4.18.2013 "Life in the Spirit"

Lord, send your Spirit to guide and direct out thoughts as we meditate on your word today. Galatians 5:13-17 (NIV)

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

Our faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus has given us a new freedom.  The passage for today raises the question, how do we live in the new freedom that Jesus has secured for us.  Are we going to use it to destroy one another or to serve one another in love?  The text commands the way of love.  How is it possible to love one another while we continue to live in a world and in a body tainted by sin?

Paul is a great help here as he encourages us to keep our eyes on the internal conflict at the root of it all, the struggle between the sinful flesh and the Spirit of God.  While all of us suffer from this sinful nature, all of us are invited into a life in the power of the Spirit.

We have a choice!  We can choose to live either by the Spirit or by the sinful desires of our old nature.  Making the right choice is wrapped up in whom, or better, whose we are. It is about our new personal identity in Christ.  I love the way theologian N.T. Wright puts it in his commentary on this passage.  He writes, ‘It is a matter of where your true identity lies, where your deepest motivation comes from, and where the power that rules your life is really found.’

When our deepest motivations come from our new identity in Christ, powered by the indwelling Holy Spirit, we have this amazing power to live as Jesus guides and directs.  Each day as we walk with Jesus, He is there, guiding our steps and giving us everything we need to live a life pleasing to Him.  I praise and thank God each day for the new identity that I have in Him.  How about you?

Lord, thank you for this insightful passage.  Thank you that you have given each one of us a new identity.  Thanks you for your precious Spirit that enables us to walk not according to our sinful nature but according to your Holy Spirit.  Amen

John

4.16.2013 "Be Prepared for the Struggle!"

Father, only You truly know my heart.  Please empty it of ALL things that are not You.  Show me Your way, Your Words for this day.  Amen  

Good morning brothers and sisters. A brand new day, the light of day may not of appeared yet as you are reading this, but the one true Light is always ON!!!! Hallelujah!

Today’s reading is:

John 1:10-14   The Message (MSG)

9-13

The Life-Light was the real thing:

Every person entering Life

he brings into Light.

He was in the world,

the world was there through him,

and yet the world didn’t even notice.

He came to his own people,

but they didn’t want him.

But whoever did want him,

who believed he was who he claimed

and would do what he said,

He made to be their true selves,

their child-of-God selves.

These are the God-begotten,

not blood-begotten,

not flesh-begotten,

not sex-begotten.

14

The Word became flesh and blood,

and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with our own eyes,

the one-of-a-kind glory,

like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,

true from start to finish.

The title the Message gives to the first part of Chapter 1 of the book of John is “The Life-Light” explaining that Jesus came into existence as the Life, and the Life was Light to live by and also that the darkness COULDN’T PUT IT OUT. I wasn’t able to attend worship, but my husband did bring home the bulletin to me. I know it was Confirmation Sunday and also noticed on the front to the bulletin - Resurrection Life...The Reality of Struggle. Struggle, there’s that word, the one that represents so much heartache, hardship, etc. And then there was that wonderful image beneath the cross on the cover of the bulletin, showing blinding Light coming out of the tomb. (Dawn does such a great job at finding those images) All of this going through my head before I even start today’s scripture.

Today (writing blog Monday night) was a busy day as most days are. Joyous things like grandchildren, wonderful weather and praises from spending a weekend celebrating with sisters in Christ seeing God’s Blessings after years of struggles (there’s that word again). Hard things like keeping up with a 4 year old and 5 month old as a grandmother :), trying to truly follow Christ in this crazy world and then there are the heart-wrenching prayer needs including the bombs at the Boston Marathon that took the life of a little 8 yr old....

Verse 19 - The Life-Light was the REAL thing - Praise God that Jesus is real, He is the Truth, He is the conqueror of all - especially darkness, evil, Satan.  Thank You God that this scripture can be all about Hope if we believe and have faith in Jesus, our Life (new) - Light. If I wasn't writing this blog and reading the Word and listening for the Spirit, I know my night would be way different - right? He brings all good and TRUE things.

