Not Of This World

We are strangers, we are aliens, we are not of this world. :)

II Guys from Petra - Not Of This World


(In the past I've heard the GPS story that Bob Hartman shares here, in a similar way from Steve McVey. I related it in my own words in a post called Missed calls almost a year ago).

Shazbat! I guess I'm an alien this year then!

A couple of my favorite aliens.

Mork from Ork


Poor Mork: He reports to Orson, "I seem to be losing my Orkanness." Mindy observes that Mork has been around her so much that he's "become too much of an earthling," and Orson says he's been afflicted with "observer syndrome." Unless he's cured, "he'll have to be ostracized." He'll be "stripped of his name, his honor and his uniform," and he'll be "sprayed purple and doomed to wander his home planet forever as a fallen Orkan."

(Sound familiar to anyone, in an allegorical kind of way???) :)


Doctor Who - got to be my all time favorite TV program.

Scary...

Ok, so I realize I haven't been overly deep lately on this blog. Ozzy Osbourne, Pat Boone, other "Pat's," DC Talk videos, etc. Well, I'm still not going deep, at least not today. :) Instead I'll post this scary pic that Leonard sent me after he viewed my Video Blog. Leonard says I shouldn't give you guys ammo... hmmm. On this pic, the picture behind me (on the left) seems to have mysteriously changed. I think something else looks different about the whole scenario. Hmmm, I can't quite figure out what it is...

"Recklessly Extravagant"

Prodigal - "Recklessly Extravagant"

I don't think I've ever heard the word "prodigal" defined that way, but check out these couple of posts over at Idle Musings of a Bookseller that quote from Timothy Keller's book The Prodigal God. Great stuff!

The Prodigal God
The elder brother

Follow up to last post (Oswald Chambers)

It was a few days ago that I scheduled the Oswald Chambers devotional to post today. I forgot that I wanted to add: What do you think of these words of Chambers? On the one hand it sounds like universalism, but on the other hand he's talking about Christ and Christ alone, and justification by faith.

For some reason, this specific date from My Utmost For His Highest has stuck out to me for years, because of the focus on Christ.

Oswald Chambers - Justification By Faith

Oswald Chambers - My Utmost For His Highest - October 28

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life." Romans 5:10

I am not saved by believing; I realize I am saved by believing. It is not repentance that saves me, repentance is the sign that I realize what God has done in Christ Jesus. The danger is to put the emphasis on the effect instead of on the cause. It is my obedience that puts me right with God, my consecration. Never! I am put right with God because prior to all, Christ died. When I turn to God and by belief accept what God reveals I can accept, instantly the stupendous Atonement of Jesus Christ rushes me into a right relationship with God; and by the supernatural miracle of God's grace I stand justified, not because I am sorry for my sin, not because I have repented, but because of what Jesus has done. The Spirit of God brings it with a breaking, all-over light, and I know, though I do not know how, that I am saved.

The salvation of God does not stand on human logic, it stands on the sacrificial Death of Jesus. We can be born again because of the Atonement of Our Lord. Sinful men and women can be changed into new creatures, not by their repentance or their belief, but by the marvellous work of God in Christ Jesus which is prior to all experience. The impregnable safety of justification and sanctification is God Himself. We have not to work out these things ourselves; they have been worked out by the Atonement. The supernatural becomes natural by the miracle of God; there is the realization of what Jesus Christ has already done - "It is finished."

Video blog follow up...

A bit longer than the last one, but a very important question was asked that I needed to answer... ;)

Video blog

Sure, I have fun posting odd things from time to time. And I mostly get great enjoyment out of sharing the good news of the grace of God, and interacting with all of you as we encourage one another in the gospel.

But who am I, really? Don't let this video fool you! =D

Just for fun!

More Boone pickin's :)

These are for Walking Church, and Walking Church alone!

(...And/or anyone else).

A few more songs from Pat Boone's In A Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy album.

I was told to include a warning so...

Warning: You may like these better than I do, or you may not like them as well as I do. ;)

Pat "lives it up" in Judas Priest's You've Got Another Thing Comin'


Led Zeppelin's Stairway To Heaven makes Pat wonder


Pat goes deep with Dio's Holy Diver


Dueling "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep's" in Metallica vs. Pat Boone - Enter Sandman

More on the Exchanged Life

Latest Growing in Grace program is available for download. Our life exchanged for His life. Our sin exchanged for His righteousness. Christ in you, the hope of glory!

gigcast.graceroots.org

Was at the end of my rope...

DC Talk - Since I Met You

Mind's Eye

In my mind I can see Your face
Your love pours down in a shower of grace
Some people tell me that You're just a dream
My faith is the evidence of things unseen...

DC Talk - Mind's Eye

THE Promise Keeper

The gospel, redemption, salvation, eternal life, righteousness, our heritage, our anointing, the Spirit, the New Covenant, our hope, etc, etc, etc... What is it ALL based upon? Our promises and faithfulness to God? Or HIS promises and faithfulness alone?

