The Power of Questions

Luke 2:46-47, "Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers."

I've talked about this before, but it is so powerful. Mary and Joseph have lost Jesus. They took Him to the temple at the prescribed time. However, somewhere along the journey back home they realized He was nowhere to be found. Now...before you think they were bad parents, I honestly believe that because of the tradition of the Jews that they didn't "lose" Jesus the way we often lose our kids (or forget about them). They just expected Jesus to be making the journey back home with them. Little did they know that He had been invited to sit at the feet of great teacher in Israel. Beginning His training as a rabbi. All because of some really good questions.

Most of us know that Jesus is the answer. The problem is that most of us don't know the questions. Or we haven't learned how to ask the right questions. So much of our journey has been to sit at the feet of knowers. People who have all the answers. We have been trained to think logically, to reason Scripture with Scripture, to know "yes and no." What we haven't learned how to live with is paradox or tension. And many of us were even taught to not ask questions because we might be perceived as questioning God. Well, here is God questioning man.

Jesus, as a young boy, had to come into an understanding of who He was. I'm sure there was the counsel of His mother. The reciting of the prophecies concerning His birth. The Scriptures that He had grown to understand. Along with His own relationship with His Heavenly Father. All of these things combined to create an inquisitive boy who could ask questions that no one had dared to ask before. It was all a part of the recruiting process for rabbinical training. What amazes me in these verses is that they were amazed at His understanding (which was clearly noticed in His questions) as well as His answers. Why? Because you cannot have solid answers without asking the right questions.

Our faith is a mystery revealed. However, within this revelation is even more mystery. Not a mystery that cannot be solved, but enough mystery that keeps us coming to the Father for understanding. Enough mystery to drive us deeper into the Spirit. Enough mystery that keeps us asking questions, believing that we will receive the answers.

Questions have led to some incredible revelations in my own life. They have allowed me to know the Father at a depth that I would have not come into otherwise. They have allowed me to understand more about myself, how I do life, and how I relate to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It keeps me humble. It keeps me intrigued with life and creation. It helps me to be gracious to others who ask questions as well. I think this is important because quite honestly we have so limited our understanding of GOD. We have put God in a box, carried Him in our pocket, and somehow thought we have cornered the market on Him. We have our explanations. We can give you Scriptures. But do we really know Him and have we really experienced Him. Our questions are a vital part of this journey. Without them we become stagnated. Life cannot flow through.

Deer Season opens up here in VA and I have plans to be in a tree stand. I cannot wait. Not so much for the opportunity to be successful in my hunting, but because I love the silence. I love being in this creation. I love the peace that it brings to my spirit. And the opportunity it provides to clear my mind, fellowship with the Father, and ask the questions that I have failed to ask up to this point. So much revelation has come in a tree stand. So many intimate moments with the Lord have taken place in the middle of the woods. So many answers have been confirmed in my spirit. All because I took the time to ask.

I heard a teacher the other day say these words: "Sometimes one good question is better than a thousand answers."

Enjoy the journey!

The Grace to Lose

It doesn't take long to figure out that Paul is dealing with some major issues in the Corinthian Church. It seems as though there is division on every level. They were divided over who to follow. Divided over the gifts they carried. Divided over how to handle conflict. This letter is strong but full of love and compassion for the people. Even though there are these major issues, this letter is probably contains some of the most quoted verses. The verse I want to share with you today, however, is not one of them. In fact, I wonder how many people actually know these verses exist.

Every Friday night, our High School football team repeats a prayer. In that prayer they actually recite these words: "If we should lose, let us stand by the road and cheer as the winners go by." I don't know of anyone who actually means these words. However, it is still part of the prayer. A recognition that in the game of football there are winners and losers. We don't always play our best game. We don't always pull it out in the end. Sometimes it just doesn't come together. Winning is the ultimate goal. We pray about that as well. But here in these words we discover the right way to handle loss. A humility that is willing to recognize the accomplishment of another. Believe it or not, there is GRACE to lose.

