I'm dealing with quite a few thoughts lately pertaining to the break of the male/female relationship model in the Church around us. I see the redemption of this relationship in only a few of my friends. Most of the people I know are operating from a broken stance in it, trying to figure out how to best operate within that brokenness rather than seek out how Christ would truly REDEEM and RESTORE it. I think a lot of it has to do with our frame of origin/reference for people. I'll tell you what God has just laid on my heart and hope it makes sense...
He wants me to think of those around me in terms of HIM, not me. This is what I mean... if my frame of reference shifts from one of "friend" to one of "brother/sister" that automatically takes a different understanding of the relationship. To be a friend means that we are dependent on the intentionality and effort of each other for that relationship to progress. Our friendship is based on me and you, on us. What happens when we regard our relationships from the reference of Christ? It's no longer about us. We have to recognize that before this person that we know was "our" friend, they were our brother/sister. We still bear in our minds the frame of reference of us... we see our part in this persons life and not the fact that CHRIST was there first. This is what I mean and how God has been challenging me to think... before I met this girl, Megan, she was my sister. We dated, that somehow brought to my mind the belief that she was "My girlfriend." We broke up. What is she now? My ex-girlfriend? No. That keeps the frame of reference for our relationship on me. She's my sister. She never stopped being my sister, she'll never stop being my sister without eliminating Jesus, the ULTIMATE, BLOOD CONNECTION that we share, from her life. Blood is more powerful and more binding than affection. ETERNAL BLOOD IS MORE CONNECTING THAN TEMPORAL BLOOD! It is more powerful a connection than intention. The people around me are my brothers and sister by their faith and DEATH and LIFE in the same Jesus that mine is in. To see them from any other standpoint or frame of reference is to shortsell our relationship, Christ's work in our lives, and thus keep me as the frame connection.
Might we learn to see those around us from the reference of Him and not us? Might I learn to see you in terms of HIM and not me? I pray so. Perhaps that is what it means to have our eyes made new, as a sister of mine is praying for right now. Perhaps that is what it means to see ourselves unified and connected by HIM foremost and everything else secondarily (DISTANTLY secondary)? I think it is and I think that when we allow that work to happen in our hearts we will begin to see the restoration of what we had before we ruined our relationships. Megan was never "my" girlfriend, she was always my sister and she still is. If I see her as "ex-anything relating to me" than I have subverted the work of Christ in our lives. Father, forgive me for seeing her in that way. For thinking of her in terms of me. Let me see all around me in terms of YOU.
My heart goes out to you right now. There are some that I know can't get over the brokenness of what once was. They long for a restoration of something, not realizing Christ wants to rewind the brokenness not to the point of your intentional connection, but to the point where the only thing that connects is HIM. Does that make sense? I've been rambling a bit and again, this is a bit disorganized and more just thinking through type than anything, but is this plausible? Practical? Can it be done without HIM? I hope not. I pray for the renewing of our minds and the restoration of our relationships. Let us have new eyes.
In Him,
Greg
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Re: "D-Day"
So... we know how to celebrate in our country. I don't know much about too many other cultures, but I know that the birthday is a big deal to us Americans. Basically we're saying, "Wahoo! I'm here and I've been here ________ years! Aren't you glad!" I've even heard some Christians speak of their "Spiritual Birthday" as if one day after their physical birthday, generally the day they got "saved," they were brought alive in spirit (while that's a false understanding of the human life, it's not the point here). There's been this recent kick I'm on in my own faith's walk and journey lately. It may seem a bit morbid, but then again, it's altogether necessary to look at. The concept and the truth that I've been really having my eyes opened to is the one of death. Scripture has a lot to say about it, and generally we feel like we know about death and the ideas behind it. Here's something interesting I was reminded of today though...
Do you see what this means! I feel that for far too long we have tried to declare sin and lies and the enemy's work in our lives dead to us. That's WRONG. WE MUST BE THE ONE'S WHO HAVE DIED IN CHRIST! What can be affected when we have died? Who can be accused? Who can be undermined? We died TO SIN, not the other way around. Let that be the truth of our lives.
We know what day we came alive... how about the day we died? My "B-Day" is October 9, 1987, but the day I consider far more important is my "D-day," June 17, 2008. That is the day I stopped trying to declare sin dead in my life, and instead declared myself dead to it. Does that make sense? How many of us have tried to live on as we always have, trying to declare sin dead somehow? It can't be done. We are they who die with CHRIST and are raised again then IN HIM to live AS HIS. He is not plagued by the sins of our corpses. That is why there is freedom in Him.
..............................................
Romans 5-10
Colossians
1 John
Galatians
Previous Thoughts
Romans 6:1-11 (NIV)
1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.
8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. 14For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Do you see what this means! I feel that for far too long we have tried to declare sin and lies and the enemy's work in our lives dead to us. That's WRONG. WE MUST BE THE ONE'S WHO HAVE DIED IN CHRIST! What can be affected when we have died? Who can be accused? Who can be undermined? We died TO SIN, not the other way around. Let that be the truth of our lives.
We know what day we came alive... how about the day we died? My "B-Day" is October 9, 1987, but the day I consider far more important is my "D-day," June 17, 2008. That is the day I stopped trying to declare sin dead in my life, and instead declared myself dead to it. Does that make sense? How many of us have tried to live on as we always have, trying to declare sin dead somehow? It can't be done. We are they who die with CHRIST and are raised again then IN HIM to live AS HIS. He is not plagued by the sins of our corpses. That is why there is freedom in Him.
..............................................
Romans 5-10
Colossians
1 John
Galatians
Previous Thoughts
Friday, January 23, 2009
January 20, 2009: Wish You Were Here
Dear You,
This is hard.
I see you, though you try to hide.
I feel the pain you keep inside.
