Acts 2:42-47
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.
The surprising thing I see in this first gathering of believers into a community is very normal things take on a deeply meaningful significance.
I have been given the privilege of being a part of three major moves of God. Two I would call revivals and one was what I would call a renewal. In all three the same sense of wonder and the demonstration of the miraculous was evident. What was lacking in the renewal which kept it from developing into revival was allowing God to move the church into a place of sharing their lives in a more intimate way with each other. The Lord's Supper was first practiced as he did, in an intimate setting of a home and a shared meal. Only later did it become a ritualized practice that could only be observed by a priest. The bible places no such restrictions on it since it is intended to be a cornerstone of intimate fellowship.
When God comes into our lives in an unfettered way we involve ourselves in each other's lives. We spend time together. I am not talking about more church meetings. I am talking about interpersonal relationships. These relationships have a quality of sharing normal, daily life in the wonder of the love of God. It is not the structure of these relationships. It is their quality.
We have to understand a bit of the Semitic mindset to fully understand why "breaking bread" together meant what it did to the early church.
The act of breaking bread to eat a meal together from a biblical perspective is participation in a covenant relationship.
I met my wife in Israel in the summer of 1973. We travelled around the land and one day she told me that she wanted to meet some Bedouin people and see the inside of their tent. The Bedouins are a people who live very much like Abraham. They travel from place to place grazing their livestock and live in tents. To be able to even speak to a Bedouin would be a significant honor. When she told me of her desire I suggested we pray that God would allow her to have that chance.
A few days later we were walking down the road from the chapel on the Mount of the Beatitudes and we saw a Bedouin tent in a field. As we got closer the man came out to the road. Finally when we were near enough for him to speak to us he motioned for us to come to speak to him. My Arabic was not great but I got that he wanted us to come to his home. We were invited to his tent where we met his wife and his twelve year old daughter. The tent floor was covered with beautiful Persian rugs. Both he and his wife were extremely friendly to us. She did not speak but smiled a huge smile showing off her gold teeth.
They asked us to share a simple meal of bread and coffee with them. Afterwards he began to ask about where I was from. I am sure he already knew but he wanted to make sure. He said American? I said yes. He told me his tent was made in America. Then he asked about Carie and me. I assured him that we were just friends. He and his wife both laughed. Then he began to talk about his daughter. Even through her lovely sun burnished skin I could see she was beginning to blush. It suddenly hit me that dad was on a mission for a potential American husband for his daughter. We had a wonderful time with them but I did not end up agreeing to a proposal.
The thing that was significant in this encounter is that when a Bedouin has a meal with you it is a sign of a covenant. I learned later that if you had come under their tent and ate with them even if they later found out that you had killed their father they would not extract revenge on you because of the covenant of peace they made with you when they broke bread with you. Conversely, if you came into their tent and ate with them you entered into the same covenant.
This is the context of Jesus eating the last supper with his disciples:
Matthew 26:26-28
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins.
Luke gives us a little clearer picture of one very important aspect of a covenant - to remember:
Luke 22:19-20
And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
Finally Paul, writing at a later period emphasizes the importance not to miss the true purpose of the act of breaking bread. It is not to be taken lightly. We share in an act of covenant with Jesus and each other in our breaking of bread. It is not just a meal. Like the communion offering (peace offering) of the Old Covenant we sit down with Jesus and each other in a shared covenant meal.
1 Corinthians 11:23-34
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. 27 Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. 28 But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. 30 For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. 31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that you will not come together for judgment. . . .
If these words were so vital for the Corinthians, who had already began to devalue the Lord's Supper how much more are they vital for us to hear?
Devotion to the breaking of bread means that we continually affirm that we are a people of the covenant God made with us in sending His only son to die for us that we might be forgiven our wrongdoing. When we break bread together we declare that we are members of each other because we are members of the body of Christ. Failing to understand and confirm this was the problem of the Corinthians.
Passover was the yearly restating of the act of God that created a nation. What the first celebrants and those who shared its covenantal significance later did not know was it pointed to a much greater act of God that would create the eternal fellowship of God's children. The Passover saved the firstborn of every Jewish home. It pointed to the day when every person that ever lived would be given the opportunity of salvation through the death of God's firstborn son.
Unfortunately the Protestant reaction to Roman Catholicism has stripped our observance of the Lord's Supper of most of its meaning. We have reduced it to symbolism. The Lord's Supper is not a symbolic act. Jesus did not say, "This is the symbol of my Body.... the Symbol of my Blood." It is a terrible mistake to see this act as symbolic. He said, "This is my body..... This is my blood." Communion is a gift of grace. As we eat of it we sit down with the living God. He gives us His life in the elements. Understanding it as anything less than this is not understanding its power. We are in a covenant relationship with God through His Son Jesus' Body and Blood. Every time we break bread together we recall, recommit and receive that grace again to live in this eternal covenant. We should observe it as that kind of a meal.
Another problem we have is the actual way in which we partake of the Lord's Supper together. We do not have a single loaf of bread or a single cup as Jesus and the first church had. The individualism of our age and as a result of our theology is perhaps no more clearly shown than here. We each get our own piece of bread and our own little cup delivered to us. Why is this such a big deal you may ask? It is because the symbol of the cup and bread is that we drink from one cup and we, as the body of Christ are one body.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
One cup and one loaf. This is the only biblical manner in which to take the Lord's Supper and retain its true meaning for us. We are one body and we participate in one cleansing fountain.
