Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘Jesus’

Fan the Flame

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 26, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Photo by J P Shuler

First, Paul chastised Timothy for “neglecting the gift” he was given through the laying on of hands and now, with the second letter, he goes one step further and charges him to be more active, to “fan the flame.”

II Timothy 1:6
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

Apparently, it’s possible to kindle and even ignite the gift that is within us. Paul adds three words that must be part of this combustible process: power (that would be the Holy Spirit), love (that would be the Holy Spirit), and self-discipline (uh, in my case, the only way that would happen would be through the Holy Spirit as well).

Sometimes the Holy Spirit is spoken of as a wind [John 3:8, Acts 2:2], and sometimes fire [Luke 3:16, Acts 2:3], and anyone who has a fireplace or is building a campfire knows that you need air and an initial spark to get a fire going.

I am convinced, once again, that it’s the Holy Spirit who is critical to an authentic, passionate, and propagating faith in God and commitment to the Christ, that great mystery of all mysteries.

Come, Spirit, breathe on me. Light the fire again.

Read Full Post »

Who is my Witness?

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Photo by Nic Mifsud

Who do I call on to affirm or witness my declaration of faith? Do I have the confidence to call on God, “the blessed and only Ruler, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” to corroborate my story each day? And yet, that is the only witness that counts. That’s part of the faith agreement.


I Timothy 6:13-14a
In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command [fight the good fight] . . .

There’s an evangelistic phrase that has been beat to death, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

But of course, the answer depends on the human interpretation of our actions. And really, all those other witnesses could say what they want, there is only witness that counts.

I have been in enough churches or para-church organizations and observed a cloud of well-meaning witnesses crucify me and others for saying the wrong thing, for revealing a disapproved behavior or choice, for reading the wrong books or watching the wrong movies or listening to the wrong music. Once, my husband and I left a church only to discover later that we were discussed as having left the true faith by leaving that group and moving on to a different one. (Anne Jackson speaks eloquently of this in her book and blog, Permission to Speak Freely.)

Have I been guilty of being this kind of witness to others? I’d love to say I haven’t, but I know better.

It’s one of the reasons that gossip is so dangerous, it’s a type of witnessing, a “passing” of information with little concern for its accuracy. One of the curses of gossip for me is that hearing it or speaking it has given me the illusion of being on the inside of a matter. If I have “news” that no one else has, I am an insider. When I hear such news, I am being included. What a terrible sham.

I cannot go back, I can only go forward. Today is a new day and today, I open the gates of heart and ask that He be my witness this day.

Lift up your heads, you gates;
be lifted up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory?

The LORD strong and mighty,
the LORD mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, you gates;
lift them up, you ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.

Who is he, this King of glory?
The LORD Almighty—
he is the King of glory. [Psalm 24:7-10]

Read Full Post »

An Abundant Outpouring

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 3, 2011| 2 Comments »

As usual, I have been putting the cart before the horse. I’ve been waiting for the “outpouring” to descend before stepping out. I’ve been hoping for an umbrella before it starts to rain. But that’s not how it works. Call comes to us with the tools or resources at hand. Nothing more, at first.

I Timothy 1:14
The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Many times, when I feel a kind of God-nudge, I start overworking the left side of my brain: I analyze the demands, inventory my current storehouse of resources, and assess my chances for success. I don’t want to fail; I want to know all of my options and I want to see if there is a back door. And to make matters worse, my old enemy likes to whisper test me with all kinds of questions like “are you sure it’s God speaking to you?”

Let’s say, I finally do step up and say, “yes” to the call. Intellectually, I get it: if God puts a call on my life to serve a people, then God will provide what I need to accomplish it. Even Paul, one of the strongest and undoubtedly, most stubborn Christ followers, acknowledged it was God who gave him the strength and faith he needed to persevere. (I don’t believe he could have predicted how difficult his journey for Christ was about to become.) Although Paul was well equipped with law, history, and heritage, his new life as an apostle for Christ needed many other gifts and outpourings, some miraculous and many seemingly insignificant.

  1. God gives gifts, blessings, and tools to accomplish His work but they may not be the same ones I think I should have. I may think I need lots of money to make something happen but God may decide to give bushels of corn instead. I may think I need a week to do the work at hand while God plans to bend time so that all is accomplished in a day. I may think I need a team of a hundred to complete the task but God may only provide twelve.
  2. God gives mercy to whom God wants to give mercy. By its nature, mercy comes into play when a person is undeserving of it. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be mercy. This is true for me as much as it is true for others.

