What About Love?

Maybe, since it was the Beatles, we dismissed the message. Maybe, because the word was perverted in the 60's, we thought it wasn't legitimate. Maybe, since it was Jesus that introduced us to the concept, we thought the idea was too lofty. Regardless of our reasoning, what is it about love that we do not get? What is it about love that we have failed to embrace? With all the current ideas about creating cultures within our churches, seeking out the latest "discipleship" methods, and forming new purposes statements, the question I have to ask is: What About Love?

Here it is in black & white: "Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things...So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." [1 Cor. 13:4-13]

Without going into detail about each of the attributes listed above, I just want you to read through them again and ask the question, what is not covered in LOVE?

Considering the shame, condemnation, & judgement that gets hurled at the world - what about love?
Considering the running around in circles within the church trying to get everybody to believe the exact same thing - what about love?
Considering the amount of fear based gospel messages - what about love?
Considering the amount of apocalyptic thought in the world today - what about love?
What is it about this word that leaves us thinking LOVE is not enough?

Jesus used this word as a way of describing our connection with Him. The Apostle John used this word is his description of the very nature of God. Paul felt that love was an important enough topic to designate a significant portion of his letter to the Corinthians to describe what love looks like in our midst. Jesus summed up all the Law & all the Prophets with love. When will we get the picture?

I think (and I mean this is totally my thinking on the matter) that we are afraid that love doesn't do enough. That love tends to let people off the hook. That love doesn't deal with the issues at hand. That love will not confront or love will not challenge. In particular, I think we believe that love doesn't punish. And even though we are grateful that God hasn't dealt with us according to our transgressions (that is biblical theology), we really want Him to deal with everyone else according to theirs (that is not biblical theology).

It's our sense of justice that is not satisfied with the idea of love. If that is the case, then we have a godless view of justice. If God is considered just, and He is, and He has not dealt with us according to our sins, then what would make Him just in dealing with others according to theirs? Does love not cover a multitude of sins? Has God commanded us to love our enemies while He hates His? Is God asking us to be more righteous than He is in Himself?

What has been lost in all of our understanding of love is that LOVE is the greatest purifying agent on the Earth. Think about the times that you encountered TRUE, AUTHENTIC, CHRISTLIKE, AGAPE (unconditional) LOVE. What did it do in your heart? How did it change your life? To be sure that it may have taken some time but when love has you in the cross-hairs, it does not miss. How many people's lives have been changed through this type of love? Brought back home because of the love of a parent/grandparent? Sought to change their lives because they wanted to live fully in the love that has been given to them? Love purifies. This is the consuming fire of our God.

When our understanding of the nature of God becomes centered upon love, it changes everything. When our Gospel becomes centered around the love of God for the entire world, rather than the judgement of God upon sin, it alters the way we preach the finished work of Christ. We begin to see sacrificial love for what it truly is. We see the Father's heart for us. We see the compassion of Jesus for His brethren. We finally take notice of the redemptive love that is found at the Cross. The freeing love that is within the Resurrection. The inclusive love that is seen in the Ascension. It is there already but we have allowed our minds to be cluttered with other things. God is, always has been, and forever will be L-O-V-E. Can we believe that?

What about love? Will the church, once again, be persuaded that this is the greatest possession that we can share with the world? Will we allow ourselves to be molded by, purified in, and practiced in the power of love? It's one of the greatest questions of our day. The world needs intentional love. Will we be intentional?

A Lesson in Encounter

John 5:39-40, "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me! Yet you refuse to come to Me that you may have life." New Living Translation

The verse above consistently challenges me. It reminds me that we can be well versed in Scripture, doctrine, and the practices of our faith; and yet we can still miss out on the person of the Lord. The warning here is that we can be so dogmatic about what we believe about G-O-D that His activity in our lives can be overlooked. Even when He is standing right in front of us.

The men that Jesus is referring to are the ones who had dedicated their lives to the Scriptures. It was their duty to study, to understand, to interpret, and to apply the Torah. Jesus' words to them indicate that they have missed the greatest prophetic moment of their lives. As we read on in the New Testament, we discover that even the Law was meant to point us toward Christ. How could these devoted men miss out on the Messiah?

PRIDE
The refusal to admit we are wrong. The unwillingness on our part to simply say "we missed it."

BLINDNESS
I don't know if the religious leaders of the day could not see or just would not see. If they would not see then refer to the above section on PRIDE. If they could not see, then refer to the next section.

RELIGION
When God gets wrapped up in a religious system then we have to defend the system. The Jews believed their religion to be true with everything in them. All the rituals. All the traditions. All the rules. To have a breakdown in any area meant to have a breakdown with God. They had to protect it.

ARROGANCE
Most of us have heard about Jesus the Carpenter. How many of us have heard about Jesus the Rabbi? I have head a lot of teaching about the religious leaders being offended at this carpenter, but how about their offense at this teacher of the Law upsetting their understanding? I'm sure His age was offensive as well. How could someone so young made such radical declarations? How could He just come in and upset our way of doing things?

BIBLIOLATRY
The worship of Scriptures is never encouraged in Scripture. Is there a need to reverence what is written? Absolutely. However, anytime we lift up the written word above the revealed WORD, we have some major problems. Of course, the Jews did not hold within our scrolls what we hold in our hands today, but in their reading of the Torah they should have been able to see His coming.

I'm sure there are other things that were in play, but the warning here for us today is clear: We don't need to get so caught up in our belief systems that we miss the person of Jesus. The Bible should be a way of encountering Him. Our doctrines/beliefs should be a way of knowing Him in a better way, not trying to box Him in. Everything about our faith should lead to encounter. It should lead us to seeing Him clearly.

The religious leaders did not have a chapter & verse to explain Him. What they failed to realize is that He was the chapter & verse. HE IS THE WORD MADE FLESH. He is the divine expression of God. What they believed about the Scriptures should have led them to Him. However, in the end, they chose their religion and their own understanding over the life He offered.

May we have eyes to see and ears to hear. This is a lesson we need to learn. May we see Jesus.

Where Did You Go?

As a member of the human race, I must confess, there are days that I just don't feel it. Know what I'm talking about? Days when you just don't feel spiritual, normal, or loving. Days when you feel insignificant. It's in those moments that I have to make a choice. Am I going to embrace life OR am I going to escape?

Escapism - the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.
Been there?

There is just too much of our faith wrapped up in this type of thinking. We gather in the church to escape the pressures of life. We long for a rapture so we can escape the world. In fact, there's a lot of people who jumped in the faith journey just to escape hell. We seek to distract ourselves from unpleasant realities. In this case, it comes in the form of spirituality. Not really engaging. Simply going through the motions.

At some point in our lives, our faith needs to move from a sense of escaping life to an embracing of life. If we look at Jesus' statements concerning what He offered, it revolved around life. REAL LIFE. Life with purpose. Life with meaning. Coming to Jesus had nothing to do with escapism but everything to do with embracing what life was really all about.

Where's the disconnect? I think it's in our own thinking. We have viewed ourselves apart from our Father for far too long. We have seen ourselves through the eyes of Adam's Fall rather than in our original design. Paul told the Gentiles in Athens that God is not far from them. This blows the minds of any religious thinker. Yet here we are in 2014 still talking about people being separated from God. Therefore, faith becomes a means to disconnect from life rather than a way to connect with the true reality of it. Throw religion into the mix & you have what has been called the opiate of the masses.

Have we ever considered that the reason see faith in God is viewed this way because people see through the facade? Rather than real, living, breathing, authentic followers of Christ, all they see is the going through the motions. They don't experience change. They don't experience authenticity. We rail on the world about what they see in us rather than doing what needs to be done to change their opinion. They see it as an escape. We handle it like an escape. And we lose ourselves in the process.

I know the Bible talks about leaving the temporary & entering into the eternal. I realize that mortality will be swallowed up by immortality. I believe that we will lay down these earthly tents and be fully clothed. It's in the Bible. But what about the mean time? What happens in the middle of the story? Do we simply escape life or do we embrace it?

