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Abiding, Christ - Our Life, Christ Indwells Us, Crucified with Christ

Rhythms: UP (Christ Lives in Me)

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It could be argued that the main thread of the Bible is God’s desire to be WITH us. 

The Creator of the Universe gave up His only Son to have Eternal fellowship with us. But we don’t have to wait until we die. He wants to be with us now.     

Ongoing, intimate fellowship with God can begin at the point of our salvation. 

Jesus promised it: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23b NASB)

Paul confirmed it: “having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,  who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13b-14 NASB)

What a pledge of our inheritance! GOD HIMSELF, in the form of the Holy Spirit given to us!

Sealed in Him – marked, for security from Satan, concealed and hidden, stamped in order to confirm, to authenticate.

As believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of Jesus indwells us.

In light of this, how do we live?

In what some consider a summary of the Christian life, Galatians 2:20, Paul answers the above question: 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.

We died. Christ lives in us now. Our new normal is to live a life of depending on Him to live His life through us.

Our lives are to be marked by the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control exemplified by Jesus’ life on earth. 

But how does  “Christ lives in me” work out in our everyday lives? 

Treasuring God Above all Else

As with other aspects of our Christian lives, living WITH God starts with us realizing, trusting and walking in His love..

God’s love is the reason He rescued us to begin with. Our greatest command is to love Him back. Delighting in God accentuates our longing to be WITH Him.

Skye Jethani, in his book With, writes, “the life with God posture is predicated on treasuring God above all else.” [1]  He goes onto say that treasuring the world and a long comfortable life is not a life of living with God.

Our pathway to living out our union with Christ must begin with love for God above all earthly gains: our possessions, success, popularity, comfort, etc.

Our love for God must be absolute. Jesus told his disciples that coming to Him and deeply loving Him, makes human love seem like hate in comparison. [2] Our love for God must be extreme and the more we love Him, the easier it will be to delight in His nearness. 

Story: In my human weakness, I sometimes forget that God Himself is my highest delight, especially when I don’t feel love from people who are important to me.  During these times, I can easily shift from enjoying the experience of God’s abiding love, to chasing human love to fill my heart cup.

However, more and more an awareness of God’s great love for me is growing. I’m understanding that the love of people are like sprinkles on top of  a decadent hot fudge sundae, complete with the dark chocolate sauce, nuts, whip cream and the cherry on top.

God’s love completes me.  May I love others out of the abundance of His love, not to try and satisfy my need for love.

Draw near to the One who indwells you and invites you to revel in His love.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth (Psalm 73:25 NASB)

I No Longer Live

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,  knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;  for he who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:4-6 NASB).

For me, our crucifixion with Christ has always been hard to comprehend.

How can a person who lives and breathes be dead? To understand, we must seek deeper truths, beyond the temporal. 

In the above verse, Paul says our old self has been crucified. Before our flesh reigned, but having been crucified with Christ, it’s been rendered powerless.

However, until we physically die,  we can still choose to walk in the old ways of death. This is why Paul warns us, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:12-14 NASB).” 

So, on a Wednesday afternoon, in the midst of duties and temptations, how do we live out “I’ve been crucified with Christ and I no longer live?”

Our old fleshly choices have worn paths not easily broken. Even in the splendor of God’s love and His life within, idols and addictions chain our souls. Carnal pleasures, seeped in death, can seem more real and viable than God’s loving presence.

Imagine you were in the Marines and you had a sergeant who was constantly picking on you. Eventually you serve your time and are honorably discharged. As a civilian, you come face to face with your old nemesis on a street corner. Assuming a familiar position of authority, he orders you give him 25 pushups.

Out of habit, you drop and begin churning them out. But then it hits you; you’re free from his reign. He’s lost all authority over you. You stop and walk away. Being a marine is in your past, but that life is behind you. You’re dead to it’s authority and power.

When we’re tempted to walk in our flesh, it’s like meeting that old sergeant. We can still choose to follow Him, but why should we? Now, we can refuse and “present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over us”.

Story: One of my strongest temptations to operating in my “old self” has to do with trying to handle problems in my own strength. Historically, when challenges come I try harder rather than recognizing my weakness and walking in newness of life.

Recently, I fell and severed my quad tendon. I was down the hill from our house at our barn when it happened. When I heard the pop, I knew something had happened, but my first response was to try and stand up and walk. Impossible! Helpless on the ground, all I could do was crawl like a crab and scream for my wife.