In Chapter 6 of this letter, Paul is condemning the actions of the people. They had started taking one another to court rather than handle things themselves. He even asks if there is not an elder among them that could settle the matters they are facing. Verse 7 really highlights the difficulty we face in many of our relationships. An unwillingness on our part to give up, to give in, and to allow others to be the winner.
"Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?"
Let me ask you: How often do you quote this verse? How rare is the humility to allow others to think what they will, say what they will say, and allow yourself to be done wrong? If we are honest, most of us fight. We argue. We try to validate ourselves. We don't stand for accusation and we do not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of. While I haven't seen a lot of believers take one another to an actual court, I have witnessed this need to be justified play out over and over again. What we don't realize is that when we accuse an accuser that we are operating in the same spirit. And it is one thing to be accused and quite another to take the role of the accuser. You might remember that the enemy is referred to as THE ACCUSER in Scripture. Something to think about.

I understand that this is a difficult thing to talk about. We weren't raised to be doormats. We were not brought up with the idea of giving up a fight. However, it seems that what Paul is teaching the people is that there are some fights that are not worth winning. Especially when they put the Church is such a bad light. How often do we think about that? How often do people actually consider that there actions are a reflection of the Lord to the world. Good or bad. If that is the case, and it is, then it might be time for us to lay down our arms.

Jesus stood before His accusers and was silent. Oh the grace to keep my mouth shut!
He didn't argue. He didn't fight for His life. He barely even answered their questions. He knew who He was. To fight and to argue would have only complicated the matter. He knew where He was going. He kept silent in the face of persecution, knowing that the Cross was to follow. And maybe that is the thing that we have to understand. That in the end He knew that His Father would validate Him. That there comes a time where you don't fight for what is rightfully yours but that you trust in who the Father is for you. That you believe in the face of horrible circumstances that He will work all things for good. Even the loss of possessions, reputation, or stature. How you and I handle these moments actually says a lot about who we are in Him. Paul's advice? Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?

Not only is there grace to keep my mouth shut, but there is grace to know my identity in the face of false accusations. There is a grace to lose whatever I have to lose and still come out on the other side victorious. I realize that we have no idea what these people were going to court over. The letter doesn't go into detail about that. However, there is enough detail to know that the way they were fighting was wrong. That they hadn't learned how to govern themselves. Which is probably the greatest tragedy in all of this. Paul speaks this to their shame, and is a reminder to us that as believers we have an incredible amount of authority among one another. We have to trust in the judgement of the elders among us. Believing that they have the grace to carry out justice. In all honesty I believe that Paul was saying that if you are not willing to handle this within the Body then you should just give up whatever you need to give up. And if the outcome isn't what you would like then you need to trust those who are over you.

What a lesson for the church of today. Many of our churches are set up with a democratic government. Majority rules is the status quo. And while most people sign up for this type of structure, I'm amazed at how many people abandon a family because they did not like the decision of the majority. I'm not saying that this is the best style of church government, I'm just stating that there is an issue when we take our toys and go home. Does this not demonstrate how immature many adults have become? What do we think this says to the world? Forget our validations for just a moment and consider what damage we have done to the Kingdom. The admonishment of Paul still stands. Which is, in essence, why not allow another to win.

Peter told the church to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. Then he followed it up with this brilliant line: "He will exalt you in due time." I realize that this goes against everything that we have been taught in a democratic western society, but the church was never meant to be governed this way. We were never meant to treat one another in this fashion. His love among us speaks a different language, and His grace within us looks very very different. I know this isn't a popular topic. I know that most people want to know about the grace to win. I understand. But there are times when we need to learn how to lose. When we have to learn to not validate ourselves. To trust that you can be right while being wronged and the Lord knows all about it. How we carry ourselves will make all the difference. In fact, you can WIN while losing. Grace will teach you.

