Tag Archives: John 15:5

Walking in the Spirit

Only by the Spirit

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Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? (Galatians 3:3 NIV)

It’s taken me decades, but I think I’m beginning to get it. As believers in Jesus Christ, the only way we’re to live is in the flow of the Holy Spirit. We’ve been indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ and our life is to be a life of continuing to recognize our spiritual death and depending on Christ’s life within.[1] Any other way of living is a dam against the flow of the Rivers of Living Water within us.

Abiding, walking in the Spirit, depending on Jesus are not just nice suggestions, not just good ideas, but vital to living life the way God intends. After all, Jesus tells us that apart from a life of remaining in Him as our nourishing vine, what we do is worth nothing. I’ve grown tired of wearying myself out doing things to please God in my own strength. It’s a sobering thought to hear what Paul says about our attempts to please God by our own feeble efforts:

 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. (Galatians 2:21 NASB)It’s a cool spring morning. The trees are blanketed in leaves and the birds are chirping. The breeze is crisp. As I look down toward the barn, where the hens are scratching, the winter rye is still emerald green.

I recognize the Lord’s nearness. This is not necessarily a feeling, but an acknowledgement of the truth. The Lord Jesus indwells me by His Holy Spirit. He wants me to abide in the flow of His Spirit. This means being about what He wants and not what I want.

He’s all I need. He’s my Great Reward, my One Thing, my Pearl of Great Price. I declare these things because I know they are true, even when I don’t feel them. I also recognize that in spite of the way others might treat me and regardless of what I do or don’t do, the Creator of the universe wants to be with me. He delights in me and was willing to die to be with me forever.

These truths are stunning. Allow them to wash over you and settle into the deep parts of your heart. The eternal truths are greater than our thoughts feelings.

As I walk forward, believing these truths, yielding to Christ in me, longing for what He desires, isn’t this walking in His Spirit?

A humming bird hovers at the feeder a few feet away on the other side of the back-porch screen. Several birds begin to sing melodious songs back and forth. An impatient hen squawks for a nesting box down in the coop.

Lord, guard me from discouragement. I want to focus on you and not on circumstances, but times are hard. A good friend has brain surgery in a couple of hours. They found cancer on Wednesday.

Yesterday, another friend lost a nephew suddenly of a heart attack. He was a young man with a wife and six children. Members of my own family are going through deep emotional pain.

Lord, how do we make sense of it all? I call You near for the comfort of Your presence. You bring joy to my heart.

It’s raining now. Freshly laid zoysia sod soak up the drops. A red headed woodpecker pecker is so long it has to hang under the feeder as it pecks some seeds.

Lord, how do I stay in the flow when I leave this serenity and turn my attention to tasks? Love must lead in the midst of duties. Please keep me from doing anything apart from your leading. I wait upon you as a waiter attends a table. Please teach me how to be attentive to your nearness and your desires.

I’m called away to do something. As a work, I remain conscious of the Lord’s nearness. May every word and deed bring glory to my Savior.

Eating strawberries now. I praise you, Lord, for taste buds and for a wife who cut them up for me and poured on cream. You’ve given me so many things to enjoy! May I rejoice in Your nearness as appreciate life’s moments.

It’s raining harder now. My bride brings me extremely fresh eggs and oatmeal with cinnamon.

 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law (Galatians 5:16-18 NASB)

Lord, as I seek to walk only by your Spirit, I ask you to show me quickly when self rises up. I know when I insert my-self in any situation the flow of your Spirit in my life is blocked. My flesh is opposite to your Spirit. I never want to hamper what you want to do, so please guide me in bringing self desire, self dependence, self achievements, self glorification, self defense, self whatever to your cross where self was crucified with you.[2]

[1] Galatians 2:20

[2] Romans 6:4-11

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Nothing Else Needed, Peace that passess understanding

Completed (Republished in the Moments)

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For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete [filled to the brim, fully accomplished, perfect], and He is the head over all rule and authority; Colossians 2:9-10

I’m feeling undone. Life is too much with me right now. The pains and cares, seek to pull me under. Heart ache, people I love hurting, brokenness surrounds me. I feel detached from my Prince of Peace, my Life, my Glory, my Hope, my Source of Joy, the Lifter of my Head.