During the time of recovery after the surgery, I was helpless. My wife even had to put on my socks. It was a forced time to slow down and realize how little I have to offer. A real life experience of true weakness. What a blessing!

I Live by Faith in the Son of God 

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NASB).

After promising to send us the Holy Spirit, in John 14, Jesus gives us an earthly example of what life WITH Him is like.

A wine branch, connected to the sap enriched vine, is able to produce luscious fruit. But, a branch detached from the vine of life, yields nothing but death.

Our lives are like that. Sure, we can busy ourselves with all manner of seemingly good things, but any activity detached from the source of life is life-less, no matter how good it looks.

We’re familiar with a bowl of plastic fruit. Painted up and shinny, it can look so real, so delicious!  But try tasting it. There is no life.

Our souls are to be governed by the Holy Spirit, not our flesh.

Jesus commands us to “abide” in Him, His Holy Spirit. Over many years I’ve had two wrong understandings about what this means.

First: that abiding is a level to get to in our maturing process as Christians. Wrong. Abiding is not a level. It’s not a “nice to get to.” Abiding is the process. Abiding is the way Christ is formed in us.

Second: I assumed abiding took great effort. With great strain and discipline I sought to tap into Christ’s life within. Actually, it’s just the opposite. The Greek word translated as “abide” also means to remain, stay, stop, tarry, live or dwell.

We did nothing to be placed in the love of Jesus. God did it. [3] So, abiding is not an effort to get somewhere, its a command to stay where we’ve already been placed. Dwell there, remain there, stay there, tarry there, abide where you’ve been placed. Don’t move.

Story: My wife recently bought us a small plaque which we placed on the window seal above the kitchen sink, where we’ll often see it.

I need Thee every hour.

The longer I live the more I believe these words. Not only do I need to depend on Jesus to know the Father’s will, to speak His words and love in His strength, but I also need Him every second to fill to overflowing my longing heart. I so easily forget and begin to look around me at the world to love me, to deem me successful and to value me.

Lord, show me quickly when I stray.

Conclusion

Living out our new life of total dependence upon God is not an option. The New Testament is saturated with the truth of God being WITH us now. The Holy Spirit of Jesus indwells us. We’re to enjoy His nearness every moment of our lives. Jesus is the source of all joy and life, but we must continually chose life over death.

We’ve been crucified with Christ. We’ve been raised with Him in newness of life. But, we can still be influenced by our old, worn out fleshly patterns. We must recognize our death in Christ and choose to depend upon Him.

By faith, we rest in Christ’s finished work and remain in His love. We yield to His life within us that His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control might be displayed in our lives. 

Prayer

Lord, I’m seeing it now. My life with You is not about me following a bunch of rules and trying to pattern my life after Your example in my own strength. I died because You died in my stead. Thank You. You love me so much You want to be with me forever.  Please give me a moment by moment dependence upon Your Spirit within me, that I might speak with Your words, serve in Your strength and love with Your love. Please stop me in my tracks when I move ahead of You and try to do anything apart from Your abiding Spirit  Amen.

the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26b-27 NASB).

Personal Study

Highlight Romans 6:4-14

Explain it in your own words

Apply it to your life

Respond to God in prayer 

 [1] With, Skye Jethani, Thomas Nelson 2011, p. 131

[2] Luke 14:26

[3] I Corinthians 1:30

Previous posts in the UP series:

Amazing Love

Essential Love

What Hides God’s Love

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

Recognizing Threats to Knowing God's Love, The Love Which Holds

Rhythms: UP (What Threatens Us Knowing God’s Love?)

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If we really knew God’s love for us!.

If we understood, at a heart level, His quality of love which can’t be changed!

If we realized God delights in being with us. If we comprehended His  willingness to send His Son to die in our place.

If we learned to remain in Jesus’ love for us. 

If we really knew these things at a heart level – Our adversary’s schemes to persecute us would be shallowed up in God’s ocean of love. 

Since God’s amazing love for us is absolutely essential, It’s good to uncover  what threatens us knowing it.

Following are three threats.

God’s Love is Beyond Understanding

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God ( Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB).

God’s incomprehensible love for us doesn’t fit in our heads. We need to lay aside our desire to mentally understand it.

