Category Archives: Body Building

Posted on

Thinking the Best of Others

conspiracyFor his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.  (Psalm 103:11-12)

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.  (Hebrews 8:12)

Amazingly, we have a God who thinks the best of us.  Our Father looks at us through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, and through Him sees the best that is in us.  He chooses to see us as an expression and an extension of His Son whose life indwells us.  This is what the Father does, and the Son expressed this divine vantage point in His interactions when He was on earth.  Jesus saw the best in the disciples, the sick, the lame, the needy, the tax collectors, the women, the adultress woman, and on and on.  In the stories of Jesus we find God’s Expression deeply valuing each person.

However, most of you probably know some conspiracy theorists, who typically spread their theories through deadly gossip (gossip is a fast acting poison that will kill community life).  These people are always looking for (and reacting to) the worst intentions in others.  Conspiracy theorists are constantly thinking and saying things like:

– They did that to make me look bad.

– He gave me this gift so I would feel guilty.

– She is just buttering me up so I don’t see her real intentions to undermine me.

– He only wants to help me to make himself look good – he’s using me.

– That person must be whispering about me.  I’m sure they don’t really like me.

– She missed our meeting because she doesn’t care about me.

– He didn’t talk to me because he really doesn’t like me.  He’s avoiding me at all costs!

And on and on…

Note that each of these statements is an accusation.  And by the way, Satan actually means “the accuser”.  He is one who accuses the saints, and we are following in his bitter footsteps when we do the same thing.  Not only that, but to accuse a part of Christ is to accuse Christ Himself.

Also note in the verses above that God is doing the opposite of accusing.  He is choosing to see the best in us by electing to remember our sins no more.  God is not seeking to hold us down; He is doing everything He can to lift us up.

In Jesus, He gives us every good thing.

In Christ, we are exonerated from our sins and rebellion against God.  Not that we are not responsible for the consequences and for participating in reconciliation as needed.  We are agents of Christ in the world and He often calls us to untangle the knots we make.

But my point is this: as the Father sees us in Christ, so we then see others through the lens of Christ as well.  Or perhaps put better, we yield to Christ in us who already sees everyone in that way.

Maybe some people don’t care about us.  Maybe they do want to undermine us, hurt us, ignore us, and so on.  But everyone of those people are dealing with something in their life at that very moment.  They are dealing with their past hurts and failures.  They are struggling with fears, just as everyone else does.

Many times, though, conspiracy theorists are completely wrong.  Their paranoia has caused them to find faults and motives that simply are not there.  This can then lead to gossip that is completely false.  (This is why it is always best to confirm information directly with the source, and this can save you from getting sucked into someone’s paranoid view of others.)

Of course, sometimes people are actually trying to hurt you.  Perhaps they are jealous and they want the success/position/family/happiness/etc you have.  Even so, I believe the best option is to look above the offense and see them in Christ.  Perhaps this means that you ignore their intentions and leave the situation to God, or you ask the Lord to show you how to respond through His wisdom and love.

If you have Christ in you, you can choose to see each person as He does.  And He sees the best of them, just as He sees the best of you.

Imagine being set free from paranoia.  Imagine being liberated from worrying about what or who every person is talking about.  Imagine being unburdened from “discerning” every person’s intentions.

This freedom is available in Christ.  He can teach you to learn to see the best in others, to look past the faults and offenses and hurts that people hurl at us, thereby becoming part of His healing and restoring work in this world.

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.  (1 Corinthians 4:5)

Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  (Matthew 7:1)

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.  (Romans 2:1)

Follow the Life!

*****

If you liked this, please share it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.  I’d love to see your thoughts and interact with you.

