Tag Archives: Jesus

Prince of Peace

Stop Searching for Peace

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Our Need for Peace

Inner peace. Own it and you’ll be tranquil, though the world crumbles around you. Without it, nothing you gain will give you contentment.

Peace is defined as freedom from disturbance; serenity, quite, mental calmness and tranquility.

As humans, we need peace and we’ll take all manner of paths searching for it.

Fear Threatens Our Peace

When deadlines looms and stress builds, we fear failure.

When relationships are strained, we fear being unloved.

When we fail, we fear being rejected.

When life gets hard, we fear the pain of our trials.

When debt mounts, we fear insecurity.

When illness strikes, we fear death.

And the list of fears goes on. Fear threatens our peace.

Not as the World Gives It

On the night before He was crucified, Jesus said to His disciples,

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives it do I give to you; Let not your heart be troubled, not let it be fearful.” John 14:27 (NASB)

The world was never supposed to be our source of peace. Jesus is our peace, the peace of His Holy Spirit, which indwells us.

Jesus wants us to give up trying to find and maintain our own peace.

This is extremely freeing, but very hard to do because we’ve been in charge of our own peace our whole lives. Consider how much of our lives have been spent trying to keep our hearts from feeling disturbed and troubled?

Imagine not being responsible for your own peace any more.

Jesus commands us is to not be fearful and to not let our hearts be troubled. He gives us His peace. So, we can rest in Him.

Prince of Peace

Centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah foretold his coming:

“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6 (NASB)

 Among other titles, Jesus is called our Prince of Peace, but what does this mean?

From the Hebrew words used:

Prince – ruler, leader, chief, captain

Peace – completeness, soundness, welfare, tranquility, contentment

Jesus rules our peace. If we let Him.

We’ve been wearing ourselves out seeking peace, when our only job is to choose Jesus in the midst of every fear.

What a relief!

Prayer

Lord, thank you that You are my peace. You tell me not to have a troubled heart and to not be fearful. This is Your command. I choose You as the Captain of my Peace. I choose You as my Peace. Please guide me, when life’s adventures threaten to steal my peace. In Your strength, help me to choose You over fear. Help me to rest in You as my Peace and to not let my heart be troubled.

Satisfying Joy

Choosing One Thing

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Can one thing be the key to everything else in life? Could it be the mainspring which provides continual joy and infuses power into every other area? Curly seems to think so.

Curly

In the movie city Slickers, Curly, an old crusty cowboy, claims to know the key to life. With a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, he asks Mitch, played by Billy Crystal, if he knows the secret of life. “No. What?” Mitch responds. Holding up one finger and smiling, Curly says “This.” “Your finger?” Mitch asks. Curly says “One thing. Just one thing.” He says if you stick with it, everything else means nothing. (Curly actually used a bit rougher language) “What’s the one thing?’ Mitch asks. “That’s what you have to figure out,” Curly answers. Mitch isn’t satisfied with Curly’s answer, but the old cowboy is on to something.

Jesus in the house

Luke tells us about a time Jesus was invited into Martha’s home. She had a sister named Mary who sat at Jesus‘s feet, listening to His words. Martha, on the other hand, was so focused on the preparations, she was distracted. She became resentful toward Mary and complained to Jesus. But like Mitch, she didn’t get the answer she desired. Martha, Martha you are anxious and troubled about so many things; but one things is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:41-42 (ESV)

Distracted

I sympathize with Martha. She wanted Jesus to feel welcome. I can identify with feeling distracted (to be driven about mentally, to be over occupied, too busy). I can get so focused on what I’m doing, people fall from my radar. Why? As I ponder this with the Lord, I realize I’ve falsely believed  life has to be going well for me to be okay. When deadlines loom and stress builds, I can get distracted with what I’m doing, caring more about the duties than people. But God is showing me life going well can never be what makes me okay. This is a complete paradigm shift in the way I view each day. Like Martha, I can still become anxious and troubled by what needs to be done. But I’m learning to enjoy the Lord’s nearness as I work, seeing everything I do as an opportunity to love the people He places in my path. There’s real joy in that.