And that’s another word that rang clear in my heart tonight from this scripture - True.  He made to be their true selves, their child-of-God selves. The ones who believed, that is -  Again Good News!!! Not our old yucky selves, but our unconditionally loved by God selves. Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. This scripture ends with reminding us that Christ will remain constant, true, to us into eternity.

There will always be disappointments, heart-wrenching struggles, I could go on and on. I cannot be totally without sin. Evil will remain a huge part of this world, BUUUUUUUT, I have a new identity because of the Risen Jesus Christ, who is my HOPE, He is my Life-Light for eternity and He promises His true love forever and ever to those who believe.

Oh, Father, I want to believe, I want to act, I want to believe.  Help me Jesus, through Your Spirit this day.  Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done!!!! Amen.

How do these verses speak to you?  What do you hear from the Spirit?

Love to all,

cindy

4.13.13 "Saturday Blog"

Welcome to the POG Blog! Instead of a staff person or lay leader beginning the discussion, we are asking that YOU begin the discussion on what today’s Scripture is saying to you and how it relates to Sunday’s message. Enjoy praying, digging in, sharing thoughts and responding!

Have a great Saturday!   Denise

Today’s Scripture Reading is : Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy^(A) to the Lord, all the earth. ²     Worship the Lord^(B) with gladness; come before him^(C) with joyful songs. ³ Know that the Lord is God.^(D) It is he who made us,^(E) and we are his^[a]; we are his people,^(F) the sheep of his pasture.^(G)

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving^(H) and his courts^(I) with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.^{(J) 5} For the Lord is good^(K) and his love endures forever;^(L) his faithfulness^(M) continues through all generations.

Share your thoughts!  What is God saying to you through this Scripture today?

4.12.2013 "Exceptionally Alive!"

Good morning all, on this “Exceptionally Alive” Friday! Before we get started, please start by focusing on our Father…seeking Him…and then pray for a clear mind and spirit…preparing to receive His word.

Colossians 3:12-15 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

When I first read these verses for today, I couldn’t help but think….Wow! Hallelujahs goin’ up and fireworks goin’ off…the kind of joy and sense of fulfillment marked by an “Exceptionally Alive” life in Jesus!  These verses are so packed full of the “Identity” and “Action” that Pastor has been teaching us.  So, let’s unpack them together, and see where HE leads us.

As I began to read & listen, the first thing that struck me was…Hey, there’s that word…you know…

”Therefore”…something’s fixing to happen!..but before Paul gets to the Action…he lays the foundation for that Action.  Our Identity in Jesus Christ…THE Chosen One:

…as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…

Wow!...you and me, CHOSEN...

…you and me, HOLY…set apart…

…you and me, DEARLY LOVED…not just loved, but “dearly loved”…

… All by God the Father Almighty!

Then, Paul calls us to Action:

…clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

The next thing that stood out to me was…why did Paul use “clothe yourselves”?  Well, I guess it’s sort of like the imagery he used in Ephesians…”put on the armor”.  Now, we know that clothes can offer us some protection from the elements, and comfort, too…not to mention they are what people “see” us in.  That’s it!  Because of our Christ given Identity, we get to share the compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience of Jesus with everyone we’re around!

At that point, I don’t know if I can describe what I was on my heart, but I knew had to stop and pray:

Dear Father, please help me…I leak so badly!  Please renew me each day, and give me

the faith and strength to surrender myself…and to fully trust in Jesus.  Amen!

As we continue on with Paul, we see more Christ-Like Action:

Bear with each other…don’t just tolerate each other ….Bear with!

            forgive one another....not just in a earthly-casual way…but as the Lord forgave you.

Paul uses some strong language here, probably because he is totally in tune with just how much we can leak and take these virtues for granted…when we don’t live out of our new Identity.

