Jesus or Bigfoot

Posted on April 4, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle:  I. A.M.  witness of the great I AM

Acts 5:27-32 Psalm 150 Revelation 1:4-8 John 20:19-31

If someone told you they saw bigfoot… would you believe them? Or would you ask for proof. The same desire of proof is true for many when they believe in the resurrection. The point of this post is for you to discover that you are the proof of the resurrection. But before we can prove anything we must address the footprints that have been left behind. I’m not sure who has the bigger feet, (I presume bigfoot) but I know that Jesus leaves behind bigger shoes to fill… When my kids were little it was fun for them to put on my shoes and try to walk around the house.  This week we find the disciples gathering together to figure out what and how to do to go forward, knowing that they have very big shoes to fill.  If we are to understand that the Disciples believed in the resurrection, then they knew what they had to do… carry on the message that Jesus entrusted to them. But they also knew they needed to wait until the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus was given.  (This promise began with the Old Testament prophets – Joel 2:28-32, Isaiah 44:3-5, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Zechariah 12:10 and was picked up by John the Baptist Luke 3:16, John 1:33) When my kids walked in my shoes it was slow, awkward and they often fell if they tried to move fast. The disciple had the very same problem and it was way I believe they were waiting behind the locked doors. It was not until the disciples were filled with the power of the Holy Spirit – that the shoes of Jesus were no longer too BIG for them to wear.  By the time we see them in Acts 5 as opposed to John 20 – they move from doubt & fear and in Peter’s state questioning forgiveness, to being called before the Sanhedrin to give account for being witnesses for the Resurrection of Jesus.

The new reality for the disciples (and us) is that the resurrection is complete in those who have believed in Jesus Christ’s triumph over the grave for he has given unto them the power of the Holy Spirit – (Acts 2:33, Romans 8:9-11). Revelation 1 makes it clear that by the way of Jesus we are to be the very expression of the Kingdom and to serve as priests of His Holy Nation. (Peter witnesses to  this truth in 1 Peter 1:3-2:12) Over the next 7 weeks we will make our way to Pentecost – there the very Spirit that was breathed upon the disciples will be given to the nations. In this season the lectionary will shift to offer us insights from Revelation, the Gospel of John and the book of Acts as opposed to the typical format of the Psalm, OT passage and the Gospel of Luke as in the rest of the Year C format.  I believe that this deviation is to reinforce the call for us to be witnesses of the resurrection and the revelation of the Spirit. Luke began his gospel clearly based on the eye-witnesses (Luke 1:2) and develops the theme throughout the books of Acts.  The Acts of the Apostles tell us the story of their witness as the early church was finding its way forward.  John begins his gospel based on the witness of John the Baptist (John 1:6-8) and in Revelation he gives us a glimpse into sharing what he witnesses beyond his imagination.  This week in Acts we see Peter standing against the authorities who challenge his authority and calls the disciples to cease and desist. The Revelation text this week gives witness to the Trinity of God and in doing so highlighted Jesus as the faithful witness…

It is time for each of us to be re-instated, commissioned and called into action. Whether you are a long way off or missed only the last “report” – Now is the time… Jesus reveals to the disciples while they remain behind locked doors, He overcomes their fears and doubts, calls them back to forgiveness and breathes the Holy Spirit on them.  By the Power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives to the disciples the authority needed to fill his shoes…  and as such they are being sent out. By Acts 5 we see that they have obeyed the commission of Jesus and in Acts 7 we see that Stephen is paying the ultimate price for his witness.  What can we learn from the text this week so that we too can walk in the shoes of Jesus? (1 John 1:6)

We must know our identity.  The question of “Who am I” is at the base of all things – according to Revelation (of the faithful witness of Jesus) we are made to be a kingdom and priests to serve God. Our Identity is to be a people of faith.  Second we most know our authority. The question of “What is my impact?” & “What difference can I make?” are questions of authority. Authority is to be found in a plan of hope.  As pointed out in Acts 5 Peter clearly established that their authority came from God and it is unto Him alone which they obey. This authority is matched with power when it comes from the Holy Spirit. The Revelation passage makes it clear authority comes from God who was, who is and is to come, the Spirit (the complete and perfect 7 fold spirit) who sits before the throne, and Jesus who is the faithful witness, the first born from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Finally we must know our motivation.  While it is the purpose of love that lays as the foundation of all motivation – this week our motivation is two-fold. First, it is that we may Praise the LORD with every breath of our life.      (As in the Psalm & in next week’s Rev. text).  Further it is because those who do not know the LORD, even those in the churches whom the Lord longs to redeem (Rev. 2-3 foretells of the message to the 7 churches and highlights what Jesus has against them…) the day is dawning when the Lord will come in the clouds and all will see him and many will mourn for it will be too late. Therefore, the motivation to Praise the Lord and demonstrate his Identity and Authority in our lives is so that by being witness to Jesus, others might come to do the same.

This week we also learn from this text what prevents people from living into their Identity, Authority and Motivation of Jesus by the power of the Spirit. The bases of which is  1. Un-Forgiveness & 2. Fear or Unbelief. We may take time later to unpack this more but  it is suffice to say this week that Jesus clearly overcomes  what is lacking and offers His Peace to His disciples. Those who have such peace as  Peter did,  echo’s the same promise to others offering them Life in Jesus. While the Sanhedrin rejected Peter’s words it was yet again another opportunity to testify to the power that is within him.

We are to have our feet firmly planted in the Identity, Authority and Motivation of the great I AM.  Being a People of faith, following a plan of hope, with a motivation of love we will bring glory and power to God for ever and ever!

Posted in Easter, Year C | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Dead Wait

Posted on March 26, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Hope floats; therefore the dead shall rise.

Isaiah 65:17-25 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Acts 10:34-43 Luke 24:1-12

It is made clear to us when things are not going the way we expected, that we are simply not in control of a situation as we had hoped. This illusion of control has been the theme of lent. God’s gift of the wilderness keeps our eyes on him and our hope resting in His provision and protection. Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days and then he was lead back out by the Spirit of God. Jesus was not in control and had no need for it… For many the joy of our lives is based on controlling our fears so that we remain strong. However true joy is rooted in the heart and experienced only in the state of ecstasy when you have let go of all need of control. This is because joy can be directly affect by others around you – and if you are attempting to control them – you are not experiencing Joy.  Lent is about releasing control and realizing our fears so that in our weakness, God will be strong. All too often we know one thing and still do another. We become paralyzed by fear and it freezes us into a state of immobility. This is what I am calling “dead wait”. The dead (as opposed to living in Christ) are constantly waiting for something better, while the living (those who have died in Christ) have found that there is nothing better than life in Christ. It is for this reason that those living in Christ – are dead to all other things. There remains no longer any “attraction to” or “fear from” the things of this world.  (Romans 6:8-11)

We are using “dead” in two very distinct ways.  It is a paradox of the Kingdom; there are many, but the paradox of death is that in order for Jesus to conquer death, he had to first die. It was only through dying that Jesus could remove the devil’s power over death. (Hebrews 2:9, 14-15) Again, Christ was triumphant on the Cross (Col. 2:15) overcoming the last enemy – which is death (1 Cor. 15:23-26) which then made life and immortality possible for all humanity. (2 Tim. 1:9-10) Hence, the dead shall rise. Yet this immortality did not remove suffering, rather in brought purpose and promotion through suffering that we might share in the sufferings of Christ. (Romans 8:17-18) To see and understand what I have just written one must be some kind of prophet. In fact you must actually have had your eyes open by the living God. This then makes you a witness to the world who remains in darkness and blinded by the enemy. (2 Cor. 4:4)