In the above verse, written to believers in Ephesus, Paul says God’s love surpasses our knowledge. Even though, as believers, we have Christ in our hearts, Paul prays Christ’s love would dwell (settle and pervade) there. He wants the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened[1], so that God’s love would expand more completely there.

Oh the vastness of His Love! Like an ocean, the dimensions can’t be grasped. However, as our hearts are enlightened, as awareness of His love grows, we become more and more “filled to the fullness of God.” 

Story: As I read about a love which is beyond my ability to comprehend, I’m thrust into a quandary. On the one hand I feel stuck. If I can’t understand it, how do I know it. 

I’m realizing that though God’s love for me surpasses knowledge, my heart can contain it. I join Paul’s prayer that, by His Spirit, I might grow in my awareness of the vastness of God’s love for me. 

May God’s love, which is beyond words come alive more and more in my heart that I might love others as Christ has loved me.

God’s Love for Us is Not Affected by How We’re Treated

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,  *got up from supper, and *laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He *poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:3-5 NASB)

Jesus didn’t entrust Himself to men.  He knew their hearts[2]. His confidence was in God’s love alone.

In the above verse, Jesus washed the feet of a man who would deny Him (Peter) and a man who would betray Him (Judas). And He knew it.

Hours later, He would perform the ultimate example of sacrificial love by dying to rescue mankind from the wrath of God.

Jesus didn’t allow how people treated Him to rattle Him. He didn’t need their love. He knew where He came from. He knew where He was going. And while He was on earth, since He knew His Father’s love, He had all things.

If, like Jesus, we don’t need the approval of people, we can love freely as He did, expecting nothing in return. As we dwell in Jesus’ love for us, how people treat us, though painful, won’t affect our value.

We are deeply loved by God. This is our value. 

For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10 NASB).

Story: A few years ago I became aware that I’ve “required” love from the important people in my life. I certainly love them, but since my love cup was not full, I needed their love in return. I see now that this is not only unloving, but it kept me in bondage to the actions and feelings of others.

Occasionally, I still struggle with this when I feel rejected or unloved.  However, as the awareness of God’s complete love for me grows, the chains of “needing” the love of people are breaking and falling off. 

This frees me to love others purely and reduces the threat of doubting God’s love when people hurt me.

Our Enemy Does Not Want Us to Know God’s Love 

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.  We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2nd Corinthians 10:3-5 NASB).

At all costs, our enemy wants to keep us from knowing God’s love. Since he’s out to afflict us, the peace, hope and joy of us resting and walking in God’s love is the exact opposite of what he desires for us.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10 NASB)

Based on the truth about God’s love, we’re to disagree with his lies and agree with what we know is true. Agreeing with the truth, and not the lies, gives no foothold for our enemy to fortify within.

Familiar, life shaping lies we’ve agreed with in the past can be destroyed by God’s truth. The weapons of our warfare are “divinely powerful” (sourced in God and able to accomplish what is intended) for the destruction of all strongholds and speculations. 

Paul tells us to take every thought captive and to obey Christ by believing what He says.

The devil is like a roaring lion seeking always to devour. We resist him by casting our cares on the Lord, standing firm in our faith in His Love. [3]

Conclusion

Previously, we established that God’s love for us is eternal and can’t be changed. This quality of love motivated God to rescue us from His wrath by the death of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus loves us as much as God loves Him. His love for us chases away our fears and is the source of all our loving. God’s love roots and grounds our soul. It enables us to delight in Him and to love others as He’s loved us.

God’s incredible love is beyond our understanding and is designed to be held in our hearts. As the eyes of our hearts are enlightened, and our awareness of God’s great love for us grows in depth of experience, the way people treat us and the lies Satan feeds us CAN’T change us in the slightest degree.

Prayer

Lord, the more my heart grows in true awareness of Your great love for me, the more my soul experiences Your peace, Your hope and Your joy. Yet, so many forces are at work to try and hide it. You’ve commanded me to remain in Your love. No matter how folks treat me or how hard my circumstances, Your love holds. Please teach me to judge every word or thought based on Your truth and nothing else. Help me to quickly recognize lies so I can disagree with them and agree with what You say. Thank you for loving me and wanting to be with me.   Amen.

Personal Study

Highlight Romans 8:31-39

Explain it in your own words

Apply it to your life

Respond to God in prayer 

 [1] Ephesians 1:18

[2] John 2:24

[3] I Peter 5:6-9

Previous posts in the UP series:

Amazing Love

Essential Love

.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:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Fears Chased Away, Loved to Love, Rooted and Grounded

Rhythms: UP (Why Knowing God’s Love is Essential, Especially Now)

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Why is God’s love absolutely essential right now?

How is God’s love for us tied into how we love?

What is the correlation between God’s love and our fears?

How does God’s love enable our obedience?

What difference does God’s love make when we confront life’s storms?

Review some amazing truths about God’s love

Knowing God’s love for us is essential. And it needs to be more than information, it’s to become a growing realization. May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened. [1]

Perfect Love Drives out Fear and Allows us to Love

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love because He first loved us (I John 4:18-19 NASB).

As I examine my heart, much of my sin is rooted in fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of unhappiness. Fear of . . . 

Fear causes worrying and robs me of peace, which is essential to my existence. 

In the above verses, John writes about a love which drives out fear, a perfect love, flowing from God. 

While we still fear, we’re yet to be perfected in God’s love. However, to the degree we realize God’s amazing love, our fears melt away and peace reigns in our hearts.

But there’s much more.

God’s love for us is the source of true love. To the degree we realize His perfect love, we’ll be able to reflect His love back to Him and to others. 

We love because He first loved us.

Story: As I ponder the truth concerning God’s perfect love, different nagging fears come to mind, particularly fear of failure and  fear of rejection. These fears have sometimes sent me down destructive paths. But more and more the reality of a love which literally casts out fear is growing in my heart.

As I write, I imagine a life with no fear. Fearless. Oh the freedom! Oh the joy! And it’s not just something to wish for. God’s perfect love is real, the chaser of all fears. Perfect love which, not only gives us courage, but is the source of all of our love.

This is something to get very excited about.

God’s Love Enables Our Obedience

And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 NASB)

Since our love is rooted in God’s love for us, His love enables our obedience. Like a cart being pulled along by a horse, our works of obedience (loving) are empowered and guided by God’s love for us, not the other way around. 

In the above verses, Jesus gives two vital commands which basically summarizes the entire Bible. Our obedience is characterized by love, becoming the overarching filter to govern our lives. As the ten commandments state, loving God (first four) and loving others (last six) should guide our every word and deed.

So, why is God’s love for us important?

God’s love enables us to love. And loving is how we obey Him.

Story: For many years I’ve been captivated by the verses above. As complicated as life can be, they seem like a great filter to run all aspects of life through. After all, Jesus tells us the command to love God and love others summarizes the whole law and the prophets.

So many times I’ve realized that what I was choosing was not loving toward God as my highest love. What a great realization, as opposed to not realizing it and continuing to love idols.

So many times, I’ve realized my actions toward people were more for me than for them. Again, what a great realization. I want my love to be pure. I know I have far to go, but to the extent that I’m loving others out of God’s love for me, joy and freedom erupt.

God’s Love Roots and Grounds Us

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,  so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-19 NASB)

God’s love for us surpasses our knowledge. It is beyond our understanding and our intellect. Even so, Paul prays the superlative dimensions of God’s love might be comprehended or realized in a way which comes alive in our hearts.

What does not fit in our heads, can dwell more and more in our hearts as God is pleased to illuminate it.  This is what Paul is praying.

God’s love roots us and grounds us, establishing a firm foundation. To the degree God’s surpassing love is illuminated and made real to us, our souls are more and more secured against the storms and trials of life.

Story: There’s a song based on the verses above about the deep, deep love of Jesus. Many years ago, the song was song at the funeral of Rachel, a little two year play mate of my oldest son.

As the song was song, I looked over at the parents. I couldn’t comprehend what they were feeling. In my raw state, I wondered how the song fit.

Then it hit me. As deep as the pain was that Rachel’s parents were feeling, God’s love was deeper still. And, in their pain, they had an opportunity to experience the depth of that love in a way they might not have otherwise known. 

Since then, my wife and I have experienced deep relational pain, but God’s love is deeper still.

Conclusion

Previously, we established that God’s love for us:

  • Is eternal and can’t be changed by anything of this world, seen or unseen.
  • Motivated Him to rescue us by the death of His Son Jesus Christ
  • Is modeled by Jesus’ love for us

From Zephaniah 3:17 we learned that God delights to be with us and that we make Him happy.

