sap

The key to the Christian life is summarized in two biblical phrases, “In Christ”, “Christ in us”.  They are two aspects of our faith.  In Christ - is our new identity, our new humanity - 2 Corinthians 5:17.  Christ in us - is our hope for transformation - Colossians 1:27.  Jesus talked about this in  John 15.  Jesus is the true Vine and we are the Branch.  The key is for the branch to be “in the Vine” for the branch is nothing apart from the Vine.  The Vine must be in the branch for the “sap” to flow through the branch that it may bear fruit.  So, too, God has placed us in Christ and set us free from the “old man” ( Paul’s term for the whole human race in Adam, see Romans 5:12-21).  We are not only in Christ, Christ is in us as well through the Holy Spirit, see Romans 8:2, 9.  It is through the the Spirit of Life that the life of Christ flows in us and through us. This is how we are made holy. 

boasting in the cross? Yep!

But may it never be that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.  Galatians 6:14

Who in their right mind would boast about in the cross?  Why?  There have been many who have died on a cross.  But this cross is unique because of the One who was on the cross and why He was there.  The Cross of Christ is the defining moment in the history of mankind.  

Boasting in the cross?  Yep! — The cross was designed by man to maximize the torture, pain, suffering and public shame on a hardened criminal.  The Romans did not use the cross on their own citizens.  The Jews understood that any one who hangs on a tree was under God’s curse.  But God used the cross as His D-Day over evil, the evil one, over sin and death itself!  And because of that Day, we know "V.S. Day" (Victory over sin and satan) is inevitable!  We know that not only are redeemed and reconciled to God but also the very creation itself will be redeemed and set free!   Oh, the wonderful Cross!  

Boasting in the cross?  Yep! — The world doesn’t like the cross.  The Cross of Christ offends us.  The world considers the cross as foolishness, as moronic.  So, we have tamed the cross and for many it is nothing more than a nice piece of shiny jewelry.  But the Word tells us the both the wisdom and the power of God are seen at the Cross of Christ.  It is through the cross that God has redeemed and reconciled those who humble themselves and receive Jesus as Christ (Messiah).  Oh, the wonderful Cross!

Boasting in the cross?  Yep! — Without the cross we are helpless and hopeless.  We would be standing before the Almighty naked and exposed.   But because of the Cross of Christ, we are covered and fully accepted. Oh, the wonderful Cross!

Boasting in the cross? Yep! — at the cross we see more than two wooden beams. We see more than agony and pain. We see perfect love — the infinite height, width, breadth and depth from the very heart of God Himself!  Jesus was not forced to go to the cross.  He chose the cross.  "In this is love, not that we loved God but God loved us and sent His Son to be the satisfactory sacrifice for our sins.", 1 John 4:10.  Jesus died for our sins on the cross not to get God to love us but because God does oves us, so....  Oh, the wonderful Cross!

Boasting in the cross?  Yep! — what else even comes close to the cross?  boast in the cross - let your life show it and pass it on!  

in the shadow of the cross

Usually when we hear that someone is living in the shadow of another it is not a good thing.  It suggests that this person is living off another’s convictions and doesn’t have a mind of their own.  However, in the Christian life, this is a good thing if we are living in the shadow of the Cross.

The Cross defines our life.  If we are truly disciples of Jesus Christ then we follow in His footsteps, let Him define our convictions and live for His purpose.  This is what Jesus meant when He said, If anyone wishes to come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

Jesus, our master, took up His cross, denied Himself and followed the Father’s will completely.  He was not here  to do His own thing. He was here to serve and to give His life.  You and I are called to live in this shadow.

The cross redefines our life.  It affects the way we view everything.  The cross redefines leadership.  Instead of leadership being a position of lording it over others.  Leadership is demonstrated through servanthood and humility.  

The cross redefines our values.  Instead of being careless with sin, we take sin seriously.  Instead of devaluing the marriage commitment we esteem and honor the vows of marriage as life promises.  Instead of living to get rich, we are rich by living generously.  Instead of seeking our own personal ambition we seek the Kingdom of God.

