Ezekiel had a vision in which he saw a magnificent cloud and a fire and four living creatures. Each of the four creatures had four faces - of a man, a lion, an ox and an eagle. All four creatures moved together.
The prophet saw beyond his day to the advent of the God-Man, Christ Jesus, and saw Him in all His glorious aspects. Ezekiel saw Christ as the man who walks with us, the lion king who rules over us, the ox our burden-bearer, and the eagle who takes us into the realm of the Spirit.
We must know Him in all His aspects together (for so it means that the creatures moved together). We can't walk with Him, or ask Him to bear our burdens, if we don't come under His king-ship; nor can we soar with Him in the Spirit if we don't allow Him to cleanse and heal us. We can't fulfill His purposes for our lives if we don't follow Him into the Spirit-realm.
The four gospels echo Ezekiel's vision as they describe the One who came in fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies. Our lives pick up the song as we enter in to this full-orbed life in Christ, allowing His full working in every circumstance to bring us to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Monday, September 26, 2005
Outsourcing
Most everyone these days is familiar with outsourcing, the practice of contracting work to another individual or firm who can do it better, or for less cost, or with less risk, etc. My own company oursources IT operations and development.
Outsourcing is nothing new. It's common in a market-driven economy. The South has recently lost a lot of employment to foreign firms who operate at lower cost, but was itself the outsourcer on those jobs a century ago when lower costs took the jobs from the North.
But outsourcing is still older than that. God is the original outsourcer:
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6).
"I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts." (Jer. 31:33)
The essence of the New Testament is that God Himself will do His work in the lives of believers. Often times we think that we have to be really good at this or at that, or that we have to try really hard to do something just right. That is law; the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Basically, God has outsourced to Himself the work of transforming our lives. We try to take it back but find out we can't do it. But when we allow His Spirit to invade our hearts in a particular area, confessing (not admitting) our sins, He can do a complete work.
There's an old saying that says "If you want something done right, do it yourself." That just about sums it up from God's viewpoint - if God does it, it will be done right.
This is one time that outsourcing is OK.
Outsourcing is nothing new. It's common in a market-driven economy. The South has recently lost a lot of employment to foreign firms who operate at lower cost, but was itself the outsourcer on those jobs a century ago when lower costs took the jobs from the North.
But outsourcing is still older than that. God is the original outsourcer:
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6).
"I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts." (Jer. 31:33)
The essence of the New Testament is that God Himself will do His work in the lives of believers. Often times we think that we have to be really good at this or at that, or that we have to try really hard to do something just right. That is law; the law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Basically, God has outsourced to Himself the work of transforming our lives. We try to take it back but find out we can't do it. But when we allow His Spirit to invade our hearts in a particular area, confessing (not admitting) our sins, He can do a complete work.
There's an old saying that says "If you want something done right, do it yourself." That just about sums it up from God's viewpoint - if God does it, it will be done right.
This is one time that outsourcing is OK.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Diamond In The Dust
He created worlds yet he lay as a helpless babe on Mary's breast ... He walked on water yet he asked a Samaritan woman for a drink ... He fed 5,000 people from 5 loaves and 2 fishes yet he hungered and thirsted in the wilderness ... He radiated the glory of God on the Mount of Transfiguration yet no one could recognize him at the river Jordan ... He brought salvation, comfort and healing to countless numbers of people yet he himself underwent humiliation, pain, suffering and death ...
God on the one hand, man on the other. So wonderfully He became us, never losing His deity. The Wonderful One wrapped in swaddling clothes, a diamond in the dust, a pearl set in clay, hidden yet revealed.
We will have innumerable ages to contemplate His wonders, but how will we ever be able to fully comprehend all the great mysteries of God in Christ? Where can we begin? And it will surely never, ever end.
God on the one hand, man on the other. So wonderfully He became us, never losing His deity. The Wonderful One wrapped in swaddling clothes, a diamond in the dust, a pearl set in clay, hidden yet revealed.
We will have innumerable ages to contemplate His wonders, but how will we ever be able to fully comprehend all the great mysteries of God in Christ? Where can we begin? And it will surely never, ever end.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Through The Lattice
My beloved is like a roe or a young hart; behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, showing himself through the lattice." (Song of Solomon 2:9)
In this verse I see the Lord revealing Himself to His beloved, albeit a little timidly, hiding, as it were, behind the lattice. Will He be noticed or ignored? Will He be accepted or rejected? He has been rejected so many times before, but His love compels Him to return yet again and seek companionship.
I felt that last night when I was relaxing after dinner, reading a news magazine. I sensed His Presence and I thought "Oh, my, that's wonderful; this feels so good," and I kept on reading the magazine. This morning the Lord showed me how ignorant and uncaring I am - I should have stopped and said "The Lord is here - let's wait on Him." That was the time He revealed Himself, in the middle of something I wanted to do. But He came seeking my heart, my friendship, and I turned Him away.