Posted on

Christian, Will You Go Beyond What Is Right?

rice paddyThe following story is told in Angus Kinnear’s biography of Watchman Nee, Against the Tide:

In another village a newly believing farmer and his friend had faced a crisis. Their strips of rice field lay close to an irrigation stream on the terraced hillsides from which they daily drew water for their paddy. But one night as they slept a neighbor with land beneath them on the slope defrauded them of their essential and laboriously pumped supply by breaching the clay of their retaining bank and running it off on to his own land. Next morning they saw what had happened but, controlling themselves, said nothing. Again they raised their water, and again next night it was all drained off. Still they uttered no word of protest when at dawn they discovered the mean trick the man had played on them. This went on for seven successive days, and they were justly irritated. Were they not Christians, and should not Christians be patient? The Scriptures speak of loving your enemies, rejoicing in sufferings, and counting it pure joy when you meet various trials, and their restraint seemed irreproachable. In desperation they went to some older believers for advice.”It is unjust!” they exclaimed. “how is it that, having suffered all this wrong for a full week and kept faith with God, we are still unhappy? Tell us in this situation what we should rightly do next.”

One of those senior brothers had some experience. First they all knelt together in prayer; then he replied,”If we do the right thing and no more, then surely we are unprofitable servants. We ourselves should go beyond what is merely right. Maybe you are not yet happy because you have not gone the full distance. Let me suggest that you try going the second mile. First yourselves irrigate that farmer’s paddy field, and after that irrigate your own. Go back and test it out, and see whether or not your hearts find rest.”

They agreed to try, and next morning were early afoot. Carrying forth their wooden trough with its “dragon’s backbone” water-lift and going to work once more on its treadmill, they made it their first task to irrigate the field of their enemy who had so persistently robbed their own field of its water. And now this amazing thing happened: the more they labored in the day’s intense heat watering their persecutor’s land, the happier they became. By the time, in late afternoon, they had finished lifting sufficient also for their own paddy field, their hearts were at perfect rest.

When the brothers had repeated this for two or three days the man came with his friends, dumbfounded, to apologize. With every show of sincerity he asked for the explanation. “If this is Christianity,” he said, “then we want to hear more about it,” and soon he too was drinking in the Word of life.

In telling this episode Watchman was distinguishing between the principle of right and wrong and the principle of life.”Those two had been most patient,” he explains. “They had labored to irrigate their paddy, and without a word of complaint had suffered others to steal their water. Was that not very good? They had done all that man could require of them, but God was not yet satisfied. They lacked peace of heart because they had not met the demands of his life. When however they conformed to his standards, joy and peace welled up in their hearts.

“What is the Sermon on the Mount?” he continues. “What does Jesus teach in Matthew chapters 5 to 7? Is it not this, that we dare not be satisfied with less than what meets the demands of the new life God has put within us? It does not teach that provided we do what is right then all is well. No, we overlook the inner life whereby his Holy Spirit moves us to further action. Many say that Matthew 5 to 7 is too difficult. It is beyond us. I admit that it is. It is sheer impossibility. But here’s the point. You have an inner life, a Person close at hand, and in a given situation that new life tells you that unless you do as the Sermon on the Mount requires (and “love” is a key word) you will lack rest. The whole question lies here: are you walking in the way of good and evil, or in the way of life?”

An interesting aspect of this story is that the brothers sought the Lord’s direction together in prayer.  Through this time together, it was realized that the life of Christ in them was leading them to do more than just not retaliate; they were being called to serve this person who was hurting them.

Without spending time in prayer, they were stuck looking at the situation through the eyes of the flesh, and were attempting to rely on their own strength to muster patience with the offense against them.  But they knew something was not right because they were not “happy”.

The solution presented was truly inspired.  It was against human wisdom that would demand justice, and it resolved the situation peaceably to the benefit of both parties, although there was suffering on the part of the Christians to perform extra work in watering two fields.

While this solution may not be directly found in the Scriptures (there are no “water your neighbor’s paddy field” verses), this echoes Jesus’ words about turning the other cheek, walking the second mile, and Paul’s words to the Corinthians who were taking each other to court: “why not rather be wronged?”.  So the Spirit-led direction could be confirmed as being in line with the life of Christ.