Rom 4:13-15 For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

2 Cor 1:20-22 For all the promises of God in Him (Christ) are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Gal 3:13-14, 18 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith... For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Heb 8:6 But now He (Christ) has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Ozzy Osbourne / Pat Boone - Crazy Train

Crazy Train... Haha! Of course this is an Ozzy Osbourne song from the 80's. There are some lyrics in the song that I know those who have been trapped in religion can relate to. Ah, yes, and then there was PAT BOONE'S version of the song! (See below). I was so very intrigued when Boone put out his In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy album in 1997. He recorded a handful of my favorite hair metal songs in a big band/jazz style.

Man, it's a CRAZY album... LOL. Boone covered tunes from Judas Priest, Van Halen, Metallica, Guns 'n Roses and several others. He got quite a lot of heat from TBN at the time, and they even pulled his show off the air because of the album. (Read about the ordeal here, including Boone's response). Anyway, I've still got the cassette tape and I give it a listen every now and then.

Crazy Train - select lyrics:

I've listened to preachers
I've listened to fools
I've watched all the dropouts
Who make their own rules
One person conditioned to rule and control
The media sells it and we live the role

--------------------------

Mental wounds not healing
Life's a bitter shame
I'm going off the rails on a crazy train

Rest of the lyrics here.

Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train


Pat Boone - Crazy Train - Chooo choooo!

Oops (phone blog follow-up)

Looks like I'll have to figure out my phone blogging thing. :)

That last blog was supposed to end with, "Sad but yet very beautiful day."

Phone blog

Riding alongside the historic Route 66 near St. Louis with my parents after burial of my aunt's ashes. Sad but yet

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The Tithe Series

I'm simply listing the 10 parts to my series on The Tithe from a month ago for easy reference.

Part 1 First Things First - setting a proper foundation for looking at "the tithe"

Part 2 More than one tithe; Abram's tithe; Tithing not a "type" for new covenant giving

Part 3 To repeat - plural tithes; Mandatory tithes; Leviticus

Part 4 Important info about the Levites; Deuteronomy 12

Part 5 Deuteronomy 14

Part 6 Deuteronomy 26, 2 Chronicles, Nehemiah, What is the 'Storehouse?'; Malachi

Part 7 New Testament mentions of tithing - Matthew 23; Luke 11; Hebrews 7 - Explanation of Abram's tithe

Part 8 Separating the Old Covenant from the New Covenant; a NEW priesthood; we are all priests; a spiritual house; one body; New Covenant church pastors and leader are NOT equivalent AT ALL to the Old Covenant Levite tribe and Levite priests

Part 9 Giving; Giving cheerfully; Everybody's finances are NOT the same; Giving in many different ways

Part 10 God does not need us to give (God doesn't need ANYTHING from us!); a sweet smelling aroma; not duty or obligation, but giving by grace

Goldfish Bowl

I was getting caught up on email today (cleaning out my inbox and replying to a few people) and I was rereading an email from my cousin. I had previously read the body of the email but I hadn't read his sig. Anyway, with all the talk of growing, living in the wild, legalistic bondage and guilt, etc, that comes up on this blog, I thought I'd share my cousin's email sig. I think most of you 'get' how it relates to this blog, even if that wasn't the original intent of these words:

With all your health tips and your guilt trips
I can't even walk
you're watching me like a hawk
with all your guilt trips and your health tips
I can't eat at all
you're watching me like a hawk
you know this apartment is so small
oh, how can I expect a wild love to grow
oh, how can I expect a wild love to grow
it's like a fish in a goldfish bowl
it's like a fish in a goldfish bowl
it's like a fish in a goldfish bowl
-Smog-

Exchanged Life - Christ's Life In Us

Latest Growing in Grace program is available for download. Our life exchanged for His life. Our sin exchanged for His righteousness. Christ in you, the hope of glory!

gigcast.graceroots.org

For Matthew :)

All because of the last part - "Fly to Jesus." Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. :) (And BTW, no wings necessary!)

Politics and worldly troubles - Where is our hope and trust?

I found an excellent blog (from what I've seen so far), and an excellent blog post on that blog that I wanted to share. The blog itself is called New Life Design, and it seems to be a very grace-based blog.

The specific blog post I wanted to share is called Perilous Times. It echoes a lot of what I've been thinking about lately. With the U.S. presidential election a little over 2 weeks away, and with the various economic conditions around the world - and with all other kinds of troubles and trials and negative circumstances in the world - many people are worried, sad, fearful, perplexed, distressed and depressed, along with many other negative thoughts, feelings and emotions. The Perilous Times post is a great encouragement to all that our hope and trust is in God, not man or circumstances.

It seems so very easy for some people to put a lot of stock in politics, politicians, political parties, the political system, etc. I mean, we say they're all liars and cheaters, but yet of course the ones we're voting for are the hope of all mankind! ;) So we form strong opinions, we hold rallies and man, oh man do we talk so bitterly about "the opponents." (Come on, is that really the life of Christ speaking through us?) And when it comes to worldly affairs, it seems so easy for us to live as if our very lives are dependent upon the circumstances of the world - when the circumstances of the world have been so very up and down and unstable ever since the Fall.