I don't know why, other than He lets me sometimes.
You're scared.
I know why, more than that...
I know you don't have to be,
and that is probably the hardest thing of all.
I know of something you think you have,
Yet I can run while you stay right there...
Chained.
I can't bare it.
Why are we so afraid?
Why can't we trust?
Why can't we know?
My experiences are my own.
Yours are your own...
Yet mine are redeemed and I see His hand.
You see torment and anger...
You hide again.
My heart breaks for you in ways I never thought it could.
As I sit here and talk with it, I've never felt such a hurt...
Or a desire...
For your freedom...
For your healing.
Still you try to hide...
Behind smiles...
Behind dreams...
Behind pretend things...
Behind illusions...
Still.
I don't know what to do but pray...
And wait?
I know He is calling you too.
He's called us all.
Only you can silence the other sounds
And hear the still, small voice.
I want to for you...
God knows I do.
So badly.
But...
I can't.
Still you hide?
I don't understand.
You demand vulnerability.
Here we are...
Bare.
Broken.
Exposed.
Willing.
Suffering a love that is not our own...
Gladly willing to know Him better.
Yet you hide?
Or are you trapped?
Of course not...
That would mean
You have no control.
Could anything scare you more?
I doubt it.
And it is even that truth that keeps you
Blind.
How long?
I don't care.
I'm here
For you.
I see you...
You refuse to look back.
I still see you.
And I love you.
Do not be afraid.
Come out and
Be free.
You will know a pain of a
Different kind.
The LOVE kind.
Where hope is all you dare breathe in
and joy is not a fleeting moment.
Where words are flesh and
Surrender is release.
Don't hide anymore.
I'll wait as long as I can.
But I do hope you come soon.
I miss you.
Love,
Me
This is hard.
I see you, though you try to hide.
I feel the pain you keep inside.
I don't know why, other than He lets me sometimes.
You're scared.
I know why, more than that...
I know you don't have to be,
and that is probably the hardest thing of all.
I know of something you think you have,
Yet I can run while you stay right there...
Chained.
I can't bare it.
Why are we so afraid?
Why can't we trust?
Why can't we know?
My experiences are my own.
Yours are your own...
Yet mine are redeemed and I see His hand.
You see torment and anger...
You hide again.
My heart breaks for you in ways I never thought it could.
As I sit here and talk with it, I've never felt such a hurt...
Or a desire...
For your freedom...
For your healing.
Still you try to hide...
Behind smiles...
Behind dreams...
Behind pretend things...
Behind illusions...
Still.
I don't know what to do but pray...
And wait?
I know He is calling you too.
He's called us all.
Only you can silence the other sounds
And hear the still, small voice.
I want to for you...
God knows I do.
So badly.
But...
I can't.
Still you hide?
I don't understand.
You demand vulnerability.
Here we are...
Bare.
Broken.
Exposed.
Willing.
Suffering a love that is not our own...
Gladly willing to know Him better.
Yet you hide?
Or are you trapped?
Of course not...
That would mean
You have no control.
Could anything scare you more?
I doubt it.
And it is even that truth that keeps you
Blind.
How long?
I don't care.
I'm here
For you.
I see you...
You refuse to look back.
I still see you.
And I love you.
Do not be afraid.
Come out and
Be free.
You will know a pain of a
Different kind.
The LOVE kind.
Where hope is all you dare breathe in
and joy is not a fleeting moment.
Where words are flesh and
Surrender is release.
Don't hide anymore.
I'll wait as long as I can.
But I do hope you come soon.
I miss you.
Love,
Me
My Prayer
Simply and beautifully honest. I still love his writing.
My Prayer
By Chris Rice
Fresh page, new pen
Where do I begin
Words fail, tears come
I need someone
To take the thoughts I almost think
And carry them to God for me
Deep breath, exhale
Breathe in deeper still
Long sigh, I’m still numb
Is there anyone
Who can find the things I’m barely feeling
And give them wings beyond my ceiling?
Right heart, wrong place
It’s too far to outer space
Sorry, I forgot, You’re right here
I cup my hands around Your ear
I feel You smile, You feel my breath
You listen while I whisper non-sense
Simple exchange
Your will, I’m changed
And now my prayer ends
Thank You, Amen.
My Prayer
By Chris Rice
Fresh page, new pen
Where do I begin
Words fail, tears come
I need someone
To take the thoughts I almost think
And carry them to God for me
Deep breath, exhale
Breathe in deeper still
Long sigh, I’m still numb
Is there anyone
Who can find the things I’m barely feeling
And give them wings beyond my ceiling?
Right heart, wrong place
It’s too far to outer space
Sorry, I forgot, You’re right here
I cup my hands around Your ear
I feel You smile, You feel my breath
You listen while I whisper non-sense
Simple exchange
Your will, I’m changed
And now my prayer ends
Thank You, Amen.
Re: Tonight
This may be dangerous... it's not nearly as thought out as I'm comfortable with... I don't have the words so more than anything right now this is simply "mind vomit" or something of that nature. I just need to think out loud and wonder if any of you eavesdroppers are willing to intrude beyond simply hearing...
What of beauty? What of the flesh? What of the Spirit?...... as I look around my life, I see a response to something of generations past. The ones who were plagued with anorexia... bulimia... eating disorders of every kind and a hopelessness rooted in lies regarding their image and their beauty... I fear our response as a Church has been no better, for as I look around me tonight, I saw just as much bondage and pain. I wonder... what beauty have we as a Spiritual people emphasized? Have we, instead of teaching a holiness and love and confidence in a Holy Spirit that indwells and empowers us and provides a beauty that is rooted in an unshakeable glory bestowed by a neverlying King, taught our daughters and sisters how to be confident in their flesh? I see it... I don't know what to do with it cause I'm not sure if it's real. I feel that we have, as a response or a reaction to the world around us and its push to be "beautiful" by changing who you are and taking on the appearances and styles of others, instead simply taught the opposite, that the beauty we are born with... that we have from the moment we look in the mirror... is indeed a real beauty and is precious... a reflection of the image of God... priceless... beautiful...
