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?
Monday, September 12, 2005
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
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Wings and Wheels and Webbed Feet
Yesterday at lunchtime I sat outside at work on a bench overlooking the large pond at our office complex. Seven Canada Geese flew in and landed on the water, squawking and flapping their wings and gliding on their webbed feet until they came to rest in the water; then they swam around, climbed out of the water, and waddled around on the land for a bit.
Immediately after, a jet plane on the approach path to the airport flew overhead and let down its wheels. In a few minutes it would land at the airport; it would bounce once or twice on the wheels, which would each send out a puff of white smoke, and then it would taxi to the gate where it would discharge its passengers.
As I watched these airborne vehicles come to earth I thought how the geese's feet and the plane's wheels didn't serve a purpose while they were airborne but functioned fully while on land. Conversely, their wings served no purpose on the ground but enabled them to apply Bernoulli's Principle to keep them aloft in flight.
Even so, we have faculties that serve us well in the earth realm but should give way to those that allow us to function in the realm of the Spirit. We have been given gifts and callings and ministrations that apply in spiritual things and we should develop those abilitiess and employ them when the Spirit calls. The giftings we have in the earth realm may not be appropriate in a spiritual setting; we may have to fold them up, the way a bird tucks its feet up under its body while in flight so they don't impede what God wants to do in the Spirit.
We hear and respond in the realm of the Spirit through spiritual faculties, and we function in the earth realm with natural giftings. All are needed. But once we enter the realm of the Spirit we should release ourselves to God's purpose and employ those giftings that allow us to function in that arena.
May we be like the eagle that can rise up above mountains, catch the thermals, and soar for miles and miles, apprehending the direction and purpose of God for our lives and for His kingdom.
Immediately after, a jet plane on the approach path to the airport flew overhead and let down its wheels. In a few minutes it would land at the airport; it would bounce once or twice on the wheels, which would each send out a puff of white smoke, and then it would taxi to the gate where it would discharge its passengers.
As I watched these airborne vehicles come to earth I thought how the geese's feet and the plane's wheels didn't serve a purpose while they were airborne but functioned fully while on land. Conversely, their wings served no purpose on the ground but enabled them to apply Bernoulli's Principle to keep them aloft in flight.
Even so, we have faculties that serve us well in the earth realm but should give way to those that allow us to function in the realm of the Spirit. We have been given gifts and callings and ministrations that apply in spiritual things and we should develop those abilitiess and employ them when the Spirit calls. The giftings we have in the earth realm may not be appropriate in a spiritual setting; we may have to fold them up, the way a bird tucks its feet up under its body while in flight so they don't impede what God wants to do in the Spirit.
We hear and respond in the realm of the Spirit through spiritual faculties, and we function in the earth realm with natural giftings. All are needed. But once we enter the realm of the Spirit we should release ourselves to God's purpose and employ those giftings that allow us to function in that arena.
May we be like the eagle that can rise up above mountains, catch the thermals, and soar for miles and miles, apprehending the direction and purpose of God for our lives and for His kingdom.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Pleasing God
"Furthermore, then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more." (1 Thess 4:1)
"When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." (Prov 16:7)
How often do people use God to justify their actions when really they only want to please themselves? People have an agenda to carry out to achieve their own ends and invoke God to back them up in it. But who are they seeking to please - themselves or God?
Proponents of homosexual rights invoke Jesus as never having mentioned the subject. Well, if they're going to bring God into the discussion then they have to seriously consider the whole package, not just the part that agrees with their agenda. Who are they trying to please - themselves or God? If you say you want to please yourself, that brands you right off. And as soon as you say you're trying to please God you have no ground at all left to stand on - you have to acknowledge what the Bible says about such things.
When people ask me if I think this or that is wrong I'm going to answer "who are you seeking to please - yourself or God?" I think that if we are seeking to please God, then the rug gets pulled out from under us if we're pushing our own thing.
I have to look at myself and the things I do. I have to ask if I'm trying to please myself or God. There are things God allows me to do but they don't necessarily please Him. I have any number of leisure-time pursuits that are harmless in themselves and which I can justify by saying "I won't go to hell if I do this," or "God knows my heart," or any number of things like that to get my own way. But am I seeking to please God? That's a whole different story.
Jesus did only those things that pleased the Father, never His own will. I want to be like Jesus.
"When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him." (Prov 16:7)
How often do people use God to justify their actions when really they only want to please themselves? People have an agenda to carry out to achieve their own ends and invoke God to back them up in it. But who are they seeking to please - themselves or God?