What then shall we share about Hope? It is in the name of Hope that the cross is connected to and actually precedes the birth narrative of Christmas.  Hope is based on the promises of God and anchored in the soul. Upon what do you anchor your soul if it not be hope? All too often that answer is found by those inside the walls of the church, in living UNDER, OVER, FOR or FROM God… meaning we put our hope in our control, rather than in God’s promise of peace. The souls of humanity which are been redeemed, have died and are now living unto Christ. They have denied themselves, taken up their cross and are following Jesus. (Matt. 16:24-25)

Peter in Acts speaks of themselves as witnesses to the resurrection. We now have become the very resurrection to those who have not seen.  The resurrection of Christ took place at a moment in time, but the transformation is eternal.  The lives are of the witnesses are changed (Isaiah 65 points out 8 changes) and Paul could not stress it enough… for the old is gone and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17, Gal. 6:14-15, Eph. 4:22-24, Col. 3:9-11). As stated in the post the first Sunday of Advent which precedes Christmas, “God does not avoid the sinner or condemn the lost, rather he sends his servants with a message of Hope.”

Therefore – this Easter – we are to be the resurrection. In order to rise – we must have died. In order to have died, we must have surrendered. In order to surrendered we must have a hope beyond this world, it is hope, beyond all hope to which we put our faith and trust. And by the grace of God we rise. For the living, we are no longer waiting for anything. Another paradox of the Kingdom is the already not yet – experience of being with Jesus. While there is so much more to come in the return of Christ, yet we already have in fullness all that Jesus brings.

So again, this Resurrection Sunday – You are called to be the resurrection!  Boast by the Name of Christ that your life has been redeemed. If you have nothing to boast about, or you fear you have not been redeemed – the come to the cross of Christ so that you can – Forget what is behind and press on to what is ahead… Boast in the hardships, the struggles, the mistakes that been have made, for it is there that redemption shines so glorious. Rejoice, Rejoice and again I say Rejoice.

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God – You’re Killing me!

Posted on March 19, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: The denial of death is to miss the joy of life

Isaiah 50:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 22:14-23:56

Are you ready (to die)? Do you have a bucket list? How does the fear of death confront you? Have you confronted the face of death; in your life or in the life of others? Until we are confronted by death – we leave it locked up in the closet – but when it confronts us we must decide to live in denial or to deny it power.  Paul confronted death every day… (1 Cor. 15:31)

If we fear death – regardless of it being our own or another’s – we are held captive and miss the joy of life. It is even more unfortunate that pain has become our indicator that death is real. This pain may be physical or emotional. The physical pain is often seen as in suffering through health related issues and for far too many people this pain has come to indicate that death is near. (The converse meaning of this is that if I am not having health related pain – that death must be far away.  This is the one of greatest fallacies in the denial of death – see below.) The emotional pain is suffered in the relationships that are severed in death. This emotional pain is real and the rejection of this pain can actually push death off for quite some time – meaning that when people have a will to live based on relationships – whether that is based in a positive relationship or the emotional fear of what comes after death, it can actually fend off death. The emotional fear can and is often much stronger than the physical pain. It is because of this thinking we come to accept that suffering and death are coupled by design. I reject the idea that suffering and death must remain coupled at all. Death has been conquered by Christ, but suffering will remain. (2 Tim. 1:8-12) When we link suffering and death we often progress to the denial of death, and in this denial it comes to control us as Ernest Becker wrote in “Denial of Death”.  This brain cramping read presses the reader to overcome the fear and denial of death and to embrace that our culture presses one to live immortally. This idea is cleaned up and presented to you and me (by the church and others) in the statements of “Leave a legacy” and conversely “He who dies with the most toys still dies” in both statement – the person is called to live beyond themselves.  We are trained to think how we might live beyond our life in this world, while this may not seem like a bad thing – it is never intended to be a pursuit in itself. As humans we live our entire lives in the awareness of death and therefore seek to deny it is power over us. (This is as opposed to other animals on the plant – which do not fear death, rather follow instincts and have no identity beyond what humanity gives to them.)  However noble these statements are, any time you begin to attempt to live beyond your life (which is to be but a mist then vanishes – James 4:14) we are falling short of the call to live in Christ. As in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” From this stance – death is complete in me, I have no reason to leave a legacy or fear death. The only legacy I am called to live is the legacy of Christ in me.  And it is only in Christ that the sting and pain of death has completely been removed.  (1 Cor. 15:55-57) When death has been conquered, life begins. (John 5:24)

Either you have already died – in Christ – and if so – the fear of death has been overcome – or you have not died- and the fear of death remains before you… What then can we say for the multitude that have accepted Christ as Savior yet remain in denial of death? It is not faith which they lack it is Joy! They are denied the joy of life in this world, for it is trampled in the fear of death. I can make this softer or more gentle – but that will only reinforce the acceptance of denying death.

If there is no power in death – then there is no fear in suffering and facing the enemy who threatens death as the end. Our enemy – Satan – seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10); yet Jesus is offering us the keys to the kingdom (Matt16:19) and himself holds the keys to death and Hades. (Rev. 1:18) (Satan has been relegated to the earth and his domain is in the realm of Hades the place of the dead)…. This underworld – has no power over those who have conquered death in Christ.

What does this all have to do with you and me this week – This week leads us into the Passion Week.  The Passion Week is the final week of Christ’s life before his death. How is it that Jesus can walk to the cross? He confronted death long before he got to this point. In fact – he confronted and overcame death, long before he was born. (2 Tim. 1:8-12) YES – before Jesus was born in the flesh he had already denied himself, rather than denying death. This must be our journey. For in the denial of death we actually give ourselves over to the power of death to control our lives. We must confront death head- on, we must stare it in the eyes and say “You have no power over me – I will not fear you or any pain you can produce.” This is only possible when we have already died – and become a servant of the Sovereign LORD. In this we know that if God is for us – who can stand against us? – beyond that not even death can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:31-39)

To actually come to grips with this is to embrace our temporal life on this planet – to embrace that we are “food for worms” yet the most powerful life force can flow through us to “raise the dead”. This is the paradox this life.  Dead Poet’s Society captures this trap well, as Becker states it this way – “What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one is food for worms.” But my favorite capture of this concept is uncovered in the life of C.S. Lewis as in “Shadowlands”.

Overcoming the denial of death – is not as simple as “choosing life” as Moses puts it – (Deut 30:19) Yes  – we must choose life, but we also must chose to embrace that life is found in Christ and that we must die both to ourselves and to our fear of death to participate in this life.

Here are some common errors in thinking regarding our tendency to live in denial of death. We tend to focus on the first – but our focus really needs to be on the later.

1. Death is Permanent Vs. Life is Eternal

When death is permanent and is represented as the end, rather than the transfer into total freedom – we are caught in denial. Remember Eternal life begins in knowing Jesus (John 17:3), so let us not glorify death.  Further death is not permanent if you believe in the resurrection, both of  Jesus and in His power – our very own resurrection.