...
I'm sorry... but that still emphasizes the flesh, and I don't believe it is the intention either. I don't believe that we are, as a way of expressing beauty, simply supposed to be confident in our bodies... blah blah blah... I think there' something more. I feel it is imminently connected with the notion of having our minds renewed... where the flesh, as a transparent shell, is nothing but a reflection of that which resides within... not a opaque shell that attempts to hide what lies within. I feel that true beauty is a celebration of faith... a confidence in a relationship... an understanding of identity in HIM who defines beauty by His very nature... I see these things... I see the response of our churches, attempting to react and undo the hurts and pains and wounds of feeling worthless or ugly... but that's just it... it's a reaction... a response... it's not REDEMPTION, the true HEALING... the true FREEDOM of these things. It's not about undoing something as if it never happened... I feel like it's about submitting it to HIM and letting Him REDEEM it so that whether it happened or not, you know He loves you for coming to Him. Even so... where does this come from? From where is this bondage? I see an entire generation's female population plagued by the same wounds... the same hurts... the same pains... because they've had the same experiences.
They've been wounded... though not intentionally... by the very men they are told to call brothers.
They do not know what "brother" means any longer. They have no concept of a pure relationship with their own kind though a different gender... why? THEY NEED HEALING... and yet the men need FREEDOM.
I feel that the intense, extensive bondage and wounding that holds my sisters in this place is one that stems directly from the bondage I see in the lives of my brothers as well... I feel the connection is stronger than I've ever given it credit to be. I feel that if our sisters are to know HEALING it will be as a direct result of we as brothers proclaiming our need for FREEDOM... it will be as our sisters pray and desperately ask God to RESTORE and REDEEM their relationships with their brothers in leading them to freedom and as we as men let ourselves be HUMBLED to the point of declaring WE NEED IT and we want to see them healed, nor for our sakes as men who are afraid to be alone, but so that they may know the love of this Father and His plan to give them protecting, strong, righteous, leading brothers... not that we may better know them, but that we may all better know our Saviour... I feel that the very wounds of our sisters are directly tied to our sins... that in turn their distance and fierce guarding of lives and loves and dreams is a reaction to our pride and self-indulgence. WE MUST SEEK HUMILITY... I am tired of simply wishing for my sisters to know they are beautiful... I long for them to know why. I am not one who will be content with letting them be confident in their flesh... no, I long for the redemption of their WHOLE identities. In turn, I do not wish that the men around me would simply learn a pure way to love... but learn a holy way to live... that the love they might one day express would be born of redemption and holiness and not desire or self. I don't know where I'm going with this any more... simply that I see it and don't know what to do... I see you... I see them... there's so much going on. PORN, Fathers, brothers, women, men... so much of it seems to be a direct attack on the idea of FAMILY... on the notion of individuality as somehow God's intention (I don't think it is)... it's an attack that brings separation and animosity between the second most natural relationship in history... that which occurs between man and woman. What do we do with this attack? I have yet to understand... but I long to see it rebuked... I long to be unquestioned in my motivation for taking the trash out for my sister or asking if they'd like to have dinner sometime. I long to see them healed, so that they will know what it means to have a brother for a husband and son... so that we will know the Truth... and that it might set us free. I'm done ranting... perhaps someday this stuff will be more organized.. I don't know... my heart is heavy.
What of beauty? What of the flesh? What of the Spirit?...... as I look around my life, I see a response to something of generations past. The ones who were plagued with anorexia... bulimia... eating disorders of every kind and a hopelessness rooted in lies regarding their image and their beauty... I fear our response as a Church has been no better, for as I look around me tonight, I saw just as much bondage and pain. I wonder... what beauty have we as a Spiritual people emphasized? Have we, instead of teaching a holiness and love and confidence in a Holy Spirit that indwells and empowers us and provides a beauty that is rooted in an unshakeable glory bestowed by a neverlying King, taught our daughters and sisters how to be confident in their flesh? I see it... I don't know what to do with it cause I'm not sure if it's real. I feel that we have, as a response or a reaction to the world around us and its push to be "beautiful" by changing who you are and taking on the appearances and styles of others, instead simply taught the opposite, that the beauty we are born with... that we have from the moment we look in the mirror... is indeed a real beauty and is precious... a reflection of the image of God... priceless... beautiful...
...
I'm sorry... but that still emphasizes the flesh, and I don't believe it is the intention either. I don't believe that we are, as a way of expressing beauty, simply supposed to be confident in our bodies... blah blah blah... I think there' something more. I feel it is imminently connected with the notion of having our minds renewed... where the flesh, as a transparent shell, is nothing but a reflection of that which resides within... not a opaque shell that attempts to hide what lies within. I feel that true beauty is a celebration of faith... a confidence in a relationship... an understanding of identity in HIM who defines beauty by His very nature... I see these things... I see the response of our churches, attempting to react and undo the hurts and pains and wounds of feeling worthless or ugly... but that's just it... it's a reaction... a response... it's not REDEMPTION, the true HEALING... the true FREEDOM of these things. It's not about undoing something as if it never happened... I feel like it's about submitting it to HIM and letting Him REDEEM it so that whether it happened or not, you know He loves you for coming to Him. Even so... where does this come from? From where is this bondage? I see an entire generation's female population plagued by the same wounds... the same hurts... the same pains... because they've had the same experiences.
They've been wounded... though not intentionally... by the very men they are told to call brothers.
They do not know what "brother" means any longer. They have no concept of a pure relationship with their own kind though a different gender... why? THEY NEED HEALING... and yet the men need FREEDOM.