Oh, Lord, come again. Forgive my frailties and my ignorance. Teach me your ways, oh Lord, and I shall walk in your paths. Give me a contrite and humble spirit, and a hearing ear, that I might sense your coming, even the whisper of your voice that says "Rise up, my love, and come away."
In this verse I see the Lord revealing Himself to His beloved, albeit a little timidly, hiding, as it were, behind the lattice. Will He be noticed or ignored? Will He be accepted or rejected? He has been rejected so many times before, but His love compels Him to return yet again and seek companionship.
I felt that last night when I was relaxing after dinner, reading a news magazine. I sensed His Presence and I thought "Oh, my, that's wonderful; this feels so good," and I kept on reading the magazine. This morning the Lord showed me how ignorant and uncaring I am - I should have stopped and said "The Lord is here - let's wait on Him." That was the time He revealed Himself, in the middle of something I wanted to do. But He came seeking my heart, my friendship, and I turned Him away.
Oh, Lord, come again. Forgive my frailties and my ignorance. Teach me your ways, oh Lord, and I shall walk in your paths. Give me a contrite and humble spirit, and a hearing ear, that I might sense your coming, even the whisper of your voice that says "Rise up, my love, and come away."
Friday, September 16, 2005
Sowing And Reaping
"Whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap." (Gal. 6:7)
This concept of sowing and reaping has been hijacked by profiteering, self-serving ministries that use it to dupe ignorant Christians and garner riches to themselves. If they really believed what they were saying - that God will return ten-fold to those who "sow into" their ministries - then they wouldn't need to make such requests; they themselves would give and wait to receive the increase from God.
The next verse makes it clear that Paul is talking about that which we receive into our own spirits - if it's of the flesh we'll reap corruption, but if it's of the Spirit we'll receive life.
I grew up on country music - Hank Williams (the real one, not Jr.), George Jones, Kitty Wells, Faron Young - the list goes on. I still love the sound of a fiddle and a steel guitar. But if I listen to that tear-stained, beer-stained, whining, wailing, blues-soaked, booze-soaked music, that's what I walk away with. I come away with that self-pitying, lowlife view of things - nothing's working out, poor-poor-pitiful me, I might as well go out and drink.
My soul has an automatic, built-in jukebox, and it has automatic replay. I don't know if yours works that way, but mine sure does. When I take into myself that which is of the world, that's what echoes in my soul. I sowed and I reaped. That's a far cry from where I want to be, on the mountain with the King.
But if I fill my soul with praise music, if I feed my spirit on the songs of Zion, then I reap a harvest of corn, wine, and oil - the good things of the Lord. If I seek His face early in the morning, then His touch is upon my life even in the heat of noonday. I sow, I reap.
I need to walk with Him - if I don't have Him, I die. Even though I'm under grace and free to do all things, all things are not expedient for me. A farmer wouldn't plant onions if he wanted to grow corn; neither should we plant crops we don't want to grow.
We should cry out like baby birds for bread from heaven, living water, hidden manna. If we sow to the the Spirit, we shall reap life.
This concept of sowing and reaping has been hijacked by profiteering, self-serving ministries that use it to dupe ignorant Christians and garner riches to themselves. If they really believed what they were saying - that God will return ten-fold to those who "sow into" their ministries - then they wouldn't need to make such requests; they themselves would give and wait to receive the increase from God.
The next verse makes it clear that Paul is talking about that which we receive into our own spirits - if it's of the flesh we'll reap corruption, but if it's of the Spirit we'll receive life.
I grew up on country music - Hank Williams (the real one, not Jr.), George Jones, Kitty Wells, Faron Young - the list goes on. I still love the sound of a fiddle and a steel guitar. But if I listen to that tear-stained, beer-stained, whining, wailing, blues-soaked, booze-soaked music, that's what I walk away with. I come away with that self-pitying, lowlife view of things - nothing's working out, poor-poor-pitiful me, I might as well go out and drink.
My soul has an automatic, built-in jukebox, and it has automatic replay. I don't know if yours works that way, but mine sure does. When I take into myself that which is of the world, that's what echoes in my soul. I sowed and I reaped. That's a far cry from where I want to be, on the mountain with the King.
But if I fill my soul with praise music, if I feed my spirit on the songs of Zion, then I reap a harvest of corn, wine, and oil - the good things of the Lord. If I seek His face early in the morning, then His touch is upon my life even in the heat of noonday. I sow, I reap.
I need to walk with Him - if I don't have Him, I die. Even though I'm under grace and free to do all things, all things are not expedient for me. A farmer wouldn't plant onions if he wanted to grow corn; neither should we plant crops we don't want to grow.
