Unobstructed

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (Jesus Christ)

“With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.” (King David)

“Heis the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” (The Apostle Paul)

”Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.” (The Apostle John)

These statements have some things in common, one of them is that they can be taken to sound outlandish, bold, and even arrogant…especially when one considers them from a standpoint that doesn’t share their confidence.  As followers of Jesus, we are recipients of the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead; yet so often we cower to our fears and don’t feel or act very powerful. In one way or the other, this is the result of sin.  What I mean is that sin, all forms of explicit disobedience and subconscious distrust, has a way of distancing us from the miraculous truths and transcendent experiences that are available to us as children of God.  Not only are they available, they’re supposed to be normal! 

I find that, when I’m not feeling powerful in my connection and empowerment with the Lord, there’s always sin involved.  It may be a sinful attitude or behavior, unforgiveness of a wrong done to me, materialism and greed, inner ambition and pride, the list goes on.  But the result always includes a sense of distance from my Master, dampered ability to hear the Spirit’s whispers, and loss of belief that He is guiding my steps and words with power and meaning.  In my opinion, this is the primary cause of the “sleeping giant” phenomenon of the American Church.  We don’t need better worship music or deeper sermons, we need more surrender and obedience!

But when I’m truly, fully, unobstructedly walking with the Lord; there’s nothing in me to make me stumble. That phrase from the Apostle John is from 1 John 2:

“Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”

The subject here is loving others, but this principle carries over into all others.  When we say NO to a sin in our lives, and thereby say YES to the Spirit’s promptings to sacrifice it in order to achieve closeness with Him, we open the door to those aspects of the Kingdom of God that are accessible to us in this life.  This doesn’t have anything to do with salvation for the next life, it’s about being victorious while we’re still in this one.  The feeling, vitality, and hope produced come with a sense of being unobstructed in our connection with our God….there’s nothing between us, no discord, no disagreement, no reservation.  This kind of trust in an essential element in experiencing intimacy with Him.  Intimacy is the foundation of right relationship with the Father.  He already knows us completely, inside and out; and when we banish sin there is nothing in us to prevent us from knowing Him inside and out.  I may be overstating the effects, but that’s the feeling and the joy that we experience in daily life when we allow God full-access into every nook and cranny of our lives!

It’s like running down a steep incline while trying to protect one’s knees.  The momentum of gravity wants to pull you down the hill faster and faster, but to control your speed you resist its downward pull with every step.  When I’m out of running shape, I have to go slowly down hills so I don’t injure my weak knees; but when I’ve been strengthened through prolonged training, I can run freely down hills without reservation.  The exhilaration of that speed, that fresh wind in my face, is what it feels like to walk (run) in the Spirit! 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.”  (Hebrews 12:11-12)

What are you waiting for?!

Times Of Refreshing

I found a wonderful word picture this morning.  I was reflecting on how this year’s project season is winding-down right now, and how much we’re all looking forward to resting from our labors, enjoying the fruit of blessed lives that has resulted, and refueling so that we’re ready for next year.  I thought about the Biblical phrase “Times of Refreshing from the Lord”.  I’ve heard this many times, and meditated on it as well. It conveys this idea that God is with us in our rest, restoring us back to strength during times of rejuvenation…but it’s a lot more than that.

The phrase is part of a long, run-on sentence from Acts 3:19-21.  There are a lot of those in scripture, especially when looking at the original language…Greek in this case.  I spent some time looking into it this morning, meditating on the words and their application to my life.  I was surprised and encouraged by what I found, and wanted to pass along to you for your encouragement as well.

Here’s how the sentence looks in a few different English translations:

• NIV – “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”
• NLT – “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.”
• NAS - “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.”

Without getting too technical about translation theory, one can really get to the root of the meaning by looking at a direct word for word translation from the Greek.  Sometimes, the perspective we get is very different than the packaged translations that wrap it all up for us in religious language. I loved this section of God’s word, here’s a literal translation in raw form: 

• “Change your thinking, therefore, and turn around for the wiping-out of your sins, so that may come opportunities of cooling-off in the breath from the face of the Lord and that He sends the one previously hand-picked to you Christ Jesus, whom it is necessary heaven indeed receives until times of restoration of all things of which spoke God by the mouth of set-apart ones from the age of His prophets.

I’ve underlined a few parts…let me elaborate a bit:

Opportunities – There are two different words translated as “time” in this sentence. This one refers to opportunities (qualitative), rather than time itself (quantitative).  

• Are you seeing opportunities where God is working?  If not, that probably means you need to change your thinking and turn around from something.  He’s already there, right behind you.  What are you focusing on that’s preventing you from turning around?

Cooling-off in the breath from the face of the Lord – What a beautiful picture this is. Imagine a small child getting all over-stimulated and red in the face, being held face to face in her Father’s hands for a moment while He smiles with loving eyes and blows some fresh air gently onto her face to calm her down.  Their eyes meet, she takes a deeper breath, and feels His pleasure ease into her…encouraging her, literally pouring courage back into her.  Notice that He doesn’t offer to remove the stresses from our lives, only to be there with His cooling breath and His loving gaze.

• What stresses in your life need the cooling breath of God?
• Are you struggling with circumstances beyond your control, and You just need God’s courage?
• Are you locked-up in some specific area of sin that’s causing you to get red in the face?
• How can you change your thinking and turn around so you can engage with the Father’s face? 

He sends the one previously hand-picked to you Christ Jesus – It’s not that God blows into our faces, cools us off, and sends us away to work harder next time.  It’s that He sends the presence of Jesus into you, literally.  This isn’t a silly, childish fantasy idea; it’s reality.  This is what it means to “live by the Spirit”…the Spirit of Jesus fuses with ours, and we become like Him in this world: Spiritual beings walking temporarily in human form.  The enemy’s temptations & lies, and our own failings, tend to blind us to this truth.