I feel that the intense, extensive bondage and wounding that holds my sisters in this place is one that stems directly from the bondage I see in the lives of my brothers as well... I feel the connection is stronger than I've ever given it credit to be. I feel that if our sisters are to know HEALING it will be as a direct result of we as brothers proclaiming our need for FREEDOM... it will be as our sisters pray and desperately ask God to RESTORE and REDEEM their relationships with their brothers in leading them to freedom and as we as men let ourselves be HUMBLED to the point of declaring WE NEED IT and we want to see them healed, nor for our sakes as men who are afraid to be alone, but so that they may know the love of this Father and His plan to give them protecting, strong, righteous, leading brothers... not that we may better know them, but that we may all better know our Saviour... I feel that the very wounds of our sisters are directly tied to our sins... that in turn their distance and fierce guarding of lives and loves and dreams is a reaction to our pride and self-indulgence. WE MUST SEEK HUMILITY... I am tired of simply wishing for my sisters to know they are beautiful... I long for them to know why. I am not one who will be content with letting them be confident in their flesh... no, I long for the redemption of their WHOLE identities. In turn, I do not wish that the men around me would simply learn a pure way to love... but learn a holy way to live... that the love they might one day express would be born of redemption and holiness and not desire or self. I don't know where I'm going with this any more... simply that I see it and don't know what to do... I see you... I see them... there's so much going on. PORN, Fathers, brothers, women, men... so much of it seems to be a direct attack on the idea of FAMILY... on the notion of individuality as somehow God's intention (I don't think it is)... it's an attack that brings separation and animosity between the second most natural relationship in history... that which occurs between man and woman. What do we do with this attack? I have yet to understand... but I long to see it rebuked... I long to be unquestioned in my motivation for taking the trash out for my sister or asking if they'd like to have dinner sometime. I long to see them healed, so that they will know what it means to have a brother for a husband and son... so that we will know the Truth... and that it might set us free. I'm done ranting... perhaps someday this stuff will be more organized.. I don't know... my heart is heavy.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Re: Arithmetic
"I am the way, the truth, and the life..."- John 14:6 (Jesus = Full Life)
I recently heard something that disturbed me. It seems that the world around me is looking for completion in religion and is being completely disappointed (What's disturbing about that? Stay tuned...). It thinks that completion and this notion of having a "fullness" or "full life" is what they are meant for and what religion is to them. Do I know where this came from? Well yes and no. I don't know the root of it all, but I can without a doubt recognize the deception of the expectation and in that then realize why so many people around the world are frustrated with their experiences of God or their faith or their religion in general. I will speak to Christianity here, and what I would like to know is the expectation. From what I gather, it seems that more often than not our expectation is that that Jesus will provide an abundant life and joy and completion and fullness on top of what we have already. As if our life were filled to a certain point and the only thing that can put us over the edge is Christ.
FALSE.
The life of Christ is not about fullness in yourself. It is not about being made complete with the understanding that you are holding parts of the puzzle already.
It is about EMPTYING.
Does that make sense? I think that too often we are looking for transformation and change as if something that we have is worth holding on to and the God we are looking for is the rest of the formula. As if:
work + family + knowledge + "love" + money + X + Jesus = Full Life
Sorry, that's wrong. He is the only piece. There is nothing else. There is no other thing that holds a place in a relationship with Him. We want to be filled, but we want the filling without the emptying that MUST take place before it. We want the completion, but we cannot bear risk recognizing our reduction for its sake. The world around us, and many believers that I personally know, want to be filled. Yet they want to be filled with Jesus as an additive, as something that comes along and adds to "life," not REPLACES it. We want the life of transformation and freedom, but rarely see that death is the only way to live it, because then:
work + family + knowledge + "love" + money + X + Jesus - work - family - knowledge - "love" - money - X = Full Life
Jesus + X ≠ Full Life
Jesus + NOTHING = Full Life
If we continue to market/approach Christ as an additive to life, as something that comes and flavors everything else and does not OVERPOWER and REPLACE it all, we will continue to see frustration, hypocrisy, bondage, carnality, deception, false expectation, and confusion within the lives of those testifying to knowing Him. Death precedes life and reduction precedes fulfillment. It is the paradox of His Kingdom, He came that we may have life more abundantly, but that life is not one that comes in addition to what we have already, it is one that entirely replaces it and declares something so radically different that we wonder how we ever called how we used to be "living." We wonder how we could ever had believed we knew what love was without first knowing freedom. I did not know love until I knew freedom. We wonder how we could ever have declared to have joy without first having truth. I did not know joy until I found truth. Most of us have lived shadows of what is intended for us. Most of those around us live poor, sunless, smeared reflections of what Christ has died that they may have, mistaking abundance for an affectionate relationship, wealth, power, physical health. etc.
This frustrates me and though it's not something I'm entirely good at communicating yet, I hope to be soon. We cannot go on promising a life of full life without first laying a foundation for emptying and dying. There is no other way. We are to die to ourselves and take up the life of One who knows no other way than holiness and truth and love. The life of Jesus was one of constant emptying that He may show us the fullness of God. We too must be emptied if we are to be filled. We too are to die if we are to live.
I had the frustration that I speak of. I know the expectation of "Jesus and." It's taught without intention. It's promoted without understanding. But it's still wrong. There is no "Jesus and," there is only Jesus, who is freedom, love, joy, and true life.
X + Jesus ≠ Life
X + Jesus - X = LIFE
................................................................................