Don't get me wrong - What I'm not saying here is that "politics" are to be ignored. (But whatever your "politics," do let it all be an outflow of the life of the One who indwells you, and of faith, not sight, just as with the rest of your life). What I am saying is that in the midst of all this it's so easy to forget the One who truly does have the whole world in HIS hands. AS IF the fate of the United States and the rest of the world has ever really been in the hands of Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, G. Bush, Clinton, G.W. Bush (the presidents in office since my birth) or any other local or national leader in all of history - or yet to come. Sure... God has worked in and through them, as He has with all of mankind, but the world's fate has never been in their hands. Never.

Check out what Jesus said to Pontius Pilate when Pilate asked Him, "Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?" Jesus' answer was, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above." (In other words, "Sure, Pilate, you indeed have a lot of power. But AS IF my fate is in your hands. This is God's plan"). In the very same way, isn't it also true that the whole of history - all the leaders, all those 'powerful' decision makers - were and always will be in God's hands?

What do we have to worry about?

Recover Your Good Heart - book and study guide available

As you may have seen I posted my review of Jim Robbin's book Recover Your Good Heart here about a week ago. I think this would be a really great addition to anyone's library, and also would be excellent to pass along as a gift to others.

So, I just wanted to let everyone know that the book can be purchased here (Amazon - paperback book)

Or here (lulu.com, paperback or download)

And also that a new study guide to accompany the book has just become available, and it's available here (paperback or download).

BTW, I'm not playing "salesman" here. :) I just really think that many who check out this blog would enjoy the book.

While I'm at it, if there are those who purchase the book and the study guide who would like to study it with others, I'd like to throw out the idea of having some sort of online study group (perhaps through Yahoo Messenger or something like that)? I know some of us have had the idea to do some sort of online study together, so I'm just putting this up for consideration. This would obviously also be a great idea to do in your own church or small group, or with any group of people who you fellowship with.

Works - Part 4 of 4

I really think that our life in Christ is a life that doesn't look like what many Christians today see it as. For many, it's a life that revolves around "church." Many of the works that Christians are exhorted to do seem to be centered around church programs, ministries, outreaches, etc. Not that any of them are necessarily bad in and of themselves, but how often do Christians get wrapped up in those things and don't really live out the life of the person God has truly made them to be.

I personally had the guilt laid on me (perhaps mostly self-inflicted) because I quit working all the works I was expected to work in "the church," including but not limited to joining in on all the church activities and outreaches. None of them seemed to be appealing to my heart, and I felt guilty because I felt as if I was neglecting the "doing" of some very good things, including things that many people felt "needed" to be done. But I had come to the conclusion that all I was really doing was going through the motions with a lot of the stuff. The good news was that, since I'd come to have a strong foundation of who I am in Christ, I had an understanding within myself that I actually was a "doer" in so many other ways that simply didn't have the appearance of "church activity," but were really a result of walking in who I am in Christ. I've all too often found that what I'm called to do isn't what everyone else expects of me! It's been a struggle to truly discover that, but I think I'm finally free in that respect.

The "instructions" I had received implied that the work I needed to be involved in centered around Church Activity A, B and C, and then I was to sacrifice myself some more and also be involved in Activities D, E and F as well! But I discovered that God has many different "members" in Christ's body. We are all unique, and we walk in the works that God created for us to walk in, individually and as a body. Sometimes those works may indeed be "church activities," but so much of life is lived apart from the assembling of the saints - far away from whatever building we may have met in - and we walk as who we are wherever we are!

Look at the good works (the works of faith) that the saints mentioned in Hebrews 11 walked in. How much of it was forced or contrived? How much of it was "church work?" How much of it was based upon biblical instructions??? Heck, look at the work Paul and the apostles did! Look at what the people of the early church did. They didn't have "New Testament instructions" to follow. Wasn't it as simple as walking in the new life they'd been given, and encouraging one another and spurring one another on toward love and good deeds? There's plenty of room for instructing and correcting one another, but is that really the basis of the Christian life?

Works - Part 3 of 4

We've evolved into a body of believers who don't know what to do or how to do it apart from being told what to do - through reading various biblical instructions, through reading books, through listening to preachers and teachers, and so on. We've evolved from a Spirit-based Life to a performance-based religion. Do we really know God - or who we truly are in Him?

We're so used to equating "doing" with doing teaching - exhortations, methods, principles. In other words, we don't know what to do or how to live unless we're "instructed" on what to do. We've made church that way. We haven't taught identity, but rather "saved by grace, now get to work" - with little or no foundation of where the work really comes from - the life of Christ in us.

And so... what you see coming from me is what I believe is the root of the Christian life. The root is not works. The root is Jesus Himself. The root is grace. The root is our true identity in Christ. The root is all those things intertwined in such a way that they are "one." From the root springs a natural plant that bears natural fruit.

Paul was accused of teaching licentiousness (grace is a license to sin), which is far from what he was doing, so I'm never surprised when the pure message of God's grace, and resting/abiding in Christ is misconstrued by others to mean being couch potatoes. But when the abiding life is lived out, the result that's shown can hardly be said to be the life of a couch potato! However, I wonder if the "doing" is always what the church makes it out to look like!

