More Than A Story

 

Now, entering also, they found the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it occurred, at their being perplexed concerning this, lo! two men stood by them in flashing attire.  Now at their becoming affrighted and inclining their faces to the earth, they say to them, "Why are you seeking the living among the dead?"

Lukes Account 24: 3-5, Concordant New Testament 

I was watching a show on television the other night which told the "Story of Jesus."  Sadly, much of the program was devoted to speaking of the Lord Jesus in the past tense.  I feel that this is the same way that many speak of Jesus these days.  That includes believers and those who should know better.  Time and again we see the life of Christ unfold in various movies and shows which is nothing but a slow build up to His march to the cross.  Far too many people see the crucifixion as the end of the road for Jesus.  His life here on earth over, His spirit now resides with the Father in heaven.  Yet something happened a few days after Jesus died on that cross.  For coming to His tomb that morning, those who were there were witness to one of the greatest miracles ever.  Gazing at that empty tomb, the angels proclaimed to them, "Why are you seeking the living among the dead?"  Indeed!  Before His death, Jesus spoke many times of how He would be put to death and rise again three days after that {Marks Account 8:31, Matthews Account 16:31}.  Yet that morning, staring at His empty tomb, they were astonished at what they saw before them.  It turns out that Jesus was telling the truth the entire time.  Why would anyone be surprised at this?  The truth of Christ Jesus is not that hard to comprehend, He is alive, He is risen!  The events of that morning are more than just a story we tell once a year on Easter Sunday.  It's because of these events that the sins of mankind are stripped away.  It's because of these events that our life in Him is secured.  When the apostle Paul spoke of his knowing of the Lord Jesus, he did not speak in the past tense.  For Paul, Jesus IS alive.  Paul speaks to the truth of the indwelling Christ in him {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  Paul knew that he was living, "No longer I, but living in me is Christ."  The man once known as Paul no longer exists, what remains is Christ Jesus.  THIS is the real story of Jesus.  This is the story of Jesus which very few pastors of movies will tell.  We're content with reading of the Jesus who once was.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me.

Paul To The Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

As I see it, living in the knowledge of stories of a Jesus of the past brings us ZERO hope.  How does one hope in someone who has died?  What good can a dead guy possibly do?  Thankfully for us, Jesus is not dead, but risen.  We need not speak of Him in a past tense.  We are free to speak of the Jesus in Whom we share His very life.  We are IN Jesus.  This is what Paul was speaking to in Galatians.  Paul knew that he, in effect, was dead.  That old man, born into sin, was no more.  His flesh body remained, but Paul's spirit was indeed in Christ Jesus.  This takes us down yet another road of what really defines us.  Is it our flesh, or our spirit within us?  Did Jesus' flesh define Him?  Indeed, His flesh was put to death, yet His spirit remains.  The scripture tells us that God is spirit {Johns Account 4:24}.  By this we know that we are in spirit as well.  For it is God who created us in His very image {Genesis 1:27}.  The flesh body of Jesus may be dead and gone, but His spirit lives in us.  This confirms the words which Jesus spoke, that we abide in Him {John's Account 14:20}.  

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

John's Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

Looking Beyond Tradition

 

And at His entering into Jerusalem, the entire city is aquake, saying, "Who is this?"  Yet the throngs said, "This prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee." 

Matthews Account 21: 10-11, Concordant New Testament 

This is Easter week for many across the world.  Both believers and non believers at least have some degree of knowing the significance of the events of this week in history.  As I began to think of what to write this weekend, I wondered just what Jesus and the Easter bunny had in common.  Then it hit me, tradition!  Growing up, it was all too common to wake up to easter treats on Easter morning.  As I grew older and wiser to the traditions of the Easter bunny, it became more about the Easter Sunday morning service at church.  Of course, even here in the Lords house, I could not escape from the rabbit.  All too often, the children's Sunday school classes were laced with the traditions of that Easter bunny.  I can recall hunting for Easter eggs as well as the traditional Easter treats in Sunday school.  Eventually I grew enough to began to wonder of the source of these Easter traditions which we follow.  Surprisingly, the scriptures do not mention any egg hunts or treats for the local children in Matthews account of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem that day.  What we are told is that there were many celebrating the arrival of Jesus as His journey to the cross neared its conclusion {Matthews Account 21: 1-11}.  Some began taking palm boughs and spreading them across the road as Jesus approached {Matthews Account 21: 8}.  At least we can began to see the origins of what we now know as palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Many worshipped Him as He arrived {Matthews Account 21: 9}.  Was it tradition to treat every person entering into Jerusalem in this way?  No, but this was obviously no ordinary man.  At this point in His life, many were well aware of the activities of this man Jesus.  Days before, Jesus had once again given warning to His disciples of what they should expect once they arrived in Jerusalem {Matthews Account 20: 17-19}.  There, He would be handed over to the local Jewish religious authorities (Who were very keen on following traditions) and persecuted and ultimately put to death.  Interestingly, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem coincided with yet another well followed tradition, that of the religious feast of the Passover, which celebrated the Lords deliverance of His people from the torment of the Egyptians.  Of course, it was yet to be seen that the next few days would present the Lords deliverance for eternity.  Not just for His people, but for all of His creation.  

