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Posts Tagged ‘transformation’

Finding God’s Favor

Posted in Commentaries, Tributes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 26, 2025| 1 Comment »

Like most kids who grew up in the 1960’s and 70’s, my parents had home movies they’d occasionally pull out and show on a big projector screen.  One that particularly sticks out in my mind is of my brothers and I playing on the street in front of my grandmother’s house in Brooklyn.  It was a cold, dreary looking day, and we were all in our winter coats, but we were running around with the sort of abandon that only young children seem to possess. 

I believe that I was about 5 yrs old in the film, which would make my brothers 6 yrs and 7 yrs old.  In particular it was my brother Tom (the oldest sibling) who stood out.  His big eyes and childlike manner in these movies were such a sharp contrast to the serious and pragmatic fellow he would eventually become.  These old reels were some of the only evidence that he’d not really started out that way.

Life has a way of pushing back against innocence and cultivating cynicism.  And for little boys, wide eyed compassion and sensitivity aren’t generally a sustainable course.  Very quickly it becomes clear that having such emotions or at least allowing folks to know that you have them, is a precarious path to take.  Early on, it becomes a matter of survival to learn how to hide your vulnerabilities and to always come from a position of strength.  For many young men that manifests in a form of aggressiveness that is generally accepted for young males.  For my brother Tom, it manifested in the form of intellect.

My brother had a brilliant mind and was usually one of the smartest guys in the room.  He also had the ability to express himself, which made his intelligence harder to ignore.  Because my father was in the Air Force, we changed schools constantly, but wherever we’d go my brother would quickly be viewed as the smartest kid in the class.  As the sensitive nurturing elements of his personality receded into dormancy, the power of his mind emerged.  He wasn’t just smart, he was a born leader, and soon that was all you could see.  

As a younger brother, who had no desire to be led by someone I thought of as a peer, I just viewed him as overbearing and bossy.   By the time we got to high school, his identity as the smart kid was already set in stone, and he further solidified it by dating the smartest girl in school.  In those days, if you had asked anyone who knew my brother to describe him with three adjectives, his intelligence would have been referenced with the first word.

Forty-five years later, as I sat through the various memorial services celebrating my brother’s (too short) life, I suddenly recalled those scenes of us frolicking on the street as kids, and I realized that not one person had made a singular reference to his intelligence.  Indeed, there was barely any mention of the impressive work he had done at Ball Aerospace (e.g., the Hubble Telescope, the Mars Rover), or any of his other accomplishments.  

As the montage of pictures scrolled across the screen, they were mostly scenes of Tom with his grandchildren, or his god children, or dear friends, or with his beloved wife.  In many of them he was dressed funny and clearly goofing around with that same sort of abandon that we’d had as children. 

When people eulogized him, it was his warmth, compassion, faith, and wisdom they spoke of.  And I found myself wondering how this transformation had occurred.  What was it that allowed my brother’s true heart to re-emerge over all these years.

The short and simple answer is that the God who gave Him that heart, also worked throughout his life to preserve it.  But at the center of God’s plan was Tom’s beloved wife Fawn. 

By the time they’d met in high school, Tom had developed a pretty sharp edge to his personality, yet around her, he was like Jello.  He was crazy about her from day one, and she was not the type of person to use that as leverage against him.  If there were ever two people who seemed destined for each other, it was these two, and absolutely no one was surprised that they married and spent a lifetime together.

Looking back, I realize that because Fawn loved my brother for who he was, she made it safe for the nurturing, loving, playful part of his heart to re-emerge.  Because she routinely engaged that part of his being, it regained strength and eventually became the hallmark of his legacy.  Though it sounds cliche, she brought out the best in him.  And to his credit, I believe that he did that for her as well.

As I pondered all this, I couldn’t help but think that this is exactly what God had in mind for marriage.  That these unions were meant to amount to more than just the sum of the parts.  That both partners would help each other become the people they were created to be. 

If Tom had chosen to spend his life with someone who only related to him on an intellectual level, he may well have become a stoic recluse. Thankfully, he found a loving soul, who was full of spirit, and every bit his intellectual equal. She loved his heart and nurtured it throughout their years together.

In my brother’s final days, the room was filled with people who loved him and whose lives had been touched by his.  And right by his side was his beloved partner Fawn.  Though we could wish for more days, it would be hard to imagine a better way to finish the race.