I get it. Life gets difficult sometimes. We go through some unpleasant things every now and then. But it's in those moments when we are to set our mind on heavenly things, not earthly things. It's in those moments that we are to live as those who are seated with Christ in Heavenly places. There's no need to run & hide. There's no need to lose ourselves in religious exercise. No need to hide in ritual. God can handle us where we are, in whatever circumstance we are going through, and regardless of how we feel. Scripture declares that we are more than conquerors. I don't see conquerors escaping. I see them overcoming.

Do you believe that it is in Him that we live & move & have our being?
Do you believe that He is the source for true, genuine, & authentic life?
Do you believe that your Heavenly Father wants you to experience His fullness right now?
Then where are you going? Why are you hiding? Why do we fantasize about an early departure? We were meant to inherit this earth, not escape it. We were meant to fill the earth not abandon it. We were meant to have dominion, not run & hide in our religion.

If abundant life was not possible then I don't believe Jesus would have offered it. This is where we have to step up to the plate. This is where we have to connect spiritually. This is where we close our eyes to the circumstances around us & look into the depths of the Holy Spirit within us. What God has given to us in Christ has a promise for the future but it also has practical use for today. Let's not waste it. Let us begin using faith as a means to embracing all that life has to offer. Stop hitting the escape button. Stop wearing masks. Stop thinking that you are not enough. Allow the original you to come forth. See yourself for who you really are and live with everything in you. You don't have to wait till Heaven to experience true & abiding life. Live it now.

Left to Ourselves...

One of my favorite statements from the movie Forrest Gump is, "Stupid is as stupid does." While it may sound a little harsh or condescending, the statement does point to cause & effect relationship. You may find this hard to believe, but Paul made a similar statement (sort of) in Ephesians 4. However, he also linked the stupidity of our own thinking to some things that are important for us to understand.

"So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart..." ~ Ephesians 4:17-18

I have used these verses on several occasion for the blog. They speak to the reality that so many people experience in their lives. When Paul decided to encourage the believers to not walk according to the Gentiles, he pointed out that they were simply living in the "futility of their mind." In other words, it was the emptiness of their own thinking (or blindness of their hearts depending on your English translation). They had been left to their own devices. What is interesting about this verse is the original language. The Greek is very pointed in its wording and can be translated "the STUPIDITY of their own thinking." OUCH!!!

There are plenty of places in the Bible that are this abrasive. I guess the translators chose to ease the language up a bit. However, Paul's point should be noted. When we are left to the stupidity of our own thinking, it can lead to lives that are lived in complete & utter darkness. The Apostle did take us a little deeper in his understanding. He believed the Gentiles lived the way they lived because they were ignorant (unlearned) and hardhearted (unbelieving). As I read these words, I'm reminded of two very important principles of life:
1) You cannot live in what you do not know
2) You cannot embrace what you do not believe

A Life of Ignorance...
The reason people live the way they live is because they don't know the truth. In their case, ignorance isn't bliss, ignorance is destructive. It keeps people bound to lifestyles that can be dangerous, hurtful, and even shameful. Without knowledge of the truth, they continue to live according to the world system in which they were raised. Ignorant of God and all that He had accomplished in Christ, they continue in idolatry & pagan practices. Believing they were satisfying some pagan deity, they were missing out on what it mean to be related to the One True God.

Paul went after this type of thinking in Athens. He witnessed, firsthand, their zeal for the Unknown God. Sent as a light to the Gentiles, he wanted to reveal to them the God that they worshiped in ignorance. Quoting the poets of their day, he longed to bring into their understanding that the God who created them, the One in which they "lived & moved & had their being" was not like the idols fashioned after wood or stone. He came in our form. Fashioned in the likeness of men. Into our darkness. Gave His life & was raised from the dead. While there were some who believed, there were many others who laughed at the idea of someone being raised from the dead. This leads me to the second point.

A Life of Blindness...
The people of Athens chose to live in blindness. They struggled to grasp the resurrection through their own thinking. What was once ignorance had been turned into pride. Rather than believe on the One whom Paul preached, regardless of how intrigued they were, they hardened their hearts. He became just another "babbler" to them.

This happens in our day as well. Once people are enlightened to the truth, when they choose to reject it, it becomes a matter of the heart. For whatever reason, they close their minds/hearts to the reality of Jesus Christ. It may have something to do with the way they were raised. It might be because the truth is so different than their own understanding of God. Whatever the reason, the excuse can no longer be ignorance. This is where pride sets up and creates a stronghold in the lives of people. They choose to live blinded to the truth.

When we don't know the truth, or we have allowed ourselves to become blind to the truth, we are left with only 1 option: to live according to our own way of thinking. Left to ourselves, we can create multiple realities. Ignorant of the life that God has provided for us, we live according to our own desires. Blinded to the truth of Jesus, we continue to seek a way to please the unknown gods in our life. This type of living looks different for every person. However, the emptiness and pain is all too real.

This is not only true to those "in the world", but I see this reality in the lives of many professing Christians. Ignorant of the goodness of God has led many people to a life of legalism. They have become the "do not touch, do not taste, do not handle" group of our day. Bound in a life of ritual and regulations, they simply miss out on the freedom that Christ came to bring. Rather than seeing the Law as something that Jesus fulfilled, they continue to try to meet its demands. They are frustrated, empty, and simply waiting to go home. Rather than embrace life & their role in the Earth, they seek to escape (preferably through the rapture). The good news for the ignorant is that they can be educated. They can come to understanding of the finished work of Christ. They can be taught about the death, burial, resurrection, & ascension of Jesus. And this TRUTH can set them free.

On the other hand, you have those who are blinded to the truth. They reject teaching on the finished work of Christ. Rather than embracing the reality of it, they become hardened in their thinking. They become even more rigid when you speak of freedom. For many of them it is simply the task of protecting what they have always believed to be true. "This is what Grandpa believed" or "This is what Mom taught me." Regardless of their reasoning, the unwillingness to repent (change the way they think) has left them to their own devices. They live lives trying to please a God who has already been satisfied through the Son. Why? All because of pride. Repentance is the only cure.

These are the ones who took the "blue pill" (see picture above). They simply go back to sleep, wake up and believe what they want to believe. For them, the rabbit hole is too deep and too dangerous. They would rather live in their blindness because their blindness is all they know. This is their reality. For those who have taken the "red pill" - the ones who have opened themselves up to the truth - they are the ones who have been freed into the life of the Son. They take their place in their generation. They rise up through the grace of God & will not go back. They have went down the rabbit hole of God's goodness & discovered Him to be even greater than imagined.

Ignorance & Unbelief. Two of the greatest dangers known to humanity. Ignorance creates mindless followers of ideology. Unbelief creates hardened individuals to their own way of thinking. Each of them creates a reality outside of the life of God. The finished work of Christ ensures that we don't have to live this way. We can live in Him - in His fullness - in His grace. No longer left to ourselves, we will be amazed at what He does in & through our lives. This is the journey. ENJOY!!!

Emerging Faith

The letter to the Hebrews has plenty to say about faith. Where I am in my journey with the Lord is discovering a greater quality of faith. I'm not as interested in a faith that acquires things as much as a faith that allow me to become. A faith that allows me to live consistently. A faith that allows me to be in the midst of every circumstance.

Emerge - verb - move out of or away from something to come into view
- become apparent, important, prominent
- (of facts or circumstances) become known
When I talk about an emerging faith, I'm talking about something that rises up from within. Something that becomes apparent to everyone around you. A faith that becomes known regardless of our circumstances.

Most of us have heard plenty of sermons about faith. Most of which have been directed at our trusting God for something greater. While I do believe this is a certain aspect of faith, I don't believe it is the overarching theme of faith that we discover in the New Testament. The faith that we see in the early church creates quality lives. Men & Women who do not shrink back in the face of adversity. A people whose faith has been tested in the fire and proven to be true. A faith that emerges from within and allows each individual to step into the light.