Matthew 6
Romans 5-9
John 14-16
Colossians
I recently heard something that disturbed me. It seems that the world around me is looking for completion in religion and is being completely disappointed (What's disturbing about that? Stay tuned...). It thinks that completion and this notion of having a "fullness" or "full life" is what they are meant for and what religion is to them. Do I know where this came from? Well yes and no. I don't know the root of it all, but I can without a doubt recognize the deception of the expectation and in that then realize why so many people around the world are frustrated with their experiences of God or their faith or their religion in general. I will speak to Christianity here, and what I would like to know is the expectation. From what I gather, it seems that more often than not our expectation is that that Jesus will provide an abundant life and joy and completion and fullness on top of what we have already. As if our life were filled to a certain point and the only thing that can put us over the edge is Christ.
FALSE.
The life of Christ is not about fullness in yourself. It is not about being made complete with the understanding that you are holding parts of the puzzle already.
It is about EMPTYING.
Does that make sense? I think that too often we are looking for transformation and change as if something that we have is worth holding on to and the God we are looking for is the rest of the formula. As if:
work + family + knowledge + "love" + money + X + Jesus = Full Life
Sorry, that's wrong. He is the only piece. There is nothing else. There is no other thing that holds a place in a relationship with Him. We want to be filled, but we want the filling without the emptying that MUST take place before it. We want the completion, but we cannot bear risk recognizing our reduction for its sake. The world around us, and many believers that I personally know, want to be filled. Yet they want to be filled with Jesus as an additive, as something that comes along and adds to "life," not REPLACES it. We want the life of transformation and freedom, but rarely see that death is the only way to live it, because then:
work + family + knowledge + "love" + money + X + Jesus - work - family - knowledge - "love" - money - X = Full Life
Jesus + X ≠ Full Life
Jesus + NOTHING = Full Life
If we continue to market/approach Christ as an additive to life, as something that comes and flavors everything else and does not OVERPOWER and REPLACE it all, we will continue to see frustration, hypocrisy, bondage, carnality, deception, false expectation, and confusion within the lives of those testifying to knowing Him. Death precedes life and reduction precedes fulfillment. It is the paradox of His Kingdom, He came that we may have life more abundantly, but that life is not one that comes in addition to what we have already, it is one that entirely replaces it and declares something so radically different that we wonder how we ever called how we used to be "living." We wonder how we could ever had believed we knew what love was without first knowing freedom. I did not know love until I knew freedom. We wonder how we could ever have declared to have joy without first having truth. I did not know joy until I found truth. Most of us have lived shadows of what is intended for us. Most of those around us live poor, sunless, smeared reflections of what Christ has died that they may have, mistaking abundance for an affectionate relationship, wealth, power, physical health. etc.
This frustrates me and though it's not something I'm entirely good at communicating yet, I hope to be soon. We cannot go on promising a life of full life without first laying a foundation for emptying and dying. There is no other way. We are to die to ourselves and take up the life of One who knows no other way than holiness and truth and love. The life of Jesus was one of constant emptying that He may show us the fullness of God. We too must be emptied if we are to be filled. We too are to die if we are to live.
I had the frustration that I speak of. I know the expectation of "Jesus and." It's taught without intention. It's promoted without understanding. But it's still wrong. There is no "Jesus and," there is only Jesus, who is freedom, love, joy, and true life.
X + Jesus ≠ Life
X + Jesus - X = LIFE
................................................................................
Matthew 6
Romans 5-9
John 14-16
Colossians
Re: What the "F" !?!
A few weeks ago there was late night discussion in a second story apartment in St. Charles, Missouri. We spoke of good things and eventually wondered what had become of the unclassifiable person whose ministry many had seen for some time but whom all knew could not ever be reigned in or controlled by anything less than the Spirit of God. Through our discussion, a comical metaphor came about, and though it was meant for jest, it truly does accurately reveal what has happened all over our country. Through whatever motivation, the American concept of ministerial education has become something more along the lines of a factory/package sorting program than a anointing driven passion. We look for the needs and attempt to fill them by educating people and fitting them in to the gap. We recognize only a few types of normal ministry and leave the rest as something unique and special and probably eccentric. To reveal what I mean, this is the story.
...................................................................
All around you are conveyor belts... they run this way and that, going in and out of tubes and tunnels to wherever the next stop along the line of ministry building is. Daily, thousands of packages come into the room and it is your job to sort them out and send them to their respective places of use and development. Each package is marked with a letter, something to distinguish it from the other uses it's counterparts may work within. You've been doing this for several years now and really seem to have it down pat. Coming your way is today's line...
A... this one seems to be the most typical. You have never seen the inside of the package, but know that tons of them come through every week. You assume they are used up pretty quickly and are usually in high demand for the lack of their stamina. Pastors of local small churches, you wonder. Seems to fit the dynamics of what you see in your building each week. You move it to the "A" belt and turn back to sort the rest...
D... Not quite as typical as the A liners, but still in pretty high demand. It's often striped or spotted, something fun and pizazzy marks the D's and you know children are in mind when these come to the line. Who knows what they originally were or what they've gone through, but man are they fun. Time to sort them out and keep it moving so you place the box on the "D" belt and move on...
C... oh ho! You don't see one of these every day! WOW! You've never actually seen one unleashed and you have no idea what it means to be a part of a C functioning ministry. They tend to come wrapped in armor, you know their work must be dangerous. Perhaps these are the foreign missionaries? Perhaps the underground leaders? You really don't know, all you know is that somehow they always seem to get banged up and bruised when you see them come through again.
B... what's to say? You don't know. The "almost there" mindset of these boxes distinguish them from the others. You know the time has been going for some while in their lives and that the numbers are through the roof for their ministerial success. People are always looking for a B to come turn their church into a mega plex and somehow they just don't seem to be moving like they used to. Oh well, down the B chute for it, you know someone's waiting on the other end.
