"Abide in Me and I in you."
John 15:4
"It is when I feel my utter weakness most deeply, and
fully accept Jesus in His wondrous union to myself as
my life, that His wondrous power works in me. Then I
am able to lead a life completely beyond what my own
power could obtain. I begin to see that abiding in Him
is not a matter of moments or special seasons, but the
deep life process in which--by His keeping grace--I
continue without a moment's intermission, and from
which I act out all my Christian life."
Andrew Murray
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Civilian or Soldier: Which Are You?
The Bible makes it clear that the people of God are to be on the offensive in storming the gates of hell (See post) and that Christians are to put on the armor of God (See post). However, in modern Western Christianity, it is much more common to behave more like civilians on a vacation than soldiers in God’s army.
A soldier in battle conducts himself very differently from a civilian. The civilian naturally wants to indulge his or her interests and desires while avoiding inconveniences as much as possible. But soldiers understand they are called to sacrifice their interests and desires, if not their lives, to advance the cause for which they fight.
The NT clearly calls us to live like soldiers. As good soldiers, we are to always seek to please our “enlisting officer” and not become involved in civilian affairs (2 Tim 2:4). We are always to be on guard against our enemy who perpetually seeks to lure us into sin and lull us into compromise. We are to crucify ourselves, set aside all concerns for worldly comfort and security, and at every moment seek first the kingdom of God (Mt 6:24-34). We are to live with the singular mission of advancing God’s kingdom by the unique way we live, the self-sacrificial way we love, the humble way we serve, and the power we demonstrate against oppressive forces.
In sharp contrast to this, almost everything about the consumeristic, materialistic, and hedonistic culture in the West encourages us to live as if we are on vacation. From childhood on we are bombarded with messages that in various ways tell us “the good life” is centered on pursuing “the American dream”: indulge yourself as much as possible; acquire as much wealth as possible; live with as much comfort, convenience, and pleasure as possible.
The extent to which Western Christians have succumbed to the consumer culture that engulfs us is evidenced by the numerous studies that reveal that the lifestyle and core values of most professing Christians in America are almost indistinguishable from those of their secular neighbors.
While it’s understandable that secular people would want to live life as self-indulged and carefree as possible, for a soldier this is equivalent to going AWOL. We are called to wear the armor and retain the mind-set of a good soldier.
—Adapted from Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Four Views, pages 151-152
A soldier in battle conducts himself very differently from a civilian. The civilian naturally wants to indulge his or her interests and desires while avoiding inconveniences as much as possible. But soldiers understand they are called to sacrifice their interests and desires, if not their lives, to advance the cause for which they fight.
The NT clearly calls us to live like soldiers. As good soldiers, we are to always seek to please our “enlisting officer” and not become involved in civilian affairs (2 Tim 2:4). We are always to be on guard against our enemy who perpetually seeks to lure us into sin and lull us into compromise. We are to crucify ourselves, set aside all concerns for worldly comfort and security, and at every moment seek first the kingdom of God (Mt 6:24-34). We are to live with the singular mission of advancing God’s kingdom by the unique way we live, the self-sacrificial way we love, the humble way we serve, and the power we demonstrate against oppressive forces.
In sharp contrast to this, almost everything about the consumeristic, materialistic, and hedonistic culture in the West encourages us to live as if we are on vacation. From childhood on we are bombarded with messages that in various ways tell us “the good life” is centered on pursuing “the American dream”: indulge yourself as much as possible; acquire as much wealth as possible; live with as much comfort, convenience, and pleasure as possible.
The extent to which Western Christians have succumbed to the consumer culture that engulfs us is evidenced by the numerous studies that reveal that the lifestyle and core values of most professing Christians in America are almost indistinguishable from those of their secular neighbors.
While it’s understandable that secular people would want to live life as self-indulged and carefree as possible, for a soldier this is equivalent to going AWOL. We are called to wear the armor and retain the mind-set of a good soldier.
—Adapted from Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Four Views, pages 151-152
A Mystery
Everyone loves a mystery! However, the Bible speaks
of mystery as a secret, something unknown in earlier
ages. God the Father had a divine secret that He carried
throughout the Old Covenant. He worked through the
years, never fully disclosing His heart until the fullness
of time when the Father sent forth the Son of His love;
then by the Holy Spirit, made known the fullness of His
love toward the gentiles. The Apostle Paul became a
"minister...to make the word of God fully known,
the mystery hidden for ages and for generations
but now revealed to his saints."
