Some of my favorite reminders of being rooted and established in God's love and grace.
Heb 13:9 (NKJV)
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods [read: laws] which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Col 2:6-7 (NKJV)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Col 2:7 (NLT)
Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
Ps 92:12-15 (NKJV)
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Grace Roots Blog
Showing posts with label established in grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label established in grace. Show all posts
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Grace - The Foundation and Essence of Life in Christ
For many people, it seems that "grace" is just another topic or just another Christian doctrine, or is simply one "part" of the Christian life. This week Mike and Joel discuss how grace is not simply a topic that should be taught on now and then, but is the very foundation of life in Christ and is the very essence of our daily lives in Him. The gospel (good news) is Grace, and Grace is a Person named Jesus. Hebrews 13:9 says "it is good that the heart be established by grace."
Related article: The Sufficiency of Grace
gigcast.graceroots.org
Monday, October 06, 2008
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 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.
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.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Near Him, in Him, complete in Him, know Him
As I said in my "Even Keel" post the other day, my general disposition in life, ever since beginning to have my heart established in grace in the mid 90's has truly been "even keel." Of course that doesn't mean I've never gone through times of doubt, anxiety, lack of understanding, etc. I've not always walked 100%, all the time, in the freedom for which Christ has set me free. In my heart I've not always lived as the beloved child of God that I really am.
However, back then when I began to understand that in Christ I am already complete, and that God isn't angry with me, and that I really am His beloved, and that my "strengths" and "failings" have absolutely nothing to do with where I stand with Him, the weights were lifted off of me and the up and down rollercoaster ride ended. I began to live from a state of being complete in Christ, rather than trying to attain a state of completion (see The Starting Point). I began to live from the life of Christ that is already in me, which is now my life, rather than trying to look to Him to give me "more of Him." I stopped trying to "enter in" to His presence through worship services and through "toiling" in prayer, and realized that I am in His presence 100% of the time!
Again, it's not that I've always lived all of this out perfectly, but the point is that ever since I began looking at things according to the truth of what the Bible says about who I already am in Christ, and indeed not just knowing about the truth, but knowing the Truth - a Person, Jesus Christ Himself - I've been walking much more of an "even" life, even in the midst of all of the good and bad circumstances in life.
When you're always trying to attain something from God through what you do or through your own strength and determination, or through trying to "break through" into His presence (a big theme from my Pentecostal past), you're always going to fall short! You may think you've had a victory or two here and there, but yet you always end up stretching and striving and seeking for "more," and you never get there!
It's hard to become intimately acquainted with someone when you're never really sure where you stand with them, or when you think you have to always go through some special process in order to get through to them or to get their attention. In Christ we can be assured of where we stand with God. He has wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us and has taken away our sin - and He has given us His very life and come to dwell in us!
James says, "draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Is this a legalistic statement that disregards the fact that in Christ we have already been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus (Eph 2:13)? Is it meant to get Christians to try to come up with methods, steps, principles, worship songs, prayers, etc, through which we'll hopefully find a way into God's presence? What if we simply walk in the understanding that Christ is in us and we are in Him at all times, and use James' words as encouragement to have loving fellowship with our God and Father, not through struggling and striving, but through love and faith!
However, back then when I began to understand that in Christ I am already complete, and that God isn't angry with me, and that I really am His beloved, and that my "strengths" and "failings" have absolutely nothing to do with where I stand with Him, the weights were lifted off of me and the up and down rollercoaster ride ended. I began to live from a state of being complete in Christ, rather than trying to attain a state of completion (see The Starting Point). I began to live from the life of Christ that is already in me, which is now my life, rather than trying to look to Him to give me "more of Him." I stopped trying to "enter in" to His presence through worship services and through "toiling" in prayer, and realized that I am in His presence 100% of the time!
Again, it's not that I've always lived all of this out perfectly, but the point is that ever since I began looking at things according to the truth of what the Bible says about who I already am in Christ, and indeed not just knowing about the truth, but knowing the Truth - a Person, Jesus Christ Himself - I've been walking much more of an "even" life, even in the midst of all of the good and bad circumstances in life.