Works - Part 2 of 4

I don't believe that God created Adam and Eve (the first humans) and the rest of the human race for the purpose of living by instructions. In fact, wasn't it the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that God told Adam not to eat from? We all know what happened (sin entered the world, and death through sin), but as we fast-forward to the Cross, and the Resurrection of Jesus we see that Christ came to take away sin, and through faith in Christ, man can be restored to LIFE. Through faith, man now has righteousness, holiness, completeness, goodness. God has taken away the sinful spirit that we were born with in Adam and has given us a new spirit that is alive together with Christ. By faith, we can walk according to this newness of life.

Rom 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The "baptism" above isn't water baptism, but it's a death and burial of our old sinful nature - the spiritual person we were in Adam. It's now dead and gone, and we've been raised together with Christ into new life! The natural result of growing and maturing in who we now are in this new life is a life of goodness. And the growing process is lifelong. It's by no means instantaneous.

This new life - which is nothing less (or more) than the very life of Christ in us - is where holiness and goodness and righteousness and good works flow from. This new life - Christ-in-me - is the foundation of the Christian life.

Works - Part 1 of 4

This was drafted as one long post (too long), so I'm simply breaking it up into smaller chunks and scheduling them to post in 12 hour intervals...

I've been growing in grace since sometime in the mid 90's, and from then till now I've been discussing the message of grace with people wherever I go. I've discussed it one-on-one with people. I've discussed it in groups. I've discussed it online in Christian chat rooms, forums, blogs, etc. Over the years I've run into a lot of opposition from people - mainly in the online chat rooms and forums (boy have I been ganged-up upon!). I've been called lots of names and I've been accused of heresy. Some people have been kinder, and have simply expressed "concerns" about what I say. :)

One of the many "concerns" I've heard from people is that I'm teaching people to "do nothing." In other words, that I'm teaching people to abstain from good works. Many, many times I've simply had to tell people, "scroll back up and look at what I actually said!" "Look at where I'm actually coming from, and I think you'll see that I'm building a foundation of grace that leads to a natural life of good works."

If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know I talk about this a lot. It's the difference between an outward/external life of living by "biblical instructions" and living by the life of Christ that indwells us. In other words, far be it from me to be against works, but rather I heavily emphasize the true source of works. I do think that the various New Testament "instructions" can be a marvelous aid in showing us what our life in Christ looks like when it's lived out, but I don't believe for a minute that they are the foundation or essence of the Christian life.

Do your best and let God do the rest?

Do we realize how silly this sounds???!!!

What is "our best" to God, but filthy, stinking rags?

What do you suppose He does with "our best?"

Jesus is enough

Barlow Girl - Enough

The Joy of Salvation (repost)

(First posted 10/11/06)


Salvation means you've been saved from something.

Jesus came to save us.

Have you lost the "joy of your salvation?"

Have you forgotten that it's not about you saving yourself!

When zeal for God is detrimental

Rom 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Phil 3:7-10 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith...

Zeal for God would seem like such a wonderful thing, wouldn't it? But yet the zeal for God mentioned above was in vain. And not only was it in vain, but it was detrimental to those who had such great zeal, because in this zeal they had a certain form of righteousness, but it was their own righteousness - not God's righteousness.

In their zeal and devotion to God, they were actually kept from God, because they were trusting in their own righteousness and in doing so they fell short of the only righteousness that is acceptable to God - His own righteousness. This righteousness cannot be earned, but can only be received by faith, as a gift.

In this post I've underlined two distinct types of righteousness - Man's righteousness and God's righteousness. One type is an attempt to earn favor with God through self-effort (self-righteousness) and the other is a gift that can only be received by faith. One type is done with great zeal, but nevertheless falls completely short of the only type of righteousness that counts for anything.

The gospel is all about God's righteousness (see Romans 1:16-17) - and how it's freely given to all who believe. It would seem "logical" to the human mind that submitting to God's righteousness would mean trying as hard as we can to attain to it. But yet it's utter foolishness! If a person is trying to attain to righteousness by their own works, they have not submitted to God's righteousness. It can only be received in one way - as a FREE GIFT!

It's someone's birthday!

October 14 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!!! - From all your buddies all over the internet! MANY happy returns of the day!

Matthew, it's been great to get to know you over the past year or so. You've become a great friend and you're an inspiration with all the honest and transparent words that you share about yourself and your walk in the grace of God, and as you greatly encourage all of us in God's love and grace.

You are loved, brother. Hope your day is wonderful!

God's Treasure (repost)

(First posted 7/19/07)


As I meditate more upon God's love in action, which I believe is really the only way we'll ever even begin to walk in it ourselves, a couple more examples that come to mind are based upon two parables.

Steve McVey of Grace Walk Ministries (see his blog), when he was visiting my church a couple of years ago, shed light and opened my eyes to the beauty of God's love demonstrated in the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. I'll put it in my own words below.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matt 13:44)

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (Matt 13:45-46)

I've always, always, always heard that the treasure in the field and the pearl of great price is JESUS, and that we're to sell all we have so that we can have Him. But hold on a minute. How can we purchase what God gives us freely? And to think about it a little further, isn't there a price that Jesus paid so that God could have us? "For God so loved the world (the treasure, the pearls) that He gave His only begotten Son..."

...our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us... (Titus 2:13b-14a)

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all... (1 Tim 2:5-6)

Let's be real about this... Did we ever do a thing to seek out or to earn any of this? "There is no one righteous, no not one..." "There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."

