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Affirmation, part 6

“Shift the responsibility on God to change the things you cannot. It’s His worry, not yours. 1 Peter 5:7 is still in the Bible.”

We recognize, as we go through life, many things that we cannot change. The previous affirmation focused on our human environment and how little influence we have over the way others treat us. We do, however, have agency to choose the way we respond. This sixth affirmation deals with the intractable problem, the “impossible situation.” Our response reveals whether we trust in God, His love and His promises. 

Jesus, during his ministry, knew what it was like to be dogged by problems. He had opponents among the religious classes who tracked his movements. They openly disagreed with him, they slandered him, they tried to provoke him and entangle him in his own words. The exchanges that Jesus had with them were sometimes heated, but he always manifested the life of the Father. He never allowed opposition to drive a wedge between him and his Father. He kept his faith and his determination to accomplish the Father’s will. 

Jesus also suffered from the indifference of the Jewish people in general, not to mention the outright hostility of his hometown of Nazareth. In grief he pronounced woes on Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, three towns in Galilee where he had spent most of his time in ministry. Even his own disciples did not understand him. Still, he never allowed disappointment to drive a wedge between him and his Father. He took every opportunity to minister to those whom the Father had sent him. 

The apostle Paul had a “thorn in the flesh,” an intractable problem that interfered with his ministry. Three times, in separate seasons of prayer, he pleaded with the Lord to remove this condition. Finally God replied, not to deliver Paul but to reveal to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, and My power is perfected in your weakness.” This prompted Paul to exclaim, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong“ (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Contentment was a choice that Paul made, for the sake of Christ—Christ going before him and visible crises following after. He was willing to forego a peaceful, stable life in the present. Paul saw that only as he became weak could the power, ability and effectiveness of the Lord rest upon him. When we are losing, Christ is gaining. Paul’s expression “I am content with” can also be translated. “I take delight in.” Paul took delight in Christ having His way.

Abraham had a great promise from God. But as the years passed, he and his wife passed into old age. He wasn’t seeing the fulfillment of the promise. Where was this family of which God had spoken? Moses forsook the court of Egypt and for forty years herded sheep in the wilderness. Had he missed out on his calling? In spite of his blameless life, Job suffered the loss of his children, his possessions and his health. Friends traveled far to visit him but, rather than comforting him, concluded that Job’s plight was God’s punishment for some unconfessed sin. They provoked Job to defend himself; he ended by accusing God of injustice. When would he have an opportunity to present his case to God? 

What is going on in your life that is at odds with your understanding of God’s will but you simply cannot change? Are you limited by chronic illness, poverty, addiction, the threat of violence, a divided family or implacable enemies? Do the consequences of bad decisions haunt you? Or do you wander in a spiritual wilderness, hungry for the fellowship of others who follow Jesus Christ?

Now let us consider our condition from God’s point of view. He is at work. He has a plan that includes us. The day came when He revealed Himself to Paul, Abraham, Moses and Job. Take the case of Moses. God appeared to him in a bush that was on fire but not consumed. When Moses turned aside to investigate, he heard the voice of God: “You are standing on holy ground.” Then Moses found out that his long wait was over. More than that, it had been for a purpose. 

Spiritual transformation itself is a change from one life-form to another. The transformation that we are engaged in, from a life under the dominion of the soul to one under the dominion of the spirit, is a change that we could never accomplish on our own. Who turns ground into holy ground? The Lord whose presence changes everything. We are holy ground for God in this world because Christ dwells within us. It is easy to become discouraged because of our present state, losing sight of our blessed standing with our Father because of Jesus Christ. In all of these long drawn-out problems that cause us so much worry, the Father’s purpose is to increase in us the measure of His Son.

We, like the faithful ones of old, have great promises. For example, Jesus promised that he would never leave nor forsake us. Moreover, we are children in the household of God and fellow heirs with Jesus Christ. Just think back on all the things that God has changed already, that we knew were impossible for us. And let us be careful not to take matters into our own hands. In transformation, we are learning that there is another point of view: our Father’s.

The affirmation that we are considering refers to 1 Peter 5:6-7. In this passage, apostle Peter is exhorting elders (that is, the spiritually mature). This reminder is for us also, who are on the path of transformation. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” In God we see a combination of capability and compassion. The responsibility for carrying out His plan rests with Him; His intention is to include us if we will trust Him. 

Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Pow’r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As your days, your strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.
(Day by Day, Carolina Sandell Berg, second stanza)

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Affirmation, part 5: Reaction Time

“You can’t control what others do, but you can control what you do and how you react.”