And it occurred, at their being perplexed concerning this, Lo!  two men stand by them in flashing attire.  Now at their becoming affrighted and inclining their faces to the earth, they say to them, "Why are you seeking the living with the dead?" 

Lukes Account 24: 5, Concordant New Testament 

I understand that following the long held traditions of men is important to people.  Much of what we know as our yearly calendar is dedicated to those days and holidays which we have celebrated for so many years.  But the question remains, is it more important to celebrate Easter Sunday or that true meaning of the events of that day?  I would say that we have been blindsided by those who pushed upon us such traditions.  Certainly the mainstream church has been guilty of paying more attention to days on a calendar than to He who gave His life for all.  Not missing a beat, merchandisers have always found ways to pounce on the observing of traditions as well.  At the end of the day, this Sunday is less about observing the significance of the day and more about the Man who brought it about.  For it is Jesus who became sin on our behalf {Paul To The Corinthians(2) 5:21}.  Remembering to observe Easter Sunday will do us little benefit without knowing Jesus whom is at the center of this man made tradition.  As the angels proclaimed that wonderful morning, "Why are you seeking the living with the dead?" 

~Scott~ 

My Way

 

There is no independent, self-operating self in the universe, except the One who calls Himself the I AM {Exodus 3:14} and says, "I am the Lord and there is none else, there is no God beside Me {Isaiah 45:5}.  

Norman Grubb ~ No Independent Self 

What is it like to trust fully in the Lord?  Have you ever done such a thing?  If you ask me, trusting in the Lord can be one of the  most difficult things the Lord has called on us to do.  Trusting in the Lord means that we give all control over our lives to Him.  Trusting in the Lord means that we accept whatever comes our way, knowing that the Father has our best interests in mind.  Above all, trusting in the Lord means knowing that God is love {First Epistle Of John 4:8} and that He never acts out of spite against us.  Yet trusting in the Lord continues to be one of the most difficult things we are asked to do.  Why is that?  I'll tell you why, because to trust in the Lord means that I no longer have a say in what do.  It means that I'm no longer able to live my life my way.  That was always my fear when I was reminded to trust in the Father above all else.  That I no longer had control over my life.  But is it my life that God is asking me to hand over to Him?  The apostle Paul would argue that life as he once knew it...was no longer.  The words of the apostle proclaim that he lives "No longer I, but living in me is Christ" {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  Paul understood that the old man he once was, born into sin, had been put to death with Jesus at the cross.  He was no longer defined by who he once was.  What defined him now was Christ Jesus.  For Paul, to trust fully in the Lord might not be too far of a stretch, knowing what he knew of Jesus.  What is the difference between myself and Paul?  Absolutely nothing!  For I too am not the man I once was.  I also have the indwelling spirit of Christ Jesus in me.  In other words...I no longer exist.  All that remains is Christ.  So, as I am instructed by the Father to trust in Him above all else, what is it that I am in fear of?  The life which I live is no longer my own.  So, why wouldn't I place my full trust in the Father?  Well, some things are not easily forgotten.  Many of us, myself included, continue to live under the premise that we have a life to live.  This is the lie of the deceiver which was spoken to Adam and Eve in the garden {Genesis 3:5-6}.  

For God gives us, not a spirit of timidity, but of power and of love and of sanity. 

Paul To Timothy (2) 1: 7, Concordant New Testament 

The lie of the deceiver tells us that we can "Be like God" {Genesis 3:5}.  However, the Father Himself declares that "There is NO God beside Me" {Isaiah 45:5}.  Ironically, the very same one who deceived Adam and Eve in the garden also desired to be known as being better than God {Ezekiel 28:15-17}.  As a result of his arrogance, Lucifer was ultimately cast out of heaven.  However, he continues to mislead the children of the Lord that we can be independent from our creator.  This is simply a lie and not true.  It is God who has created us {Genesis 1:27}.  It is also God who has breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  God has always been a part of who it is that we are.  So it is that those things that concern us are His as well.  When the Father tells us to place all of our trust in Him, He's not asking the impossible by any means.  What He is asking is for us to give to Him what is rightfully His.  I have NO claim over this life of mine.  All which I am I am because of the Father in me.  If I did not have the Father, I would simply be a lifeless, empty vessel.  Without Him, I am nothing but dust from the ground.  In the end, it has never been my way, but the Fathers desire for me.  

~Scott~ 

Life Seasons

 To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. 

