasure that was with him all the time
With a broken heart, the father let him go,
Praying all the while that someday he would know....
That the Father's love is for the one
Who never strayed, yet who needs His grace
And mercy just the same.
Full of pride for all he'd done,
Will he kneel before the One
Who gave him everything, gave him everything,
A Father's love.
There's a story of a Father
And His only begotten Son.
The two were one, united in their love.
Well, the Son, He left home ready
To offer up His life,
Took the treasure and He gave it all away.
With a broken heart, the Father let Him go,
Praying all the while that someday we would know....
That the Father's love is for the ones who will receive;
Who will let themselves be found and loved by Him
Full of thanks for all He's done,
Will we kneel before the One
Who gave up everything, offers everything,
A Father's Love, an endless Love, a perfect Love.
http://www.becomingreal.org/jesus/j_fll.htm
He loved them both and gave them all he had.
Well, the younger went off searching
For what cannot satisfy.
Took the treasure and he threw it all away.
With a broken heart, the father let him go,
Praying all the while that someday he would know....
That the Father's love is for the wayward
And the lost,
For the hopeless and abandoned, broken ones
Full of shame for all he'd done,
Will he kneel before the One
Who offers everything, offers everything,
A Father's love.
In this story of a father and his two beloved sons,
He blessed them both and gave them all he had.
Well, the older stayed home working
For the prize that can't be earned;
Missed the treasure that was with him all the time
With a broken heart, the father let him go,
Praying all the while that someday he would know....
That the Father's love is for the one
Who never strayed, yet who needs His grace
And mercy just the same.
Full of pride for all he'd done,
Will he kneel before the One
Who gave him everything, gave him everything,
A Father's love.
There's a story of a Father
And His only begotten Son.
The two were one, united in their love.
Well, the Son, He left home ready
To offer up His life,
Took the treasure and He gave it all away.
With a broken heart, the Father let Him go,
Praying all the while that someday we would know....
That the Father's love is for the ones who will receive;
Who will let themselves be found and loved by Him
Full of thanks for all He's done,
Will we kneel before the One
Who gave up everything, offers everything,
A Father's Love, an endless Love, a perfect Love.
http://www.becomingreal.org/jesus/j_fll.htm
Friday, September 08, 2006
Freedom...
Here is a golden truth: if He possesses all that YOU have, then you will possess all that HE has. Allow that truth to sink into your heart. Breathe it in and out. Let the Holy Spirit soak it into the pores of your soul and you will not be able to contain His joy and peace emanating from you. You will start giving things up that before you would have never let go. You will gladly relinquish everything.
Each time you lose a part of your life, you will find His Life is right there to fill the void. Every single time. This is a spiritual truth, and there are no exceptions to the rule. Think of what it means. The more I give to Him, the more He gives to me. I trade in my life in exchange for His Life. Which would you rather have? Do you want your life, your failures, your mistakes, your frustrations, your sins? Or would you rather give that up in exchange for His Life? You can have either one you want, but you cannot have both.
What happens is we are afraid to commit ourselves totally and unreservedly to the Life. We want the Lord's Life, but we also want to retain a little something of our life. That will never work. This is why you have such ups and downs, simply because you still love your life, and only trust in His Life for the really difficult moments. In a bad situation you will throw yourself upon His Life and it will carry you on through, but in the normal everyday situations you live according to your own life. Instead, let us learn to trust in His Life for every moment of every day. If we will surrender everything His Life will reproduce in us more effectively, gradually transforming, renewing, invigorating, and sustaining us from the inside out.
~C. Brogden
Each time you lose a part of your life, you will find His Life is right there to fill the void. Every single time. This is a spiritual truth, and there are no exceptions to the rule. Think of what it means. The more I give to Him, the more He gives to me. I trade in my life in exchange for His Life. Which would you rather have? Do you want your life, your failures, your mistakes, your frustrations, your sins? Or would you rather give that up in exchange for His Life? You can have either one you want, but you cannot have both.
What happens is we are afraid to commit ourselves totally and unreservedly to the Life. We want the Lord's Life, but we also want to retain a little something of our life. That will never work. This is why you have such ups and downs, simply because you still love your life, and only trust in His Life for the really difficult moments. In a bad situation you will throw yourself upon His Life and it will carry you on through, but in the normal everyday situations you live according to your own life. Instead, let us learn to trust in His Life for every moment of every day. If we will surrender everything His Life will reproduce in us more effectively, gradually transforming, renewing, invigorating, and sustaining us from the inside out.