The Lord your God is in your midst,
A victorious warrior.
He will exult over you with joy,
He will be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

What makes these and other facts so VITAL is that God’s love:

  • Chases away ALL fear and is the source of our love
  • Enables us to obey God
  • Root and grounds our soul, no matter what

Especially Now

In today’s world of disunity and hatred, it’s essential to realize God’s love for us. We must know we’re completely loved no matter how we’re treated. 

Prayer

Lord, may my comprehension of Your amazing love for me continue to grow as I soak in it’s reality. Thank You for chasing away my every fear with Your perfect love. Please remind me quickly when fears arise. Thank you that Your love enables me to love You. May I receive Your love and give it away.  Thank You for delighting to be with me. Please help me to grasp Your love more and more. Steady my heart in the firm foundations of Your delight in me. Amen.

Personal Study

Highlight I John 4:13-19

Explain it in your own words

Apply it to your life

Respond to God in prayer 

 [1] Ephesians 1:18

Previous posts in the UP series:

UP (The Amazing Truth About God’s Love)

.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:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

The Main Thing

Stop the Conveyer Belt

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Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27 NASB)

What you’re about to read is something I need to intentionally follow moment by moment. It doesn’t come naturally to me yet.

There’s an I Love Lucy episode where Lucy and Ethel are required to wrap pieces of chocolate from a conveyer belt. The belt moves slowly at first, but then the pace picks up. To avoid chocolates passing through unwrapped they begin eating them, sticking them in their blouses and hats. When the supervisor sees no unwrapped chocolate, she gives the order to speed things up. There was no way to keep up. I can relate. When life comes whirling at me and all I see is unwrapped chocolates, I feel pressure to clear things off my plate. I don’t do well with multiple, unresolved issues.

Distracted

The other day I was feeling that pressure when a friend unexpectedly wanted to talk. I tried to stay present, but all I could picture were mounting stacks of unwrapped chocolates and others headed my way. I felt like Martha in Luke in chapter 10. Jesus told her she was, “worried and bothered about so many things”[1] Like me, getting things done had become the main thing and she was missing out on so much more. Practically I know It’s never possible to wrap all the chocolates and that accomplishments are never the main objective, but when things pile up I struggle.

Changing Objectives

Peace doesn’t come from a well-managed life. This is peace as the world gives it. Jesus gives me His peace and commands me not to let my heart be troubled. Each task, each unexpected problem, each person brought my way, passes through my Father’s loving hands. Every opportunity is not something to be endured or completed, but an invitation to press into Jesus as my constant Peace. My main objective is not to wrap chocolates but to focus on Jesus and depend upon Him with every challenge. Each opportunity gives me a unique way to walk with Him.

Being Attentive to Jesus

While Martha was distracted, her sister Mary was attentive to Jesus. Luke tells us she was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.[2] Jesus told Martha what Mary had chosen was the most important thing and it wouldn’t be taken away from her. Jesus wants us abiding in Him while we do life. When we do, He becomes our Peace and our Strength. We can trust Him with every chocolate He wants us to wrap.

Lord, I’m sorry I’ve gotten things upside down again. Thank you for showing me how I’ve allowed responsibilities to steal my peace. You are my focus. I trust You to accomplish what you desire to get done through me. I sit at Your feet, listening to Your words.

[1] Luke 10:41:b (NASB)

[2] Luke 10:39b (NASB)

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:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

A Firm Anchor for our Soul, Our Union with Christ

Our Source of Courage

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I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4 NASB)

A few days before the coronavirus changed our daily lives, I passed an advertisement for boots on a highway billboard. I was ahead of schedule, so I stopped to try a pair on. Amazed at how comfortable they are, I walked out an inch taller in a pair of brown, square toed Ariats. My love of Westerns on TV made me feel like a frontiersman, headed into wild, unchartered territories. Days later, the same adventurous spirit would be required for real life.

This tragedy is no surprise to our Lord. We have an opportunity to step into this global challenge with courage. A friend of ours[1]described it as a worldwide crack in the illusion that we can flourish without God. Rising fear is leaving folks in desperate need of peace and hope.

This season of uncertainty can be frightening for all of us. But it can also be a time of tremendous opportunity, but it’s going take more than cowboy boots and a six shooter.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; (Psalm 23:4a ESV)

 Circumstances are never to be our source of courage.

This virus has not created our need for the Lord, it’s revealing it.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey understand that God has many names to describe Himself for you. The word Jehovah is His most holy and intimate name.