Ecclesiastes 3: 1, NKJV 

There is some truth to the old saying that nothing lasts forever.  What is here today, tomorrow will be gone.  No day is the same, for the most part.  I was thinking of the seasons of life this week as I go through my own season.  While it has been difficult, I'm assured that the future will be better.  For God has promised me a future and a hope {Jeremiah 29:11}.  One thing I am sure of is that the Father never intended for me to live in a constant state of trouble and disappointment.  These troubling seasons which we often encounter are but moments in time.  I realize that this might not be too reassuring to someone who is battling a difficult season of their own, but consider the words of Jesus .  Jesus asks us to consider how the Father cares for the birds of the air, who do not sow nor reap.  How much more consequence, He asks, are we {Matthews Account 6:26}?  Those who work the land know all to well the value of the seasons.  I have a dear friend who was raised in farming and working the land.  He has been one of my most staunch brothers, and the reasons I began to see the Lord Christ Jesus in me.  The writer of the book of Ecclesiastes proclaims that for everything there is a season {Ecclesiastes 3:1}.  This message is so strong, that the band the Byrds turned it into a popular song.  Indeed, if the Father has given us a future and a hope, then the season of difficulty we suddenly find ourselves in will not last forever.  Some will argue and say that the hope which He has given is our salvation through Christ Jesus.  Yes, that is entirely true, but I believe that it goes deeper than that.  It is never the Fathers intent to discourage, but to encourage.  We may feel discouraged as we go through life's difficult seasons, but as any farmer knows, a season is but a moment in time.  

You should not, then, be worrying about the morrow, for the morrow will be worrying of itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own evil. 

Matthews Account 6: 34, Concordant New Testament 

Looking upon the scriptures, it's not surprising that we see much more words of encouragement from the word than we do discouragement.  I have often turned to the scriptures for words of comfort when the seasons of life become too much to bear.  One of my favorites is the words of Jesus as He invites those who are enduring their own season to take His burden and lay theirs upon Him {Matthews Account 11:30}.  There is a reason that Jesus invites us to take His burden instead of ours, for His burden is lighter.  Something I learned from the farmer is that we live each day with the indwelling spirit of Jesus in us.  The apostle Paul speaks to this indwelling Christ in Galatians {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  So, if Jesus asks us to unload our burdens upon Him, He is all too familiar with the stress of the seasons of life that we endure.  There is a good reason by which Jesus spoke of the perils of worrying over our troubles, because He knew of the physical effects that worry can bring upon us.  Who hasn't been victim to the old adage of worrying themselves sick?  I know I have.  In that season we worry, fret and despair over what might be.  But Jesus is there within us, inviting us to place those worries upon Him.  Not only that, when we place our worries upon Jesus, we can rest assured that not only has the Father promised our salvation, but also a future and a hope.  

~Scott~ 

Letting Go

 

Beloved, do not think strange the conflagration among you, which is becoming a trial to you, as of something strange befalling you, but, according as you as you are participating in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice, that you may be rejoicing, exulting in the unveiling of His glory also. 

Peter To The Dispersion (1): 12-13, Concordant New Testament 

For much of my life as a Christian, I was taught that when bad situations come into our lives, it was a sure sign that God was displeased.  I would often dread walking into church on a Sunday and attempting to ask for prayer from one of my brethren of believers, only to have them question just what I had done to make God upset with me.  Indeed, I've heard this inquisition from pastors as well.  So, instead of coming beside me in agreement or with counsel, these so called Christians would often wonder aloud what I could have done to piss off the Lord.  I mean, obviously if there was discord in my life God must be displeased, right?  Doesn't God punish and chastise those He loves?  Well, according to the doctrine of the mainstream church, that might be seen as true.  However, consider the story of the Lords servant Job, whom God allowed to be afflicted at the request of the accuser Satan.  By all accounts, Job was a Godly man.  Yet, Satan saw the opportunity to afflict one of the Lords chosen.  Consider Jobs companions, who after their friend has been afflicted, come to him with the standard Christian response which we see today...'what did you do, Job?'  I get it.  Isn't God in control of all that we see?  As job so very well points out to his wife who insists that he 'Curse God and die', 'shall we expect only the good from the Lord and not evil'{Job 2: 10}?  Indeed, if God is all in all, and He is, then He is involved in ALL aspects of our lives, both the good and the bad.  But, knowing this, too many Christians become bogged down with attempting to determine the Lords motives for what is happening in our lives.  This is something I've found myself doing recently.  Yes, I've been going through a season, so my first thought was to try to figure out just why God was doing what He was doing.  Of course, when I get down to brass tacks, this IS NOT my life!  The truth is that it is the Father in Jesus, Jesus in me and I in Him {Johns Account 14:20}.  It is the Father who works through me each day.  Knowing this truth, who's to say that the negative situation I am currently experiencing is not God working His work through me?  Perhaps Job was onto something after all.  