He who finds a wife of worth, receives the favor of the Lord (Prov.18:22)

A wife of noble character is worth far more than rubies (Prov.31:10)

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The Blessing of Brokenness

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 31, 2024| 1 Comment »

There is a very human tendency to avoid discomfort of any kind, but the reality of our existence is that we aren’t likely to change until we absolutely have to.  Thus, it often takes adversity to bring about a significant transformation.  For those who count themselves as followers of Christ, we must grapple with the knowledge that Jesus (a man of perfect faith) learned obedience from the things He suffered (Heb.5:8), and that what is pleasing to the flesh is not pleasing to the Spirit (Gal.5:17).  Western culture aspires to create a pain-free existence, which fundamentally works against the process of spiritual growth.  Indeed, it is in the midst of a situation we cannot hope to control that we are most likely to cry out for help; it is the circumstance that we cannot wrap our hands around that we are most apt to release to God; and it is in those moments when there is no earthy wisdom to calm our anguish that we are best positioned to receive the words of life.  Despite our ardent desire to avoid anything that might challenge our perception of prosperity, it is in the midst of our weakness that His strength is made perfect (2Cor.12:9), and it is a broken and contrite heart that He honors (Psalm 51:17, Isa.66:2).  Most often, it is only when our capabilities are completely overwhelmed that we can achieve a thorough and genuine level of surrender.  But for those who emerge on the other side of such experiences, the reality of who God is, and of our place in Him are forever changed.

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Reverse Theology

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , on October 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

After spending over four decades working in engineering related fields, I’ve come to an appreciation of the complexities that can so often exist beneath the surface of a seemingly simple veneer.  Because starting from scratch is generally a long and arduous process, it can be advantageous to begin with something that has already been developed and proven to be functional.  By breaking an existing assembly down into its foundational elements, one can often find keys to its success, which can then be used to build upon.  This process is known as “Reverse Engineering.”

Similarly, when efforts to motivate someone in a positive direction fail to get the desired outcome, it can at times be effective to take an inverse approach, which may allow them to back over a threshold they weren’t willing to directly step across.  This approach is known as “Reverse Psychology.”

Recently, during a time of prayer, I sensed the Lord use the phrase “Reverse Theology.”  And as I meditated on that term, I sensed that it describes a process of seeing God through the lens of who we want Him to be (or think He ought to be), instead of seeking to know Him as He truly is.  Like reverse engineering, we can begin at the end, and work our way backwards by finding verses, teachings, and ministers which will undergird our predetermined conclusions.

If we are naturally militant, we can grab ahold of scriptures like the Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force (Matt.11:12), you’ve trained my hands for war (Psalm 144:1), and countless Old Testament stories about crushing the enemies of Israel; while ignoring New Testament verses about loving our enemies (Matt.5:44), and living in peace with our neighbors (Rom.12:18). 

If we are scholarly we might gravitate toward verses which exalt the value of knowledge (Hosea 4:6, 2Peter 1:5), and ignore the admonitions about coming as a little child (Matt.18:3).  If we are patriarchal we can embrace the commandment for wives to submit to their husbands (Eph.5, Col.3), while omitting the corresponding directive for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and gave His life for her (Eph.5:25). 

If we are comfortable within the world system, we can console ourselves with “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16)”, and disregard His warning that friendship with the world amounts to enmity with God (James 4:4).  Like a modular living room set, we can arrange the pieces in whatever way best fits our space.

Interestingly, we can stand on the authority of scripture to justify our positions, and then dismiss scriptural counterpoints with catchphrases about the Bible being a “flawed book”, “written by men”, which has been “frequently mistranslated” …

Based on scripture, the way to develop an understanding of who God is (i.e. a theology) is to seek Him, and to allow Him to reveal Himself to us (Jer.29:13, Matt.7:7).  Often, the revelation of who He is will be accompanied by a revelation of who He created us to be as well (Gen.17:5, Gen.32:28, Matt.16:18).  If we choose to surrender ourselves, and walk with Him, our knowledge of Him grows, and we are transformed into His image, which is ultimately our destiny (Rom.8:29, Rom.12:2, 2Cor.3:18). 

The application of a “reverse theology” saves us from all that seeking, surrendering, and transformation, by offering the hope that we can be delivered directly to our desired destination and destiny, by a god that aligns with our values, priorities, and vision for the future (i.e. the way that seems right to us – Prov.14:12).

Within this paradigm, we aren’t reformed into His image, He is in fact reimagined based on our experience and understanding.  We decide that “if He is good,” He will adhere to our standard for goodness; and “if He is just,” He will satisfy our sense of justice; and if “He is love,” He will act in the way that we deem to be loving.  And perhaps most prevalently, if He does not adhere to these expectations, we feel perfectly justified in being angry with Him.  In such moments, we are literally judging God by our standards, and finding Him to be lacking, which implies that our standards are higher than His.