One Thing

Mary chose the one necessary thing. She was with Jesus, seated at His feet, listening; the posture of a disciple. As believers, Jesus indwells us by his Holy Spirit. He is with us, even while we carry out life’s duties. However, like Martha, we can allow what we’re doing to be the one thing. In the 1600s, Nicolas Herman served in the kitchen of a French monastery. Known for his intimacy with the Lord, he was given the name Brother Lawrence. His friends, complied a book of his letters and sayings, entitled Practice of the Presence of God. Nicolas learned to experience God in every aspect of life. He said he felt as close to God peeling potatoes as he did kneeling at the altar. Like Nicolas, Mary chose to focus on Jesus. She worshipped Him. She chose Him above all else – her sister’s approval, the food preparations, the cultural norm. Martha was dissatisfied with life.  Mary was satisfied with Jesus.

A Word for Martha

I long to be satisfied with Jesus, just like Mary. But I still identify with Martha. What can I learn from what Jesus said to her? “Martha, Martha.” Repeating her name was not a sign of frustration, but of intimacy. Jesus loved Martha. He loves us. He doesn’t want us anxious and troubled as we go about our duties.  He wants us focused and satisfied with Him. He doesn’t want us distracted with accomplishments, success and a smooth, happy life. All these things are fine, but they can’t bring contentment; only Jesus can.

Challenge

Identify a time you’ve felt anxious and troubled. Can you pin point why? Spend some time alone with the Lord pondering the event. Ask Him to reveal the source of your distraction. He’ll show you what you’ve chosen above Him. When He does, make a choice to surrender it to Him. Choose to be satisfied with Jesus alone. He wants us free to fully experience the joy and peace of His presence.

Prayer

 Lord, it’s so easy to get distracted. I can be clearly focused on You one moment and over busy and preoccupied the next. Show me how being focused on You doesn’t mean I’m neglecting what needs to be done. Like Brother Lawrence, help me experience your nearness just as much while I’m doing office work as when I’m quietly reading my Bible. Without you I flounder. Like Mary, I choose to sit at Your feet as Your disciple, listening to Your words, worshipping You every step of my day. This is my choice. Guide me and empower me I pray.  
Choosing our Affection

Our Affections Affect Us (Whether We Realize it or Not)

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Jimmy

Jimmy looked at his watch again as he anxiously waited outside the director’s office. In a few moments he would find out who was going to be the manager of the new IT department. Did he get the job or did Kevin?  Becoming a manager was real important to him, not only because it would make him feel successful, but he desperately needed the extra money.  He’d maxed out his credit cards due to unexpected repairs and unwise financial choices.

“I’m sorry, Jimmy,” his director said. “We believe Kevin has demonstrated what we need for this position. Keep working hard and you can apply for future opportunities.”

The news crushed  Jimmy. His anger quickly escalated. “I think you’re making a mistake,” he barked. “Kevin….

Jimmy went on to untruly attack Kevin’s character, putting into jeopardy his own hope for future promotions.

Jimmy’s affection to appear successful and to have more money influenced him into making very poor choices.

Our English word ‘affection’ is derived from the Latin ‘afficere’, which means to influence. The definition of ‘affection’ is a fond feeling, a liking or caring about someone or something.

What We Value, Strongly Affects Our Choices

Take a look around you? Check your heart. What do you care about? Is it possessions, achievements, happiness, relationships? Chances are there’s a mixture.

We care about people, so we choose to be kind.

We want to be successful, so we work diligently.

We favor order over kayos, so we choose to maintain our possessions and to take care of important responsibilities.

These are positive examples, but like Jimmy, we can harm ourselves and others by valuing something too much.