Praying for Our Nation

As I laid in the bed last night, the images of rioting in Charlotte continued to play out through my mind. As I prayed for the people there, I also prayed for our nation. It was during my time of prayer that I heard the words of one of my favorite Christmas carols/hymns come flooding into my heart and mind:
HIS LAW IS LOVE
HIS GOSPEL IS PEACE

Then it occurred to me that we were meant to rule together not rule one another.

May His Gospel of Peace remind us that we should be living in peace and goodwill toward all men. May we walk in love with one another. Red, Yellow, Black, and White...they are all precious in His sight. Pray for the peace of America.

It May Sound Cliché...

I have never been a fan of church marquees. It just always seems to me that so many of them went up in a hurry without any true thought going behind them. I read some of them and have to wonder where in the world they found such a bad one liner. Irregardless of how I feel, there is a church marquee that most of us have read. As cliché as it may sound there is a whole lot of truth to it.

I write this on the heels of news that broke just recently about a couple of megachurch pastors who have resigned for various reasons. The last one stated that he was tired, broken, and had been leading on empty for months. As I reflected upon his reasoning I couldn't help but wonder how many authentic relationships he had around him. How many people did he have in his life where he could be real. You know...the ones you can tell anything to without judgement. The ones who will pray for you in your struggles and actually know your struggles. The people who don't need the facade, the mask, or the celebrity self. I also wonder what in the world the rest of his staff was doing during all of this (or if he was one of those guys who felt the need to control everything). It served as a reminder of why we need to rediscover koinonia.

In Acts 2:42 we read that the people who came to know the Lord had devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching AND TO THE FELLOWSHIP. The Koinonia. It wasn't enough to simply believe. It wasn't enough to say that this was their new community. They were all in - all the time. They went from house to house. They shared life together. They committed themselves to the building up of the family. They prayed, the sang, they communed, the lived in a constant state of koinonia (shared life/fellowship/your part).

What we have witnessed in these resignations is the lack of genuine fellowship that we are supposed to share. Most of these megachurch pastors feel the need to be good CEO's rather than pastors. They step way outside of the calling and move into an executive role within the Body of Christ. The problem is, in my opinion, is that most of these guys got into ministry because of genuine call and a need to influence the lives of people. Taking on such a huge task means that their calling, their vocation, has little to do with relationship and more to do with reputation. Many of them get caught up in speaking at conferences, writing books, making public appearances, and the like. It's rare for these men and women to have actual relationships with the people that sit under their teaching. The koinonia is lost for them and it has been replaced by the corporation.

What's missing? U R!

I realize that in western society, in particular within American Christianity, we have grown accustomed to our current church models and structures. It's so ingrained within us that we honestly don't know how to function outside of the regular Sunday Christianity. We have come to expect buildings, expect programs, expect multi-layer staff, and expect big productions when it comes to church. Without much engagement on our end at all. We can come and receive what we have paid good money to receive. Plugging into the Body is really only something that we do when we want. Can you imagine what the Early Church would have looked like if they had our consumer mentality?

The Body needs U.
There are gifts and callings that U possess.
There is a part of the Lord that U carry that only U can give expression to within the church.
If U R missing then WE are missing out.

It's time for the members to step off of the sidelines. To let the leaders know that they can be counted upon. To engage in authentic relationships and stop playing church. It is time for the Body of Christ to become the community that we were always meant to become rather than be de-legitimized within the world. They need us and we need them. But we have to give them something they have not experienced: KOINONIA.

I know we have talked about this before, but I will continue to talk until this dream within the Father's heart becomes a living breathing reality among us. This is our journey. Let's go there together.

Where Did You Get That Idea?

There is no doubt about it. If you choose to proclaim a good God, a God who who is full of love, grace, and mercy, you're going to upset some people. I'm not sure why. I haven't figured out why Good News isn't good news to so many people. Especially those who speak of loving God. You talk to some people about the God who was revealed in Jesus and they stare back at you like a calf staring at a new gate. They are trying to reconcile this good God that you are sharing with the schizophrenic god that they have grown up with. You know...the one that they can't really trust. The one that they have to appease and satisfy. The one who seems to be blessing you one day and taking it all away the next. Where did we get this kind of idea about God?