I am not suggesting that anyone consciously endorses this “Reverse Theology” pattern, but it is something that we can slip into unconsciously and with little effort.  If we only acknowledge the aspects of God, and the scripture that make sense to us, we can convince ourselves that we are “saved, sanctified, and going to heaven,” and never realize that we have developed a huge spiritual blind spot. 

Because we cannot conceive of how justice (i.e. we get what we deserve) and grace (i.e. we don’t get what we deserve) can be perfectly embodied in the same being, we embrace the aspect that appeals to us, and ignore the elements we struggle to reconcile.   Like a poster of our favorite teen idol, we can put His picture on the wall, and worship who we imagine Him to be. Though we can truthfully claim to have acted “in Jesus’ name,” He can rightfully respond that He never knew us (Matt.7:23).

Evidences that we may have fallen into this trap are abundant.  The scripture tells us that they that abide in the vine (i.e. are connected to Jesus) will produce fruit (John 15:4-5).  And the fruit He is speaking of is not temporal results (e.g. extravagant facilities, well attended gatherings, extensive ministry networks…), it is Christ’s character being revealed in us (Gal.5:22-23, Col.1:27).  A lack of genuine transformation is the most obvious indication that this connection is not strong.

If we find ourselves frequently deceived by charismatic ministry leaders, false teachers, and illegitimate “prophetic” voices, it is an indication that we have fallen out of step with the Holy Spirit (Matt.24:24, Col.2:8).  Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, they listen and they follow (John 10:27).  A lack of confidence in one’s ability to discern the Lord’s voice should be seen as a critical matter.

The good news is that even if we have stumbled into this trap, the Lord stands at the ready to meet us where we are at.  Like He did for Saul (a learned and respected leader, who felt sure he was doing the work of the Lord), Jesus can reintroduce Himself and change our name in the process (Acts 9).  But He made it clear that anyone who wishes to be His disciple must be willing to deny himself, and to take up their cross daily (Matt.16:24).  And whether we like it or not, He also said that anyone who is unwilling to take up their cross is unworthy of Him (Matt.10:38).

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Send the Fire

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , on May 6, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Bible says that for everything there is a season and it certainly seems that all of life progresses in a seasonal pattern.  Our Christian walk is no different.  Early on we progress through seasons of understanding, in which we realize that God is real, that we are forgiven, that God is good, that we’ve been placed on this earth for a purpose, that Jesus paid it all…  If we continue down that path we eventually come into seasons of transformation. 

These revelations are not normally as easy to receive and this process digs much deeper into our being.  Gods stated purpose to transform us into the image of Christ takes on profound new dimensions.  Like He did with the rich young ruler, Jesus seems to identify the very thing that we don’t think that we can give.  These seasons reveal a lot about the level of commitment and trust that we have in our relationship with the Lord. 

As I have been walking through these seasons, I’ve come to see that the only thing that hinders the move of God in my life is me; sure there is an enemy and he’s always got something to say, but he can only work with what I give him.  These revelations inevitably lead me to cry out for God to change my heart, because as much as I want to change, I can’t do it without Him.  It seems that the prerequisite for my transformation to His character traits is the surrender of mine.

One of Gods sharpest tools within our transformation process is other people.  Indeed God is defined by His love of people and our relationship to them often becomes the measuring stick of our progress.  Our natural selfishness hinders us in this area, but even more profound is our fear of getting hurt.  Most of us know that opening ourselves and our lives up to others can lead to heartbreak and there is a very natural tendency to try to protect ourselves from that; but I’ve come to believe that God intends for our hearts to be broken. 

It seems that the only way to avoid heart break is to avoid truly loving.  We do this by keeping our relationships very superficial and non-committal; but God won’t let us remain comfortable at that distance.  He sent His only Son, knowing that He would be rejected, abused and ultimately crucified; He’s not hesitant to send us there as well.  He doesn’t expect us to trust them with our hearts, He expects us to trust Him. 

The scripture points us to this, as the beatitudes include blessings for those who mourn, who are poor in spirit and who are persecuted for righteousness sake; David tells us that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart and Jesus is described as a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.  We may want to try to interpret these things away, but they all point to the fact that if we love as He loves, our hearts will be broken.  Our attempts to avoid this heart break will inevitably hinder our transformation into His image.

