Our Standards

Some further times of sharing with others in the past, but speak loudly while it is yet called...Today!

Rich


"You will begin to see who you truly are in Christ and it will look nothing like what the world told you it should. You will never look the way they wanted you to. It will be all of his life and nothing of your efforts. You will never be that false image of what they said you should become."

I gleefully agree, adding, You will never be that false image of what YOU THINK you should become, either.

As grace believers, we're still tempted to do the same thing. We look at other believers and measure them up to our standards of what a gospel believing Christian should look like. But perhaps, just perhaps, their life of freedom will look differently than the freedom in Christ that you experience. Does that mean they're less free or does it confirm that fact that they're free to be exactly the person God has created them to be…?


Re:
'Measure them up to our standards of what a gospel believing Christian should look like.'

I’ve been thinking about what you referred to as ‘our standards’ and suggest the following:

The gospel of Christ eliminates any of "our standards". It has no bearing on the one Life that indwells all believers. I wonder if Paul was trying to "measure the believers up" to Paul’s standards? I don’t think so! The standard was Christ! He is the only standard. Because we are individuals uniquely expressing His life through our mortal bodies, we can’t help but look different.

Maybe the longing of Father God’s heart that seemed to be so evidently displayed in and through Paul was for each and every believer to be brought to a place of "knowing" all that was already theirs in Christ. (2 Corinthians 3:16, 17, Ephesians 4: 13-16)

Was Paul seeing something (Someone) that others were not yet seeing, meaning the standard of Christ, not the standard of Paul? He knew that he could not impart this knowledge to other believers. There are six recorded times he prayed for the believers, that they would come to know, that the eyes of their hearts would be opened and flooded in the true knowledge of Him.

Of course our freedom just might look different, no two people being the same. Though the expression is different, what is revealed is Christ - the One who is our freedom – our standard – the same life in every believer!

The means whereby we have fellowship is based on that One Life that indwells believers, but to the degree that we see that Life as a Baptist Life, or a Pentecostal Life, or a Catholic Life will determine the depth of our fellowship or the lack thereof.

Is it possible to be a Christian yet not see that there’s only one life in the believer, and that it has nothing to do with a denominational bent/slant/belief system, wearing makeup or not, talking in tongues or not, black cars with no chrome, black cars with chrome…from the sublime to the ridiculous in terms of what we have measured in standards as what is ‘holy’?

Maybe like the song says, 'Holiness is Your Life in me', maybe my life is to BE a living extension of the Holy One?!

Yes I Am Promoting a Gospel of Works!!

The following is some heart to heart exchanges made a few years back.

Rich

Yes, I Am Promoting a Gospel of Works!

I've met some Christians who would enjoy doing a study of good works, but not many. Most would rather visit their dentist for a root canal. There's a reason for that. Most Christians have never studied good works. All they've studied is their inability to perform them.

The fact that we've been struggling for so many years with competing answers only makes it clear that we haven't even begun to ask the right questions. It seems Christians should be experts when it comes to understanding good works and how they fit into the Christian life. Unfortunately, opinions vary so widely to suggest exactly the opposite. No, we don't understand good works very well at all.
Are good works required to please God so we can obtain his approval, blessings and protection? If so, which works, how many and how often?

Having received grace, are we now obligated to respond with good works, or should we expect good works to be a natural result of knowing we have received grace? If we think that the end purpose of grace was to perfect our performance, doesn't that kind of miss the whole point of grace?

We promise salvation by grace to new believers but then we demand good works as the fruit by which we discern genuine conversion. Justification by performance doesn't confirm that one has received grace--it is a denial of grace.

Christians have been trying to solve the problem of works for a long time but as Albert Einstein said, "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."

Maybe we just aren't approaching the problem from the right perspective. The problem of works is hard to solve because we're thinking the same way we did when we created the problem. We are focused on our own self-centred performance. What we need to do is turn our man-centred view of works upside-down and begin to see things from God's perspective.

The really interesting thing about us and good works is neither us, nor the works themselves, but the fact that they are "good" works. The New Testament speaks of two different types of good works. God uses earthly rulers to bring about works that are a good "benefit". However, Christian works are presented very differently, using a form of the word that implies "beautiful" works. Christian works should be viewed not so much as labour or obligation, but more like creative works of art.