• Have you forgotten who you are as a son or daughter of the King?  
• Are you experiencing the fullness of Christ in and through your life? 

Heaven indeed receives – We have a messed-up, limited idea of heaven.  There is, certainly a “heaven” that is spoken of in scripture that has not yet come…the one that is beyond this world, which we are waiting for. However, the heaven being talked about here has already started, it’s all around us, and it’s connecting to us constantly through the conduit of Jesus!  As Jesus said to the Pharisees in Luke 17, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”  It’s more like a different dimension than a different location, and it’s here now. The word “indeed” is a conjunction that amplifies what is being said.  It’s like saying “totally.”  The word “receives” is not written in future, present, or past tense, but in a tense called “aorist,” which means infinitive…aka it keeps going and going, it never stops. Let that sink in…

• Are you feeling connected with the Kingdom of Heaven all around you?  Why or why not?
• What can you do to increase your connection?
• What can you release to increase your connection?

Times of restoration – Eventually, in God’s time, this world and it’s struggles will indeed be wrapped-up.  Praise God! We do have this to look forward to, and the hope it produces gives us great hope as we wait patiently, endure hardships, and go about the Master’s work with Him inside of us.  

• Are you weary of the struggle?  Do you need to turn-around for a fresh blowing of God’s breath to encourage you and keep you going?

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” (Psalm 37:3-6)

False Hope (Voting Day)

Today is voting day in America.

Whose America is it?  Which side is going to win?

I cannot remember a time when the political divide, or the constituency it represented, has been this wide…each ideology absolutely disgusted with the other to the extent that families and friendships are splintered along party lines, venom is being spewed in multi-million-dollar campaign smears, and positions are being fortified against the enemies among us.  It seems that we’re practically at war with each other…and there’s festering hatred on both sides. It’s embarrassing and demoralizing.

As a citizen of this country, who believes in the democratic process, I have cast my ballot.  It represents my wishes, which will be added to the thousands of others from my area, millions from my state, and hundreds of millions from my countrymen from coast to coast.  Whatever the results, I will keep on living my life as I did yesterday, with tremendous hope. I certainly have opinions and preferences, but my greatest hopes are not captivated by this maelstrom of vitriolic posturing and promising.

There is another Kingdom that I am a citizen of, whose allegiance I am delighted to be ultimately bound to.  Whether my preferred candidates win or lose today, those Kingdom values are unchanged, and my hopes pursuant to that Kingdom are unaffected.  There is a higher level of HOPE, which that Kingdom animates through its people, which covers-over any other lesser-hopes that this world contains.  The foundation of TRUE HOPE does not provide a promise that things will work out in my life, or on earth, as I would like them to be; on the contrary, scripture is clear that as time advances the opposite will be true…but that His Kingdom of Heaven will continue to break-through in spite of it all in the lives of countless individuals.  

A good look into the earthly life, teachings, and way of Jesus is like a glimpse through the prism of that other Kingdom.  It’s certainly supposed to affect us here and now, and through us to elicit transformation to that Kingdom’s values; but we make a grave mistake when we hijack that calling and attempt to divert it to self-seeking socio/political destinations.  That’s not what Jesus was interested in then, and His followers are not to be focused upon it now.  When we do, it makes a mockery of the Gospel and the transcendent hope that it promises.  It's never been about "heavenizing" our own preferences or agendas for society, but about surrendering them in favor of our Creator's Mission for the individuals and the world around each of us.  Anything other than that is heretical trickery, and countless misguided Christians are falling for it!

You who call yourself by the name of Jesus, or endeavor in some way to follow Him; I appeal to you to rise above the hype and name-calling and fears of loss, and regain a sense of compass toward “true north!”  Your political opponents are not your adversaries, there is only one adversary…and even if they were, how about we treat them with the level of respect that Jesus treated His enemies?  As we aim to live as good citizens of our country, and make our own lives matter for good, let’s cling to the HOPE that will never be shaken...and avoid being carried-away by lesser, false hopes.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

(Psalm 42:5)

“Dear friends, I warn you as ‘temporary residents and foreigners’ to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then, even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority—whether the king as head of state, or the officials he has appointed. For the king has sent them to punish those who do wrong and to honor those who do right. It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you. For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil. Respect everyone, and love your Christian brothers and sisters. Fear God, and respect the king….For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ sufferedfor you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2)

“My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

Refrain:
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

(Old Hymn: “The Solid Rock”)

Goliath-Sized Love

A friend of mine shared a very intriguing and challenging thought with me about one of the most famous of Old Testament Bible stories.  In the account of David & Goliath, young David slays the giant enemy of God and cuts his head off in the most mismatched duel you could possibly imagine.  It was a miracle that injected hope into the nation of Israel and terror into the enemies of God.  Her point was that, since on this side of the Cross of Jesus everything has changed in our posture with the fallen world, that we need to be clean of hatred of people in our pursuit against evil.

“Goliath was knit in his mother’s womb the same way I was. God knit him, right?  Did Jesus not change the law and say ‘A NEW LAW I AM GIVING YOU, LOVE ONE ANOTHER?’ It CAN’T, NOT mean Goliath too.”  

The idea stunned me, but she’s absolutely right…even though it challenges some deeply valued aspects of the Christian culture I grew up in. I remember learning the story of David & Goliath, and a bunch of other Old Testament stories about killing people who didn’t believe in my God, when I was a little kid in Sunday School. It seems like it was generally accepted that all those stories were important to teach little, impressionable kids so that they could learn how strong and almighty God was; while at the same time reminding them that we’re not actually supposed to resort to hatred & slander & violence in real life…because Jesus changed all that.  So, why teach children those stories when their brains aren’t yet mature enough to be able to understand complex, abstract issues like how Jesus’ propitiating death, burial, and resurrection changed the nature of heaven & earth, and set the stage for a new era in God’s relationship with mankind? Anyway, I digress from this little pet peeve issue.