E... Haha, you know exactly what this guy is all about. The passion and energy exude from the box and you know some youth groups somewhere will be pumped up for a few months while E gets a feel for how to connect and stay relevant. The E's come through pretty often in your experience, perhaps quantitatively more so than the A or D, but you've seen a lot of these E's before and know they're often in for re-education and growth experiences so that they remain hip.
The day continues on... A, B, E, D, B, A, A, A, E, B, D, E, B, A, B, A, E, E, E, E, D, F...
Hold up.
F?
What the... F?
Whats an F?
You haven't seen one of these in years and years... in fact, as you glance towards the "F" chute you know it's been at least five since anythings gone that way. The cobwebs and obsolete look forlorn and very discouraging. When was the last time you sent anything that way? Who knows...
F?
You're certain this has been outmoded. It has to have been, nothing can account for the lack of call. You wonder what should be done. You realize something must have gotten mixed up somewhere, and know exactly what to do.
F + _ = E
PERFECT! You know this is what should be done and send the mistagged package down it's chute and continue with your work, wondering just what the F really was in it's time.
C, D, E, E, E, E, A, A, A, A, B, B, D, D, A...
.....................................................................................
There are thousands of men and women around the world who have felt a special calling and anointing from God on their heads. They know they are not youth pastors, children's workers, senior pastors, associate pastors, worship leaders, or missionaries in any of the slightly traditional understandings of these roles. They are the F's. They are the few who will spend years living in broken down homes in the middle of wherever, inner city, anywhere. Where violence and drugs do not enrage them but break them and to hear of a mom leaving a dad because of abuse is not uncommon. Where the people they minister to could have been on the run for years and years and they may go home tonight and never see them again. The F population has been convinced that it's place is in the building, behind a desk, or on the other side of the world instead of on the street, in the car, next door. There are wives and husbands who know they married F's and then one day find themselves searching for that undeniable passion that risks it all, "F!? F!? Where are you? I know I married you? Where have you gone?!" There are youth pastors and senior pastors who will never feel the peace of obedience as long as they are convinced that the church building is their place of ministry. There are men and women who have been gifted to connect with the tossed aside, the broken, used, and the discarded but will never find them sitting across the desk from them in their office. What have we done in slowly outmoding such a gift? I know a few F's myself and I know that their hopes and dreams are to go... who knows where (often only they know of their dream)... but just to go, yet they feel to go means to put too much on the line (though I do not know where this lie has originated, I know that if anything impedes the call of God on a life, it does not reflect the will of the Father). I have seen a few F's released... one such would be Rich Mullins. Anyone who know what I mean by unusual or counter-norm now have an example. I see him as an F, but I would like to know when the other F's will be freed... when the F's will go and make disciples of those the rest will not touch and do so with a blessing and a faithful word that says "WE HAVE YOUR BACK! THOUGH YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE US, WE KNOW YOU MUST GO AND WE SEND YOU EAGERLY!"
I dream of a Church where the F's are sent and blessed on their way out. I dream of a Church where the F's remain as they were from life to death and husbands and wives do not wonder what has happened to the people they were so willing to go anywhere with.
Do you?
Then get the "F's" out of there!
If you are one...
GO.
...................................................................
All around you are conveyor belts... they run this way and that, going in and out of tubes and tunnels to wherever the next stop along the line of ministry building is. Daily, thousands of packages come into the room and it is your job to sort them out and send them to their respective places of use and development. Each package is marked with a letter, something to distinguish it from the other uses it's counterparts may work within. You've been doing this for several years now and really seem to have it down pat. Coming your way is today's line...
A... this one seems to be the most typical. You have never seen the inside of the package, but know that tons of them come through every week. You assume they are used up pretty quickly and are usually in high demand for the lack of their stamina. Pastors of local small churches, you wonder. Seems to fit the dynamics of what you see in your building each week. You move it to the "A" belt and turn back to sort the rest...
D... Not quite as typical as the A liners, but still in pretty high demand. It's often striped or spotted, something fun and pizazzy marks the D's and you know children are in mind when these come to the line. Who knows what they originally were or what they've gone through, but man are they fun. Time to sort them out and keep it moving so you place the box on the "D" belt and move on...
C... oh ho! You don't see one of these every day! WOW! You've never actually seen one unleashed and you have no idea what it means to be a part of a C functioning ministry. They tend to come wrapped in armor, you know their work must be dangerous. Perhaps these are the foreign missionaries? Perhaps the underground leaders? You really don't know, all you know is that somehow they always seem to get banged up and bruised when you see them come through again.
B... what's to say? You don't know. The "almost there" mindset of these boxes distinguish them from the others. You know the time has been going for some while in their lives and that the numbers are through the roof for their ministerial success. People are always looking for a B to come turn their church into a mega plex and somehow they just don't seem to be moving like they used to. Oh well, down the B chute for it, you know someone's waiting on the other end.
E... Haha, you know exactly what this guy is all about. The passion and energy exude from the box and you know some youth groups somewhere will be pumped up for a few months while E gets a feel for how to connect and stay relevant. The E's come through pretty often in your experience, perhaps quantitatively more so than the A or D, but you've seen a lot of these E's before and know they're often in for re-education and growth experiences so that they remain hip.
The day continues on... A, B, E, D, B, A, A, A, E, B, D, E, B, A, B, A, E, E, E, E, D, F...
Hold up.
F?
What the... F?
Whats an F?
You haven't seen one of these in years and years... in fact, as you glance towards the "F" chute you know it's been at least five since anythings gone that way. The cobwebs and obsolete look forlorn and very discouraging. When was the last time you sent anything that way? Who knows...
F?
You're certain this has been outmoded. It has to have been, nothing can account for the lack of call. You wonder what should be done. You realize something must have gotten mixed up somewhere, and know exactly what to do.
F + _ = E
PERFECT! You know this is what should be done and send the mistagged package down it's chute and continue with your work, wondering just what the F really was in it's time.