It is in the first chapter of Colossians that this divine
secret is disclosed as the matchless, incomparable
unveiling:
"That in all things he might have pre-eminence."
Its beginning is within the heart of every believer.
The mystery is: (trumpets please)
"Christ in you, the hope of glory."
of mystery as a secret, something unknown in earlier
ages. God the Father had a divine secret that He carried
throughout the Old Covenant. He worked through the
years, never fully disclosing His heart until the fullness
of time when the Father sent forth the Son of His love;
then by the Holy Spirit, made known the fullness of His
love toward the gentiles. The Apostle Paul became a
"minister...to make the word of God fully known,
the mystery hidden for ages and for generations
but now revealed to his saints."
It is in the first chapter of Colossians that this divine
secret is disclosed as the matchless, incomparable
unveiling:
"That in all things he might have pre-eminence."
Its beginning is within the heart of every believer.
The mystery is: (trumpets please)
"Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Monday, October 31, 2016
Until You Learn Powerlessness by Wayne Jacobsen
Anyone who has not gone on journeys of powerlessness will invariably abuse power.
A good friend sent me a recent devotional from Richard Rohr, thinking I would love it! I did! In fact I share it with Brad on tomorrow’s podcast at The God Journey, but I wanted to highlight some of it here and give you a chance to read it before. I love the whole thing and how most ancient initiation rites led men into feelings of powerlessness so that he would not abuse that power, especially in male-dominated societies.
He goes on (emphases mine):
Jesus clearly taught the twelve disciples about surrender, the necessity of suffering, humility, servant leadership, and nonviolence. They resisted him every time, and so he finally had to make the journey himself and tell them, “Follow me!” But Christians have preferred to hear something Jesus never said: “Worship me.” Worship of Jesus is rather harmless and risk-free; following Jesus changes everything.
… I have often thought that this “non-preaching” of the Gospel was like a secret social contract between clergy and laity, as we shake hands across the sanctuary. We agree not to tell you anything that would make you uncomfortable, and you will keep coming to our services. It is a nice deal, because once the Gospel is preached, I doubt if the churches would be filled. Rather, we might be out on the streets living the message. The discernment and the call to a life of service, to a life that gives itself away instead of simply protecting and procuring for itself in the name of Jesus, is what church should be about. Right now, so much church is the clergy teaching the people how to be co-dependent with them. It becomes job security instead of true spiritual empowerment. Remember, anyone—male or female—who has not gone on journeys of powerlessness will invariably abuse power.
Jesus’ Invitation: Follow Me
By Richard Rohr
A good friend sent me a recent devotional from Richard Rohr, thinking I would love it! I did! In fact I share it with Brad on tomorrow’s podcast at The God Journey, but I wanted to highlight some of it here and give you a chance to read it before. I love the whole thing and how most ancient initiation rites led men into feelings of powerlessness so that he would not abuse that power, especially in male-dominated societies.
He goes on (emphases mine):
Jesus clearly taught the twelve disciples about surrender, the necessity of suffering, humility, servant leadership, and nonviolence. They resisted him every time, and so he finally had to make the journey himself and tell them, “Follow me!” But Christians have preferred to hear something Jesus never said: “Worship me.” Worship of Jesus is rather harmless and risk-free; following Jesus changes everything.
… I have often thought that this “non-preaching” of the Gospel was like a secret social contract between clergy and laity, as we shake hands across the sanctuary. We agree not to tell you anything that would make you uncomfortable, and you will keep coming to our services. It is a nice deal, because once the Gospel is preached, I doubt if the churches would be filled. Rather, we might be out on the streets living the message. The discernment and the call to a life of service, to a life that gives itself away instead of simply protecting and procuring for itself in the name of Jesus, is what church should be about. Right now, so much church is the clergy teaching the people how to be co-dependent with them. It becomes job security instead of true spiritual empowerment. Remember, anyone—male or female—who has not gone on journeys of powerlessness will invariably abuse power.