Now, I understand that the story of David & Goliath wasn’t about two people who didn’t like each other resolving their differences, but it was part of a war between nations.  I get that, and I support the need for lethal defense against nations & individuals who want to cause harm to others.  That aside, it’s a challenging thought to actually LOVE ONE’S ENEMIES, isn’t it?  Not condoning or partnering with evil, not excusing or pardoning legitimate grievances that require consequences; but being motivated by love for the enemy rather than thirst for indignation.  Like the Lord’s brother James says,

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” (James 1:19-21)

It’s telling how, so often when Christians are threatened or mistreated, we resort so quickly to Old Testament (i.e. “Old Way”) values while giving lip-service to Jesus’ revolutionary commands.  Jesus teaches us to turn the other cheek, love those who persecute us and mistreat us, and give more to those who wrongfully take from us.  These values are meant to be counter-intuitive and challenging, given in Jesus’ signature style of exaggeration; but that doesn’t give license to throw away the lesson, as so often happens. Jesus’ own character and lifestyle are there for us to model and imitate.  My perception is that we tend to follow Him in this regard until it becomes unjust, super uncomfortable, or when we encounter outright evil….and then we dispatch Jesus’ mansie-pansie answers and revert back to the strength and decisive control of the Old Testament God.  And then after the dust clears, we wonder why we’re struggling inside with our own inner demons and attachments to false gods.  This requires surrender of any right we believe we have to be anyone’s judge.  Not that we are called to agree with evil as the Lord defines it, certainly not!  But in our response to evil we must strive to be motivated and directed by love of the individual, leaving the judging to God.

I saw someone wearing a T-shirt a few weeks ago that said ”God Loves All The People You Hate.”  That should be sobering.

I learned this hard-fought lesson years ago, and it has served me very well.  If there is a person in your life that you think is misguided - or even evil – there are only two options for you…you’re either right or wrong.  If you’re right, then God knows about it too, and it’s His responsibility to pursue & convict the person…not yours.  You are not God’s instrument of judgement or wrath.  Your role is to love the person as only God can through you, representing His truth through the filter of the same mercy and grace that forgives you for all your own B.S.  On the other hand, if you’re wrong about the person’s evil, then God knows that too.  And when the fingers point back to you, the Loving Father has a way of ferreting-out of us the blurring presuppositions and prejudices that cause us to see the specks in the eyes of others while not noticing the big log in our own vision.

These are some of my thoughts, now consider the following thoughts from the mind of God…..

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 6:12) 

”Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17-21) 

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-48) 

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

Off The Rails

Locomotive trains are very powerful, can carry huge loads over immense distances, and travel with a tremendous amount of momentum…which means it takes a while to get them going and even longer to stop them.  Everything goes smoothly as long as the machinery stays in good order, there’s plenty of fuel, and speed is controlled to keep the behemoths on the tracks.  As long as things are going smoothly, they have an unrivaled capacity for transporting cargo and people, and can be operated to such precision that people used to set their clocks by them.  When safety is violated, terrible things can happen.

“On December 18, 2017, Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501 derailed near DuPont, Washington, United States. It was the inaugural run on the Point Defiance Bypass, a new passenger rail route south of Tacoma, Washington. The bypass was intended to reduce congestion and separate passenger and freight traffic, and was designed for faster speeds and shorter travel times (saving ten minutes from Seattle to Portland) than the previous route used by Cascades. The lead locomotive and all twelve cars derailed while approaching a bridge over Interstate 5 (I-5). The trailing locomotive remained on the rails. A number of automobiles on southbound I-5 were crushed and three people on board the train died. The train derailed a short distance from where the new route merges with the previous route. Preliminary data from the data recorder showed that the train was traveling at 78 miles per hour (126 km/h), nearly 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) over the speed limit, when the incident happened." (Wikipedia)

Our emotional & spiritual lives are like this.  Have you ever crashed?  Have you ever experienced the consequences of taking undue risks in circumstances that turned against you?  Have you ever known you were moving too fast but were so overconfident that you ignored the warning signs that resulted in a crash?

As sons and daughters made in the image of Almighty God, we are incredibly powerful and capable; yet great care is required to keep us on the rails.  Part of the trouble we experience in our generation is the fundamental polarizing arguments about what, exactly, constitutes “the rails.”  Values, both internal and interactive, are the railroad ties, spikes, and the steel rails of our lives.  There are a host of directions offered in this vast, diverse world we live in; and a seemingly endless number of exchange opportunities.  Those of us who have committed to following Jesus’ straight-and-narrow path have believed that we can trust Him, no matter how alluring the alternatives, arduous the terrain, or distant the destination.

Part of staying-the-course is avoiding the constant temptations to change tracks…especially when we’re working hard to go up hills.  There are always lots of opportunities during hard times to give-up and choose the easier paths.  These temptations arise from our own desire for comfort, the misguided cheers of others, and from the enemy of our souls. The enemy’s desire is to “kill, steal, and destroy;” and he has a multitude of victims who have wandered far from The Way of Jesus.  Temptations that get us most often come at times of weakness, capitalizing on lack of maintenance.  The other dangers have to do with speed.  In a culture where our worth is measured by accomplishments, activity, and possessions, we are prone to careening so quickly around the twists and turns of life that we risk crashing.  The ever-increasing speed of “more” only leads to hardship unless it is governed-back into control by the Master.  Have you ever gone off-the-rails? Have you ever wounded yourself or others so deeply that you wondered if God could possibly put you back together?