Some will counter that for health reasons we should not drink from the one cup. This is primarily because of the reaction to wine in the prohibitionist movement. Most, if not all, protestant, evangelical and charismatic churches use grape juice instead of wine. The antiseptic power of wine would reduce most potential health risks. The churches that do use wine do not report problems with using a common cup. But even if there was a concern the church has had a practice of intinction where the bread is dipped into the wine/grape juice. This solves all health issues and retains the meaning of the single cup and single loaf.
The other thing that having one cup and one loaf does is make us have to go to the one who distributes them. This is a much less self centred act. We come to God in humility. We do not demand that he be delivered to us.
When I have followed the biblical pattern I have found communion to be one of the most beautiful and uplifting shared acts of worship in the church. I too am devoted to the breaking of bread.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Listen to Him!
Mark 9
John 16:2
John 1:1
John 14:8-10
1And Jesus was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." 2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!" 8 All at once they looked around and saw no one with them anymore, except Jesus alone.
This morning I heard again the words of scripture saying, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!"
I shared some about this in my last post on listening but felt I needed to revisit it today. The most important interpretational principle of the Bible is to hear Jesus in every verse.
Moses and Elijah were visiting Jesus to encourage him. They were speaking to him about his death and no doubt his resurrection. Peter, James and John got to catch some of the conversation and got excited about being in such distinguished company. Peter needing to say and do something decided to suggest making three tents for them. There are many ways to interpret what Peter was saying. Some think he was wanting to build three tents of worship like Moses tabernacle in the wilderness. Some think he was wanting to cover the intense glory from the sight of others. Some think he was just saying anything because he was terrified. The last fits the scripture best of all. What is sure is that God answered him by declaring that Jesus was His beloved son and he was the one to whom we are to listen.
Moses gave the law. Elijah was the pre-eminent prophet. Both represent the Old Covenant. Both were sons of Adam born under the curse. Jesus was the Son of the Father born without sin in the new creation. Jesus is God. Moses is not. Elijah is not. Moses and Elijah had a wonderful revelation as Jesus spoke through them in the Old Testament. Their words need to be "heard" as they first listened to it, with Jesus' voice speaking.
Hebrews 1:1-3
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
I cannot overstate this principle. Many in our world today believe that the acts of terrorism, cruelty an hatred are justified because they believe the Old Testament. But they have not heard Jesus speaking there.
John 16:2
"They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God.
Once we hear the voice of Jesus in the Old Testament it becomes a vital part of the love story God has had since before creation. His love becomes evident in every word as Jesus tells us the story. Let someone else speak the words, whose heart has not been touched by the love of the God who loved so much He gave His only begotten son Jesus and we may get a picture of hatred.
This is why I tell people who are new to the faith not to spend time in the Old Testament early in their walk. And I further tell those who did and now seem stuck in an Old Covenant mindset to stop reading it for a time. Instead I ask people to get to deeply know Jesus starting in the gospel of John. Reading it over and over for about six months is my suggestion. Then reading the other gospels for another six months. This way the person of Jesus, who he is, how he responds, his love for everyone he created, everything about him that we can know becomes imprinted on us. I would suggest that even for older believers this should be a pattern repeated often.
One of the great problems with written texts is the lack of non-verbal communication that makes up so much of our sharing with each other. The more I know a person however the better I am at "hearing" what they actually say when they write to me. By saturating ourselves with the direct history of God in Jesus we then are better able to "hear" what He is saying through the others through whom he wrote the scriptures.
Once we are able to consistently "hear" the Lord speaking in the Gospels we can move to the rest of the New Testament and finally the Old Testament.
John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word (Logos) was with God, and the Word (Logos) was God.
I came to this understanding by walking through a period in my early days where I did not understand that Jesus was the Logos of God - the Word of God. I did not understand that when we "hear" Jesus speaking we "hear" God speaking. As I read the Old Testament without that understanding I did not understand the heart of the God whose words I read there.
I used to naively tell Jesus, "I really like you but I am not so sure about your dad!" Then one day I was reading something that I had heard others interpret in a very angry, wrathful way. Suddenly I heard how Jesus would say it. It was so very different. It was filled with love. It was filled with pathos from a broken heart that longed for His people to follow the right path that they might not experience harm any longer. It was filled with love, not hate. That moment began the wonderful revelation not just of Jesus' love but of His and our Father's Love expressed in the Old Covenant writings of the Bible.
John 14:8-10
Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Gifts or Graces?
I Corinthians 12:1-11 selected
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:. . . 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
I have been having an ongoing discussion with a friend about gifts that God gives. Many years ago I realized that the gifts spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12:1 (Now concerning spiritual gifts,) has been wrongly interpreted. In fact the word translated "spiritual gifts" (πνευματικων pneumaticon in Greek) doesn't say gifts at all. It says, "things of the Spirit." Paul's following discussion is not about "gifts" as a possession of an individual believer, but the working of the "graces" (charismata) of the Spirit of God indwelling every believer.
I have come to understand that the concept of gifts (charismata) as our possessions creates a wrong image of ourselves and God. It leaves us with the wrong impression that the gifts of the Spirit are things He brings in His hand to give us and leaves them with us. This is wrong.
If we understand gifts only as a result of the work of the indwelling Spirit of God then we can understand the word "charismata" which is used of the spiritual results of having the Holy Spirit present and released in our lives in the rest of the chapter.
If we understand gifts only as a result of the work of the indwelling Spirit of God then we can understand the word "charismata" which is used of the spiritual results of having the Holy Spirit present and released in our lives in the rest of the chapter.
When we speak of a person being charismatic we do not mean that he brings us lots of gifts and then leaves. We mean that he or she brings a giftedness to us in their presence with us.