  • Rest deeply into Jehovah-shalom (the Lord our Peace). Peace is a Person. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3 ESV)
  •  Trust Jehovah-rapha (the Lord who heals). Whatever is exposed can be healed. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, (Psalm 103:2-3 ESV)
  •  Rely completely upon Jehovah-jireh (the Lord will Provide). The Lord already sees our needs. And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 ESV)
  •  Depend totally upon Jehovah-raah (the Lord my Shepherd). He will guide our every step. The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name sake. (Psalm 23:1-3 ESV)

Lord, these tumultuous times call for great courage. We come to you with every fear, laying all our burdens upon You. Despite what we see around us, we know You love us. You Indwell us and are our Source of Courage. We trust you with our lives. May we boldly seize all opportunities to testify about You to everyone you bring our way. Amen.

[1] Stacy Hill

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:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Indwelling Christ, Union with Christ

Are You More Like Batman or Spider-man?

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In his book, Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne asks us to consider two superheroes. Batman, a rich, strong man with “lots of cool gadgets” [1] and Spider-man, a superhero because of a bite from a radioactive spider. The encounter with the spider changed Peter Parker from within. He became Spider-man. Batman had to rely on his own abilities and possessions.

Who are you most like?

If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, you’ve become a new man. Jesus Christ now lives within you. You’ve been changed from within.

Jesus told His disciples, “And I will ask the Father and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (John 14:16 NASB)

Paul confirms that the Holy Spirit of Jesus now lives inside of believers, fundamentally changing who we are. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Ephesians 1:13 NASB)

Spider Powers

Like Spider-man, we’ve been changed, but what are our spider powers? Although it would be fun, it’s not squirting webs to buildings and swinging through the air.

Consider the following powers: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NASB)

These powers include a quality of love which is sacrificial beyond reason, joy and peace which transcend every circumstance, kindness and goodness which puts others first and looks past every offence, faithfulness and gentleness which becomes for others a soothing balm in all infirmities, and control to walk in these inner powers no matter how we’re feeling.

What Joy we’d experience if these powers of Christ continually flowed from within us.

But too often we forget about the powers within. We might ask God to give us patience and self-control, but that’s just asking God to change us.

He wants so much more. He wants to be our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control from the inside out.

There’s a real difference between asking God to help me and relying on His Spirit within to empower me.

Real Life Example

My dad struggled with alcoholism for decades. It cost him his marriage and almost his life. But things changed. He ended up not drinking the last fifteen years of his life.

One day I asked him how he did it. “I tried everything,” he said. “AA and countless programs, but nothing worked. I’d been asking God to help me quit, but it just wasn’t working. Finally, I said, ‘God you have to do it, I can’t.”

After praying this prayer, he cut the grass and opened a beer. He said it tasted awful. He spit it out, poured out the beer and never had another drop. My dad learned to depend upon the power of God to deliver him when nothing else did.

Prayer

Lord, Your Spirit has changed me forever. Please forgive me for living on my own. You tell me that apart from You, I can do nothing.[2] I’m tired of wearing myself out in my own strength accomplishing nothing. Trying to live without you is like Spider-man not using his powers is. Never again I pray. Please teach me how to live every moment of every day in the Living Waters of Your Spirit within. Stop me quickly when I do life without You and teach me how to utterly depend on You. Have Your way with me I pray. Amen

[1] Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne, David Cook, p. 52-53

[2] John 15:5

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:

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

God's Comfort, God's Love

God’s Love in a Broken World

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He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; (Isaiah 53:3a NASB)

It’s a cold rainy day and we don’t have to go anywhere until later. I’m soaking in the comfort of being with my bride and our dog before a warm fire. Sipping my coffee, I’m reveling in the reality of God’s presence. I don’t always feel His nearness, but I know He indwells me and is always closer than breath. I’m learning to find my completeness in His love no matter how unloving the world around me might be. For me, the path to experiencing His love more fully has been through sadness.

Until recently, I believed sadness was to be avoided at all costs. How could it be good? How can I function during it?

But I’ve noticed when I avoid dealing with my sorrow, I’m not being true to myself. I feel detached. I’m learning pain is there for a reason and I can’t afford to deny it. My heart must be tended to.

What’s helped me more that anything is knowing Jesus was known as a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. My Savior understands. When I bring my pain to Him, His comfort is real.

He said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33b NASB)

We live in a broken world. What goes on now is not what will be. But Jesus invites me to draw near to Him in my sadness. When I do, the joy of His nearness overshadows my pain.