Proponents of homosexual rights invoke Jesus as never having mentioned the subject. Well, if they're going to bring God into the discussion then they have to seriously consider the whole package, not just the part that agrees with their agenda. Who are they trying to please - themselves or God? If you say you want to please yourself, that brands you right off. And as soon as you say you're trying to please God you have no ground at all left to stand on - you have to acknowledge what the Bible says about such things.
When people ask me if I think this or that is wrong I'm going to answer "who are you seeking to please - yourself or God?" I think that if we are seeking to please God, then the rug gets pulled out from under us if we're pushing our own thing.
I have to look at myself and the things I do. I have to ask if I'm trying to please myself or God. There are things God allows me to do but they don't necessarily please Him. I have any number of leisure-time pursuits that are harmless in themselves and which I can justify by saying "I won't go to hell if I do this," or "God knows my heart," or any number of things like that to get my own way. But am I seeking to please God? That's a whole different story.
Jesus did only those things that pleased the Father, never His own will. I want to be like Jesus.
Monday, August 15, 2005
The River of God
Last night in our latino church I preached about the river of God (Isaiah 32, Ez. 47, John 7, Rev. 22).
A river has 2 points - its origin and its destination. At the origin, and along the way, the river receives water. We receive from the Lord through His Spirit, through the Word, through ministry.
The river of God gives life and brings healing wherever it goes. As we are touched by God and our lives intersect with others, we bring life as we share Jesus and what He has done in our lives.
Finally, the river gives of its waters to the world. What a picture of how we are to be about the Father's business. Right around us are needy people hungry for a cup of cold water. Is there something we can do, something we can say, some way to relate to that neighbor, that co-worker, to develop a relationship and begin to impart something of what we have received?
We focus a lot on receiving, and we do need to receive from God because we don't have anything to give and we can only give what we receive from God. But we need to let the water flow out to others around us.
"Let the river flow ..." God, give us a heart for our neighbors, for those around us. Use our hands, our feet, our words, our lives, to touch someone.
A river has 2 points - its origin and its destination. At the origin, and along the way, the river receives water. We receive from the Lord through His Spirit, through the Word, through ministry.
The river of God gives life and brings healing wherever it goes. As we are touched by God and our lives intersect with others, we bring life as we share Jesus and what He has done in our lives.
Finally, the river gives of its waters to the world. What a picture of how we are to be about the Father's business. Right around us are needy people hungry for a cup of cold water. Is there something we can do, something we can say, some way to relate to that neighbor, that co-worker, to develop a relationship and begin to impart something of what we have received?
We focus a lot on receiving, and we do need to receive from God because we don't have anything to give and we can only give what we receive from God. But we need to let the water flow out to others around us.
"Let the river flow ..." God, give us a heart for our neighbors, for those around us. Use our hands, our feet, our words, our lives, to touch someone.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
South American Anointing?
Alejandro, our latino pastor, just returned from Chile. He said that the pastor there went to Paraguay and returned with a batch of what God was doing there and now they're experiencing revival in Santiago.
The anointing was so strong in Paraguay that I couldn't preach the night I was scheduled to; all I could do was weep and cry out - for the country, the city, the church, the people, for myself, for Charlotte.
I'm trying to figure out why the anointing was so strong there. That's probably a fruitless exercise - God just does what He wants where He can. But I want more of Him, more of His wonderful Presence, more of His Spirit. There is no one like Jesus.
I'm tired of forms and exercises and same old, same old. There is newness and freshness in God, new every day. "Come live in me, all my life take over ..."
In preparing for the Paraguay trip, I tried to write songs in Spanish and to translate my songs, and to write Christian poetry in Spanish. I can do that in English with ease (with His help, of course) but I couldn't squeaze out a word of Spanish rhyme. I'm fluent in Spanish so I thought I could do that. I told the Lord "I have nothing, nothing." And he replied that I was ready to go - He only wanted emptiness so He could fill it.
Maybe God is trying to get us empty, down to nothing. Weak. Helpless. Dependent. Then we can be strong.
The anointing was so strong in Paraguay that I couldn't preach the night I was scheduled to; all I could do was weep and cry out - for the country, the city, the church, the people, for myself, for Charlotte.
I'm trying to figure out why the anointing was so strong there. That's probably a fruitless exercise - God just does what He wants where He can. But I want more of Him, more of His wonderful Presence, more of His Spirit. There is no one like Jesus.