I have…and in those times I’ve found the heart of the Father, always ready to heal and repair and recommission; as if He was waiting there for me, knowing I was going to crash there in need of Him to set me back on track. Thankfully, we can never wander too far, or be wrecked to such an extent, that we cannot be put back together and placed back on the tracks that lead to Him.  But make no mistake, there is one path that leads to Him, it’s the One that He prepared for thousands of years which culminated with the life, death, and resurrection of His Son Jesus of Nazareth.  Following in His steps, along the path of values and commitments that He has laid out for us, is HIS PATH.  This is the path that leads to life.

I needed this reminder today...to surrender my desires, dreams, and destinations to the Father; knowing that when I do, His way always leads to life.  Entrust yourself to Him today.

”Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) 

“Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3) 

“Go in through the narrow gate, because the gate to hell is wide and the road that leads to it is easy, and there are many who travel it. But the gate to life is narrow and the way that leads to it is hard, and there are few people who find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14)

"What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" (Matthew 16:26) 

Loving God v. Using God

I was talking with a good friend about how to discern “God opportunities.”  We all face decisions every day where we need to judge between this choice or that, and those of us who want to follow the way of Jesus also need to know His thoughts on every matter.  How do we tell the difference between opportunities that God brings to us, those that spring from our own desire, or those from the enemy that are meant to ensnare?  This is a big question…so big, in fact, that it has a way of tripping us up and distracting our focus on what’s deeper.

“Understanding God’s Will” is the subject matter here, and the answer is woven all throughout the scriptures.  But the nature of the answer isn’t what we’re often looking for, so we miss it.  “God’s Will” is not primarily concerned with specific plans that He has for our lives, but for conforming our characters into the likeness of Jesus.  He cares about our development as His children, as members of His family, and as His agents in the world….in that order.  Our tendency, however, is to hijack His attention and divert it to the things we’re most interested in…which often have to do with stroking our egos, filling our wallets, and keeping us comfortable.  These things have nothing to do with His Will.

The goal of following Jesus is not to become a better person, to be more successful, or to change the world; but, like Him, to experience INTIMACY in relationship with our Heavenly Father, and to partner with the Holy Spirit in a way that aligns with our specific IDENTITY in Him. When the pursuit of these priorities is woven into our daily rhythms, responsibilities and relationships; God’s Word is unleashed, His Will is made known, and His Power flows freely to fulfill it...everything else falls into place.

That probably doesn't seem like a real answer to the original question, does it?  It is, in fact, God's answer.

When we leap-frog over intimacy and identity, and focus on trying to get God to fulfill agendas, things tend to fall apart.  This is ultimately about trust.  Do you trust God to do what needs to be done if you focus your attention ON Him, or do you carry the weight of the world on your own shoulders and ask God to make you stronger to do things FOR Him?  These can represent two extremes, God has a part and we have a part...but the message throughout scripture is clear.  Our primary posture, and indeed the whole goal, is relationship with Him...everything flows from this.  Here are some scriptures to meditate on....

“Don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:31-33)

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)

“I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:1-2)

“God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” (Romans 8:28-29)

Believing

What we believe is of utmost importance, because belief shapes our trajectories and motivations and desires. We seem to have trouble understanding or valuing this when we misunderstand the nature of belief.

The word “believe” in the New Testament of the Bible is not passive agreement about things that happened a long time ago that are removed from our real lives.  In fact, it’s the opposite.  It’s translated from the Greek word “pisteuó” (pist-yoo'-o), which means to have faith in, trust in.  The word TRUST is probably a much better translation, because it requires something of us.

I thought of this when I was reading John chapter 14 this morning, especially the part where Jesus says...

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  

There are some crazy-big claims in this verse!  Doing greater works (aka miracles) than Jesus? Having Jesus grant our every request?  And all we have to do is end every prayer with “In Jesus Name, Amen”….right?  Obviously this isn’t what He meant…so what does He mean?

In the language Jesus used in this section, His “name” is figuratively the manifestation or revelation of His character, i.e. as distinguishing Him from all others. Thus "praying in the name of Christ" means to pray as directed (authorized) by Him, bringing revelation that flows out of being in His presence. "Praying in Jesus' name" therefore is not a religious formula just to end prayers with – to get what we want; but a life-discipline of operating under the authority of our Master – to work toward what He wants.  This is why the prayers of someone who invests in his/her relationship with Jesus every day is more potent than the prayers of another who only grasps at Jesus’ promises from afar in times of trouble.  Not to say that God is not available to all of us, or that those closer to Him are more dearly loved; but truly, those who are more greatly connected to Him through active TRUST/FAITH/BELIEF have greater access to Him.

Biblical belief is not a passive nod to some unknown force beyond us, the the aggressive dedication to aligning our desires and priorities to the God who has revealed Himself!

The power of belief is not in the believer, but in the ONE who is believed.
Believe Him today.
Put your faith in Him today.
Trust in Him today.

The Place of Prayer

Yesterday I devoted the morning to prayer.  Not boring prayer, but active prayer.  It was amazing, you should try it sometime if you don't already!

After waking up and getting ready, I began thinking about what I could do.  In less than a minute realized there wasn’t even enough time in this day to do the things that were coming to mind.  Then I said out loud “there’s so many things I want to do Lord”, and within a heartbeat His answer came back to the depths of my mind, “but only one thing is needed.”  I remembered Martha and Mary, with Martha worried and upset about “many things,” and Mary sitting at the Master’s feet listening to His Words…the choice that was better.  I felt a rush of delight that my God would speak so intimately to me, beckoning me to come hang out with Him with no agenda but to listen.  So I drove to my favorite place of prayer: Bald Peak.

I relaxed there for about 2 hours, listening and responding to the Holy Spirit…allowing my mind to wander, and meeting Him there in those places where it rested…allowing His still, small voice to lead me down forest trails and along sweeping fields, showing me wonders and teaching me truths.  At one point, I felt compelled to remain in a specific place at the edge of an immensely large field of seed-grass.  For the first 10-minutes or so I just stood there doing nothing, letting my mind slow down to make room for stillness.  Then the dialogue began.