The reality of life in Christ is not about what you do, but who you are. You are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for the purpose of good works (Eph 2:10). Your faith is not a measurement of good works vs. your bad works; it is a display of the work of Jesus Christ for his own name's sake. You aren't doing his works for him. You are his works of art displayed by him before all of heaven and earth as a testimony to his love (Eph 3:10, 11). You are the divine art gallery.

Now, focusing on the beauty of Christ in you, consider some of the New Testament passages regarding works: It is proper for those who profess Godliness to display good works (1Tim 2:10). Good works are obvious to all who see them and cannot be hidden (1Tim 5:25). God has made you rich in good works (1Tim 6:18). You are a pattern for the world to see and understand what good works truly are (Titus 2:7). Being redeemed and purified by God makes you zealous for good works (Titus 2:14). Those who have believed should be careful not to lose sight of this knowledge, using it to meet the needs of others (Titus 3:8, 14). We are to stir one another to love and good works (Heb 10:24). And good works can even cause those who deride you for your faith to glorify God (1Pet 2:12).

So, yes, I am promoting a gospel of works but not the one you're used to. The next time you're tempted to think of good works in terms of the pass/fail scenario, turn your heart to remember the work of God's grace in you. Christ alone is qualified to live the Christian life and he alone is the source of all good Christian works. Good works are not burdensome efforts or a measure of performance; they are beautiful, creative works of art. God has done glorious things--and Baby, you're it!

* * * * *


For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

I’m convinced that as a believer comes to experience the “true” knowledge of God’s love inwardly there is corresponding expression of it demonstrated outwardly.

Love being the full filment of the Law is a done deal carried out by only one man, the Man Christ Jesus on behalf of all men.
The reality of this finished perfect work was designed to be an imparting and impacting “knowing” within us that we have measured up because of what he has done.
We no longer have to prove ourselves, try to better ourselves. We can as we are recipients of this “true” knowledge of His love just “be”.
His Life is a life that not only worked the miracle of apprehending us but is the same Life working deep within to bring us to the place of “knowing” this all consuming stubborn love he has for us.
It is the same Life that will work out through us in a myriad of ways. The outer things that we do, work,s are but an expression of something far more significant.
Our conscience being purged from dead works, the love of God being poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit etc. Wherever we go His life is dispersed from our being His children.

If in fact no matter how wonderful things were when Paul experienced the Life of God at work amongst the believers and it touching the lost, why was he being directed to pray even more so for these believers to come to an even greater knowledge of Him?

Ephesians 3
and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

You need to temper your expressions, lest you become too exclusive

Church In Asia Minor

Committee on Missions
Paul the Apostle
c/o Aquila the Tentmaker
Corinth, Greece

Dear Paul:

We recently received a copy of your letter to the Galatians. The committee has directed me to inform you of a number of things which deeply concern us.
First, we find your language to be somewhat intemperate. In your letter, after a brief greeting to the Galatians, you immediately attack your opponents by claiming they want to “pervert the gospel of Christ.” You then say that such men should be regarded as “accursed”; and, in another place, you make reference to “false brethren.” Wouldn’t it be more charitable to give them the benefit of the doubt---at least until the general assembly has investigated and adjudicated the matter? To make the situation worse, you later say, “I could wish those who trouble you would even cut themselves off.” Is such a statement really fitting for a Christian minister? The remark seems quite harsh and unloving.
Paul, we really feel the need to caution you about the tone of your Epistles. You come across in an abrasive manner to many people. In some of your letters you’ve even mentioned names; and this practice has, no doubt, upset the friends of Hymenaeus, Alexander, and others. After all, many persons were first introduced to the Christian faith under the ministry of these men. Although some of our missionaries have manifested regrettable shortcomings, nevertheless, it can only stir up bad feelings when you speak of these men in a derogatory manner.
In other words, Paul, I believe you should strive for a more moderate posture in your ministry. Shouldn’t you try to win those who are in error by displaying a sweeter spirit? By now, you’ve probably alienated the Judaizers to the point that they will no longer listen to you.
By your outspokenness, you have also diminished your opportunities for future influences throughout the church as a whole. Rather, if you had worked more quietly, you might have been asked to serve on a presbytery committee appointed to study the issue. You then have contributed your insights by helping to draft a good committee paper on the theological position of the Judaizers, without having to drag personalities into the dispute.
Besides, Paul, we need to maintain unity among those who profess a belief in Christ.
The Judaizers at least stand with us as we confront the surrounding paganism and humanism which prevail within the culture of the contemporary Roman Empire. The Judaizers are our allies in our struggles against abortion, homosexuality, government tyranny, etc. We cannot afford to allow differences over doctrinal minutiae to obscure this important fact.
I also must mention that questions have been raised about the contents of your letter, as well as your style. The committee questions the propriety of the doctrinaire structure of your letter. Is it wise to plague your Christians, like the Galatians, with such heavy theological issues? For example, in a couple of places, you allude to the doctrine of election. You also enter into a lengthy discussion of the law.
Perhaps you could have proved your case in some other ways, without mentioning these complex and controverted points of Christianity. Your letter is so doctrinaire, it will probably serve only to polarize the differing factions within the churches. Again, we need to stress unity, instead of broaching issues which will accent divisions among us.
In one place, you wrote, “Indeed I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.” Paul, you have a tendency to describe things strictly in black and white terms, as if there are no gray areas. You need to temper your expressions, lest you become too exclusive. Otherwise, your outlook will drive away many people, and make visitors feel unwelcome. Church growth is not promoted by taking such a hard line and remaining inflexible.
Remember, Paul, there is no such thing as a perfect church. We have to tolerate many imperfections in the church, since we cannot expect to have everything at once. If you will simply think back over your own experience, you will recall how you formerly harassed the church in your times of ignorance. By reflecting on your own past, you might acquire a more sympathetic attitude toward the Judaizers. Be patient, and give them some time to come around to a better understanding. In the meantime, rejoice that we all share a common profession of faith in Christ, since we have all been baptized in his name.

Sincerely,

Charles Phinney
Coordinator, Committee on Missions.

Rich

Opening the eyes of the heart

Being Soldiers

By Lynette Woods

http://www.unveiling.org/Articles/soldiers.html

Another great thought to consider/ponder!

Rich

While many of us may see the parallels of religion with being in bondage, there are other bondages that we may still need freedom from including self-righteousness and bondage to Self. Even when we have been freed from religion, our own laws and opinions can still blind and bind us just as much as religion because we can very quickly and easily make a whole new set of laws which we feel we must fulfil in order to please God. Our freedom and liberty are very, very precious. They are also very, very costly. True freedom can be quite frightening because we must relinquish control in order to be free. Control makes us feel secure. Rules, regulations and laws make us think we are doing fine when all along, Self is still on the throne of our lives. Simply trusting God can initially make us feel very uncomfortable and insecure because we must truly trust Another...

Our enemy often feeds us the exact same lie: that we cannot survive by trusting God alone! "If you no longer follow these rules and do this or that and no longer go here or there, you will not get fed, you will be alone, you will not be protected. Escape is impossible. You would die." And the result of this lie is that many people are limited and bound by fear instead of being released to live by faith in trusting a Father Who is more than able to take care of His own children!

May He give us the Grace and Ability to escape the many things which bind and blind us by opening the eyes of our hearts to see ourselves for what we are, and to see Him as All that He is!

Warefare....but not as we've known it

An excellent article dealing with warfare by Lynette Woods....Warefare....but not as we've known it

Rich

http://unveiling.org/Articles/warfare.html

"What is often referred to as "spiritual warfare" in this day and age usually amounts to nothing more than religious flesh; it loudly assails an enemy who is ALREADY defeated (but doesn't want us to know it) while ignoring the enemy within: us and our flesh - in particular, our religious flesh which delights in the illusion of having power and in doing things and being seen to be doing things. This so called "spiritual warfare" seems to be more motivated by preservation of self and fear of our enemy than by trust and faith in our Victory who is Christ! We have NOT been given a spirit of fear yet the way some people speak sounds as though they think satan is in control and not God and they are in fear of him; but God desires us to know HIM and to not be deceived by the many illusions that the deceiver uses to distract and intimidate us."

Also, some wonderful connecting over at the God Journey forum dealing with the same subject matter and much more!

http://thegodjourney.com/forums/

Religion or Life

If familiarity breeds contempt, could that be one of the main reasons those with religious mind sets were the ones who opposed Paul and his message the most?