I'm tired of forms and exercises and same old, same old. There is newness and freshness in God, new every day. "Come live in me, all my life take over ..."
In preparing for the Paraguay trip, I tried to write songs in Spanish and to translate my songs, and to write Christian poetry in Spanish. I can do that in English with ease (with His help, of course) but I couldn't squeaze out a word of Spanish rhyme. I'm fluent in Spanish so I thought I could do that. I told the Lord "I have nothing, nothing." And he replied that I was ready to go - He only wanted emptiness so He could fill it.
Maybe God is trying to get us empty, down to nothing. Weak. Helpless. Dependent. Then we can be strong.
Friday, August 05, 2005
The Power Of God
In my lunchtime discussion with Sean we talked about the power of God to take people from different countries with disparate cultures and different languages and make them one, brothers and sisters, through the love of Jesus. Jesus is the answer not only to my problems and my sin, but for the entire world. God bless the Marines and the Army and the U.N and everybody else that's giving their all, all over the world, and motivate us to give it all for Jesus. He's the only One who can change men from within.
And we asked God to take this fabulous sense of mission that comes from leaving it all and going to a distant land, and fill us with that right here in our every day world. We're no less called than we are right now, right where we are, and we have no less work to do right here where we are, every day.
And we asked God to take this fabulous sense of mission that comes from leaving it all and going to a distant land, and fill us with that right here in our every day world. We're no less called than we are right now, right where we are, and we have no less work to do right here where we are, every day.
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Paraguay Pics
Following are some pics of our short-term mission trip to Paraguay, which began on July 22.
The paraguayos were like little kids when we presented them with the two guitars, which my co-workers made available.
We saw unbelievable poverty - the shacks in the picture were right behind the congress building in Asuncion, which is the capitol city. Paraguay doesn't have a middle class - you're either poor, rich, or richer.
The worship meetings were tremendous. God poured out His Spirit like I've never seen before - like a flood, like a deluge, like a roaring river.
We taught 5 sessions on leadership; the need in La Viña (The Vineyard) was to raise up leaders to work with the pastor. I used paper airplanes in my session(doesn't sound very leader-like, does it?)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We stayed in a very nice house and ate all but one of our meals there. Martha, who owns the house, had built a casita (little house) out back for our team; the teen-age girls stayed there while Pat and I had a room with bath. The other guys stayed in a hotel around the corner. Every house is surrounded by a high brick wall with a steel gate in front, due to the high crime rate.
I got to use my Spanish all day, every day. We also learned a little Guarani, which is the second official language of the country. Paraguay is the only country in the world with two official languages.
What I can't show on a picture is the Holy Spirit - if I could take a picture of His beauty, His compassion and His love the way He revealed Himself to us there, it would break your heart. It broke mine.
I can't say I have wonderful memories, because I want to go on with God, to build on what He has done, not to live in the past. We can pray that He will rend the heavens and come down - to our individual lives, to our churches, to our city, our state, our country, and this needy world.
The paraguayos were like little kids when we presented them with the two guitars, which my co-workers made available.
We saw unbelievable poverty - the shacks in the picture were right behind the congress building in Asuncion, which is the capitol city. Paraguay doesn't have a middle class - you're either poor, rich, or richer.
The worship meetings were tremendous. God poured out His Spirit like I've never seen before - like a flood, like a deluge, like a roaring river.
We taught 5 sessions on leadership; the need in La Viña (The Vineyard) was to raise up leaders to work with the pastor. I used paper airplanes in my session(doesn't sound very leader-like, does it?)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We stayed in a very nice house and ate all but one of our meals there. Martha, who owns the house, had built a casita (little house) out back for our team; the teen-age girls stayed there while Pat and I had a room with bath. The other guys stayed in a hotel around the corner. Every house is surrounded by a high brick wall with a steel gate in front, due to the high crime rate.
I got to use my Spanish all day, every day. We also learned a little Guarani, which is the second official language of the country. Paraguay is the only country in the world with two official languages.
What I can't show on a picture is the Holy Spirit - if I could take a picture of His beauty, His compassion and His love the way He revealed Himself to us there, it would break your heart. It broke mine.
I can't say I have wonderful memories, because I want to go on with God, to build on what He has done, not to live in the past. We can pray that He will rend the heavens and come down - to our individual lives, to our churches, to our city, our state, our country, and this needy world.