Personally, I’ve cared way too much for smooth circumstances over the years. Looking back, I see how this affection, adversely affected my life and those around me. I sometimes choose to move quickly through difficult trials, denying their gravity. I wanted to get back to feeling ‘okay’.  However, what I didn’t realize was how this quick dismissal of hard circumstances left emotional pain unattended, both in me and in others.

One true Affection will Always Affect Our Lives in Positive Ways. 

What I’m realizing is that there is one true affection which will always affects our lives in positive ways. It can become the great filter for everything which passes through our lives.

Jesus told Martha that her sister, Mary, had chosen the one thing which was necessary.[1]

In Psalm 27, David asked one thing as a life’s request:  to dwell close to God, to behold his beauty and feast upon his nearness.[2]

One Thing – Loving and worshipping God.

Jesus confirmed this longing when he said,  “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 first commandment.”  Matthew 22:37-38

In telling us this, Jesus gave us a primary affection to govern all lesser affections.

One Great, Primary Affection

Loving God with all our heart.

Our love for God begins deep within, from our hearts, ‘the spring of our life.’[3]  But any love we have for God must stem from His love for us. We love because he first love.[4]

Loving God with all our soul.

Our soul – our mind, will, and emotions. Our thoughts and feelings can deceive us. God’s great love for us can be hidden. We must choose the truth of what God says about us, over and above our feelings and our thoughts.

Loving God with all our might.

Loving God with all our might means more than just loving him with all  our strength. It means loving him with all we have at our disposal – “with everything we have available for honoring God — which includes our spouse, our children, our house or dorm room, our pets and wardrobe and tools and cell phones and movies and music and computers and time.” [5]

Loving God Overflows into What We Do

When Jesus added, “And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets,”[6] we see the first influence of our affection for God.

If we love God, we will love people. And if we love people, all  lesser affections will play out in loving ways.

Kevin

Kevin heard about Jimmy’s outburst in the director’s office. He felt really hurt. He considered Jimmy a friend.

Kevin crafted an e-mail to Jimmy defending himself and telling him how hurtful his words were. He read through it and changed it several times. However, he didn’t send it.

Kevin was trying to live his live through the filter of his affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. He wanted every word and action to reflect his love for God and his love for the people in his life.

He choose to not be offended by what Jimmy had done. He agonized with God about how hurt he was.

Later, Kevin was able to see Jimmy’s pain in not getting the job. He asked God to show him what loving Jimmy would look like.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for clearly giving us a great affection which influences every part of our lives. Like Kevin, teach us to allow our choices to flow out of our love for you.

Please help us know your love for us. Destroy anything that blocks it. May we walk around completed surrendered to your extravagant love.

Please teach us how to love you with all our hearts, all our souls and all our might.

Amen.

[1] Luke 10:41-42

[2] Psalm 27:4

[3] Proverbs 4:23

[4] I John 4:19

[5] Loving God with Your Everything  by Jason DeRouchie,  www.desiringgod.org/articles/love-god-with-your-everything

[6] Matthew 22:40

Joy in the Midst

No Lose Situation (Even with ….)

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 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

Wikipedia states that “in game theory, a ‘no win’ situation is when no player benefits from any outcome.” The game has reached a point in which nothing good can happen for anyone involved.  How about the game called life? Most of us have experienced a time when we feel completely cornered and trapped. A step in any direction seems detrimental, producing feelings of hopelessness.

Consider my friend Chris. A successful business man with a loving wife and two God honoring sons, he found out in February of 2015 he has brain cancer. This news devastated us all. You hear about folks dealing with cancer, but when it happens to your family it hits home. I say “family” because Chris is my brother in Christ. We’re both adopted sons of the Lord Most High, bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus. We’re brothers on the same commission:  to live and speak the love and grace of Christ to everyone God brings our way.

Long before the cancer, loving like Jesus  was Chris’ heart. Having made multiple trips to India, he was gripped with love for the people of this crowded country. So much so,  he and his wife Sharon moved their whole family to an apartment complex, where many of his Indian business associates lived. Chris did it to be near them. He taught them to swim and loved them in ways the Holy Spirit directed him.