Next, Paul sums up this section of scripture so well…. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Then Paul gives us one last exhortation…one last call to Action… Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

And then, there it was, the Action that my Father needed Jim to see this day…and every day…because of the life, death and resurrection of THE Chosen One, Jesus Christ…I’m chosen…I’m holy…I’m dearly loved…. be thankful!  Yes, that’s what a lot of my “leakeyness” seems to be caused by…un-thankfulness.  Thanks be to God!

What are your thoughts?  What is your Heavenly Father saying to you through these verses?  Sure would like to hear from you!

Blessings to you & yours!

jim

4.11.13 "Set Your _________ on Things Above"

Lord, we come to You today with surrendered hearts. We simply desire to know You more, love You more, and live more like You desire us to live. Help us to see some deeper insight in Your Word today into what You are calling us to be/do today and help us to act upon Your Word and live out what we know to be True. Amen. Colossians 3:1-2 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

I've been a swimmer most of my life, and in high school I competed in a number of strokes and distances, but my main events were the longer distances - the one most of my friends found incredibly boring. I was most often asked, "what do you do with your mind when you are swimming stroke after stroke, lap after lap?"

For me, the trick was to look ahead - I constantly found a point ahead of me in the pool and I focused on reaching that spot, moving onto the next focal point when I reached each one. Using focal points isn't anything new in any sport, and it works the same in swimming as it does elsewhere - it gets you beyond the moment of what your body is doing mechanically, sets your sights on where you are headed, and points you in the direction of where you need to go and what you need to do to get there.

I remember some races where my body just hurt so bad; times when I probably led out the start of the event faster than my pace normally be in that particular distance. It would be because the competition in the race necessitated it, because adrenaline got the best of me, or I just didn't prep right for the event. In those races, the focal points kept me from focusing on every stroke and kick and how they hurt, where the extra energy was going to come from, how much of the race was left -- all the excruciating details of the moment.

Then there were other races where I found my stride from the moment I left the starting block. Those were great swims - I could FEEL how my body moved in sync as it should, how the water fell away with little resistance -- I could tell I just hit my sweet spot for those races. During those races, the focal points kept me moving smoothly and on pace, often with great results.

When I first read Paul's words to the Colossians, I couldn't help but think about those focal points I had used back in high school and wonder if that is what Paul was referring to -- that because of our resurrection life in Christ, our focal points are now set on heaven's priorities. The heavenly focal points take us beyond the moment of our current situation and recalibrate us and bring us in sync with what Heaven has in store for our lives. Paul used the phrase "set your _______ on things above" twice in the passage -- it's like he knows that they eyes of our hearts and the eyes of our minds can perceive two different, conflicting things at the same time and that both need to have their focus on heaven, not just one of them.

Setting my HEART on things above, to me, means that I am striving to put Christ's priorities into practice; to be His heart on display in my life each day. Setting my MIND on things above, to me, means that I'm concentrating on the eternal rather than the worldly - I'm looking at my day with kingdom eyes, not just focused on my own, small point of view on things.

So how do I live this out? How do I live out of my New Identity and set heaven as my focal point of my day all throughout my day? When the kids frustrate me beyond belief? When the house is a complete wreck and I'm overwhelmed by the enormity of it all? When my friends are hurting and I can't help but despair for their heartache? When I don't want to be a grown up anymore and just want to go hide under the covers with my flashlight and a good book? When I don't feel like I'm seen or make a difference at all, so why bother?

I think the best understanding I have of this, is that it is precisely in those times that I must realize and cling to the fact that I DO have a new identity given to me through Christ's Resurrection, and that I can tackle each of those moments from a different point of view - a different focal point - that takes me beyond the moment and into God's Promises for me. Promises of Peace, Grace, and Hope. Gifts of Forgiveness and Strength in my weakness. Then I tackle what I face each day through that view and intentional return to it again and again when my heart and mind wander and I feel my vision or attention stray away.

What are your thoughts on this? What difficulties do you face in keeping your focal point on heaven's priorities for you? What practical steps do you/can you take to realign and resync your vision throughout your walk each day?

Thanks,

Lisa

04.10.13 - Are you living from your identity or living to attain identity??