In the end, this created a testimony to the non-believing neighbor that drew him towards Christ.  God saw fit to use their suffering to expand His life to others!

This is a wonderful example of how we who are inhabited by the Spirit of Christ can solve problems… first come before Christ together in prayer, listen for His answer which will follow the pattern of His life, and follow Him.  Note that His answers will rarely follow the conventional wisdom of this world.

Follow the Life!

Do you have any similar examples to share?  I’d love for you to put them in the comments.

*****

If you liked this, please share it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.  I’d love to see your thoughts and interact with you.

 

Posted on

Chocolate, Pomegranates, Penguins, Hiking, and Art: 5 Favorite Posts from the Past

Since I’ve moved the blog to a new page, I thought I would post a few of my favorite and most popular articles I’ve written in the past.  I hope you enjoy them!

 

Expressing Christ in Organic Church

Seeing Christ in a Pomegranate

Christ Our Penguin

The Way: Simplifying the Church’s Mission

Legalism Versus Chocolate

 

Follow the Life!

*****

If you liked this, please share it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.  I’d love to see your thoughts and interact with you.

Posted on

Who is Really in Control of the Church?

gathering_medThat’s one question that needs to be answered in Milt and Mary Rodriguez’s novel, The Gathering.

The new President of the United States has instituted a new organization, the United Christian Movement, which has placed an agent in every Christian church in America to make sure that everything stays in line with the government’s rules.  This new administration has forced Christian unity and is seeking to return America to a highly moral country by enforcing strict laws.  Meanwhile, the UCM is also trying to eradicate “New Agers” who actually believe that Jesus Christ lives within them and has a desire for believers to live life together and express Him to others.  Of course, any mention of an indwelling Lord is cause for swift retribution from the UCM.

But what about those who feel that God has something different in mind for His church?  What about those who feel called to something deeper?  God works mysteriously through dreams and visions to bring those believers together in secret, underground gatherings that express God’s eternal purpose while living a simple life together with Christ Himself as Head of the church.

The Gathering is very fast paced and kept me on the edge of my seat with anticipation.  There are lots of characters and pieces to this story that all come together nicely in the end.  The novel reads like a thriller, but with a stunning revelation of God’s eternal purpose woven throughout.

If you are interested in simple, organic church gatherings, or want to know more about God’s eternal purpose, this novel is a great way to learn more about it.

Follow the Life!

*****

Order  The Gathering on Amazon.

If you liked this, please consider sharing it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.

Posted on

Jesus Christ is Love

8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.  God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? 21 And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.  (1 John 4:8, 16-21 NLT)

John tells us that God is love, but what is love?  John goes on to say that we grow in love as we live “in God”.  Perhaps the best description of God’s loving nature is in 1 Corinthians 13.  We live “in God” through Christ’s indwelling life through the Holy Spirit; therefore, we can look at 1 Corinthians 13 in the following ways:

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)

Christ Himself is patient and kind. Christ Himself is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Christ Himself does not demand His own way. Christ Himself is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. Christ Himself does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Christ Himself never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

The indwelling life of Christ is patient and kind. The indwelling life of Christ is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. The indwelling life of Christ does not demand its own way. The indwelling life of Christ is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. The indwelling life of Christ does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. The indwelling life of Christ never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Christ’s life in you is patient and kind. Christ’s life in you is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Christ’s life in you does not demand its own way. Christ’s life in you is not irritable, and He keeps no record of being wronged. Christ’s life in you does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Christ’s life in you never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

This kind of love has no fear.  This kind of love grows eternally and never dies.  This kind of love breeds more love; it is contagious to those who receive it.  God loves us this way through Christ, and we express His love to others through Him…

Thanks to Frank Viola and Milt Rodriguez who first shared this view of Christ’s love with me.