Do I believe God for things? Of course. However, my faith is not rooted in the giving, but the GIVER. My faith is rooted in His nature, not His activity. What do I mean by this? If you read through Hebrews you will discover a letter written to the scattered church. These men & women have been forced from their homes in the midst of persecution. They have experienced incredible loss, been ridiculed, and witnessed death. Yet the writer continues to encourage them. He wants them to hold on to the incredible hope of Jesus Christ without wavering. He wants them to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good works in the midst of it all. He instructs them to encourage one another. He sees a day approaching. He believes in a time when the persecution will end and judgement will come upon the Old Covenant system that harasses them. He does not want these brothers & sisters to lose themselves.

I'm seeing this quality of faith in my Ukrainian brothers & sisters. In the midst of the chaos they continue to emerge. They continue to reach out to one another. A friend of mine has taken aid into the hostile regions, carried refugees out to safety, and continually encouraged the church in the hell that they face. Most of the people I know have been run out of their homes, relocated to other areas, and are meeting secretly as I type these words. Some have stayed (whether by choice or by circumstance). None of them are shrinking back but continue to allow their faith to strengthen them, rise to the occasion, and seek to encourage one another. I'm honored to know them. And, to borrow a phrase from Hebrews, the world is not worthy of them.

Faith outside of persecution tends to become distorted. It becomes about things. This is not meant to knock anyone's faith, but to demonstrate how different our faith looks when we live in peace. Faith in the midst of persecution, however, looks very different. It's a means of survival. It's hoping against hope. It brings the quality of who you are to the surface. How much easier would it be to shrink back? Who would be concerned if I just went into survival mode - hid myself - and waited for all of this to pass over? When I say that faith is a means of survival, I'm not talking about just staying alive. I mean that faith is our life. It's about who we become in the trial.

This requires an unquenchable faith. Nothing less than the faith of Jesus emerging within us. Faith that believes nothing can separate us from the love of God. Faith that allows the original you, the one made in image & likeness, to rise to the surface. A faith that changes who we are, what we do, & how we behave. Paul talked about this kind of faith in Galatians 2:20, "...the life that I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God..." I believe that he saw the faith of Jesus as a means of being truly alive. The circumstances did not matter. Whether he was hungry or full did not sway him. Safety or shipwreck would not alter what he knew to be true. The faith of Christ has changed him forever and he would not hold back.

Faith is more than a belief. It is a solid conviction. It is a trust & a confidence. It's an absolute reliance. According to Hebrews 11 it is substance & evidence of a greater reality. This is the faith that I'm talking about. This is the faith that emerges from within us. This is the faith that allows us to rise up. It is unquenchable because it comes from the Lord. It is overcoming, fearless, & undaunted. It is the faith that allows you to become.

Never allow faith to be separate from who you are. May it emerge, come to the surface, and forever alter your reality.

Unlearning...

The journey that I have been on over the last few years has taught me many valuable lessons. One in particular is that as much as I have learned, I have had to do a lot of unlearning. I saw a sign last night that reminded me of the importance of this principle. It read, "Repentance is not a one time thing." The sign was correct. There is always room for changing our minds (repentance).

If you are like me, then you were born & raised around Western Christianity. Our understanding of the Bible, God, salvation, and pretty much everything else we have believed has been rooted in the Protestant Reformation. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, I believe it has hindered us in how we perceive certain aspects of the faith. What happens is that we pick up a Bible, read it, and read into it our western thinking. Therefore, what I am proposing to you today may be a little challenging. Hope you are willing to stay on board.

I want us to consider the New Testament in our discussion. Most of us understand that the NT is the portion of the entire Bible where we are introduced to Jesus through the Gospels, invited to walk alongside the early church in Acts, are able to learn valuable lessons through the letters written to particular churches, and bewildered by the sights & sounds of the Revelation. There are several tools we have to use when trying to interpret these writings.
1) Original Language
I am not a Greek scholar. However, I do have the books & programs to look into the Greek. What I can tell you is that things do get lost in translation.
2) Context is King
This tool keeps us from lifting a verse out of the text. In other words, it keeps things in the flow.
3) Original Thought
This one is a little bit tricky because it requires us to not read into the text. We need to see things from the writer's perspective.

Even with all of these tools in place, there is still so much that we have to learn (or unlearn). It's this portion of the blog where I get to ask you some questions. Hold on to your hat because these may be some big ticket items.
How many you have heard that we are born sinful?
How many of you have been taught that man is totally depraved (unable to do good - bound to sin)?
How many of you have been brought up in a church that taught predestination (God chooses some to go to Heaven & others to go to Hell)?
Not only have many of us been taught these things, we were given Bible verses to uphold these ideas. Unfortunately, these are not Biblical ideas. What do I mean by that? I mean that you cannot read these things from the original writers. They have to be read into the text.

The New Testament is a collection of writings from the Apostles of Jesus Christ. These were Jewish men who followed the Lord, believed Him to be the Messiah, saw Him after His resurrection, and are considered to be the pillars of the church. What has been lost over the years is this understanding. These men were Jews. Their understanding of God, faith, sin, repentance, etc. was established through their Jewish upbringing. While Jesus certainly went after some of their misunderstandings about the nature of God, there are certain things that He did not address. Why is all of this important? It's important because you will have to see things through a Jewish mindset to understand the NT writings.

Did you know that Jews believe that man was created in the image & likeness of God?
Did you know that Jews believe that man was born pure & morally neutral?
Did you know that Jews believe that man was born with free will?
These are all basic principles of the Jewish faith found in the Torah. And these are all principles that Jesus never corrects. So, as you look over these things and realize that this is part of the Jewish understanding, you cannot read Paul's writings to the church and say "Paul says we are all born sinners" or "Paul teaches predestination." These things do not line up with the Jewish understanding of God or man. We have simply interpreted these things through our Western/Greek Mindsets. While the New Testament was written in Greek, Greek thought was not in its writings.

I had a conversation with a friend of mine the other day who was dealing with a passage of Scripture from Jeremiah (Old Testament Prophet). Jeremiah states that "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick..." My friend was using this particular verse to say that every person's heart is wicked. Which isn't a hard statement when you come from a background where you believe that man is totally depraved. My challenge to him was to ask him through an email to consider that Jeremiah may not be speaking to every human being. I challenged him to look at the verse in context. Who was Jeremiah talking to? What is surrounding this particular verse? Because the reality is that Jeremiah is speaking to Israel. He is the prophet, chosen by God, to stand before the nation so that they will turn from their ways. What we know about Jeremiah's tenure as prophet is that not one person in Israel repented. He's referred to as the "Weeping Prophet." I believe what he is saying in this particular verse states exactly how he feels about Israel in that moment in time. Everyone's heart was deceitful & sick. They could not see the truth about what was getting ready to come upon them. And here we are in our western mindsets using a verse like this one to keep people bound up in a line of thinking that says they are completely separated from God, totally depraved, sinful from birth, and that wickedness is at the core of their being. This could not be further from Jewish thinking.

This past Sunday, a friend of mine was sharing with our church. He used a phrase that we both enjoy and that phrase is "original you." Original You refers to that which God had in mind when He created you. It's the part of you that was created with image & likeness. Every person that we meet, at the heart of who they are is image & likeness. What has happened to us is there is a person that we created outside of relationship with God. This is what the Bible calls the "flesh." Depending on how long you lived before acknowledging Jesus as Lord, you may have a lot of the flesh to overcome. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit goes right past the flesh and into the original you so that it can emerge.

God does not see us as totally depraved, but He does see us as blind to the TRUTH. Listen to Paul's words about the Gentiles in Eph. 4:18, "They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts."
Sounds like someone who is living with blinders on.
Now listen to Paul's words concerning his Jewish brethren, "Brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God..." (Rom. 10:1-3).
Starting to make sense?