It’s close to midnight, but I decide to take a prayer walk. Prayer walks, prayer get a-ways, have always been a staple of mine in times like this; pulling away from all, alone with God.

I don’t always remember to surrender my troubles to God. Far too often I forget that apart from Him I can do nothing.[1] I forge ahead in my own strength, aggressively striving to “fix” my life, leaving carnage all around. Trusting me and not God is never a good idea.

As is my pattern, I take a left out of my driveway and head up the hill toward highway 6. I pry my grubby fingers off of each angst and deliver them one by one to my Father. I think of Peter’s words when he tells us to cast our anxiety upon God because He cares for us.[2] Sometimes I can forget God is trustworthy. He has my best interest in mind. With my words, I release every care to my Good Father.  Turning my palms upward, I peer into the cloudless, starry night.

I cross the highway and enter a dead end road which completes my “walk out”. I hear a sound.  Four deer, who were grazing in an open field, scamper away. God’s creation all around. A small, wooded cul-de-sac boomerangs me back toward home.

As much as it’s in my ability to do so, I’ve surrendered all my burdens. As I cross the highway again, I begin to sense Peace. The problems seem overshadowed by the Lord’s nearness.

I ponder the marvels of being God’s son. Paul says I’m complete in Christ. In Him, I’m fully accomplished and rendered perfect in every conceivable way. I’m filled to the brim with Christ, needing nothing.

Filled to the brim with Christ.

As I descend the hill toward home, I marvel at the ramifications of this truth. If He’s filled me, what else do I really need?  Do I need people to respect me and honor me? Do I need earthly security? Do I need smooth circumstances? As I ask, I know the answer.

If I’m filled to overflowing with Jesus, which I am, only one concern remains: loving others as He’s loved me. All the pressure’s off. Jesus lives in me. As I yield, as I abide, He loves through me. This is my only concern. “Me” is not mine to worry with anymore.

Lord, what an amazing realization. Releasing my cares to You, I’m suddenly aware of Your nearness and my completeness in You. Please help me not to take back those angsts I’ve delivered to You. You complete me, nothing else is needed but to love. I worship You. I Praise Your Great Name.  Amen.

 Challenge: What do you need to surrender unto the Lord’s care today? In what areas do you feel lacking? Christ completes what you lack. Whatever it is. Walk in your completeness in Christ. Experience the freedom of being filled to the Brim in Him.

Take a prayer walk.

[1] John 15:5

[2] I Peter 4:7

Exchanged Life

Victory is a Person (God’s not out to change us, but to exchange us)

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Victory, from the Old French word victor, means to triumph or overcome in a struggle. A personal victory might be losing weight, breaking a bad habit or making the dean’s list. There are team victories, political victories and victories in war. Most victories require tremendous strain and effort, but are extremely rewarding.

In Christian circles you hear of a “victorious Christian life,” a time when sin is conquered, fear is overthrown and love for God and other’s flows freely.

Our natural tendency is to think a “victorious Christian life,” is gained in the same pains taking efforts other victories have been won, giving it our all, trying as hard as we can to win. This could not be farther from the truth.

It is true, Jesus desires for us a life free from fear and sin, loving God and others in the same sacrificial way He has loved us, but He is not asking us to change.

God is not looking for a changed life. He is offering an exchanged life.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2nd Corinthians 5:21

Christ has exchanged His life for ours. Not only did He die in our place to rescue us from eternal separation from God, but He also imputed His righteousness to us. We have become the righteousness of God.

There is not trying hard to be righteous. In Christ we are righteousness.

But you say, “That might be true, but how is victory realized in my own life? How is sin defeated, fear banished, love unleashed and joy experienced?”

The answer is still the same. With His exchanged Life.

Consider the great summary verse Paul wrote about the Christian life:

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

The victory is not in trying harder. The victory is in embracing the death of our old nature on the cross and depending upon the newness of our life in Christ. Christ did not die so that we could be changed. He died so that we might die with Him and be raised with Him in newness of life.

Victory is in realizing our crucifixion with Christ and depending upon Christ in all we do. Yielding to His abiding Spirit, we bear fruit for the glory of God. Apart from His work in us, we can do nothing. ( See John 15:5)

We need to stop trying so hard to pattern our lives after what we read about Jesus in the Bible. There’s only one person who can truly live the victorious Christian life and it’s not us. It’s Jesus in us.