He showed me all kinds of amazing things that were happening all around me.  I studied the grass itself, rich-green and strong coming out of the dry earth in healthy tufts.  I pondered that each blade of grass is intricately woven together and joined with others at the microscopic level by forces of Creation that He set in motion in millennia past, yet sustains through processes that scientists fumble to understand like Kindergartners.  The grasses within feet from my eyes were absolutely magnificent all by themselves, and as I lifted my gaze to their neighbors, and the whole field, and the trees and blue sky and mountains in the background, I was speechless with wonder.  “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you--you of little faith?”

Then there were the living things.  The longer I remained, the more accustomed to me they became; and came out of their hiding.  First the insects, small flying things.  I had no idea what they were, but they were flying in & out & above the grasses.  They were aware of each other also.  It became obvious that they were doing things in the grass, either giving to it or taking from it, and then rising to the open air above in small groupings like school-girls gathering to talk about their latest crush.  Then there were the spiders.  Tiny arachnids of varying shapes & sizes, all around me spinning miniscule tracers between the stalks.  I expected them to erect circular webs, but did not see any…they seemed content to weave their minute ribbons from the tip of one to the other like miniature tightropes.  One spider, after spinning and stretching about 8-inches across to the nearest stalk, waited there for several minutes.  I watched it, waiting to see what it would do next.  It just sat there, making some little movements, resting I suppose.  I wondered what kind of role this tiny aerial performer might have in the field of grass, what food the Father would provide for it and whose food it might become.  Then I saw the birds.  Compact aviators, smaller than my hand, flitted through the field and into the canopy of weeds & trees behind me…small and fast enough to catch their prey.  They seemed oblivious to me and sang their songs to each other, to the world around them, and to the Creator who animates them.  All of these things were magnificent to me, and I remembered the other half of the Master’s words, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

As I walked away from that place, I reflected on some of the things I had accomplished in this life, and also the worries and anxieties that I carry.  I prayed for deliverance of the effects of stress…of unwanted pressure that so often accompanies my efforts at doing, and builds-up over time like vast, heavy waters behind a dam that someday might burst.  I also thought about some of the things that lie before me, goals I want to achieve and experiences I want to have.  I asked the Father to grant me faithfulness in doing them, but it fell flat.  He gently reminded me that faithfulness doesn’t just mean doing the right actions out of the place of faith… It starts much earlier.  Faithfulness is being so full-of-faith to begin with that one is ready for whatever circumstances may come. The results are not the point, the posture is.  His consolation, and relief, is not that He enables us to do all that we want; but that He redirects our passions and desires toward our daily communion with Him; allowing His fullness to replace whatever achievements we thought we might need in the first place.

The birthplace of faithfulness his prayer – Cultivating intimacy with the Father to build such a strong foundation of trust and companionship that nothing in this world can touch me; and I end up doing what He & I both desire.

Holiness

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you will get neither.” (CS Lewis) 

“A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.” (Proverbs 19:3)

These two quotes reflect a universal truth that applies to all of humanity; it’s woven into our instincts, as glorious spiritual beings who are created in God’s Image, yet critically flawed and shackled to this fallen world. It is said that about 70% of Americans “believe in God,” yet by a cursory glance at our social ills one could hardly believe it (and the stats aren’t any better for those who attend religious services, by the way). One of the culprits for this is that many believers don’t understand what holiness is. It’s one thing to believe that God exists out there somewhere, and that we can visit Him for favors in holy places with holy people; it’s quite another reality to actually agree with Him, love Him, and pursue Him in a holy relationship even though we're far from perfect.  This distinction is huge...it's about the heart.

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians; who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, and then walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” (Brennan Manning)

This prophetic warning to God’s would-be followers were penned decades ago by a Franciscan priest, who lamented at the false witness that God’s people were offering to the watching world.  I would argue that, although many circumstances have changed, the preoccupation of Christians with worldly pursuits continues to grossly outpace the truth and love which they purport to believe.  Wouldn’t you think that those who call themselves by Christ’s Name would resemble Him?

This is what happens when religion swallows relationship with God…
…Church is seen as a location, rather than a people
…Spirituality is fractured into the Sacred and Profane, rather than the holistic pursuit of life’s fullness
…Jesus role in our lives is limited to “Savior,” rather than “Lord”

I think that the message of HOLINESS has been lost on recent generations of America’s Christians.  I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s, in the decades that followed a cultural revolution of expression.  Among other things, we were rebelling against the overly-strict & constrictive morality of older Christians…and the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme, hasn’t it?  Now, many would-be Jesus-followers are afraid to authentically identify with Him for fear that they’ll offend somebody…focusing on the ethereal arena of “beliefs”, rather than any type of commitment that would obligate them to walk against the strong currents of popular culture. So what we have is whole generations of people who are deeply conflicted about their faith.  In their heart of hearts, believing the message about the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; yet tied to their preferences and allegiances with the world around them to the extent that it doesn’t make much difference.

In His teaching about the seed of the Word of God, Jesus said “the seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14).

I believe with all my heart that God can be trusted, that His promises & blessings are real and available to us today.  Yet, unlike the free gift of salvation for Heaven after we die, the things that we want from Him in this life are tied to our relationship with Him.  We must always remind ourselves that He is not there to make us happy.  That is a lie.  The truth is that He is the Master and we are the servants, and His fullness (love, joy, peace patience, etc.) is ours only when we fully acquiesce it to Him.  This is called holiness. The Bible word for holiness literally means to be “set apart for sacred use.”

Our trouble is that we tend to want all the good stuff that God offers, but without the part where we set aside our self-determination.  Sorry, that doesn’t work.  But He works!  Trust Him today!