This is the fifth of Frank Viola’s six affirmations. It is an invitation to take a seat in the heavenlies and see from our Father’s vantage point. Let me frame this in terms of what I experience. What others do, or fail to do, has an impact on me, but I have no control over that. The only control I have is over my responses—thoughts, emotions, words and actions. 

One thing that comes to mind at the outset is that I often forget, or fail even to notice, the kindnesses of others—their love and mercy and grace. I hope for mercy and grace especially when I’ve been the one to wrong somebody else. Certainly I have received much good from others. But I’m most apt to notice and remember when (in my own judgement) somebody has wronged me. Then I’m out for justice. 

Jesus had something to say about this:

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-34. 

Should our forbearance apply only to our sisters and brothers in Christ? By his death, Jesus redeemed all of humanity even though, given free will, he knew that not all of humanity would accept redemption. If he is the vine and we are the branches, then we bring forth fruit regardless of whether the beneficiary is a believer. The apostle Paul directs us to do good (provided that good is inspired by the life of Christ) “to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10).

Earlier in the same letter, Paul wrote, “I do not nullify the grace of God…” (Galatians 2:21). The word that is translated “nullify” also means “frustrate” or “set aside.” Our interactions with others always present us with this choice: will we take the grace that comes from the Spirit of Life and set aside the reactions that come from our fallen nature? Or will we set grace aside so that we can respond according to the flesh? To live in God’s grace will bring forth more of the life of Christ. to allow the flesh to dominate eventually will lead to our separation from God, which is spiritual death. 

As Paul also wrote to the Galatians, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Galatians 5:16-17). There is no such thing as living by the Spirit and, at the same time, reacting to others in a self-gratifying way. This passage answers a question I’ve had. Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) ends with “self-control.” The term sounds like something that I should be doing, by my own strength. Based on the context, however, it really means setting self aside to let the Spirit take control.

So, I can control what I do and how I react, in the sense that I can choose between the response of the flesh and the response of the Spirit. Yielding to the flesh, no matter how justified it might seem, leads to many evils. Paul also lists these “works of the flesh” in chapter 5 of Galatians. Included in the list are the rivalries, dissensions and divisions that we recognize throughout the history of Christianity. On the contrary, yielding to the Spirit puts the life of Christ on display in the earth. God the Father has a purpose that He is determined to accomplish. This purpose involves re-establishing unity between the individual believer and Himself, and unity among believers. Every time we choose to display the life of the Son, we open another avenue for the Father to achieve His ultimate intention.

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Affirmation, part 4

Here is the fourth affirmation: “All things that take place today — including the irritations and disappointments — will work together for your good. Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible.” It refers to this familiar verse, which (in the English Standard Version) reads: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” 

“We know.” It isn’t what we know, but the one we know: the God we are coming to know and love. He is full of love and goodness. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; he bestows favor and honor. No good thing does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11). He is looking for people, like us, who are seeking for Him. He even gives us love so that we can love Him as He loves us. God is not one to hold back—He searches out every opportunity to give us of Himself. “And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16). Jesus made this point to his disciples: “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil [earth-bound], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:10-13).

We may doubt this truth about God when we consider what we know of “reality on the ground.” In the fourteenth chapter of John, Jesus twice reassured the disciples who were sharing the Passover with him. “Let not your hearts be troubled.” Soon he would go to the cross. “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (verse 1). “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” (verse 27). The irritations and disappointments we face today are no more momentous than the events that the disciples were about to face. What is the remedy? Believe in the Father and the Son. The Father’s attention is on His Son. He loves His Son. He has exalted His Son. Because the Father has placed us in the Son, we also are exalted. In the Son we have all good things, including direct access to the Father. In their relationship we know the source of an enduring, trustworthy peace that can overcome our irritation, our disappointment and our fear.

God works, in everything, “for good.” But what is good from God’s perspective? In Jeremiah 17:5-8 the prophet wrote, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed [disapproved of God] is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come…. Blessed [approved of God] is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by the water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.’” The individual who trusts in himself turns away from the Lord and will experience no good; we who trust in the Lord keep drawing from His life and will experience fruitfulness.

Bearing fruit, where humanity is concerned, has to do with displaying the characteristics of the Son. God’s good is directed toward a purpose. The fruit we bear—by the life that Jesus imparts to us—is not for ourselves but for others. Consequently, “good” goes beyond “my good.” We receive good from God so that we will share His good with others, especially other believers. Ultimately, we receive good so that we can work with God toward fulfilling the purpose that He had in creation.