Paul believed that he was sent as a light to the Gentiles - to open their eyes to the truth of the Gospel. He was not being sent to people that were totally depraved. He was sent to people who were denied access to the God of Israel. He was sent to a people that had been despised & rejected. He was sent to open their eyes to God's love for them. Paul's words to them: You have been included.

I don't know about you, but that was a lot of unlearning for me. In fact, if we are not willing to repent of this line of thinking, it can be downright offensive. However, for those who are willing to embrace this, you will discover a freedom like never before. You can begin to see a God who came down into our darkness, into our despair, and into our utter blindness to His goodness, and rescued us. This...Is...the...Gospel. A God who didn't despise our flesh but wrapped Himself up in it. A God who embraced us in our lostness. A God who has shown His love through the coming of His Son. We have been REDEEMED. We Have been RECONCILED. IT IS FINISHED!!!

2 Corinthians 5:18-20, "Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

Stepping Out of Unforgiveness

I watch a 2-3 minute clip this morning from a TD Jakes message that spoke to something that is all too common. He talked about people being imprisoned, their lives put on hold, their dreams tucked away because of something someone did. "What someone did in a moment...someone got in your line of sight...for 38 years, you've held on to it." I wonder how many people have been imprisoned by this very thing. While unforgiveness gives you a sense of being in control, the reality is that it keeps you from moving forward in life.

Hear the words of Nelson Mandela, "As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison."


There's a good many people we encounter every day who are living in shackles. You may not see them but they are there. It's in their mind or their heart. They have tried everything to live life as normal. Thinking they are moving forward, they continue to spin their wheels in the mire of the past. The pain, hurt, & scars of the past are still very real. Rather than forgive the offender, they push it down, not realizing the effect it has on current relationships & life.

In Matthew 18, Jesus tells the story of a servant that was forgiven a debt. When this servant left the presence of his master, he ran into another servant who owed him money. Fresh from his own moment of forgiveness, you would think the first servant would have shown mercy. However, he treated the other servant wickedly. He choked him, demanded payment, and drug him to the prison until the debt could be paid. When the master heard about this tragedy, he called the wicked servant into his presence and then had him thrown in jail until his previously forgiven debt could be paid in full. In fact, according to the story, the master handed him over to the torturers. What an image. One moment your life is free and the next you are being tortured. Why? Listen to the words of the master, "Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?"

This story is meant to draw our attention to the cruelty of unforgiveness. No matter how much we justify it. No matter how much we think we are in the right. The reality is that we live in torment because of our unwillingness to display the same mercy that has been given to us. We put our lives on hold. We fail to see our dreams realized. We struggle to find joy, peace, & contentment. All because we have allowed the offense (whatever it is) to take up residence in our hearts. Bitterness & Unforgiveness are cells that only have 1 key and you hold it. No one else can open these doors. No one else can help you out. Only when we choose to let go of the past will we be able to move into the future.

"You just don't know what they did!"
"You have no idea how much pain they caused!"
"You don't realize how difficult this has been!"
These are all statements that I have heard. These are all declarations of the right bitterness has to remain in their lives. These are all excuses for imprisonment.

What if you knew that you had the ability to forgive? What if I told you that right now, where you are, you could walk away from the misery & torment of the past? What if you knew that the darkness could be lifted once & for all? Would you act upon these things? Would you be willing to let go of your pride, your right to be justified? Would you release that someone so that you could go free? The reality is that you do have the ability to forgive. The reality is that you could walk away from the misery & torment of the past. The darkness could be lifted and you can go free. It all rests on your willingness to allow the grace of God to empower you. Trust me, there is grace for this. Jesus, being nailed to a cross, cried out to His Father, "Forgive them. They don't know what they do."

The people we have chosen to not forgive have moved on. They have gotten married, entered into new careers, bought new cars, & have essentially been untouched by our bitterness. We think we are holding the cards but the reality is that the deck is stacked against us. We will not move ahead in our lives or our spirituality. There may be some of you reading this blog right now who have things that you have held onto for years. And while you believe you are justified for your feelings, the reality is that you are imprisoned. The only way to walk into freedom is to step our of unforgivness.

LET IT GO! Don't give the torturers another day. Why would you remain shackled? "He who has been forgiven much, loves much." This should be the reality of your life. Just say "Papa, I choose to forgive ________________. I release them from the bitterness that I have held onto. I ask you to bless their lives and allow me to walk in the freedom you have provided. I will not longer live from an offended heart. In Jesus' name."

A new life awaits you when you pray that prayer from your heart. The lighter you is ready to emerge. It's within your grasp. Don't waste another moment. BE MADE FREE!!!

A Pioneering Spirit

On Sunday I was reminded once again of the significance of being a pioneer. While this word may not mean much to many of you, to me it has been the lifeblood of a journey. A journey of never settling. A journey of discovery. A life in the Spirit filled with adventure. I invite you to travel with me.

To be a Pioneer requires risk, tenacity, and a heart for the journey. It means looking beyond what is and focusing on what can be. We tend to celebrate pioneers of technology, business, etc.; but we seem to shy away from the pioneers of faith. Those wild-eyed dreamers seem to shake us up a little bit. They cannot be satisfied with status-quo. They must press forward & believe for more.

I want you to consider that the Kingdom of God was always meant to be pioneered. It was meant to be explored and advanced. The gifts that God gave to the church (people) that were meant to facilitate this movement were apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. They were to envision a growing & advancing kingdom. This meant going into uncharted territory. It meant discipling the nations. When you read the book of Acts, it seems as though every time the believers thought about settling, something would take place to force them out of the comfort zone. I believe God used these moments to awaken His sons & daughters to their original design. To GO into all the nations. Teaching people to observe everything that Jesus had taught them. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. If you do not have a pioneering spirit, then it will be hard to stomach the journey.

The Gospel of the Kingdom has been long forgotten in much of the church. A message that was meant to touch every people group. It has been replaced by the gospel of salvation. While this message may touch people's lives, it does not necessarily advance the Kingdom. The Gospel of the Kingdom declares the King's Domain. It proclaims what the Father has accomplished through the Son, and it is not satisfied to dwell in a particular camp. God envisioned every tribe, every tongue, & every nation to receive the GOOD NEWS of this Kingdom. But they will never hear as long as we are content to settle.

The settlement mentality is killing the church. No longer seeking to advance the Kingdom. No longer seeking to go deeper in our understanding. No longer wanting to go deeper into His heart. We believe we have arrived. We have the Holy Spirit, we own a Bible, and we have a building. What else do we need? All the while we settle and our settlements become encampments. We build walls around them. We defend them. And the world is left on the outside without a clue on how to get in.

What was once a thriving church in the midst of persecution has become a waning club in the midst of comfort. Satisfied with the idea that we are simply carrying the faith that was once delivered to the saints, we argue over the most insignificant things. Much like a country led by a democracy, we throw in our opinions, we vote, & we elect leaders. All of this is meant to make our lives less difficult. But my question is, where is the Kingdom in all of it? Where is the advancing powerhouse called the Body of Christ that was meant to fill the earth with the glory of God? Where are the pioneers that will advance the kingdom and claim uncharted territory? Where are the pioneers of our faith who dare to dream & dare to hear from God?

To be sure, pioneering is difficult, but isn't that the nature of adventure? Isn't it often filled with trials, difficulty, and even danger? Is it not worth our lives? The idea that we have all the answers or that God has spoken everything that He will speak is ridiculous. The idea that God is content with our houses of worship, annual trips to some far off destination, or the sending out of a few missionaries here and there, wreaks of the settlement mentality. It does not envision and understanding of God that is ever widening or a kingdom that is ever advancing. We are missing out on so much because we do not dare question or think for ourselves. We do not dare to do anything other than what is already being done. Rather than pioneering things in the Spirit, we are content to parrot things in the flesh. Where are those who dare to think with God?