The word charismata is directly from the word "charis" which means grace. Charismata are the graces that a person possesses and bring with him or her wherever they are. This is what it means to have the graces of the Holy Spirit. It means that He is in us and if released to express himself He will share his graces (charismata) through us. This is why the question of what is my gift? is not a proper one when we are speaking about things that deal with the Holy Spirit and not of us.
The word charismata is directly from the word "charis" which means grace. Charismata are the graces that a person possesses and bring with him or her wherever they are. This is what it means to have the graces of the Holy Spirit. It means that He is in us and if released to express himself He will share his graces (charismata) through us. This is why the question of what is my gift? is not a proper one when we are speaking about things that deal with the Holy Spirit and not of us.
We have gifts (charismata) as well. We need not confuse them with the Holy Spirit's gifts. Our gifts were first bestowed upon us in our creation. They include everything about us. Our gifts come out of our logos. But these gifts are distinct from the gifts of the Holy Spirit in that they come from us and not directly from God. They may be inspired from the Spirit of God but they do not come directly from the Spirit as do His own unique "graces."
Our humanity cannot perform miracles. Only the Holy Spirit in us can do that. Our humanity can create a beautiful work of art. And the Holy Spirit can work with our gift and create Spirit inspired art like Bezalel's artistic creations for the tabernacle or David's songs. The point is that when we speak of the charismata of the Holy Spirit we are talking about what He does through our humanity but not out of it.
Our humanity cannot perform miracles. Only the Holy Spirit in us can do that. Our humanity can create a beautiful work of art. And the Holy Spirit can work with our gift and create Spirit inspired art like Bezalel's artistic creations for the tabernacle or David's songs. The point is that when we speak of the charismata of the Holy Spirit we are talking about what He does through our humanity but not out of it.
You may be asking why this is such an important point with me?
It is because I have seen the wrong understanding of gifts be used to keep common believers in a state of spiritual passivity.
I have also seen it used to justify not ever taking an active role in the great commission. "I don't have that gift" I have heard so many say. If you have the Holy Ghost in your life you have any empowerment (gift) you need because it is not your power (gift) it is His!
It is because I have seen the wrong understanding of gifts be used to keep common believers in a state of spiritual passivity.
I have also seen it used to justify not ever taking an active role in the great commission. "I don't have that gift" I have heard so many say. If you have the Holy Ghost in your life you have any empowerment (gift) you need because it is not your power (gift) it is His!
The person who longs to see God use them but has been told all their lives that they must wait for God to gift them for service, if they believe it, will most likely wait for their whole lives to receive what God has already given them when He gave them the Holy Spirit. If the Holy Spirit is in us then every "grace" (gift) He gives is already in us. We simply need to believe that He is there and move out in faith to do what He has already asked us to do in the Bible.
That is the other problem. Often with the concepts of special gifts that are our unique possession outside of the gift of the indwelling Spirit of God being given to us, comes a requirement to have a special revelation to do anything for God. The Bible is all the revelation we need to do God's will and the indwelling Spirit of God is the power to do it without a special dispensation.
Does God sometimes speak supernaturally to give us an indication of a special mission He has for us? Undoubtedly! Are these an indication of greater value of the activity? Absolutely not! Are these the only true work we do for God? Never! Are things we do just because we are told to in the Bible "of the flesh?" that is such a wrong understanding! This is the lie of the Logos - Rhema teaching that completely devalues obedience to the stated desires of God in His love letter, the Bible. It says we need a revelation beyond the written word to actually follow God. We do not need any extra biblical revelation to please the Father's heart. We just need to respond in love to what He has shared in His precious Word.
When the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in any believer the only limit to His ability to express all of His "graces" (gifts) is faith and surrender. Whatever charismata we need to accomplish God's purpose as we follow His Word will be manifested in our lives.
We are not one bit less "gifted" than the Apostle Paul was because the same powerful Spirit of the Living God dwells in us.
We are not one bit less "gifted" than the Apostle Paul was because the same powerful Spirit of the Living God dwells in us.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Listen - What is the true message?
Mark 7:14
After He (Jesus) called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:
This morning I was meditating on listening to God.
In the educational industry we call engaged listening, "Active Listening." No matter what you call it listening has to be more than hearing. Hearing is the reception of the message but listening is the acceptance of the message. Hearing is the first step in communication. But as soon as we hear something our brains begin to evaluate what we have heard. Correct hearing is crucial to be able to listen. We must accurately know what is being said before we can start to listen to it.
I am always amazed to find that even though we think we have fully understood what someone has told us that often we miss it. I have learned that one of the most important things I can do to help my communication with others is to ask them to tell me back what I said to them. Several times this last week I have been sharing something with a someone and if I had not done this simple clarification they would have completely misunderstood what I was saying. I was very happy to correct their comprehension. Even if people do not agree or will not follow the things I share with them I at least want them to know what I actually said and meant in saying it.
So the first step in listening to God is to accurately hear what He says.
I often say that to hear God all we have to do is read the Bible. It contains God's Word and is applicable to everything in our lives. It may not specifically address things that were not even a part of the lives of those who wrote it, like the internet, copyright infringment or movie ratings. But the principles it contains has more than enough application to cover each one of them.
However, even the Bible is misinterpreted. We need to have a defining principle to interpret even the scriptures. I sahre with people that creation and history are also infallible words from God when read through the lens of scripture. But scripture must also be understood in the light of creation and history as well. Gallileo was felt to be an enemy of God's Word because he challenged a non-biblical belief that the Earth was the centre of the universe. God's record of revelation in creation proved that he was not a heretic but proved everyone who believed that the Earth was the center wrong. In that way he was actually a vessel for God to correct a false teaching that the church had accepted even though it was not God's truth.
This is a way to say that all three aspects of God's revelation (Scripture, Creation and History) will line us with each other when we have God's full revelation.