As we endeavor to open ourselves to the various aspects of the transformation process, we quickly come to the understanding that we are powerless in this struggle without the aid of the Holy Spirit.  While this is a good and necessary revelation, our pursuit of this power can easily get us off track again.  We can come to see the power of the Holy Spirit as a way to avoid this process instead of as the way to go through it. 

I’m reminded of the story of Elijah and the widow in Sidon; in this story we see that there is a great famine in the land and God sends His Prophet to a poor widow for food.  She is down to her last portion of oil and flour, intending to make one final meal to share with her son, when Elijah comes to her.  He tells her to make him a meal first and promises that her oil and flour will not run out until the famine ends.  She is obedient and indeed her supply of flour and oil is supernaturally maintained.  I believe that many of us want to identify with Elijah in this story, but I believe that before we can play the role of Elijah, we must first play the role of the widow.  Indeed Elijah himself had just spent years in the desert, being obedient to Gods instructions and relying on the ravens to bring him food.  If Jesus himself had to walk through the steps of faithful and humbling obedience, these steps must also be essential for us.

As we pray for the power of the Holy Spirit, we often cry out, “send the fire”, which speaks of the holy fire of God.  John the Baptist spoke of this when he baptized with water, telling all who would hear him that the One who would follow would baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  This fire certainly represents the power of God, but more specifically it speaks of purification. 

On the day of Pentecost, it was with tongues of fire that the believers received the power from on high.   While it is certainly not wrong to pray for this, I wonder if we really comprehend what we’re asking for.  Do we think that the fire is coming to burn up our enemies and our troubles; do we believe that the fire is just going to burn up the stuff we don’t want and not touch the rest?  The fire of God is a consuming fire and it doesn’t come for them, it comes for us.  It comes to burn up our pride and our dignity; our comfort and our reputation; and most assuredly it comes for our stuff (i.e. all the stuff we’ve crammed our lives with, that is of no eternal value).  The fire burns up the chaff, which is everything that is unfruitful in our lives. 

We need that, but is that what we really want?  I think that we might be surprised to find out that many of the things that we’ve considered a blessing from God would actually be counted as a hindrance by Him.  Will we be praising Him when the fire comes for our big screened TV or our designer clothes or our position in the community or any other thing that distracts us from the things He’s called us to?  It seems that we want to be close enough to the fire to stay warm, but that as soon as the heat gets a little intense, we tend to back up. 

In looking at Pentecost, we tend to focus on the great power and authority that the Apostles emerged from the Upper Room with, but ignore the fact that this sealed them forever as outcasts, in a culture that was openly hostile to just about every aspect of their message.  While they accomplished incredible things for the kingdom of God, their lives here on earth didn’t become easier, their enemies didn’t go away and none of their endings would met the worlds’ criteria for “happily ever after”.  Is this really what we’re praying for?

The fruit of a season of transformation is that you emerge changed.  If we simply wish to warm ourselves with the fire of God, we may accumulate some exhilarating experiences, but we’ll never truly be free or fulfill Gods’ purposes for us.  Our flesh may enjoy that, but our spirit will remain unfulfilled. 

God means to align our hearts with His, so that His priorities will be our priorities.   While we may be disturbed by what’s going on in the world, He is appalled; and while we may be burdened, He is heart broken.  We need the fire to come and burn away all the weeds and debris that have choked off our growth.  If we truly want to be transformed, we cannot keep running away from every fiery trial and rebuke every struggle. 

It was for the eternal glory that Jesus “endured” the cross, “despising” its’ shame.  Even though He despised it, He endured the process because He wanted the Fathers will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  This must become our motivation too.  If our motivation is simply to be comfortable or prosperous or powerful or glorified… nothing but ashes will be produced by the fire. 

When the fire comes, it’s going to get very hot and it’s going to burn some things that we think that we need.  It won’t be pleasing to our flesh, but it will be energizing to our spirits.  It will burn away the things that have bound us to this world and we will be truly free to glorify our Father in heaven.  It will produce a Bride who will be glorious to her Bridegroom.  So I pray, “send the fire Lord”.  “Send the fire!” 

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3 Biblical Concepts Vanishing from Western Christianity

Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Covetous:

As with all sin, covetous short-circuits Gods plan to give us abundant life.  He wants us to find the extravagant provision (e.g. peace, joy, rest, hope, strength…) that He’s made for us, while the enemy of our souls seeks to keep us connected to a temporal sense of lack.  Since we don’t covet what we already have, the act of coveting keeps us focused on what we don’t have.  Pursuit of those things generally blinds us to the blessings we already possess and drives us toward vain attempts to gain our lives. 