For this I entreat the Lord thrice, That it should withdraw from me.  And He has protested to me, "Sufficient for you is My grace, for My power in infirmity is being perfected."  With the greatest relish, then, will I rather be glorying in my infirmities, that the power of Christ shall be tabernacling over me. 

Paul To The Corinthians (2) 12: 8-9, Concordant New Testament 

One can certainly say that the apostle Paul had his own share of life situations.  Persecution, time in prison, Paul had seen many tribulations in his life.  Yet what is it that the apostle proclaims in 2 Corinthians concerning these afflictions?  "With the greatest relish, then, will I be glorying in my infirmities" {Paul To The Corinthians (2) 12:8-9}.  One of the things that I love about this passage is that God is INSISTING to Paul that His grace is all that He needs in life.  Perhaps Paul had his doubts at first, only for the Father to insist that He was working through his infirmities.  How are we to know that what we are enduring could be a affirmation to another person?  How many times have we been encouraged through the afflictions of a cancer survivor?  Is this not the Father working through them?  Who am I to question the Lord working through me?  Is not His goal greater than anything I could imagine?  When I let go and allow the Father to work through me, I may ultimately be affecting the lives of others around me.  Perhaps it is the Fathers intent to work in the life of another through me.  God does not work everything in sunshine and warm weather.  There are many times when the Father will use the difficult times in our lives for His purpose.  My place in this is not to find my own way through, but to allow the Father work through me. 

~Scott~ 

In Christ

 

In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 

Johns Account 14: 20, Concordant New Testament 

One of the most spoken phrases I have often heard from those in the mainstream church is of their desire to be "Closer to God."  In fact, many a Christian pastor has spoken that our objective should be to "Be like" Jesus.  Now, who in their right Christian mind wouldn't want to be just like Jesus?  For Jesus was loving, caring and perfect.  Jesus exemplified all which we as Christians strive for.  So it is that church leaders stress that our aim should be to be more like Jesus.  But how is it that we do that?  By the way we act?  By the way we think?  How is it that we become more like Jesus?  The apostle Paul speaks to those who know the Lord ultimately being "Conformed to the image of His Son" {Paul To The Romans 8:29}.  By definition, to conform means to be or act in accord with a set of standards, expectations or specifications.  So, as we who know the Lord are being conformed to the image of Jesus, we are becoming that image of who He is...His resemblance.  Paul took this one step further as he spoke of the indwelling Christ living in him {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  The man Paul had been, born into sin, was dead.  What now remained in him was Christ.  Was Paul conformed to the image of Jesus?  At first glance, I would say not yet.  For Paul himself proclaims that "Living in me is Christ" {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  Was Paul in Jesus?  If we nitpick Paul's words in Galatians we may think that the man Paul still considered himself a person.  Yet this is not the case at all.  For Paul proclaims that he has been crucified with Christ Jesus.  He admits that the man he once was has been put to death on the cross.  So, Paul lives no longer.  Instead, residing in his flesh body is Christ Jesus.  In spirit, Paul has been conformed to the image of the Son.  Yet, if we were to look upon him all that we would see would be his familiar flesh body.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me. 

Paul To The Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

A good friend posed the question this week of how it is we know that we are in Christ.  I pose another question, how is it that Paul knew he was in Jesus?  From the words of Paul we can gather quite a bit of information on this topic.  In his own words, Paul proclaims how it is that he came to know Christ Jesus in him.  That is, through the revelation of the Lord {Paul To The Galatians 1:15-16}.  We're all to familiar with Paul's journey on that road to Damascus, and how he came to be converted.  Well, that's the popular version of the story.  But I believe that Paul's experience of the Damacus road was his wake up call.  This was the Father revealing to Paul what had always been a part of him.  That is, Christ Jesus.  It is Paul who tells us that it is the Father who chose that moment to "Unveil His Son in me" {Paul To The Galatians 1:16}.  We can only assume that the Father revealed to Paul what had always been a part of him.  From scripture, we know that it is the Father who breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  At that moment, the Fathers creation became a living being.  It's not a stretch of the imagination to say that the Father has always been in us.  That Jesus has always been in us.  How is it that we know that we are in Christ?  For me, personally, my first realization came when the Father revealed His Son in me.  When my eyes were opened to the truth of Christ in me.  The old man, born into sin, lives no more.  What remains is Christ.  

Now, when it delights God, who severs me from my mothers womb and calls me through His grace, to unveil His Son in me that I may be evangelizing Him among the nations. 

Paul To The Galatians 1: 15-16, Concordant New Testament 

~Scott~ 

What Guys Do

 

Watch!  Stand firm in the faith!  Be manly!  Be staunch! 