We have been made new. In Christ we have all the love, joy, peace, patience and hope we will ever need. Ours is to realize our newness in Him (counting as fact the death of our old self (See Romans 6:11) ) and yielding to Christ in us to love whoever get’s in our way.

Victory is not in trying harder. I’m pretty sure we’ve all tried that.

Victory is in remaining in the love of Christ and yielding to His Spirit.

The old has gone the new has come.

Challenge:  Consider an area of your life in which you feel defeated.  Trust that Jesus wants you to have victory in this area even more than you do.

Bring this area before the Lord right now:

Lord, you know  how discouraged I am in this area. I’ve tried so hard to be like you, but have failed miserably. I know now that victory is not in trying harder, but in resting in You. Open the eyes of my heart that I might know your great love for me. Teach me to remain in your love and yield to your Spirit in me as I allow you to become my victory in this area.

Lord, You are my Victory.

 

Indwelling Christ, Overflow

The Christian Life is a Dance not a March

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So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).   

It’s easy to read the above verses and get caught up with the word “work” in the beginning and miss the incredible freedom at the end.

I’ve lived in the “work” part for far too long and just about missed the essence of the Christian life.

It started before I truly believed. Until I was 21 years old, growing up in a socially Christian family, I thought I was going to heaven because I “believed” in Jesus and thought my good “works” outweighed my bad.  In other words, I hadn’t killed anybody and performed some good deeds like walking little old ladies across the street. In my uninformed mind, this made me good enough for heaven.

Back then, my idea of being “born again,” was associated with being judgmental and living a life of rules which choked out all joy. I had no desire to live like that.

Just like everyone else, I was searching for joy in the world around me. I had no concept that the hole in my soul was eternal and could only be filled with God himself. A trip to jail brought me to my senses and turned my attention to my creator. Eventually I surrendered my life to my Lord Jesus Christ.

This was a marvelous day, but it took me years to realize the Christian life is not just something else to “work” at. Living as a Christian is so different than anything else I’d ever experienced.

Over time, and I must admit, I’m still learning it, the true nature of living the Christian life began to become clear. Christianity is not primarily about rules, it’s about a relationship with Christ.  He did the work. Ours is to respond to what’s he’s already done.

Our life is not an arduous march to a set of rules. It’s more like a dance; us responding to Christ our partner as he leads us in a  dynamic relationship.[1]

This changes everything.

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.[2]

Spiritually, we’ve  died and Christ, by his Holy Spirit, has taken up residence in our lives. The “work” we now do is a work of dependence, yielding to Christ as he produces the fruit of his Spirit in our lives.[3]

We don’t march around like robotic soldiers to a sheet of rules. We dance with God as he leads us through difficulties as his life is formed in us.

Prayer: Most gracious, heavenly Father. I’m sorry I spent much of my life totally misunderstanding the way you interact with me as your son. You’ve not left me alone to fend for myself. You’re involved in every dance step of my life and want me to enjoy being with you through every circumstance. Draw me ever closer to you as we dance together here. I praise you that one day, I’ll see you face to face.

[1] From a conference at the Cove by Pete Briscoe about Galatians 2:20

[2] Philippians 2:13

[3] Galatians 2:20

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Exchanged Life

Victory is a Person

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Victory, from the Old French word victor, means to triumph or overcome in a struggle. A personal victory might be losing weight, breaking a bad habit or making the dean’s list. There are team victories, political victories and victories in war. Most victories require tremendous strain and effort, but are extremely rewarding.

In Christian circles you hear of a “victorious Christian life,” a time when sin is conquered, fear is overthrown and love for God and other’s flows freely.

Our natural tendency is to think a “victorious Christian life,” is gained in the same pains taking efforts other victories have been won, giving it our all, trying as hard as we can to win. This could not be farther from the truth.

It is true, Jesus desires for us a life free from fear and sin, loving God and others in the same sacrificial way He has loved us, but He is not asking us to change.

God is not looking for a changed life. He is offering an exchanged life.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2nd Corinthians 5:21

Christ has exchanged His life for ours. Not only did He die in our place to rescue us from eternal separation from God, but He also imputed His righteousness to us. We have become the righteousness of God.

There is not trying hard to be righteous. In Christ we are righteousness.

But you say, “That might be true, but how is victory realized in my own life? How is sin defeated, fear banished, love unleashed and joy experienced?”