Jesus’ Invitation: Follow Me
By Richard Rohr
Storming the Gates of Hell
Jesus said:
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18)
To understand Jesus’ teaching here, there are a few things you should know. First, “Hades” was the standard term for the underworld, which means that Jesus was probably referring to the whole of the Satanic kingdom. Second, the phrase “gates of Hades” is a metaphorical reference to the fortified walls of the Satanic forces. They are closed to keep opposing forces out, and therefore they need to be overcome. Third, Jesus says that these gates will not be able to “prevail against” the church. Jesus is here portraying the church as being on the offensive and Satan’s kingdom as being on the defensive.
Jesus is saying that he is going to build his church on the rock of his divinity—the confession that he is the “Son of the living God”—and the way this church is going to be built will be by bashing down the gates of Satan’s fortress. In other words, the church is to be involved in the very same warfare work that Jesus himself was involved in throughout his ministry. Ministering in his authority and his accomplished victory on the cross, the church is to storm the fortress of Hades and bash down its gates.
Jesus follows this by saying “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven” so that what the church binds and looses on earth will be bound and loosed in heaven. Whatever the church locks up when it bashes down the gates of Hades will be locked up in heaven, and whatever it unlocks and sets free will be set free in heaven. I can only read this as referring to the church’s authority to bind up demonic forces and to set people free.
This teaching provides a blueprint of what the body of Christ is to be about. It is to be about what Jesus was about: aggressively breaking down Satanic fortresses wherever we find them. In people’s lives, in families, in churches and in society at large, the church is to expand the rule of God on the authority of Christ by binding evil and setting people free. In a word, our charter is to live out a theology of revolt, throwing all we are and all we have into guerrilla warfare against the occupying army, the tyrannizing powers of darkness.
—Adapted from God at War, pages 216-217
“I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Mt 16:18)
To understand Jesus’ teaching here, there are a few things you should know. First, “Hades” was the standard term for the underworld, which means that Jesus was probably referring to the whole of the Satanic kingdom. Second, the phrase “gates of Hades” is a metaphorical reference to the fortified walls of the Satanic forces. They are closed to keep opposing forces out, and therefore they need to be overcome. Third, Jesus says that these gates will not be able to “prevail against” the church. Jesus is here portraying the church as being on the offensive and Satan’s kingdom as being on the defensive.
Jesus is saying that he is going to build his church on the rock of his divinity—the confession that he is the “Son of the living God”—and the way this church is going to be built will be by bashing down the gates of Satan’s fortress. In other words, the church is to be involved in the very same warfare work that Jesus himself was involved in throughout his ministry. Ministering in his authority and his accomplished victory on the cross, the church is to storm the fortress of Hades and bash down its gates.
Jesus follows this by saying “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven” so that what the church binds and looses on earth will be bound and loosed in heaven. Whatever the church locks up when it bashes down the gates of Hades will be locked up in heaven, and whatever it unlocks and sets free will be set free in heaven. I can only read this as referring to the church’s authority to bind up demonic forces and to set people free.
This teaching provides a blueprint of what the body of Christ is to be about. It is to be about what Jesus was about: aggressively breaking down Satanic fortresses wherever we find them. In people’s lives, in families, in churches and in society at large, the church is to expand the rule of God on the authority of Christ by binding evil and setting people free. In a word, our charter is to live out a theology of revolt, throwing all we are and all we have into guerrilla warfare against the occupying army, the tyrannizing powers of darkness.
—Adapted from God at War, pages 216-217
Saturday, October 29, 2016
So Easy to Love
By Anabel Gillham
Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be.
Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.
My life is no longer than my hand!
My whole lifetime is but a moment to You.
Proud man! Frail as breath! A shadow!
Psalm 39:4-6
Teach us to number our days
and recognize how few they are;
help us to spend them as we should.
Psalm 90:12
Why do we keep such sentimental little things as a birthday card that says, “Happy Birthday and remember that I love you.” My eldest, Pres, wrote a note to me one Sunday morning in church many years ago with his first wobbly manuscript printing skills: “YOU ARE PRETTY. I LOVE YOU.” I saved that scribbled note, along with others from my little tow-headed boys (who are now grown men) expressing their love. Those notes are some of my most precious possessions.
