God still is speaking. Are you listening?

God still speaks the same word toward the world: REDEMPTION.

Psalms 129:3 (ESV) The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.”

Isaiah 53:5 (ESV) 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

Matt 27:26 (ESV) 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

Modern Verbiage:

“Did I mention that He forgave you, and had his flesh ripped off for the sin that you was a slave to?”
Lecrae – New Reality

Good Enough?

³¹ Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram’s wife, and they went forth together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, but when they came to Haran, they settled there. ³² The days of Terah were 205 years, and Terah died in Haran.

¹ Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Gen 11:31 -12:3 (ESV)

It really hit me a couple of days ago when I read this that even though Abram was the “Father of Faith” and the one God chose to make His covenant with, he may not have been the originally intended person.

Abram’s father Terah took Abram and Lot (Abram’s nephew) and left for the promised land of Canaan where God had called him. Unfortunately half way to Canaan (God’s Promised Land for Terah) they came to Lot’s people in Haran and decided to “SETTLE” there. Terah knew they were supposed to go on to Canaan but Haran was good enough so he SETTLED for it.

Abraham’s father settled for something less than the destiny that God had planned out for him. Then he died in that place of “settling” never knowing what God intended for him in Canaan. WOW, this is a sad commentary on a man’s life that was called to greatness. He settled for GOOD ENOUGH or MEDIOCRITY!

Then I started thinking, on my way to destiny have I settled for “GOOD ENOUGH” in an area of life or ministry? Have You?

I’m just asking the question “Do I want to settle for mediocrity, or do I want Destiny?”

I want God’s Canaan (destiny) for my life because my life affects more than just my own.

Wow that sounds like another potential blog.

Servanthood or friendship III

Last time I wrote I talked about a works mentality or earning my way with God. Although I definitely believe that works as a result of salvation out of a grateful heart are appropriate and necessary, I believe trying to earn my way with God through works is an attitude that offends His heart. It looks to me as if in John 15:12-17 the emphasis is on the relationship aspect of friendship as opposed to the servant aspect. I believe that what God wants is friendship. If you look at the very beginning of mans relating with God. God is the initiator of relationship through creation. God also is the initiator of the restoration of that relationship as shown in these passages in that He showed the “greater love” in laying down His life for His friends.

 

John 15:12-17 (ESV) ¹²”This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants (doulos), for the servant (doulos) does not know what his master (kyrios) is doing; but I have called you friends (philos), for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

 

One of the most profound statements in this passage and perhaps in the whole Bible is that of “You did not choose me, but I chose you”. The God of the universe Creator and Owner of all that is and ever will be “chose” to have a relationship with me and one of a friendship and partnership nature. If that doesn’t blow your mind get this He wants to be intimate with me, He wants me to be a part of His Bride. Wow that doesn’t seem like he views me as a “doulos” bond slave. I am married. I have a bride that God has blessed me with. We have been married for over 18 years and an item for more than 20. We are high school sweethearts and she is my best friend. I can assure you that in no way shape or form do I remotely view her as my “bond slave”. So the Husband of husbands, the perfect example views me as His bride and friend. As a side note we in a marriage covenant should view each other in the same light.

 

Back on point: He has called me His friend, and has even according to this passage given me the right to use His name in making requests to the Father. Why? So that we might bear fruit and that our fruit in Him might remain! Like we said earlier God initiated this friendship at creation, and what was one of the first things He spoke over His creation? “Be fruitful and multiply”. I believe that God has always wanted us and all of His creation to be fruitful and that our fruit remain. The thing is that my fruit outside of Him rots and doesn’t remain but experiences decay. The only remaining and lasting fruit is brought about by a friend of Jesus glorifying Him.

 

Lastly does a bond slave have a right to ask his master for anything? Yet Jesus said in this passage I could ask anything of the Father in His name and He would grant it. Obviously I believe that God is not some supernatural sugar daddy and that God in His wisdom and providence has the ability and right to say no, but what if the reason many of my prayers aren’t answered is that I am approaching God as a doulos? A slave doesn’t have the right to ask for anything! A slave gets what he gets. If I insist on relating to God on that basis I have no right to approach at all except to beg, and God doesn’t respond to begging. God does respond to faith, especially, I believe, the faith of a friend.

 

Jesus calls me His friend…….. and I am.