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 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. (II Corinthians 1:3-4 NASB)

 When I tend to my heart and call Jesus near in my pain, the Man of Sorrows meets me. His nearness is the oil of gladness which soothes the crevices of my crusty heart. It’s strange how dealing with grief, and not avoiding it, can be the path to experiencing a deeper measure of God’s love.

Hannah Hurnard, in her book Hind’s Feet on High Places, writes of Much-Afraid’s travels with Sorrow and Suffering. They were unwelcome, but very necessary companions on her journey to the top of the mountain. When she arrived, her Shepherd, the King gave her new names of Grace and Glory. Her companions Sorrow and Suffering were renamed Joy and Peace.

I’m understanding the value of not running from Sorrow and Suffering in my own journey. Though these companions aren’t comfortable, they usher me to the Comforter who give me a Joy and Peace which can not be shaken by any circumstance.

There are so many broken hearts in this broken world. Creation groans for the redemption of the bodies of God’s adopted sons and daughters at Christ’s return.[1]

In the midst of Sorrow and Suffering, Christ offers a deeper measure of His Love in the Joy and Peace of his nearness. He is our Comforter, waiting to be called near.

For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5 NASB)

 Lord, I’m sorry for running from sadness. What a relief to know that sorrow and suffering are a part of your path to Joy and Peace. I’ve spent so much effort trying to carve out a happy heart when all along it was okay to be sad. Please teach me to tend to my heart in times of sorrow and not seek only a carefree life. I’m amazed how much more I understand your love for me because of my journey with Sorrow and Suffering. Thank you.

[1] Romans 8:22-24

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 once a week. Thank you for reading. 

Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

God's Greater Story

Peace, Joy and Abounding Hope

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Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NASB)

It’s been a battle this week to stay on higher ground. My prayer is to set my mind on things above and orient my life around God’s greater story, but lately, my heart’s been more invested in my circumstances and how my life’s going.

When this happens, I lose perspective and go into survival mode. I have little regard for others and am more concerned with how I’m doing.  I wrote the following in my journal:

As I got off work today my mood was sinking. It lingered as I dropped by Publix on the way home. The cashier, named Gage, was super joyous in his conversations. Normally, this is how I feel, but my gloominess was a stark contrast to his exuberance.

In recent years, I might have doubled down in self effort, wearing myself out trying to slay each hindrance to my happiness. But very difficult trials over the last few years have taught me that sustaining Joy can’t be found in how my life’s going. God, in His severe mercy, is peeling away my vice grip on worldly happiness and redirected my heart towards Him. Through circumstances I would have never chosen, I’m realizing my total completeness is in Christ. I can’t count on anything to controlling my feelings of well-being but Him.

My interaction with Gage reminded me that I’d lost sight of this life changing truth in the midst of day to day grind.

Asking God to recalibrate my heart. I got alone and read Romans 15 from our church’s reading plan. These words opened my eternal eyes:

  • Be about the good of others for even Christ didn’t please Himself.[1] As I hurriedly, transferred the items from my cart to the revolving rubber surface for Gage to scan them, I really had no concern for him. I wanted to be left alone in my gloominess. Gage’s kind words awakened me, revealing I was focused only on me, a joy sucking place to be.
  • Filled with all Joy and Peace, abounding in Hope in the Holy Spirit.[2] This whole incident fills me with Hope. Even when the battle before my eyes drains me and cause me to lose sight, God is with me. No matter what I face, He is my Peace, my Joy and my lasting Hope.

Lord, gloominess and difficulties cause me to long for You all the more. When I seek you in my darkness, Your splendor explodes into brilliant Peace, Joy and Hope within me. Please keep me focused on You. Thank You for sending Gage to awaken me from my stupor. May I see every event in life as an opportunity to do the next right thing, to speak Your words and serve in Your strength. May I live life fully from You and for You; all for Your glory. Amen.

[1] Romans 15:2-3

[2] Romans 15:13

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 once a week. Thank you for reading. 

 Novels by the Author:

Beyond Time

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God's Greater Purposes

Nearsighted? Corrective Lens not Required

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From my distress I called upon the Lord; He answered me and set me in a large place. (Psalm 118:5 NASB)

My childhood was somewhat magical. We grew up with only an acre field separating us from our maternal grandparents. On late summer afternoons, my grandfather, Pop, would tell me to get my glove. My cousins would join me if they were around. He’d then hit pop flies to us in the field between our houses. We absolutely loved it.