Paul To The Corinthians (1) 16: 13, Concordant New Testament 

If I would have known my dad back in the day, I probably would have called him a man of the times.  A man of his day and age.  Because that which he did, the drinking, smoking and affairs with different women, were often common behavior among guys of that time.  I remember my dad as a beer drinking, smoking rough and tumble type of guy who a lot of people respected in the small town we lived in.  Of course, being a county deputy sheriff, he commanded that respect.  For reasons known only to me, as I grew up I swore to myself that I would never be like him.  Not just because he left us when I was young, but because of the lifestyle that he lived.  A lot of times, sitting at the local bar was more important to him than going home.  That was the life he lived.  I had the choice not to follow in those footsteps.  Unfortunately, as the years went by I found myself becoming more and more involved with what guys do.  There was occasional drinking (Thankfully I never really had a taste for it) as well as frequent trips to the local strip clubs and bars.  After all, this is what guys do.  I can remember my coworkers snickering when I told them that I had never been to a nude bar.  It was like I was some kind of outcast.  Yes, I could have ignored those opinions and followed another path, but I wanted to be one of the guys.  I wanted to do what guys do.  Of course, as I began to do what guys do I began to be accepted by that crowd.  I was no longer an outsider.  The first hint that I began to realize that I was becoming like my dad happened sometime in my 40's after another night at a local strip club where a lot of money was spent.  I remembered how my dad used to come home late smelling like cigarettes and alcohol.  Then it hit me, I was doing what he did.  I was doing what guys do!  Having been raised in a Christian environment, I was also very aware of what the Father wanted for me, and it wasn't this life I was leading.  I remembered my vow to myself and felt as if I had somehow failed.  But one thing about God is that He NEVER considers us failures.  Yes, I had lost my way, but God was there to take me back when it was my time.  That's another thing about God, He never forces us to commune with Him, that decision is ours and our alone.  When I said that I had lost my way, I meant it.  I had forgotten who it was that I am inside.  

With Christ have I been crucified, yet I am living; no longer I, but living in me is Christ.  Now that which I am now living in the flesh, I am living in faith that is of the Son of God, Who loves me, and gives Himself up for me. 

Paul To The Galatians 2: 20, Concordant New Testament 

The first time I read the verse I was reminded in my spirit of just who I really was.  The apostle Paul, in His letter to the church of the Galatians, speaks to a wayward people of the indwelling Christ Jesus he had come to know in him {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  The old man Paul once knew, the man born into sin, was no more.  That man had been put to death with Jesus at the cross.  What remained in him was Christ Jesus.  Likewise, the man I once knew, born into sin, has been crucified with Jesus as well.  What remains now is Christ.  This is the man I am.  It has nothing to do with what guys do.  It definitely has nothing to with vying for the acceptance of others.  These things are not of the Father.  I can say that one thing which my earthly father and I shared was our place in the Lords family.  We were each created in the Fathers image {Genesis 1:27}.  The difference between us is that I realized where I was headed and found my way back to the Father.  My father spent his entire life never knowing the excitement of the man he truly was in Him.  Had the Father been revealed in him, I have no doubt that he would have been a changed man...for the better.  

I recall one of my final forays into doing what guys do.  As I stood at the door of another local strip club, I was struck by a feeling in my spirit that this was not the man I was.  I wasn't that man who needed the acceptance of others.  I definitely wasn't that guy who needed to do what guys do.  I turned away and left.  That's what men do.  

~Scott~ 

A Convenient Crutch

 

"Hither to Me, all who are toiling and laden, and I will be giving you rest.  Lift my yoke upon you and be learning from Me, for meek am I and humble in heart, and you shall be finding rest in your souls, for My yoke is kindly and My load is light"

Matthews Account 11: 28-30, Concordant New Testament 

A lot has been said recently about the rise of drug abuse in this country.  Here in Portland, Oregon, voters passed a measure which effectively made the possession of small amounts of drugs legal.  Of course, along with this new found territory came the consequences as well.  Streets filled with used drug needles and scraps of tin foil.  The sad victims of this addiction wander our streets.  It's not as if this is something new, for men have all too often found that convenient crutch to help them cope with whatever they have happening in their lives.  My own father was a deputy sheriff by trade for many years.  Unfortunately, during the course of his career he turned to alcohol as a method to help him cope with the everyday stress of his job.  Sound familiar?  How many of us have, at one point or another, turned to something else besides the Lord Jesus for their strength to cope with life struggles?  I know I have.  In my own life I have often turned to food and pornography addictions as a means to escape the realities of life.  It's here where I felt no criticism or condemnation from the outside world.  In the midst of these addictions, I was free to indulge in something where my stress seemed like a million miles away.  Which is exactly the reason most people indulge in these convenient crutches to escape reality.  The problem with a crutch is that it all too often presents us with an entirely different set of problems.  For me, my addictions left me with a steep hill to climb to get back to health as well as a distorted view of how the Father desired me to see His daughters among us.  People may scoff and claim that what I have endured are not addictions at all, but choices.  Well, at the end of the day, all addictions began with one choice.  That choice to experiment with an illegal drug.  That choice to look at a nude image of another person.  No matter how you look at it, each addiction begins with one choice we make.  But what if there was a far better choice for our life?  What if there was someone in whom we could place all of our fears and stress?  Well, there is indeed such a One who promises to take all which concerns us upon Himself.  That One is Christ Jesus. 

