I often hear Christians speaking about their initial experiences of God; how he saved them, set them free, changed their lives, etc. But have you ever thought about God's first experience of you? What's God's testimony of His experience of us. Where were you the first time God ever met you?
I called on the Lord Jesus to save me when I was 19 years old, about 2 AM in my dorm room. I remember well the sense of God's reality, so fresh. I was born spiritually that night. My eyes were opened to the depths of my sin and the beauty of God's grace to save me by Christ. Like I did with my newborn children, God held me close. I knew He was there and everything would be just fine from then on. That was definately the first time God was ever so real to me. Was that it? Was that the first time God met me?
Or perhaps it was at my natural birth. I was "made in Japan", or a least that's where I came off the assembly line (my father was in stationed overseas in the military). I'm sure God was always there, even when I wasn't aware. Was that the first time God met me?
I guess we could go back to conception. After all, the Lord does tell us that He "knits us together in our mothers womb" and that His eyes "see our unformed substance." Was that the first time God met me? When I was concieved?
Hold on for a second. The life I received when I called on Jesus to save me and be my Lord. What kind of life was that? That life was Eternal life. It was the very life of the Son given to me as my own life... for eternity.
Eternity. That's a big word. Transcending all time. In and beyond time itself. Before the beginning and after the end of time. That's the nature of God's life. It's eternal, timeless, transcendant. Before angels or "let there be light", the God the Father, the Son and the Spirit possessed a single life, eternal life.
God the Father before creation beheld His Son and determined to display the Son in the creation. He determined to make humanity in the image of God so that we could contain God's life, like a glove is in the image of a hand to contain a hand. We are created to be vessels containing Christ, expressing the very likeness of God in the creation. "Want to see what God our creator is like? Look at humanity, my image bearers" was God's original thought.
That helps me understand something that God tells me in His testimony of His experience of us: Before the foundation of the world, He never conceived of us apart from His image. Question: Who is the image of God? That's right, Jesus Christ. Before God created, He chose us in Christ. We were known God God in Christ as those marked out to possess His Son as our own life, even as the Son posseses the Father as His own life. God first knew me when He foreknew me. His first sight of me was as one who shares the very life of the Son of God. "He who has the Son has the Life. He who does not have the Son does not have the life."
He loved us in His Beloved Son with the very love He has for the Son. The first time God saw us, we were holy, blameless and free from accusation. We were in Christ.
God's never moved away from that way of looking at us. The only way He ever knows us is the us "in Christ". In otherwords, if a person is not in Christ, God doesn't know them in a relational sense. Jesus Christ said at the final judgement He will turn the damned away with the words, "I never knew you. "The apostle tells the Galatian church, "Now that you have come to know God, or have come to be known by Him." God only ever knows believers as He first knew us when He "foreknew" us in Christ, as those who partake of the life of His Son as our life. Praise the Lord!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
By the measure you use...
Jesus Christ came not mainly to give us new commands but to give us a new source of divine life within. I'd like to suggest that one reason Jesus gave the "Sermon on the Mount" was that Jesus was revealing His own inner life to us as the foundation for preparing His followers for the experience of "church life."
We should keep in mind, whenever Jesus taught, He wasn't teaching merly aspirations. Jesus Christ was revealing Himself and opening up His own heart about His true nature, His experience, His inner mentality, a wonderfully eternal and divine mentality, which He received through his fellowship with His indwelling Father. Jesus is laying a foundation for us to understand, experience and express that same fellowship in the world. "This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him!"
Jesus says, "Love your enemies and do good... Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful. Do not judge or condemn and you will not be judged or condemned. Pardon and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you... For by your standard of measure, you will be measured in return."
Relational church life faces one of it's most significant challanges right here, at the point of how we measure others and ourselves. Highly committed believers end up unable to live very long with one another because we become weighed down with critical judgements, unreliquished offenses, etc. Ironically, we (myself included... as a "special needs" member) have a hard time "being merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful" not because we're not committed Christians, but seemingly because we are. We care! ... so we criticize and take offense at those who don't care as much as we do... or so our twisted logic goes.