It is the the cross that makes the difference in our lives.  It is the cross that defines what is valuable and important.  It is the cross where life really begins.  Are you living in the shadow of the cross?

under grace amazing,

It is because we are under the grace of Christ that we can experience liberty over bondage (Gal 2:4); Justification over condemnation (Gal 2:16); God’s blessing over God’s curse (Gal 3:13-14); God’s promise over Law (Gal 3:18); Sonship over slavery (Gal 3:23-4:7); freedom versus the yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1), Spirit over the flesh (Gal 5:16).

What is grace? the word means undeserved favor or as one translation puts it — special favor. The grace of the Lord Jesus is Christ becoming fully man in order to redeem us from the curse by becoming a curse for us so that we can receive God’s blessing which He promised to those who come to him through faith (Gal 3:13-15). We can’t earn grace, buy grace, merit grace, or deserve grace. God gives grace —enabling us to not only be redeemed but empowering us to live out our salvation.

Where do you find grace? In Christ Jesus — He came in the fullness of grace and truth (Jn 1:16-17). You won’t find grace under Law. Being under law makes you obligated to the law to perform (Gal 5:3). Being under law nullifies grace (Gal 5:2:21) Being under law severs you from grace (Gal 5:4); Being under Law cannot make you a son only a slave (Gal 3:23-26). Being under law cannot make you righteous (Gal 3:21). The problem is not with the Law of God. The problem is with you and me - we do not have the ability to fulfill the Law’s requirement. It is only the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that gives a standing with God and a power to live a life pleasing to God.

Therefore, be strong in the grace in Christ Jesus. 2 Tim 2:1

In the grip of His grace,

doug

two realities

Christians live according to two realities: The supernatural and the natural. The secularist lives only for the natural. By natural I mean that nature is all there is.
The Christian world-view best explains all of reality while the secularist’s or naturalist’s world-view only explains a portion of reality.
The naturalist or secularist would claim all can be explained naturalistically. Is that so? The naturalist cannot explain why the universe is here. He or she cannot explain how the universe got here. The naturalist can explain what is here and how things work in this structured and orderly universe. The naturalist cannot explain the personal nature of mankind. Mankind is like the rest of this universe in that it is finite but mankind is unique in that men and women are personal, relational beings. Mankind is self-aware (he knows himself) self-determining (able to think, choose and act), creative, moral, worships, longs for significance and meaning and relational. The rest of this universe is impersonal. Where does this personal nature come from? The impersonal cannot produce the personal.
The naturalist world-view is like trying to stuff an oversized teddy bear in a small shoe box — parts of the bear fit in the box while a larger portion won’t fit within the framework. So it is with naturalism. Only a portion of reality is explained by naturalism while large portions of left unexplained or are left without answers.
However, the Christian world-view explains all of reality through the 1. Creation — explains the origin and design of the universe and the personal nature of mankind, for God is not an impersonal force but a Personal Being. 2. Fall — explains why there is evil, suffering and injustice in our world. This world is not as it should be. 3. Redemption — explains that this world although is not as it should be, it is redeemable. It can be changed and transformed. Their is hope. Individuals and Societies can be reformed. 4. Restoration — explains that there is a destiny and plan for this created world along with mankind. We are not accidents of nature but are designed by God with an eternal purpose.
C.S. Lewis said something like. Christians live for two worlds. If we live only for this world, we will lose both but if we live for the world to come we will gain both.
Live then, each day, in light of an eternal world-view and make an impact right where you are… for “what you do in life echoes in eternity.”

doug

recommended reading - Total Truth by Nancy Pearcy

keep it simple

I have found that it is easy to complicate our Christianity.  What is Christianity?  Is it not a relationship with the living, eternal and personal God which is made possible through the Lamb of God - Jesus?   The core idea of Christianity is relationship.  Yet, I have discovered we can easily turn our Christianity into a set of religious traditions for us to follow, a moral set of beliefs, tips and techniques for self improvement, seeking some additional kind of blessing beyond Christ and son on.  