When you're always trying to attain something from God through what you do or through your own strength and determination, or through trying to "break through" into His presence (a big theme from my Pentecostal past), you're always going to fall short! You may think you've had a victory or two here and there, but yet you always end up stretching and striving and seeking for "more," and you never get there!
It's hard to become intimately acquainted with someone when you're never really sure where you stand with them, or when you think you have to always go through some special process in order to get through to them or to get their attention. In Christ we can be assured of where we stand with God. He has wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us and has taken away our sin - and He has given us His very life and come to dwell in us!
James says, "draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Is this a legalistic statement that disregards the fact that in Christ we have already been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus (Eph 2:13)? Is it meant to get Christians to try to come up with methods, steps, principles, worship songs, prayers, etc, through which we'll hopefully find a way into God's presence? What if we simply walk in the understanding that Christ is in us and we are in Him at all times, and use James' words as encouragement to have loving fellowship with our God and Father, not through struggling and striving, but through love and faith!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
555
The number of the blog post is 555.
Yep, this is my five hundred and fifty fifth blog post! (I don't have much to say, do I?). :) In late May, I had in mind to make a special entry when I hit the 500 mark, but I totally spaced that off. So then June 12th was coming up, which was my 2nd year blogiversary, but again I spaced it off! So I thought, hmmm, what special milestone is coming up? How about Post Number 555! Why not, eh? And I didn't space it off this time!
What I'd really like to do on this "occasion" is just to take a moment to explain what "Grace Roots" is about, especially for those who might be new here. A few times in the past, I've shared how it all got started. Here's a link to what I think was the first time I shared it.
The core of Grace Roots is this: being rooted and established in grace, growing in grace, knowing who we are in Christ, and living out of our true identity.
Hebrews 13:9 says "it is good that the heart be established in grace" and 2 Peter 3:18 says "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Colossians 2:7 says "Let your roots grow down into him (Jesus) and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught."
In Christ we have received a brand new identity. We've become new creations (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15). We've been born again of incorruptible seed (1 Pet 1:23). We've become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4). We are living stones, being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood (1 Pet 2:5). We are complete in Christ (Col 2:10). We are the righteousness of God (2 cor 5:21). In Christ, we are a lot of wonderful things! We have been joined together with God as one spirit! (1 Cor 6:17).
What Grace Roots is about is encouraging one another in all these wonderful things, and allowing time to become established in all these things and to grow in all of them. Fruit is a natural product of becoming established in grace and growing in grace. The fruit that grows naturally in the life of a Christian includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Gal 5:22-23). But what I think the church fatefully forgets is that becoming established, growing naturally, and bearing fruit is a process. This natural process is not automatic and it doesn't happen overnight. Roots take time to grow down into fertile soil and to draw up nourishment, and it can't be forced.
Ps 92:12-14 (NKJV)
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing...
As mentioned in the first link above, the palm tree doesn't bear fruit during the first ten years of it's life! It spends that time becoming established in the fertile soil by digging its roots deep down, and simply spreading out its branches toward heaven. Humanly speaking, it's simply setting our faces towards heaven (God), basking in His love and getting to know Him over time (not instantaneously). The full DNA of the cedar of Lebanon is in the tiny seed, and the seed eventually becomes a mighty, mighty tree! But... it doesn't become a mighty, mighty tree overnight! It takes years. Similarly, even though the fullness of Christ dwells in us, neither do we instantaneously grow and mature quickly into people who understand and live in this fullness.
Grace Roots: Becoming established in grace. Growing in grace. Digging our roots deeper and deeper into grace. Plants don't grow by striving. They grow by resting, abiding, in fertile soil. The fertile soil of our lives in Christ is... grace.
Yep, this is my five hundred and fifty fifth blog post! (I don't have much to say, do I?). :) In late May, I had in mind to make a special entry when I hit the 500 mark, but I totally spaced that off. So then June 12th was coming up, which was my 2nd year blogiversary, but again I spaced it off! So I thought, hmmm, what special milestone is coming up? How about Post Number 555! Why not, eh? And I didn't space it off this time!