“Taste and see that the Lord is good;blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.Fear the Lord, you his holy people,for those who fear him lack nothing.”(Psalm 34:8-9)

The Counter-Cultural Way Of Love

Love is the most supremely important thing in the world, isn’t it? We write songs about it, lay awake at night longing for it, strategize ways of obtaining it; but it’s true nature and purpose remain elusive and counter-intuitive to most of us.

Love is largely misunderstood.  Billboards, media & music tend to cast it as romantic or sexual. Self-help pundits and counselors promote it as prescriptive and therapeutic to our emotional ailments.  Celebrities and the popular elite hijack it and give it to their rich and beautiful friends, creating blissful relational destinations in a virtual-reality free of the plight of those who have less.

Most Americans don’t understand love because we’ve listened to the wrong voices.  This is why we get caught-up in vain pursuits that don’t produce what we’re looking for.  We’re saturated by images and narratives that make bold promises but deliver loneliness and disillusionment.  This is why so many end-up disappointed, dejected, and discouraged…believing that love has failed them.  I would say that it was not love that they were seeing & seeking, but only mirages that left them thirsty.

When we chase the wrong things, we end-up in unforeseen places where we do not belong.  Each of us is created by our Heavenly Father – who IS LOVE – for love… but we’re constantly being deceived and drawn-away from it by misleading counterfeits.  So what is love?  To find it, we have to forget everything the world has taught us, so that we can rediscover what God says it is.  Here are some examples from my favorite paraphrase of the Bible, called “The Message”:

“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.” (1 Corinthians 13) 

“My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted? Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens! Isn’t it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren’t they the ones who scorn the new name—“Christian”—used in your baptisms? You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others.” (James 2) 

”My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. And friends, once that’s taken care of and we’re no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we’re bold and free before God! We’re able to stretch our hands out and receive what we asked for because we’re doing what he said, doing what pleases him. “ (1 John 3) 

“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.  In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (Matthew 5)

Believe

“If the Lord is with us, why has all this [misfortune] happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord [deliver us]?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us...”

The words above could have been written yesterday, mirroring the spiritual skepticism of our age; but they were uttered almost 3,200 years ago, as recorded in the early part of the Old Testament book of Judges, by a man named Gideon…just before God showed up, did some crazy miraculous stuff, and changed reality.  They key was Gideon's belief.

For the most part, American Christians no longer believe in miracles…apparently.  There are a few reasons why.  Part of this, indeed, is because of the immature and impostering few who have made a mockery of God for the rest of us clean-up.  Admittedly, some of us reading this (or writing this) have been willingly or unwillingly part of this…so let’s keep our pointing fingers to ourselves.  Another big reason is fear.  Fear of criticism & rejection by the world we want desperately to identify with…too desperately.  Another one is confusion of God's role.  We seem to have this unrelentingly skewed perspective that's God is there to make us happy...that our fulfillment and safety is His end-game.  What we see in scripture and history, however, is that God's most amazing interventions are about His will, not ours; and He sees all of history with one glance, so His perspective is a bit different.  When we partner with what He is doing, THEN we get to be part of the extraordinary.

Contrary to what you’ve been led to believe by the world around us; God is not dead, but very much alive and active!  The thing is, our perceptions of what is real and compelling are dependent upon what we expose ourselves to…and what we allow to gain dominion over our reasoning.  Are your opinions more informed by media and popular thought, or by God’s timeless wisdom and ways?  Are you reticent to admit that God works miracles because you believe that He cannot temporarily subvert the laws of nature, or because you don’t want to be made to look foolish for hoping?

Lack of trust in God’s desire to/ability to work wonders in the plane of human existence has always had a dampening effect on it.  Even Jesus admitted that He was unable to do many miracles in the small town he grew-up in because of peoples’ lack of faith.  I think that many of us who call ourselves by the Name of Christ, don’t often live as though we actually believe He is still walking with us and desiring to do His work among us today.  Largely, we’ve adopted the critical heart of our culture and try to keep it hidden away while going through the motions of Christianity just in case He actually shows up.  Perhaps that’s too harsh?

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)

The Greek word “unbeliever” here is “ápistos” - from “a”-"not" and “pistós” - "faithful.” Properly, not faithful because unpersuaded, i.e. not convinced.  So the Bible isn’t talking about people who don’t call themselves Christians or go to church….it’s talking about people who don’t live like they really believe.  It’s a good thing this is a journey, right?

• “Why doesn’t God do miracles anymore?”
• “Why aren’t there prophets or epic stories like in ancient times?”
• “Why does it seem like, when I’m reading the Bible, that I’m reading fairy-tales that are detached from real life…those things just don’t happen anymore.  Where is God now?”

Have thoughts like this ever come to your mind?  Have you ever said them?  I have.  So have my children.  In fact, my inquisitive son has asked me these very questions on more than one occasion…usually accompanied by an eye-roll that corresponded to his age when asking.  But that was before he encountered the Lord for himself, and had the choice of believing on the basis of his own observations & thoughts as he grew older.

Is there really, truly a God?  Or is IT just a projection of human longing & meaning that manifests itself as all the various religions throughout the world’s regions & histories.  If the God of the Bible really is there, can He handle our questions?  Is His ego big enough to accept our inquiries?  Are the histories of His works as recorded in the ancient scriptures reliable enough to survive the fire of investigation? I am one who has asked all of these questions, and continue to aggressively search for answers, even to this day.  I can say with confidence that I believe wholeheartedly that the Biblical stories are true, reliable, and prescriptive.  I also believe that the miracles & meanings that characterized God’s activity in ancient times continue today.  I believe it theologically, because Jesus and His followers (and their followers) experienced it and said that it would continue; and I believe it because I see it with my own eyes, hear about it from people I know and trust, and learn crazy/impossible/wonderful stuff happening all over the world all the time!

