One of my favorite verses is Galatians 2:20, "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." (NASB)
In this verse Paul is referring to two different "I's." The first "I" was the old man or old creature that was born into this physical world spiritually dead. That creature was the "walking dead!" The second "I" is that new creature or saint that is alive because of Christ's Life living in that new creature. However, that new spiritual creature who is fully alive has to operate in and interact with this physical world until he/she is released by physical death.
I am convinced we are dependent creatures needing Christ's Life for victorious living. Having said that, our faith is our spiritual hands to receive what God is giving us. Faith is not what we have to invoke God for blessings, but rather what He has given us to receive His blessings. I don't "practice" faith so that I can live "for" God, but rather my faith is what it takes to receive Christ's Life so that I can "practice" His Life in the here and now in this physical world.
Look at the phrase in Galatians 2:20, "...the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith..." This eternal life I live here in this temporal container or earthen vessel (2 Cor. 4: 7), in this temporary existence, cannot be generated by self-effort or self-will. I would have to be an independent creature who decides to "live for God" in order to generate life. God, by His grace, is giving me Life. By faith, my receptor, I'm receiving that Life and then Life is being expressed in me and is seen by myself and others in this physical world.
I like to illustrate this with a cup. If I pour water in a cup until it is full, then the cup is full. It will not hold any more water. However, if I keep pouring the water into the cup, it will overflow. Saints are like that cup. We are completely full of Christ's life at all times, but if we are walking according to the flesh, there will be no overflow. If we are living life by faith, there will be overflow. His Life will be visible in our life. I will see it and you will see it. Others will say, "they seem so joyful and peaceful!"
You may have thought, "I just don't think I have enough faith to live like that." Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. That's great news! Christ not only gave us Life, He also gave us faith and He is perfecting it. So rest and enjoy the process. Don't try to generate righteous works for God, let Him generate them through you as you live this Life here in this physical world.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Grace vs. Law
Since I have begun to understand God's grace, the "law" has a limited function in my life. Once upon a time I allowed my level of law performance to tell me who I am. Of course, no matter how well I performed I was declared "not good enough."
Paul said in Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (NASB) Paul is implying that when we were under law, sin was our master. Since we have been transferred to a different kingdom (Col. 1:13) our system of government is different. In the kingdom of darkness we were under a law system. It is true that God put that law system in place, but that was to remind us that we were doomed as residents of this dark kingdom.
Now that we have been rescued from this kingdom of darkness by Christ Himself, we are now under a new system. This new system is called "grace." This new kingdom is a kingdom of light and life. In the kingdom of darkness, performance was the standard that determined your rank and position. No matter how well you performed, you still lived in a dark kingdom that God describes as eternal death!
In this new kingdom of light, identity in Christ is the standard. Christ made us new creatures who want to live righteously at our deepest level. Kingdom life this side of heaven is lived out in this world where we are aliens and strangers. This is not our home. As a matter of fact, even our bodies once belonged to the resident of that dark kingdom dweller. God, by His design, placed that new creature in the earth suit of that old creature that was crucified. (Gal. 2:20)
God's grace is the economic standard of this new kingdom. His grace makes it possible for me to live among those who are still residents of the dark kingdom. His grace makes it possible for me to love my fellow kingdom dwellers even when they aren't acting like it. His grace is constantly reminding me of who I am when I am acting like a dark kingdom dweller.
In the dark kingdom "sin" was the master; in this glorious and wonderful kingdom of light, Christ is my master and He rules by grace! In this world I am still obligated to abide by its laws, but "law" does not give me life and purpose. Only my relationship with Christ gives me life!
Paul said in Romans 6:14, "For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace." (NASB) Paul is implying that when we were under law, sin was our master. Since we have been transferred to a different kingdom (Col. 1:13) our system of government is different. In the kingdom of darkness we were under a law system. It is true that God put that law system in place, but that was to remind us that we were doomed as residents of this dark kingdom.
Now that we have been rescued from this kingdom of darkness by Christ Himself, we are now under a new system. This new system is called "grace." This new kingdom is a kingdom of light and life. In the kingdom of darkness, performance was the standard that determined your rank and position. No matter how well you performed, you still lived in a dark kingdom that God describes as eternal death!