Good is not necessarily pleasant for us. God is the conductor of a great orchestra, as well as the composer of the score. He knows how to combine all the parts to bring good to each individual believer, and to the whole company of believers. Sometimes an unexpected pause in the music brings a period of silence. We don’t understand why. Sometimes the sections of the ensemble clash and the sound is frankly dissonant. It seems all wrong. He will resolve everything into harmony. 

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Your promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Your holy word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.
(Day by Day, Carolina Sandell Berg, third stanza)

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Affirmation, part 3

“Receive everything that happens today as passing through God’s sovereign hands before it gets to you.”

This affirmation is the positive side of the previous one, which directed us to “ruthlessly eliminate all expectations” regarding how our day should go. The positive side is for those who make plans but allow God to overrule their plans.  

Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear. 
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
(“Day by Day,” Carolina Sandell Berg, first stanza)

In this affirmation we approach God the Father as Sovereign. He is the King who loves us. And He has hands: Jesus Christ, who is the visible expression of the Father, and the Church, which is the visible expression of Jesus Christ. Jesus died, arose from the dead and ascended to the Father. When he took his place at the right hand of God, he poured out the Holy Spirit for the first time on his faithful followers who were gathered in the upper room. In them the Church was born.

To those of us who are on the trail of transformation, whether we move in the company of the Church or for now have to travel alone, Jesus sends an invitation. “Make your home in me, as I make mine in you” (John 15:4). The true source of life for each of us is Christ Jesus. He imparts life to our spirits by making himself at home there. From our regenerated spirits, life flows out to our souls. Like the manna in the wilderness, this soul-aspect of life is evanescent. It is meant to be shared and consumed before it expires. It is renewed from our spirits, which remain established in Christ. 

Our Father is reestablishing in us the order He intended—the order of spirit first, then soul and body—that existed when humans were created. The human spirit He brings into subjection to Himself. He trains the soul to keep looking to the spirit for its life—the spirit that is the dwelling place of His Son, the Spirit of Life. The soul, which is the seat of the mind, will and emotions, finds this training hard to accept. Why? 

  1. The soul in its fallen state was accustomed to independence. But we have died to the old nature in which the soul was dominant. Now the soul must learn to submit to the spirit. 
  2. There are many outside sources—foreign influences—upon which the soul can draw, instead of the spirit. All of these sources are contrary to the Spirit of Life, although they appear to have life in themselves.
  3. There are necessities to which we must attend, or so it appears. Inimical forces pressure us and distract us from God. 

We receive this training of our souls not primarily for our own benefit but for the sake our Heavenly Father. He loves us; in this way we return that love to Him. We can pray along with Jesus, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27-28).

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Affirmation, part 2

I am continuing with the daily affirmations provided by Frank Viola. You can find a link to the entire list in my last post. Here is the second affirmation: “Ruthlessly eliminate all expectations of how your day should be.” 

This one is a bit different from the first. The first affirmation starts with the more expansive idea of the way we think life ought to be and narrows the focus to finding joy in the present. The second affirmation concentrates exclusively on today. In considering this one I have a few thoughts.

We need calendars, schedules and “to do” lists. It is good to be organized and use time purposefully. What we don’t need are expectations, which bind us to our own will. Furthermore, if we have had any experience in dealing with our Lord, we will have noticed that our expectations are shabby in comparison to His will.

Expectations separate us from God. They create friction between His heart and our soul. They can lead to frustration, disappointment and resentment. In this way they give God’s enemy a chance to gain ground in us. It’s better to keep a light grip on our plans for the day. When we encounter interruptions, minor and major, we can step back momentarily and see God at work. We can decide, then, how we would like to respond. Will we yield to God’s plan? Or insist on our pre-defined course, our routine, our expectation? 

I know of a faithful follower of Jesus Christ who was a coal miner in Ohio. As a worker he was conscientious and eventually became a crew leader. But his devotion to God was greater than his commitment to his job. He would pray every morning, seeking whether it was the Lord’s will for him to go to work. One day, God answered his prayer in the negative. That day he remained at home to the astonishment of his wife, an unbeliever. Unable to give her a reason for his decision, he simply said that he could not go. During the day the mine’s siren sounded, alerting the townspeople that an accident had occurred. The part of the mine in which his crew was working had collapsed and killed them all. 