The answer is still the same. With His exchanged Life.

Consider the great summary verse Paul wrote about the Christian life:

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

The victory is not in trying harder. The victory is in embracing the death of our old nature on the cross and depending upon the newness of our life in Christ. Christ did not die so that we could be changed. He died so that we might die with Him and be raised with Him in newness of life.

Victory is in realizing our crucifixion with Christ and depending upon Christ in all we do. Yielding to His abiding Spirit, we bear fruit for the glory of God. Apart from His work in us, we can do nothing. ( See John 15:5)

We need to stop trying so hard to pattern our lives after what we read about Jesus in the Bible. There’s only one person who can truly live the victorious Christian life and it’s not us. It’s Jesus in us.

We have been made new. In Christ we have all the love, joy, peace, patience and hope we will ever need. Ours is to realize our newness in Him (counting as fact the death of our old self (See Romans 6:11) ) and yielding to Christ in us to love whoever get’s in our way.

Victory is not in trying harder. I’m pretty sure we’ve all tried that.

Victory is in remaining in the love of Christ and yielding to His Spirit.

The old has gone the new has come.

Challenge:  Consider an area of your life in which you feel defeated.  Trust that Jesus wants you to have victory in this area even more than you do.

Bring this area before the Lord right now:

Lord, you know  how discouraged I am in this area. I’ve tried so hard to be like you, but have failed miserably. I know now that victory is not in trying harder, but in resting in You. Open the eyes of my heart that I might know your great love for me. Teach me to remain in your love and yield to your Spirit in me as I allow you to become my victory in this area.

You are my Victory.

 

Seated at His Feet; Listening to His words

Minding your Busyness

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..but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:42

If Satan can’t make you bad, he’ll make you busy.

 I was preoccupied as I pulled up in front of Dad’s trailer. My father had been through a lot of pain and was trying to rebuild his life. He didn’t have a car and he depending upon me. On this particular Saturday, he needed me to pick up some groceries. I was doing what he asked, but it was not out of love for him, it was out of duty.

My task list had grown so large, the joy of life was being sucked out of me. As I was lifting the bags of groceries from my car, I was already thinking of the other items on my task list. I had to mow the yard, take the kids to the park, check on a problem at work, prepare to teach Sunday school the next day and …

I charged into Dad’s trailer and began stacking the groceries on his kitchen table. When I was done, I told him I was running short on time and would need to be going. He asked me to sit a moment and chat. I agreed, but insisted I was on a tight schedule. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, as I sat down.

“Rob, you’re always on a tight schedule. Where do I fit in?” Dad asked. “Put me on your priority list somewhere!”

My immediate reaction was anger. In fact, I think I even raised my voice at him. “Dad, you have no idea all I have going on!” I fumed, releasing some pent up pressure.

Later, as I reflected on Dad’s words, my heart was pierced. He had nailed me. I had become so busy, people had dropped from my priority list. I was very dutiful, seeing people not as objects of love, but obstacles to my ever growing list of duties.

Looking back on the time now, I see that much of my busyness was self-imposed; adding task after task to earn God’s love and to avoid feeling as if I had failed in my roles as husband, father, brother, employee, friend and son. Truly I was acting more like a “human doing” than a human being.

Because of this, I wondered how God could be so merciful to me. He called me to be an ambassador of His love, yet I was not spreading his love. Even though I was doing things for Dad, he was not feeling loved. He felt disrespected by my indifference to him as a person. I suspected my wife and kids and friends were feeling the same thing. I was so busy, yet I was literally doing more harm than good.

I thought of Martha in Luke chapter 10, verses 38-42. Jesus was in her house, but she was so preoccupied with her duties she missed Him. Jesus told her she was bothered and worried about so many things.

But her sister Mary knew exactly what to do. While Martha was stressing over her tasks, Mary was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His words. Mary chose the one thing that was important.

But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NASB)

Now, years later, I’m convinced that if I follow Mary’s example, what needs to be get done will be accomplished. And though I still struggle at times with the Martha syndrome, I also know that activities, which do not spring from my dependence upon Christ, accomplish nothing of eternal value.[1]

Mary was not lazy. After the scene recorded in Luke, she would take a costly vial of perfume and anoint the Lord’s body for burial. This work, done in response to her great love for Jesus, will always be remembered whenever the gospel is preached.[2]

I want to be like Mary; to love and trust Jesus so much that He is the one focus of my life. After all, Jesus lives in me. His love is in my heart. I don’t have to do anything for Him to love me. I’m simply told to remain where He has put me: in His love.