Though the news of his cancer was certainly devastating, Chris and Sharon have clung close to each other and trusted God in the midst. Amazingly, Chris sees this whole situation as giving him a unique platform to continue his commission. Chris is a walking example of someone who sees God as his Good, no matter what circumstance he faces. Chris is a vessel of the Lord’s joy and his life speaks of God’s nearness, infusing courage to others on a daily basis.

He shared with me that the dire spiritual conditions of some of his family is far tougher for him than dealing with cancer. Chris knows where he’s going and his faith in the truths of his future centers him and gives him eternal hope. He’s ready to see Jesus, but he knows some of his family members are not.

With conviction, he recently told me  we Christians are in a ‘no lose situation’. As adopted children of the King, given the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance[1], our lives on this earth are our journeys  home. We know how our story ends. We literally can not lose. This brings joy inexpressible and full of glory.

Chris’ life reminds me of the following verse, Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. II Corinthians 4:16-18

Challenge:   What ‘no win situation’ do you feel like you’re in right now? Do you feel trapped, like no move could can get you out? If Chris had focused on his cancer, he might have felt this way. And maybe he did for a while. But Chris has ongoing conversations with his Savior. He and Sharon have drawn close to the Lord and Christ is his life.

What’s your situation? Bring it to the Lord.  See it as  an opportunity to trust the Lord with more of you.

Prayer: Lord, I must confess I’m not where Chris is when it comes to such a frightening word as cancer. But I want to consider my life as loss compared to gaining more of You.  I give all of me to you, Lord Jesus.  You are my life.[2]

[1] Ephesians 1:13

[2] Colossians 3:4

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

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 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

Sentenced to Die

Guilty

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A young man squatted in a dingy prison cell. His features were hidden by the deep shadows of his dark imprisonment. Only a thin plane of sunlight penetrated the darkness, revealing countless dust particles floating around rows of disheartened men. The man was seated, away from the light, staring, motionless, into the darkness.

Outside the prison, upon a hill, stood the place of execution, where condemned men were put to death. Today would be this man’s turn. In a way, death was a welcome ending to his pain. However, more strongly, the condemned man felt the fear of death’s mysteries. His soul, it seems, had died long ago, but the fear of physical death consumed every fiber of his being.

As he waited in the cruel anticipation of a violent death, his mind raced across the span of his life. What would have made a difference? What could have changed his inclinations towards evil? The answers to these questions could only be tossed out into his universe of despair. Like always, he knew no answers would come. There was no hope, never had there been hope.

Slowly and ever more increasingly, the young man became aware of the sounds of a great number of voices. There were shouts and roars, but none of the words could be recognized. The sounds increased and erupted past him like a huge ocean wave. An enormous mass of shouting people had passed just outside his cell and were proceeding toward execution hill. The time was near. The man could not remember so great a crowd ever gathered to witness a death before.

Just then, the outside door of the prison was slammed open hard against the wall. Keys jiggled and the main security door was unlocked. Prison guards streamed towards his cell. The hopeless man trembled and recoiled in fear. Death was pouncing upon him.

The guards unlocked his cell and converged upon him like many wild tigers. They seized him, and drug him out into the bright sunlight outside the prison. When they had cleared the outside door of the prison, he was slammed face down hard on the ground. The impact knocked him into a daze. In a semi unconscious state, he waited for the first slapping sting of the lashing whip.

After a while, he senses quickened and he slowly opened his eyes, spitting dust from his mouth. He tilted his head slowly, expecting his flesh to be ripped open at any moment.

Amazingly, he was alone.

People were flowing in masses towards execution hill, but he was left unattended on the ground.

Slowly at first, but with increasing urgency, the freed man got up and made his way into an old warehouse, across the block from the prison. Looking around as he fled, he expected his fantasy to end at any moment. He made it to the abandoned building and flung himself sobbing to the ground.