Here are the words of Jesus to Peter: “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). Jesus, in using the term “old,” was referring to spiritual maturity—transformation—rather than age. The idea of stretching out one’s arms is antithetical to the soul-driven Christian. That, however, was the posture that Jesus himself accepted when he was nailed to the cross. He was the Lamb of God who was willing to be led to the slaughter by lawless men (Acts 2:23). 

“… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” the apostle Paul said, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13). Working out our own salvation has to do with our willingness to participate in our own transformation—yielding to God, dealing with God and receiving His dealings. It is God who does the work. As Watchman Nee tells us, in Sit, Walk, Stand, “God is working it in; work it out!”

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Affirmation

It’s good to keep an eye out for practical ways to serve God better. Frank Viola has posted a set of six affirmations that he reviews every day. In his own words, “These affirmations ground and center me as a kingdom citizen at the start of each day.” I recommend that you read the original post here:  https://frankviola.org/2019/02/07/6affirmations/

This follows on something I have mentioned before, about beginning each day in the presence of the Lord. Right now, I want to focus only on the first affirmation—”Let go of the way life ought to be and find joy somewhere in whatever your life currently is.” What follows is just one way to unpack it. 

The first thing that comes to my mind in support of the affirmation, overall, is Psalm 118:24. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” When we experience disappointment, it always helps to direct our attention away from our discouraged selves and on to Jesus. When, in the morning, we know that we face a challenging day, the reminder that God is the source of this day reassures us that we can draw upon the life of Christ to meet the challenges. That way we don’t merely make it through. We can see that God has revealed His hand regardless of the outcome. As Charles Trumbull put it in his book, Victory in Christ: the present is “when God’s best blessings of victory for us are to be realized. God wants us to have His best now.”

With respect to the way life currently is, I have learned one thing. My expectations for and preoccupation with the future can rob me of joy right now. Jesus is in the here and now. It is in his presence that there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11). Jesus is the ladder that Jacob saw, extending from earth to the throne, with messengers passing continuously between us and the Father. True joy can be traced back to its origin in God. It is not constrained by my present circumstances.

When Jesus found himself in distressing circumstances, he did not allow them to overwhelm him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Jesus had a soul, and on occasion it was troubled. But he also had a spirit, and it was there that he received life from the Father. He always elevated that source of life above the influence of his mind, will and emotions. In the same way we receive life in our spirits by Jesus, who is the Spirit of Life (1 Corinthians 15:45). Every day we have a new opportunity to draw upon the life of Christ. Taking that opportunity begins with letting go of contrary influences that try to reach us through the soul.

It’s easy to lose sight of God’s purpose. Jesus had a firm grasp on that while he lived on the earth, and later the apostles did also. God’s purpose in creation is an eternal purpose. He has included us in his purpose by placing us in His Son. As the apostle Paul puts it, “And because of him [God] you are in Christ Jesus…” (1 Corinthians 1:30). It is also easy to lose sight of our actual position as God sees it. As Paul again says, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). Here is Paul yet again:

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

If that is the way I always thought about my life I would have nothing to let go of, but that’s why I need affirmations and reminders. Thank God for His word and His servants! This is the day that the Lord has made. I can look at it from the perspective of being securely seated in the heavenlies with Christ Jesus. Today is a new opportunity to live by the life that Christ makes available in my spirit. It is up to me to keep pressing in to Jesus so that my spirit (rather than my soul) dominates my choices. If I do that, no matter what the day brings, I can be sure of my place in God’s purpose. 

There are five more affirmations to consider, and perhaps more that could be added. I may return to them in future posts.

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“Follow Me”

References to calling occur frequently in scripture. This is the apostle Paul: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called….” (Ephesians 4:1). Even today, whether in sermons or conferences or conversation among Christians, the focus may fall on this subject. What do we mean when we say that we have a calling? Here are some of my thoughts.

We have a record of Jesus personally calling individuals to follow him—for example, in Matthew 4:18-22. Luke, in his gospel, sheds some additional light: “In these days he [Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when the day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles…” (Luke 6:12-13). The call that Jesus issued was inspired by the Father. The recipients of the call responded favorably. Among them Jesus designated twelve as “apostles,” but all were his disciples, called simply to follow him. In these days Jesus has called us, too. And we have decided to act on that call. The details of following him will unfold in different ways for each of us. What we hold in common is the connection between us and the one who has called us.