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
My Paraguay Trip
We returned this past Saturday at 9:00 AM from our short-term mission trip to Asuncion, Paraguay. Asuncion is the capital city of Paraguay. I thought I'd be able to email more than I did because I thought there would be internet cafes, Starbucks, etc. But no. No such things there. Fast food, yes. Starbucks, no.
I was 40 years in preparation for this trip. I studied Spanish for 6 years back then because it fascinated me, came easily to me, and lit a fire in my heart. I never understood why until our latino church plant last year and my trip to Paraguay last week. Moses prepared 40 years also, on the backside of the desert, so I'm in good company. The Lord told me that He doesn't pick His fruit until it's ripe.
Just a few words now (and no pictures yet - we're still working on that). I've never experienced such power in the Spirit as there was in Paraguay. I could attribute that to God going with us or His being already there or the prayer support that so many people gave - and it's probably all of that.
The paraguayos are a very genuine/open/sincere people - no hidden agendas, very willing to share their lives and hearts with you. This is a poor country but the people are rich in things that we need.
We worked on the church building alongside the paraguayos painting, carrying bricks, and doing construction. Those were times of bonding (that's become a trite word, but that's what happened) with the guys there that God used for His purposes in opening our hearts to each other.
The worship was fantastic. I raised money to bring them 2 guitars, and they started using them right away. I was supposed to preach Wednesday night but the power of God was so strong I could only weep and cry out to God for His goodness, love and mercy.
I saw hermanos (brothers) living out the Christian life together, arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder. These guys are coming up from real poverty, and their struggle has given them strength. They are wide open to the Spirit, and receive ministry the was a baby bird receives food. Would that we had such desire and openness here in our country.
More later. Thanks for praying - couldn't have done it without you.
I was 40 years in preparation for this trip. I studied Spanish for 6 years back then because it fascinated me, came easily to me, and lit a fire in my heart. I never understood why until our latino church plant last year and my trip to Paraguay last week. Moses prepared 40 years also, on the backside of the desert, so I'm in good company. The Lord told me that He doesn't pick His fruit until it's ripe.
Just a few words now (and no pictures yet - we're still working on that). I've never experienced such power in the Spirit as there was in Paraguay. I could attribute that to God going with us or His being already there or the prayer support that so many people gave - and it's probably all of that.
The paraguayos are a very genuine/open/sincere people - no hidden agendas, very willing to share their lives and hearts with you. This is a poor country but the people are rich in things that we need.
We worked on the church building alongside the paraguayos painting, carrying bricks, and doing construction. Those were times of bonding (that's become a trite word, but that's what happened) with the guys there that God used for His purposes in opening our hearts to each other.
The worship was fantastic. I raised money to bring them 2 guitars, and they started using them right away. I was supposed to preach Wednesday night but the power of God was so strong I could only weep and cry out to God for His goodness, love and mercy.
I saw hermanos (brothers) living out the Christian life together, arm in arm, shoulder to shoulder. These guys are coming up from real poverty, and their struggle has given them strength. They are wide open to the Spirit, and receive ministry the was a baby bird receives food. Would that we had such desire and openness here in our country.
More later. Thanks for praying - couldn't have done it without you.
Monday, July 25, 2005
I'm Back
Paraguay was awesome, profound, to the max! There was love, power, hope, joy, repentance - all on a scale I have never seen.
More later, with pictures.
More later, with pictures.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Two Guitars For Paraguay!
My co-workers responded to my request for help in bringing a guitar to Paraguay (I should say it was God who responded and did more than I could ask or think for) and we're taking two guitars. Someone donated a beautiful acoustic guitar, and with the money donated we were able to buy an acoustic-electric guitar, 2 hard-shell cases, extra strings, strap, cable, etc.
The hard cases are to protect the guitars, which will be with checked baggage. Pray they survive the trip and that no one between Charlotte and Asuncion takes a shine to them.
We leave this Thursday. That's close!
I'm fluent in Spanish and have been around the world but never to a Spanish-speaking country. And this is my first missions trip. I guess I'm a late bloomer.
My gift is to be able to put words together in poetry and music, but I haven't been able to do that in Spanish. Consequently, I have nothing to fall back on but the Lord. Our team is trusting Him to pour out His life through us to the church in Asuncion. We are going in weakness, depending on His strength.
I know prayers will follow (or precede and/or accompany) us, and I'm grateful for that. Life - bring us life!!! Risen life!!! Overcoming life!!! Life in the Son and in the Spirit. Life that cannot die. Eternal life - the life of the Eternal One.