After a long while, the man’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. He left the building and circled around the back of execution hill. He came up upon the crowd and mixed himself safely among the masses. With much effort, he fought his way through until he could see what the commotion was all about.

Three men hung dying on crosses, the pain etched across their faces. Two of the men he knew from his time in prison, but he didn’t recognize the man in the middle. This man seemed much weaker and closer to death than the others. He stood watching the dying man with blood gushing down the wood of the middle tree. A strange magnetism drew his soul, locking him in on the suffering criminal.

Their eyes met. Though he was among a mass of people, the man on the middle cross was looking directly at him. The dying man’s eyes were not desperate and frantic, but peaceful and loving.

After a few moments the freed man turned and walked away. As he fought his way back through the crowd, he overheard someone asking about the man on the middle cross, “Why are they killing him, what has he done?”

“He’s done nothing wrong,” the answer came. “He’s dying in place of a man set free.”

Exchanged Life

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

What would it feel like to find yourself in a prison cell, sentenced to die? Yet, being released at the last hour for another to die in your place. A man free of wrong, willing to die for you. This is our story.

Choosing

Kill Joy

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The word “Joy” has always fascinated me. It’s so rich and larger than life. Paul’s book of Philippians drips with it, as honey from a comb, yet it was written while he was in a Roman prison cell. Peter speaks of glorious, inexpressible joy, when referring to the salvation of our souls, despite the earthly trials that come our way.[1]

From a Biblical stand point, joy has a captivating sweetness about it which seems to transcend our worldly experience. How else could prison and trials be associated with joy? Yet joy can be elusive?
Joy is one of the qualities of the Spirit of God, but how is it expressed in our earthly experience?

When I think of times I have experienced what I would call joy, I feel as if my soul has been lifted up, far above the cares of this world. The problems and concerns don’t go away, but they seem no larger than specs of dust beneath my feet.

During these moments, I’m overwhelmed with gladness and gratitude. I’m filled with a desire to be with God, to see Jesus. For brief moments, I seem to be looking at life through eternity, seeing only what really matters. For me, joy is more than just a feeling, it’s a perspective, an eternal viewpoint, flowing from the nearness of God.

But alas, I have learned many ways to kill joy:

When I dwell too intently on the problem at hand, fretting, as I tackle life’s problems in my own strength, I have not joy.

When I become overwhelmed with busyness, embracing the tasks, without setting priorities and doing what’s really important, I have not joy.

When I’m overcome with the heartbreaks of life and lose sight of the fact that God’s nearness is my good, I have not joy.

When I am fooled into thinking the world will satisfy my inner longings, I have not joy.

When I hold onto an offense and let anger and resentment fester, I have not joy.

Making  heavenly choices in the midst of a physical world can be hard.  However, when I realize the mystery of Christ in me is more than just an idea, I can choose wisely. I can yield to His strength as He empowers my walk. As I do, joy flows as a River of Living Water.

Where is my joy? God freely gives it in His Indwelling Presence. God Himself is fullness of joy.[2] Joy is readily available to me, but I must continue to answer one burning question.

Do I choose to live for me or do I choose to live for my Lord?  This is not just a one-time decision, but one that must be made over and over again each moment of every day. When I choose rightly, joy awaits me.

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. Hebrews 9:1

[1] I Peter 1:8

[2] Psalm 16:11b

Staying Present with God

Stay Present my Friends

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And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?  My hope is in you. Psalm  39:7

“What do you think?” a voice interrupts your thoughts.

Suddenly you’re brought back to the present. Your spouse, your child, your friend has been sharing something important, but you were thinking about what was next on your never ending to-do list. You have no idea what they just said.  Busted!

On another occasion you miss a magical moment on your family vacation because you’re dwelling on a regret from your past.

God has given us five sense to bring awareness of His creation around us.  These senses are available now, not yesterday, not tomorrow,  but now.

What are some of your favorites when it comes to your senses?