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 – ⁹ Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men ¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And that is what some of you were. But you were washed,you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Well, how are you feeling after reading this?  Condemned?  Questioning your salvation and standing before God?  Did verses 9-10 hit you so heavily that you missed verse 11?

The Corinthians were a troubled group---they lived wrecklessly and Corinth was sort of a Las Vegas on the coast.  It was a large port city that provided ‘entertainment’ for the sailors passing through.  Paul was one of the pastors that helped plant the church(es) in Corinth and is responding with multiple letters to them addressing issues.  These were non-Jewish people that had very little religious background, as well as tremendous exposure to idol worship and Greco-Roman pantheism.

Paul’s letter has encouragement, but also a lot of rebuke and admonishment and this is what we see in Chapter 6.  The letter up to this point has been an admonishment for a variety of reasons.  (Read Ch. 5 & Ch. 6 to gain a context---he drills them regarding sexual immorality and wants them to take sin seriously)  Chapter 6 begins with the church’s wickedness and failure to resolve disputes among believers.  How dare the believers, take legal/personal issues against other believers, all in front of unbelievers??  Paul has a theme of set-apartness throughout the letter and a call to a lifestyle that is counter-cultural.  So, he sets up verses 9-11 with examples of their sinful behavior and failure live as Christ-followers.

For me, the word ‘were’, in V.11, is the key in this passage.  The first section creates condemnation and my guess is that we all saw how many categories we fit into and there was a temptation to question our standing before God.  Then, Paul reminds the Corinthian church of their identity---you ‘were’ this way!!  Paul could have said stop sinning and act right, but he points the believers to a much deeper motivator---IDENTITY!!  Delton told a story Sunday about him cussing in the car at 16ish and his father saying something like, ‘we don’t talk that way!’  His dad was bringing him back to his identity and Paul is bringing his church and each one of us back to our identity in Christ.  We are followers of Jesus---we were washed, we were sanctified, and we were justified, so we live out of that identity!

Our sequencing of how this identity thing works is crucial for our faith.  We are sometimes misled and believe that we must first clean up, before God will have anything to do with us.  This promotes legalism and condemnation and will only motivate someone for so long before they give up.  The Bible shows the exact opposite---God initiates the relationship with broken people and then calls us to obedience.  Notice in Exodus 19 & 20---did God interact with the Israelites before or after the giving of the Law?  BEFORE!!  God intervened, saved Israel, liberated Israel, and provided for them---He didn’t say, well, I hear your cries, but you are pretty jacked up---so, clean up as much as possible and then I might help you if your performance is good enough!  The latter is how we typically see God and it plays out in how we live.  We see that identity is given by God and then we are called to respond from that identity.  God gave the Israelites identity and then asked for obedience.

Last thought and I will wrap it up---my experience is that all our crises in life and faith boil down to identity, or the failure to believe it.  Anxiety/Fear??  We don’t trust God and who we are in His eyes.  Discontent??  We don’t rest in our identity and have to find other things to try and bring contentment.  I think whatever negative emotion we have relates to an unbelief in the promises of God and our identity in Christ.  So, the call of Scripture is to check our identity, because true identity in Christ will always produce life, fruits of life, and obedience anchored in love.  The flipside is true and that’s another facet of what Paul is warning them about---we cannot be misled by identity and then think we can live however we want to.  New identity always leads to new actions!!

What was your response to the passage?  Do you believe your obedience gives you identity or does your obedience flow out of your identity?  What negative feelings do you have (anxiety, fear, discontent, selfishness, unhappiness, etc.) and can you trace that to an unbelief in the Gospel message?  I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike

4.9.13 “Freedom!”