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. John 15:9 (NIV)

Challenge: When you feel yourself getting busy, slow down. Follow Mary’s example of being with Jesus and listening to His words. And don’t stop resting in Him even when your activities begin. Depend upon the Indwelling Spirit of Jesus to love the people He brings your way. Let love be your focus. What needs to get done, will get done.

God produces extraordinary accomplishments when we depend upon His Spirit in us.

Lord, thank you for showing me that focusing on You and listening to You is the key to life.  Please help me trust this fact, even in the midst of life’s responsibilities. Guard me from being bothered and worried about my tasks. Build in me the rhythm of sitting with you and listening to you, before I work and while I work. I love you, Lord. Keep me settled in Your love.

The man who remains in the love of Jesus is never a failure.

[1] John 15:5

[2] Mark 14:9

Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.

Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Rob Buck

What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for?  Beyond Time

By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains

Our Great Need

Finding a Friend in Need

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Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Mathew 5:3

 Being in need is not a bad thing. In fact it’s essential to our spiritual journey.

Robbie is my friend. I met him a few years ago at a men’s conference at Myrtle Beach. After the conference was over, I discovered he was homeless.  This was very humbling for me to find out.

Over the years, Robbie has attended our small group and our church. We’ve meet his niece and he has become very dear to us.

He’s had a stable place to live a few times, but he mostly rotates between  the Oliver Gospel Mission and an abandoned building  he calls the ‘Camp site’. He gets work when he can.

For all he’s going through, I’ve never heard him complain.

We communicate mostly through facebook messaging when he’s at the library, or when he can find a WIFI hot spot for his track phone.

One afternoon, a few months ago,  we agreed to hang out for a while. I picked him up at the library and we went to Lizard’s Thicket, a local restaurant.

“Order whatever you want Robbie,” I said as I slid in the booth across from him.

“You’re not getting anything?” he asked.

“No, I’ve already eaten.”

Robbie closed up the menu. Even though he hadn’t eaten since an early morning breakfast at the mission, he thought it impolite to eat in front of me.

“Alright, I’ll get some fried okra,” I agreed.

Robbie grinned and opened the menu back up.

Later, as we were eating, I asked Robbie how his day was going. “It’s a beautiful day and I’m sitting here eating fried chick and okra with you, how could it not be a great day?” he chuckled.

“Do they let you keep your stuff at the mission?” I asked, as I forked a couple of okra.

“Not really,” he replied.

“So where do you keep your things?”

“I have a few  clothes at the campsite, but  my stuff’s in a  book bag in your back seat.”

Wow! Most of Robbie’s earthly possessions were in my back seat. This was  inconceivable to me. My friend was acutely aware of his need in a way I’d never experienced.

Being in need is actually something I’ve avoided; partly because of pride, but mostly because of the vulnerability of having to depend on someone else.

Spiritually speaking, being needy is an absolute necessity. I can’t earn my way to heaven. I need the death and sacrifice of Jesus to blot out my sins and grant me access to heaven. But I also need Him moment by moment as I seek to live a Christ-like life.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Poor in spirit means embracing our spiritual poverty. We must know we need Jesus.

Not only do we need the death of Jesus to be acceptable to a holy God, but we need to depend upon the life of Jesus in us to live moment by moment. There’s only one person who can live a true Christ-like life and it’s not us, it’s Jesus in us.[1] The Sermon on the Mount teaches us this.

The word “saved”, used in Romans 5:8-10, not only means delivered (as in rescued from eternal separation from God), but it also means to be healed and made whole. We are to continually embrace  our need of Jesus, knowing that apart from Him we can do nothing. [1]

Challenge: Think about an area of your life you’re still trying to live in  your own abilities. Take a moment and embrace your need for Jesus in this area.  Hand’s open, surrender it  to Him.

hands-247138_960_720 (1)

Lord, I’m sorry for the times I haven’t fully trusted you and tried to live on my own. I need you desperately. Please show me when I forget my great need for you.

By the way. today is Robbie’s birthday. If you know him, wish him a happy one. He is a blessing to many.

[1] John 15:5