For me:

Sight:  Sunset or sunrise over water or mountains

Sound:  Water rushing past rocks in a mountain stream

Smell:  Tea olive, gardenias

Touch:  Sea breeze, fall wind in my face, soft sheets

Taste:  Chocolate pie, dark coffee

When we savor now, we’re enjoying  a gift from God. A lady on a plane once told me that’s why now is called the present.

There’s an old movie entitled “Our Town” which drives this point home.

One of the characters named, Emily, dies while giving birth to a child. However, she is permitted by the stage manager to revisit the past and to step back into the morning of her sixteenth birthday as an observer.

From her vantage point, she has a profoundly nostalgic appreciation of the transient beauty of life’s little moments. However, she is struck by how the people, including her younger self, don’t have a clue how precious the moments of life really are. She is stunned that nobody savors and fully appreciates “now”. They all seem so disengaged. Later she would say of the living, “They don’t understand.”

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,”[1] Paul

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”[2] Jesus

God doesn’t want us to be imprisoned by the regrets of our past nor fears of our future. He wants us to be present with Him moment by moment.

Jesus tells us in John 15 to “abide” in Him. Other meanings of this word are to “tarry” or “stay present with.” Jesus goes on to say in the same chapter that there is complete joy found in “staying present” in His love and loving others as He has loved us.

Staying present with Jesus is essential to our Spiritual lives and it leads to experiencing and savoring life’s moments. Otherwise, life quickly passes us by.

Challenge:  Take notice of what you see and hear right this moment. Do you smell anything? Perhaps you’re drinking a cup of coffee and feel a gentle breeze upon your face like I’m experiencing as I write.

What tends to call you away from being fully present? Is it a looming duty, a past regret, a worry about the future? Whatever it is robs you of fully embracing the gift of now. Give these things to God and don’t take them back.

The people in our lives are loved and cared for during life’s “nows”. In an instant our present moments become memories. When we savor our times with the people God places in our path there’s a richness which touches our hearts and slows the swirl of life.

But what’s most important is being present with God. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Jesus and we are never alone. God is in us and around us. We are in Him and He is in us.

Tarry, remain, abide in Jesus. His presence is experienced now.

In your presence is fullness of joy. Psalm 16:11 b

[1] Philippians 3:13

[2] Matthew 6:34

Loved by God

Loved by God – It’s Who you Are

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Note: If you’ve heard about or desired God’s love for you, but never thought it possible because of how you’ve lived your life, I have a message for you in blue below. Read on.

Last fall, at a men’s retreat at Camp Kanuga in the mountains of North Carolina, we sang the song Good Good Father.[1] It’s about God being a good Father and the fact that His love for us is our identity. I liked the song, but  had no idea how the Lord would use it later that weekend.

The weather was perfect when I ventured out during our alone time Sunday morning. A cool, musky breeze gently brushing my face as I tread on newly fallen leaves toward the labyrinth. I’d seen the circular maze the day before and at the recommendation of a cabin mate, wanted to experience it.

autumn-1072827_1280

A labyrinth is a walking path used as a tool for contemplative prayer. As I stepped onto the serpentine paths leading to the center, I did what the sign said and set aside my worries, asking God to make me aware of His presence, listening for His impressions on my heart.

labimages-2

As I walked to and fro, back and forth, I was progressing to the center, which represents the presence of God. The  center has semicircles resembling a six leaf clover. When I reached it, I paused, stilling my thoughts and breathed in the cool autumn air. I was impressed with the words “It’s who you are.” Was this because we just sang the song? I thought. But “It’s who you are” remained steady in my heart.

I moved and stood within one of the half circles and completed the thought, “Being loved by God is who I am.”

Being loved by God is who I am. No other identity needed. I could have told you that intellectually before that moment, but God wanted this truth to travel past layers of protection and false identities to my very core.