2. Suffering precedes death Vs. Suffering promotes life

If health issues – especially painful ones are indicators that death is near, beware you have taken a bite of a poison apple which veils your eyes to deny death. Suffering is not design to lead to death, rather by God’s leading suffering leads to life and victory over death.  When Moses died – he did not suffer, (Deut. 34:7)and neither are we cursed to die a painful death.  C.S. Lewis says – “Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Even in Stephen’s painful stoning – we read that he simply fell asleep after praying for their forgiveness. (Acts 7:54-60)

3. The Body& Soul must die Vs. The Spirit must be born

There may be truth in all the statements above, but it where we place our focus and anchor our lives is what makes a difference. Jesus brought Nicodemus down the road and so must we come to understand – what does it mean to be born again. (John 3:5-8) This point is very similar to #1 however many in the church have ignored the power and need of the spirit to be born. We have focused on the negative aspects  of the body and soul in contrast to the power of the spirit.  (Romans 8:6, 13)

If this concept is depressing or dreary  – you or probably living in denial of death.

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Prodigal daughter weeps with Jesus

Posted on March 11, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Forgetting precedes Forgiveness

Forgetting frees us to forge ahead – Mary “forgot” what money can buy

Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8

The Prodigal Daughter is the story of this week’s passage in John. Here Mary gets weak knees before Jesus and anoints him with costly perfume. The prodigal nature of this is only seen in the reclaiming of the parable told by Jesus last week and making clear in the true meaning of prodigal in Tim Keller’s book – Prodigal God. I’m not sure how my wife would respond if I went to visit a friend who had a week to live, and on my way I picked up a $10,000.00 bottle of wine and loaf of bread for us to share as a celebration of his final communion….  Mary did not think twice about this choice, she simply forgot – letting go everything that gave security ($$$) and significance (let her hair down) and anointed Jesus prior to his death.

In Lent we let go of the things that control us – our false perceptions of who God is, our desire for security, the fear of loneliness and hardship in wilderness experiences, and even the unwillingness to forgive. This week we forget what is behind and we press on to what is ahead.  Looking even more closely at the Gospel of John  we see that the resurrected Lazarus (John 11:38-43) was present at the supper with Jesus, and that people had gathered to see him and hear his story, maybe even more than to be with Jesus the one who did the healing. We are often sucked into the pursuit of the marvelous and miraculous, and altogether overlook the mystery of the miracle giver.  Our eyes (of the flesh) have a hard time focusing on Jesus when what we really long for it for Jesus to do in our lives the miracle that we long for. (This is especial true for those who live in a FROM posture with God. If you have you ever thought or “prayed” – Jesus let me win the lottery…  and  I’ll give money to the poor and help the church…. Re-read the text and see what Jesus has to say about that.

Instead – might we rejoice and live prodigal for Jesus. It is far easier to live prodigal when you have very little, than if you have very much – so learn to live prodigal with less then let God trust you with much. (Luke 19:11-26, Luke 21:1-4) Living prodigal for Jesus will cause offense and disruption from those around – and it is only possible we stop playing by the rules and radically give your life to Christ. (This offense will require us to seek forgiveness often – not because we are “wrong” rather because we seek reconciliation.) While there is pain in this offering, the joy comes in the morning. My first thought on this week was in regard to the concept of forgiving and forgetting… where people debate whether if forgiving means  you have to forget. I have my thoughts on this based on Matt. 18:21-35 – what are yours? The concept of forgetting if you forgive means that  – if you release the debt then you shall no longer remember the offense.  To understand the foundation of forgiveness see last week.  What I pressing into here –is that if we live as Paul did “considering everything (in the past) a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things” we will be far more inclined to forgive on the spot. Therefore forgetting precedes forgiving.  Forgetting what is behind is based on the hope to know the power of Christ’s resurrection and participation in his sufferings, it makes all things new and ushers us into forgiveness.  So let us starting forgetting now – before we take offense, let us release control now, before our self-righteousness inclines us to be the “older brother”, let us reach toward what is ahead; investing in the only change that matters. This is the change of our hearts to submit to the King of Kings  – this is an act of repentance.  Based on this approach to forgetting – How might we live prodigal for Jesus?

To live prodigal we must see that the LORD is doing a new thing. In seeing the new things we will be free to release the old things that have brought us security and significance.  C.S. Lewis captures this idea of a “new things” well in Prince Caspian.  Lucy is seeking to understand why Aslan has not interviewed, He tells her, “Things never happen the same way twice.”  This is why we must live WITH rather than OVER God… This does not negate that there are patterns, principles and paradigms to the Kingdom.( For more info on the Patterns, Paradigms and Principles I find most interesting – click here – but it is just for those who crave more knowledge and to understand my thinking….) These Patterns, paradigms and principles cannot be used to control the King. The King alone is in control and His ways and thoughts are not ours…. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Simply put patterns reveal paradigms which lead to principles which can be followed, but to do so without being in relationship WITH the King is to miss the entire paradigm of paradox Jesus has come to establish as his kingdom here on earth.  In this the King lifts our eyes off of ourselves and our story and directs us to His Story.  We resist this change and his new ways for if we can figure things out and control our environment there will be no need for god , and we can become our own gods.  While this may not be your goal, it is the result of many who confess that they don’t like change and don’t want it…

The Psalm this week tells us to sow in sorrow is to reap in joy…  our joy is drawn from that which is yet to come.  (While our hope is drawn from that which has already taken place.) The true joy is the return of the King, and the redemption of all things – beginning with our very lives!) Until that day, we press on to the goal, not looking back, (Luke 9:62) nor looking to others to make things right, we fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)And in this we discover the confidence to rejoice in the Lord for the great things He has done and even more in the things he has yet to do!

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Weak Knees or Weakness- you’ll bend

Posted on March 6, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom principle: human relationships require reconciliation…

Reconciliation requires forgiveness… which requires repentance…which requires confession… which requires Christ.

Joshua 5:9-12 Psalm 32 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32

The statement weak in the knees is usually directed at a emotional response to a person or situation. Often forgiveness is left in this realm of  this thinking as well. But when God choose to have Israel be weak in the knees – he used a knife. (read Joshua 5:1-8 to understand this context.) God want us to be fully aware of our need to trust in him and not in our own strength. This is at the heart of the season of Lent, and is carried forth every time we are reminded of the Passover; to deliver Israel from the rule of Pharaoh. Those who rely on their own strength will fall much harder than those who submit to the Lord.

This world teaches us that to be strong is to outlast our opponents – Jesus teaches us that the meek shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5) and the Apostle Paul tells us that in his weakness,  hardships  and difficulties , Jesus spoke to him saying “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. ( 2 Cor. 12:9-10). We encounter our weakness most clearly in our wilderness experiences.  There is no shortage of wilderness and weakness in the Bible in those whom had the greatest impact for the King.  In fact God is calling us to have weak knees in his presence, which is to bow down and worship him. (The Hebrew word for worship means to bend our knees and prostrate ourselves before God.) God also reaches to us in our weakness to lift us up and grant us all authority and power here on earth. (Matt 28:18).