We can't bless our enemies or one another when we're judging, criticizing or holding on to an offense inwardly. God's Spirit is hindered by these attitudes. God's Spirit is not the source of these attitudes. These attitudes hinder our experience and expression of God together.
A few things that have been light and life to me recently:
1) If the divine reality is lacking in the church life, it may be that we're using the wrong measure, and simply receiving back what we're dishing out. If a group is drying up or fizzling out rather than experiencing the grace of the Kingdom "poured out in good measure and running over", it's at least possible that this is part of the issue. As believers get serious about living out their faith, we tend to raise the bar of expecation up a few notches higher for ourselves. Unfortunately we can end up using that same raised bar on others, and sometimes end up clubbing them with it. Jesus saw this tendancy and addresses it head on.
2) We can't use "no measure" toward ourselves or others. We simply must allow God to adjust our measure. We must allow God's Word to seperate between that which finds its origin in our own souls verses that which is truly Spirit.
3) Jesus raises the bar so high, we'll never be able to use it to club someone else. Several times, Jesus examines a false measure and says, "even sinners do that." (Hint-if people can do it without God's Spirit, it's not a good source of "measure" in God's kingdom.)
4) Jesus's measure? His Father's own display of mercy towards His enemies (which at one time included us). The Father's divine life is enemy loving, offense pardoning, mercy showing. His ways are higher than ours. This is the measure we should use. We must have a revelation of our desperate need of God's mercy. Then we need to realize that God not only wants us to receive His mercy, but to experience His mercy as a divine reality flowing out of our own hearts through union with Him. We can't fake it. It's just not human. Turning to the Father to open ourselves to Him to make room for His Spirit in our hearts by calling on His Name for mercy, not merely for ourselves, but through us, if we would do this, we would soon find an increase of divine reality in our fellowship together.
5) We must use this measure mainly on ourselves or we'll miss the reality. Our natural tendency when we blow it is to want other believers to be gracious towards us, but what if they're a bit harsh, distant, or critical towards us? Use the measure... on yourself. Before we start picking specks out of our brother's eye, we must first deal with our own reactions and let Mercy deal with us. Turn to the Father for the flow of His mercy in your heart. Release the offense. Pardon them. Be merciful as your Father is merciful.
"Well what about the harsh way they treated me?" Pardon, and you'll be pardoned. "But I didn't do anything wrong! They hurt me. I didn't do anything to them." O yah? They hurt you? Where? Perhaps your pride? Did you ever think that you need to be pardoned also? Pardon them before God, and you'll be pardoned also. The Light of life shines as we're willing to see our own need for God's mercy. Once you've gotten this plank out of your eye, you'll see clearly and know what God wants you to do (if anything).
The commands of Christ are not something we can do apart from Him. Jesus teaches His standards to serve as an "escort" into the Divine life He supplies within. "The willing is present with us, but not the doing." The only "doer" of the Christian life is Jesus Christ Himself. If we merely redouble our intention to "do the commands of God", we will fail. Jesus has come to give us a new kind of spiritual life. We must turn our wills to the Lord Himself and call on Him for the flow and supply of His life giving Spirit, who alone is finds it quite natural to love, pardon, and show mercy.
We should keep in mind, whenever Jesus taught, He wasn't teaching merly aspirations. Jesus Christ was revealing Himself and opening up His own heart about His true nature, His experience, His inner mentality, a wonderfully eternal and divine mentality, which He received through his fellowship with His indwelling Father. Jesus is laying a foundation for us to understand, experience and express that same fellowship in the world. "This is my Beloved Son. Listen to Him!"
Jesus says, "Love your enemies and do good... Be merciful as your Father in heaven is merciful. Do not judge or condemn and you will not be judged or condemned. Pardon and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you... For by your standard of measure, you will be measured in return."