Words are very often synonymous with meanings that are totally askew. Paul sharing the Message of life in Christ was not going to be confined to a place, meeting or time. Right from the start Paul was testifying of a Person-Life, not an institutional setting to meet or connect with God.

Rich

Are You?

Are you going to be ruled by what is seen, or are you going to be ruled by the unseen One?

Rich

Worth Reading

I loved reading what Greg shared on his blog, (Greg's Head)~"You can't go back", check it out here.

http://www.gregshead.net/2006/03/you-cant-go-back.html

Rich

A Site of Interest

For anyone interested in checking out a forum for those living outside of the box-IC-aka, the institutional church~http://thegodjourney.com/forums/
Also http://www.thegodjourney.com/ where there are frequent pod casts available to listen to.

Rich

Where Do You Go?

Rather than drawing lines of demarcation by asking questions such as: “Where to you go to church?” or “How do you ‘do church’?”, maybe a more apt question would be: “How is He becoming real to you in the context of your everyday living?”

Rich

Who do you say that I AM

And I will make you ‘eye witnesses’ of Me.

"Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land--not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east;they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. "In that day the lovely virgins and the young men shall faint for thirst.

He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (conquers), I will give to eat of the manna that is hidden.

Rich

'I' Exam: Whom Do You See?

The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:1-12, Luke 6:20-38

Are the Beatitudes just religious platitudes to which we give mere lip service?

In light of the nasty world in which we live, and considering those still controlled by the evil one, what do we see? Do we see anything other than our own hopelessness, shame, guilt? Do we then try to drum up something – anything - kind or loving towards those who sin against us, rub us the wrong way, piss us off, etc?

Maybe the Holy Spirit is the Divine Optician performing the eye exam we desperately need - meaning, it is his ability that opens the eyes of our heart to see. See what? See whom?

Like an x-ray, we slowly begin to see that all we’re looking and longing for is found in Christ Jesus, and that He is in us, joined to us. We are one in Him.

Is it possible that His life in us is the only life available to us? And maybe it has nothing to do with our trying to be ‘Christ-like!’ As he was in the world, so are we. Maybe we have a secret identity, so secret that most Christians have NO idea who they are! I mean, come on! Being called a ‘saint’: isn’t that all about some righteous Catholic who lived ages ago?

I wonder why we struggle so much over the plain and simple language used in the bible, for example: “great is the mystery of godliness”, “It is no longer I that lives, but Christ, nevertheless I do live, but I live by the faith of the Son of God”, “Christ in you the hope of glory”.

Is Jesus Christ still external to us or is He our very life? To paraphrase the words of an old hymn: “Reach out and touch the Lord as he passes by…Hopefully you won’t find Him too busy to hear your heart’s cry….”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”. When? When we die and go to be with Jesus?

Revelation 3:“17 Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,

18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.

If we’re not seeing Him, no wonder we try so hard to cover up our blindness, wretchedness, misery and nakedness!“

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace”.

Thank you Father that you have hidden this from the ‘wise guys’ and revealed it unto the children!

Rich

God Stole My Daddy

A brief excerpt from a letter written to my son.


Once upon a time, there was a young man who was as lost as lost could be. His name was Richard. He honestly believed he had nothing going for him in his life whatsoever. A funny thing happened to this lost young man on his way to hell – he ended up meeting the Lord. Using the term ‘born again’ had more significance to me than just the religious connotation. The impact of it upon my heart, for the very first time, meant that I had a purpose, a reason for being alive unlike ever before. And it was this purpose that I craved passionately to comprehend.

You have to understand that not ever believing I was good for anything or anybody, just like dust blowing in the wind, that this encounter meant to me far more than just being a ‘go to church’ attendee. Almost from the get-go, it was my erroneous perception that this experience of running into God was somehow spelled out that I was to be in the ministry. And like King Arthur and his search for the Holy Grail – wanting to be in the ministry was the fuel that fired me up to look for that.

What I thought originally was a good thing literally stole the affections of my heart. I allowed it to steal my heart in very practical ways, much like a drug addict or alcoholic who hurt the people that are closest to them – the ones they should have been most concerned about – except in my case, this drug was religion.