When I talk about church in this way, I'm talking about the corporation. The gathered together of the 501c3. The people who have believed that God is caught up in traditions, rituals, and styles. The encampments of denominational mindsets and believe that the Kingdom of God has subdivisions called Baptist, Presbyterian, Church of God, Pentecostal, Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, etc. Denominations are nothing more than monuments to past moves of God. Settlements of thought, theology, & doctrine. Communities that have lost their Kingdom identity. Lost is the advancement of the Kingdom. It has been replaced with the advancement of our denominations. I know because I have been in those meetings. There is no honor for our brothers & sisters in other denominations. There is no conversation about what is working over in the others camps. And when we become entrenched in this line of thinking, the only vision we carry is tunnel vision. We struggle to see outside of our own particular ways.

The generation that is rising within the church RIGHT NOW is looking to pioneer. They see what has been lost. They long for the reality of the Kingdom of God in every day life. They want to know how the finished work of Christ impacts their lives, their relationships, and their communities. They want more than Sundayanity. They are not content with potlucks, Sunday night singings, or pizza parties. They want to see the book of Acts alive & well in their lifetime. They are hungry to know God in His fullness. They believe, like many of us did at one time or another, that there is more to this life. They see the church as something more glorious than buildings dotting the landscape. They have had an encounter with God outside of their salvation experience and know that this is what we were meant to live in. Religion will not cut it. Going to church does not satisfy. Apologetics will not curb their appetite. It's the living God they long for and His Kingdom that they want to see advancing. Much like Peter, they cry out, "Lord if that is really you (out in the water), bid me come." Do I believe this generation can take the church where we have not? ABSOLUTELY!!!

A person with a pioneering spirit recognizes that the Kingdom of God is within. He knows that everywhere He goes the Kingdom goes. And He is not looking to start a new settlement. He wants to change a culture. May we capture this vision. May we see the Kingdom of God advance like never before. May the grace of God make this dream a reality.
This is a call to all pioneers. The Kingdom is waiting to manifest. Enjoy the journey!!!

The Heart

Every Friday afternoon during football season, I have the opportunity to share some encouragement with the Fort Chiswell football players after they are fed by several of the ladies in our church.

Over the last couple of weeks, I have talked to these young men about 1) Their Will & 2) Their Mind. Today, I'm going to share with them about the heart. This is my attempt to share something with them that can apply to life & football.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."

As I came across this verse, I was reminded of Captain America. Many of you have seen the movie. Others may have read the comics. But one of my favorite scenes is when the Doctor is talking to Steve about the procedure that he is going to having in the morning. The serum that he will be injected with is going to bring incredible enhancements to his physical body. However, one of the interesting aspects of the serum is that is basically personifies what is inside a person. Whatever is true on the inside of the individual will come to the surface for the whole world to see.

Is it any wonder Solomon in all his wisdom told his son to watch over his heart? We all face certain things in life that will test the metal of what is inside of us. Moments where the spotlight will shine brightly upon our character. It's in those moments that skill, talent, & gifts can be used as a tool to build you up, or they can be the very thing that destroys our lives.

I once heard someone say that when you look at many of the people in the Bible, that it wasn't their areas of weakness where they struggled but in the areas of the strengths. Think about it, David was called a man after God's own heart. Yet we all know that there came a time when David's heart failed him. Rather than guard (or watch over) his heart, he allowed it to be filled with desires that were not of God.

There are many things that we have to guard against:
Pride
Arrogance
Over Confidence
Lustful Desires
Insecurities
Etc.
When we are tested, whatever we have allowed in will come out.

It is my desire that when I'm finished with these young men, that they will leave more than a legacy of great football. We are in the business of raising up the next generation of men. Men who will lead families. Men who will take over places of leadership in the workplace, government, or the church. Hopefully, what we have sowed into them will take root and that will be what comes out of their lives.

Have a great weekend!!!

Never Forget

Today we honor the lives that were lost in the most horrific attack on US soil. The images, sadness, and confusion of that day still lingers with us. While our nation has attempted to move forward, it's imperative that we are reminded of the unity that was forged that day.

September 11, 2001 brought a realization that our nation is not as safe as we previously thought. However, we also realized that we could be unified more than we previously imagined. We were a nation united in grief, in shock, in prayer, and in utter resolve to find answers. During one of the darkest days in American history, we discovered a bright shining light within her people.

The hours, days, weeks, & months that followed Sept. 11th were filled with people coming together to grieve, to support, and to help one another. None of us can forget the images of emergency personnel, construction workers, and volunteers of all kinds who were willing to dig through the debris, carry a cup of cold water, serve meals, and lend a helping hand. There was tremendous support for families, for our leaders, and for our military. We stopped being designated by political affiliation, religious dogma, societal ranking, etc. We were reminded of what it meant to be truly American. One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

When people rose up with declarations of judgement against America - we ignored them. When the naysayers believed that we could not overcome - we resisted them. When the conspiracy theorists began their debates - we shut them out. It wasn't the time or the place. We realized that the Americans who lost their lives came from various backgrounds, religious beliefs, and lifestyles. The people who attacked us did not care who died. Yet...somehow...we grieved for every one. We were a nation united.

I'm reminded of an ecumenical prayer service in the days that followed. Members of various religious groups joined together to pray for our nation. You see, it's in those brief moments we are reminded of the freedoms our nation affords. It wasn't a time to prove who was right or wrong. It was a time to pray for comfort, wisdom, protection, and guidance for our nation.

I find it interesting that the men who flew those planes believed they were doing the work of their god, and there were other religious leaders who agreed with them by saying that this act of terror was the judgement of God upon America. Of course, we know both to be wrong. We know that this was the acts of violent men seeking to bring terror into our nation. The acts of God were found in the streets. The acts of God were seen in firefighters running into burning buildings to save whomever they could. The acts of God were discovered in the hugs, the acts of kindness, and the devotion to one another. Some may ask, "Where was God during 9/11?" May answer is: How did you miss Him?

Let us remember those who have lost loved ones, neighbors, and co-workers.
Let us remember our leaders who still have the job of protecting our freedoms and our nation.
Let us remember our military who continue to fight against terrorism wherever we find it.
Let us remember the unity that was forged in our hearts that day. A day when we were all Americans. And let us find the resolve to recapture that unity - live in it - and NEVER FORGET.

Anticipating God

There are days when we anticipate seeing/hearing/sensing God. Like when you go to church (I hope). Then there are days when you don't expect to see, hear, or sense anything. Like a Monday morning for instance (sound familiar?). The reality that I'm learning to live with is that we can anticipate Him showing up just about anywhere, through just about anyone and/or anything.

It's in those moments when you realize that most of the sacred/secular designations we place upon things is totally our doing. When the Lord reveals Himself through someone, or something, other than our pre-conceived notions, we realize that He hasn't wrapped Himself up in a book. He hasn't designated Himself to our buildings, our rituals, or our traditions. The fact that the Holy Spirit is so active in the earth right now gives Him the right to reveal Himself any way He chooses.

I live with anticipation.

Anticipation is not expectation. Knowing the difference can keep us from a lot of disappointment. How many times have we expected God to move in a certain way and it didn't happen? For whatever reason, He just didn't show up the way we expected. Anticipation on the other hand regards the movement of God as probable. It's living with hope. It means going through life with discernment. It requires a depth to our spirituality that we can often overlook. I mean...how many times has the Lord showed up in something we considered not right or not holy? How many times have we missed His voice because it came through something we considered religious? Anticipation leads us to live in such a way that we are sensitive to the Lord in every circumstance.

Go back through the Bible sometime and see how many times the Lord showed up in a way that nobody could have predicted. If anything, see that Jesus came as the Messiah in a way that the religious leaders were not anticipating. It seems that the only people group of people who had an anticipation about them was a group of stargazers who showed up at His birth. Not exactly the crowd you would have expected. But their anticipation of something happening led them to an amazing experience.

I was reminded of the joy of anticipation this morning when I downloaded the new U2 album. Apparently Apple & U2 have this incredible partnership and they gave the album away for free. I had some anticipation about the album because of the people I knew that were already downloading it & because Bono always finds a way to allow the Lord to sing through him. What I did not expect was that the goodness of God would show up through so many of the songs. One of the songs on the album is titled "Song for Someone" and is nothing less than a prophetic declaration. I imagined Bono just walking through the streets like the minstrels of old, declaring the glory of God for someone to hear, filling the earth with God's goodness. There are songs, much like this one, that are so true to Bono that the Lord cannot help but being a part of them. As I listened, I could not help but think this is an amazing work of worship disguised as a rock album. Or maybe it's the other way around. God doesn't need the distinction.

While many of us have experienced the Lord in significant ways - ways in which we did not expect. How many of us have learned to carry the anticipation? How many of us have woke up with the idea that it is very probable that the Lord could move even on a Monday? How many of us realize that God doesn't need a Sunday morning gathering to make Himself known?

This works for the non-religious as well. How many of them showed up at a church service not expecting, or anticipating, anything? How many have stayed away from gatherings because they don't believe God has any part in them. Oh, I have heard some of those surprising statements as well. Times when the Lord spoke through someone, some act of worship, or some song. They were totally blown away.

We were designed to experience our Heavenly Father. We are meant to hear Him call our names. Part of the journey we are on requires that we have eyes to see & ears to hear. He may be speaking to you through the Scriptures. He may use the preacher. He could be speaking to you through your child. Or He may even use your circumstances just to reveal how near He is to you. Will you see Him? Can you hear Him in the chaos? Can you sense His presence? This is what walking in the Spirit allows into our lives. It keeps us from always being caught up in the natural. It causes us to look much deeper. It reminds us that we are children of God even when we may feel abandoned.

Anticipation allows us to experience God in unexpected places and through unexpected people. It calls to remembrance the words of Scripture, "set your mind on things above." It's part of the process of seeing Heaven Invade Earth.

Father,
We realize that things are not always what they seem. We choose to live in anticipation. We believe that you can show up at any time, in any way, and through any one that you choose. May we be sensitive to your heart & the movement of your Holy Spirit. We don't want to miss a moment.
In Jesus we pray,
Amen

Till We All Attain to the Unity of the Faith

O.K. This is the fourth and final re-write of the blog for today. I have tried to find a way to deal with questions concerning the latest social media outcry against the Osteens. I realize that there are people who want me to weigh in on the matter. However, I want to warn you that it may be offensive.

Several weeks ago, I heard about a big name pastor who was asked to step down from his church. There were accusations of plagiarism, mishandling church funds to create a best selling book, and abuse of power. As soon as I heard the report, my response was one of sadness. While I don't agree with any of his actions, nor do I a follow his ministry, I don't promote the bashing of other ministries. What does this have to do with the Osteens? While I don't agree with everything they say, nor do I follow their ministry, I don't promote the bashing of other ministries.

Paul speaking to the church at Ephesus talks about the need for Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. He tells the church that the function of these individuals is to equip the saints for the building up of the Body of Christ. He then makes this beautiful statement (found in chapter 4 verse 13): "until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ."

The reason why I don't promote the bashing of other ministries is because I don't see it as attaining to the unity of the faith. What good comes from my public outcry of a particular ministry? Whether we are talking about Joel Osteen, or any other ministry, this type of activity does not build up the Body of Christ. Instead, I want to be known for having GRACE for people. While I am not in the public eye like many of these figures, I understand what it is to be attacked, to have your name smeared, or for people to question the authenticity of your faith. I know what it is like to have every word weighed in the balance. So I give them grace. I give grace to the Osteens just like a gave grace to the other pastor that I did not name. Why? Because what you sow into the lives of others is what you will reap in your own. The same measure of judgement that we hand out is the same judgement that gets measured back to us. It's the law of reciprocity.

You see...Grace Changes Everything. It means that I don't have to join in creating division. It means that I can learn how to see people through the lens of honor. I don't have to agree with them. I don't have to support them. But I can love them.

I realize that some people will view may lack of concern as some kind of acceptance but that is not the case. I'm simply looking for a way to find unity. I desperately long to see the verse above become an abiding reality within the church. However, this will not happen if we continue the witch hunts. Always looking for that one person or that one ministry that we can expose. I wonder how many people have taken the time to look into the ministries of Lakewood Church? How many of them have taken the time to look at what they believe? There is a lot there that can create unity within the believing community. If we could just get over our knee jerk reactions.

Paul says of the church that we are ONE BODY.
That Body is made up of MANY MEMBERS.
This should help us bring things into perspective. It should help us see everyone through a different lens. It should create a sense of family. And rather than us spending out time bashing ministries that have absolutely nothing to do with our lives, we could spend time strengthening the bonds between us.

I'm passionate about the church.
I'm passionate about the Bride becoming everything that God designed her to become.
I'm passionate about the unity of the Spirit kept in the bond of peace.
I'm passionate about the nature & likeness of God within each of us.
I'm passionate about the love of God being manifest through us for the world to see.

I long for this passion to be the true passion of every church in our communities. I want the world to know us by our love for one another. And I honestly believe that this is our Father's desire as well.

May we give grace until we all attain to the unity of the faith - until we all grow up into the fullness & stature of Christ. This is our journey.

God Is...

As the A.W. Tozer quote reads below: "What comes into our minds when we think about GOD is the most important thing about us."

The reason this is so vitally important is because what we believe about God is ultimately what we will live out. If there is any confusion, any misrepresentation, any conflict in our understanding of the nature of God, we will continually find ourselves wandering around in the wilderness of fear and doubt. There is a reason that God has revealed Himself: He wants to be known by us.

Have you ever considered that reality? God chose to create us, He chose to reveal Himself to us, He chose to come after us, He chose to redeem us, and He chose to reconcile us to Himself. Why? Why has God went to such lengths? Why did God allow His Son to be plunged into the depths of our darkness? Is it because God has a need? Or...is it because we did?

Personally, I believe one of the greatest revelations about the nature of God is discovered in 1 John. When John decided to write his letter to the church, He made sure they would understand an incredible truth: GOD IS LOVE. And while I am content to see God through this lens, for some people this is not enough. It seems as though humanity is content to view God as Judge, as a God of Wrath, or a God of Vengeance (all names that we have ascribed to Him). We have viewed God through the lens of need. He needs our compliance. He needs our allegiance. He needs blood. He needs gifts, sacrifices, and needs our attention. However, in the midst of our confusion about the nature of God, we discover a God (even IN THE OLD TESTAMENT) that is not needy. He is the self-existent & self-sufficient One. There is nothing discovered in the name of God that denotes neediness. There is nothing seen in His creation of humanity that portrays Him as destitute. Someone who is needy is deprived or impoverished. That is not at all how the Abba of Jesus has been portrayed to us.

God didn't create out of need, He created out of a desire for relationship.
It was His desire to share His life with us. The same shared life that existed in the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit. He didn't create man because He needed worship or some type of service. Read back through the Genesis account. He wanted to create a being that would carry His image & His likeness in the earth.

God didn't redeem us out of need either. He redeemed us because we belonged to Him.
What Father gives up on His children? What Father doesn't do everything in His power to ensure the well-being of His kids? But if we see God creating us out of some kind of need, then we will carry that over into His redemptive purpose as well.

I mentioned that God does not present Himself as needy in the Scriptures. This may require a little work for you to understand but I encourage you to go back through the pages and read how God continually reveals Himself. Far from being a needy God, He continually shows Himself to be a GIVER. Here are just a few of the ways He reveals Himself:
JEHOVAH-JIREH - "The Lord our Provider"
JEHOVAH-NISSI - "Our Banner, a banner of love and protection"
JEHOVAH-SHALOM - "Our perfect Peace"
JEHOVAH-TSID-KENU - "The Lord is our Righteousness"
JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH - "The One Who is with us everywhere for He is Omnipresent"
JEHOVAH-SABAOTH - "The Lord of Hosts, our Protector."
JEHOVAH-RAAH - "The Lord our Shepherd"
JEHOVAH RAPHA - "The Lord our Healer"
As I went back through some of these Scriptures, I was reminded how many times that God revealed Himself as The LORD Our _________________. It's all a part of His "I AM" to us. The open-ended promise of a God who is for us - not against us.

If Jehovah were a needy God then he would be just like the pagan deities that surrounded Israel. Always in need of a sacrifice. Always in need of blood. Always in need of a gift. And even while you read these words, you may question the sacrificial system, the Law, & the Temple and ask "Why then do we see God in this way?" There are several reasons. I think first and foremost you need to understand that this was the reality of God that the children of Israel asked for. God & Moses invited them into a deeper reality. However, Israel chose to have a mediator. They chose to be limited in their relationship. They feared the God who brought them out of Egypt. The would not approach Him on the mountain. The consequences of that decision would be reaped for hundreds of years. Secondly, the people needed the sacrificial system in place because this is how they understood God. This is the humility of God. This also displays His eagerness to be known among us. Like any good Father, knowing that His children will only receive certain aspects of Himself, He complies. I believe He does this because He knows what is coming. He knows that it won't last. He knows that in the fullness of time that His Son is going to come into their midst and they will see the Father for who He really is.

Some people may shudder at this type of thinking, but how often do we see God humbling Himself in this way? This is one of His attributes that separates Him completely from the false gods of the day. God in His humility, came in the person of Jesus, wrapped Himself up in flesh, came into our darkness, took upon Himself all our anger - all our misunderstanding - all of our wrath - all of our sin, and rescued us. Why? Because He Is LOVE.

Have you ever experienced a needy Father? A father who needs approval? A father who needs praise? A father who needs provision rather than provide for you? If that is your experience of an earthly father? Then you need to know it is a perversion. Jesus said, "If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your sons, HOW MUCH MORE will your Heavenly Father give...?" In other words, take your best understanding of a Father and multiply it by infinity. This is the goodness of God on display. This is the Abba of Jesus. He is not a Father who is needy but a Father who is (according to James) the GIVER of ALL GOOD THINGS.

I pray that your understanding of God will be radically changed. I pray that any conflict you carry about His nature, any misunderstanding about His intentions in your life, and any concept of a split personality will be forever altered. I pray that you will encounter the Abba of Jesus. May His kindness lead you to a change of mind. May His goodness well up in your Heart. And may His love be forever embraced in your life. Enjoy the journey of getting to know your Heavenly Father.

Be a Demonstration

1 Corinthians 2:4 is a game changer: "...my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power..."

I have always wondered when/where we got the idea that our arguments are enough? I honestly do not believe that the world is sitting back waiting for us to win a debate. They are looking for a living, breathing, manifestation of what we believe. They long for the embodiment of something real. This is what Paul carried into Corinth. Although he possessed the ability to argue through reason, he chose to be a demonstration.

Some of you may wonder what this looks like. If you have hung around the more charismatic side of our family, this verse could mean a lot of things. Not that I have any problem with charismatic expression. I just believe that Paul is pointing to a greater demonstration of power & the Spirit. He is speaking of a demonstration that impacted these people toward faith in Christ. There was something tangible, visible, & powerful about the way in which he embodied the Gospel. THAT...is what I'm after.

Many people in our family have been caught up in debate. They believe that Apologetics is the best way to present the faith. The problem I have with this approach is that apologetics was meant as a defense of the faith. While we are called to give a defense to what we believe, I don't think being defensive is the best approach, nor the best embodiment of what we believe. The faith we possess is meant to be embodied through demonstration.

Demonstration - a making manifest, showing forth, a proof. I believe this was our design from the beginning. The fact that we were created with image & likeness gives proof to the fact that we were always meant to manifest God in the earth. Sharing our faith should not be any different. My approach in ministry is not to get people to simply say a prayer. I want them to encounter the goodness & love of God. I want there to be a moment where they are not just convinced in their head but to know in their heart that God has spoken to them. This is where a demonstration of power & the Spirit is vital in all that we do. Demonstration forces us to embody the faith. How we live, the compassion that we display, the sincerity in our approach, all of these things matter. It's not enough to have good witnessing tools at our disposal. A sensitivity to the Spirit of God becomes our greatest asset. Hearing the Lord, responding to Him, and making Him manifest in our lives is the greatest proof we can possess.

Paul reminds the church at Corinth about his embodiment of the Gospel because there were many of them who had begun to create camps within the Body. Some were saying they were of Paul. Others claimed allegiance to Apollos. There was a group aligning themselves with Peter. They even had a Jesus only crowd in their midst. He wanted these believers to understand the reason he carried the message the way he did. He did not want their faith to be built upon the arguments (or wisdom) of man, but to have sheer confidence in the power of God. This is why I am passionate about verses like this one. This is why I often talk about seeing the Lord manifest in the way we minister to others. Our arguments will often fall on deaf ears, but that which comes through the power of the Holy Spirit is quite different.

How do I flesh this out? For me, personally, it means entering into a dialogue with people. Having a conversation. Listening to them & the Lord at the same time. It is amazing to me how quickly He moves in those moments. Words of knowledge, discernment, & the prophetic speaks volumes to people. I'm not there to win an argument. I'm there to win a person. While I know how to debate and reason, I choose to let the Spirit of God manifest Himself in me & in them.

I don't know what it looked like in Corinth when Paul chose to be a demonstration. I can imagine.
I imagine him sharing a word of prophecy that touched the life of an individual. I imagine him healing the sick in their midst. I imagine him creating such an atmosphere of love & goodness that people could not resist the Good News. I imagine that he did take them through a historical understanding of Jesus coming into the world, giving His life, and being resurrected from the dead. I imagine that he was able to give a good defense of what he believed, all the while ushering these people into a new found freedom in Christ. Whatever it was, and however it happened, he was able to call them to remembrance.

Here's what I believe: I believe the reason Paul focused on the demonstration of power & the Spirit is because he didn't want faith in Christ to fall into another philosophy of the day.
Oh how the Gentiles loved their philosophy. They enjoyed discussing, debating, and reasoning about the new ways of thinking. Paul showed up with something different. Faith in Christ wasn't the new philosophy on the block. This message came with power. We need to remember that Jesus sent His disciples out with more than a message. They were to heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, & preach the Good News. It wasn't words alone that would win the nations. It was demonstration. It was an embodiment of the message. It meant bearing in their bodies the marks of the Lord, becoming a spectacle, and bringing people into an experience.

Jesus told the religious leaders of His day: "If you don't believe my words, then believe the miracles."
The majority of the church today says: "If you don't believe my words, then bow to my arguments."
Why not be a demonstration? Why not seek to embody the Gospel with all of its good news and all of its power? Let the Holy Spirit be the game changer. Trust me. He is able to do more than we could ever ask or imagine.

The Adventure...

2 Timothy 3:16, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness..."

The Bible is full of revelation. Revelation, by definition is: a surprising and previously unknown fact, especially one that is made known in a dramatic way. The divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world. With that being said, I don't believe we necessarily have a full revelation. I realize that can be a shocking statement. However, you need to understand that I say it will full respect for the written page.

Through Scripture we gain incredible insight and knowledge into the heart of the Father. For most of us, the Bible has been our basic introduction into the Gospel, the life of a believer, and our understanding of Jesus Christ. I believe this collection of writing to be an amazing foundation to our faith. But there are some major questions we need to answer. For some people the Bible is an open and shut case. They believe that any and all revelation is detrimental to the book. What I am proposing is not an addition to the canon of Scripture. What I am proposing is that we open ourselves up to the Spirit of God.

There are a few things we need to set straight.

#1 - the Bible was not written as a whole but brought together as a whole.
In other words, the Bible is a library of different types of writings. It's full of history, poetry, prophecy, narrative, and letters (just to name a few). It was a decision of the church to create a biblical canon (authoritative scripture). The church has always believed that this was inspired by God as well.

#2 - the Bible was not the end of revelation but can be used as a measuring stick for revelation.
What has been revealed helps us to better understand what is revealed. This is why I say that the Bible is foundational.

#3 - I love the Bible.
The majority of my life has been spent searching the Scriptures, gaining insight into the revelation of God contained within the pages, and sharing that revelation with others. I have studied, memorized, applied, and quoted Scripture for all of my adult life. I have read it in several different translations (from cover to cover). I look into the original language for deeper understanding. I have been trained in exposition and believe in interpreting bible verses in context. I continue to be amazed at the revelation contained within this book. I believe it to be inspired.

It's important for you to know these things because I will not discredit the Bible (in any way) for what it is, nor take away from the authority contained within it. What I often question, as I think most people do, is our interpretation of passages and verses. I believe the Bible opens the door for a greater revelation of the Father in our lives. I believe through the reading of Jesus' life and ministry that our eyes are open to see and our ears open to hear Him in our lives today. But I'm afraid that many people have created something out of the Bible that was never meant to be created. The Bible is holy in the sense that it is set apart from other writings, but it's not a magic book nor a choose your own adventure reading. The Bible is meant to provide a foundation for the lives of believers. It's an open door to a life of adventure with the Holy Spirit. It encourages, edifies, and helps bring comfort.

The problem that I have is how some people say that this is all God wants to say or reveal. If that is the case then why do we need the Holy Spirit? Think about it folks. People say that the Bible is the full revelation of God. If this is true, then why does Peter only have 2 letters in it? This guy walked with Jesus for over 3 years and only two letters give full expression to his insight? John has several writings as well but he's the one that stated that not everything Jesus did was recorded because the world could not contain the writings. What about the Old Testament? 39 books that were read, memorized, celebrated, and applied to the lives of the Jewish people; and yet Jesus came to reveal to them that their understanding about the nature of the Father was wrong. When we use the Bible to shut down revelation, we are saying two things: 1) We are saying that we trust our ability to understand, interpret, and apply every verse. 2) We are showing how inept we are at discerning the Spirit of God.

A couple of years ago, we were having a baby dedication. As a part of this ceremony I asked some people so speak prophetic words over the life of the child as a blessing. Little did I know that we had a visitor in our midst who would take great offense at what was meant to be an encouragement to this family. In his e-mail to me the very next day, the only question he had was whether or not the canon was closed. Do you see where I am going with this? In his mind, the closing of the canon meant that we were no longer able to operate in spiritual gifts. And somehow our prophetic blessing over the life of this child was coming against Scripture. This wasn't his only complaint against our church. His fundamental (even legalistic) background allowed him to be offended at a lot of things. Mainly our freedom in worship and our embracing of the Holy Spirit. This is where we are in many of our churches.

Jesus made a statement in John 5:39 (which, by the way, chapters and verses were not a part of the original writings), "You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me!" What a revelation. The whole of the Old Testament was to point people to Jesus. Paul tells Timothy the same thing. If you look at the verse I started with this morning, you will find that he is talking about the Old Testament (the only Scriptures they possessed at the time) as a means to bring us to faith in Christ. Jesus is also telling the Pharisees that any and all Scripture is meant to bring us into an encounter with Him. And that is why I'm sharing this blog with you today. I want you to experience the person of Jesus.

What the Bible does not contain, and cannot contain, is your experience with the Lord. Can you look back and see similarities? Will there be a biblical reference? I believe so. But to say that there will be a chapter and verse for everything we experience is to commit intellectual suicide. What I can look for is what your experience of Him produces in your life, and that kind of fruit I can find in the written Word.

So, please don't take any of this as a discrediting of the Bible. Please don't take it as a setting aside of the Bible either. Neither is intended. Simply takes these words as an invitation into a life of adventure. The same Father, Son, and Holy Spirit you read about in these pages can be encountered in your personal life. All the promises contained within this book are open to your life in Christ. Apply the lessons that you will learn from this book. Seek greater understanding. But understand that our Heavenly Father cannot be contained within the covers. For centuries, the Jewish leaders kept God bound up in the Law. They struggled to experience Him outside of it. That's why they couldn't embrace Jesus. God was contained within the scrolls, engraved in stone, embraced in ritual and tradition. And it was their interpretation of these things that blinded them to the reality of Jesus.

Let me encourage you. The next time you open the Bible prayer this prayer:
Father,
It is my hearts desire to encounter the person of Jesus. May my heart be open to the revelation of Him. I thank you for all that is contained within these pages. However, I desire to experience the reality of you. May I have eyes to see and ears to hear. Holy Spirit, I give you permission to reveal Jesus, the true Word of God, in me as I read these words.
Amen

Our Harmony in His Hearing

Psalm 133:1 reminds us "how good & pleasant it is for brothers to dwell in unity."

Have you ever wondered what unity looks like or sounds like to God? This particular Psalm is considered a Song of Ascent - songs that would be sung by people coming up into Jerusalem for the festivals or the Priests ascending the 15 steps to minister in the Temple. According to one source, more than half of these types of Psalms are cheerful but all of them are hopeful.

David goes on in this Psalm to describe unity as the oil flowing down the beard of Aaron & onto the edge of his robe. He also describes it as the dew that comes down on Hermon being the same dew that comes down on Zion. It's beautiful imagery. We see unity as something that flows from one person to the next, something that produces life, and something that is blessed. The word translated "unity" comes from a root word meaning "to be (or become) one." How many of you know that is a blessing all in itself.

As I reflected upon it this morning, I was reminded of something that I heard several years ago. Some time ago, a group of scientist decided to write down amino acid sequences of DNA as a series of text letters. Then they would assign musical notes to the different values of the amino acids in each sequence. The result of this application produces a song. Since no two people have the same DNA, then no two people have the same song. It's all a part of your unique make-up or design. What does this mean for you? It means the Earth doesn't need you to be a Cover Band for someone else's song. Walking in your identity allows us to see/hear your song unfold.

Let's carry that image just a little bit further. Imagine each & every person in the church walking in their identity. Every single person has a particular song coming out of them. Now imagine as these people come together in unity. They will still possess the same song/sound but now what comes out of the whole is harmonious. It reminds me of a symphony. The beauty (and complexity) of a symphony is every instrument playing their unique part. If we heard each of these instruments playing their part by themselves, it probably wouldn't make much sense. However, bring them together and you have a work of art. I envision the Lord sitting back, seeing us walking in UNITY, and enjoying the beautiful harmony that is us in relationship. We are His symphony, releasing His song, & filling the earth with His glory.

Is it any wonder that Paul encourages the church to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace? Is it any wonder why Jesus spent a lot of time instructing His disciples to love one another? He knows the symphony that we create when we dwell in unity. Ephesians 2:10 says that "we are His handiwork..." - a tapestry - a masterpiece. When you look at a work of art, or listen to a symphony, you can notice all the individual pieces. "Look at that line of color." "Listen to that violin." But what is breathtaking is how each individual part works together to create the whole.

When I was a kid, I didn't realize that the theme to the Lone Ranger was from the William Tell Overture. I wasn't introduced to the entire song until I was in 9th Grade. Of course, when we came to the trumpet blasts, my mind immediately flashed to the black & white image of the Lone Ranger riding Silver across the plain. Unfortunately, this is not too far removed from what we do in church. We tend to celebrate the individual. We recognize their part while missing out on the whole. Which is why I'm grateful to see so many churches placing their vision out in front. While we may be tempted to celebrate a pastor, a worship leader, or a particular teacher - we desperately need each part. I have a friend who pastors a church in Pennsylvania and their vision is quite clear: "empowered people advancing God's kingdom in the earth. We embrace a casual, safe atmosphere, in which we equip, activate and release each person to understand and pursue their original identity and purpose..." Any time I am around this group of believers, I see this vision played out fully in their lives. I hear the harmony of their song together and it is breathtaking.

What does our unity sound like to the Lord?
OR...what does our disunity do in His hearing?
One more question: What does the world hear?

May our lives resonate with the following words. A quote from Mr. Holland's Opus (edited for our purpose):
"We are your symphony Abba. We are the melodies and the notes of your opus. We are the music of your life."