    It’s the enemy’s treadmill to have us waste the precious time and resources that we’ve been given chasing some elusive promise of fulfillment.  In those instances when we are successful in attaining the coveted object, we most often find that it is not nearly as satisfying as we’d hoped.  In those times the enemy generally begins to dangle “the next big thing” in front of us and soon we’re off and running again.  This picture is in stark contrast to the scripture. 

    The book of Hebrews tells us to keep our lives free of covetousness and to be content with whatever we have (Heb.13:5).  Paul also testified that he’d learned to be contented in all situations (Phil.4:11).  This is the same freedom the Lord intends for us.  We’re told that if we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, all of the other things will be added to us, and we are warned that our attempts to gain our life will ultimately cause us to lose it. 

    As with so many other things, we in the church are often more conformed to the culture than to the word of God.  Sadly, the consumer mentality is rampant in the church and covetousness is a sin that is openly committed without repentance. 

    In Charismatic/Pentecostal circles, leaders often invite people to covet the gifts, and callings of those who appear to be more “anointed” than themselves, and those who preach the prosperity gospel encourage people to covet the lifestyles of those who appear to be more “blessed” than they are.  We may rationalize it as being “goal oriented” or the pursuit of the “American Dream”, but it is covetous in its truest form, and it keeps us from walking in the fullness Christ died to give us.

    Dying to Self:

    Western Christianity has largely replaced the concept of self-sacrifice (i.e. dying to self, esteeming others above ourselves, sharing in Christ’s suffering…) with self-actualization (i.e. empowerment, fulfillment, blessing, calling, gifts…).  This revised version of the gospel allows one to live their best life here on earth, and then ascend to their heavenly mansion.

    But I would submit that becoming “the best version of yourself” is not necessarily the same as becoming the person you were created to be.  The latter requires the involvement of the Creator. 

    Dying to self is a moment by moment proposition (1 Cor. 15:36).  There is no level of sanctification, anointing, or calling that exempts us from the need to surrender our lives, and submit our wills on a daily basis (Luke 14:27).  Without an ongoing commitment to partake of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), we are bound to fall to our human nature (Prov. 14:12).

    Ultimately, we cannot hope to ‘make disciples (Matt.28:19)” unless we are disciples, and we cannot be disciples unless we are willing to deny ourselves and take up our cross “daily” (Luke 9:23).

    Imaginations:

    Though dreams and visions are referenced throughout the scripture, the most often cited application in the modern context seems to center on Proverbs 29:18 (Where there is no vision, the people perish…) and Joel 2:28 (your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions…).  Both tend to be used as proof texts for the idea that God gives certain people (most commonly in leadership positions) visions of and for the future, which subordinates should gather around, and support.  While there may be a thread of truth in all that, the scope and magnitude to which it is promoted is at the very least exaggerated, and at times patently deceptive.

    The vision spoken of in Proverbs 29 is a present tense revelation from God, and this passage (verse 18) is simply pointing out that in the absence of such divine guidance, people will revert to what is right in their own eyes, which ultimately leads to death (Prov.14:12). 

    Too often, the “vision” presented by church leadership amounts to detailed plans, strategies and goals for the future, which almost always center on the building of their ministry.  Ostensibly, God will be gloried in that process.

    Visionary leaders can build strong organizations, beautiful facilities, and lasting legacies, but unless people are growing closer to the Lord, and are being transformed into His image, the Kingdom of God is not significantly impacted. Frequently, the followers of this type of leader are simply transformed into their image.

    In my own experience, I have found that the God who exists outside of time, who tells me not to worry about tomorrow, and who knows the end from the beginning, is not fretting about the future, or His ability to preserve me in the midst of adversity.  And that the God who offers us daily bread, and to be a lamp unto our feet, is not prone to give long term plans and strategies that would allow me to go very far without His direct interaction.  Indeed, man’s obsession with knowing and controlling the future is rooted in fear, and that spirit does not come from Him.

    What generally goes unspoken are the scriptures numerous warnings of how our pride and imaginations can lead us into deception.  Zechariah spoke of idols that speak deceitfully, diviners who see visions that lie, and tell dreams that are false (Zech.10.2).  Obadiah warned of how pride can cause deception of the heart (Obad.1:3).  Isaiah spoke of those who “prophesy illusions” (Isa.30:10).  Jeremiah warned of the delusions our minds can conjure (Jer.14:14), while Ezekiel spoke of those who prophesy out of their imagination (Eze.13:2).