Jesus redefines – weakness as strength, in the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew 5-7. There Jesus gives us the command to “turn the other cheek”, to “give our shirt away” and to “love our enemies.” He is asking nothing short of us to be perfect. (Matthew 5:38-48) Jesus further directs us to forgive others  of their sins and that if we don’t, our Father will not forgive our sins. (Matt. 6:14-15) None of this is possible outside of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  And it is the very grace of Jesus Christ that makes salvation possible and calls us to live, walking in the footsteps of Jesus. But what do we do, when we don’t “want” to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, but yet we want to enjoy salvation from this world.  We are confronted with an impasse that reveals what we have called salvation is merely a false expectation and that Jesus is really calling us to “take up our cross and follow him”. (Matt 16:24-25)

For those who are wanting to take up their cross and follow Jesus, must remember that it begins by denying themselves. It is not about your rights, your expectations and your demands; it is about getting weak knees and finding strength in the provision, protection and peace of the King.  God’s willingness and ability to forgive has no end. (Remember – forgiveness requires repentance.)There is no cost too great to prevent God from making  a way for humanity to be forgiven. (John 3:16) Even while we were still sinners and enemies to God, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) It was not enough that God shall save us from death and separation from his Love, beyond that he chose to make it possible for us to come into relationship with Him(1 John 4:9-17), that we might be holy as he is holy. (1 Peter 1:13-16) For God – there is no forgiveness without reconciliation. Because he is perfect love and without fear, to be forgiven by Him is to be reconciled with him.(1 John 4:18-21) And this is the very call to which we have been given – To be ambassadors of this reconciliation.

Over the last few weeks we have covered that our confession is to be that “God is in control”. This declaration moves us into alignment with God through the act of “repentance”.  All this possible only because of the life of Jesus Christ and in his death and resurrection we are offered justification and sanctification. Here we move from being made right with God – which done through justification & forgiveness – to the act of being “right” with others. While forgiveness and reconciliation are not the same or even simultaneous in this world, they are not to be separated from the vantage point of God. The reality of the separation is based on our sinfulness, yet in Christ that has been obliterated. (Romans 8) We must not allow our experience of this world to create a new norm of expectation. God’s message of reconciliation has been given to us, so that we might be in relationship with him and the world at the same time. While we may never arrive at this fully, may we not settle to never pursue it and fail to enjoy the life that God has called us to.  (This post is longer, but it is also very important)

Let us begin with Forgiveness –

Forgiveness is an act. It is the action of releasing someone of their deserved punishments and obligations. This a complete and total removal of debt. In other words, the offender is pardoned.

in our lives –

Forgiveness is an act of the will (soul) to obey God through the power of the Holy Spirit by choosing to let go of resentments, hurts, debts and the right to retaliate or punish.

We have not truly forgiven someone if:

    1. The offense still causes us pain
    2. We wish to avoid the offender or have ill-will toward the offender
    3. We have on-going anger that the offense took place in our lives.
    4. Are unwilling to believe in the offender’s repentance

Forgiveness requires three basic actions (both of the offender & pardon giver)

(1) Confession and surrender of our right to get even.

This release is of the person and the offense to God.

The offender is responsible to God alone for their life and actions.

(2) Repentance of our own awareness of our sin and flesh nature.

In this movement we affirm the humanity of the offender and offended.

(3) Prayer for God’s blessings and grace in the offender’s life.

I imagine this seems like a lot of work for the pardon giver who has not done “anything” wrong – if so you are reading it right… and if you are reading it that way you are being confronting the older syndrome.  But let’s first return to the offender for a moment – if an offender does not repent, forgiveness is not availed for them. Yet when there is offense, there is work to be done regardless. The “older brother” syndrome creeps into all who have become righteous in the church, – for if it is our judgment that another’s repentance is not “good” enough,  we ourselves have fallen in sin. To grant Forgiveness is to release one’s rights of superiority and revenge. (Phil 2:5-11) So if you been offended… you have something to release… that begins with confession and repentance.  But if someone does not repent and forgiveness is not given – it does not mean; it is our burden or right to retain the pain or offense, we must release (confess) unto God our pain, and return (repent) to Him surrendering our right to get even. (Luke 17:3-4, 15:11-32) This release is not forgiveness; it is blessedness (matt 5) which again moves us deeper in to His righteousness, rather than self-righteousness.  This blessed state is the ministry of reconciliation. We cannot force another to repent – it is initiated by an act of God, but we must do everything possible to be ready to meet that person at the threshold of the doorway of forgiveness the moment they cry out to God.

Repentance is given from one party (the offender) to another (the pardon giver)

Repentance is a return of right-standing.

(Confession precedes repentance and it  is a declaration of wrong-standing)

Forgiveness is given from one party (pardon given) to another (the offender)

Forgiveness is release of rights to get even or to punish

Reconciliation is act of unification between two the parties (the offender and pardon giver)

Reconciliation is an act of the heart (body, soul, spirit) being in submission to God and others.  Reconciliation is experienced in a relationship where there has been a change from a state of enmity and fragmentation to one of harmony and fellowship.

Both the Younger brother and the Elder brother in the parable of the lost sons (Not –Prodigal Son – it is better titled the Prodigal God – read Tim Keller’s book) are in need for reconciliation. Both have experienced a fragmentation in their relationship with the Father. The elder brother is separated by his own self-righteousness and desire to be in control, while the younger brother has lost all righteousness and lived his life out of control.  In the With book – we saw this as the war between the From & For postures with God. But this shall not be…

Returning to our relationship with others – God has demonstrated that he is willing to go reach toward all who are lost – whether that “lost” looks like a worldly sinner or a self-righteous saint to bring them into relationship with Him.  We are called to this same ministry. How can this be? Only by our full awareness of our own desperation and need for Forgiveness and Grace. The church has been quick to label the younger son as needing more forgiveness because of more obvious sin.  This is to miss the point of forgiveness… Forgiveness is the total and complete release from repayment and that we are all in debt.

Rather than working toward reconciliation… let’s work  backward from the point of already receiving it. What I have found is that we usually begin by working to overcome our denial and anger in the hurt, slowly inching our way to muster the strength and desire to forgive.  While in this act we declare it “must be from God” for it was not in us to do so…. but then after “proverbially” releasing the offender to God, we begin to work on our own hurt and pain…. then depending on the situation some continue to step back and evaluate if there is any possibility of a future relationship and often conclude it is better not to be – let’s just forgive (& forget) and move individually forward. This is not Forgiveness and it is nowhere near a ministry of Reconciliation. Let us begin with the desire of reconciliation and where it is lacking in our lives, and in the relationships around us… let us grieve, morn and wail for we have missed the great calling of our Lord and Savior. (James 4:7-10)This will motivate us to seek the Lord for our own lives and in repentance He will change our hearts. Therefore we are backing into to forgiveness of others based on the power of reconciliation that God makes possible with each one of us.

How do you experience reconciliation with God?

What does a ministry of reconciliation mean to you?

If there are people in your life you feel the desire to avoid, how might God begin to reconcile you to Him so that your heart will change toward them?