My roles of being a devout Christian, loving husband and father, successful businessman, adequate provider, faithful friend,  or encouraging brother are not the core of who I am. THE ONLY IDENTITY I NEED IS BEING A LOVED CHILD OF GOD. My other roles and identities flow out of this most important fact about me. I’m loved by God.

How many times have I felt like a failure and doubted my worth because of inadequacies in my different roles?

In the center of the labyrinth, past failures and future fears seemed to be swept away in an instant, buried deep in a sea of God’s love.

As I made my way out of the labyrinth, I knew I was different.

I thought – if this is true

 quickly a correction came to mind –  because this is true, how I live my life outside the labyrinth will never be the same.

I’m still processing the impact, but I’m seeing  I don’t need any of those other identities I’ve been fighting for. I’m at peace in who I am as God’s loved child and free to love others without needing anything in return for my validation and identity.

Challenge: Think of your biggest failure or inadequacy. How do you feel about yourself in this area? Do you ever find you identify more with what you say about yourself than what God says about you?

Now think of the thing that tends to cause you the most worry, that fear which seems to follow you around.

Being loved by God is the most important thing about you and overshadows by a million miles those things you had in mind. God’s love for you is eternal and everlasting.

Being loved by God is who you are, a fact which towers above and washes away, all failures, all inadequacies and all fears.

And when you know, truly know, God loves you, you can yield to His Spirit within to love the folks He puts in your way.

Prayer:  Lord, I know Your love for me is far beyond my knowledge. Nothing imaginable can snatch me from your great love. Open the eyes of my heart that I might continue to grow more and more aware of how very much You love me.

May the fact of Your love be the definition of who I am and the overflowing purpose for the rest of my moments. Amen.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. I John 3:1a

What if you’ve never really known God’s love for you?  If you’ve heard about God’s love but never embraced it, you can now.  Cross over. There’s a great chasm between all humans and God because of our sin. If it weren’t so, the pureness of God would be spoiled. 

That chasm cannot be crossed except by living a completely sinless life. Jesus lived this life and by the spilling of His blood a way has been forged across the chasm.

If you’re experiencing  a realization that what I’m saying is true, embrace it. Cross over from death to life by realizing your great dilemma and acting on God’s invitation to surrender your efforts to save yourself and resting in His arms as your Lord and Father.

If you decide to cross over by the bridge of the cross of Christ into eternal life and would like some ideas of some next steps, please send me an email. Thank you for reading this.

[1] Good Good Father by the Housefires

 

Freedom in Christ

Want Freedom?

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“They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom.”

The above is a familiar quote to those who have watched Brave Heart, the depiction of the Scottish fight for independence led by William Wallace. In the movie, this line was part of a speech before the battle of Stirling Bridge by Mel Gibson, the actor who played Wallace. Though the quote is fictional, it portrays the kind of heart Wallace is believed to have had. The Scottish went on to win the battle, though outnumbered significantly by the English. Wallace ended up being hanged, drawn and quartered seven years after the battle, but his desire for freedom fueled his heart, giving him the courage to be brave.

Jesus speaks of  freedom when he states his purpose, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden.”[1]

Jesus was speaking of an eternal freedom beyond any physical constraint. He came to free us from the chains of religious self-effort and the bondage of self-indulgence.

Paul proclaims Christ’s desire for our freedom in Galatians 5:1, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free.” In Galatians, Paul identifies two great threats to our freedom in Christ.

Legalism (trying to earn righteousness) Twice Paul condemns those who teach that righteousness comes from our own efforts.[2] He says that seeking our own righteousness is akin to nullifying the death of Christ on the cross.[3] And for those who require the ritual of circumstances to earn favor with God, Paul calls for them to go ahead and complete the job by mutilating themselves.[4]

This is extremely spicy language but, believing we can add anything to what Christ has already accomplished by his death on the cross is ludicrous. Yet, in our success oriented society it seems natural to add religious activities to our other achievements.

In Galatians 2:20, which some call a summary of the Christian life, Paul brings to light the bondage of legalism. He reminds us of our spiritual death. We have nothing to add to Christ’s life in us. We are rather to live in moment by moment dependence upon Him our Indwelling Spirit of Christ. Anything else is bondage.