In this new kingdom of light, identity in Christ is the standard. Christ made us new creatures who want to live righteously at our deepest level. Kingdom life this side of heaven is lived out in this world where we are aliens and strangers. This is not our home. As a matter of fact, even our bodies once belonged to the resident of that dark kingdom dweller. God, by His design, placed that new creature in the earth suit of that old creature that was crucified. (Gal. 2:20)
God's grace is the economic standard of this new kingdom. His grace makes it possible for me to live among those who are still residents of the dark kingdom. His grace makes it possible for me to love my fellow kingdom dwellers even when they aren't acting like it. His grace is constantly reminding me of who I am when I am acting like a dark kingdom dweller.
In the dark kingdom "sin" was the master; in this glorious and wonderful kingdom of light, Christ is my master and He rules by grace! In this world I am still obligated to abide by its laws, but "law" does not give me life and purpose. Only my relationship with Christ gives me life!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Two Lives
Everyone wants to live! Even those who make choices that leads to destruction are wanting to live. It is a part of how God created us; we all want life.
Jesus said in John 12:25, “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.” (NASB) The word "life" is used three times in this verse. The first two is the Greek word "psuche." Psuche can be translated as soul or life. It can refer to the force that animates our bodies and it is also the seat of our thoughts, desires, attitudes, emotions, affections and aversions.
The third "life" is "zoe," which means eternal life. Eternal life is God's life. It is much more than a quantitative benefit; it is a quality that can only be expressed by God's nature and character. It is "goodness" and "rightness," it is "peace" and "joy." This is the life for which we are all created to hunger.
Even though we are all created with this "psuche" life, it is not the location of "zoe" life. God never intended for us to draw eternal life from our striving to gain life through our personalities, our career choices, our human relationships, or our procurement of "stuff." True life, eternal life, is His life. It is Christ's life in us being expressed in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our choices.
Jesus said we are to hate this psuche life. Of course he is contrasting His way with man's way. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (NASB) Basically, we have to hate our way to gain "life."
Today, embrace God's way. Surrender to His Life in you and fellowship with Him and you will express His thoughts, attitudes and choices!
Jesus said in John 12:25, “He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal.” (NASB) The word "life" is used three times in this verse. The first two is the Greek word "psuche." Psuche can be translated as soul or life. It can refer to the force that animates our bodies and it is also the seat of our thoughts, desires, attitudes, emotions, affections and aversions.
The third "life" is "zoe," which means eternal life. Eternal life is God's life. It is much more than a quantitative benefit; it is a quality that can only be expressed by God's nature and character. It is "goodness" and "rightness," it is "peace" and "joy." This is the life for which we are all created to hunger.
Even though we are all created with this "psuche" life, it is not the location of "zoe" life. God never intended for us to draw eternal life from our striving to gain life through our personalities, our career choices, our human relationships, or our procurement of "stuff." True life, eternal life, is His life. It is Christ's life in us being expressed in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our choices.
Jesus said we are to hate this psuche life. Of course he is contrasting His way with man's way. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (NASB) Basically, we have to hate our way to gain "life."
Today, embrace God's way. Surrender to His Life in you and fellowship with Him and you will express His thoughts, attitudes and choices!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Trust
It is wonderful when knowledge of truth and experience mesh in my life. The one thing Father has taught me is that He is truth. He wants me to live out of Him and not out my perceptions or understandings. As a counselor I see folks responding to their circumstances based on their limited understanding, and this brings frustration and angst. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding." (NASB)
When I try to gain peace in the midst of my circumstances, I find myself wanting to control all the variables involved. The problem is, however, I don't have that kind of power. Let's be honest, most of those "variables" are people! If I could read their minds and manipulate their thinking, maybe I could control them...maybe.
I am learning that Father wants me to trust Him in all things. He promised He could give peace and joy in the middle of my circumstances that don't line up with my expectations. Funny thing is, I'm the one who ends up changing, not other people.