Whereas these things may have their place they are not the core of Christianity.  the Gospel is not rules (although there are rules).  The Gospel is not a moral way of life (although we are to be upright and moral in our thoughts and behavior).  The Gospel is not a philosophy —a system of thought for wise living (although we do gain insight on how to live wisely.  The Gospel is a person.  The Gospel is Jesus Christ  (Read Romans 1:1-4).  It is because of the Gospel - the death, burial and resurrection - that we are spiritually and intimately united with Christ

It is for this reason Paul writes to the Corinthian believers in his second letter. In 2 Corinthians 11:2-3, Paul alerts and admonishes the believers to beware of being led away from simple and pure devotion to Christ.  They were being influenced by outsiders who were luring them away from a heart devotion to Christ to a focus on religious ritual.  So, Paul reminds them that they have been joined to Christ.  They belong to Him not to a set of rules.

So, pursue Christ and keep it simple. Spend time with Him. Trust Him. Listen to Him and obey Him.  Be real, honest and open with Him.  Enjoy Him.  Relax in Him. Talk to Him. Encourage others to do the same and share Him with those who haven’t met Him yet.  

In a nutshell - rely on Him and be responsive to His Word.  Keep in step with the promptings of the Holy Spirit and engage in real relationship within the body of Christ.   

captured by Christ,

doug

dark night

Psalm 22 — Cry For Help

Whenever you go through the dark days of life —Days of disappointment, discouragement and depression.  These are the days where you ask where are you God? "Why have you dumped me?  I cry out to you day and night but I get no response - nothing."

Take this to heart.  This is a Messianic Psalm.  This means that this Psalm is primarily about the Messiah - Jesus.  Jesus uttered these very words on the Cross.  In fact many scholars think that Jesus quoted the entire Psalm while impaled on the Cross.  Jesus' last words were "It is finished" and this Psalm ends with, "He has performed it" or it is finished. 

You may not know or understand the difficulty that you are in and God seems so far away.  But you can hold on to this that Jesus understands precisely how you feel.  Yet it did not keep Him from crying out the Father.

In verses 1-10 He cries out to God.  In verses 11-21 He appeals to God for help and in verses 22-31 He expresses His gratitude and praise.  Follow His example.   

Here is the promise:  The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied.  Ps 22:26.  Just think of where Jesus is right now.  God, the Father, took care of His Son and He will take care of you to.

to magnify

"O magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His Name together", Psalm 34:3  

To magnify - means to make something larger than it is.  When we magnify God, we don’t make Him larger, our understanding of God grows larger.  To magnify the Lord is to make everything else small.  Our tendency is to magnify our problems and shrink our view of God.  This is backwards and upside down thinking. It is just plain wrong.  The Lord is a great God and great King above all gods, Pssalm 95:3  

In Prince Caspian of the Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan says to Lucy, “you will find me bigger.”  It is not that Aslan grows bigger.  It is Lucy’s understanding of Aslan that grows bigger.  Let’s follow the David’s exhortation in Psalm 34 and magnify the Lord and together, let’s exalt His name.

wide open spaces of grace

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand . . . Romans 5:1-2

Into this grace in which we stand!  Because we have been declared righteous by God through the blood of Christ and now permanently belong to His covenant family  (Justification).  We now have the privilege of exploring the landscape of God’s favor (grace).  

The picture I have is from times we have trekked the Rocky Mountains in CO.  Each day we would wake up and begin a whole new journey of walking through groves of Aspen trees, of blazing trails where there are no trails, of breathing in the fresh mountain air, of being drawn to heights of the mountain peaks, to stand on the top of the world and to see as if to see the world for the first time, and even when lost in the depths of the shadows of the dark forest or caught in a thunder storm-with lightning all around us, we can catch the breath-taking beauty of God’s creation .  

So, because of Christ, we have the privilege of standing and exploring the wide open spaces of God’s grace.  He invites us to explore the vistas of His favor, His presence, His power, His love and the privilege of exploring the depths of God Himself.   And when we get lost, it is through His grace, we find our way back to Him.