You, then, should not be worrying, saying, 'what may we be eating?' or 'what may we be drinking?' or 'with what may we be clothed?'  For all these the nations are seeking.  For aware is your heavenly Father that you need all these.  Yet seek first the kingdom and its righteousness and these all shall be added to you.  You should not, then, be worrying about the morrow, for the morrow will be worrying of itself.  Sufficient for the day is its own evil.  

Matthews Account 6: 31-34, Concordant New Testament 

There is indeed a reason that Jesus tells us not to worry {Matthews Account 6:25-34}.  The signs and symptoms of worrying are well known to many people.  These include, but are not limited to, immunity issues, added stress and lack of sleep just to name a few.  I've personally experienced these symptoms of worry many times in my life.  I believe that Jesus was is well aware of the effects of worry on our earthly bodies, and He shows us a better way.  That is, casting our worries upon Him {Matthews Account 11:28-30}.  By trusting in Jesus, we take away that added stress which our worries make us all too often feel.  Can you imagine a life here on earth without stress?  With Christ Jesus it is possible!  Too many Christians get it twisted and see Jesus through the lens of mainstream church theology.  That is, as a never present savior.  All too often Jesus is seen as being seated with the Father in heaven, far removed from the troubles of our lives.  Yet the reality of Jesus is something very different.  The apostle Paul speaks to the reality of Christ Jesus in him in Galatians {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  Paul knew that the man he once was, born into sin, was no longer alive.  Having been put to death on that cross with Jesus, it was Christ who not only remained in Paul, but in us as well.  Jesus is not some far off Savior who looks down upon us from a distance.  On the contrary, the spirit of Christ Jesus lives within us and is very involved in our life.  We live, in Him.  Knowing this makes it that much easier to cast whatever worries we may be experiencing upon Him.  The yoke which He offers us is not a heavy burden by any means.  What we receive in return is a life free of worry and stress, knowing that Jesus has taken that upon Himself.  Now that's a good choice!  

~Scott~ 

One Breath Away

 Now you are aware, my beloved brethren!  Yet let ever y man be swift to hear, tardy to speak, tardy to anger, for the anger of man is not working the righteousness of God. 

James To The Twelve Tribes 1: 19-20, Concordant New Testament 

To breathe is a natural part of life.  When we breathe we not only receive much needed air and oxygen, but an opportunity.  The opportunity to step back, to relax if for just a moment.  The opportunity to take stock of the situation at hand.  So important are the breaths that we take, that those seeking to advance into one of the most elite units of our nations military, the Marine Corps scout sniper, are drilled from day one the importance of breathing.  Even before the trigger is pulled, you stop, you breathe.  Only then will you function as intended.  I was thinking of this the other day while driving in traffic.  Now, one might not associate breathing with driving.  That is, until they are confronted with a disgruntled driver.  My choices were to retaliate, or breathe.  Thankfully, I chose the latter.  After a few seconds, the rush of negative emotions had passed and I was once again calm.  Imagine what could have happened had I not stopped in that moment to breathe.  James, the brother of the Lord Jesus, proclaims that we should be swift to hear and tardy to speak {James To The Twelve Tribes 1:19-20}.  That is good advice, but few people adhere to it when situations require them to do so.  I can recall many situations where my comments often instigated a confrontation with another.  I wasn't thinking, I didn't breathe.  Indeed, a possible negative situation is often but one breath away.  One of the greatest criticisms of Christians is that we fail to practice what we preach.  That we fail to adhere to the standards which we suggest for those around us.  I admit, I've been guilty of this hypocrisy in the past.  One of the things which I have worked on is, how would I react to someone like myself?  If I listened to the world view, when I looked in that mirror I would see just another hypocritical Christian.  Well, that's not me.  

Now if Christ is in you, the body, indeed, is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is life because of righteousness. 

Paul To The Romans 8: 10, Concordant New Testament 

When I think of breathing, my first thought is usually to that which I have received from the Father.  For it is the Father who has breathed into me His breath of life {Genesis 1:27}.  It is through the Father that I came into being.  It is also through the Father that I became who I am today.  That is, in Christ Jesus.  The apostle Paul proclaims that it is Christ who now dwells in him {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  When the world try's to tell me who I am, I remember those words.  When I look in the mirror, I do not see who the world thinks I am.  I see Jesus.  For if Christ dwells in me, this is the only image I will see of myself.  So, what does this have to do with breathing and negative situations?  When I step back, I think of who it is I am in Christ.  When I breathe, I'm reminded of the Fathers breath of life given unto me.  We will often face those difficult situations in life, but we do  not need follow the advice of the world and react negatively.  That is not who we truly are.  That realization may be just one breath away.  

~Scott~ 

The Opportunity

 

If someone prays for patience, does God give them patience?  Or, does He give them the opportunity to be patient? 

Morgan Freeman ~ Evan Almighty (2007)

I've been doing a lot of thinking and contemplating lately on just how God works in our lives.  How God seemingly brings something where there was nothing.  How He brings about a situation which we ourselves thought was totally unachievable.  I can give the short answer to this, it's how God works.  But many believers might want to know more about the way the Father works.  Through recent events and circumstances, I have been introduced to the reality of just how the Father works in my own life.  I have to say, I was enlightened.  Yet I still desired to get right down to the nuts and bolts of just how God works.  Maybe I thought that if I knew this that I could better understand Him.  Perhaps if I knew how God works I could better ask Him to work on my behalf knowing that it would come to pass.  Whatever the reason, we humans have been trying for centuries to decipher how it is that God does what He does.  How He created the earth and all that we see {Genesis 1:1}.  How He lovingly created me in His image {Genesis 1:27}.  How did God do that?  The author of Hebrews declares the Lords creation as "That which is being observed has not come out of what is appearing" {To The Hebrews 11:3}.  Therefore, God took something which was formless and void and created that which we see.  Something out of nothing.  Of course, this is a wonderful example of the way in which the Father works, but there are so many others which we all too often overlook.  How He restores a family by allowing life change in a alcoholic father.  How the Father softens the hardest of hearts through the miracle of the birth of a child.  There are far too many examples to list here.  Yet, this brings me to one of the larger questions one might have when trying to understand the Lord.  How does God work?  Well, I don't think that it's too far fetched to proclaim that the Lord works through His creation.  That the Father works through us.  Jesus has spoken that we are to let our light "Let Shine your light in front of men, so that they may perceive your ideal acts and should glorify the Father who is in the heavens" {Matthews Account 5:16}.  That the works which we do, would be recognized as coming from the Father.  It's how God works.  

"You are the light of the world.  A city located upon a mountain can not be hid.  Neither are they burning a lamp and placing it under a peck measure, but on a lampstand, and it is shing to all those in the house.  Thus let shine your light in front of men, so that they may perceive your ideal acts and should glorify the Father who is in the heavens" 

Matthews Account 5: 14-16, Concordant New Testament 

Can it be that far of a stretch to proclaim that the Father works through me?  The apostle Paul spoke of the indwelling Christ in him {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  Indeed, if I remain in Christ, then it is entirely possible that the Father will work His works through me.  Is it possible that we are but an extension of the Father here on earth?  I believe that is entirely possible.  Jesus proclaimed that if we have seen Him then we have seen His Father as well {Johns Account 14:9}.  Therefore, if we are in Christ we are also in the Father as well.  The Father in Jesus, Jesus in the Father and I in Christ {Johns Account 17:21}.  I believe that it is all too possible that many of the works done in our lives have also been delivered through others by the Lord.  Therefore, as Jesus proclaims, glorify the Father who is in the heavens!  There is more to doing good than the warm, fuzzy feelings it gives us.  It also pleases the Father {To The Hebrews 13:16}.  Each of us has been gifted from the Father with the opportunity to show His works through what we do.  Not only for the believer, but for the unbeliever as well.  It's how God works.  

~Scott~ 

The God Experience

 

There is a world of difference between knowing something to be true in your head and experiencing the reality in your life.  

Henry Blackaby ~ Experiencing God 

When I was younger things were different.  I was satisfied with the God I came to know in the church.  The God who saved me from my sins, loved me and created me in His image.  What I knew about God usually depended on what the pastor was speaking about that week.  Around the holidays of Easter and Christmas, God was shown to be a loving Father.  However, sometimes that pastor would sidetrack onto an issue where God seemed not so loving.  Like the constant accusation of sin.  No matter the time of year, I was warned to repent of my behaviors.  If I didn't, then God would not be so friendly towards me.  This all came to a head one easter morning as I sat through yet another church service.  The pastor had just finished his sermon of how Jesus died and rose again that my sins would be forgiven.  Then, without missing a beat, he asked anyone with sins they wanted to confess before the Lord to come forward.  So, Jesus died for me but He missed a few sins?  I was done with the church narrative.  The truth was, I had come to know a lot OF God, but I really didn't know Him personally.  To put it better terms, I had read His autobiography, but I had never met Him.  There is definitely a difference between hearing of someone and knowing them.  In my heart I know that God existed, but I had never experienced Him in my own life.  The author Henry Blackaby makes the claim that there is a difference between knowing something is true in our hearts and experiencing that reality in our lives.  This is the God experience.  It goes above and beyond that which we already cognitively already know about the Father.  It compels us to immerse ourselves in the reality of One who truly loves and cares for us.  I personally believe that God has been an intimate part of our lives from the moment we were conceived.  It was God who breathed into us the breath of life {Genesis 2:7}.  At this point, as scripture tells us, man became a living being.  From this point onward, God has been an intimate part of our lives.  Of course, this went against all the church was teaching me, so I never understood His presence in me until later in life.  

In this we know that we are remaining in Him, and He in us, for He has given us of His spirit.

First Epistle Of John 4: 13, Concordant New Testament 

In recent weeks, I have grown to experience God in ways I never have realized before.  To be clear, the Father has been working in my life for some time, yet I have only recently began to experience Him in my life.  This has less to do with church sermons and more to do with the Father opening my heart to all He is doing in me.  As the author said, there is a difference between knowing and experiencing something.  I have always known of the Fathers grace and mercy, but I have only recently been led to experience His forgiveness.  I have always known of His love for us, yet through the death of my mother I came to experience His love even further.  I have also come to experience His provision, and through this, His patience and endurance.  I am not afraid to proclaim that the Father is working daily in and through me.  I have no doubt that others will come to experience Him through me as well (and yes, I do see this beginning to happen in my life).  It is indeed a wonderful experience as we began to not only know the Father, but fully experience all He has intended for us.  The disciples of Jesus did not simply listen to His teachings, they LIVED them.  These men traveled and lived with Jesus each and every day throughout His ministry.  They saw a part of Jesus that very few people have.  As Jesus taught and ministered, His followers came to witness His love, compassion and grace first hand.  I am not merely one who has come to know of the Lord.  I have experienced Him personally in my life.  

~Scott~ 

When God Hurts

 

Now of this one thing you are not to be oblivious, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 

Peter To The Dispersion (3): 8, Concordant New Testament 

Some memories do not fade well over time.  I still recall my mothers final days before her passing.  How I would spend hours at the hospital with her.  I also still recall the prayers I offered to the Lord during that time, that He would take mercy upon my mother and heal her from her illness and pain.  So it was that when I received the call that night that she had passed away I began to associate God with my pain and suffering.  After all, it was God who had refused to honor my prayers and restore health to my mother, a devout believer in her own right.  It was God who opened that door to the pain and grief which followed upon her death.  This is also the ONLY time in my life that I can recall being angry with God.  Why had He taken my mother?  Why, after telling me that He honors the prayers of the faithful, had He seemingly ignored my prayers to heal my mom?  Yet, it was within those prayers which I offered that I finally began to see that the Father had indeed answered my prayer, although not in the way my earthly mindset expected.  As the pain and grief over the loss of my mom began to ease, I realized the love and mercy in which the Father had answered not only my prayer, but those of my mother as well.  See, before her passing, my mom had been in pain almost daily.  For many of the final years of her life, she endured this while in her own way assuring me to trust in the Lord.  This was who she was.  It took me a few years, but I began to realize that with her passing from this dimension into the next, that God had indeed removed my mothers pain from her in His own way.  I no longer had to worry that she would be suffering.  In fact, God had opened my eyes to the wonderful work which He had done in her.  Of course, the work He had done in my mother was nothing compared to the work which He continues to do in me.  All too often, when we face difficult circumstances we are blinded by the eyes of this world.  We expect to see the Father working in ways which we ourselves can see.  Yet, as His word tells us, His ways are NOT our ways {Isaiah 55: 8-9}.  I prayed that God would take away my moms pain, and that He did.  Of course, it didn't happen in the way I expected it to.  Nevertheless, it was the Father who had His loving hands on my mother the whole time.  

Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose. 

Paul To The Romans 8: 28, Concordant New Testament 

In recent weeks I have been faced with more opportunities to revisit my own thoughts on prayer and the Father.  Once again, my eyes were blinded to the works He was accomplishing behind the scenes.  There is much we can learn from the words of Isaiah when he spoke of waiting on the Lord {Isaiah 40:31}.  Waiting on the Lord means that we are assured that He not only hears our prayers, but that in His own way He is interceding on our behalf.  Of all the processes of prayer...the waiting is the most difficult part.  I've come to learn that during this time, my prayers often vary between my requests and asking the Father what He is doing through me.  God is never distant nor do we share a impersonal relationship with Him.  As His creation, He is a intimate part of who we are.  The apostle Paul speaks to this reality in Galatians when he speaks of the indwelling Christ {Paul To The Galatians 2:20}.  In our times of trouble and need, we can absolutely come to the Father and ask what He is doing in our lives.  If we are confused over our prayers, we can absolutely come to the Father seeking clarification.  How wonderful it is to live our life in Him!  Of course, knowing this will give us an entirely new perspective on prayer.  We do not have a Father who is distant from our lives.  God is all in all, and we are one with He and Christ.  

~Scott~