The pearl of great price. The treasure in the field. Isn't Jesus talking about us? And again, the price that was paid - isn't that what Jesus did? Isn't it Jesus who went looking for the lost sheep? All we can really do is to respond to what He has done for us! We cannot treat it as a debt, because He gave all this to us freely. And even our response is by His grace. How we've forgotten that the coming of Jesus wasn't about what we could do for God, but it was ALL about His love for us, and how He considered us so precious that HE did all this for us!

One of my favorite passages that gets to the heart of God's love in action is found in Philippians 2. We're encouraged to love one another, be of one accord, be of one mind, etc, by looking to the example of Christ:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:5-11)

By all of this we know God's love for us. He demonstrated it fully and perfectly.

When Jesus told the rich young ruler, "sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven," He Himself was in the very process of demonstrating it, by giving up His rights to deity ("selling all He had") and becoming one of us, coming in our likeness, being obedient to the point of death on a cross (giving Himself to us, the "poor")... and ultimately being exalted to the highest place, and receiving the ultimate treasure in heaven...

Us.

Value (repost)

"The shepherd didn't go to the hills to find the sheep because it was bleating pitifully. He went because it was valuable."

-Malcolm Smith

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Ps 8:4-5
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than Elohim,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.
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Over-discipled?

Being and Growing
The other day I was reminded of a section in Jim Robbins' book Recover Your Good Heart that talks about how (in my own words) we're holy, righteous and complete in Christ, and yet at the same time we're growing in it day by day. A section in one of the chapters is How can it be both/and?

How can it be that in Christ we're perfected forever (Heb 10:14), we've become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:21), we're holy (1 Cor 3:17), we're born again of incorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23)... and so much more, all by the gift of God's grace, and yet all of this doesn't always show in our outward behavior (and even in our inward thoughts and attitudes). In other words, how can all of this have been an absolute transformation at the time when Christ came to be our life, but yet we're still in a process of being transformed?

Robbins' provides a helpful explanation:

"...I am always beginning with a firmly established holiness and wholeness within me. Further, I can only change as I rest - rest in God's unshakable favor for me. I therefore learn to live from a new purity in increasing measure while I live buoyed by his delight and already-accomplished work in me. I continue to be transformed into "ever-increasing glory." (2 Cor. 3:18) As I do this, I mature in the goodness that God has already given me. That goodness may be as yet not expressed, but nevertheless still present in me. Discipleship is the process by which I enjoy and continue to express an already-present holiness and wholeness within me." (bold emphasis mine)

Over-complicated Discipleship?
Isn't that really what discipleship is all about? Do you feel as I do that the church has over-complicated discipleship? Does "go and make disciples" really mean "go and get people to follow you?" Does it mean "get people to church every week, and involved in all kinds of church programs and activities?" Does it mean "get people into accountability groups?" Does it necessarily mean one person leads and another person follows? Is discipleship about becoming a "better" Christian and making sure we do all the things Jesus did? Is discipleship about learning all the do's and don'ts and how-to's of the Christian life and applying them as best we can?

To "disciple" simply means to teach. To be a disciple is to learn in such a way as to grow in maturity. As a disciple of Christ, I'm not trying to become more of something. I already am what I am, but I'm in a lifelong process of learning and maturing in who God has already made me to be. I don't believe discipleship is meant to be some tedious process by which I learn all the rules and get my act together more and more. Rather, I take Jesus' words to heart, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matt 11:28-30)

Now there's a type of learning I can relate to! Why do we make it so hard, and so exhausting, monotonous and laborious, when it was never meant to be that way!

True Discipleship
Don't we really disciple one another? Sure, there are wonderful close-knit one-on-one relationships that form within the body of Christ, in which great discipleship takes place, but in the body don't we all teach one another and learn from one another? Aren't we all to build one another up in love and grace, and spur one another on toward expressing the love that is already in us and the good deeds that God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them?

Thoughts?

Related Post: The Starting Point

Convicted of Righteousness

Latest Growing in Grace program is available for download. In Christ, we have a brand new identity. The Bible says that in Him we've been perfected, and we are holy, righteous and complete in Him. This week Mike and Joel talk about how the unbelieving world had to be convicted of sin (see John 16:8-11, Romans 3:19-20) in order to come to Christ, but now that we're in Christ we're convicted of righteousness - because that's who we are! When we sin, we are simply not being who we (already truly) are, and the more we're convinced, and convicted, of our true identity as the righteousness of God, the more we'll live as who we really are. All of this is based upon the finished work of Jesus and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It's all Him, not us!

gigcast.graceroots.org

Here we are now, entertain us...

Just for something waaaaaay different...!

PAUL ANKA - Smells Like Teen Spirit
(You can pretty much understand the words!)


WEIRD AL YANKOVIC - Smells Like Nirvana
(Thanks Weird Al for empathizing with those who couldn't understand the words!)
(Sorry but you gotta follow the link)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixyTNd-Ln38

NIRVANA - Smells Like Teen Spirit (the original song, for the uninitiated)
(Thanks again Paul Anka for helping me understand what they're saying!)