~C. Brogden
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Revival Means Humiliation by James Burns
My pastor sent me this:
To the church a revival means humiliation, a bitter knowledge of failure, and an open and humiliating confession of sin on the part of her ministers and people. It is not the easy and glowing thing many think it to be, who imagine that it fills the empty pews, and reinstates the Church in power and authority. IT COMES TO SCORCH BEFORE IT HEALS; it comes to rebuke ministers and people for their unfaithful witness, for their selfish living, for their neglect of the Cross, and to call them to daily reunciation, to an evangelical poverty, and to a deep and daily consecration. This is why a revival has ever been unpopular with large numbers within the Church. Because it says nothing to them of power such as they have learned to love, or of ease, of of success; it accuses them of sin, it tells them that they are dead, it calls them to awake, to renounce the world, and to follow Christ.
To the church a revival means humiliation, a bitter knowledge of failure, and an open and humiliating confession of sin on the part of her ministers and people. It is not the easy and glowing thing many think it to be, who imagine that it fills the empty pews, and reinstates the Church in power and authority. IT COMES TO SCORCH BEFORE IT HEALS; it comes to rebuke ministers and people for their unfaithful witness, for their selfish living, for their neglect of the Cross, and to call them to daily reunciation, to an evangelical poverty, and to a deep and daily consecration. This is why a revival has ever been unpopular with large numbers within the Church. Because it says nothing to them of power such as they have learned to love, or of ease, of of success; it accuses them of sin, it tells them that they are dead, it calls them to awake, to renounce the world, and to follow Christ.
Knowing God's Ways
Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I might find favor in Thy sight Exodus 33:12-13
Moses knew that he could properly lead God's people if he knew His ways; and only in knowing the Lord's ways could he know Him. He was called to lead God's people. They could not be lead in the same way that other people might be led. The world's ways are not God's ways and neither can they accomplish God's purposes. This is a most crucial matter for the leadership of the body of Christ to understand. So often we have appointed leaders in the church because of what they have attained in the world. Being a leader in the world may actually hinder spiritual leadership. Natural abilities and talents will mislead us if we depend on them in spiritual matters. That which is flesh is flesh; only that which is born of the Spirit can bring forth that which is Spirit. The author of Hebrews explained that because Isreal did not know the ways of the Lord they were not able to enter His rest. Being content only to be blessed without concern for really knowing Him cost Isreal her inheritance, just as it will us.
Moses knew that he could properly lead God's people if he knew His ways; and only in knowing the Lord's ways could he know Him. He was called to lead God's people. They could not be lead in the same way that other people might be led. The world's ways are not God's ways and neither can they accomplish God's purposes. This is a most crucial matter for the leadership of the body of Christ to understand. So often we have appointed leaders in the church because of what they have attained in the world. Being a leader in the world may actually hinder spiritual leadership. Natural abilities and talents will mislead us if we depend on them in spiritual matters. That which is flesh is flesh; only that which is born of the Spirit can bring forth that which is Spirit. The author of Hebrews explained that because Isreal did not know the ways of the Lord they were not able to enter His rest. Being content only to be blessed without concern for really knowing Him cost Isreal her inheritance, just as it will us.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Found this on another blog..thanks Merissa..
Romans 8:28We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.
Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid." He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children."
"Say not my soul, 'From whence can God relieve my care? Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere. His method is sublime, His heart profoundly kind, God never is before His time, and never is behind.'"
--C. Spurgeon.
Upon some points a believer is absolutely sure. He knows, for instance, that God sits in the stern-sheets of the vessel when it rocks most. He believes that an invisible hand is always on the world's tiller, and that wherever providence may drift, Jehovah steers it. That re-assuring knowledge prepares him for everything. He looks over the raging waters and sees the spirit of Jesus treading the billows, and he hears a voice saying, "It is I, be not afraid." He knows too that God is always wise, and, knowing this, he is confident that there can be no accidents, no mistakes; that nothing can occur which ought not to arise. He can say, "If I should lose all I have, it is better that I should lose than have, if God so wills: the worst calamity is the wisest and the kindest thing that could befall to me if God ordains it." "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God." The Christian does not merely hold this as a theory, but he knows it as a matter of fact. Everything has worked for good as yet; the poisonous drugs mixed in fit proportions have worked the cure; the sharp cuts of the lancet have cleansed out the proud flesh and facilitated the healing. Every event as yet has worked out the most divinely blessed results; and so, believing that God rules all, that He governs wisely, that He brings good out of evil, the believer's heart is assured, and he is enabled calmly to meet each trial as it comes. The believer can in the spirit of true resignation pray, "Send me what thou wilt, my God, so long as it comes from Thee; never came there an ill portion from Thy table to any of Thy children."