That’s nothing out of the ordinary. God knew how important love expressed would be. Love was the passion that relentlessly drove Jesus as He carried the cross to a hill called “Calvary.” Love was the passion that would not release God until He gave His only Son: For God so loved . . .(John 3:16). All of that to say when we express our love to others we are fulfilling a very important commandment. It isn’t tithing. It isn’t singing in the choir. It isn’t perfect attendance every time the Church door is open. It isn’t a rote visit on Tuesday night visitation. It is all wrapped up in a package labeled LOVE. And according to I Corinthians 13, there is nothing that we can do (nothing, not even sacrificing our lives[1]) that impresses our Lord if it is done without that same passion, that LOVE.
When He was asked, “What is the greatest commandment,” [2] He replied, “To love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Then He continued, “And the second greatest commandment is this: Love others” (Matthew 22:39). I have never pursued a study of just how many times we are urged to love the people in our world and around the world, but I know it would be a very lengthy study. Why is this so vital? Why is this the “second greatest commandment?” Because love is the greatest gift we can give. “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13:13)
So what is the most important thing you can do today? Very simply, show love to someone. Have you called your mom recently? Dad, how about taking your son to supper and a movie and then later taking your daughter for breakfast? Perhaps give a prolonged embrace for a woman who has recently become a widow, or jot a note to a person just out of the hospital. Maybe you are being called to reach out to someone who’s having a rough time in her/his marriage, to a young man who just lost his job, to your pastor, to your daughter-in-law, or to a child who is struggling with rebellion. You might give someone a vase of flowers with a note that reads, “Just to let you know that I’m thinking about you and that I love you.” Or visit an invalid who never steps outside the house and leave them softly murmuring, “It is so nice to know someone is thinking about me.”
Man! Frail as breath! A shadow! Here to touch and love today – a memory tomorrow.[3] God, in His wisdom and because of His compassion tries to warn us about this desperate need that is deep within our heart and that we see in the eyes and on the faces of those we meet on the street and those we live with. He says, “Love the people in your life today.” You don’t know how many times you have left to say, “I love you,” and the greatest gift you can give is love.
Are you saying, “I can’t do that, Anabel. I have never known love. I don’t know how to love”? Or how about, “You don’t know the people in my world, Anabel.”
No, I don’t know and you are so right. You cannot love, but Christ lives IN you and He wants to love people through you, for you! Loving isn’t easy. Loving us enough to suffer and die for us is met with incredulity. Loving us enough to give His only Son is beyond our comprehension. Loving the people in your world may not be easy, but can He do it through you!
Thank You my dear Father and my precious Jesus for loving me so much and for loving others through me. I know I’m not always so easy to love!
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word,
in the statement,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14
Lord, help me to realize how brief my time on earth will be.
Help me to know that I am here for but a moment more.
My life is no longer than my hand!
My whole lifetime is but a moment to You.
Proud man! Frail as breath! A shadow!
Psalm 39:4-6
Teach us to number our days
and recognize how few they are;
help us to spend them as we should.
Psalm 90:12
Why do we keep such sentimental little things as a birthday card that says, “Happy Birthday and remember that I love you.” My eldest, Pres, wrote a note to me one Sunday morning in church many years ago with his first wobbly manuscript printing skills: “YOU ARE PRETTY. I LOVE YOU.” I saved that scribbled note, along with others from my little tow-headed boys (who are now grown men) expressing their love. Those notes are some of my most precious possessions.
That’s nothing out of the ordinary. God knew how important love expressed would be. Love was the passion that relentlessly drove Jesus as He carried the cross to a hill called “Calvary.” Love was the passion that would not release God until He gave His only Son: For God so loved . . .(John 3:16). All of that to say when we express our love to others we are fulfilling a very important commandment. It isn’t tithing. It isn’t singing in the choir. It isn’t perfect attendance every time the Church door is open. It isn’t a rote visit on Tuesday night visitation. It is all wrapped up in a package labeled LOVE. And according to I Corinthians 13, there is nothing that we can do (nothing, not even sacrificing our lives[1]) that impresses our Lord if it is done without that same passion, that LOVE.