The flesh is my enemy, not my friend. It is not "Life" friendly. It is that automatic knee-jerk reaction to circumstances that attempts to get needs met apart from trusting in God. We all have needs, and pretending I don't, to appear more godly, is also "flesh." When I am trusting God, He is meeting all of my needs in the best possible way.
So, here is the bottom line; when my experience doesn't mesh with truth, it is a greater opportunity to trust Father for Life. God knows we need opportunities to trust Him. There are no greater moments than when our circumstances don't line up with our expectations!
When I try to gain peace in the midst of my circumstances, I find myself wanting to control all the variables involved. The problem is, however, I don't have that kind of power. Let's be honest, most of those "variables" are people! If I could read their minds and manipulate their thinking, maybe I could control them...maybe.
I am learning that Father wants me to trust Him in all things. He promised He could give peace and joy in the middle of my circumstances that don't line up with my expectations. Funny thing is, I'm the one who ends up changing, not other people.
The flesh is my enemy, not my friend. It is not "Life" friendly. It is that automatic knee-jerk reaction to circumstances that attempts to get needs met apart from trusting in God. We all have needs, and pretending I don't, to appear more godly, is also "flesh." When I am trusting God, He is meeting all of my needs in the best possible way.
So, here is the bottom line; when my experience doesn't mesh with truth, it is a greater opportunity to trust Father for Life. God knows we need opportunities to trust Him. There are no greater moments than when our circumstances don't line up with our expectations!
“For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;” (2 Corinthians 1:8, 9 NASB)
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5 NASB)
Thursday, May 2, 2013
New Beginnings
I've decided to take a stab at maintaining a blog site on a regular basis. Even though I really like technology, I have resisted getting in on some of the social media crazes. You might say I'm a little behind! I finally started using e-mail a number of years after e-mail became popular. Then there was texting. I still remember the first time I saw an advertisement on TV for texting. I thought, "who in their right mind would ever use something like that!" Of course, now I prefer a text over a phone call most of the time!
Even though I have a FaceBook account, I rarely use it. I'll be honest, it really doesn't feel very personal. And, being a counselor, I've seen FaceBook become the tool that many have used to destroy their own lives. Don't get me wrong, FaceBook is not the problem, it is people trying to get a need met that ultimately FaceBook can't fill.
I want people to know the truth. I want them to know that God created them for a purpose; and that purpose is not to get their needs met apart from Him! Your purpose and my purpose is to Live! I capitalized that word because we were made to know and experience God's Life. It doesn't really matter what you "do," but it does matter who you "be." Only when we are living God's Life does are "doing" have any meaning.
From God's perspective this is all very simple. We are the ones who are complicating it all. Jesus said for all who are weary to come to Him and He will give them rest (Matt. 11:28). If you or I are not resting, we are not Living! When I'm not resting, I'm trying to meet my needs. There is nothing wrong with having needs, but the question is, who is meeting those needs?
Let's trust God today for today. He is able and He is willing. He loves you and me more passionately than we can imagine. Oh yea, and please connect with someone face to face today if you can!
Grace to all!
Tom
Even though I have a FaceBook account, I rarely use it. I'll be honest, it really doesn't feel very personal. And, being a counselor, I've seen FaceBook become the tool that many have used to destroy their own lives. Don't get me wrong, FaceBook is not the problem, it is people trying to get a need met that ultimately FaceBook can't fill.
I want people to know the truth. I want them to know that God created them for a purpose; and that purpose is not to get their needs met apart from Him! Your purpose and my purpose is to Live! I capitalized that word because we were made to know and experience God's Life. It doesn't really matter what you "do," but it does matter who you "be." Only when we are living God's Life does are "doing" have any meaning.
From God's perspective this is all very simple. We are the ones who are complicating it all. Jesus said for all who are weary to come to Him and He will give them rest (Matt. 11:28). If you or I are not resting, we are not Living! When I'm not resting, I'm trying to meet my needs. There is nothing wrong with having needs, but the question is, who is meeting those needs?
Let's trust God today for today. He is able and He is willing. He loves you and me more passionately than we can imagine. Oh yea, and please connect with someone face to face today if you can!
Grace to all!
Tom
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