    Given the scriptures emphasis on these, and many other warnings, it would seem vital to discern between dreams and visions which are birthed from the Spirit of God, and those which come from the fertile imagination of their host.  While imagination is a reflection of God’s creativity, it is also subject to the folly of our fallen nature, and is frequently a useful tool in the hands of our enemy.

    The people of Babel imagined that building a tower that reached the heavens would bring them fame (Gen.11).  Sarai devised a strategy to fulfill God’s promise to Abram (Gen.16).  Peter had a plan to protect Jesus (John 18:10-11).  And Saul imagined that he was serving God’s purposes by orchestrating the persecution of Christ’s followers (Acts 9).  Ultimately, they all found themselves in opposition to God’s will.

    On a more practical level, convincing folks to “serve the vision” generally has the effect of taking their eyes off the One who is the Author and Finisher of their faith, and the only One who has the words of life.  If the vision is truly birthed in the Spirit, He will guide them to their role within it.  Instead of teaching followers of Christ to “serve the vision”, we need to be teaching them to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, and that His sheep know His voice, they listen and they follow.

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    Destination

    Posted in Commentaries, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

    Life is not a ride, it’s a journey.  A ride consists of being carried along to wherever the vehicle happens to be headed, while a journey has an ultimate destination, which requires navigation and effort to complete. 

    One who sails for pleasure doesn’t concern themselves with what direction the wind is blowing, or where the rudder is pointed, as long as their sail is full.  They rarely stray far from the shore, and will avoid a storm at all costs.  At the end of the day, success is judged by the strength of the wind, and the smoothness of the seas, both of which are completely out of our control.

    For those who choose the journey, it is very different.  It is not so much about the sail as it is the rudder, and the compass.  Though such a sailor revels in those times when the sail is up and inflated, they understand that they must discern the wind and pull the sail down amidst unfavorable breezes. 

    They also understand that in order to reach their ultimate landing spot they will have to pass through some rough waters.  In those times they just hold fast to the rudder and keep the ship pointed toward the eventual goal.  For such a traveler, success is measured by the distance from their final destination. 

    Unless we purpose in our heart to be someone, or to do something, we evolve into little more than an accumulation of our experiences, both good and bad.  In such cases, we tend to live life like a pinball; propelled by gravity and bouncing from one obstacle to another.

    Anything worthwhile in life requires some amount of investment on our part.  Those who are unwilling to make such a deposit are generally pushed along by the winds of circumstance to some uncertain end.

    For the first 30 years of my life, I was essentially on a pleasure cruise, looking for that next exhilarating ride.  But a few decades ago, I began to recognize that I was created for something more.  Indeed, I had a purpose, and a destiny.  And the further I have travelled, the more I comprehend the importance of the journey itself.

    At some point, I stopped referencing the past (i.e. where I came from, who I’ve been, what I’ve experienced, what I think I know…) for my identity, and started looking to my Creator for that understanding.  He reminded me that before I was in my mother’s womb, He knew me (Jer.1:5), which means that I’m more than simply a byproduct of my DNA, or my heredity, or my upbringing…

    And as I found myself pondering who God intended me to be, He reminded me that it was someone who looked a lot like His Son (Rom.8:29), which told me that the transformation process was going to be dramatic; since who I’d been up to that point hadn’t really resembled Him at all.

    As I prayed for Him to complete the good work He’d begun in me, the Lord gave me a glimpse of the road ahead (i.e. coordinates to chart a course for).  He highlighted the characteristics He’s ordained for me, like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal.5:22-23).  He spoke to my demeanor in the midst struggle, exhorting me to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger (James 1:19).  And He gave me a focal point to keep my eyes fixed on (Heb.12:2), while warning me not to be distracted by the squalls that inevitably come (2Cor.4:18).

    On the surface, it all seemed pretty simple.  Nothing I didn’t already know.  Nothing I couldn’t enthusiastically say, “Amen” to.  But the walking it out has proven to be a daily battle.  We can know all this, agree with it in principle, and unconsciously live as though none of it is true.  Everything in our human nature pushes us the other way.  Unless we make a conscious effort to participate in the divine nature (2Pet.1:4), we stay mired in the same fruitless pattern.

    It’s so easy to wake up tired, agitated and sore.  To dread all the things that need to be done in the course of a day.  To interpret a stubbed toe, or spilled coffee as some sort of prophetic declaration about the state of our lives.  To anxiously listen to the dire reports in the news, and to curse at the lunatics who almost hit us because they’re on their phones. 