“do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”[5]

“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision means anything, but faith working through love.”[6]

Bondage to the Flesh (delighting in anything more than Christ)  Though our life in Christ gives us tremendous freedoms to enjoy what He’s created, if we seek our satisfaction in these things, apart from Him, we’re on the path to bondage.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh.”[7]

The world is filled with individuals who sought to satisfy the void in their hearts with sex, drink, drugs, work, media, etc. But only Christ can fill the hole in our hearts.

God has created so many things for us to enjoy as we walk with Him. However, if these things supplant Him in our hearts, the things intended to bring us pleasure become idols and addictions.

Challenge: Take a moment and think about the two great threats to your freedom: legalism and bondage to your flesh.

Is there anything you are doing which you think will cause Jesus to love you more? If so, you’re freedom is bound. Your motives are wrong. Do this thing because He loves you, not to earn His love.

Is there anything you’re doing which crowds out God having full access to your heart, something you delight in more than Him? It doesn’t have to be something that seems grievous, it can be work, over eating or media. Ask God, to help you put this thing in its proper place, behind him. If possible, stop this thing, if only for a season.

 

 

 

 

[1] Luke 4:18a

[2] Galatians 1:8-9

[3] Galatians 2:21

[4] Galatians 5:12

[5] Galatians 5:1b

[6] Galatians 5:6

[7] Galatians 5:13a

Joyful Heart

Joy – Nectar for our Hearts

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It was the night before he would be cruelly murdered. He knew it, but they had no idea. To them what Jesus did was unheard of. He washed their smelly, grimy feet, a chore traditionally performed only by slaves. Peter was so shocked he almost refused it. But this sacrificial act of service began a demonstration of Christ’s love which would culminate with the sacrifice of his very life the next day.

After his betrayer left, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”[1]

Later that night, as he made his way to the garden of tears, he unveiled his love in words, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love.”[2]

He went on to explain that if we love others with the same sacrificial love he demonstrated towards us, we would remain in his love. This establishes the great cadence of the Christian life, receiving Christ’s love and giving it away. After all, we only love because he first loved us.[3]

Then Jesus makes a connection between love and joy, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”[4]

Jesus wrote these very important things about love for the purpose of our joy. He’s basically telling us that if we focus on loving others as he’s loved us, we’ll have the joy our hearts crave.

As with our physical hearts, our spiritual hearts are vital to our health. We get our word “courage” from the French word for heart – “cour”. Without a vibrant inner heart we become “dis-couraged” and life becomes drudgery.

What’s the key to a healthy spiritual heart?

Consider the ancient proverb, “A joyful heart brightens one’s face, but a troubled heart breaks the spirit.”[5]

Our hearts were designed to run on joy. When we’re joyful, our inner core[6] is bright, otherwise, our spirits are broken.

Whether we realize it or not, we’re all searching for joy. We were designed for it.[7] But sustained joy can’t be found in worldly affections or smooth circumstances. Lasting joy, producing a vibrant, “en-couraged” heart, can only be found in nearness to God.

David wrote of God: “in your presence is fullness of joy”[8]

Joy is more than a “nice to have” add on to life. It’s fuel for the soul. Jesus wants us to have complete joy. It’s essential to our spiritual health and vital for the courage we need to face the moments of our lives.

Do you want joy?

Jesus tells you how to stay connected with his love and how to have his joy:

love others as he’s loved you.[9]

 

 

“for the joy of the Lord is your strength” Nehemiah 8:10b

[1] John 13:34 (NIV)

[2] John 15:9 (NIV)

[3] I John 4:19 (NASB)

[4] John 15:11 (NIV)

[5] Proverbs 15:13 (CEB)

[6] From the Latin for heart – “cor”

[7] Ecclesiastes 3:11

[8] Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

[9] John 15:12 (NASB)