So our first task to be able to listen is to test what we hear fro authenticity. We need to know if God has spoken to us or not. If He has we move on to listening. If He has not we dismiss the message.
Mark 9:1-7
And Jesus was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." 2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!"
The second priniciple I learned about hearing God is that to hear the message as God intends it we must hear Jesus say it. I used to be so confused as I would read the scriptures. In some passages I "heard" things which I knew Jesus would not say. For instance:
Psalm 137:8-9
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. 9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
One day a person said to me, "It is God's Word but what is God trying to say?" That set me on a journey that ended with me realizing that even when the devil speaks in scripture God has a reason for letting us hear it. And when a man speaks out of the anguish of his heart God may not want us to agree with his desire for revenge but to understand his feelings. We can know that we too may feel things like this but Jesus did not. the contrast between The Psalmist and Jesus shows us that even when we would desire to cry out for the blood of those who have harmed us he does not. Even when we think we should bring fire down from heaven he does not.
Luke 9:53-55
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
So the second most important principle in listening is to listen for what Jesus wants to say in the passage.
Matthew 5:21-23
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Jesus said this in regard to the Old Testament many times. It does not mean the Old Testament was in error. It means that he is now revealing what the message he was giving in those original statements were. They were what we should "listen" to when we hear them.
Using these two principles I pray through the Bible and any outside revelation I may receive.
In a future post we will talk about how to really "Listen" once we know what God says.
After He (Jesus) called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand:
This morning I was meditating on listening to God.
In the educational industry we call engaged listening, "Active Listening." No matter what you call it listening has to be more than hearing. Hearing is the reception of the message but listening is the acceptance of the message. Hearing is the first step in communication. But as soon as we hear something our brains begin to evaluate what we have heard. Correct hearing is crucial to be able to listen. We must accurately know what is being said before we can start to listen to it.
I am always amazed to find that even though we think we have fully understood what someone has told us that often we miss it. I have learned that one of the most important things I can do to help my communication with others is to ask them to tell me back what I said to them. Several times this last week I have been sharing something with a someone and if I had not done this simple clarification they would have completely misunderstood what I was saying. I was very happy to correct their comprehension. Even if people do not agree or will not follow the things I share with them I at least want them to know what I actually said and meant in saying it.
So the first step in listening to God is to accurately hear what He says.
I often say that to hear God all we have to do is read the Bible. It contains God's Word and is applicable to everything in our lives. It may not specifically address things that were not even a part of the lives of those who wrote it, like the internet, copyright infringment or movie ratings. But the principles it contains has more than enough application to cover each one of them.
However, even the Bible is misinterpreted. We need to have a defining principle to interpret even the scriptures. I sahre with people that creation and history are also infallible words from God when read through the lens of scripture. But scripture must also be understood in the light of creation and history as well. Gallileo was felt to be an enemy of God's Word because he challenged a non-biblical belief that the Earth was the centre of the universe. God's record of revelation in creation proved that he was not a heretic but proved everyone who believed that the Earth was the center wrong. In that way he was actually a vessel for God to correct a false teaching that the church had accepted even though it was not God's truth.
This is a way to say that all three aspects of God's revelation (Scripture, Creation and History) will line us with each other when we have God's full revelation.
So our first task to be able to listen is to test what we hear fro authenticity. We need to know if God has spoken to us or not. If He has we move on to listening. If He has not we dismiss the message.
Mark 9:1-7
And Jesus was saying to them, "Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power." 2 Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; 3 and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. 4 Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah." 6 For he did not know what to answer; for they became terrified. 7 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!"
The second priniciple I learned about hearing God is that to hear the message as God intends it we must hear Jesus say it. I used to be so confused as I would read the scriptures. In some passages I "heard" things which I knew Jesus would not say. For instance:
Psalm 137:8-9
O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. 9 Happy shall he be, that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
One day a person said to me, "It is God's Word but what is God trying to say?" That set me on a journey that ended with me realizing that even when the devil speaks in scripture God has a reason for letting us hear it. And when a man speaks out of the anguish of his heart God may not want us to agree with his desire for revenge but to understand his feelings. We can know that we too may feel things like this but Jesus did not. the contrast between The Psalmist and Jesus shows us that even when we would desire to cry out for the blood of those who have harmed us he does not. Even when we think we should bring fire down from heaven he does not.
Luke 9:53-55
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
So the second most important principle in listening is to listen for what Jesus wants to say in the passage.
Matthew 5:21-23
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Jesus said this in regard to the Old Testament many times. It does not mean the Old Testament was in error. It means that he is now revealing what the message he was giving in those original statements were. They were what we should "listen" to when we hear them.
Using these two principles I pray through the Bible and any outside revelation I may receive.
In a future post we will talk about how to really "Listen" once we know what God says.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Be Still
Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
This morning the Father said, "Be Still."
This is very different from saying, "Be Quiet."
Being a teacher of young children I spend much of my day telling them to be quiet. Being the father of adolescent children I often hear them telling each other, when in the midst of an argument, to, "Be Quiet." Generally the words are not what I just said. "Shut up...." is usually the phrase of choice. Anyway you look at it this is not what the Bible means when it says "be still."
One very important spiritual discipline I learned early in my life as a believer was the discipline of stillness.
We are often told that we need to spend time with God but due to our reaction to legalism we often reject any kind of spiritual discipline as a means of growth in grace. I have personally found that daily disciplines of prayer, devotion and bible study have been the very fabric of growth in my spiritual life. "Being Still" is a part of all three.
While I said that God asking us to, "Be Still" is not the same as Him telling us to, "Be Quiet", being still does involve quietness where possible. There is so much noise in our world. Perhaps the greatest noise is that from our own soul. I find it takes a very concentrated, focused effort to turn it all off and place our attention on what matters. But the rewards are great for doing so.