Relational church life faces one of it's most significant challanges right here, at the point of how we measure others and ourselves. Highly committed believers end up unable to live very long with one another because we become weighed down with critical judgements, unreliquished offenses, etc. Ironically, we (myself included... as a "special needs" member) have a hard time "being merciful as our Father in heaven is merciful" not because we're not committed Christians, but seemingly because we are. We care! ... so we criticize and take offense at those who don't care as much as we do... or so our twisted logic goes.
We can't bless our enemies or one another when we're judging, criticizing or holding on to an offense inwardly. God's Spirit is hindered by these attitudes. God's Spirit is not the source of these attitudes. These attitudes hinder our experience and expression of God together.
A few things that have been light and life to me recently:
1) If the divine reality is lacking in the church life, it may be that we're using the wrong measure, and simply receiving back what we're dishing out. If a group is drying up or fizzling out rather than experiencing the grace of the Kingdom "poured out in good measure and running over", it's at least possible that this is part of the issue. As believers get serious about living out their faith, we tend to raise the bar of expecation up a few notches higher for ourselves. Unfortunately we can end up using that same raised bar on others, and sometimes end up clubbing them with it. Jesus saw this tendancy and addresses it head on.
2) We can't use "no measure" toward ourselves or others. We simply must allow God to adjust our measure. We must allow God's Word to seperate between that which finds its origin in our own souls verses that which is truly Spirit.
3) Jesus raises the bar so high, we'll never be able to use it to club someone else. Several times, Jesus examines a false measure and says, "even sinners do that." (Hint-if people can do it without God's Spirit, it's not a good source of "measure" in God's kingdom.)
4) Jesus's measure? His Father's own display of mercy towards His enemies (which at one time included us). The Father's divine life is enemy loving, offense pardoning, mercy showing. His ways are higher than ours. This is the measure we should use. We must have a revelation of our desperate need of God's mercy. Then we need to realize that God not only wants us to receive His mercy, but to experience His mercy as a divine reality flowing out of our own hearts through union with Him. We can't fake it. It's just not human. Turning to the Father to open ourselves to Him to make room for His Spirit in our hearts by calling on His Name for mercy, not merely for ourselves, but through us, if we would do this, we would soon find an increase of divine reality in our fellowship together.
5) We must use this measure mainly on ourselves or we'll miss the reality. Our natural tendency when we blow it is to want other believers to be gracious towards us, but what if they're a bit harsh, distant, or critical towards us? Use the measure... on yourself. Before we start picking specks out of our brother's eye, we must first deal with our own reactions and let Mercy deal with us. Turn to the Father for the flow of His mercy in your heart. Release the offense. Pardon them. Be merciful as your Father is merciful.
"Well what about the harsh way they treated me?" Pardon, and you'll be pardoned. "But I didn't do anything wrong! They hurt me. I didn't do anything to them." O yah? They hurt you? Where? Perhaps your pride? Did you ever think that you need to be pardoned also? Pardon them before God, and you'll be pardoned also. The Light of life shines as we're willing to see our own need for God's mercy. Once you've gotten this plank out of your eye, you'll see clearly and know what God wants you to do (if anything).
The commands of Christ are not something we can do apart from Him. Jesus teaches His standards to serve as an "escort" into the Divine life He supplies within. "The willing is present with us, but not the doing." The only "doer" of the Christian life is Jesus Christ Himself. If we merely redouble our intention to "do the commands of God", we will fail. Jesus has come to give us a new kind of spiritual life. We must turn our wills to the Lord Himself and call on Him for the flow and supply of His life giving Spirit, who alone is finds it quite natural to love, pardon, and show mercy.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Falling Off the Platform
What happens when God's people try to carry and sustain a movement of God from a platform?
When the people of God were attempting to transport the ark of God on a platform, Uzzah reached out his hand to touch the Ark and sinned. Uzzah's sin was not just his own sin though, but the sin of the whole people of God who had failed in their priestly role to carry the Ark of God's presence upon their own shoulders. Uzzah was set up for failure when God's people put the ark on a platform instead of their own shoulders.