We should cry out like baby birds for bread from heaven, living water, hidden manna. If we sow to the the Spirit, we shall reap life.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Crucified With Him
How is it that I can be crucified with Christ? I wasn't there 2,000 years ago and I didn't hang on a cross next to Him, yet this is tremendously important to my spiritual life if I am to decrease and He is to increase. God's plan is not to make me better but to get me out of the way through death, and to make a new me through resurrection. I can't do it on my own, so I must go through the way that God has made for me.
It is linear thinking to see spiritual history in a timeline from then to now. But God is eternal and has a different perspective. If I view this history in a timeline I see it like this:
+ ( the cross) ........................... \o/ (me).
This way, I'm separated from Christ's death on the cross by 2,000 years. But if I view it in God's eternal perspective it looks like this:
+
.
.
.
.
.
.
\o/
So now I can see how it's possible for me to be aligned with Christ's death, even to be a partaker in it; whatever happened to Him happened to me since I am in Him. And that is possible because that's the way God sees things. Thus I can reckon (count/affirm/attest) myself as crucified with Him.
Does that mean that Christ is continually crucified? No - that was once and done. But God sees me as in Christ and Christ as eternal.
Jesus was my substitute - He took my sin upon Himself there. But He did so much more; He took my place, yes - but He also made a place for me on the cross, so I can truthfully say with Paul "I am crucified with Christ." Grasp that - you and I were on the cross because of what Jesus did there; He made a way for us.
Similarly, I can say that through baptism I am buried with Him and I can also say that I am risen and resurrected with Him (Col 2:12), and mean it - it's a reality, not a wishy-washy theological supposition.
This is not reformation of character - this is death and resurrection. Something more happened to me in baptism than getting wet - I was buried! I was in that tomb, in Christ. And when the stone was rolled away and Jesus stepped forth, I came forth with Him. With Him - all the way!
This is not suppressing my desires but allowing the Son of God to vanquish me in every area. This is not living for Jesus, but Jesus living in me. This is not walking the walk, but limping like Jacob and leaning on the arm of my Beloved.
So no longer do we have the option/privilege of living our own lives; instead we are called to usher in the King of Glory in all His beauty and all His splendor, to prepare the way of the Lord, and to participate with Him in the dawning of His Kingdom.
Are you ready for that?
It is linear thinking to see spiritual history in a timeline from then to now. But God is eternal and has a different perspective. If I view this history in a timeline I see it like this:
+ ( the cross) ........................... \o/ (me).
This way, I'm separated from Christ's death on the cross by 2,000 years. But if I view it in God's eternal perspective it looks like this:
+
.
.
.
.
.
.
\o/
So now I can see how it's possible for me to be aligned with Christ's death, even to be a partaker in it; whatever happened to Him happened to me since I am in Him. And that is possible because that's the way God sees things. Thus I can reckon (count/affirm/attest) myself as crucified with Him.
Does that mean that Christ is continually crucified? No - that was once and done. But God sees me as in Christ and Christ as eternal.
Jesus was my substitute - He took my sin upon Himself there. But He did so much more; He took my place, yes - but He also made a place for me on the cross, so I can truthfully say with Paul "I am crucified with Christ." Grasp that - you and I were on the cross because of what Jesus did there; He made a way for us.
Similarly, I can say that through baptism I am buried with Him and I can also say that I am risen and resurrected with Him (Col 2:12), and mean it - it's a reality, not a wishy-washy theological supposition.
This is not reformation of character - this is death and resurrection. Something more happened to me in baptism than getting wet - I was buried! I was in that tomb, in Christ. And when the stone was rolled away and Jesus stepped forth, I came forth with Him. With Him - all the way!
This is not suppressing my desires but allowing the Son of God to vanquish me in every area. This is not living for Jesus, but Jesus living in me. This is not walking the walk, but limping like Jacob and leaning on the arm of my Beloved.
So no longer do we have the option/privilege of living our own lives; instead we are called to usher in the King of Glory in all His beauty and all His splendor, to prepare the way of the Lord, and to participate with Him in the dawning of His Kingdom.
Are you ready for that?
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Jesus Is
Jesus is
... the friend you always wanted
... the wish you were afraid to wish for because it seemed too good
... what you always thought life should be like
... the answer to all your questions
... like the sun rising in your heart
... the one who says "I'll take your part when times get rough"
... the place to hide
... the one who watches over you
... a river of clear running water
... the friend you always wanted
... the wish you were afraid to wish for because it seemed too good
... what you always thought life should be like
... the answer to all your questions
... like the sun rising in your heart
... the one who says "I'll take your part when times get rough"
... the place to hide
... the one who watches over you
... a river of clear running water
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)