Our scripture tells us that being still is directly related to us knowing God in all His Glory. We must focus on God to comprehend him. This is no different than our relationship with others. No relationship can ever move beyond the surface if we do not spend time with each other focusing on the other.
The primary relationships we have are often given the least amount of our time. This is why they often fail.
When we were first getting to know a person with whom we were interested in building a primary relationship we spent lots of time together talking, sharing our thoughts and dreams for the future. We spent time just being together. Then when we got married or became solid as friends we thought we did not need to "be still" with each other. Almost from the moment we stop taking concentrated, focused time to spend in solitude with each other - "being still" with each other - stopping the noise that takes us away from each other's attentiveness - the relationship begins to die.
It is not strange to me that so many people end up involved in adulterous relationships in our generation. Not only is there a God Shaped hole in us, we are created with a spouse shaped hole as well. When it is not filled continually with the one we chose to be our life partner it will be filled with someone else. That someone else will be someone we spend time with. People fall in love with people they spend time with. That is why so many affairs are with people that work together or are involved in ministry together. The only way we can keep this from happening is to continue to fill the spouse shaped hole inside of us with our spouse by "being still" with them.
The same is true of God. Other gods will take His place if we are not filling our souls with Him on a moment by moment basis.
You may say that not everyone who does not spend "be still" time with their spouse ends up in adultery. That is true. But they end up in loneliness and isolation. The same is true with God. We may be able to maintain an outward obedience to God without intimate "be still" time with Him. But it will be a more dutiful and religious relationship. He wants us to know Him so deeply. And he wants us to be known by Him in that same way.
The only way we can reach that place of intimacy is to "be still" with Him.
On a practical basis I find that spending time with God as early in my day as possible is the best. It sets my heart on Him for the day. When I first became a believer I began to pray that He would be my first thought of the day. Soon He was. When He was not I found that whatever took His place was a noise in my soul that needed to be stilled. I still walk in that joy even after over forty years of belonging to Him.
Whatever moves us away from our focus on Him is noise that needs to be stopped.
I remember so well one period of time where I had a choice to make that showed me how important keeping this principle was. I started my daily "Be Still" times as soon as I got up. They were and are the best times of my day. When I was in university I had a wonderful band director who became a real friend. He loved sports cars. He owned an Austin Healey that needed a lot of repair but was well worth the investment even then. He wanted me to have a car so he gave it to me. All I had to do was pick it up in two weeks. The morning after he told me he wanted me to have it I went to have my "be still" time. Instead of God showing up the Austin Healey arrived. I imagined fixing all the different parts on it. I painted it a nifty color of metallic blue.... my favorite color. I drove it around with my girlfriend and everyone on campus thought it was so cool. I did a little reading and prayed a short prayer but did not notice that I did not connect with my saviour at all. This went on for a week. One morning I felt so drained and lifeless. I realized that I was missing God like crazy and my heart was growing dim to His love. I found myself being irritable and having some temptation issues that I had not experienced for a while. I tried in vain to "be still" with Him but made no connection. When the Austin showed up I felt a bit of delight but suddenly realized it was the problem. I had been spending time with my Austin to the neglect of the real love of my life. I tried for several more days to get the Austin to go away without success. Finally one the day before I was going to pick it up. I asked the Lord to show me what I had to do to get back to the place with Him I had before. He said, Give me the car." That day a burnt offering went to heaven. I willingly and joyfully gave the one who I could not live without what I could not live with. I called my band director and told him how much I had appreciated his gift but that I could not accept it. The next morning I had the most wonderful time of joy in the Lord's presence.
This pattern has kept me from so many things that would have destroyed my life. As I have come to a place of stillness with Him, leaving behind what ever disturbs our relationship I have found His peace to be precious beyond anything else.
Now when He says, "Be still" I know it is not a rebuke but an invitation to come away with Him to the secret place where we share quiet moments that no one or thing can steal the joy we have together.
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
This morning the Father said, "Be Still."
This is very different from saying, "Be Quiet."
Being a teacher of young children I spend much of my day telling them to be quiet. Being the father of adolescent children I often hear them telling each other, when in the midst of an argument, to, "Be Quiet." Generally the words are not what I just said. "Shut up...." is usually the phrase of choice. Anyway you look at it this is not what the Bible means when it says "be still."
One very important spiritual discipline I learned early in my life as a believer was the discipline of stillness.
We are often told that we need to spend time with God but due to our reaction to legalism we often reject any kind of spiritual discipline as a means of growth in grace. I have personally found that daily disciplines of prayer, devotion and bible study have been the very fabric of growth in my spiritual life. "Being Still" is a part of all three.
While I said that God asking us to, "Be Still" is not the same as Him telling us to, "Be Quiet", being still does involve quietness where possible. There is so much noise in our world. Perhaps the greatest noise is that from our own soul. I find it takes a very concentrated, focused effort to turn it all off and place our attention on what matters. But the rewards are great for doing so.
Our scripture tells us that being still is directly related to us knowing God in all His Glory. We must focus on God to comprehend him. This is no different than our relationship with others. No relationship can ever move beyond the surface if we do not spend time with each other focusing on the other.
The primary relationships we have are often given the least amount of our time. This is why they often fail.
When we were first getting to know a person with whom we were interested in building a primary relationship we spent lots of time together talking, sharing our thoughts and dreams for the future. We spent time just being together. Then when we got married or became solid as friends we thought we did not need to "be still" with each other. Almost from the moment we stop taking concentrated, focused time to spend in solitude with each other - "being still" with each other - stopping the noise that takes us away from each other's attentiveness - the relationship begins to die.