Unripe and plastic fruit - Part 2 of 2

Another blog post that brought about my desire to post on this subject is Until Love Pleases... from Matthew's blog. Matthew brings out a verse from Song of Solomon that says not to "stir up or awaken love until it pleases." We're in such a hurry these days. Such a hurry to do, such a hurry to perform, such a hurry to produce, such a hurry to grow. Which leads to another huge problem that can easily come as a result of performance-based Christian teaching - fake lifestyles and fake love that only appears holy --- also known as self-righteousness. I realize that self-righteousness is often perceived to mean a "holier than thou" attitude, but actually I think far more often it's expressed in the form of a performance-based lifestyle - me trying my best perform for God or for people.

Last week I shared with my pastor (again, agreeing on some things and disagreeing on other things - which is perfectly fine) my thoughts that there are many people who hear all the principles taught in churches every week, and, sincerely wanting to be 'good Christians,' they put up the appearance of having it all together - but in reality they're just faking it. They're faking holiness. It's not only fruit that's unripe. It's fake, plastic fruit. It may have every appearance of being real, but it's not real. I think that due to all the "doing" teaching in the church today there is a lot of pressure to look as if you're living it, and living it well. Sometimes it's pressure we put on ourselves and other times it's peer pressure, but either way, performance-based Christianity does not help at all!

The fruit that I'm talking about includes, but is not limited to, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). We're taught that all of these things - along with all the good works - are the marks of a good Christian, so we go around trying to display them, or treating them like "projects" that we need to work on and become better at. And so in our meetings we talk the talk and we act as if we're walking the walk, and we can make it look reeeeal good, but all it really is is an external appearance on the outside that hasn't truly come from who we are inside. And that's because we're not living from the Life that we already have on the inside, but rather we're constantly trying to follow all these principles and rules through external means ("the flesh"), trying to make ourselves to be something, when in fact we already are holy, righteous and complete in Him!

My purpose here is not to get down on anyone, but simply to point out the difference between unripe and plastic fruit that is the result of forced, contrived, fleshly growth, and real fruit that comes naturally and in due season as the Lord Himself works in us through His very life. The fruit of the Spirit is... the fruit of the Spirit. It's not up to us, but it's His fruit that He patiently works out of us as we simply abide (rest, remain) in Him and grow in His supernatural timing. His fruit in us is never unripe, never fake, never bad tasting, never plastic.

And so... what are some solutions to all this? I think the comments that came in after I posted Part 1 are excellent! Mainly... let's preach the pure gospel of grace. Let's preach Jesus. Let's not add anything to the gospel (such as our own works) or take anything away from it (such as the finished work of Jesus). And let's relax and lighten up! It's my opinion (and you can judge for yourself the validity of my opinion) that the various principles and exhortations to good works in the New Testament weren't written as a means of studying every week and then going out and trying to apply them to become better Christians. Rather, they are things that, as we grow in our understanding of who God is and who we truly are in Christ (the true foundation of our entire life of grace), show us what it looks like when it's "worked out" over the course of our lifetimes.

You simply can't force any of it. It must come naturally, and I believe it comes naturally as we grow in the gospel of grace, not as we try to "apply" principles. I believe it comes from the constant sharing with each other of the freedom and peace that we have in Christ, and God's unconditional love. I think most people know all the "do's and don'ts" of the Christian life, but how many people really know who they are in Christ? How many people really know the love of God? How many people are truly rooted and established in God's love and grace?

And so my plea to the Christian church is to preach Christ and Him crucified, dead and raised again! There is more power than you could ever imagine in this alone!

My review of Recover Your Good Heart

I was introduced to the writings of Jim Robbins a few months ago through a blog post from Aida, who, since then, has posted a few blogs about his book Recover Your Good Heart. I believe she heard about the book through Amy. Long story short, I ended up having an email conversation with Jim and I received a copy of the book from him. I've thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, and gaining some insight into "the heart" - the new heart of flesh that God put in us after having taken away our old heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26).

Below is my review of the book that appears on Jim's website, robbinswritings.com.

In the midst of a church culture that tends to put a huge emphasis on outward behavior change and religious activity, Jim Robbins’ book Recover Your Good Heart is a refreshing and much needed look into the true life that we have in Christ that is lived freely and abundantly from within - through the new heart that God gave us when we were raised to life with Christ.

How many Christians are still living with the mentality of something that was true at one time – that our hearts were deceitful and desperately wicked – when the scriptures tell us that in Christ God has taken away the old, unredeemed, sinful heart and placed in us a brand new heart that is holy, righteous and good!

It’s in our new God-given heart that we find real life and our true identity. Robbins examines the scriptures to show us what this new heart is and how we live from our good heart rather than trying harder to become something better. I highly recommend this book for anyone who tends to live in guilt and shame, or for anyone who simply wants to grow in understanding their true identity in Christ so they can freely live the life they were always meant to live.

Unripe and plastic fruit - Part 1 of 2

Green bananas not only taste terrible but they feel terrible as you chew them! The reason is simple. They haven't ripened yet to the enjoyable yellow, softer, sweeter, good-to-eat state. There is a proper time to eat a banana.