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Why? is not the cry! Newtown meet Siloam

Posted on February 26, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom principle: To Engage the Change of God: REPENT

Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9

Charles Spurgeon (great preacher/theologian of the 1800’s) writes: “Repentance is a discovery of the evil of sin, a mourning that we have committed it, a resolution to forsake it. It is, in fact, a change of mind of a very deep and practical character, which makes the man love what once he hated, and hate what once he loved.”  Not any one of us committed the great atrocity of the murders in Newtown CT, but everyone of us has something to learn from it. The past will continue to repeat itself, unless we learn from it…  and yet our life is but a mist (James 4:14) and while we are living we have this chance to get our lives right with the one who is in control of all things. It is very dangerous to utter the words “Newtown” and “God is in Control” side-by-side, and a future post will deal more directly with the reality of evil, but if you want something now – check out what John Paul Jackson has too say…  This post brings to light the reality that while we all must die, but the life we live need not lead to destruction or be destroyed by the evil of the world around us – simply we don’t need to perish. However the only way to move in the opposite direction of such evil is the act of repentance.

J. I. Packer (a writer/theologian of the mid 1900’s) writes: “Repentance means turning from as much as you know of your sin to give as much as you know of yourself to as much as you know of your God, and as our knowledge grows at these three points so our practice of repentance has to be enlarged.”   Those three points again are 1. Your awareness of your sin. 2.  Your awareness of yourself 3. Your awareness of God.  As these 3 grow together,  so does the power of repentance in your life. So you may look at others and think – I’m not so bad – I’m not killing anyone, or you may even look at God and think – why should I care about a God who does not care about me – but in those statements you are moving in the direction of the very evil that moved Adam Lanza to commit the abhorred crimes of murder.

Packer else where states “It needs to be said that faith is not a mere optimistic feeling, any more than repentance is a mere regretful or remorseful feeling. Faith and repentance are both acts, and acts of the whole man. Faith is more than just credence; faith is essentially the casting and resting of oneself and one’s confidence on the promises of mercy which Christ has given to sinners and on the Christ who gave those promises. Equally, repentance is more than just sorrow for the past; repentance is a change of mind and heart, a new life of denying self and serving the Saviour as King in self’s place. taken from: J.I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity, 1961), pp. 70,71.

Much has been said as we have moved into Lent, submitting to God’s control  verses our desire to control God. (This is an act of Faith)  Our confession (last week) directs how long we will experience the wilderness of the world and it is our repentance that moves us in a new direction of life. God is calling unto us to come unto him and to receive all that he has for us – but it is our stubbornness (desire of control) which often prevents us from turning to the Lord to receive. As we seek him we shall enjoy all that He has for us. When we remain in our control we are bound to fall.

John 3:16 states that if we believe in Jesus that we shall not perish…. In Luke 13 we read, Jesus saying that if we do not repent , that we will perish.  Paul echo’s this idea in Romans 10:8-9 that if we confess with our mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and believe in our hearts that “God raised him from the dead” then we shall be saved.   This concept of repenting verses perishing is  taken throughout the gospels and in the entire Bible.  Below I have tracked in Luke-Acts how the story shifts from Perishing to Repentance…

What does this possibly have to do with Newtown? (Siloam is found in Luke 13)To perish at the hands of another or by events beyond our “control” must not lead us to find “fault”. However, to perish in our own stubbornness of heart, retaining and ensuring our “control” is foolishness. (1 Cor. 1:18) When we take control of our lives to prevent “bad” things from happening or we “freak out” when bad things happen – we are confessing that God is not in control. The disciples encountered this foolishness as they feared their death as the storm came upon their boat while Jesus was asleep. (Luke 8:24) The disciple feared that their lack of control must mean that God is not in control either….   To confess that God is in control is not the same as to repent. One can confess that God is in control and resent God for all the hardship and trials that one finds in life. This is Obedience without Submission. James directs believers to consider it pure joy in times of trials and that simply to believe in God is not enough –  because even the demon’s believe in God. (James 1:2, 2:19) To repent is to recognize that God is in control and to willfully move in the direction of God. We looked at this two weeks ago as an act of true prayer. When we repent we are living into the confession and moving to action. This is alignment and unity in our spirit, soul and body.  In repentance, we engage the change that God has begun in us – revealing his will, releasing our control to be confirmed to His very image.

Unless you repent, you shall perish. We are not so far from the days of Israel, searching for significance in things that can not satisfy and spending our money on possessions that do not last. Rather we are to seek the Lord and come to him in our thirst and hunger.  Read Isaiah 55:7 again – do you read this as if speaks of you or is it refereeing to others? How wicked or unrighteous must you be to qualify for the need to turn to the LORD…. Only a sinner can repent (Luke 5:32) and for the most part, we think far too highly of ourselves, based on our rationalization of others.  (and I admit – the world is full of crazy, stupid, sinfully  selfish people) But this comparison sets us on the path of self-righteousness.

1 Cor. 10:13 is often grossly misquoted by many who live unrepentant lives, then declare their frustration toward God in their trial that He promised not to give them more than they can handle. We have looked over the past few weeks at the pattern of God and his desire to test and promote us…  Here we look at the pattern of humanity, to fail the test and miss the promotion.  The promise is that in the temptation God will provide a way out, so that you can endure. But if you fail to take the way out, then you choose to remain beyond what God desired for you. The way out is repentance. This way out does not end the temptation, rather it gives you strength to endure. Unless your perfection exceeds that of the Pharisees(Matt. 5:20, Luke 18:11) – repentance is the only way forward. Even for Job, when all was said and done, he remained without sin, yet it was his arrogance from which he must turn. He questioned the ways and thoughts of God which resulted in his need for repentance. For God’s ways are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. In a future post we will look again at the fact that not all hardship is caused by sin, but that sin does lead to hardship and judgment. The point this week is that when you find yourself in a hardship – repent. (For those that immediately thought “But what if I didn’t do anything wrong” you are dancing with the devil and expressing your desire to be in control… Your repentance is based on your confession that God is in control, and it moves you to participate with God in the transformation of your life. This results in the shorting the duration of your wilderness. It is at this point we enter the peace Psalm 63:1-8.

Do not be slow in coming to learn this – now is the time to repent. (Nehemiah confessed and repented on behalf of all Israel  Nehemiah 1:5-11, then moved the priests to do the same as the people lost their way. Neh. 5:5:9-12 ) If you forget the past, you will repeat the past, forgive yourself and others of the past and change your future. Jesus say’s it is not too late to change – in fact – change is His specialty…. If the fig tree has not produced fruit, yet the gardener is allowed to invest in it – then we shall see the very fruit it is designed to bear.  May we abide with the Gardener (John 15) rather than living as victims living UNDER a tyrannical god. God is in total Control and longs for us to join WITH Him in the salvation of our souls.

 

Luke 5:37 – else the new wine will burst the wineskins, and be spilled, and the wineskins shall PERISH
Luke 8:24 – they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we PERISH
Luke 11:51 – From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which PERISHED
Luke 13:3,5  – I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise PERISH
Luke 13:33 – it cannot be that a prophet PERISH out of Jerusalem
Luke 15:17 – How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough… and I PERISH with hunger!
Luke 21:18 – But there shall not an hair of your head PERISH

Luke 24:46-47 – Christ will suffer and rise from the dead (Christ did not Perish)… and REPENTANCE and forgiveness will be preached in his name to nations

Acts 2:39  – REPENT and be baptized every one of you

Acts 3:19 – REPENT, then, and turn to God, so your sins may be wiped out

Acts 17:30 – In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to REPENT

Acts 20:21 – Both Jews and Greeks must turn to God in REPENTANCE

Acts 26:20 – They should REPENT and turn to God and prove their REPENTANCE  by their deeds.
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Spiritual OCD

Posted on February 20, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: The King’s in control is to be our confession.

Our desire for control constrains God’s desire for transformation.

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Psalm 27 Philippians 3:17-4:1 Luke 13:31-35

If the King is in control, then there is no such thing as should of, would of,  or could of… The power of the “should”, “would”, and “could” will prevent you from discovering what shall be done in the will of the Father, as we live into all that can be possible.

There are two ways to avoid the should’s, would’s and could’s  in life– 1. Be driven enough to get it right the first time, this also means working on something until it can’t be improved. This is the pursuit of perfection. –or- 2.  Release your expectations and embrace the forgiveness that God is willing to redeem your life, conforming your will unto His.

In the first option you end up with some form/degree of OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder) or you end up in a child-ish state (as opposed to child-like faith) where you find yourself without hope of maturity resulting in your emotions being in control of you. With the second option where God is in control – should’s become shall, would’s become will, and could’s becomes can. Re-read the texts and look for the “will” and directive measures that are taken by David, Abraham, Paul, and Jesus.

What does Spiritual OCD look like? First let’s have a agreed upon based of clinical OCD.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine – The World’s Largest Medical Library defines Obsessive-compulsive disorder  known as OCD an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something (compulsions). Often the person carries out the behaviors to get rid of the obsessive thoughts, but this only provides temporary relief. If there person does not perform the obsessive rituals, great anxiety is raised. While there are several theories about the cause of OCD, none have been confirmed. Currently there is no known prevention for this disorder. Therefore – from a medical standpoint – they can’t tell you where it comes from or how to get rid of it – but they can tell you that living with OCD will cause major disruption and duress in your everyday life.

Spiritual OCD can come in two extremes – the one is known as legalism, where with a spiritual motivation a person controls their world (as an honor to God) in order to perform religious acts. (A physical disorder that has these traits is Anorexia Nervosa.) This is an OVER or FOR posture in connection with the book “With. The other extreme of Spiritual OCD reveals itself where life is lived in absence of control, here a person relinquished control yet fails to submit that God is in control therefore their life is filled with chaos and tumult. (A physical expression of this is Hoarding) Most commonly from an UNDER posture, but it could be FROM as well. (the connections of medical terms is just to give a physical picture and the book connection are all mine)

This blog is called Confronting Chaos…. Because where the rule and reign of the Kingdom of God is absent – the tyrant of the world (the devil) rules and reigns with  Chaos and Tumult.

Only Christ can remove the chaos in your life, in Him we begin to confront it by removing the should of, would of, could of’s  in your life – this is to live as a Kingdom Servant – knowing what you shall do, when you will do it and how you can do it in His strength.

Rather than releasing the control of our lives unto God we are often drawn to admire a believer who’s life seems in total control? (this is obedience vs. submission) While this can look like the absence of Chaos and Tumult – so can the order and perfection of someone with OCD – which is far from living in the peace and comfort of God’s control.  Spiritual OCN is played out when we seek to control our lives to the extent that our reputation is at stake if we can’t maintain the illusions of control.  Either everything is in the LORD Jesus Christ’s control or its not…. If it is not in his control, then the result will be our control, which will result in Chaos and Tumult. The apostle Paul describes this state in this way: their god is there stomach (temptation 1 deals with the body), their glory is in their shame (temptation 2 deals with the soul), their destiny is destruction (temptation 3 deals with their spirit). See last week’s post for a Biblical overview of this pattern.

I have stated that not praying can actually bring about more change than praying – because in praying we continue to move forward in God’s will, but in not praying we deviate from God’s will and enter in to wilderness experiences where while we can discover God’s will, through pain and discomfort we experience the change more clearly. It’s like watching the grass grow – you don’t see it change, but if you stop watering it, while it stays green for a number of days/weeks but in one day it will go from green to brown. Prayer is our watering hole of the Holy Spirit…

We more than Conquerors in Christ Jesus –this means we have no need to be in control…. I must confess that a few weeks ago two people on Sunday in our worship fellowship made a simultaneous comment to me that has stuck with me. This morning was as I was moving them all into groups to interact in a time of sharing… while this is not unusal, two people both commented to me as I directed the groups as they moved – “Why so many rules today?” I confess in my flesh, I felt like replying – “I wouldn’t need so many rules if everyone could just listen to me” But I know that wasn’t true – the reason for the rules was that I wanted to ensure the outcome that I wanted…. And I wanted to be in control. So thank you BB and NB for helping me see my need for God to reveal his will for me again…  I have often suffered from Spiritual OCD.

This week count the times you use the words, should, would or could. Then move in the direction of letting God be in control of those areas.

If you want to read more…..

Jesus moved and had his being in the power of the Holy Spirit, yet he was warned by the Pharisees in Luke 13 that Herod wanted to kill him. I believe this to be a true warning and not a trick by the Pharisees, but there is a catch. If Jesus is to heed their warning, he empowers them based on their perceived control of the situation. In a sense it is to live in a state of what could have happened. How much greater is the control of the Spirit when someone declares – I had no idea how valuable my insight or assistance can be and if you asked me to repeat it or do it again – I can try, but only as God wills! This is where the glory of the Lord is given unto him rather than to our own shame.

When we encounter trials and tribulations that are beyond our control, we are to count it pure joy (James 1:2-12). For in such a test – God longs to conform our mind unto His to know his will. (Romans 12:1-3) David clearly presents this process in Psalm 27. It begins and ends in relationship with the LORD, waiting in his great shelter and in the middle shows us the process of being taught the way of the LORD.  When we take things into our own control we break the relational covenant with God… Being in relationship is to trust God with the control factor. Many have mistaken the Law to be the control factor. But the Law was not given that we would remain in control of our lives or have religion to provide that control, rather the Law was giving to demonstrate just how far our lives fall out of control when we don’t rely on the promises of God to be in control. (Gal. 3:19) It is for this reason that Abraham found righteousness apart from the Law, by faith, trusting in the promise of God to provide. Yet, Abraham was not perfect and took matters into his own hands, at the encouragement of his wife, Sarai. – They willfully chose to enter a wilderness of over 13 years by bringing forth the promise of God by their own means and control (that Abraham would have an heir of his own flesh and blood).

As I write this my 93 year old grandfather is in the hospital (just out of ICU) with double pneumonia. I have a walked with a number of believers in there latter years who have struggled greatly to release the control of their lives into the hands of their Savior. They have known him and prayed to him all their lives, but they have retained control over many of the areas of their lives. In their journey on this earth there is an eerie consistency I have found – there is often a medical battle of health related events that slowly teach them to release the control of their lives. This wilderness as we have been looking at in lent is much the same. As we come “face-to-face” with our Savior (for this is the place of transformation) it is in His loving kindness that he removes the reigns from our hands so that he can lead us into the presence of the Father.