At the time, even though I was a Christian, the deception of being called into the ministry wouldn’t have appealed to me whatsoever - if in fact I knew my worth, value and significance just in being a child of God, my Father’s son. But looking back, I clearly see how incredibly easy it is to be self-deceived. And it’s extremely painful now in seeing the pain that I caused people – your mom, your sister and particularly you. Again, not trying to excuse myself, I naively, innocently, unknowingly, whatever – became deeply deceived. Nonetheless, through this deception, innocent people such as you became victims of much hurt and pain.

Rich

Redefining

Oh God, the need for the eyes of our heart to be opened on a daily basis to the reality of His, the Father’s heart for us! Without the growing awareness of this truth, we will constantly lose heart and choose to capitulate. Also, we need to begin to see with ever greater clarity the reality of having Satan within our flesh. It’s imperative that Christians realize that he resides there, NOT in our spirit. The flesh is the beachhead from which Satan launches his attacks on us.

We have grown up believing that our thoughts were just that, our thoughts! But what if an enemy, lying low, disguised and camouflaged within our flesh is the one directing the thinking? He injects his poison into our souls causing us to think, “What a scum bucket I am!” (note: I do not blame everything on the devil. We do have a choice in the matter.)

The image of Christ we now bear in our spirit is trying to redefine us within our soul. This redefinition will be contested by the enemy step by step. Though perfect, we are being perfected.

I love this section of a quote by Oswald Chambers:
”No matter what changes God has wrought in you, never rely upon them. Build upon a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit He gives.”

We take a quick detour into insanity when we choose the path of least resistance, i.e. tips, techniques or principles to apply to live by, rather than seeking after Jesus who intends to take the seeker for the ride of his life straight into the unknown! So much undiscovered territory lies hidden to us regarding the Father’s heart and His intentions for us. This territory will never be discovered by becoming ‘civilized, or domesticated’. Religion, no matter what its flavour or colour, will do its hellish best to castrate us as we settle for a form of godliness while lacking any real power. Power? I’m not talking about speaking in tongues or any of the attributes Christians may find empowering, nor am I referring to power in the context of right or wrong denominational status. What I AM talking about is the grace, the power to give up the right to our lives for His sake. As it is written:
“Greater is he that rules his own spirit than him that captures an entire city.”

There are so many situations or circumstances that have shaped us into people we were never meant to be, riddled with fears, insecurities, etc. This is the stuff our Father is addressing within our soul: “For this purpose was the Son of God manifested in the flesh that He might destroy the works of the devil”.

The Truth (Christ) is bringing us full circle to examine the truth vs. the lies we have and continue to believe. And the Truth shining into our souls can seem quite hellish as it reveals to us what has shaped our personality - things that have nothing to do with who we now are in Him. I feel that much of the building up the Father does, comes on the heels of His tearing down - tearing down the edifices constructed in our souls that depict anything but truth.

In the movie “Hook”, I love the part where the grown-up Peter is taken back to Never- Never Land and the children study his face. One little boy in particular manipulates Peter’s unfamiliar adult face in his hands, stretching it this way and that, only to come to this conclusion: “Oh, there you are, Peter!” In the same way, Christ is resident in our spirits. We bear His image, but it has to become real, or be made known to us.

Rich

Forbidden Fruit

I love fishing, though for many years I have not fulfilled this desire.I do know that it is possible to catch fish on a bare hook (I was there, saw it with my own eyes) but usually it’s best to put some bait on it. This reminds me of the temptation scene in the Garden of Eden. I have been musing about the baited hook dangled before Adam and Eve.

The serpent appealed to their souls (which were created for Him, the Living God), conveying to the couple that personal fulfillment was within their grasp. There was no need to wait upon the whimsical timing of God. The serpent, though not all-knowing, was aware that there was to be a new ruling, reigning monarchy on the earth. It was evident that these two would be the viceroys, and their royal descendents would be the fruit of their loins.

The serpent decided to prepare a tasty feast for them. The main dish he presented to Adam and Eve was called ‘personal self-fulfillment.’

Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

Hook, line and sinker, what a catch! Thank God that is not the end of His-Story. So much of salvation is regarded only in terms of forgiveness. Yes it is that, and so much more - restoration, for example.

Jesus said it best:
(Mark 8:35)
"For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
(John 12:25) 25"He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.

The Message of the gospel is not about personal fulfillment or the preservation of self at all costs. There are no contradictions here. If we cling to or endeavour to save our life, we lose it. It isn’t about losing our salvation, but losing out on His life, His likeness being formed and established within us, and Life is best depicted in laying it down on behalf of others.