Likewise, there is a proper time and a proper process for the formation and outward expression of "fruit" in the life of a Christian - but yet I've seen all too many examples of Christians who seem to be in a rush to produce fruit and to get others to produce fruit. Check out the post Unripe Grapes from Following Him Alone last week. That post, along with my meeting with a pastor the other day, as well as some other things I've felt the Lord whispering to my heart lately, has brought about the desire to post this blog.

The pastor, by the way, is someone who I love dearly. He's the pastor of the church my family has been a part of for almost nine years. As some of you know, I haven't been attending for over a year, for various reasons, but I still love the people and I was very touched when the pastor called me out of the blue a few weeks ago to say he missed seeing me and wanted to get together. When we finally got together last week we talked about many things (many agreements as well as disagreements), most of which I won't get into here, but part of our conversation relates to this post.

It has to do with the constant preaching of principles and methods, and always trying to get people to go out and do, do, do. Yes, we want to "do" as Christians! But my concern is that the principles- and performance-based teachings don't actually help Christians in the way that's intended, but rather can cause harm. I'll explain what I mean and you can agree or disagree with me.

In my case I've found that the constant preaching of methods and principles (the "how to's" of the Christian life) end up jamming me. My heart, which is indwelled by the Spirit of Jesus and is complete in Him, longs to express itself in love in so many ways, but quite frankly when all I hear is a bombardment of principles being taught all the time, I become overwhelmed because I simply can't keep up with it all. I need time to grow naturally, not hurriedly or under the impatient lead of performance-based teachers and preachers, of which there is no shortage. I've found that when I've sincerely tried to live by the teachings of principles, the "fruit" that has generally come (if any) has ended up unripe - that is, underdeveloped and not fully formed. And the sad things is, I've found that the church will still accept it, most of the time, because at least it shows that I'm "doing" something. But it ain't right.

Since this is getting long, I'll make it a two-parter. In the next part I'll talk about a second problem I see, and I'll take a look at some solutions as well!

Green bananas

The other day I was sitting in the waiting area of a mega-church office, waiting to meet with the senior pastor, and I got a bad taste in my mouth as I saw someone walk by peeling a banana - a very, very GREEN banana! I got the jitters as sort of a "sympathy taste" crept into in my mouth as I anticipated this man taking the first bite. Other people in the office noticed it too, and began giving this person a hard time about eating a such a green banana. I commented, "I think I saw a sign on that banana that says, 'Do Not Eat Until Christmas.'" ;)

(I admit that I can't take credit for the comment, because just a couple of weeks ago I saw a green banana sitting on a desk in the Materials department at work and someone had jokingly written that on the banana. I simply seized this opportunity to use the line!)

Rooted in love and grace - Participation solicitation!

Please read to the end... I'm asking for input from YOU!

About a month ago I wrote a blog post called Even Keel, in which I explained how the Lord had steadied me in my relationship with Him through growing in understanding His faithfulness, love and grace in my life. In response to that post, I received this message from a woman:

I'm reading your post on even-keeled and just struck by it... so I wanted to personally jot a message rather than comment. It overwhelmed me - to the point of tears, actually.

I have been sooooo up and down spiritually.... I always know I love God, I always know God loves me... but I get so defeated in the Christian life... I don't pray enough, I don't give enough, I'm too selfish....

Yet, I know it isn't about what I do, but about what Christ has done.

I want [my daughter] to grow up knowing that - and to have it deeply inbedded in her.... and yet, I don't get it. I get caught up in the legalism that has plagued me my entire life...

What got you from being caught up to fully understanding rooted and established in Grace. I get so frustrated, because even when I hear you and Kap talk on the program, I am still thinking "but what about.... (fill in any legalistic thing we are supposed to do)" I don't want to be there. I don't want to waver back-and-forth with the feeling of God's presence or not feeling... or all that - I want it deeply imbedded. In fact, even in saying this I'm wondering what I can DO to make this happen....

Anyway - thoughts?

I replied back and shared some thoughts about the process through which I began to get rooted and grounded in God's love and grace, and about how I'm still growing. I then asked for permission to share her words because I think that a whole ton of people can relate to all this, and perhaps I could use her words to ask what other people think.

So let's have it! What do you think? Have you been through any of this? Are you going through any of this now? What has your experience been? What have you struggled with, or what has hindered you? How have you overcome? How has the Lord established you in His grace? Do you have words that can possibly help others as they desire to get out of legalism and be rooted and established in God's love and grace?

Whether you are a "lurker" here, or someone who comments a little, or a lot, this is open to you. (Also, feel free to spread the word). If you'd like to share, my thoughts are that you could either share some brief thoughts in the comments section here - or write about it on your own blog or website and link to it here. Go in whatever direction your heart takes you. This isn't about "right answers." The main thing that I'm personally thinking about is encouraging one another in growing in God's grace, as well as sharing honest struggles and victories that we have along the way. Maybe we can all help each other out.

Depending upon the amount of activity this does or doesn't generate, I'll tentatively plan on gathering together the comment highlights as well as the links to other blogs, in another blog post here in a couple of weeks.