Hello!  Below is the text for today -- first is the NIV translation, and second is from The Message translation.   Find a quiet place today to read and re-read the text – let it sink in.  How does it correspond with the message we heard on Sunday to live with our new Identity, and then take Action? Romans 6:16-18

New International Version

¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

The Message

^15-18 So, since we’re out from under the old tyranny, does that mean we can live any old way we want? Since we’re free in the freedom of God, can we do anything that comes to mind? Hardly. You know well enough from your own experience that there are some acts of so-called freedom that destroy freedom. Offer yourselves to sin, for instance, and it’s your last free act. But offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits. All your lives you’ve let sin tell you what to do. But thank God you’ve started listening to a new master, one whose commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!

Well, after reading the NIV version, I didn’t like that I was being reminded that I am a slave to the evil one when I live life the “kristi” way.  My first reaction was, “I’m not like him at all…”.  Wrong.  Pride, selfishness with my time, etc. claims me more than I care to admit.  Reading further, the text reminds me, convicts me, that through Jesus’ suffering, death and his resurrection, I’m no longer a slave, and I don’t fall under the “spell” of the evil one.  Whew!  That sounds much better.  I LIKE my new identity!

Then, after reading The Message, I was convicted yet again!  Yes, all my life I have “let sin tell me what to do”.  I’ve had brief, shining moments, when I’m Acting out of this new Identity, but inevitably I fall back into old, familiar, comfortable habits.  At least, they feel comfortable until I suffer the consequences of my poor choices, the leading of my heart with my feeble mind, instead of following my new Identity.   It reminds me of the Israelites after the exodus from Egypt – they were so thankful/grateful for their freedom, but for 40 years, vacillated between following God’s commands and following their own desires.  God clearly loves us so much he gave us this freedom (by the power of Jesus’ death and resurrection), this new freedom of Identity that we can use to put the evil one behind us, and live our lives Acting like it.  It’s a different, more “responsible” freedom than the freedom our current society tries to tell us is good.  This new kind of freedom has positive, eternal consequences that are so exciting!

Heavenly Father, thank you for the new Identity that you have freely and gracefully given to me through Jesus Christ.  Help me to remember every day that this freedom is to be used in my Actions at home, at work, everywhere I go.  Help me to show with my Actions the hope that I have in You, so that the people around me will want to know You more.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

kristi

4.8.13 "Identity and Action!"

Welcome to the POG Blog! We began an adventure yesterday at POG into the reality of the new Identity God gives because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  The adventure includes embracing the Actions or lifestyle that flows from that new identity!  Romans 6 is like a guide book for this adventure.  Below are two readings of today’s text. The first is the NIV translation the second is an amazing rendition from The Message version. 

Romans 6 ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Romans 6 ¹⁰When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did. ^12-14 That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don’t give it the time of day. Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time—remember, you’ve been raised from the dead!—into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.

I really love how the Message talks about the new way we can now conduct our lives because of our new identity in Christ.  “You must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives!  Don’t give it the time of day!  Don’t even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life.”

There is so much power in that perspective!  I don’t have to follow the path of the slave driver sin - even though the path is familiar and normal.  I get to “pour myself wholeheartedly and full time into God’s way of doing things!”

Now that’s a great way to spend today – to enjoy today! 

I get to pour myself into God’s way of doing things!

delton

 How does God’s message of a new Identity with new Actions strike you today?

4.5.13 "Positive Expectations"

Today’s Scripture is:  1 Peter 1: 3-6   (NIV) Praise to God for a Living Hope

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!^(A) In his great mercy^(B) he has given us new birth^(C) into a living hope^(D) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,^{(E) 4} and into an inheritance^(F) that can never perish, spoil or fade.^(G) This inheritance is kept in heaven for you,^{(H) 5} who through faith are shielded by God’s power^(I) until the coming of the salvation^(J) that is ready to be revealed^(K) in the last time. ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice,^(L) though now for a little while^(M) you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.^(N)

I have read this passage many times, but for some reason, I’ve always focused on the “suffer grief in all kinds of trials” part.   Isn’t it interesting how I gravitated toward the negative...the expectation of suffering part?   I’ve understood that even in the midst of the trials, there’s hope... but what God revealed to me today is the incredible focus on the expectation of the positive through this scripture.   Take a look at how The Message version puts it:

A New Life

^3-5 What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole. ⁶ I know how great this makes you feel, even though you have to put up with every kind of aggravation in the meantime.