It is so very easy to miss out on our birthright, for the momentary thrill of self-fulfillment.

I am reminded in the movie, ‘Field of Dreams’. The main character, Ray Kinsella, hears a voice which states repeatedly, “Build it and he will come”. If you haven’t seen the movie, to Ray this meant he was to build a baseball field in the middle of his cornfield. Sure enough, long-dead baseball legends eventually appear and are able to enjoy some practice sessions. Near the end of the movie, these ghostly baseball buddies invite another character, Terrance Mann to follow them into the mysterious and heavenly-looking cornfield. At this point, even though Ray has been most heroic and noble in all that he has done thus far in building the baseball field (even to be regarded as being totally selfless) his fleshly sense of personal fulfillment tries to derail him from the heart to heart reconciliation and secret dream of his heart that is about to transpire. HE wants to be the one to be invited to see what’s in his own cornfield! The star baseball player, Shoeless Joe Jackson, asks, Ray, “What are you saying, Ray? Are you saying, ‘What’s in it for me”? Ray replies “Yes!” Shoeless Joe goes on to say, “Ray, if you build it, HE will come!”
How the enemy of our soul longs with hellish hatred to take us out of the picture - to nullify our effect as bright shining lights in a dark and lost world.

thevoice.wav(38K)
‘If you build it he will come’ is at a pivotal point in the movie.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097351/

Rich

Sanctification

Sanctification

Oswald Chambers

“Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us…sanctification.” 1 Cor 1. 30.

The Life Side. The mystery of sanctification is that the perfections of Jesus Christ are imparted to me, not gradually, but instantly when by faith I enter into the realization that Jesus Christ is made unto me sanctification. Sanctification does not mean anything less than the holiness of Jesus being made mine manifestly.

The one marvelous secret of a holy life lies not in imitating Jesus, but in letting the perfections of Jesus manifest themselves in my mortal flesh. Sanctification is “Christ in you.” It is His wonderful life that is imparted to me in sanctification, and imparted by faith as a sovereign gift of God’s grace. Am I willing for God to make sanctification as real in me as it is in His word?

Sanctification means the impartation of the Holy qualities of Jesus Christ. It is His patience, His love, His holiness, His faith, His purity, His godliness, that is manifested in and through every sanctified soul. Sanctification is not drawing from Jesus the power to be holy; it is drawing from Jesus the holiness that was manifested in Him, and He manifests it in me. Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. Imitation is on a different line. In Jesus Christ is the perfection of everything, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfections of Jesus are at my disposal, and slowly an surely I begin to live a life of ineffable order and sanity and holiness: “Kept by the power of God.”



Father, thank you, that you will not spare me from the storms of life, let the viciousness of these trials do unto me that which is purposed for your glory and my good.
Thank you Lord, that truth will be turned into Truth, and will be established in the hidden recesses of my being.
Thank you for being so much more than answers to my questioning soul, for the many things that seem to go unanswered.
Thank you for the repeated face to face encounters with hopelessness, in order to know what and where true Hope is found.
Thank you Father for shaking everything within my soul, everything that needs to wither and die, in order for that which can not be shaken to come forth.

”O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"

Rich

Consternation

The miracle of being re-birthed caused indelible transformation in us. We now not only bear His image, but His glory. We simultaneously live in two realms, the physical and the spiritual. Consequently, much of what happens to us after being re-birthed is totally foreign in this respect: we cannot fathom the out-of-proportion assaults exacted upon our lives. In your incredulity or frustration, have you ever said anything remotely like this: ‘Before I came to know the reality of the Lord I never had these kinds of things happening to me! Why is this happening?’

Why, indeed?

Before Lucifer allowed pride to enter his heart (and with that pride the notion he would try to put God out of business), all glory and praise was directed through him towards the God of Glory. However, all that drastically changed in a heartbeat when Lucifer plummeted to earth. He has an objective now. He hates God with a hellish hatred, fuelled by a fiendish resolve to take those now entrusted not only to bear His image but His likeness (you and me) out of the picture.

Having said that (lest anyone think that I am impressed with the devil but only remotely aware of God), let me set the record straight: the exact opposite is true. Our Father has made us to be people who ‘notice’ things. We can get all bent out of shape over the injustices we see, or we can deposit the outrage we feel into prayer and intercession on behalf of those He puts upon our hearts.