The hard cases are to protect the guitars, which will be with checked baggage. Pray they survive the trip and that no one between Charlotte and Asuncion takes a shine to them.
We leave this Thursday. That's close!
I'm fluent in Spanish and have been around the world but never to a Spanish-speaking country. And this is my first missions trip. I guess I'm a late bloomer.
My gift is to be able to put words together in poetry and music, but I haven't been able to do that in Spanish. Consequently, I have nothing to fall back on but the Lord. Our team is trusting Him to pour out His life through us to the church in Asuncion. We are going in weakness, depending on His strength.
I know prayers will follow (or precede and/or accompany) us, and I'm grateful for that. Life - bring us life!!! Risen life!!! Overcoming life!!! Life in the Son and in the Spirit. Life that cannot die. Eternal life - the life of the Eternal One.
Monday, July 11, 2005
To Whom Shall We Go?
"Return again now to your people,
Linger no longer with me;
No other sons can I give you,"
Thus was Naomi's sad plea.
"Intreat me no longer to leave thee
Or retrun from following thee;
For whither thou lodgest I'll lodge
And thy people my people shall be."
Thus Ruth clave to Naomi
And these words immortal spake she;
"Where thou diest I'll die and be buried;
Death only shall part me from thee."
Many of Jesus' disciples
Turned back, walked with Him no more;
Jesus asked "will you also
Go away?" and Peter said "Lord,
"To whom shall we go for thou only
Have the words of eternal life;
Of the living God Thou art the Son
And we believe that Thou art the Christ."
Lord, we never shall leave Thee,
On Thee our affections we'll stay.
To whom shall we go, for Thou only
Art the truth and the life and the way.
Linger no longer with me;
No other sons can I give you,"
Thus was Naomi's sad plea.
"Intreat me no longer to leave thee
Or retrun from following thee;
For whither thou lodgest I'll lodge
And thy people my people shall be."
Thus Ruth clave to Naomi
And these words immortal spake she;
"Where thou diest I'll die and be buried;
Death only shall part me from thee."
Many of Jesus' disciples
Turned back, walked with Him no more;
Jesus asked "will you also
Go away?" and Peter said "Lord,
"To whom shall we go for thou only
Have the words of eternal life;
Of the living God Thou art the Son
And we believe that Thou art the Christ."
Lord, we never shall leave Thee,
On Thee our affections we'll stay.
To whom shall we go, for Thou only
Art the truth and the life and the way.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
The Jeep
In two days I will return my Jeep to the dealer. I won a two year lease on a Jeep Wrangler - with removable top and windows. It's the biggest toy I ever had.
I wanted a Jeep all my life, and I think the Lord let me have one for two years to get that longing out of my system.
Although I'd like to keep it, I can't. It only gets 16 miles to the gallon, and as I filled it up this morning at $2.099 per I realized again one of the main reasons why it's going back where it came from.
I've enjoyed my trips to the mountains in it, riding around with the top down, 4-wheeling in last year's snowstorm, trips to bluegrass concerts with Mary, and my short hair cut which doesn't get blown around so much in the wind.
By driving with the top and windows down I felt a more immediate contact with my surroundings - the smell of new-mown grass and honeysuckle along the road, the feel of a sultry North Carolina summer evening under a full moon, the feel of a summer afternoon under a Carolina blue sky, the smell of barbeque driving past Sonny's, the smell of fresh road kill (yuck!!!!!).
I 'm looking at a great picture of me sitting in the jeep with my grandson Danny. I'm keeping Danny (and my other grands) and returning the Jeep.
I wanted a Jeep all my life, and I think the Lord let me have one for two years to get that longing out of my system.
Although I'd like to keep it, I can't. It only gets 16 miles to the gallon, and as I filled it up this morning at $2.099 per I realized again one of the main reasons why it's going back where it came from.
I've enjoyed my trips to the mountains in it, riding around with the top down, 4-wheeling in last year's snowstorm, trips to bluegrass concerts with Mary, and my short hair cut which doesn't get blown around so much in the wind.
By driving with the top and windows down I felt a more immediate contact with my surroundings - the smell of new-mown grass and honeysuckle along the road, the feel of a sultry North Carolina summer evening under a full moon, the feel of a summer afternoon under a Carolina blue sky, the smell of barbeque driving past Sonny's, the smell of fresh road kill (yuck!!!!!).
I 'm looking at a great picture of me sitting in the jeep with my grandson Danny. I'm keeping Danny (and my other grands) and returning the Jeep.
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