When He was asked, “What is the greatest commandment,” [2] He replied, “To love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). Then He continued, “And the second greatest commandment is this: Love others” (Matthew 22:39). I have never pursued a study of just how many times we are urged to love the people in our world and around the world, but I know it would be a very lengthy study. Why is this so vital? Why is this the “second greatest commandment?” Because love is the greatest gift we can give. “But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (I Cor. 13:13)
So what is the most important thing you can do today? Very simply, show love to someone. Have you called your mom recently? Dad, how about taking your son to supper and a movie and then later taking your daughter for breakfast? Perhaps give a prolonged embrace for a woman who has recently become a widow, or jot a note to a person just out of the hospital. Maybe you are being called to reach out to someone who’s having a rough time in her/his marriage, to a young man who just lost his job, to your pastor, to your daughter-in-law, or to a child who is struggling with rebellion. You might give someone a vase of flowers with a note that reads, “Just to let you know that I’m thinking about you and that I love you.” Or visit an invalid who never steps outside the house and leave them softly murmuring, “It is so nice to know someone is thinking about me.”
Man! Frail as breath! A shadow! Here to touch and love today – a memory tomorrow.[3] God, in His wisdom and because of His compassion tries to warn us about this desperate need that is deep within our heart and that we see in the eyes and on the faces of those we meet on the street and those we live with. He says, “Love the people in your life today.” You don’t know how many times you have left to say, “I love you,” and the greatest gift you can give is love.
Are you saying, “I can’t do that, Anabel. I have never known love. I don’t know how to love”? Or how about, “You don’t know the people in my world, Anabel.”
No, I don’t know and you are so right. You cannot love, but Christ lives IN you and He wants to love people through you, for you! Loving isn’t easy. Loving us enough to suffer and die for us is met with incredulity. Loving us enough to give His only Son is beyond our comprehension. Loving the people in your world may not be easy, but can He do it through you!
Thank You my dear Father and my precious Jesus for loving me so much and for loving others through me. I know I’m not always so easy to love!
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word,
in the statement,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Galatians 5:14
Friday, October 28, 2016
Choose to be Fully Present
“After David had finished talking with Saul, Jonathan became one in spirit with David, and he loved him as himself.” I Samuel 18:1
Deep relationship requires that we be fully present to the other person. No distractions, no hidden agendas, no selfish motives. This was certainly true of the deep relationship between Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and David, the next King of Israel. Though Jonathan, the heir apparent, knew David would reign on the throne instead of him, he stayed fully present to David’s need and risked his life for his friend.
Several things can stand in the way of this kind of deep relationship. Those who are always in a hurry cannot be fully present. Because they have filled their lives with so many things, they cannot engage in one relationship or activity without thinking about what happens next. Those who are preoccupied with worry and anxiety cannot be fully present. Their minds are always distracted with what might happen or what might go wrong. Those who are emotionally shut down cannot be fully present. Fear of rejection, fear of hurt, or fear of abandonment keep them from giving their heart fully to anyone.
Since we were created for relationship, we cannot experience life to the fullest without deep relationships. Choosing life may mean dealing with the reasons we are not fully present to our relationships.
Truth: Your relationships are only as deep as you are present to them.
Choice: Today I will choose life by …
Deep relationship requires that we be fully present to the other person. No distractions, no hidden agendas, no selfish motives. This was certainly true of the deep relationship between Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and David, the next King of Israel. Though Jonathan, the heir apparent, knew David would reign on the throne instead of him, he stayed fully present to David’s need and risked his life for his friend.
Several things can stand in the way of this kind of deep relationship. Those who are always in a hurry cannot be fully present. Because they have filled their lives with so many things, they cannot engage in one relationship or activity without thinking about what happens next. Those who are preoccupied with worry and anxiety cannot be fully present. Their minds are always distracted with what might happen or what might go wrong. Those who are emotionally shut down cannot be fully present. Fear of rejection, fear of hurt, or fear of abandonment keep them from giving their heart fully to anyone.
Since we were created for relationship, we cannot experience life to the fullest without deep relationships. Choosing life may mean dealing with the reasons we are not fully present to our relationships.
Truth: Your relationships are only as deep as you are present to them.
Choice: Today I will choose life by …
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