It is not strange to me that so many people end up involved in adulterous relationships in our generation. Not only is there a God Shaped hole in us, we are created with a spouse shaped hole as well. When it is not filled continually with the one we chose to be our life partner it will be filled with someone else. That someone else will be someone we spend time with. People fall in love with people they spend time with. That is why so many affairs are with people that work together or are involved in ministry together. The only way we can keep this from happening is to continue to fill the spouse shaped hole inside of us with our spouse by "being still" with them.
The same is true of God. Other gods will take His place if we are not filling our souls with Him on a moment by moment basis.
You may say that not everyone who does not spend "be still" time with their spouse ends up in adultery. That is true. But they end up in loneliness and isolation. The same is true with God. We may be able to maintain an outward obedience to God without intimate "be still" time with Him. But it will be a more dutiful and religious relationship. He wants us to know Him so deeply. And he wants us to be known by Him in that same way.
The only way we can reach that place of intimacy is to "be still" with Him.
On a practical basis I find that spending time with God as early in my day as possible is the best. It sets my heart on Him for the day. When I first became a believer I began to pray that He would be my first thought of the day. Soon He was. When He was not I found that whatever took His place was a noise in my soul that needed to be stilled. I still walk in that joy even after over forty years of belonging to Him.
Whatever moves us away from our focus on Him is noise that needs to be stopped.
I remember so well one period of time where I had a choice to make that showed me how important keeping this principle was. I started my daily "Be Still" times as soon as I got up. They were and are the best times of my day. When I was in university I had a wonderful band director who became a real friend. He loved sports cars. He owned an Austin Healey that needed a lot of repair but was well worth the investment even then. He wanted me to have a car so he gave it to me. All I had to do was pick it up in two weeks. The morning after he told me he wanted me to have it I went to have my "be still" time. Instead of God showing up the Austin Healey arrived. I imagined fixing all the different parts on it. I painted it a nifty color of metallic blue.... my favorite color. I drove it around with my girlfriend and everyone on campus thought it was so cool. I did a little reading and prayed a short prayer but did not notice that I did not connect with my saviour at all. This went on for a week. One morning I felt so drained and lifeless. I realized that I was missing God like crazy and my heart was growing dim to His love. I found myself being irritable and having some temptation issues that I had not experienced for a while. I tried in vain to "be still" with Him but made no connection. When the Austin showed up I felt a bit of delight but suddenly realized it was the problem. I had been spending time with my Austin to the neglect of the real love of my life. I tried for several more days to get the Austin to go away without success. Finally one the day before I was going to pick it up. I asked the Lord to show me what I had to do to get back to the place with Him I had before. He said, Give me the car." That day a burnt offering went to heaven. I willingly and joyfully gave the one who I could not live without what I could not live with. I called my band director and told him how much I had appreciated his gift but that I could not accept it. The next morning I had the most wonderful time of joy in the Lord's presence.
This pattern has kept me from so many things that would have destroyed my life. As I have come to a place of stillness with Him, leaving behind what ever disturbs our relationship I have found His peace to be precious beyond anything else.
Now when He says, "Be still" I know it is not a rebuke but an invitation to come away with Him to the secret place where we share quiet moments that no one or thing can steal the joy we have together.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Comforter
John 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
This morning I heard the Father say to me, "Comforter." It filled me with such a sense of His wonderful care for all of us. I thought of so many people today that are in desperate need of comfort. People who today are suffering so greatly that the mind can hardly fathom what they are going through.
The Comforter Jesus was praying for us to have was the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Of all the pictures I have in my heart of the Holy Spirit this one is the most precious. The Father sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us in all our trials. He is the God of all comfort. All true comfort comes from Him. Is that not a wonderful truth about our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit is the one He sends to comfort us.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
See the pattern here? Jesus; heart was not untouched by the reality of our lives in this world. He himself had suffered its ravages. His heart was touched with the feelings of our struggle.
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
He knew we needed a place of refuge, a place to be comforted when life got to hard. He had found that in his relationship with the Holy Spirit.
In praying for us to have that same relationship we now have a wonderful comforter forever. See how he said that? The Holy Spirit does not come and go in our lives. The Holy Spirit remains with us forever. He is there for every joy and every sorrow.
As we find the comfort the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit bring to us he then directs our thoughts to comforting others.
1 Thessalonians 5:1
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
The body of Christ is to be a place of great comfort.
I work with little children. It is always a reminder to me of what God does in our times of struggle as I watch the little ones when they are hurt.
Often as adults we have been embittered by life so much that when we get hurt we don't reach out for comfort. But little children do. The minute they are hurt what they seek is the comfort of another person. Most often the pain ends very quickly once they are loved and comforted.
Tell a little one they should not be so wimpy and they cry much harder. Tell them that you are sorry for how they got hurt, touch them to reassure them that you understand and just let them cry it out and they begin to relax and their crying diminishes. After a few minutes if it is not a serious injury they suddenly stop crying and are ready to go back to their play.
This is how the Father wants us to know He responds to us through His Spirit. We need to be like a child in this regard.
Undealt with pain, even in children, turns quickly into anger, bitterness or self hatred. When we allow for our pain to be comforted it builds a deep relationship with the one comforting us.
I have learned to quickly turn to my divine comforter. I have learned that I can find a place of safety in Him.
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
John 14:18
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Acts 9:31
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Romans 1:12
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
2 Corinthians 1:6
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2 Corinthians 7:6
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Philippians 2:1-3
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
This morning I heard the Father say to me, "Comforter." It filled me with such a sense of His wonderful care for all of us. I thought of so many people today that are in desperate need of comfort. People who today are suffering so greatly that the mind can hardly fathom what they are going through.