When God extends mercy to me, or to anyone, there is a critical moment of decision. With the sin is covered, the mistake righted, or the obstacle removed, I am still at a crossroads. I can either move forward into a new direction that has been opened up or I can turn back. On the surface, it makes no sense to turn back once mercy has been poured out–unfortunately, that’s exactly what happens all the time. Before grace and mercy appeared, my situation was familiar, horrible even, but familiar. Like the Israelites who complained to Moses about their trials and hunger in the desert and despite the abundance of miracles (mercy and grace), they still wanted to go back to Egypt [Numbers 1:4-6]. Am I any different? Not so much.

Or, in the story of Jesus and the woman who was caught in adultery. Grace and mercy were extended to her in abundance, so much so that her captors fled. And yet, she was cautioned to sin no more, to follow the new and unfamiliar way. [John 8:10-11]

Yes, God will give an abundant outpouring of grace, faith, love, and mercy at unique junctures in our lives. Sometimes, it’s at a point outside of ourselves, a saving grace that gives us a second chance. This first type often manifests in that initial discovery process: there is a God and there is a Christ who died sacrificially for me.

But all the other outpourings come in response to my navigation skills on the path God has laid out for me. The outpourings don’t come before I encounter the challenges on the way. Outpourings don’t come early so I can freeze-dry them and then use them at will. Like the manna in the desert that was only good for a single day, God’s outpouring comes as needed.

I remember a Walk to Emmaus Retreat weekend I attended some years ago and the Spiritual Director for that weekend was leading the group in communion. Unlike most communions where one is handed a small round, white cardboard sliver or a miniature saltine cracker, she held up an entire loaf of freshly made bread. She said, “Christ gave up His body to torture and destruction for the sake of all humans. So, we are invited to take as much as is needed because from Christ, there will always be enough.” And from the cup, she said, “Drink deeply, for this well would never run dry.” The Body and the Blood, the first abundant offerings.

In our small community, there is a small group of people who are planting a new church called Restore Church that will launch September 11, 2011. My husband and I have been asked to become a part of this adventure. There will be many challenges and many needs and in my mind, it’s understood, anyone who enters into this ministry now is making a covenant for the long haul because every hand and heart will be needed. Each person must come as is, say “yes” to God’s call, and then step out in faith. The outpouring is available, just ahead: grace, faith, love, and mercy. In Christ, it will be enough.

Read Full Post »

Tipping Point of Humanity

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I struggled today with the “lawless one,” false signs and miracles and, to cap it off, God willing to send a delusion to those who are determined to believe a lie. No way out for them? No hope? No mercy? Then I saw the truth of it: a tipping point exists for everyone.

II Thessalonians 2:11-12
For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point is one of my favorite books, along with a number of subsequent titles he wrote since 2000. What or who causes a tipping point? In Gladwell’s frame of reference, it has to do with “social epidemics” or how an idea or trend gains and ultimately crosses over into popularity.

I can imagine the “lawless one” being good at any one or all of Gladwell’s people types: connectors, mavens, and salesmen. Charismatic people, in the classic sense, make things happen as they scatter what they “know” and what they’ve “heard” and what is “cool.” And eventually, many are on the same bandwagon and believe.

What is truth and what is the lie? It is a critical question to put before the Holy Spirit daily.

Once that tipping point is reached and the lies are accepted for truth and doubt is cast aside as irrelevant and perhaps irreverent, then it’s possible that a way back is lost.

I don’t want to believe this is possible. I don’t want to believe or imagine the existence of an irredeemable soul.

According to Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, it is possible to reach that moment, that decisive juncture. I envisage someone backing up and with each step, getting closer and closer to a precipice. If any one of us can see the chasm, then we should be holding on, calling out, wooing him/her back to safety. Right?

Does such a calamitous journey only happen with individuals or does it also happen with people groups? I don’t know. I’m just asking. But it does seem plausible.

I cry out for truth, that none would be deceived, that none would be lost. This is another reason to prayerfully “hold back evil” so that each and every person has a real chance to experience God’s mercy, God’s provision in the Anointed One, and God’s Spirit of renewal from within.

Read Full Post »

Glorified in the People

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 18, 2011| 1 Comment »

Photo by Marc Adamus

This is another one of the “in” phrases that really strikes hard on my heart. IN! On the inside! And that inside glory will manifest. And that’s amazing. I believe it. Jesus had that “in” stuff and that would make the most sense as to why people were drawn to Him. Light, love and glory.

II Thessalonians 1:10
When He comes to be glorified in His saints [on that day He will be made more glorious in His consecrated people], and [He will] be marveled at and admired [in His glory reflected] in all who have believed [who have adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Him], because our witnessing among you was confidently accepted and believed [and confirmed in your lives]. [Amplified]

One of my favorite signs in American Sign Language is glory. One hand lies on top of the other and then is arced across the body with the fingers waving. It’s like a shimmering rainbow. I imagine that coming out of my own body one day.