I love the following quote from the book, ‘The Barbarian Way’:

“Jesus is being lost in a religion bearing His name. People are being lost because they cannot reconcile Jesus’ association with Christianity. Christianity has become docile, domesticated, civilized. We have forgotten that there is a kingdom of darkness stealing the hopes and dreams and souls of a humanity without God. It is time to hear the barbarian call, to form a barbarian tribe, and to unleash the barbarian revolt. Let the invasion begin.

”Matthew 11:12 (Amp.):

”And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force (as a precious prize, a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion).

Nowadays, the reality of heaven and hell being reduced to nothing more than religious blether is indicative of how Satan has in fact ensnared so many in the matrix of lies. After all, he is called the father of lies. Give him his due - he is very good at what he does!

Everything outside of Christ Jesus is religion, and Satan is the father of religion (‘religion’ being anything that causes adherents to think that by their right living they can ‘be like God’). The on-going training being worked within us has much to do with setting us free from the matrix of religion which has watered the gospel down to less than tepid tea-water.

The original movie, ‘The Matrix’, though fictional, has more spiritual truth than meets the eye. The main character, Thomas Anderson, a.k.a. Neo, only knows reality that comes to him via the Matrix, a self- generated program existing solely in his mind. In the process of being disconnected from the matrix, reality is almost more than he can bear. Likewise, the reality that the Father is awakening in many of his sons and daughters, is more than we can fathom. That is why the quote from The Barbarian Way spoke such encouragement to me.

In the garden, when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, their eyes were opened…but what they saw did not resemble life and freedom. Is it any wonder that even though we have been re-birthed, it is the Father’s desire to have the eyes of our heart opened up, that we might be flooded with light in the true knowledge of Him being our all? We are here in the now for a purpose, (His) and though most of us do not know or see the reality of this purpose, Satan does. He may be defeated, but he is not stupid insofar as having successfully taken many Christians out of the picture.

The ‘necessity’ of knowing the love of our Father is the only thing that will keep us from losing heart, from capitulating and becoming a statistic or prisoner of war – that and knowing that as the re-birthed we are in a battle for our very souls, and the onslaughts are relentless. However, most Christians don’t realize this. I once heard it said that when most believers give their lives to Christ, they sincerely believe they were signing onto a cruise liner. They had no idea they were boarding a warship!

”Grow not weary in well doing, for in due time you shall reap. If we suffer with Him, we shall reign with Him.” That reigning is in the now, but it is the out-working that results in much suffering.

"The full value of this life can only be got by fighting; the violent take it by storm. And if we have accepted everything we have missed something — war. This life of ours is a very enjoyable fight, but a very miserable truce."

Rich

The Grace of God

‘The on-going work of the grace of God in a believer’s life'…Wow, what a mouthful! It is nothing short of being glorious, the unfolding, revealing, glorifying work of the Holy Spirit, making known to believers who the Father is, and who they are in Him.

The above picture speaks to me on so many levels, but mostly in a facetious and humorous way. It is mind-numbing to consider that so many believers are in a fixed orbit of believing that when they were re-birthed, it was a total deal or nothing.We hate perceived contradictions, paradoxes or incongruent things we see not apparently meshing in the scriptures.
Rather than admit we might be the ones with the problems in our limited perceptions and bow to the Father, trusting him for the needed illumination, we defend to the death that which has only been seen thus far in part.There is much that is on my heart that I would like to think out loud about concerning the continuing work of grace (metamorphosis) in the believer’s soul, but I think I will stop here for now.
Hopefully the picture will stimulate some needful heart-to-heart fellowship with one another. I anticipate hearing from you.

Rich

Awaken, Sleepy Man!

Continued

Our coming to the living God who, unbeknownst to us, was to become our Father was a simple, but miraculous response to His initiative. Everything from that point forward would have been most wonderful had we continued to listen to His spirit wanting to make known to us Who it was who had become our Life (Jesus speaking of the Holy Sprit’s agenda, ‘He will reveal and glorify me’).

We chose to do what we did. Unless the Holy Spirit has been permitted to reveal to us that the enemy of our soul is still resident within our flesh, we were and are still clueless. This in no way diminishes the perfect and finished work of the cross, which did not, by the way, proclaim “Jesus in, Satan out!”