The Comforter Jesus was praying for us to have was the Holy Spirit.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Of all the pictures I have in my heart of the Holy Spirit this one is the most precious. The Father sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us in all our trials. He is the God of all comfort. All true comfort comes from Him. Is that not a wonderful truth about our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit is the one He sends to comfort us.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.
See the pattern here? Jesus; heart was not untouched by the reality of our lives in this world. He himself had suffered its ravages. His heart was touched with the feelings of our struggle.
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.
He knew we needed a place of refuge, a place to be comforted when life got to hard. He had found that in his relationship with the Holy Spirit.
In praying for us to have that same relationship we now have a wonderful comforter forever. See how he said that? The Holy Spirit does not come and go in our lives. The Holy Spirit remains with us forever. He is there for every joy and every sorrow.
As we find the comfort the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit bring to us he then directs our thoughts to comforting others.
1 Thessalonians 5:1
Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
The body of Christ is to be a place of great comfort.
I work with little children. It is always a reminder to me of what God does in our times of struggle as I watch the little ones when they are hurt.
Often as adults we have been embittered by life so much that when we get hurt we don't reach out for comfort. But little children do. The minute they are hurt what they seek is the comfort of another person. Most often the pain ends very quickly once they are loved and comforted.
Tell a little one they should not be so wimpy and they cry much harder. Tell them that you are sorry for how they got hurt, touch them to reassure them that you understand and just let them cry it out and they begin to relax and their crying diminishes. After a few minutes if it is not a serious injury they suddenly stop crying and are ready to go back to their play.
This is how the Father wants us to know He responds to us through His Spirit. We need to be like a child in this regard.
Undealt with pain, even in children, turns quickly into anger, bitterness or self hatred. When we allow for our pain to be comforted it builds a deep relationship with the one comforting us.
I have learned to quickly turn to my divine comforter. I have learned that I can find a place of safety in Him.
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
John 14:18
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
John 14:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
John 15:26
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Acts 9:31
Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.
Romans 1:12
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
2 Corinthians 1:6
And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
2 Corinthians 7:6
Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.
Philippians 2:1-3
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The God Shaped Hole
John 3:30
"He must increase, but I must decrease.
The context of this scripture is when John the Baptist's followers were reporting to John that Jesus was increasing in fame and power. He responded with the answer that Jesus was the one who needed to grow more prominent and in doing so he would as a result naturally grow less prominent. He saw this as a good thing.
I believe this understanding is foundational to our growth in God. I was listening to a preaher the other evening who misquoted the passage. And he said it like we often preach it. He said I must decrease and He must increase. You might think that this is a minor point. At one point in my history I came to realize that far from minor, it is foundational how we understand the way we grow in God.
After several years of desperate seeking to see God's transformation in my life I found in this verse the hidden treasure that opened the door to practical change. It opened a path for me that I have seen to be absolutely accurate biblically and powerful to bring about God's desire for my life to be conformed into the image of Jesus. I saw that the first priority was not that I decrease. The first thing that must happen for me to see the work of God in my heart is that Jesus must increase.
In fact I realize now that I cannot decrease unless he does increase.
I also understood that all John had to do for this process to take place was to accept it and see it as God's plan. John did not have to make himself less he just needed to point to Jesus. He would naturally decrease as a result.
The reason this is so essential is because our souls have a God shaped hole in them. Decreasing ourselves will do nothing to fill that hole. Only if it is filled with God will the ache inside cease and the sin outside end.
Even if we do not teach a legalistic faith, we tend to continually emphasize denial of self. This actually results in making us more self-conscious. I learned that the way God wants us to see the self is to open our lives fully to God. To let Him be the centre of our affections, attention and adoration. As we let Him increase we will see ourselves decrease.
It is as if our souls have a one way door. When we open it to God the flesh, the world and the devil lose their grip on us. He increases and we naturally decrease. When we open it to self God loses His grip on us.
Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
We see in this scripture the exact truth that I am sharing. We walk in the Spirit and the natural consequence is we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Can you see the power of this. We have been deceived that we can only walk in the Spirit by first dealing with the lusts of the flesh. There is no power to deal with the lust of the flesh except by being filled and following the Spirit. It is the one way door.
This is because emptying ourselves of self does not bring God into the empty place. The doctrine of emptiness is actual Buddhist. And it is impossible. The more we think we have emptied ourselves of self them more of self there is. The God shaped hole inside of us will be filled with something. The only things that can fill it are God, us, the world or the devil. This is why an emphasis in the proclamation of our message on dealing with the self life, without the call to be filled with God as the way to deal with it, will always result in dead works, discouragement, hiddenness and failure.
Colossians 2:6-10
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
The works of the flesh, the world and the devil being manifested in our lives are the way we can see that the hole in our being is not filled with God. When it is filled with God the other things no longer have power. They can't because the need inside out of which they are generated is gone. The diagnosis when we see sin raising its head is not to centre on it to slay it.... it is like hydra the serpent that when you cut its head of it regenerated three more heads. When we see sin begin to work in our lives we can know that the God shaped hole in us is being filled with something besides Jesus. He must increase for us to decrease.
Romans 8:10
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
The only way to fight sin is to open our soul to God and to be filled with Him. As He increases, the sin life (us) decreases. When He completely fills the soul there is no place for self and its attendant works.
Colossians 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
This is why preaching against sin without helping people to understand it as the indicator of their need to be filled with God never builds strong Christians. It builds sin obsessed Christians who spend their lives fighting sin. I know I did it for a long time.
Jesus is the only life giver. To be filled with Him is to be filed with life. The result of that life is death to the sin nature.