There are many alternatives to the explanation that there really is One True God – Yahweh of the Jews; the God of the Patriarchs, Judges, Kings, and Prophets, as recorded in what we today call the Old Testament.  The God and Father of Jesus Christ; the Fulfiller of Prophecies who claimed to be God’s Son, miracle worker and healer, controversial teacher and leader of a Spiritual Rebellion against religious hypocrisy & greed…Who inspired the writing of the New Testament and catapulted the greatest movement of faith, hope & love the world has ever known (or will ever know).  But yes, there are many alternative explanations and paths.  There is always choice in belief…what’s important is to only go where truth and love collide.

I’m tired of listening to people give convincing arguments for why the Bible can’t be taken literally.  I wonder what will happen if, instead of getting blown-over by the wind; we decide to take God at His word, lean into it, and believe Him to show up in ways that He promises.  That’s the journey of faith, let’s do it.

Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:11-14)

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20)

“Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:13-18)

Tradition

I have lots of opportunities to spend time with Jesus People of all sorts. Church pastors & preachers, para-church & non-profit leaders, lay leaders who have normal jobs, and church-goers who simply want to understand and follow Jesus in their own lives somehow.  One thing that I see consistently & constantly in just about all of them is some level of confusion regarding what we’re supposed to be aiming for by gathering together…namely, what is “CHURCH?”

Most of the time, when we hear the word “church” in our culture, it refers to a location or a weekly event.  The Greek word translated as “church” appears 114 times in the New Testament, and not once refers to a place or time…it’s people, literally.  Organizations & leaders & sacred practices are not Church….that’s human religion.

All of the people of Jesus are the Church: Each of us beckoned into individual daily communion with Him; commissioned to follow His example in the world we live in; and called to live in interdependent community with small groups of other followers.  This is unmistakably the Biblical model of Jesus and His followers, but it’s a lot easier to just show-up at a big shiny building on Sunday morning that will deliver a taste of all of it into our laps for free, and call it good.  “Life’s too short, we have to make sacrifices along the way…there’s just not enough time to live the Biblical way of Jesus in today’s world…we have to accommodate and be more efficient,” we may think.  Most of us instinctively know this isn’t right, but we don’t act like we know it.  Instead, we act like victims of our culture, settle for daily & weekly & monthly rhythms that squeeze-out God and His people, and wonder why we feel distant from Him and the abundant life that He promised.  Part of this, I think, is because we don’t understand what the Church is.

I feel like the word “church” has been broken & twisted almost beyond recognition in our culture.  With some exceptions, church traditions of all shapes & sizes had their genesis with small numbers of people trying to flesh-out what they’ve considered to be the most compelling aspect of God’s intention for His people together.  So why then, when we look at all the various denominations that have sprung up around the world over the years, do we see such disparity and disagreement…and disillusionment with others?  Why, when we look at the Biblical accounts of the beginning of Jesus’ Church, and compare it to our own present-day corollaries, do they often bear little resemblance to each other?  Why are we making a mockery of one of Jesus’ last & most fervent recorded prayers for the unity of His people? 

I’ll say it.  TRADITION

We love our traditions, but they often distort God’s mission and get in His way.  Even traditions that are meant to be reminders to reengage us with the Father’s heart can have a way of taking-on a life of their own and replacing our focus that belongs to Him.  I’m not anti-tradition, but the older I get the more antagonistic I am becoming about forms & practices that layer-over God’s timeless intentions.  Jesus spoke-out vehemently against manmade traditions that inhibited His Father’s will:

“He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules.’ You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.” (Mark 7:6-8)

Here’s a theoretical question…  What do you think would happen to the American Church if church buildings, services, and clergy, suddenly went away?  What impact would that have on the cause of Jesus in Amercia?  It’s really ironic to me that, here in the “land of the free and the brave,” Christianity has been plummeting in free-fall for decades; while in many places where it’s ridiculed, suppressed, and even persecuted, the Kingdom of Christ is exploding….but it doesn’t look anything like our organized western churches.  It looks more like the rapid, uncontrolled, underground, movemental growth we see in the New Testament.

So what’s my point?  I’m not opposed to traditional churches or services or clergy, but it’s essential that we see these as secondary.  Did I just say that? Yes, "GOING TO CHURCH" IS SECONDARY.  

We have believed the lie that showing-up to a 2-hour meeting in a holy building on Sunday morning with a bunch of strangers is the compulsory part of church that will somehow filter into the rest of our lives; while spending time with Jesus on our own, learning & praying with others, and living it out in the world is like “extra credit.”  I’m calling B.S. on that whole mindset.  I’m calling all of Jesus’ people to focus on the essentials and hold our traditions loosely.  “Going to church services is fine, but it is NOT THE CHURCH… any Christian leader worth his/her salt would agree with me.  

BEING THE CHURCH is about living our daily lives

1. In Jesus

2. With Jesus’ People

3. On Jesus’ Mission in the World

Whatever FORM this takes in your life is “your church.”  No fantastic event, no matter how attractive or inspiring, can ever replace this essential common denominator.  Any tradition that muddies, diverts, or squanders this truth must be poured-out so the cup can be full of the Living Water.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20) 

“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25) 

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Ginosko

I want to know what God wants me to do.  I want to know what’s coming, and I know that He knows already.  Do you think God wants us to know in advance what things will happen to us, and give us knowledge that will help us to experience goodness and to avoid pain?  Why would someone who knew something valuable not share it with a person for whom knowing could produce some benefit?  I think that the Creator has different definitions and values than we Creatures do, and one of the words we confuse is this word “knowing.”  Did you knowtice how many times I used it?  I knew you would….ok I’ll stop.