I confess this is one of the reasons why I love reading fantasy fiction, stuff like that happens. Magic and wonder and light and transformation are commonplace. But things of the Spirit are no less fantastic and full of marvel. We’ve lost that in our faith. We’re all about justifying our faith, getting it to make sense, trying to convince others that God is real and Christ really did all those miracles, etc.

I’m all about the wonder right now and I’m all about the presence of the Holy Spirit within. And one day, there will be an outpouring of light from within.

That’s the “mark” I want everyone to see. People get entangled in their fears of the “mark of the beast” and forget about the other signs and wonders. What will the glory look like in me. . . in you?

Read Full Post »

Thief in the Night

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I am grateful that I have never had my house broken into. But I know people: my brother’s place was wiped out of all electronics, DVDs, bicycle, etc. A colleague from work lost all of her jewelry to a thief in the night. And one family had all of their children’s gifts stolen from under the tree on Christmas Eve.

I Thessalonians 5:2, 4
. . . for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. . . . But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

I have been told that it feels like a rape of one’s life, to experience this kind of invasion. It’s usually inexplicable, and unlike TV, where Monk comes in and floats his hands around to figure out why and who and when, there is rarely recovery of one’s things or capture of the thieves.

Paul writes that the coming of Christ, the total renewal of Spirit, and the “end of the age,” will come when least expected by most people. And yet, as believers, we are not to be surprised. I had never picked up on that before; I focused on the unexpected thief and figured we were all in the dark. Not so.

Unfortunately, others have taken this piece of information as an encouragement to set the date and time. Over the years, there have been a number of end time dates announced and yet, the dates have come and gone, and we’re all still here. Things are heating up a bit now and both believers and non-believers are predicting cataclysmic events in 2012. Some base their predictions on complex studies of the prophetic literature and calendar mathematics, while others are enamored of the Mayan calendar and the implications of its final year.

I still believe we “see through a glass darkly” and we will not understand the fullness of the “return of Christ” until it happens. But I will hold to this: as the Holy Spirit within me manifests more each day, as the Light within me finds open avenues to shine out, then this Coming may indeed be anticipated.

But for now, I’ll just wait.

Read Full Post »

Does Sexual Immorality Exist?

Posted in Ordinary Time, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 3, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I bet that gets some attention. Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not an advocate for a relative attitude toward sex or promoting it as a gray area. I’m actually taking a similar “stand” (for want of a better word) that I took on submission to men and keeping silent.

I Thessalonians 4:3
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;. . .

I believe there is sexual immorality. I may not always know or agree with everyone on which acts are immoral and which are not, but it does exist.

The Greek word used in this context, porneias, is usually translated as fornication, but in detail, it can be translated or derived from pernaō “the selling off or surrendering of sexual purity” and if used figuratively, it could mean “to be unfaithful to Christ, while posing as His true follower . . . a type of idolatry.” There is loss and deception in all of these definitions.

Want more to think about? Here’s a website that lists a lot scripture verses about sexual immorality and the reader can vote: “helpful” or “not helpful.”

There is so much we cannot understand or manage in this world. We sin. We make mistakes. We choose badly. Since I trust in a God who is loving and sovereign and holy, I understand my human self is contradictory to the perfection of Spirit. And for now, there are some elements in scripture that I simply cannot do or embrace fully. I acknowledge their right to exist, but I’m not there.

And so, because of my struggle in that arena, I am equally hard pressed to condemn another person whose arena is sexual immorality, or the “surrendering of purity” (love that phrase). Is it a good thing? No. Does it and can it do great damage to marriages and relationships as well as the young or inexperienced? Yes. And certainly, it’s in my heart to teach my children to choose wisely. But an adult will choose as they will choose and my condemnation can do little to change their behaviors.

“For there is nothing hidden that shall not be disclosed, nor anything secret that shall not be known and come out into the open.” [Luke 8:17] And then understanding will be manifest and redemption available.

In my heart of hearts, I know I am only a hand-breadth away from repeating sexual sins: I am on the Internet every day and it would only take a single search on the word “sex” and I could be sucked into a vortex of desire and justification. I read hundreds of books and there are sections I must still skip over and with intention. There are movies I cannot watch. In my first marriage, the little demon won several interior battles, and I betrayed a vow. In my second and current marriage of 28 years, I am more vigilant, but no less susceptible.

When people enter into sexual immorality, it is indeed a surrender because we know. We know. We know. And yet we choose that act, that liaison, that sensation.

And if we don’t know or don’t suspect or believe we are not immoral, then God will reveal in good time. And God will present that revelation in a perfect way. Amen.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »