Wayne Jacobsen writes..............

 Here are seven attributes I see growing in people around me who are on this journey:

They have an unrelenting pursuit to know what’s true, even when it challenges the broken places in their own life.

They are playful in the Father’s love and tender toward others around them, even those they perceive to be their enemy.

Finding their well-being in him, they do not need to manipulate others for their own gain.

They are content with obscurity, finding a conversation way more fruitful than a seat on the stage or likes on their social media post.

They are learning to interact with God throughout the day—not just praying to him but following his nudges as well.

They find their confidence in God’s character, not by hoping he will change their circumstances for their desires.

They are learning to rest in the Father’s work, coming alongside him rather than trusting in human effort.

In reading these, don’t think you can hear them and try to apply them to your life. They don’t work that way. These are fruits of a growing fullness in your own relationship with Jesus. Let that flourish and you’ll see these and other attributes growing from there. I write them here so that when you recognize them in you, lean into them even when it challenges your comfort. In the long run, you’ll find no greater joy than letting Jesus take shape in the person he created you to be.

Arise, shine, for Jesus wants his glory to shine in you.

Wayne Jacobsen

Modern or Biblical Jesus

 

Deep Friendship

Signs of a Deep Friend Connection

Laughter is abundant

Honesty is encouraged

Vulnerability is welcomed

Support is real and active

You can put your guard down

You inspire each other to grow

You give each other good advice

They help during times of struggle

Both of you feel stronger together

Yung Pueblo

Forgiveness of Sins

The good news is that the forgiveness of sins is already accomplished and that the effect of

this redemption is that we are not even to be conscious of sin. When you believe the Word of

God you can literally come at a place where you aren’t conscious of sin any more. To live

like this is normal Christianity. There are not many people who have strong confidence in

their relationship with the Lord, even though Hebrews 10:35 says, “Do not cast away your

confidence, which has great reward.” Therefore, they have a hard time entering boldly into

His presence. If we can understand the promises that have been made to us in these scriptures

and quit trying to mix the Old with the New, it will radically change our lives.

Maturity in the Christian life isn’t about trying to grow your spirit up; it’s trying to educate,

or renew, your mind to what you already have in your spirit. Your spirit is already perfect and

without sin! You already have the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, and the

rest. Your spirit is always happy, always rejoicing, and always healthy. God loves you even

though you’ve messed up, even though you aren’t perfect. He loves you not because of your

performance but because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Unfortunately, most Christians are not taking advantage of these provisions. They have not

renewed their minds, and they still don’t understand that we are also redeemed from the curse

of the Law (Gal. 3:13). The average New Testament believer is still trying to get God to

respond to them based on their performance. Why? Because they don’t know that the

performance covenant of the Old Testament Law is over. We are now under the New

Testament ministry of grace and faith (2 Cor. 3:7-8).

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law… (Gal. 3:13)

The Cross

 

First Adam - Last Adam

 

‘I am in Christ’ - list

Living realities and facts about who we are before God. Because of what the Father thinks

and feels about Jesus is what He thinks and feels toward us, we boldly confess:

 I am enjoyed by God

 I am His favorite (because He loves me as He loves His Son)

 I am extremely desired by God

 I am passionately pursued and chased after by God

 I am God’s main passion

 I am outrageously loved by God

 I am fiery romanced by God

 I am very much liked by God

 I am eagerly wanted by God

 I am wholeheartedly adored by God

 I am stunningly beautiful to God

 I am good looking to God

 I am super cool to God

 I am indescribably irresistible to God

 I am joyfully celebrated by God

 I am the delight of God’s heart

 I am the one He loves and (therefore) I am a lover of God

 I am the one He died for

 I am the one He longs for

 I am the one He waits for

 I am spiritually kissed with the kisses of His Word

 I am greatly obsessed by God

 I am getting all His marvelous attention

 I am a jewel in His hand

 I am a cherished, captured Bride

 I am of great value to God

 I am to God the aroma of Christ

 I am a friend of God

 I am a Wow-factor for God

 I am breath-taking for God

 I am precious in His sight

 I am His dwelling place

 I am His satisfaction

 I am His inheritance

 I am the one He enclosed in His heart

 I am the one that intoxicates Gods heart

 I am the one that captures Gods heart

 I am adorned with glory and dignity

 I am the one He is exhilarated about

 I am the one He is fascinated about

 I am the one He takes great delight in

 I am the one He is well pleased with

 I am His portion

 I am lust after/envied by God

 I have stolen God’s heart

 I belong to My Lover and His desire is for me!

This is the stunning privilege and comfort for all who are in Christ. 

WE TRY TO BECOME RIGHTEOUS, UNTIL WE KNOW WE ARE RIGHTEOUS

A. We already are a new creation. But we are going to try to become a new creation until we

know we are a new creation. Where we are really living comes after the BUT. “I am a new

creation, but… But what? But I do fail a lot”. Then that’s the way you see yourself, as a

failure. “God sees no wrong or fault in you. Yes, but…” When God looks at us, He sees the

nature of His Son. He does not see us as a failure; we never let Him down as He never let us

down. He sees us as righteous, as redeemed, perfect, clean, spotless and complete in Christ.

For it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (1 Pet. 1:16)

Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Mat. 5:48)

B. As believers our failures, sins and shortcomings (all below the line realities) constantly

confront us. Unless we understand that our true identity lies above the line we will habitually

draw our identity from our below the line performance, whether good or bad. Our focus will

be on trying to clean up our act and look good enough for God to accept us. We are a finished

product, but where many are living is: trying to become something they already are. It

results in having the “doing good for God”-mentality, and falsely belief: “I’ve got to produce

for God.”

But anything we produce from our own strength, the flesh, doesn’t bring true life.

What counts is doing works with God through the power of the Holy Spirit from within.

…Jesus said, "It is finished."…He bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (Jn. 19:30)

The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing... (John 6:63)

C. The enemy and the world try to put condemnation on us: “You are no good”, “Remember that

promise you made to God? You are not keeping it.” Regardless of what I am thinking or

feeling or what I just did, I am not condemned. I am the righteousness of God in Christ.

Knowing our true identity enables us to live with a Christ-consciousness instead of a sin consciousness. The world says, “You act holy, and we’ll call you holy.” God says, “Say you’re holy, and I will bring that forth in the seen and temporal.”

In God’s sight we can never become more spiritual or more holy, or more successful, nor can we become ‘better’

Christians. Thinking “Yes I want to go for God, but I am not holy enough”, is fueled by a

religious spirit. You don’t become holier, but you become you-ier. We don’t try to become

what we already are! We are who we are in the Grace of God and that never changes.

But by the grace of God I am what I am… (1 Cor. 15:10)

To Be Righteous in Christ

A. The Gospel is the good news about salvation or receiving God’s righteousness. Through

having received the gift of righteousness, we are in a new position to stand in the Father’s

presence with confidence. Our new position is based on a historical event in which a legal

transaction or exchange occurred in God’s court. Jesus offered His blood for us as our legal

substitute. Jesus paid the debt of our sin that was required to legally satisfy the claims of

justice in God’s court. Grace = Gods Righteousness At Christ’s Expense.

For He (the Father) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we (our

spirit man) might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Cor. 5:21)

B. Righteous = innocent and holy. Or you can say: being justified. Justification = “Just-as-if-we

never sinned”. God sees us as if we had never sinned. The old record of sin is removed

(Rom. 6:2, Ps. 103:12). We are accepted, without any guilt against us. He sees us as if we

have always perfectly obeyed Him. God sees us as 100% innocent and holy. To be holy

means: we are clean and pure, sacred. We don’t look like it, feel like it, think like it all the

time, but we simply are because God says so. This is who we are in the spirit before Him.

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight.

Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin. (Rom 4:7-8, NLT)

 For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His

sight. (Eph. 1:4)

C. The righteousness of God, or the very quality of God’s righteousness and purity, has been

given freely to all sinners who will come to Jesus in faith and repentance. Free gift: we

receive God’s righteousness freely, fully (100%), and instantly (at our new birth). God

clothes us in the free gift of Jesus’ righteousness. God put His righteousness on us like a

garment on the day we were born again. It can’t be improved on and won’t change in heaven.

He now sees us through His own righteousness. The Father sees us through ‘the lens’ Jesus

He clothed me…with the robe of righteousness. (Isa. 61:10)

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal.

3:27)