    We can spend the day reacting to people and situations that wring every bit of goodwill out of us, and come home growling at the people we claim to love the most.  And we can sing heavenly worship songs in Sunday service, only to return to this miserable cycle on Monday morning.

    The antithesis of this is to begin each day with an invitation to the Holy Spirit to rise up and to do His blessed work in our lives.  To make a genuine connection to the Giver of Life, and to seek His direction and priority for the day.  To guard our heart and mind (Prov.4:23 & Phil.4:7) as we step out into the world, and to ask for God’s heart for every person we interact with (John 13:34). 

    When situations rise up, and anxious moments occur, we need to take the time to regain an eternal perspective before responding and/or acting. And we need to be as interested in reflecting Christ’s character to our own family as we are with reaching out to strangers.

    More practically, it means surrendering thoughts like, “how does this make me feel?” or “want do I want?”, in favor of thoughts like, “how do you see this Lord?” and “what do you desire?”.  It includes avoiding the temptation to immerse ourselves in people and situations that God isn’t calling us to, or to wrestle with issues that He hasn’t given us any dominion over (e.g. almost all geo-political disputes), so that we can be available for the people He’s placed directly in our path.

    For those with a westernized religious sensibility, all of this might seem a bit radical, after all, can’t we make it to heaven if we just “believe”.  But I would submit that the first step to sharing in His resurrection life, is taking up a cross daily, and following Him.  To that end, I believe that this is what dying to self looks like.  It is readily forfeiting your will to do what seems right in your own eyes (Prov.14:12) in favor of doing the will of the Father (John 5:19).

    If our association with Christ is little more than a hedge against the fires of hell, this probably seems excessive.  But if we truly love Him, and wish to serve Him, this is a pathway to His glory (Col.1:27).  The fulfillment of our destiny isn’t really about what we will accomplish in His name, it’s about becoming the person He created us to be.  If we exercise our freedom to become someone other than that, He can rightfully say, “I never knew you” (Matt.7:23).

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    Thought for the Day – All Things

    Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged , , , , , on October 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

    The understanding that apart from Him we can do “nothing” (John 15:5) is meant to drive us toward surrender.   While the revelation that through Him “all things” are possible (Matt.19:26) is meant to facilitate our transformation.

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    Hurt

    Posted in Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on April 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

    There is a popular adage that says, “hurt people hurt people”, which is simply an acknowledgement of our human tendency to hold on to the pain of the past, and over time, to act out of that hurt.  Indeed, many of history’s most notorious abusers were first victims of abuse.  And though we have little control over the things that happen to us, we do bear some responsibility for how we respond. 

    There is also phrase that speaks of, “nursing a grudge”, which effectively points to another common pattern of human behavior, which is to keep issues alive that would otherwise wither and die, if they were left unattended.  While a victim can rightfully claim that they didn’t start the fire, adding wood and gasoline to the flames eventually breeds some level of accountability for the resulting damage. 

    Finally, there is the term, “triggered”, which describes a moment in real time (i.e. right now) when we make an emotional/intellectual/spiritual connection to an experience from the past, and we react out of that former hurt, instead of what is going on presently.  In such moments, the magnitude of our reaction can reach well beyond what is reasonable for the current circumstance.  Ironically, this term also seems to acknowledge the weaponizing of our hurt.  While there may not be malicious intent, acting out of our hurt only serves to perpetuate the damage.

    In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he specifically calls out anger, but goes on to include every form of malice (e.g. bitterness, rage, slander…).  While he acknowledges that we can experience these emotions, he urges that we not let them take hold of us, allowing them to become sin (Eph. 4:26).  He further warns that entertaining these negative emotions will give our enemy a foothold within us (Eph. 4:27).  If we carry this woundedness long enough, it weaves its way into our identity, becoming a conduit for the enemy to sabbatoge every effort, and/or relationship.  Inevitably, the idea that we’ve always been this way evolves into the belief that this is just who we were created to be. 

    I believe that this is why we so often see God give characters within scripture a new name.  He is in effect saying, the world has viewed you as Jacob, but I see you as Israel; you have been taught that you are Simon, but I call you Peter; you have thought of yourself as Saul, but I think of you as Paul: your experience has led you to believe that you are the least of the least of the least, but I know you to be a mighty man of valor.