So we too, when our public ministers fall, we too share the responsibility. It is inevitable that things on platforms fall. The ground we walk on isn't smooth. But God never intended to have His presence carried by our machinery, but to rest upon us; not things we've built and constructed, but to rest upon our shoulders. God does not intend to dwell upon a stage while we observe, but to dwell in our midst while we walk with Him together, holding fast to Him, lifting Him up, and humbling ourselves under the weight of His glory.
To meerly nod our head in agreement will not change anything. It's time to take up the reality of the priesthood of all believers and corporately lift up Christ alone and head for the New Jerusalem.
When the people of God were attempting to transport the ark of God on a platform, Uzzah reached out his hand to touch the Ark and sinned. Uzzah's sin was not just his own sin though, but the sin of the whole people of God who had failed in their priestly role to carry the Ark of God's presence upon their own shoulders. Uzzah was set up for failure when God's people put the ark on a platform instead of their own shoulders.
So we too, when our public ministers fall, we too share the responsibility. It is inevitable that things on platforms fall. The ground we walk on isn't smooth. But God never intended to have His presence carried by our machinery, but to rest upon us; not things we've built and constructed, but to rest upon our shoulders. God does not intend to dwell upon a stage while we observe, but to dwell in our midst while we walk with Him together, holding fast to Him, lifting Him up, and humbling ourselves under the weight of His glory.
To meerly nod our head in agreement will not change anything. It's time to take up the reality of the priesthood of all believers and corporately lift up Christ alone and head for the New Jerusalem.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Commitment or Christ- Where's your faith?
Let's start with a question. Why is your commitment to Christ so important to you? Think for a second and let your heart give you an answer. How important is your commitment to Christ to you? Why?
Without realizing it, we have a strong tendancy to have FAITH in human commitment- our own, and consequently other's- which is one reason we pressure ourselves and others to "be more committed." The Christian life however is lived "boasting in Christ Jesus, having NO CONFIDENCE in the flesh". The harder we try to live by the power of our own commitment the farther we move away from the reality of living by the power of the Holy Spirit. How can we tell the practical difference? Let me illustrate.
Remember the "Rock", Peter? The night our Lord mentioned He was being betrayed to His death, Peter swore up and down that he was going to follow Jesus even if it meant that he would be killed. Peter had great confidence in his commitment to Christ. Remember the Lord's response? "Peter, this night you'll deny you even know me 3 times, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. When you are restored, strengthen your brothers."
Peter did in fact fail, like we all do, when our faith is in the strength of our own commitment. But then comes the sulking, the disallusionment, the sifting of our hearts. We're ashamed and shattered, but instead of quickly returning to the Lord in the confidence He's all we need, we stay at a dark distance. We need him, but we are afraid we can't hold on to Him once we return, so we linger. Could it be that we're being held down because we've mistaken faith in our own commitment for faith in Jesus Christ?
Contrast this with Brother Lawrence. When he stumbled into some sin, he would say to the Lord, "Lord, that is all I can do apart from you." Then he would immediatly turn to the Lord to resume fellowship with Him in joyful confidence that God brings him into the fellowship of His own dear Son. This is the blessing of having a relationship with God based on the Solid Rock of Christ, rather than the shifting sand of our own commitment.
Without realizing it, we have a strong tendancy to have FAITH in human commitment- our own, and consequently other's- which is one reason we pressure ourselves and others to "be more committed." The Christian life however is lived "boasting in Christ Jesus, having NO CONFIDENCE in the flesh". The harder we try to live by the power of our own commitment the farther we move away from the reality of living by the power of the Holy Spirit. How can we tell the practical difference? Let me illustrate.
Remember the "Rock", Peter? The night our Lord mentioned He was being betrayed to His death, Peter swore up and down that he was going to follow Jesus even if it meant that he would be killed. Peter had great confidence in his commitment to Christ. Remember the Lord's response? "Peter, this night you'll deny you even know me 3 times, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. When you are restored, strengthen your brothers."
Peter did in fact fail, like we all do, when our faith is in the strength of our own commitment. But then comes the sulking, the disallusionment, the sifting of our hearts. We're ashamed and shattered, but instead of quickly returning to the Lord in the confidence He's all we need, we stay at a dark distance. We need him, but we are afraid we can't hold on to Him once we return, so we linger. Could it be that we're being held down because we've mistaken faith in our own commitment for faith in Jesus Christ?