You might ask how does this work practically?
It works by opening our souls to the fulness of His Spirit by the simple acts that He asks us to do.
I have a teaching on the Three Roots of Sin which I will be placing on my Teaching Website in the future. For now let me give just one simple example which transformed my life.
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
All sin derives from these three roots. Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life.
Go after them to destroy them without something to replace them and they grow stronger. Go \after them by walking in the Spirit and they die. It is a one way door.
For example I saw that the lust of the flesh was founded on self pity. People feed their fleshly desires to obtain comfort. As self pity increases so do the lust of the flesh. I also saw that the corresponding work of the Spirit in us is thankfulness. To walk in the Spirit means to purposefully live in thankfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
I learned that as I give thanks in every situation that I cannot be filled with self pity. The two are mutually exclusive. There is the one way door. A heart filled with thanks cannot at the same time be filled with self pity. When we see that we are being motivated by the Lust of the Flesh and we start to thank. praise and worship God we defeat the work of the flesh by being filled with the Spirit. Jesus increases and as a result I decrease naturally.
"He must increase, but I must decrease.
The context of this scripture is when John the Baptist's followers were reporting to John that Jesus was increasing in fame and power. He responded with the answer that Jesus was the one who needed to grow more prominent and in doing so he would as a result naturally grow less prominent. He saw this as a good thing.
I believe this understanding is foundational to our growth in God. I was listening to a preaher the other evening who misquoted the passage. And he said it like we often preach it. He said I must decrease and He must increase. You might think that this is a minor point. At one point in my history I came to realize that far from minor, it is foundational how we understand the way we grow in God.
After several years of desperate seeking to see God's transformation in my life I found in this verse the hidden treasure that opened the door to practical change. It opened a path for me that I have seen to be absolutely accurate biblically and powerful to bring about God's desire for my life to be conformed into the image of Jesus. I saw that the first priority was not that I decrease. The first thing that must happen for me to see the work of God in my heart is that Jesus must increase.
In fact I realize now that I cannot decrease unless he does increase.
I also understood that all John had to do for this process to take place was to accept it and see it as God's plan. John did not have to make himself less he just needed to point to Jesus. He would naturally decrease as a result.
The reason this is so essential is because our souls have a God shaped hole in them. Decreasing ourselves will do nothing to fill that hole. Only if it is filled with God will the ache inside cease and the sin outside end.
Even if we do not teach a legalistic faith, we tend to continually emphasize denial of self. This actually results in making us more self-conscious. I learned that the way God wants us to see the self is to open our lives fully to God. To let Him be the centre of our affections, attention and adoration. As we let Him increase we will see ourselves decrease.
It is as if our souls have a one way door. When we open it to God the flesh, the world and the devil lose their grip on us. He increases and we naturally decrease. When we open it to self God loses His grip on us.
Galatians 5:16
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
We see in this scripture the exact truth that I am sharing. We walk in the Spirit and the natural consequence is we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Can you see the power of this. We have been deceived that we can only walk in the Spirit by first dealing with the lusts of the flesh. There is no power to deal with the lust of the flesh except by being filled and following the Spirit. It is the one way door.
This is because emptying ourselves of self does not bring God into the empty place. The doctrine of emptiness is actual Buddhist. And it is impossible. The more we think we have emptied ourselves of self them more of self there is. The God shaped hole inside of us will be filled with something. The only things that can fill it are God, us, the world or the devil. This is why an emphasis in the proclamation of our message on dealing with the self life, without the call to be filled with God as the way to deal with it, will always result in dead works, discouragement, hiddenness and failure.
Colossians 2:6-10
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
The works of the flesh, the world and the devil being manifested in our lives are the way we can see that the hole in our being is not filled with God. When it is filled with God the other things no longer have power. They can't because the need inside out of which they are generated is gone. The diagnosis when we see sin raising its head is not to centre on it to slay it.... it is like hydra the serpent that when you cut its head of it regenerated three more heads. When we see sin begin to work in our lives we can know that the God shaped hole in us is being filled with something besides Jesus. He must increase for us to decrease.
Romans 8:10
And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
The only way to fight sin is to open our soul to God and to be filled with Him. As He increases, the sin life (us) decreases. When He completely fills the soul there is no place for self and its attendant works.
Colossians 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
This is why preaching against sin without helping people to understand it as the indicator of their need to be filled with God never builds strong Christians. It builds sin obsessed Christians who spend their lives fighting sin. I know I did it for a long time.
Jesus is the only life giver. To be filled with Him is to be filed with life. The result of that life is death to the sin nature.
You might ask how does this work practically?
It works by opening our souls to the fulness of His Spirit by the simple acts that He asks us to do.
I have a teaching on the Three Roots of Sin which I will be placing on my Teaching Website in the future. For now let me give just one simple example which transformed my life.
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
All sin derives from these three roots. Lust of the Flesh, Lust of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life.
Go after them to destroy them without something to replace them and they grow stronger. Go \after them by walking in the Spirit and they die. It is a one way door.
For example I saw that the lust of the flesh was founded on self pity. People feed their fleshly desires to obtain comfort. As self pity increases so do the lust of the flesh. I also saw that the corresponding work of the Spirit in us is thankfulness. To walk in the Spirit means to purposefully live in thankfulness.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
I learned that as I give thanks in every situation that I cannot be filled with self pity. The two are mutually exclusive. There is the one way door. A heart filled with thanks cannot at the same time be filled with self pity. When we see that we are being motivated by the Lust of the Flesh and we start to thank. praise and worship God we defeat the work of the flesh by being filled with the Spirit. Jesus increases and as a result I decrease naturally.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