When we think of the word “know,” we think of thinking thoughts about facts & information…that’s how we think of knowledge…cold, arbitrary, emotionless.  That’s the Western-ness in us.  But in the language of the Bible – which is decidedly not Western – there are different words for knowing, they have colorful and varied meanings and they lead to different places than the territory of the intellect.

For example…

In Matthew 9:4, when it says that Jesus “knew” the peoples’ thoughts about Him, the word translated “knew” is οἶδα - eídō (oida) – to see with physical eyes, as it naturally bridges to the metaphorical sense: perceiving ("mentally seeing"). This is akin to the expressions: "I see what You mean"; "I see what you are saying."  This is the closest parallel to our Western definition of “knowing.”

But all throughout scripture, we see another, deeper definition of knowing that is anything but cold, arbitrary, emotionless.  It’s more relational and committal…often intensely so.  What or whom you “know” represents something about you, your character, and your values.  This is also not like us at all.  We hold information as a commodity that we either have or do not have, and when we have it we own it.  This is not how knowledge was viewed by Jesus, His followers, the Jews, or anyone who has pursued God honestly throughout the ages.  Godly knowledge is not about information, it’s about relation.  Here’s a stunning example that may stop you in your tracks…

In Matthew 1:25, when describing how Joseph did not make love with his wife Mary until after she had given birth to Jesus, the phrase translated in NIV as “have sexual relations” or “consummate their marriage” is actually the single word γινώσκω - ginṓskō – properly, to know, especially through personal experience (first hand acquaintance).  This carries forward the ancient Old Testament Hebrew use of the term “Yada”/ “to know.” (יָדַע).  Have you ever heard someone say something like “He knew her in the Biblical sense.”  Yeah, that kind of know! My favorite Bible passage of all time has this word:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).  The word translated “acknowledge” is KNOW….in the Biblical sense.  So what in the heck is this supposed to mean for us, practically, today?

It’s obvious that this is not about sex; though there is certainly a component to human sexuality that is tied to an overwhelming sense of “knowing” another person, yes?  And in-so-far as sex is not a logical or intellectual endeavor, but one characterized by desire & passion & union, our relationship with God is meant to embody this level of pursuit and fulfillment.

Let that sink in.

When was the last time You felt so enraptured by God’s love for you that you literally felt like you were going to blow up?  Has your awareness of His workings in & through your life been so heightened and acute that you temporarily lost sight of other things?  Have you experienced such a depth of His strength and care and peace that all you could do was just lay there dumbstruck in the afterglow and say thank you?

Ok, sorry if that made you uncomfortable, but not really, I hope it caused you to pause and reflect on Your relationship with Your God the Almighty…the Bridegroom who is preparing a place for His Bride and even today wooing her to Him….wooing you.  Have you ever considered that the story of the Bible is not primarily a record of laws and moral obligations, but the love story of our relentless Father who moves heaven & earth to redeem our union with Him?

So after all that, I come back to my first paragraph about how we want God to give us knowledge about what’s coming and what we should do.  But when we look through His eyes, in terms of His continued pursuit of each one of us with a love we can’t really comprehend, it’s clear that our circumstances are not the point…HE, AND OUR UNION WITH HIM, IS THE POINT!  I don’t mean this to diminish the brokenness of our world and the pain that so many of us endure; but if this world truly is not our home, and making it out of here alive is not reality, then why do we so often chase-the-mirage like it is?  Walking in daily KNOWING with God is the point of this life and the next…everything else flows out of this fullness of union.

“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will KNOW [GINOSKO] the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” (John 8:31-32) 

“I am the good shepherd; I KNOW [GINOSKO] my sheep and my sheep KNOW [GINOSKO]  me— just as the Father KNOWS [GINOSKO] me and I KNOW [GINOSKO] the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-15)

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never KNEW [GINOSKO] you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23) 

“In all your ways, KNOW [YADA] Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6)

The Pursuit of Happiness

As Americans, we are heirs of a culture that is fixated on the concept of happiness as an acquisition…something that is to be pursued, chased after, worked toward.  The implication is that happiness is not something that we have, but a deficiency which can only be fulfilled through effort.  I think there’s a nugget of truth in this, but it’s been hijacked by lies that many of us get tripped-up in believing.  There is a pursuit that produces happiness, but it’s a byproduct rather than the goal itself…and it doesn’t come from us.  There are also vast, well-traveled highways that reward pursuers with glimpses of happiness as they venture farther & farther from it.

We were made for much more than happiness…it’s simply not enough.  “Happiness” has to do with “happenings,” ergo the way to get happy and stay happy is to control the things that happen to you…or that happen because of you.  But we know that this world is far beyond our control, right?   Yet we try every moment of every day to fill that void.

• “If I watch this…
• “If I eat these…
• “If I manipulate these circumstances…
• “If I indulge in...
• “If I am noticed and admired by…
• “If I get this promotion…
• “If I make this money…
• “If I can be more successful than….
• “If I buy this…
• “If I sleep with…“If I drive that…
• ...THEN I will be happy!”

…Until I’m not anymore. Right?  What do we really need in order to be happy, anyway?

There is a God, the Living One who is actually there and at work in His creation to restore the hope and love with which He created it.  His is the realm of the Spirit; which invites us into union with Him, His values, and the delights that come to those who trust Him.  There is also an enemy, one whose defeat has been clinched yet his poison continues to distort all that is good.  His is the realm of the Flesh; which entices our desires, lusts, and jealousies to take control of our own destinies and pursue happiness as an end unto itself.  There is also you and me, God’s image-bearers who are dearly loved, who are called upon to choose whom we will pursue. 

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:5-11)

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:13-25)

“Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man [or woman] of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.” (1 Timothy 6:6-12)

This morning, as I continue my journey of seeking the Lord Jesus for the contentment and peace that only come through Him, I’m reminded of these things.  I say AMEN to them, and commit my way to pursuing HIM; knowing that I can trust Him to give me what I need.