*****

If you liked this, please consider sharing it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.

Posted on

Discovering Our Inheritance In Christ (Colossians 1)

treasure chestColossians 1 is perhaps the most beautiful unveiling in the Scriptures of who Jesus Christ is.  In fact, the rest of the letter to the Colossian saints finds its foundation in Paul’s presentation of who Christ is, in reality.

Christians often look at and discuss the beautiful shadows of Christ found in the Old Testament; however, Paul discloses the mystery of the shadows and reveals Jesus in all of His real beauty and glory.  Jesus is the substance towards which all of the shadows point.

In verse 12, Paul writes that we should thank the Father, “who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light“, and in verse 13, that the Father has “transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins”.

The inheritance that we have been given as we have been grafted into the Lord’s family is in the Son.  This led me to look through just Colossians chapter 1 and discover what it is exactly that we have inherited in Christ.  Note that Paul’s letter is written to the church in Colossae, so this inheritance is given to the church (plural) and is intended to be discovered and developed together.

  • saints and faithful brethren (v. 2)
  • grace and peace from God our Father (v. 2)
  • God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 3)
  • the prayers of the saints on our behalf (v. 3)
  • faith in Christ Jesus (v. 4)
  • love for all the saints (v. 4)
  • confident hope of what God has reserved for us in heaven (v. 5)
  • Truth of the good news of Christ (v. 5)
  • the growing of fruit seen in changed lives everywhere (v. 6)
  • understanding the truth of God’s wonderful grace (v. 6)
  • faithful servants of Christ (v. 7)
  • help from faithful servants (v. 7)
  • love for others from the Holy Spirit (v. 8)
  • complete knowledge of God’s will (v. 9)
  • spiritual wisdom and understanding (v. 9)
  • lives that produce every kind of good fruit, which will honor and please God (v. 10)
  • growing spiritually as we know God better and better (v. 10)
  • strengthened with God’s power so we will have endurance and patience (v. 11)
  • filled with joy (v. 11)
  • enabled (qualified) to share in the inheritance with all the saints (v. 12)
  • living in the Light (v. 12)
  • rescued from the kingdom of darkness (v. 13)
  • transferred into the kingdom of His beloved Son (v. 13)
  • our freedom purchased by the Son (v. 14)
  • our sins are forgiven through the Son (v. 14)
  • a vision of the invisible God through the visible Christ (v. 15)
  • united to the Eternal One, who is supreme over all creation (v. 16)
  • being held together in Christ (v. 17)
  • Christ Himself, as Head of His body, the church (v. 18)
  • Christ, the pattern for those reborn to new life (v. 18)
  • reconciled to God through Christ (v. 19)
  • at peace with God through Christ’s blood on the cross (v. 20)
  • brought close to God, and no longer His enemy (v. 21)
  • brought into God’s own presence through Christ’s death (v. 22)
  • made completely holy (v. 22)
  • made completely blameless (v. 22)
  • able to stand before God without a single fault (v. 22)
  • assurance of the Truth (v. 23)
  • God’s servants, who suffer for us (v. 24)
  • God’s servants, who proclaim His entire message (v. 25)
  • the revelation of God’s secrets revealed in Christ (v. 26)
  • knowing that the riches and glory of Christ are for everyone (v. 27)
  • the secret revealed: Christ Himself lives in you all, and you all share in His glory (v. 27)

All of this and so much more is given to us in Christ who lives in us.  The fullness of God dwells in Him, and He dwells in us!

What a Christ!

If you liked this, please consider sharing it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.

Posted on

What is Freedom in Christ?

From time to time, as I am reading a Scripture passage, I am moved to paraphrase the passage into my own words.  While trying to stay true to the passage’s intended meaning, I sort of journal what I feel the Spirit is working in me at that time.  I’m not trying to reinterpret the Scriptures or make up my own translation (relax).  But it is a great way of connecting with what is going on in me as I’m reading.  This actually happens all the time when someone says something like, “that passage means _______________ to me”.

Below is a passage that I paraphrased some time ago from Galatians 5.  This is a beautiful chapter that compares a life lived from the flesh (sinful nature) with a life lived from the Spirit of Christ, where true freedom is found.

Galatians 5:1, 13-26, My Paraphrase

It is true that on the cross, Christ defeated everything that stands against Him, securing our freedom in Him.  And then, Christ rose from the grave and became a life-giving seed, freely sharing His freedom with us.  Plant yourself firmly in this freedom like a giant oak tree, and do not walk backwards into the heavy chains of religious law and tradition.

Brothers and sisters, we have been granted access to Christ so that through Him we can live in this freedom.  But do not be deceived: this liberty is different from what the world views as freedom.  This is not a freedom for yourself, as those in the world devour each other to gain; rather, this is a freedom from yourself, from everything that stands between you and the Lord’s life.

Let us live by the law that Christ Himself gave us, that we would love and care for each other in the same way we look out for our own lives.  This is how our freedom grows.  Freedom in Christ is not tearing each other to pieces to protect our own interests.  This will completely destroy your fellowship with each other and the freedom found in the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ.

Because of the fall, we cling to selfishness and legalism.  The new antidote to this problem is so much simpler than the Law – give everything to Christ and live by His indwelling life.  Living for yourself destroys your freedom, but living by Christ forms the liberty of love into you.

We all know too well the fruits that comes from trying to get our own way all of the time, and there is no need to list them.  When you are making room in your life for these things, there is no room for the kingdom of God to be built up inside of you.

But if you will give room for the seed of Christ’s life to grow inside of you, He will blossom into a sweet smelling flower.  And this is His fragrance: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Legalism is helpless to produce a life that expresses this kind of beauty.  Everything in us, our old nature, that stands against this was nailed to the cross of Christ and crucified with Him – it lives no more.

Since we have chosen to live in Christ’s life by the Holy Spirit, let us not only hold this as an idea in our minds or a sentiment in our hearts – let us make this our practical way of living with each other.  May we not spend our time measuring how well other believers are walking in the Spirit, and may we not brag about ourselves because Christ is the One who does everything in us.  Instead, let’s see every person as God’s masterpiece.

 

If you liked this, please consider sharing it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

You can leave a comment below.

Posted on

Have You Heard Him, Seen Him, Known Him?

**I originally published this article on this blog’s previous website in 2011.  I was reminded of the same theme recently and am reposting it with a few minor edits.**

The title question comes from an old hymn we sing in our church.  It’s a beautiful hymn that points towards knowing Christ as a real and living Person.

This post also gives a glimpse into “what it is we do” as an organic expression of the church.

I’m part of an “organic” church that meets in a home.  For most of my life, I’ve been part of traditional churches where a pastor preaches on Sunday, the congregation listens, and kids go to Sunday School.  If someone would have asked me if I knew Jesus, I would have probably said, “Sure, I know Him.  I’m saved.  I said the sinner’s prayer and was baptized.  I read my Bible.  I go to church.  So, yeah, I know Him.”

(Note that this doesn’t mean that no one can know Jesus in a deep way if they have a similar experience of traditional church.  I try to avoid such sweeping generalizations.  But it wasn’t the case for me, and I think the points below apply to anyone.)

I’ve realized in the past few years that that answer seems to fall flat.  I don’t want to just know facts about Christ, nor do I want the extent of my knowing of Christ to be based on the event of saying a prayer and getting baptized.  Although those are important events, isn’t there more to having a relationship with Christ than that?

As a husband, I don’t presume to know all about my wife just because we said marriage vows at a wedding ceremony.  Knowing my wife is much deeper than that.  It takes work, sacrificial love, conversation, quality time together.  And after over 13 years of knowing my wife, I am still far from truly knowing her (which is an exciting thought because there is so much more to be explored and known).

In our church, our desire, goal, and hope is to learn who Jesus the Christ is.  Not the facts and statistics, but the Person.  Who is this Jesus?  What makes Him tick?  What is He all about?  What is He up to?  What does He want from me?  What does He want from us all together? How do we figure all of this out?

Well, that’s a long story, but it started with someone describing Him to us.  Someone who has gone down this path of knowing Him deeply before us.  Someone who could remove the veil of this world and reveal the true nature and person of Christ.  Someone who could cut through our pasts of religion, legalism, intellectualism, and self-centeredness.  And by this expanded view into who Christ is, we began to be able to see Him ourselves.  We began to share Him amongst ourselves, beholding His endless riches!

Now, imagine you asked me to describe the moon to you.  I’ve seen the moon plenty of times.  I’ve even seen it through a telescope, so I could give you some general features of the moon.  It’s usually a sort of white color, it is round, and it has craters all over it.  Now, imagine asking an astronaut who has walked on the moon what it is like.  Of course, they can give you the facts and figures, but they can also give you the first hand experience of actually walking and living in the moon’s environment.  That is what this person (actually it was a few people) did for us.

They shared with us the land of Christ through which they had actually walked. This sighting of Christ did not occur overnight, and as with my wife, there is still much more to explore and see of Jesus.  As a church, we pursue Him together in many different ways, most of which look nothing like what most people would consider “church”.  Most importantly, we pursue Him together as we live in community with each other.  We are learning to live together by His indwelling life, and what it means to be an expression of Him in this world.

So back to the original question.  Have you heard Him, seen Him, known Him?  I thought I had.  But thankfully, I listened to the still, small whisper inside that said, “Maybe there’s more.”

In time, I have learned that our Lord, Jesus, wants to be known by me and you to a deeper level than any of us can imagine. Will you respond to His simple call to hear Him, see Him, know Him?

If you liked this, please consider sharing it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

Leave a comment using the form below.  I’d love to read what you have to say.

Posted on

The Eternal, Inwrought Cross

Credit: Flickr user Claudio Ungari

Credit: Flickr user Claudio Ungari

And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.  ~ Jesus in Luke 9:23-24

What does it mean to take up (carry/bear) our cross daily?

While Jesus washed away our sins and the sin nature on the cross of Golgotha, there is also an eternal, inwrought cross principle that is the very heartbeat of the expression of divine life.  Living in community today with other Christians and experiencing real internal growth and maturity emanates out from an experience of this cross principle.

In DeVern Fromke’s book, Ultimate Intention, he describes the eternal, inwrought cross:

We see then the Cross is far more than an act in history.  It expresses the very qualities and manner of life of the Triune God.  It is the life-giving, light-sharing and love-bestowing principle by which God has dealt with man from the beginning.  …

In thinking of the Cross only as a redemptive measure, we have missed God’s larger intention.  Yet the total inference of Scripture is that from the beginning the Father longed for a family of sons who would embrace the same Cross principle that has ever governed His own heart.  It was His intention that the Cross might be so inwrought in these sons as to become their manner and purpose of life.  And until this giving and sharing can be accomplished in man, there is no real basis of fellowship for God and man.

But we might ask, “How much did the first man, Adam, know of God’s intention for him?”

Once again it becomes evident that when we begin at the right place – in the paternal heart – we shall always see things in God’s larger perspective.  The Cross which has usually appeared only redemptive becomes much more.  It becomes expressive of God’s manner of life which He intends in due time to be reflected everywhere in the universe.

From our present viewpoint we know that the Father was inviting Adam to embrace the Cross-principle as the manner and purpose of his life.  This, however, could not be thrust upon him, but must come as the exercise of moral choice – the choice of living to give, to serve, and thus, to share.  We are sure that God was waiting to make a fuller disclosure of His inner being which would have unfolded more and more as Adam went from one step of obedience to another step of obedience.