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Lost in the Wilderness…

Posted on February 12, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom principle: God uses wilderness to conform our will to His

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 Romans 10:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13

Pain and Suffering are universal to humanity, says Seth Jethani in his book With… along with that comes the world’s desire to control and minimize painful experiences and at least to make sense of it all. (We’ve touched on this over the last few weeks.)  This week we enter lent, a season filled with conflict and controversy which helps us to discover what matters most in this life. We have looked at the paradox of the kingdom of God – and this post will touch on one of the great mysteries of the ways of God. For His ways are not our ways, and our thoughts are not his thoughts  (Isaiah 55:8).  It is for this reason that the Spirit of God, leads Jesus into the Wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  In the same way that Moses was directed by the LORD to lead Israel into the desert (wilderness) Deuteronomy 2:1. As we learn the ways of God, we begin to embrace his acts of Grace and Mercy – and we discover that for Him to lead us into the Wilderness is an act of Grace. This does not mean we live in fear or UNDER a punitive angry God, rather it directs us to learn His will for our lives, that we might release our own will. In the Wilderness we discover just how bent we are on our will being done, and how futile it is to resist the will of God.  God does not tempt us, but he has no hidden agenda to test us – In fact God longs to test us. For in our testing – God promotes us. What is amazing is that this Testing is not a secret. This is not a pop-quiz that you weren’t aware of – in fact it has been the same test since the beginning of all time.

The God test is for us to embrace God’s will rather than following our own….  Yet, along with every test that God provides – the Enemy brings forth a temptation to spoil your promotion.  I have outlined the test/temptation in a previous post, but let’s review it here:

Test Gen 1:28 –     Adam was to rule over every creature that moves on the ground. Ezekiel  28:14-15  – Lucifer was anointed as a guardian cherub.(King of Tyre was embodied by Satan) Luke 3:22  – Jesus was to be baptized, and identified as God’s Son. 1 John 1:3-6  – Humanity  is to walk as Jesus did. Loving God not the world.
Genesis 3 Ezekiel 28:16-19 Luke 4:1-13 1 John 2:15-17
Temptation The fruit is good for food Greed for trade and possessions In hunger – Turn stone to bread Lust of the flesh
Temptation The fruit is pleasing  to the eye Proud heart  on account of beauty Before kingdoms  – bow and worship Satan Lust of the eyes
Temptation The fruit will make you wise like God Corrupted wisdom for the sake of splendor From high point in Jerusalem  – jump & test God Pride/Boasting of what he has and does

So you can see this is truly an open book test – And throughout “the book” God leads his chosen ones into the wilderness to reveal to them his good, perfect and pleasing will. (Romans 12:1-3)

Exodus  34:28  Deut. 1:1-3,8; 26:1 1 Kings 19:8 Luke 4:1-13
Moses Israel Elijah Jesus
Spent 40 days with God on top a mountain  prior to receiving his commands for Israel Spend 40 years in the wilderness prior to entering the promised land. Spend 40 days and nights in wilderness on way to the mountain of God. Spent 40 days in wilderness being directed by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil

So the question becomes not if you will go into the wilderness with God, rather the questions is; will you embrace going into the wilderness with God, or do you desire that your will be done – Not His….? (Extra bonus points if you made the connection of Moses, Elijah and Jesus and the transfiguration from last week.)

The wilderness need not be scary, but it will always be filled with aloneness. It is in this aloneness (which is very different from loneliness) you are called to turn from the securities and comforts of the world and discover that God is WITH you.

In the wilderness we are to abide and dwell with God – rather than to be filled with abandonment and distress. In the wilderness we are to trust in him to be our refuge and shelter – rather than to fight our conflicts and controversy.  In the wilderness we are to feast on His Word and focus on His Will – rather than fix ourselves or figure out how we go there. All this is an act of prayer (last week) that moves us into the flow of his Love. (2 weeks ago).

The enemy does not play fair –and yet – when has it ever been fair to give you all the answers before you have to take a test. God is setting the stage for his victorious Bride to presented as pure and holy. Might you be enlisted to the wilderness to trample the great lion and tread on the head of the serpent.  May the Lord be near unto you, so that when you call unto Him – YOU WILL BE SAVED.

Will you “willfully” enter a 40 day journey called Lent that begins on Wed. Feb. 13?  If so, what is the Spirit of the Lord leading you into – What might you take-on in this season to boast of your dependence in Him? What might you give-up in order to break your dependence of this world?

Or

Will you “wait” for the Lord to lead you into a wilderness where He might help you discover his will?

Or

Will you simply reject the Lord’s will and seek to find alternative ways to control your world to minimize  pain and suffering leading you to a false sense of comfort and security? (No bias intended)

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Into-me-you-see…Intimacy

Posted on February 4, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Prayer is Constant Change

Exodus 34:29-35 Psalm 99 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2 Luke 9:28-36, (37-43a)

I have laid a foundation of prayer in a previous post – Puberty of Prayer – there we discovered that God desires to move us from infancy to intimacy,  and prayer is the means by which God changes us. Yes – Prayer changes us not us doing the change, it is not we who are changing God, or convincing God to do what we want. God is Love and last week we saw that Love is the only constant of the Kingdom which means God doesn’t change – we do!  As we engage Love, we are transformed, it is the constant which yields great change in our lives.  This post will pick up where we left off with Puberty of Prayer – a movement toward maturity and intimacy with the King. The most common mistake with regard to intimacy is our temptation to measure it through intensity. Intensity is not required for intimacy, much like having our prayers answered in not required for our prayer life to be rich. (But the error occurs with both, often an answered prayer leads the pray-er to believe they have a superior prayer life, in the same way intense intimacy leads a person to believe they have a deeper connection with God – both are paths of pride and will lead to a great fall.) The movement into greater intimacy with the King is based upon our receiving revelation as to who the great King is, rather than our false perceptions and created images of God. As we grow into a more full understanding of who God is, we gain a more full appreciation of who we are – since we are made in his image. It is thus, into-me-you-see that is revealed as we enjoy true intimacy. (Bonus thought – a healthy prayer life will build your self-worth, because you gain clarity into who God is, which then renews your mind to see who you are as found in the identity of Christ.)

One of the foundational hopes of With, by Seth Jethani (review the post 3 weeks ago or watch the summary) is the hope that Christians might commune with God rather than engaging false hopes of controlling God. This begins with changing the way we see God and how we engage Him in prayer.  Jethani draws on the prayer practices of many who were With God – such as Mother Tersea, Billy Graham, Teresa of Avila and Henri Nouwen… all communed with God and saw their lives and faith differently because of such clarity.  Jethani quotes Mother Teresa’s interview with Dan Rather:

Rather asks: “When you pray, what do you say to God?”

“I don’t say anything”, she replied. “I listen”

“Okay,” Rather said, then “When God, speaks to you what does he say?”

“He doesn’t say anything. He listens.”

Rather being baffled, did not know who to continue… so Mother Teresa concluded.

“And if you don’t understand that…, I can’t explain it to you.”

I neither will attempt to explain it to you. What I will attempt to do here, is draw to attention to whom are you addressing your prayers. Part of the puberty of prayer is the transition from believing that prayer is sharing your wants, desires, or hopes;  to the growing reality that prayer is hearing God’s wants desires, and hopes for you. But here will focus on;  to whom are you address when you pray?