Here's a thought: Why don't we lay aside any ideas we have about God and look for Him in the revelation of Jesus?
According to the writer of Hebrews, Jesus is the EXACT REPRESENTATION of the Father. It seems only right that we would get our understanding of God through Him. If I wanted to know a father in those days I would rather hear from a son rather than a servant. I would rather learn from the one who has been in relationship from the beginning rather than the one who is trying to box the father into their own understanding. Think about it! We have all met someone after hearing about them from a person who didn't have a good opinion of them. It taints our view. After we have a conversation or spend some time with them we walk away saying "That was a much better experience than I expected." I really do believe that the more we get to know Jesus' Father the more we will walk away from our misunderstandings. Amazed at just how good He is.

I was thinking along these lines the other day when I was considering the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. For the first time in my life, after 25 years of walking with the Lord - 23 of those invested in ministry, I discovered something in the fruit of the Spirit that I had never seen before. I saw the nature of our Heavenly Father. I realized that what His Spirit produces in us when we walk in Him is nothing short of the very things that our Father possesses in Himself. We are not supposed to read about the fruit of the Spirit and separate it from the character of the Spirit. However, I think that is what we often do. We read through this list and begin to ask ourselves how much we can check off. We have made them things that we must fulfill rather than things that we get to enjoy. We have placed it all on our shoulders rather than allow the Spirit to produce them. And we have completely kept the Father out of the equation.

God does not ask us to walk in anything that He is not already. He's not saying to walk in love while He walks in the contrary. He's not telling us to be joyful while He is perpetually upset. He's not requiring us to be good while He is evil. Where did we get that idea? It comes from the god of our own imagination. The god that we grew up with. The god that was fashioned in our darkness rather than the Abba of Jesus. If this is what the Spirit produces in us then it is fair to say that these things are in the Father as well.

Love - AGAPE - We have Scripture to verify this one: "GOD IS LOVE."
Joy - cheerfulness - aka calm delight. Who speaks of God in these terms? I remember reading that the joy of the Lord is our strength.
Peace - prosperity of soul - quietness - rest.
Patience - steadfastness and/or endurance. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise...but is patient towards you."
Kindness - carries the idea of peacemaking. God was in Christ reconciling the world. Oh...and why are the peacemakers blessed?
Goodness - uprightness of heart and life. "Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Faithfulness - "God IS faithful."
Gentleness - meekness - strength under control. Sounds like our Heavenly Father.
Self-Control - ability to master desires and passions. Our Heavenly Father isn't controlled by His emotions. He's driven by what He has predetermined in His heart.

This is more than God simply revealing truths about Himself. He is revealing Himself. This is a relational encounter with the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of our Heavenly Father. This is not a list of the attribute of a Christian but a manifestation of the Spirit of God in our lives. WOW!!! What a difference.

I'm not saying that God is a teddy bear. I'm not saying that He cannot speak to us sternly, discipline us, or not be pleased with some of the boneheaded decisions we make. What I am saying is that the Father is predisposed in His affection towards us. He speaks to us as His children. Any discipline is for our good - not His. He is always working in us, conforming us into the image of His Son, reminding us of the life that He has placed within and before us. He's not for you because you are behaving correctly. He was for you before you were ever born. He loved the world and gave His Son. That love has not failed, has not been extinguished, and will not fade away. It's His choice. You may be able to choose to experience this love personally, but you will not deter what He has already chosen to do in your life or change Him from who He has decided to be for you.

Take some time to look through this for yourself. Ask Jesus to reveal His Father to you. I'm not saying that this is an exhaustive list. What I am saying is that it is a good place to start. When we walk in the Spirit we will encounter His nature, and His nature will be revealed in us. Enjoy the journey!