The calling is always out from something and into something else. God called the children of Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land. “And he [God] brought us out from there [Egypt] that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers” (Deuteronomy 6:23). Jesus calls us out from bondage to sin and to the world system. What he has called us into exceeded even Paul’s ability to describe. You can read about it in the first 3 chapters of his letter to the Ephesians. Our calling begins with liberation from sin and “the course of this world.” It extends to our adoption into a new race of humanity, our being seated with the Father “in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,” our access to “the unsearchable [boundless, inexhaustible, unfathomable] riches of Christ,” and much more. All of this centers on our new relationship with God because of our position in Christ.

God’s calling of humans goes back all the way to our first parents. First, He created them in His own image; Jesus Christ is the image of God, and humans were created in Christ. God’s direction to them was, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). He intended them to bear His image throughout the earth, and to exercise authority in His stead over all other forms of life. Why did they fail to remain faithful to their calling?

The provision for Adam was in the Tree of Life. As far as we know, they never ate from that tree. When they sinned they found themselves outside of Christ, and they lost access to the Tree of Life. Now, we who believe find that provision in Christ. “And because of him [God] you are in Christ Jesus…” (I Corinthians 1:30). God has placed us back into Christ. It is impossible to receive His life by any other means. I cannot, no matter how much I try, live worthy of the calling to which I have been called! (And neither can you.) After I perceive that I am in Christ, however, and begin to live by His life, the impossible becomes achievable. The source of the life that lives up to God’s expectations is in Christ, not in me. Consider what Paul wrote to the Galatians: “For you were called to freedom [emphasis mine], brothers [brothers and sisters, or fellow Christians], only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Galatians 5:13-14). Can I, by effort and determination, love my neighbor as myself or find the love it takes serve my sisters and brothers? This calling involves a work that only God can accomplish.

God’s workmanship begins with Him grafting us into the True Vine that is His Son (John 15:1-5). Then we can draw on Jesus as the source of our life. Later, God will come to see what that Life has produced in us and through us. He hopes to find us bearing fruit, which is an overflow of life, for the benefit of others. Branches that bear no fruit are liable to be severed. Why? Because the life of Christ was never meant to be kept to oneself. Consider this passage from the prophet Isaiah: “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David…. Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the Lord your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.” (Isaiah 55:1-5). It begins with multiple calls to come; it ends with those who were called in turn calling others—who run to them, because the glory of God shines through them.

This brings up a question: God’s calling for us has to do with both who we are and what we do. Would it be true to say that He places more importance on the former than the latter? Who we are—I mean, the people we have become in Christ Jesus—are the product of God’s transforming work. This is fundamental. There has to be a visible outworking of His inner work, yes, but conformity to the image of Christ comes first. As Paul wrote, “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). God does a hidden work in us, to bring our will into agreement with His; then He can accomplish his good pleasure through us.

We should not look at a calling as an end in itself. My calling is to follow Him where He leads. If I try to channel that into any selfish gain—status, influence, wealth, or whatever—I will come under judgement. Christ Jesus the Son placed greater importance on accomplishing the Father’s purpose than on retaining His wholly legitimate position in the Holy Trinity (Philippians 2:5-7). How much more should I have the attitude of Paul, the willingness to count as loss everything that appears valuable to me (Philippians 3:7-8)? My calling is not for me but for Him.

Clearly there is an initial calling for each of us, with many subsequent calls for the faithful. Late in his ministry Paul referred to “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). It was an ongoing relationship. As he went on with the Lord, he increasingly saw opportunities to gain more of Christ. Paul’s willingness to press on enabled God to accomplish a greater transformation in his life. And it enabled God through him to reveal to all successive generations His eternal purpose for all creation.

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Loving the Truth

The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10. 

We have just come into a new year, a time when many people reflect on the recent past and consider how to approach the near future. Last year was a particularly difficult one for many of us. The tribulations included, but were not limited to, the pandemic, political unrest and a spectrum of challenges in our livelihoods: some suffered great loss while others became busy to the point of being overwhelmed. All of these difficulties in the visible realm signify real spiritual conflicts. The powers and principalities that govern the world system have set themselves to oppose Christ and His truth. This opposition comes home to all of us, because we live in the world and are constantly exposed to its messaging. 

“The real problem of the Christian life comes where people do not usually look for it. It comes the very moment you wake up each morning” C. S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity. “All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. and the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day.” 

At the beginning of the new year, and at the beginning of each new day, you may find it helpful to behold your Lord Jesus Christ—returning your thoughts to Him when they wander—and open yourself to His thoughts. Many believers through the ages have found this practice to be beneficial. Jesus told us, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” By our willingness to receive Him we demonstrate our love of the truth. And our responding to the truth, as He reveals it, vaccinates against deception. In this way His life has the opportunity to expand its influence within us as individuals and among us as a body.

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Joyous Christmas

Happiness is a temporary emotional state that we experience when we get our own way. Joy is a deeper and more enduring condition that we may experience when God has His way—to the extent that we are invested in seeing His will accomplished. True joy always comes from satisfying God. The shepherds witnessed rejoicing in heaven when Jesus was born; those angels were rejoicing because God’s plan was on the move in the earth in a tangible way. There is, as Jesus remarked, rejoicing in heaven over every sinner who repents because in this, too, God’s plan moves forward. We also can rejoice in seeing God’s fingerprints on our present circumstances, even adverse circumstances. In Luke 10:21 we read of Jesus that “In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.’” We can find joy in looking back on God’s past accomplishments in and through our lives. And we can find joy in looking forward to God working out His eternal purpose. That is the joy that was set before Jesus: “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1). Happiness, although fleeting, is commonplace. Joy is rare among humanity because it follows from an unselfish love for God, and unselfish love is itself a gift of God to us as we discover who He is and keep pressing in to Him. 

We read of the joy of a number of individuals around the birth of Jesus:

The joy of Mary, the mother of Jesus. “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever’” Luke 1:46-55.

The joy of the shepherds. “When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.’ And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them” Luke 2:15-20. 

The joy of the wise men. “After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” Matthew 2:9-11. 

This Christmas, may we be aware of the joy in heaven over us each time we take another step along the way of transformation. May we find joy in looking back on the ground that God has already gained in our lives. And may we anticipate a day when we will hear Him say, “Well done, enter into My joy!”

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Faith, not Numbers

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 
Hebrews 11:1

On the transformation trail we who have experienced redemption by the blood of Christ are in the process of unlearning many old things and learning many new things. There is an American saying that goes something like this: it’s not just what you don’t know that hurts you, it’s what you know that just ain’t so. We are coming to recognize, in the light of God’s Spirit, that many truths we have taken for granted, perhaps even adopted as the basis of our lives, are not really true. Instead we are learning to rely on the life of another: the life of Jesus who indwells us. 

Some of these so-called truths that we are unlearning have to do with the visible world. The way we relate to the world. The way we get along in the world. Jesus did not ask the Father to take us out of the world, but to keep us from the evil one (John 17:15). And growing up in the world we have been conditioned to depend on education, experience, information and input from our physical senses. All of those sources contradict what Jesus is telling us. It takes faith to stand firm in Christ while being assaulted by contradictory evidence all around us. 

So it’s a good thing that we have many helpful examples in the scripture. Here are a few that are cited in Hebrews 11: 

  • Abraham had a promise from God. We read that “no distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God.” But given his advanced age—and that of his wife—it was impossible that the promise could be fulfilled. Sarah laughed in disbelief and received as a reply, “Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?” The Lord is full of wonders, and able to keep His promises. The numerical value of Abraham’s years was no barrier to God.
  • Moses grew up in the court of Egypt, a wealthy and powerful nation in the world of that time. When he learned of his heritage and God’s regard for the enslaved children of Israel, he turned his back on the personal wealth and power that he had gained from Egypt. It was impossible for Moses, by himself, to extract his people from the grip of Pharaoh. Nevertheless, Moses resolved not to pay allegiance to Egypt any longer. When the time came, all of that great nation’s wealth and power could not prevent God from using that same Moses to execute His plan and deliver His people. 
  • God sent Gideon to confront a large army with a ridiculously lightweight band that was not even armed in any conventional way. The overwhelming numerical advantage of that enemy meant nothing to God in terms of achieving victory. 

Centuries later, Jesus was passing through Samaria. He arrived at one of Jacob’s wells, exhausted. His disciples went to a nearby village to find food. Meanwhile, a woman from the village came to draw water. His request for her to give him to drink sparked a conversation. It was an amazing, revelatory conversation during which he stated, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 

The kind of life that he refers to as eternal has to do with more than enduring for all time. That term encompasses all of the aspects of his own life. Jesus is eternal life, and he gives us eternal life by coming to live within us. As we learn to depend less on ourselves less and on more his life, we will be less influenced—or depressed—by the “facts” of age, political power, wealth and other temporary attributes of the world we live in. 

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