What I'd really like to do on this "occasion" is just to take a moment to explain what "Grace Roots" is about, especially for those who might be new here. A few times in the past, I've shared how it all got started. Here's a link to what I think was the first time I shared it.
The core of Grace Roots is this: being rooted and established in grace, growing in grace, knowing who we are in Christ, and living out of our true identity.
Hebrews 13:9 says "it is good that the heart be established in grace" and 2 Peter 3:18 says "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Colossians 2:7 says "Let your roots grow down into him (Jesus) and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught."
In Christ we have received a brand new identity. We've become new creations (2 Cor 5:17, Gal 6:15). We've been born again of incorruptible seed (1 Pet 1:23). We've become partakers of the divine nature (2 Pet 1:4). We are living stones, being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood (1 Pet 2:5). We are complete in Christ (Col 2:10). We are the righteousness of God (2 cor 5:21). In Christ, we are a lot of wonderful things! We have been joined together with God as one spirit! (1 Cor 6:17).
What Grace Roots is about is encouraging one another in all these wonderful things, and allowing time to become established in all these things and to grow in all of them. Fruit is a natural product of becoming established in grace and growing in grace. The fruit that grows naturally in the life of a Christian includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Gal 5:22-23). But what I think the church fatefully forgets is that becoming established, growing naturally, and bearing fruit is a process. This natural process is not automatic and it doesn't happen overnight. Roots take time to grow down into fertile soil and to draw up nourishment, and it can't be forced.
Ps 92:12-14 (NKJV)
The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing...
As mentioned in the first link above, the palm tree doesn't bear fruit during the first ten years of it's life! It spends that time becoming established in the fertile soil by digging its roots deep down, and simply spreading out its branches toward heaven. Humanly speaking, it's simply setting our faces towards heaven (God), basking in His love and getting to know Him over time (not instantaneously). The full DNA of the cedar of Lebanon is in the tiny seed, and the seed eventually becomes a mighty, mighty tree! But... it doesn't become a mighty, mighty tree overnight! It takes years. Similarly, even though the fullness of Christ dwells in us, neither do we instantaneously grow and mature quickly into people who understand and live in this fullness.
Grace Roots: Becoming established in grace. Growing in grace. Digging our roots deeper and deeper into grace. Plants don't grow by striving. They grow by resting, abiding, in fertile soil. The fertile soil of our lives in Christ is... grace.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
What's the rush?
This post is kind of a follow-up to Quit Jammin' Me. My own personal experience in my church life has involved listening to sermons every week that have been based largely upon principles for Christian living. There's generally been a new 'topic' every week, or sometimes a sermon series spanning several weeks, usually based upon some aspect of "how to live the Christian life." Each week several principles have been laid out in regards to that subject, with various subpoints to go along with each principle. With the continuous, ongoing cycle of topics, principles and subpoints, week after week - all having to do with doin' the stuff (one of the mottos of a particular large association of churches) - I've often felt jammed, or overwhelmed, in trying to keep up with it all.
I'm not trying to make myself out to be a victim here! On the contrary, I've simply had many questions and many observances that in the long run have helped me to overcome the principles-based (and performance-based) Christian lifestyle, and I'd like to share some of it.
One of the questions I've asked is, "What's the rush?" Many times on this blog I've brought up the whole idea of slow growth in the Christian life [1], as we rest in Christ and dig our roots deep into Him [2], drawing up nourishment from Him, allowing Him to grow us at our own individual paces. What I've found to be a problem with the constant bombardment of Christian principles week after week is that instead of digging our roots into Jesus, and into a deep, intimate relationship with Him, we find ourselves digging our roots and trying to grow in "how to perform the Christian life." In other words, we end up with a constant focus on our performance of Christian principles and we really don't get to know Jesus.
The result has been that while these principles are perhaps meant to be a lovely part of the overall landscape arrangement in a healthy, vibrant garden, they have instead become weeds that stifle true growth in the garden. There are many weeds that look like flowers, and through the pleasant appearance of the performance-based principles being lived out by some, I think it often goes unnoticed that true life is being choked out. I see this on a first-hand basis all the time.
