My standing with God

Jesus Culture – Not Afraid

As I finish the book of Job, I think that I have confirmed this is not a book about suffering and evil but rather a declaration of a man’s life who walks with God. I saw Job move from a very limited perspective of who God was. It is a great disciple story because if I do anything with the one I am discipling it is elevating God past the standards and limitations that they place upon God. I notice that sometimes my passion for God gets lost in my explanations, expressions or definitions that I can miss the meaning of who God is. God is not just abstract principals, He is however the great I Am who encounters, seeks and saves. While I may be tempted to be content “being right with God,” I am called to seek the transformative encounter with God. As with Job, the question is not “why” but rather the revelation of “who.”

So Psalm 124 takes on the persona of a song of rescue. If it had not been for God, I would have been consumed. I need to be rescued and it becomes part of my worship of His mercy and grace. Discipleship can be dangerous work and I need to experience the hand of God.

If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
    let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
    when people rose up against us,
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
    when their anger was kindled against us;
then the flood would have swept us away,
    the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
    the raging waters. – Psalm 124:1-5 ESV

Expecting God to speak

Word Of God Speak – MercyMe

I am not sure how I could live my walk with Jesus if I could not hear Him.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind and said – Job 38:1 ESV

In fact, I can be even more specific – how can I worship Him if I have never had Him speak into my life?

Maybe that is why some of us have turned worship into something else. We actually have never heard His voice so how do we come to a place to bring others into His presence when we have never arrived there ourselves. I remember two gentleman in particular, both long time youth pastors such as myself. One was so consumed by the fact that he had never heard the voice of God that one day in the midst of calling out to God he ran his car alongside a tracker trailer. Only thing was, he never knew he had until he arrived home and looked at the massive damage he had experienced. The other slammed his fist on the table and said emphatically and with incredible conviction that the days of God talking to people are over.

I am thankful that I learned at a young age to expect God to speak. After two years of not hearing Him speak, He spoke through His word. Then one day as I was ready to commit suicide, His voice came through loud and clear and has never ceased to be part of my life.

Praise the Lord!
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the godly! – Psalm 149:1 ESV

I think I make it sound easier than it was, but my encouragement to those I disciple is that He does speak and they can count on Him wanting to speak into their lives.

Life in Christ

Christ Our Life

What does my life look like, in Christ, through the eyes of those I disciple?

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:^[b] sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.^[c] In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self^[d] with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave,^[e] free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. – Colossians 3:5-14 ESV

Do you know who Scythians are? They were one of those despised people groups. Basically replace the word with the despised people or cultural group in your community and that should have things covered.

The last verse puts it all together with a great summary statement as to what my life in Christ looks like – above all these…

I put on love for without this all I have is nothing except show and appearance, and guise and hypocrisy. Love gives me true sympathy, real kindness, undisguised humility and meekness, patience and hearty forgiveness. Love is greater, more excellent, adds glory, lustre and beauty. In this a disciple of Jesus is visible, distinguished and is known to be what they are. Here I am called to live.

Age and experience

I think that age and experience give people a greater advantage in judging of things. There is the process of thinking and there is the ability to take what one thinks and work with it. I am thinking more about these things because I am getting older and considering what I am bringing to the table these days. I am beginning to watch other older people and how they come across in gatherings. I believe I am seeing that it is important for me to continue in my learning and to teach others. If I just stop than I am afraid that my age may be my curse and not my blessing. I want young people to listen to what I have to say.

I said, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’. – Job 32:7 ESV

One of my board members, at the young age of nineteen, was able to sit with Leslie Newbiggin. Can you imagine having him as your mentor? I think that is what I like about Elihu, the last to speak and the youngest of Job’s four friends. He was modest in his expressions as he paid attention to what those who were older than he had to say.

Jesus appearing

He Lives! (I Serve A Risen Saviour)

I do not want to miss being a part of Jesus appearing.

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.When Christ who is your^[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. – Colossians 3:3-4 ESV

Yes, I am well aware that the presence of power of sin will continue to harangue me for the remainder of my physical earthly existence. However, it can no longer condemn me. So I ask myself, “am I living like the one who died with Christ?” Do the things that are profane or offensive to Jesus, profane and offensive to me? Although I am no longer condemned, I still need to make daily choices in light of and consistent with this truth. I do not have an excuse for sloppy Christian living. It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that I can practice “death to self” which happens to be a good marker of a disciple of Jesus.

If I was to disciple someone based on these verses, I would try to help them understand the brevity and temporal nature of life on earth. I would want them to see the far greater importance of eternity, motivating them to live for eternal, rather than temporal things and to evaluate their priorities in light of that which is eternally significant.

Bishop Huntington gave these thoughts on what is the hidden life mentioned in the verses above.

1. What gives Christ’s mediatorship its practical dignity is not only its display of Divine mercy but also its fitness to invigorate and encourage a spiritual life in the believer; and the most reverential view of God manifest in the flesh is the largest producer of daily holiness, as well as the dearest to the heart.

2. The first fact that we encounter in the historic consciousness of the Church is Christ’s invisible supremacy as its head and Lord in the private hearts of disciples and in their public organization and activity. No sooner was Jesus gone than, with the widest diversities of tastes and habits, they were united in one common bond of a hidden life. Journey where they will their hearts cling to one invisible Master.

3. And so it has been in the line of spiritual descent ever since. Personal fellowship with Christ has been the hereditary blood in the veins of the Church. This inward life we have now to interpret.

It is like we all need to learn to unlearn what has been impressed in our brains and souls. What the world had attached to us we need to be no longer attached to. My life has to be left behind. I have a new identity and it is hidden with Christ in God.