The Kingdom Within

I was looking over the passage from Luke 17 where Jesus speaks of the Kingdom of God. He most noticeably says in many versions that the Kingdom of God is within you. However, over the years many of the translators have made the change to the Kingdom of God being in their midst. Which, quite possibly, is the original meaning. With all of that being said, I do not believe that it is wrong to say that the Kingdom of God is within YOU. Wherever Jesus is, His Kingdom is present.

When Jesus spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit He said, "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in Me, and I am in you." The gift of the Holy Spirit is the clearest confirmation of who we are in Christ. Secure in relationship. Endowed with the same power. Flowing in the same life. The greatest problem I see with experiencing this reality is that we struggle to believe that this is true. Most of us are so aware of ourselves, at least how we perceive ourselves, that it is quite difficult to see anything else. Our faults are quite evident. Our shortcomings loom large over the way we think. More and more we find ourselves living like beggars in the Kingdom of God rather than enjoying the benefits of sonship. How can we possibly think that we would ever see the Kingdom of God?

Part of the problem, in my estimation, is that we have made our faith largely about getting out. Our view of the world, our eschatology, our lack of experience in the spiritual nature of our faith, and even much of our hymnology espouse a greater life than the one we are going through right now. How many times have we heard someone say that they can't wait to get to Heaven. Which isn't a bad statement in and of itself, but when it's coming from the mouth of a twenty year old I have to question what they understand about the nature of our faith. The Gospel isn't about escaping. It's not about avoiding life with all of its ups and downs. The Gospel is the Good News about what Jesus has accomplished along with the announcement of the Kingdom of God. There is so much that we are missing out on. So much that we have yet to experience.

If your gospel is more about evacuation later rather than transformation now then you have missed what is essential to the message and prayers of Jesus. Go back and read through the narratives yourself. Hear the words of Jesus for that generation and even to ours now. Listen to His prayers not only for the disciples, but for those who would come to believe on Him because of their work. The Kingdom of God that was "at hand" and "here" in Jesus' day is alive and well even today. In fact, if He is in me then His Kingdom is in me. There is no reason for us to evacuate the Earth. We are mean to go forward, multiply, and to fill the Earth. God does tell us in the Scriptures that the WHOLE EARTH will be filled with His glory. Why would we want to stop now?

I'm not against having security for eternity, but I desperately want people to have security for right here and now.

So...the Kingdom of God is within. What now? How can we possibly access what is available to us?
Let me say that I didn't write this out to give you some sort of spiritual checklist. I'm writing this out today to stir up the Kingdom of God within you. There is so much about God's Kingdom that is experienced as we believe, as we meditate, as we pray, and as we contemplate. Holding onto this reality above any other perception is crucial to your experience. You have to fight through the darkness of your own thinking. Work through the allusions that you have carried about God. Remove yourself from a servant mindset into a son mindset. Determine that you are going to live in your inheritance. Jesus died so that you could have something greater than religion could give. Don't you think it's worth the time to figure that out? I do.

Your life and mine is a journey where we begin to see the Kingdom more clearly each and every day. Where we establish His rule and reign in our lives first and then pass it on to others. Where His love, His peace, His joy, and the rest become more than just fleeting moments in our lives. Where we eat from the Tree of Life freely. This is the hope that we carry. The experience that He is bringing us into this very moment. Where His salvation is more than a moment in our history but a true part of our present reality. It is the life that you and I were meant to live all along. In intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father, through Jesus, in communion with the Holy Spirit. Life, even with all of its difficulties, is to be a beautiful dance of relationship. Don't miss it. Renew your mind today. Enjoy the transformation. His Kingdom is within you.