Sin Taken Away - Living With a Consciousness of Righteousness

Latest Growing in Grace program is available for download. In Christ we've received the righteousness of God as a gift. The Old Testament sacrifices ("the blood of bulls and goats") could never take away sin. In fact, the book of Hebrews says that all they really did was to bring a reminder of sin. This week Mike and Joel talk about how the once-for-all, far-superior sacrifice of Christ has taken sin away, and how we can live with a consciousness of righteousness rather than a consciousness of sin. Let your heart and mind be set free as the truth from scripture reminds you of your true standing with God in Christ!

gigcast.graceroots.org

Sea of Love

The Honeydrippers' remake of Phil Phillips' Sea of Love.

Lighten up - I love you!

I think it's been years since I've heard a Robert Plant song, and then suddenly I heard two within a couple of hours today!

The former Led Zeppelin front-man did some solo work as well as some work with a band called The Honeydrippers (which also consisted of other former Zep members Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page). Today on the radio I heard Tall Cool One by Plant, as well as Sea of Love by the Honeydrippers. I've always loved those songs.

What stuck out to me in Tall Cool One as I listened to it today was the phrase that's repeated throughout the song, "Lighten up baby, I'm in love with you!" How many of us really just need to lighten up - relax, take a load off - and just love God and be loved by Him!

Robert Plant - Tall Cool One

What we need, not what we deserve

The story below happened after midnight on this day twenty years ago (October 2, 1988 - approximately half my life ago). It's not exactly a "prodigal son returns home and is thrown a party" story, but it is a true happening in my life that would eventually play a part in helping me to understand the grace and love of God.

(I first posted this here).

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It’s a Saturday night in October of 1988. I’m 19 years old, and I’m ready to go have some fun! I’m grabbing some friends and we’re going road-tripping down the highways and back roads surrounding my hometown of Waverly. But what kind of fun would it be without a case of beer and a two bottles of Mad Dog 20/20? It seemed like the perfect touch to an evening of fun and laughter – until…

Our fun and laughter ended up in fear and screaming after my inattentive eyes missed a “curve ahead” road sign on the gravel road. Amazingly - and thankfully - this part of the story ends with no one getting seriously hurt. In fact, as all our friends drove by the following day to view my totaled car which had been towed from the ditch in which it had landed upside down, they marveled that we were alive at all.

But the most amazing part of this story is yet to come. Something which has impacted me in a far greater way. And it all centers around grace. Back up to the previous year. My pastor-dad and mom had gone beyond their means to purchase this car for me so I would have wheels while I was 100 miles away at college. When I dropped out after only 4 months my parents were undoubtedly disappointed but they graciously welcomed me back home and granted me the continued use of the car and all the other benefits of being a son. I sure had a fine way of showing them how thankful I was, eh.

After sitting with my buddy in the local jail overnight, we were released early Sunday morning. We walked across the river, viewed my smashed up “college” car for the last time and then I slowly and hesitantly walked home, not exactly eager to face my parents. My mom was standing in the kitchen, getting ready for church. I didn’t know what to say. I’m sure my parents were angry. I’m sure they were deeply disappointed. I’m sure they weren’t even sure what to think or say. But five words came out of my mom’s mouth which would eventually have more of an impact on my relationship with God than I ever would have imagined at the time. “We’re just glad you’re ok.”

Disappointment and anger were probably only the beginning of the flood of emotions mom and dad were having, and add to that the fear and worry about their seemingly messed-up son’s future. But whatever dismal thoughts may have been going through their minds, there was something else on the inside of my parents which superseded all of it. Their main concern was to let me know I was loved. They most certainly had every right to go all off on me and let me know how I had let them down, and those thoughts probably tempted them more than I’ll ever know. My neck deserved a good wringing. But they didn’t give me what I deserved. They gave me what I needed.

They confirmed to me that I was still their son. The deafening silence - there were no long talks, no sermons, no preaching – spoke to me more than anything else could have. That said, I still had a lot of growing to do, and it’s not as if I didn’t push the limits from time to time. My life was by no means instantly transformed at the time. It wasn’t until a few years down the line that this experience spoke even more clearly to me about the love of my parents – and the love of God.

I came to a stage in life when I was beginning to learn more about the grace of God – His favor and blessing which is given to me freely, which I have done nothing to earn, and in fact which is given to me despite the fact that the absolute total of what I have “earned” really only amounts to death and condemnation. One day I was thinking about this time in my past when I had been given what I didn’t deserve by my parents. Suddenly the magnitude of how they had responded to my needs rather than reacted to my actions hit me like a ton of bricks and I was swept up in a huge emotional wave. My experience from the past provided me with a clear picture of a loving Father who gives grace to those who need it, not to those who deserve it. And for perhaps the first time in my life I truly appreciated the immeasurable freedom and grace which had been given to me over the years by my earthly parents and my Heavenly Father.

I don’t want to imply that the way my parents treated this matter was the only way. I can’t guarantee that when both my kids become teenagers, my wife and I will respond in the same way to their misdeeds! I hope and pray that by the Spirit of God in us, we’ll raise them with godly love, grace and discipline. But what’s really wonderful is that we have a Father who always knows exactly how to treat us. The good news is that while He is well aware of our faults, He is much more interested in providing for us what we need rather than what we deserve. He proved it with the Cross.