I've said often, and I'll continue to say it as long as I see this problem in the church: I think there are far too many people who know the do's and don'ts of the Christian life - "the principles of Christian living" - but who really don't have a clue who God is or who they are in Him. Some of these people may have a pretty good appearance. They may really appear to be successful in peforming the principles of the Christian life. Others may come across in the opposite way, struggling to make the principles work. The point is... either way, do they know Jesus or do they just know the principles?
And so more questions: Is it possible for us to slow down... perhaps waaaay down... and get to know Christ apart from our performance? What's the rush in getting people to "do?" Can we let go of trying to get everybody to live the Christian life, and instead help them to know Jesus? Will not the fruit of that be a natural desire to bear good fruit, along with the fruit being produced naturally and not forcibly?
Why do we not take the time - as much time as is needed- to get people established in grace? Why do we only touch on grace now and then? Do we not think we have the time (or do we simply not want to take the time) to help individuals heal and become whole, apart from telling them what they need to be doing? Again, this is just my experience and it may or may not be yours as well, but it seems to me that the church today is far more interested in getting people "do" than to teach people who God is, and who they are in Him. And I've also found that the more I know who God is and who I am in Him, the less I need someone teaching me what to do! Is it just me or can I get a witness up in here? ;)
-----------------------------------
[1] For some examples, see:
Slow-cooking together
Microwave Christianity
The Fertile Soil of Grace
The Right Place (a personal favorite)
[2] Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. (Col 2:7 NLT)
I'm not trying to make myself out to be a victim here! On the contrary, I've simply had many questions and many observances that in the long run have helped me to overcome the principles-based (and performance-based) Christian lifestyle, and I'd like to share some of it.
One of the questions I've asked is, "What's the rush?" Many times on this blog I've brought up the whole idea of slow growth in the Christian life [1], as we rest in Christ and dig our roots deep into Him [2], drawing up nourishment from Him, allowing Him to grow us at our own individual paces. What I've found to be a problem with the constant bombardment of Christian principles week after week is that instead of digging our roots into Jesus, and into a deep, intimate relationship with Him, we find ourselves digging our roots and trying to grow in "how to perform the Christian life." In other words, we end up with a constant focus on our performance of Christian principles and we really don't get to know Jesus.
The result has been that while these principles are perhaps meant to be a lovely part of the overall landscape arrangement in a healthy, vibrant garden, they have instead become weeds that stifle true growth in the garden. There are many weeds that look like flowers, and through the pleasant appearance of the performance-based principles being lived out by some, I think it often goes unnoticed that true life is being choked out. I see this on a first-hand basis all the time.
I've said often, and I'll continue to say it as long as I see this problem in the church: I think there are far too many people who know the do's and don'ts of the Christian life - "the principles of Christian living" - but who really don't have a clue who God is or who they are in Him. Some of these people may have a pretty good appearance. They may really appear to be successful in peforming the principles of the Christian life. Others may come across in the opposite way, struggling to make the principles work. The point is... either way, do they know Jesus or do they just know the principles?
And so more questions: Is it possible for us to slow down... perhaps waaaay down... and get to know Christ apart from our performance? What's the rush in getting people to "do?" Can we let go of trying to get everybody to live the Christian life, and instead help them to know Jesus? Will not the fruit of that be a natural desire to bear good fruit, along with the fruit being produced naturally and not forcibly?
Why do we not take the time - as much time as is needed- to get people established in grace? Why do we only touch on grace now and then? Do we not think we have the time (or do we simply not want to take the time) to help individuals heal and become whole, apart from telling them what they need to be doing? Again, this is just my experience and it may or may not be yours as well, but it seems to me that the church today is far more interested in getting people "do" than to teach people who God is, and who they are in Him. And I've also found that the more I know who God is and who I am in Him, the less I need someone teaching me what to do! Is it just me or can I get a witness up in here? ;)
-----------------------------------
[1] For some examples, see:
Slow-cooking together
Microwave Christianity
The Fertile Soil of Grace
The Right Place (a personal favorite)
[2] Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done. (Col 2:7 NLT)
Monday, May 19, 2008
The proper environment for life and growth
Although I always have a wide range of things that I blog about, I've had in mind lately that I want to get back to blogging more about things such as being established in grace and growing in grace, which is really what I like writing about and discussing the most. A post from Kent this morning stirs my heart along these lines. Being established in grace, and being able to have healthy and vibrant growth, depends on several things. Using his own garden as an example, as he often does, Kent talks about how the environment plays such a huge role in all this.