Servanthood or friendship II

For years I have believed that I should approach God on the basis of being a servant (doulos.) I have been taught it, and even taught it myself. I have used as a basis for my thoughts where Paul talked about being bought with a Price. I even had BWAP imprinted on a Bible I bought. I have used that concept where I am a servant and He is my master for years, and while it is true recently the Lord has shown me what I believe is a higher way.

 

John 15:12-17 (ESV) ¹²  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵  No longer do I call you servants (doulos), for the servant (doulos) does not know what his master (kyrios) is doing; but I have called you friends (philos), for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

 

What I need to see here is that a servant or “doulos” is a bond-slave it can be voluntary or involuntary. And a bond slave has no rights or privileges and is literally owned by another person a “kyrios” or one who is supreme in authority over their lives. When this country was settled there were people in Europe who wanted to come over to the new world who couldn’t afford the trip or the money to get started. So what they would do is to sell themselves or make themselves a “bondservant” to pay off the money they borrowed to get here. They indentured themselves to pay a debt and they became a slave and had a master or a “kyrios”. I believe that in this passage of scripture Jesus laid out the way he intended for us to relate to Him and also to the Father. Why would He have to be so specific? My thoughts are that He knew man’s desire to carry his own weight and lack of ability to accept a gift he didn’t earn. Salvation cost Jesus dearly but He gave it to us without cost as a gift. What does God think about my trying to earn or pay for what he gave me as a gift? I believe that when I insist on relating to God as a lowly “doulos” and a sinner saved by grace that is exactly what I am doing. I am trying to pay my own way, and that I believe is a works mentality that may well offend the heart of God.

 

To be continued:

Servanthood or Friendship?

God has been dealing with me about the way that I relate to Him and the basis on which I approach Him. While it is true that I have been “Bought with a Price” (Jesus’ Blood) one more precious than anything, I am not expected to pay a debt off by becoming a bond slave or an indentured servant. I don’t believe that God wants me to continue to relate to Him in that manner. Which is why I changed the name of my blog. I am working on something that for me in my life is fairly profound. God is shining a light on a legalistic works based attitude in my heart. My next blog or two I will share it with you. If you get a chance, check out this scripture:

 

John 15:15. ESV

 

¹⁵  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

OUT WITH THE OLD

Today my family and I cleaned out our garage. We took everything out box by box and examined it to see if we wanted to keep it or trash it or give it to Good Will. We checked out everything, and it was no small task. Tonight I am a wee bit stove up. There are a couple of things I realized today. #1 I am not as young as I used to be. #2 There are things I have been hanging on to for years, moving them numerous times and now I don’t now know why I did. I guess at one time they must have had more meaning and more value than they do to me now. They are more like excess baggage than something valuable to be kept safe and handled with care. Those things have become a LIABILITY to be cut loose and gotten rid of, and that is exactly what is going on in my life right now. I am getting rid of some things that are weighing me down. I am getting rid of some things that I have carried from place to place for years. I don’t know if you caught it but at some point in this blog I stopped talking about the stuff in my garage. J How about you, got any stuff you need to let go of?

 

 

Heb 12:1-2 (ESV)

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith,

Guilded Shackles

 

Religion and Legalism are a beautiful set of guilded, gold plated, jewel encrusted shackles. They may be pretty, but the result is still bondage.

 

I am finding my focus changing lately. By that I mean I have become more focused on how I relate to God than how I relate to other people. I find myself going back to the basics of my being saved by “grace through faith and that not of myself.” In times past I have had a tendency to be a bit legalistic about some things. It seems that is especially true when I am thinking of myself. I have been reminded as of late that I am and have always been saved and kept by His grace (enabling) and through faith (belief that He paid the price for my sins, all of them). On my best day or on my worst God is not any more or less pleased with me because when He looks at me He sees Jesus’ sacrifice. I know this is true but have allowed myself to get into this performance mindset concerning myself. I believe this applies to other people no doubt but I have caught myself acting like I have been called to a special place in ministry or leadership so I must keep my place of calling through my being good enough. Ugh! Uncovered & exposed legalism! The truth is I don’t deserve to be used but He is willing. I don’t deserve His favor and He won’t let me earn it, but He will give it to me. I don’t even deserve His love and compassion and He gives it to me anyway.  It is like the Lord told Paul about his “thorn in the flesh”

 

^“8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.
⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.“ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
¹⁰  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Cor 12:8-10 (ESV)

God’s grace or enabling is needed by and sufficient for ME just as much as it is for any one else. Why should this come as a revelation to me I just don’t know. I am just grateful that I am being delivered from a performance mindset, not just where others are concerned but where I am concerned as well.