Contrast this with Brother Lawrence. When he stumbled into some sin, he would say to the Lord, "Lord, that is all I can do apart from you." Then he would immediatly turn to the Lord to resume fellowship with Him in joyful confidence that God brings him into the fellowship of His own dear Son. This is the blessing of having a relationship with God based on the Solid Rock of Christ, rather than the shifting sand of our own commitment.
Jesus is not building His church on the blocks of our commitment to Him. In fact, our trust in ourselves must be shattered before He can lay a foundation on which He can build. Jesus is however very confident in the effectiveness of His intercession on our behalf sealed with His own blood.
By God's grace, like Peter, we too need to come to a wonderful but painful revelation. We all SUCK at living the Christian life. I'm terrible at it, so are you. But you know what? God has never failed to welcome me back into fellowship because the blood of His Son is so precious to Him. He will never turn away any who come to Him through Christ. Jesus IS the way to the Father. We come to the Father through Him, not our own commitment.
Our faith is never more fully in Jesus than when we have absolutely NO confidence in our ourselves. God gives us the relationship of His own Son as a gift. Oh what a gift!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Simply Jesus
What began in simplicity and power as a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ soon became complicated. In the beginning I found the Word of God leaping off the page into my heart, giving me life directly from God. I found my life and heart inexplicably reoriented, refreshed, and cleansed as I spent time in prayer enjoying God's presence. That's how it started; in simplicity, with life coming from a fresh relationship with God in Christ.
It soon got complicated. Someone told me I needed to read the Bible every day and pray every day. Then they showed me how. I learned there were at least 14 different methods to study God's word. I learned about memorizing Bible verses. I learned how to make a "prayer list". I learned I was supposed to join an official "church" where there was a seminary trained pastor who would baptise me, run a Sunday school program, and teach me the Bible as I attended faithfully and brought my friends, tithed, etc.
Somewhere in there I began to take the practices I was learning and using them to evaluate my relationship with God. I began to try to "build an intimate relationship with God" which sounds like a good goal, but let's just say I discovered I had some "issues" that began a downward spiral. What "issues"?
Well, what if I asked you honestly, "Tell me about your relationship with God? How close to God are you?" Stop. Consider. Do you have good feelings? Negative feelings? What comes to mind? A list of things you should do and haven't or a list of things you shouldn't have done and but did anyway? Those issues.
Can I share with you God's wonderful answer to our "issue". It may even be good news. If you believe in Jesus, right now YOU have the same relationship with God as Jesus Christ. It's a gift eternally. That is God's answer for us... NOW, to enjoy forever. God has seen all our attempts to obey His standards, He sees our desire to learn His thoughts, He listens when we pray, etc. and sees all of our attempts to "build a close relationship with God". He comes to us, and makes a deal. "I'll do you a favor. Let's set all your efforts to build a relationship with me aside. I'm going to give you MY SON'S relationship with Me. I'm going to give you His place in my heart. The love I have for Him; it's Yours. I'm am a holy and righteous God; My Son is everything I delight in, so I'm going to give you Him as your righteousness. One last thing, My Son and I really enjoy a thrilling exchange of love in the Spirit. I'm going to join His Spirit to yours in an eternal fusion. You can now give up on establishing your own intimacy with me. I'm going to allow you to experience My Son's intimacy with me... as a real experience of His Spirit pouring His love out to me through you. Okay?"
Jesus has eternally enjoyed living in the bosom of the Father. In fact, He's completely One with His Father. And God adopted us as SONs... that means He's given us Jesus Christ's relationship with God for our eternal enjoyment. Wow! We can now enjoy Jesus Christ's relationship with God as our very own. Although our enjoyment and experience of this relationship can fluctuate, the relationship itself never changes. So, as the Word says, "Since you've received Jesus Christ the Lord, walk in Him"... crying with the Son's own Spirit "Abba, Father".
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