On one such occasion, Polly, my older cousin, told me the baseball looked like a cotton ball to her because she was so nearsighted. I think it was the first time I’d heard the term. I would soon develop the condition myself. However, what impresses me today is how nearsighted I can be spiritually.

Nearsightedness – “A condition in which close objects appear clearly, but far ones don’t.”[1]

We’re told to set our minds on things above, where we’re seated with Christ in the heavenly realms,[2]  but eternal things are fuzzy. What we see with our physical eyes are temporal and momentary,  but they’re up close and clear and much easier to see.

Orienting our lives around what God is doing in His greater story is not as easy as putting on a pair of eternal glasses. We need Him to reveal spiritual truths to us.

As we seek Him, He’ll show us even our afflictions are producing something so valuable  our sufferings are less than nothing in comparison.[3]

God wants us free from ourselves. Free from  self-dependence, self-glorification, self-gratification and  self-worth. Self keeps us from fully experiencing Him, the source of all Joy.[4]

God wants us to orient our lives around what He’s doing  in each of us to give us the freedom to fully enjoy His nearness. He’s asking us to trust in His love, even when we don’t understand. As we glance His way, even during the most grievous difficulties, He’ll cure our nearsightedness.  He wants to open our eyes to see that He’s all we need. Ours is to trust in His everlasting love in spite of what we see and experience.

Lord, so often I lose sight of what you’re doing in my life and in the lives of those around me. You tell me to rejoice in You at all times, but this seems impossible. Only You can give me the sight to see Your work in the midst of earthly struggles. Please help me trust You even when circumstances are bleak.  Continue to show me Your ways. Reveal areas where I’m still looking only at what’s in front of me and not seeing your greater purposes. Help me see clearly that You alone are my Peace, my Joy, my Hope, my Life. 

[1] support.google.com medical information

[2] Ephesians 2:6, Colossians 3:2

[3] II Corinthians 4:16-18, Romans 8:18

[4] Psalm 16:11b

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:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Exchanged Life, Freedom from Guilt

I’m for Single Payer

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All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him     (Isaiah 53:6 NASB)

Stop.

This is not a political statement. I’m not talking about single payer government health insurance. I’m talking about something personal and completely effective, one Payer, one payment.

I have a dear friend who is often haunted by his past. He’s fighting to make wise choices going forward, but sometimes guilt swoops upon him. He says it feels like a nine hundred pound gorilla pinning him down.

I can relate. Regrets from the past can steal our peace and bring us into feelings of condemnation and obligation. The “woulda,” “coulda,” and “shouldas” of life give us feelings of deficit and defeat, especially concerning our standing with God. We try to do better, but on our own, our gorilla just gets bigger.

In God’s economy there’s a different story going on. In His eyes, we all have the same sin resume.’ The playing field is level. The big monkey has us all pinned down. Try as we will, nothing we can do will free us. We need a Rescuer. Someone to free us from the strangle hold we’re in.

God’s arrangement for our freedom is counterintuitive. Only a perfect Lamb can pay the price to set us free. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might take on His righteousness.[1] One payment, made for all; total, eternal forgiveness.

Ours is to trust, to commit to and to rely upon the Lord Jesus Christ, our Payer. He saved us, not only to cancel our debt and rescue us from eternal separation from Him, but also to make us whole; to free us to live lives of peace, hope and joy.[2]

The blood of Jesus paid for every sin: past, present and future. When we believe, we become God’s beloved child.[3]

When we make our final car payment, we receive our title. The car is finally ours. No more payment is required. If we try and pay again, the payment will be rejected. There’s no debt to apply it to.

As children of God, our debt too has been paid. Payments of religious activities, or any other ways we try and earn our place with God, can’t be applied. We’ve already been redeemed. The title of Eternal nearness to God is already ours. We can enjoying it now.

Lord, so often I feel as if you want me to do something to solidify my relationship with you. But you truly have paid it all. You don’t want me to strive. You want me to rest and allow your Spirit to have full reign of my life. Please remind me, when the world is too much with me and guilt and shame once more press in, that the gorilla is dead. You paid the price. I’m free. I’m free.

[1] II Corinthians 5:21

[2] Romans 1:8-9

[3] John 1:12

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:

Beyond Time

Hope Remains

Experiencing God in the moments of our lives