    Too many of us, who are called by His name, know that we are wounded, routinely act out of that hurt, and have even passed that damage on to the next generation.  Often times, our difficulty in letting go of the pain of the past is rooted in unforgiveness.  No doubt, the demons that we’ve failed to conquer in our own lives have snuggled with our children.  But part of the transformation that the Lord has authored for us (2Cor.3:18) is the renewal of our hearts (2Cor.4:16), and minds (Rom.12:2).  Receiving this healing is an essential part of fulfilling God’s purposes in our lives.  It is also part of the abundant life (John 10:10) Christ died to give us.

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    Thought for the Day – Dis-Infection

    Posted in Commentaries, Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged , , , , , on February 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »

    For the last couple of years we’ve repeatedly heard that the best way to avoid the spread of infection is to minimize the time spent around other people, and to maintain a safe distance and/or wear a face covering when you have to interact personally.  While the effectiveness of these actions with regard to the spread of COVID is debatable, it is hard to deny their effectiveness within the standard western religious paradigm. 

    Jesus said that the world would be able to distinguish His followers by the way they love each other, but it’s doubtful that anyone would describe “Christians” in the west as a close-knit group.  Indeed, we are more famous for the contentious division that has resulted in thousands of different denominations, and other disenfranchised ministries.  Even amongst these independent tribes/sects, there seems to be precious little transparency, trust, or genuine fellowship (i.e. mask-wearing).  This obvious discord could rightfully be deemed “Religious Distancing”. 

    As individuals we need to examine our own relationship with the Lord, and wonder at the degree to which our hearts have truly succumbed to His.  God means to be the end that we are pursuing, not the means by which we pursue some other end.  The truth is that you cannot walk closely with Him, and not be infected with His compassion for the lost, or His burning desire to see the will of the Father done “on earth as it is in heaven”.  You cannot spend time in His presence, or hear His voice without being changed in some way.  But just as Paul told the Corinthians (2Cor. 3:18), we must behold the Lord with “unveiled” faces in order to experience this kind of transformation.

    It is unlikely that a lost world will be infected with the love of God, by a people who seem to be immune to it themselves (1John 3:15-17).

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    Thought for the Day – Childish Things

    Posted in Commentaries, Thought for the Day / Quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 12, 2019| Leave a Comment »

    The Apostle Paul said, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”  Throughout the epistles he exhorts us to do the same.  Recently, I’ve sensed the Lord highlighting some of the childish things that need to be put away.

     

    First and foremost, a child is self-centered.  A baby has no capacity to concern itself with whether its parents are tired or busy or sick, it just knows that it’s not comfortable (e.g. hungry, wet, gassy, tired) and it demands immediate attention.  Presumably, as we get older, our awareness of other people and their struggles grows, but in times of trouble we can easily return to our infancy, becoming blind and numb to anything other than our own wants, needs, or pain.

     

    As a baby grows into a child it becomes increasingly responsive to external stimuli, like light, color, noise, music, touch… and through this it learns to interact with the world around it.  Eventually, these external forces begin to shape the child’s concept of life and identity.  But as we grow in spiritual maturity, we’re called to become less responsive to what is seen (which is perishing), and more sensitive to what is unseen (which is eternal).

     

    Young children tend to easily fall into covetousness when they see something they want, jealousy when someone else has what they want, and to have tantrums, when they don’t get what they want.  It is not a given that age and experience will cause us to grow past these things.  Often, we simply become more subtle in the ways we express them.

     

    Children are also famous for their impatience and fertile imaginations, both of which can become powerful tools in the hands of the adversary.

     

    Indeed, the scripture admonishes us to humbly esteem others above ourselves, to bless and serve those around us, and to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”.   It commands us not to covet, warns us against the “acts of the flesh” (including jealousy, selfish ambition, fits of rage) and reminds us that “self-control” is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It tells us that we must cast down our imaginations, to learn to “wait on the Lord”, and to embrace patience as a reflection of Christ’s character.  Throughout the New Testament it speaks of the transformation that God desires to work in each of us, and He assures us that He is faithful to complete this good work that He’s begun in us.

     

    It’s likely that none of us want to think of ourselves as being childish, but I sense the Lord challenging us to allow Him to reveal the “childish things” that we still need to put away.  To uncover those instances where we’ve become callous and numb to other people’s pain, or those circumstances that we’ve unwittingly become slaves to, or those things that we’re coveting and maybe even making into idols.  To show us those places within our heart where self-pity, jealousy, and bitterness dwell; and to expose the imaginings that have replaced the genuine prophetic vision He means to give us.

     

    Like David did in the Psalms, we need to invite Him to examine our hearts.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”.  Amen.

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