C, D, E, E, E, E, A, A, A, A, B, B, D, D, A...
.....................................................................................
There are thousands of men and women around the world who have felt a special calling and anointing from God on their heads. They know they are not youth pastors, children's workers, senior pastors, associate pastors, worship leaders, or missionaries in any of the slightly traditional understandings of these roles. They are the F's. They are the few who will spend years living in broken down homes in the middle of wherever, inner city, anywhere. Where violence and drugs do not enrage them but break them and to hear of a mom leaving a dad because of abuse is not uncommon. Where the people they minister to could have been on the run for years and years and they may go home tonight and never see them again. The F population has been convinced that it's place is in the building, behind a desk, or on the other side of the world instead of on the street, in the car, next door. There are wives and husbands who know they married F's and then one day find themselves searching for that undeniable passion that risks it all, "F!? F!? Where are you? I know I married you? Where have you gone?!" There are youth pastors and senior pastors who will never feel the peace of obedience as long as they are convinced that the church building is their place of ministry. There are men and women who have been gifted to connect with the tossed aside, the broken, used, and the discarded but will never find them sitting across the desk from them in their office. What have we done in slowly outmoding such a gift? I know a few F's myself and I know that their hopes and dreams are to go... who knows where (often only they know of their dream)... but just to go, yet they feel to go means to put too much on the line (though I do not know where this lie has originated, I know that if anything impedes the call of God on a life, it does not reflect the will of the Father). I have seen a few F's released... one such would be Rich Mullins. Anyone who know what I mean by unusual or counter-norm now have an example. I see him as an F, but I would like to know when the other F's will be freed... when the F's will go and make disciples of those the rest will not touch and do so with a blessing and a faithful word that says "WE HAVE YOUR BACK! THOUGH YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE US, WE KNOW YOU MUST GO AND WE SEND YOU EAGERLY!"
I dream of a Church where the F's are sent and blessed on their way out. I dream of a Church where the F's remain as they were from life to death and husbands and wives do not wonder what has happened to the people they were so willing to go anywhere with.
Do you?
Then get the "F's" out of there!
If you are one...
GO.
Rich Mullins on Humanity
This is the spoken intro to a song entitled Higher Education in the Book of Love and I am finding myself more and more thoughtful of it's truth. I do not know if it is originally Rich's or not, but at any rate, it's good.
Higher Education in the Book of Love: Into
(The Emphases are obviously mine)
What does it mean to be human?
I cannot help but suspect that at one time in the history of thinking that people believed that it meant that we were spiritual and that we could make choices and were capable of aspiring to higher ideals... like maybe loyalty or maybe faith... or maybe even love.
But now we are told by people who think they know, that we vary from amoeba only in the complexity of our makeup and not in what we essentially are. They would have us think as Dysart said that we are forever bound up in certain genetic reigns - that we are merely products of the way things are and not free - not free to be the people who make them that way. They would have us see ourselves as products so that we could believe that we were something to be made - something to be used and then something to be disposed of. Used in their wars - used for their gains and then set aside when we get in their way. Well, who are they? They are the few who sit at the top of the heap -dung heap though it is - and who say it is better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven. Well, I do not know that we can have a Heaven here on earth, but I am sure we need not have a Hell either. What does it mean to be human? I cannot help but believe that it means we are spiritual - that we are responsible and that we are free- that we are responsible to be free.
.........................................................................................
From "Never Picture Perfect," Copyright 1989 - Edward Grant, Inc.
Source Page: http://www.kidbrothers.net/
Higher Education in the Book of Love: Into
(The Emphases are obviously mine)
What does it mean to be human?
I cannot help but suspect that at one time in the history of thinking that people believed that it meant that we were spiritual and that we could make choices and were capable of aspiring to higher ideals... like maybe loyalty or maybe faith... or maybe even love.
But now we are told by people who think they know, that we vary from amoeba only in the complexity of our makeup and not in what we essentially are. They would have us think as Dysart said that we are forever bound up in certain genetic reigns - that we are merely products of the way things are and not free - not free to be the people who make them that way. They would have us see ourselves as products so that we could believe that we were something to be made - something to be used and then something to be disposed of. Used in their wars - used for their gains and then set aside when we get in their way. Well, who are they? They are the few who sit at the top of the heap -dung heap though it is - and who say it is better to reign in Hell than to serve in Heaven. Well, I do not know that we can have a Heaven here on earth, but I am sure we need not have a Hell either. What does it mean to be human? I cannot help but believe that it means we are spiritual - that we are responsible and that we are free- that we are responsible to be free.
.........................................................................................
From "Never Picture Perfect," Copyright 1989 - Edward Grant, Inc.
Source Page: http://www.kidbrothers.net/
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Re: Holiness (III)
So once again these conversations keep happening. I think yesterday's brought about the best clarity I've had yet on the difference between obedience to the law as means and obedience as fruit. We were discussing Isaiah 6, and really it kind of just happened...
Legalism is about using the law to get somewhere, to somehow become holy? Well the problem, as we all know, is that we CANNOT DO ENOUGH to become holy, as only God is perfect and holy. Indeed, in the recognition that only God is holy, we become more and more acutely aware of our weaknesses, shortcomings, and sin. We are exposed, completely made bear. Our only response can be "I AM UNDONE!" But what of the hereafter? What of that experience? What of the undoing... of the ruining... of the exposure where He burns away that which cannot be near Him. What next? MUST OUR LIVES NOT BE CHANGED FOREVER? I think so, and I think that is the where I have felt the greatest peace in this ongoing conversation between my heart and His. Legalism is about where I want to go and how I'm choosing to get there. Holiness, in the strictest sense of HIS covering us in His own, is about being near Him. Holiness is not about what we do, but how we be. Is this making sense? It made a lot more in our discussion yesterday, I was pretty pumped to have a conclusion. I've been in His presence before. I've felt that ruining, I've lived in that since then. I've been undone, should I redo what He has undone? Should I continue in my lawless ways after He has purified me to live as He lived? Absolutely not! I wondered if I was slipping into legalism in my enthusiasm for obedience, yet in this reflection I find peace in the fact that it's not because I want to be holy that I obey, nor because I feel the need to compensate my guilt, nor because I simply can obey that I do. More so, it's because I know that in Him I am holy can cannot move against His will if I desire His presence and blessing, that I am innocent by faith in His death and resurrection, and that when it all comes down to it, I just CAN'T NOT.