He says, "Relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit is the environment we belong in and will thrive in. Outside of that environment the colors will be flat and the fruit will fade fast. Many times fruit will not even be produced. All the energy is spent on the scramble to survive."
See the whole post here.
Heb 13:9 (NKJV)
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods [read: laws] which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Col 2:6-7 (NKJV)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Col 2:7 (NLT)
Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
Ps 92:12-15 (NKJV)
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
He says, "Relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit is the environment we belong in and will thrive in. Outside of that environment the colors will be flat and the fruit will fade fast. Many times fruit will not even be produced. All the energy is spent on the scramble to survive."
See the whole post here.
Heb 13:9 (NKJV)
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods [read: laws] which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Col 2:6-7 (NKJV)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Col 2:7 (NLT)
Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
Ps 92:12-15 (NKJV)
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Slow
Several different things today have reminded me of one of the major facets of "Grace Roots" that the Lord has revealed to me in the past few years. It has to do with becoming established in grace and growing in grace - and taking all the time in the world that is needed. In other words, not forcing growth, but becoming firmly and solidly established in the fertile soil of grace, and growing in grace over the period of a lifetime.
We're very focused on arriving, but we're not so thrilled with the journey. And yet the journey is the major part of the experience!
And so we live very dysfunctional and very dissatisfied Christian lives... and we may not even realize why. So many times I think it's because we don't see the worth in the day by day, moment by moment journey. We want God to do this now and we want God to show us that now, and while yearning for all these various miraculous 'manifestations' of God, we become less and less aware of His actual presence right now! We want miracles and we want fixes to our problems, and we want to experience victory in our Christian lives, and while those may not always be bad things to desire or to seek God about, our obsession with those things - even if they seem to be things of God - may actually be keeping us from enjoying His actual presence in the now!
Perhaps we haven't yet learned what the Apostle Paul had learned - to be content no matter what the situation. In today's "gospel," if we're hungry God will always make our stomachs full. If we're sick, God will always heal us. If we're naked, God will always clothe us. If we don't have much, we expect God to turn things around and make us plentiful.
But the secret Paul had learned went like this: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." (Phil 4:11-13) (The Philippians had indeed sent aid to him, but as we read his account, it wasn't his need being met that he was concerned with. He was simply happy that his troubles had provided an opportunity for them to show their concern for him).
I've digressed a little bit here, but the point is that we're so focused on obvious signs of growth and obvious signs that God is providing for us, that we miss the simplicity that is in Christ and we miss the joy of being content no matter what our state and we miss the joy of knowing that no matter what our life's condition is in, we can do all things through CHRIST.
This gets me back to slow growth in the Christian life. Perhaps some of us are always seeking but rarely finding because we're looking for the wrong things. Perhaps we're wanting to grow in experiences and manifestations, when God really wants us to grow in knowing Him despite what we see or experience.
This type of growth is slow, that's for sure! But it's a wonderful growing experience, because it's a matter of getting our roots firmly established in Jesus Christ ("rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith" - Col 2:7). To be like the palm tree or the cedar of Lebanon mentioned in Psalm 92 (see third link below), it takes time.
In the past I've written on slow, deeply rooted growth several times. Here are a few links:
Slow cooker or Microwave (this post actually links to a few other things I've written on slow growth).
Grace Roots (this is one of my original posts in which I explained 'Grace Roots,' and how the Lord had been slowly revealing to me what it is about).
Established and growing in grace (four core verses).
We're in such a hurry these days. We're so focused on just getting things done or accomplished. We're so focused on the final product. We're so very results-oriented.
Some examples from today:
-I read at least two or three different blog posts today about resting (in Christ) and slowing down.
-My wife bought some tulips the other day, but they are still inside the house. (We've had a heck of a time getting consistently warm weather in April). My kids and I were looking at the tulips this morning, and we noticed how they looked a little different than they did yesterday morning, but not dramatically different.
-In my personal thinking today, my thoughts have progressed naturally to thinking about slow growth in the Christian life rather than striving to experience everything so quickly. At one point in my thinking, I came up to a stop sign. On the other side of the road was a driveway to a business with a sign that stuck out to me. It simply said, "Slow."
-Ha! I just got done writing the above examples and I went upstairs for a moment. My wife showed me some of my son's school work in which he was having some problems. On a certain reading comprehension test, he scored only 40%. (He got at least 80% on the other tests). On this particular test his teacher wrote the words, "Slow down." :)
We're very focused on arriving, but we're not so thrilled with the journey. And yet the journey is the major part of the experience!
And so we live very dysfunctional and very dissatisfied Christian lives... and we may not even realize why. So many times I think it's because we don't see the worth in the day by day, moment by moment journey. We want God to do this now and we want God to show us that now, and while yearning for all these various miraculous 'manifestations' of God, we become less and less aware of His actual presence right now! We want miracles and we want fixes to our problems, and we want to experience victory in our Christian lives, and while those may not always be bad things to desire or to seek God about, our obsession with those things - even if they seem to be things of God - may actually be keeping us from enjoying His actual presence in the now!
Perhaps we haven't yet learned what the Apostle Paul had learned - to be content no matter what the situation. In today's "gospel," if we're hungry God will always make our stomachs full. If we're sick, God will always heal us. If we're naked, God will always clothe us. If we don't have much, we expect God to turn things around and make us plentiful.
But the secret Paul had learned went like this: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." (Phil 4:11-13) (The Philippians had indeed sent aid to him, but as we read his account, it wasn't his need being met that he was concerned with. He was simply happy that his troubles had provided an opportunity for them to show their concern for him).
I've digressed a little bit here, but the point is that we're so focused on obvious signs of growth and obvious signs that God is providing for us, that we miss the simplicity that is in Christ and we miss the joy of being content no matter what our state and we miss the joy of knowing that no matter what our life's condition is in, we can do all things through CHRIST.
This gets me back to slow growth in the Christian life. Perhaps some of us are always seeking but rarely finding because we're looking for the wrong things. Perhaps we're wanting to grow in experiences and manifestations, when God really wants us to grow in knowing Him despite what we see or experience.
This type of growth is slow, that's for sure! But it's a wonderful growing experience, because it's a matter of getting our roots firmly established in Jesus Christ ("rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith" - Col 2:7). To be like the palm tree or the cedar of Lebanon mentioned in Psalm 92 (see third link below), it takes time.
In the past I've written on slow, deeply rooted growth several times. Here are a few links:
Slow cooker or Microwave (this post actually links to a few other things I've written on slow growth).
Grace Roots (this is one of my original posts in which I explained 'Grace Roots,' and how the Lord had been slowly revealing to me what it is about).
Established and growing in grace (four core verses).
Thursday, November 08, 2007
Questions for you about grace
I've been meaning to post something like this for a while. It's pretty obvious that the "theme" of the various things I do, such as my website, blog, video program, Grace Walk Radio program/podcast - can pretty much be boiled down to "growing in grace." I don't think of myself as narrow-minded, but I do know that my focus tends to remain on this specific target when it comes to what my heart longs to grow in and share and discuss with others. Lord willing, there will be a book someday. He's planted that in my heart, and I would bet there are probably several books in me that are waiting to get out.
This "theme" is woven throughout the Bible, and some of the cornerstone verses that I love to share include Hebrews 13:9 ("it is good that the heart be established by grace"), 2 Peter 3:18 ("grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ") and Colossians 2:7 ("let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him").
My questions are very simple, but I know that the "answers" vary and can take many directions beyond the way that I've grown to understand things, so I think it would be great to hear what you have to say to these questions:
What does "grace" mean? What does it mean to have your heart established in grace? What does it mean to grow in grace? Basically, what comes to mind when you think of these things?
I'm not looking for any specific "correct" answer(s), although of course I don't want to stray away from biblical truth. But in your walk with Jesus and in your study of the Bible, what have you learned? What are your thoughts, experiences, etc? Also, do you have any questions that perhaps others could provide some help with? Feel free to be as short or as lengthy as you want in the comments section here. Perhaps even write about it on your own blog and share your link here.
This "theme" is woven throughout the Bible, and some of the cornerstone verses that I love to share include Hebrews 13:9 ("it is good that the heart be established by grace"), 2 Peter 3:18 ("grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ") and Colossians 2:7 ("let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him").
My questions are very simple, but I know that the "answers" vary and can take many directions beyond the way that I've grown to understand things, so I think it would be great to hear what you have to say to these questions:
What does "grace" mean? What does it mean to have your heart established in grace? What does it mean to grow in grace? Basically, what comes to mind when you think of these things?
I'm not looking for any specific "correct" answer(s), although of course I don't want to stray away from biblical truth. But in your walk with Jesus and in your study of the Bible, what have you learned? What are your thoughts, experiences, etc? Also, do you have any questions that perhaps others could provide some help with? Feel free to be as short or as lengthy as you want in the comments section here. Perhaps even write about it on your own blog and share your link here.
Saturday, October 06, 2007
Established and growing in grace
If I don't mention these Bible passages enough, I'm sorry. If I mention them too much... well that's just too bad!
Heb 13:9 (NKJV)
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods [read: laws] which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Col 2:6-7 (NKJV)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Col 2:7 (NLT)
Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
Ps 92:12-15 (NKJV)
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Heb 13:9 (NKJV)
Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods [read: laws] which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV)
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Col 2:6-7 (NKJV)
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Col 2:7 (NLT)
Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
Ps 92:12-15 (NKJV)
12 The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree,
He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 Those who are planted in the house of the LORD
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing,
15 To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
Friday, September 28, 2007
So close but yet so far...
I really could keep on posting in the series called "The Vast Sea of Grace" forever because that's really what I love to write about all the time anyway! I think a summary of it all would be that we need to be rooted, grounded and established in God's love and grace before we can begin to expect any true godly fruit to come forth out of our lives.
A branch on the vine doesn't simply figure out what kind of plant it is and then look at the vine for instructions on how to bear fruit and then simply go about producing fruit. The branch "rests" (remains, abides) in the vine and draws all life and sustenance from the vine, and eventually (not immediately nor forcibly nor due to compulsion) the branch bears the fruit that the vine itself produces. It's a natural process, and if the branch tries to "help" the vine (such as when Abraham and Sarah tried to help God fulfill His promise that they would bear a son), the fruit that is produced is not God's natural fruit, no matter how lovely it might appear.
The rich young ruler was perhaps thinking that his "fruit" (keeping the commandments) was more than adequate to justify himself in front of a holy God. Jesus, by pointing out just how far short this man fell, caused him sadness as he realized he wasn't nearly as close to the kingdom of heaven as he thought. He went away sad, because just a few moments before he had considered himself close to the kingdom, but he now realized he was a lifetime away, because he hadn't realized that in order to come to God, he must give his entire life away.
IF ONLY he'd received the revelation that the Apostle Paul would eventually receive. (And perhaps one day he did receive this revelation). You not only have to give your life away, you have to die. But this death, of course, is not a death in which you physically give your body or your possessions away. It's a spiritual death, in which you give up any and all notions that anything you do - any of your law keeping or giving away of your possessions - will bring you even one step closer to God. You must die and be born again.
This can never happen through any of our own efforts. Out of this death - in which God places us on the cross with Jesus - comes a resurrection with Christ and the born-again life of a New Creation. The problem with the rich young ruler wasn't really that he had failed to sell his possessions and give to the poor. Let's just say he'd heard Jesus' words and said, "OH, YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M MISSING!" and then went and sold all he had and gave to the poor. Let's just say he then came back to Jesus, thinking that now he could truly justify himself in front of the Lord. Could he? Would he now be justified? Would Jesus say, "Well done my good and faithful servant, now you can enter into the joy of your Lord?"
NO! He still hadn't died to his self-efforts. If Jesus' point about the true depths of loving your neighbor as you love yourself hadn't driven this man to grace, perhaps Jesus could have then given the man an even bigger scenario about loving the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind and ALL your strength. No matter what, I think Jesus would keep giving the man more and more and more of the Law until he would finally get the point that he could never do it.
I guess you could say that this man was "so close but yet so far away" from the Kingdom of God. Far away, because to him it was still about what he could and couldn't accomplish. But oh so close, because perhaps his next step would be to realize that all of his self-effort was DUNG and all of his self-effort was RUBBISH (see Phil 3:4-9), and if he would only chuck it away and come into the Kingdom by grace alone, then he would truly give his life away and then be given new spiritual birth - a new life as a new creation, joined to the Vine, joined to God and one with Him, and now finally able to truly begin the process of bearing godly fruit.
--------------------------------------------------
Entire "Vast Sea of Grace" Series:
Prelude: Just follow the Word, right?
The Vast Sea of Grace: Part 1 -- Part 2 -- Part 3 -- Part 4
Summaries: >So close but yet so far< -- Far Cry -- Be a Man
A branch on the vine doesn't simply figure out what kind of plant it is and then look at the vine for instructions on how to bear fruit and then simply go about producing fruit. The branch "rests" (remains, abides) in the vine and draws all life and sustenance from the vine, and eventually (not immediately nor forcibly nor due to compulsion) the branch bears the fruit that the vine itself produces. It's a natural process, and if the branch tries to "help" the vine (such as when Abraham and Sarah tried to help God fulfill His promise that they would bear a son), the fruit that is produced is not God's natural fruit, no matter how lovely it might appear.
The rich young ruler was perhaps thinking that his "fruit" (keeping the commandments) was more than adequate to justify himself in front of a holy God. Jesus, by pointing out just how far short this man fell, caused him sadness as he realized he wasn't nearly as close to the kingdom of heaven as he thought. He went away sad, because just a few moments before he had considered himself close to the kingdom, but he now realized he was a lifetime away, because he hadn't realized that in order to come to God, he must give his entire life away.
IF ONLY he'd received the revelation that the Apostle Paul would eventually receive. (And perhaps one day he did receive this revelation). You not only have to give your life away, you have to die. But this death, of course, is not a death in which you physically give your body or your possessions away. It's a spiritual death, in which you give up any and all notions that anything you do - any of your law keeping or giving away of your possessions - will bring you even one step closer to God. You must die and be born again.
This can never happen through any of our own efforts. Out of this death - in which God places us on the cross with Jesus - comes a resurrection with Christ and the born-again life of a New Creation. The problem with the rich young ruler wasn't really that he had failed to sell his possessions and give to the poor. Let's just say he'd heard Jesus' words and said, "OH, YEAH! THAT'S WHAT I'M MISSING!" and then went and sold all he had and gave to the poor. Let's just say he then came back to Jesus, thinking that now he could truly justify himself in front of the Lord. Could he? Would he now be justified? Would Jesus say, "Well done my good and faithful servant, now you can enter into the joy of your Lord?"
NO! He still hadn't died to his self-efforts. If Jesus' point about the true depths of loving your neighbor as you love yourself hadn't driven this man to grace, perhaps Jesus could have then given the man an even bigger scenario about loving the Lord your God with ALL your heart, ALL your soul, ALL your mind and ALL your strength. No matter what, I think Jesus would keep giving the man more and more and more of the Law until he would finally get the point that he could never do it.
I guess you could say that this man was "so close but yet so far away" from the Kingdom of God. Far away, because to him it was still about what he could and couldn't accomplish. But oh so close, because perhaps his next step would be to realize that all of his self-effort was DUNG and all of his self-effort was RUBBISH (see Phil 3:4-9), and if he would only chuck it away and come into the Kingdom by grace alone, then he would truly give his life away and then be given new spiritual birth - a new life as a new creation, joined to the Vine, joined to God and one with Him, and now finally able to truly begin the process of bearing godly fruit.
--------------------------------------------------
Entire "Vast Sea of Grace" Series:
Prelude: Just follow the Word, right?
The Vast Sea of Grace: Part 1 -- Part 2 -- Part 3 -- Part 4
Summaries: >So close but yet so far< -- Far Cry -- Be a Man
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