"Say not my soul, 'From whence can God relieve my care? Remember that Omnipotence has servants everywhere. His method is sublime, His heart profoundly kind, God never is before His time, and never is behind.'"
--C. Spurgeon.
Monday, September 04, 2006
A Revelation
The object of Christianity is not to give people a teaching or to lead them in a prayer, but to introduce them to a Man. I would rather have thirty seconds of seeing than thirty years of preaching. People can listen to me preach all their life and never understand a word, but if the Lord opens their eyes to SEE Who I am preaching about then they will understand everything.
When people are in your presence, what do they touch - a system of beliefs, a code of conduct, an ethical standard, or a Person? We may have an abundance of words and teachings, but all of them together are nothing but letters if they are not constantly pointing us to a Living Christ.
~C. Brogden
When people are in your presence, what do they touch - a system of beliefs, a code of conduct, an ethical standard, or a Person? We may have an abundance of words and teachings, but all of them together are nothing but letters if they are not constantly pointing us to a Living Christ.
~C. Brogden
Friday, September 01, 2006
An amazing post from Theophilus in Canmore
It's dangerous when any of us become "entitled" to things rather than recognizing that we have only been "entrusted" with them. Being entitled typically breeds elitism, hierarchy, and destructive codependency of the "have's" being mildly entertained by the "have-not's". Being entrusted typically breeds humility among a people who are everywhere at home while having nothing and yet possessing everything.
Entitlement is dangerous. People entitled to their position. People entitled to their opinion. People entitled to watching the world through a box while the world burns and floods around them. People entitled to their smoldering wicks and dry places.
There is a reason why the rod comforts. Imagine the rod of God's discipline coming down upon the peaked roof church and crushing the structure while everyone is within. Those who don't know what is going on scatter. They run from the sacred blow. Others reach up for that rod as it falls upon them. They feel the weight of it's discipline and yet they hold onto the rod as it is lifted out of the church.
Hold onto that rod as it rises up hard and fast - and you will be flung to the ends of the earth into the places where there is a witness of His glory needed. If you cannot take the rod then you will never wear a crown.
This is something that is happening to the whole Church. Not just you and your's. We are being prepared for a day of battle. As far as this generation goes it is the battle of battles. The enemy will not outflank us. We are in hiding. We will surface at just the right time in just the right place. We are following the orders of our King and marching secretly through the night and into twilight toward the rising Sun. He alone knows what awaits us there.
In the meantime, let's all take off our shoes, enter the chamber and wait for Him there.
Entitlement is dangerous. People entitled to their position. People entitled to their opinion. People entitled to watching the world through a box while the world burns and floods around them. People entitled to their smoldering wicks and dry places.
There is a reason why the rod comforts. Imagine the rod of God's discipline coming down upon the peaked roof church and crushing the structure while everyone is within. Those who don't know what is going on scatter. They run from the sacred blow. Others reach up for that rod as it falls upon them. They feel the weight of it's discipline and yet they hold onto the rod as it is lifted out of the church.
Hold onto that rod as it rises up hard and fast - and you will be flung to the ends of the earth into the places where there is a witness of His glory needed. If you cannot take the rod then you will never wear a crown.
This is something that is happening to the whole Church. Not just you and your's. We are being prepared for a day of battle. As far as this generation goes it is the battle of battles. The enemy will not outflank us. We are in hiding. We will surface at just the right time in just the right place. We are following the orders of our King and marching secretly through the night and into twilight toward the rising Sun. He alone knows what awaits us there.
In the meantime, let's all take off our shoes, enter the chamber and wait for Him there.
Galatians 5
16-18My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God's Spirit. Then you won't feed the compulsions of selfishness. For there is a root of sinful self-interest in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with selfishness. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don't you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?
19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
23-24Legalism or outward conforming is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
19-21It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
22-23But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.
23-24Legalism or outward conforming is helpless in bringing this about; it only gets in the way. Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good—crucified.
25-26Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.
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