Had Adam chosen initially the divine intention for his life – a choice represented in the two trees – then through each successive choice this divine way of life would have been more fully inwrought in him.  His first choice of the Cross, as an operating principle, would call for a continued ratifying to make it an operating practice in his daily walk.  Thus God and man would have become two hearts living in complete harmony.

This cross principle calls us to lay down our own lives, our own self-interest, and to elevate others in our place.

The cross principle calls us to a life of service and sacrifice (with a good attitude).

The cross principle calls us let go of the old, dead person, and embrace the new, truly alive person in Christ.

The cross principle of community life reveals who we really are, flaws and all.

The cross principle of community life reveals the measure of Christ in others when your flaws are revealed.

The cross principle bids our flesh to come and die, and the Spirit of Christ to come and live.

For further reflection on living this cross principle, Frank Viola recently shared a transcribed message and an expanded spoken message on his blog on the theme of this cross in community life.  Both are highly recommended.

Transcribed: The Message Most Needed, But the One Few Want to Hear

Spoken: Warning, Christian Community Doesn’t Work Without This

If you liked this, please consider sharing it using the links below.

You can subscribe at top right to receive future posts by email.

Posted on

Feeling Stale? Here’s A Cure For Spiritual Dryness (New Day Book Review)

newday_med

For most, if not all Christians, there are times when our spiritual life feels stale, dry, or perhaps even empty.  You may read the Scriptures and spend time with the Lord, but it doesn’t seem to produce anything.  While these times are certainly tough to weather, it can be helpful to focus on the newness that is in Christ.

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”  (Revelation 21:5 NASB)

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

New Day: The New Humanity Lives in the New Creation by Means of the New Covenant is a new book by Milt Rodriguez that may help provide a cure for spiritual dryness.

Milt writes in his typical conversational style, but in a unique way. New Day is written as a devotional style book as though Jesus is speaking to the reader, which makes the book more personal.

New Day reveals beautiful pictures of all that is new in Christ. The new day, the new humanity, the new covenant, the new command, the new creation, the new song, the new heart, and more – all of this is in our Lord, and it is growing newer and newer!

There are many Scripture references throughout the entire book, although it is recommended to read the book first as though you are reading a letter, and then read through it again looking up the specific Scripture references.

I really enjoyed this book as it daily drew me closer to Christ and helped me to focus on what is above, where Christ dwells in eternal newness. This book is a true gem!

Here are some quotes from the book:

“I am the rising One! I have not only risen (past tense), I am also still rising. In fact, rising is a part of my very life and nature. I am always rising. I live in perpetual rising. This continual rising gives light and warmth to all things. I am rising itself. And I am rising within you. This rising gives birth to newness inside of you. My newness, freshness, light, and warmth are rising in you.”

“My kingdom, my new creation is a massive place. The spaciousness of this place cannot even be grasped by the human mind. It is the place where all of my riches can be seen, known, and experienced. It is the place of the great expanse and the great adventure. It is the place of the glorious unknown and the wonderfully never ending discovery of me. And inside of me and only inside of me will you receive your fulfillment. This is the place where your life supply will be found. This is the place where you will discover all of your unlimited resources. So enter into this vast land where you can roam for the rest of eternity. You have been chosen before creation for such a destiny. You have been chosen before the old creation to live in the new creation.”

“You can of yourself do nothing. But as you abide in me, and live by my life, you will fulfill this new commandment. You will love your brothers and sisters as I love them because it will actually be me loving them through you. The foundation of this great love is my cross. It is the beauty and power of a life laid down and resurrected by the power of the Spirit. This love comes from a certain kind of lifestyle; the crucified lifestyle. That is, a life which is constantly being laid down for others.”

Thank you, Milt for this refreshing unveiling of Christ.

(This sounds like something to sing about… don’t miss the great new song below!)

Amazon (Paperback)

Amazon (Kindle)

Milt’s Website