Jesus spent his live on earth revealing the Father. He proclaimed – you know me & you know the Father (John 8:19, 14:7) and knowing the Father is to know His will. Jesus only did what he saw the Father doing, (John 5:19, 6:39) and then taught us to do the same and to pray – Not my will be done by Our Father’s will to be done. (Matt. 6:5-18)… This week’s scripture reveal the constant revelation of God to his people. God meet with Moses and in His Holiness – imparted unto Moses the glory of being with God.  Psalm 99 reveals the prayer life of those who have gone before us and the way in which God will and does answer prayers.  We are to approach the throne of God boldly (Hebrews 4:12-16) for we have such a hope that God will meet us in the same way he met Moses on the Mountain. Jesus demonstrated this to Peter, John and James at the point of Transfiguration as captured in all three synoptic gospels. (Matthew, Mark and Luke). This revelation makes clear (again) who Jesus is, and what his mission is, (to do the will of the Father) confronting the false perceptions of how Jesus as Messiah has come to deliver  his people. (last week)

What is the “image” of God to whom you pray? C.S. Lewis captures this well in his “Screwtape Letters” in summary – any image we conceive of and prayer to is a slippery-slope on our way to idolatry. This is the very hope of the enemy. If you watched the “With” summary video or joined us on Sunday Morning  – you know the 4 postures which have been given by religion for us to  relate to God are  UNDER, OVER, FROM and FOR – Jesus came to give us the posture of With. I have attached my summary of the With Book – this is not a replacement of the book, but highlights the four postures and adds a few of my insights.  Here I am going to overlap two great books, approaching the same subject from different perspectives. Larry Crabb in “The PAPA prayer” helps move believes into deeper intimacy with God. Each book’s desire is to bring us into relational communion with God, reimagining the way we relate to God.  Jethani’s work breaks the religious guise of  the postures; UNDER, OVER, FORM, and FOR. Crabb’s hope to provide a tangible way “that they might build a passionate relationship WITH God.”  (Emphasis mine)

Combining the two author’s insights, I ask –“To whom are you praying to? “

FROM posture prays to:

Smiling Buddy Jesus

Vending Machine God

A Kindly Grandfather

 OVER posture prays to:

The Backroom Watchmaker

A Preoccupied King
UNDER posture prays to:

A Stern Patriarch

A Cruel Tyrant

An Impersonal Force

 FOR posture prays to:

Moral Crusader God

A Romantic Lover

As with the words of Mother Teresa as above – we may find this prayer thing  crazy – but in prayer we are to listen to God. Which of the above “gods” would you be most prone to listen to? That is to assume that in prayer you are listening…  In the Transfiguration, God gives to Peter, John and James the insight of what it means to experience prayer with Jesus;  “LISTEN to my Son….”  Prayer is our total surrender unto the Will of the Father. Jesus is in prayer listening to the wisdom of God, through the lives of those who have gone before him.  If our prayers are not answered – it may simply be because we were not praying (meaning our act of verbalizing our wants and needs to an image of god is not prayer at all)  or at least we are not praying to the God we intended to be crying out to – In the very Name of Jesus. Prayer Changes Us –into the very image of Jesus – So let us pray, and pray with great hope that great things are becoming of us! If you don’t know where to begin – read the previous post on prayer.

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Love it or Lose it

Posted on January 29, 2013 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Love is the only constant of the Kingdom.

Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 71:1-6 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Luke 4:21-30

The Kingdom of God has been established since the beginning of time. It is better called the Kingdom of the Heavens. Jesus torn the veil of the Heavens and Earth, and ushered the Kingdom into the time and space of humanity. (Heb. 10:19-21) The proclamation of the Kingdom was the core message of Jesus’ ministry. The Kingdom of the Heavens is now present on the Earth, but remains both as an age to come while being in a state of already realized.  The reality is that Jesus established his Kingdom on this earth, and he did so by defeating Satan on the Cross. He did this in fulfilling all of the Old Testament prophecies, and bridging that gap that was created by Sin, separating us from God. All this was made complete, so that God might be with us for eternity. Eternity is a reality, but eternal life begins in knowing Jesus. (Eternity without Jesus is eternal death and separation from God – punishment) This post is about the only eternal thing that we can truly touch in this life and world until Jesus Christ returns to make all things new.  Love!

We know from the Scriptures that God is love. (1 John 4:16) This week in the scriptures we encounter a more full description of that love. All too often this love has been removed from us as something only God can bring… I argue that while yes – an unconditional love, such as described in 1 Cor. 13 is only from God, however in spending time with God, this love becomes indwelt in us.  (last week – I gave a link to a summary of a book called With – the remainder of this post has been heavily influenced by the concepts in that book.)  1 Cor. 13:13 says that faith, hope in love rise above all else and the greatest of these is love. Faith and Hope lay the foundation of salvation in Christ and Love provides the means for gift of life.  Love is the greatest for the reason that both faith and hope will have no purpose in the new earth created by God after the return of Jesus. This is where the “not yet” state of the kingdom become itself a realized experience for all those who are found in Christ.  Without Faith – one will not see the new creation of our lives on this new earth. (Rev. 21:1-5) Hope is present amongst the trials and struggles of this world, giving us courage as we face fear and death. But after the return of Christ there will be no more fear or death.  Therefore only love will be the constant of the Kingdom, that is why it is the greatest.

This is not to diminish the need for or power of faith and hope in our lives. The psalm this week is a picture of faith and hope combined and establishing a life being lived, loved by God. To Jeremiah the words are given… “You must go where I send you, and say what I command you” – this is by faith. And  “Do not be afraid”  – this is an act of hope.  Finally “I am with you” and I will rescue you”  – this is the act of love.  This love was constant with Jeremiah before he knew it and long after he completes the mission set before him. In this, love is not dependent on his obedience or sacrifice, nor on his own conviction or will. It is God who is love and love is what God longs to “be” with his people. Jeremiah’s role as a prophet to the nations, first to Israel as well as all the kingdoms of the earth was not an easy path. Judgment was to be given before mercy was to be discovered. When Jesus came as a prophet to Nazareth foretelling that the Scriptures had been fulfilled in there healing.  He was delivering the mercy of God and delaying the judgment.  (This is highlighted by Jesus’ reading of Isaiah 61, where he Luke does not quote Jesus as reading the judgment in that passion, focusing on the salvation.

Jesus makes it clear in the Gospel of Luke that Today, in this moment – Scripture is fulfilled in their hearing… however this was not the message they were expecting to hear, nor did was it delivered in the manner they desired. They wanted judgment to fall on the other nations of the world, and for deliverance to be done through the means of warfare and vindication. Instead they were offered the power of Love to those who were suffering and weak.  Jesus tells them that deliverance is not limited to Israel and they will have to look closely at the demonstrations of truth faith and hope which they have overlooked.

Are we ready to encounter God’s Love – TODAY? Are we prepared for our savior to come to us in the clouds?(Acts 1:9-11, Matt. 24:30-31)  In this day there will be no other days to come, for this will be the final day and in a twinkling of an eye all things will be made new. That is all things except love – rather that it being made new – in our newness we will be one with God and His love will be experienced intimately, like we have never before.

How has faith or hope been more tangible to you than love?

Whom do you love to be with?

Whom do you struggle to be with at all?

Where might faith and hope play a role in your ability to love those you struggle to be with?

Posted in Epiphany, Year C | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments