Life transformation

 

I Have Decided to Follow Jesus

 

I remember my daughter explaining the life transformation that takes place when one decides to follow Jesus. My son quickly responded and said, what transformation? It was a bit of a stunning reply and the conversation quickly went somewhere else. How is it that my daughter saw and experienced something that my son did not? A conversation with my son this past week gave me the clue. In order to experience life transformation one has to get into spiritual disciplines.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. – Colossians 3:1-2 ESV

I noticed right away that there is a setting of the mind. A will can be set. I can direct my intentions. A mind can be set. Things that are above means the kingdom of God. I will set my will on the kingdom.  Set my mind – now that is something I can do because I died and been raised.

F B Meyer did a devotional in Our Daily Walk and he called in Risen in Christ. He explains what this means and how important it is that we realize this truth. Read below this devotional.

IF! someone will say, “He, there’s the rub! I’m afraid that is not true of me; my life is sinful and sorrowful; there are no Easter chimes in my soul, no glad fellowship with the Risen Lord; no victory over dark and hostile powers.” But if you are Christ’s disciple, you may affirm that you are risen in Him! With Christ you lay in the grave, and with Christ you have gone forth, according to the thought and purpose of God, if not in your feelings and experience. This is distinctly taught in Eph 2:1-10 and Romans 6:1-10. The whole Church (including all who believe in our Lord Jesus) has passed into the light of the Easter dawn (Ed: raised to walk in a brand new way of life they had heretofore never been able to experience!); and the one thing for you and me, and all of us, is to begin from this moment to act as if it were a conscious experience, and as we dare to do so we shall have the experience.

Notice how the Apostle insists on this: “You died, you were raised with Christ, your life is hid with Christ. Give yourself time to think about it and realize it.”

The Cross of Jesus stands between you and the constant appeal of the world, as when the neighbours of Christian tried to induce him to return to the City of Destruction. This does not mean that we are to be indifferent to all that is fair and lovely in the life which God has given us, but that the Cross is to separate us from all that is selfish, sensual, and savoring of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1John 2:15–note, 1Jn 2:16–note, 1Jn 2:17–note).

Set your mind (present imperative) on things above (Col 3:2–note).

“As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Pr 23:7KJV)

How many of us even try to guard our thoughts. The door of our heart stands wide open to the world, the flesh and the devil, with no control of what comes into our mind. Have we ever considered asking God by His Holy Spirit to help us control our thoughts, so that we might think upon holy things, the things that are true and honorable and of good report, a wonderful change would pass over our life (Php 4:7–note, Php 4:8–note).

Realize that Christ is your life 
He is in you!

See to it that nothing hinders the output of His glorious indwelling. Never mind if the world of men misunderstand you. Some day your motives and reasons will be manifested (Col 3:4–note).

PRAYER – Grant, most gracious God, that we may love and seek Thee always and everywhere, and may at length find Thee and forever hold Thee fast in the life to come. AMEN.

 

 

 

 

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My soul matters

 

Casting Crowns – Oh My Soul 

 

I remember Billy Graham in a television interview, most likely with Merv Griffin, stating that he was nothing more than a worm. So when I read this, I remembered where he quoted it from.

Behold, even the moon is not bright,
and the stars are not pure in his eyes;
how much less man, who is a maggot,
and the son of man, who is a worm!” – Job 25:5-6 ESV

However, I love Job’s response. He explains to his friend – how can you say these words, they are not helpful, they do not lift me up or encourage me. He then follows up with the words his friend should have used. He should have described the power of God. That would make the difference.

Sometimes when I am discipling, I find myself drawn too much into those I am with and see life from a human perspective. Job reminds me to keep my eyes on God and who He is. That will give me the perspective I need to have to walk with those I am discipling.

When my soul is right with God it would seem that I should be in good health.

Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.  – 3 John 2 ESV

At least that would be a good prayer for Job – unfortunately none of his friends knew this. I like this prayer for it again puts perspective back to God – He is the only one I cry to, the only one I ask from. If I look after my soul and invite Him in to heal it, then I will walk with Him in order to be able to walk with others.

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A desire to know what God has to say

 

This thought keeps coming at me – it seems almost every day. If I am a disciple of God would it not be my desire to know what He has to say?

I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;
    I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. – Job 23:12 ESV

I was with my son and he was explaining how it seems that so many of the young adults that were with him in church have found themselves outside the church and many are no longer serving Him. We talked about that a bit and I asked him what his quiet time looked like. He does not have one, at least not as regular as he would like but he does have a devotional with his wife every night.

When I talk about being a disciple, I talk about walking on my knees, over broken glass, just so I can have my time with God and hear what He has to say.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life. – Psalm 121:7 ESV

The promise of God keeping my life is only important if I can tell others how important it is. If I do not believe it nor count on His protection I have nothing to say to anyone. As a disciple maker I need to be in a place where I can strengthen the faith of others and have them turn their eyes to Jesus as their Keeper.

 

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A true disciple

 

Jesus, My Everything (Matt Maher)

 

I am born after the flesh just like everyone else. I come into this world at enmity to God. I need a new nature, I need to be made into a new person. The regeneration of my soul is my testimony to my Saviour.

This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.  For there are three that testify:  the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.  If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. – 1 John 5:6-9 ESV

It is the work of the Holy Spirit. He is involved in progressive sanctification, He gives me victory over the world, gives me peace, love, joy and grace.

Water is involved and intimates purity and purifying power. Jesus was holy, harmless and undefiled. The testimony at John’s baptism was a witness of Him, and prepared people for Him. My soul has been purified and washed.

Blood is involved too – this He shed and it was for my ransom. It finished with the practices of the Old Testament. It confirmed Jesus’ own predictions and the truth of His ministry and doctrine. It showed unparalleled love to God that He would die a sacrifice in making atonement for the sins of the world.

He demonstrates unspeakable love to me and no one would deceive those they truly love. Jesus demonstrated his disinterest to any secular advantage. No impostor and deceiver ever proposes to themselves contempt and a violent cruel death.

It lays on me, as a disciple, obligation to suffer and die for Him. He calls me into conformity with Him, in sufferings. Neither He nor His kingdom is of this world.

 

 

 

 

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Let us love

 

Beloved let us love one another

 

I came across this story about the apostle John and I found it challenging for sure…

The church father, Jerome, said that when the apostle John was in his extreme old age, he was so weak that he had to be carried into the church meetings. At the end of the meeting he would be helped to his feet to give a word of exhortation to the church. Invariably, he would repeat, “Little children, let us love one another.” The disciples began to grow weary of the same words every time, and they finally asked him why he always said the same thing over and over. He replied, “Because it is the Lord’s commandment, and if this only is done, it is enough” (cited by John Stott, The Epistles of John [Eerdmans], p. 49).

I hear so much about focusing on one thing and John was so clear to what I am called to focus on.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.  In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. – 1 John 4:7-11 ESV

I cannot imagine the steps John took from being one of the fiery ‘sons of thunder’ to the one who penned these words. He found a way, more and more each day, in discovering the amazing truth that God is love.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. – 1 John 4:16 ESV

That does not mean a mushy kind of love either. The Psalms reminds us of the power of that love.

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,
who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water. – Psalm 114:7-8 ESV

How can I apply the power of love in my life today?

Somehow it must be tied into my faith for how often do I say I lack faith. I think the failure of walking in the kingdom of God lies there, somewhere. If I had more faith in the power of God, had higher expectations of His power in my life, then I would overcome the world.

It sure is one thing to say that God can do this or that, and it is quite another thing to believe it. When it comes to love, God will do something even more amazing than what we could ever hope for or imagine.

 

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