Reflecting

How rare is reflection in our Christianity today? Is it because the majority of American Christians own an actual Bible? Has a hard copy of the Scriptures kept us from going deeper in our understanding? One author has said, "To read without reflecting is like eating without digestion." Think about that statement. Paul, when writing his young disciple Timothy said as much: "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this."
2 Timothy 2:7

Maybe part of the problem is that most of us have received a packaged faith. Wrapped up neatly in our dogma are all the verses, bullet points, and cross references that you will ever need. There's really no need to think for yourself. Just accept what we say as fact, own it, and you will be an fine. It is exactly this approach to our faith that has caused the majority of our divisions. Evangelical Christianity is filled with various denominations who all say they believe the same thing about the main thing. Yet we continue to divide ourselves. Has anyone ever asked how long it took for us to get to where we are today? Are we arrogant enough to think that we have it all figured out?

I wonder how many Christians realize that it took about three centuries to discover the Trinity? In other words, it took 300 years of reflection, contemplation, and meditation for the Church to grasp something as essential as this belief. For those of us who grew up in the church, reciting the Nicene Creed, and being taught about 3 in 1 (which actually may be an over simplification) this may seem shocking. However, we have to recognize the fact that much of what we say is essential in what we believe has not always been believed, or at least was not communicated in the same way we communicate it today.

Why does this matter? It matters because you and I were given a belief system and never taught how to question it, reflect upon it, reject it, or go deeper into it. The topic really didn't matter. We were just handed something and said to memorize it. Which, by the way, doesn't make for very mature believers. Many of these topics have been so ingrained in our thinking that we cannot read the Bible without seeing them. Therefore, we struggle with new ideas, concepts, or interpretations. We meet someone who is very strong in GRACE and we label them. Have a conversation with someone who is really engrossed in the LOVE of God and we call them heretical. Listen to someone who is convinced of the FINISHED WORK of Christ and we might even say they are a false prophet/teacher. All because it looks and/or sounds a little different than what we believe. The reality is that over the last 2,000 years the church has continued to grow and to develop in our understanding of God. We continue to search the Scriptures, reflect upon what we have read, investigate church history, and give room for the Spirit to help us in this endeavor. We are learning what Paul taught his young disciple. "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into this."

Reflection - serious thought or consideration - is necessary for anyone who wants to walk with the Lord. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there are some things we have said, taught, and done throughout the centuries doesn't seem to jive with what we know about Jesus and the faith that He offers to us. What we have often labeled as movements within the history of Christianity are simply a recapturing of what has always been true. We just lost these truths somewhere along the way. And while we may accept them as truth now there is great difficulty in getting them to fit into our current structures.

I'm telling you right now that if you will seriously think and consider about the love that God has for you - you will be undone.
If you seriously think and consider God's grace in your life - you will be transformed.
If you seriously think and consider the finished work of Christ - you will stop striving for what the Father has already granted to you.
The list goes on and on. But we will never truly enjoy these things until we stop the madness. Stop running around in our religious hamster wheels. Stop long enough for the Lord to actually speak to us about these things.

I wish that each of us could read the Bible in its original language. I wish that we could dump everything out of our minds that we have been taught and see it for the first time ourselves. I wish that we could take such an approach to the Bible where we actually ask the Spirit to lead us, to teach us, and to enable us to communicate it for ourselves. Those first two wishes may not take place, but the last one can. The Spirit of God is all too willing to do lead, teach, and enable. If we will let Him.

We have so much more to learn. So much more to understand about our identity in Christ. So many more experiences of the reality of God in our lives. The Kingdom of God is ever increasing. Why wouldn't we take the time to reflect upon the GOODNESS of our Heavenly Father? It is such an incredible journey. So...I dare you to carve out some time in your life just to reflect. Seriously think and consider some of these things for yourself. You don't need to protect a belief system. You need to encounter the living God. Enjoy the journey!

Metanoia

When you hear the word "repent" - what comes to mind? Does this word evoke the images of a rough prophet proclaiming destruction? A fiery preacher beating on a pulpit? Do you see people doing particular things to prove their repentance? What about a U-Turn sign? Most of these things are common to the average person. Especially when you consider how we have been taught.

Most people don't realize that the early Catholic Church actually changed the word repentance to penance. Which meant for us to do something right to counteract what we did wrong. Carrying with it the Old Testament view of repentance which was performance based. If you don't think we have borrowed from this type of thinking just listen to the average teacher/preacher. Repentance is almost always defined as turning away from sin and turning to God by changing the way you behave. It's not a bad thing in and of itself (not many people are going to argue with the need to clean up our lives). However, it causes us to lose the deep and rich meaning of the Greek word translated as REPENT.

METANOIA
Comes from two words:
META - to change
NOIS - mind
Therefore, metanoia means to change the mind and/or to change the way you think. And what we have learned over the last few years on this blog is that to change the way you think will change the way you behave. Sounds like repentance to me. Bruce Wilkinson defined repentance in this way: "Repentance means you change your mind so deeply that it changes you." Wherever and whenever the New Testament uses the word metanoia we are seeing a need to change the way we think. To repent and believe is to change from unbelief to belief. To move from distrust to trust. To abandon rejection of the truth and enter into acceptance of the truth. And when this takes place in our lives, true change will follow. Why? Because true repentance has taken place.

Sin is rooted in unbelief. When Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit's coming, He said that the Spirit would convict the world of sin because they do not believe. It is unbelief that keeps us from entering into relationship, from experiencing the abundant life of Christ, and keeps us in a performance mentality. The truth of the matter is that those in biblical days understood metanoia. We, on the other hand, are trying to replace a different understanding of repentance.

I realize that many people will read this and say, "So you are okay with people not turning away from sin?" or "You believe someone can be saved without repentance?" When in fact I have said no such thing. Of course I want people to turn away from destructive habits and lifestyles, but that does not precede turning to Jesus. Any other understanding of repentance produces a works/performance mentality. We become "saved" because of what we do rather than through what Jesus has already done. We are trying to change before we turn to Christ, and it just doesn't work like that.

Metanoia brings us to a place where we begin to learn and fully appreciate the finished work of Christ. Where we begin to see ourselves as beloved children of our Heavenly Father. We begin to believe in His grace and mercy. Where we begin to live from our identity in Him. It's like what John said in his letter to the church: "We have come to know and to believe in the love that God has for us." Which is life changing.

Think about it. In the Old Testament we read where God repents. Does that mean that God was turning away from sin? None of us believe that. So why would we ever accept a definition of repentance that means anything different? I believe it shows just how sin conscience we have become. How we focus on outward displays rather than inward realities. Or how easy it has become to go through the motions rather than experience an actual changing of the mind and heart.

How much would change in our life if we actually believed? Now THAT is a good question.

Being Right vs Being in Relationship

I think we have forgotten the words of the Apostle Paul. Romans 12:18 plainly teaches us that we should do what we can do to live peaceably with one another. "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." This does not mean that we cannot have our own convictions. Paul is not telling us to abandon our belief systems. It seems to me that he is stating that there is a responsibility that each of us has to protect relationships.

Somewhere along the way we lost this. I wonder if we ever really had it to begin with. The unwillingness of so many people within the human race to continue to treat one another as humans is astounding. We disagree, divide, and often demonize those that don't hold our beliefs, values, or perspectives. Maybe I notice it more during political seasons. Maybe this has always been an issue. It seems that with every turn we face another choice. Whose side will we be on? Whose cause will we take up? And who will be left in the wake of our destruction?

I would love to say that the church has been above this type of dysfunction. I wish I could tell you that we all get along and that we have found a common denominator in Christ. However, the reality is that we have fallen into the same line of thinking. You have groups on either side of the aisle who are sure that they have a more solid belief about the Bible. Those who claim to be more in line with the teachings of Jesus. Groups who are confident that they will be the only ones who truly represent the Kingdom of God. All the while we tear the Body apart, gather into our small sample of the kingdom, and discredit those who believe differently.

Earlier this morning I met with several ministers of local congregations. There we were, men from different denominations determined to gather in the name of Christ. One of the oldest among us even made an observation about how rare such meetings were. That it was good for us to find this type of fellowship among one another. Which leads me to think that if the leaders of the church in our small section of North America can find a way to unite in Christ, then maybe (just maybe) the rest will follow.

Could it be that the days of denominational and doctrinal division are on their last leg? Could it be that we are seeing a shift within our communities toward common-unity? Are we to the place where we will stop demonizing one another over our differences and begin to affirm our brothers and sisters in Christ? I believe we are. It will take time. It will take honoring one another. It will mean laying down our ego and the need to be right in order to be in relationship. It can happen. It should.

I can affirm a brother/sister in Christ without affirming every belief that they hold.
I can honor another pastor, teacher, and leader of another denomination without joining them.
I can lift up other churches in the area even though they have a different label than mine.
What are these denominations other than something that we have created? Have we forgotten Jesus' words to His disciples when they wanted to shut down the ministry of another simply because he didn't walk with them? Maybe it's time we heard them again: "Whoever is not against you is for you." Honestly, if we would take the time to talk to one another we would discover that most of these pastors and leaders have the same passion. They sincerely love God. They want to see the Kingdom of God manifest on the Earth. They desire to see people come to the knowledge of Jesus. How can we fight against that?

They Don't Believe Right!
If you are not from Southwest Virginia you may not have heard this put so eloquently. But this is the argument that so many people make. In other words, they don't believe like me. They don't have the same interpretation of the Bible that I do. They don't hold to the same doctrines of our particular denomination. And it's arguments just like this that cause us to build walls, seek to destroy ministries, or at least hurt their credibility within the community. Much like the disciples whom Jesus rebuked, we cry out "he is not one of us."

When will we decide to practice Romans 12:18? When will we do all that we can do to live peaceably with our brothers and sisters in Christ? When will we put aside this need to be right and replace it with the need to be in relationship? Personally I believe that this will happen when we stop denomination building and move toward Kingdom building. When we stop trying to promote ourselves and seek to promote Jesus. When we choose love over hate, unity over division, and honor over dishonor. I see it happening in so many places. I see it a lot outside of the church. I think it's time that we moved beyond ourselves and really began to walk in the Spirit among one another.

It's time...
To Heal the wounds.
To Focus on the Tie that binds us.
To See the Family of God in a new light.
To Love One Another.
Then...the whole world will know.

Christ...FOR US!

Good Morning Everyone! Due to a death in the family I have not been able to focus on writing as normal. I did want to stop in today to share a thought I had the other morning. I pray the Lord continues to bless you and that you continue to experience His abundant life in fullness.

Wednesday of last week my wife and I, along with her brother, went down to South Carolina to pack up some belongings of a family member that was moving back to Virginia. As I was going through all of the books, much of which was commentaries on the Bible and other Christian writings, a book title caught my attention. This was a book that my wife's grandfather picked up in 1970. A book written by John A. Phillips. The title: "Christ for Us in the Theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer." Of course I had to bring it home.

The book has been sitting on the edge of my desk for the last week. I have picked it up from time to time to read through its contents. What has captured my attention is the title. Over and over again I cannot escape these words. "Christ for Us." I guess I have been taken back by what seems to be the surprise in the title. "Christ for us" should not be the exception in our understanding. It should be the norm. It should be the norm in the theology that each of us carry. An understanding of the Father that does not waver. A faith that is deeply entrenched in the goodness of God in full display in Jesus.

What else does the Father have to do to get our attention? Does the Bible not declare that "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us"? What should be one of the most simple understandings of God has been polluted by our misconceptions. Jesus is for us. Has been. Is. Always will be.

I will leave you with another verse of Scripture that I pray permeates your spirit. Be encouraged. "He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?" - Romans 8:32 Do you hear that? Christ...FOR US!!!

Enjoy the journey!