Food for thought here: nowhere in scripture is there mentioned anything about man having a ‘human nature’. I personally believe that the two trees in the garden spoke of a reality pertaining to a nature humankind could choose to have: one was death (the knowledge of good and evil); the other was Life, as represented by the Tree of Life. The soul of man was meant to be governed by someone, ergo, the choice of the trees. Who are we going to serve?

Despite the fact that our spirit has been reborn, our soul has not. Clearly, life and death issues are paramount in our continued walk with the Lord. ”The mind set upon the spirit is life; the mind set upon the flesh is death.” It is in this area of our lives we are most blind and ignorant. Although saved, we do not yet grasp that the enemy of our soul still beckons to us from his hidden position within our flesh. He appeals to our soul, trying to dazzle and beguile us through the mind, will and emotions.

Genesis 3:5-7 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

I am learning to love the apparent contradictions and paradoxes that keep popping up in scripture. For example, the above scriptures refer to eyes being opened, but the results did not benefit humankind. This one-time eye-opening experience spelled death for man.
Yet in Ephesians 1:17-18, it says,
17 For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
18 By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),

This continuous eye-opening experience spells Life, in that we see Him as our only Life. Many would think that this is a one-time event, rather than a journey of learning to trust in the Lord with all of our heart, and not leaning unto our own understanding. Oh, the glory that beckons us, as the Spirit of Truth has access into opening the eyes of our heart more and more!

Everything outside of Christ is religion, and the father of it all is Satan.

It’s amusing when one mentions ‘religion’. Those within the institutional church agree, yes it’s ‘out there’, but they do not see it existing within the confines of their doctrines. A co-mingled gospel, i.e. ‘another gospel’, results from mixing anything, such as performance or works, with God’s 100% grace.

”Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold, but be transformed by the continuous renewing of your mind.

”Being renewed in the spirit of our mind frees us from the matrix of religion.

Rich

Awaken, Sleepy Man!

Ephesians 5:13-14
13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

"Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,and Christ will shine on you."


Is it the Sandman or one of his cohorts who has put so many to sleep within the institutional church? Not asleep towards religious activities, but asleep towards the Lord - alive in their spirit, but fast asleep in their soul.

John Eldridge in “The Sacred Romance” writes (and this quote is like smelling salts right up the nostrils):

”We tell ourselves that this small, passionate voice is an intruder who has gained entry because we have not been diligent enough in practising our religion. Our pastor seems to agree with this assessment and exhorts us from the pulpit to be more faithful. We try to silence the voice with outward activity, redoubling our efforts at Christian service. We join a small group and read a book on establishing a more effective prayer life. We train to be part of a church evangelism team. We tell ourselves that the malaise of spirit we feel even as we step up our religious activity is a sign of spiritual immaturity and we scold our heart for its lack of fervor.

Sometimes later, the voice in our heart dares to speak to us again, more insistently this time. Listen to me—there is something missing in all this. You long to be in a love affair, an adventure. You were made for something more. You know it.When the young prophet Samuel heard the voice of God calling to him in the night, he had the counsel from his priestly mentor, Eli, to tell him how to respond. Even so, it took them three times to realize it was God calling. Rather than ignoring the voice, or rebuking it, Samuel finally listened.In our modern, pragmatic world we often have no such mentor, so we do not understand it is God speaking to us in our heart. Having so long been out of touch with our deepest longing, we fail to recognize the voice and the One who is calling to us through it. Frustrated by our heart’s continuing sabotage of a dutiful Christian life, some of us silence the voice by locking our heart away in the attic, feeding it only bread and water of duty and obligation until it is almost dead, the voice now small and weak. But sometimes in the night, when our defences are down, we still hear it call to us, oh so faintly—a distant whisper. Come morning, the new day’s activities scream for our attention, the sound of the cry is gone, and we congratulate ourselves on finally overcoming the flesh.”

”For what shall we do when we wake one day to find we have lost touch with our heart and with it the very refuge where God’s presence resides.”

”This longing is the most powerful part of any personality. It fuels our search for meaning, for wholeness, for a sense of being truly alive. However we may describe this deep desire, it is the most important thing about us, our heart of hearts, the passion of our life. And that voice that calls to us in this place is none other than the voice of God.
We cannot hear this voice if we have lost touch with our heart.”

To be continued…

Rich