The freedom of His will is one that removes options, not increases them. That is so contrary to our American way of thinking about freedom. In my simple need to follow and be near, I have found a lack of rights, a lack of choices, a lack of what the world would call options, and yet in His kingdom these things translate into an abundant life of freedom. His freedom is not a freedom that increases options by any means, no, it is a freedom that removes them. It is a narrow way. It is a strict way, not for the sake of the road, but for the sake of His will. It's not the means, it's the fruit, and it's not about where we want to go (that is, to Him) it's about where we've been and still are (that is, with Him). Does that make sense? I hope so... I'm still kinda working it out. I know the semantics won't match up if you infer going towards heaven or anything like that, that's not what I'm referring to. I'm referring to the notion that we must be holy in order to come before Him, when such is impossible. We are made holy by Him and we walk in holiness after we have encountered Him (though I wager something about that could be confusing too). At any rate, for whoever has been trying to see the difference, I pray these ramblings might have brought some clarity. Press on...
Legalism is about using the law to get somewhere, to somehow become holy? Well the problem, as we all know, is that we CANNOT DO ENOUGH to become holy, as only God is perfect and holy. Indeed, in the recognition that only God is holy, we become more and more acutely aware of our weaknesses, shortcomings, and sin. We are exposed, completely made bear. Our only response can be "I AM UNDONE!" But what of the hereafter? What of that experience? What of the undoing... of the ruining... of the exposure where He burns away that which cannot be near Him. What next? MUST OUR LIVES NOT BE CHANGED FOREVER? I think so, and I think that is the where I have felt the greatest peace in this ongoing conversation between my heart and His. Legalism is about where I want to go and how I'm choosing to get there. Holiness, in the strictest sense of HIS covering us in His own, is about being near Him. Holiness is not about what we do, but how we be. Is this making sense? It made a lot more in our discussion yesterday, I was pretty pumped to have a conclusion. I've been in His presence before. I've felt that ruining, I've lived in that since then. I've been undone, should I redo what He has undone? Should I continue in my lawless ways after He has purified me to live as He lived? Absolutely not! I wondered if I was slipping into legalism in my enthusiasm for obedience, yet in this reflection I find peace in the fact that it's not because I want to be holy that I obey, nor because I feel the need to compensate my guilt, nor because I simply can obey that I do. More so, it's because I know that in Him I am holy can cannot move against His will if I desire His presence and blessing, that I am innocent by faith in His death and resurrection, and that when it all comes down to it, I just CAN'T NOT.
The freedom of His will is one that removes options, not increases them. That is so contrary to our American way of thinking about freedom. In my simple need to follow and be near, I have found a lack of rights, a lack of choices, a lack of what the world would call options, and yet in His kingdom these things translate into an abundant life of freedom. His freedom is not a freedom that increases options by any means, no, it is a freedom that removes them. It is a narrow way. It is a strict way, not for the sake of the road, but for the sake of His will. It's not the means, it's the fruit, and it's not about where we want to go (that is, to Him) it's about where we've been and still are (that is, with Him). Does that make sense? I hope so... I'm still kinda working it out. I know the semantics won't match up if you infer going towards heaven or anything like that, that's not what I'm referring to. I'm referring to the notion that we must be holy in order to come before Him, when such is impossible. We are made holy by Him and we walk in holiness after we have encountered Him (though I wager something about that could be confusing too). At any rate, for whoever has been trying to see the difference, I pray these ramblings might have brought some clarity. Press on...
Monday, January 5, 2009
Re: Holiness (II)
So this question has been raised once or twice in the last few weeks, generally in response to my saying something about obedience to the law and authority and it's connection to holiness, many automatically infer legalism when we draw connections between obedience and holiness, but I think that comes from a misunderstanding. As simply as I can, here is what I see:
1. If you see obedience to the law as a means to holiness, you've been snared into legalism where everything hinges on what you do. Holiness becomes something you earn and therefore Christ's death is a mute issue.
2. If you see obedience to the law as a fruit of holiness, you've recognized the truth of the matter, where everything hinges on why you do what you do. Holiness is something you live out of and Christ's death is your source of freedom to actually live as God intended, therefore it means everything.
Expanded:
The law is not a means of holiness, but recognizing the holiness imparted upon you by your belief in the truth of Christ's love and sacrifice will compel obedience to proper authority/law.
Obedience is not means, obedience is part of the fruit.
Why do you obey?
I wrote this rather quickly, so I hope it makes sense...
1. If you see obedience to the law as a means to holiness, you've been snared into legalism where everything hinges on what you do. Holiness becomes something you earn and therefore Christ's death is a mute issue.
2. If you see obedience to the law as a fruit of holiness, you've recognized the truth of the matter, where everything hinges on why you do what you do. Holiness is something you live out of and Christ's death is your source of freedom to actually live as God intended, therefore it means everything.
Expanded:
The law is not a means of holiness, but recognizing the holiness imparted upon you by your belief in the truth of Christ's love and sacrifice will compel obedience to proper authority/law.
Obedience is not means, obedience is part of the fruit.
Why do you obey?
I wrote this rather quickly, so I hope it makes sense...
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