It’s all about perspective for me today.  Even though the trials I face can be huge and hard, they can be but mere aggravation if my perspective is right.  If I am focused on the KINGDOM... not the world...if I am focusing on the new redeemed and everlasting life that I have because of Jesus’ work on the cross, I have nothing to fear from the world - because I know that at some point I will have it all!  A life healed and whole - no pain, no suffering, no trails, no aggravation - a life with Jesus.  So it’s not about the trials at all...except that they teach me and grow me and push me closer to heaven...it’s about the future and what God has given me to look forward to - whether here on earth or in heaven with Him.  I love verse 6 in The Message because it puts the emphasis on how great we should feel knowing this hope... rather than focusing on the aggravation of trials.  I don’t believe God wants us to downplay the difficulties that this world brings... but He doesn’t want us to make that our focus either, because we have everything to live for!

Jesus, please give me a change of perspective in all circumstances.  Help me to remember that I can have joy, even in the midst of trials, because my future begins now... a future with you... a brand new life!  It doesn’t begin when I reach heaven... it’s already begun!  Thank you that until I reach heaven I am shielded by your power!   I love you... Amen!

How did this scripture speak to you today?  What is the Holy Spirit saying?

Denise

4.4.13 "All Authority. All Power."

Ephesians 1:18-23¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is like the working of His mighty strength, ²⁰which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, (the Message version says:  in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments. )

²²And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be Head over everything for the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

¹⁸I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…  Hmm.  “The eyes of your heart?”   It doesn’t just say – “that your eyes may be enlightened.”   But, “the eyes of your heart.”  What does this mean?  Hmm…

Here is where my mind went…  My “real” eyes see a world full of evil, darkness, hate, injustice, hopelessness.  My "real" eyes may be clouded with fear and worry about the future, politics, war, taxes, the national debt, etc.  But because I am a child of God,  the “eyes of my heart” can see the Hope to which He has called me – above and beyond the circumstances of this world.   Yes -  the world will always be a place of evil, and darkness, but He overcame the world – He defeated death – which now gives me enlightened eyes.

In a world of political leaders who think they have all the power; wealthy people who think they have all the money to buy power; and bullies who think they have all the power through force and might; this passage gives me great satisfaction.  Let them think they have the power!  Let them think they rule the world! Let them think their money is all they need.  But we know Who really has all of the power and authority!    And His Name is Jesus, Whom God raised from the dead,

and seated Him at His right Hand! far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments.) And God placed all things under His feet!

As I watched the movie “The Passion of the Christ” on Good Friday,  I could barely watch the scenes of endless whipping and torture – and fell apart when they mocked and spat in His face.  He struggled to drag His cross up and down the narrow streets while the soldiers continued to berate Him, whip Him, punch Him and laugh at Him.   Just when it seems He cannot possibly take another step, the final steep hill looms ahead of Him.  “No way can He possibly make it up there!”  Yet, the beating continues.  And He does not give up!  At the top, the torture continues as they nail Him to the cross.   I realize this was Hollywood’s rendition – but I think they really gave an actual portrayal of how hideous the crucifixion of Christ truly was.  Merciless.  Barbaric.  Torturous.

I remember weeping and moaning, “Please, no more!  Just let it be over!”  I remember feeling such relief when Jesus finally died because they could not hurt “my Savior” anymore.

“And then, the eyes of my heart saw” that Jesus GAVE His life.  The people didn’t TAKE His life – HE gave it – when He was ready.  He endured all of that until that final moment when He gave up His last breath.  So, even in His dying – He held all the power – they did not!  

On the night the soldiers seized Him, He was the one in complete power and control.  He said, "Put your sword back into it's place...do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"  (Matthew 26:52-53)

Pilate thought he had power over Jesus...  "Pilate said to Him, 'You do not speak to me?  Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?'  Jesus answered, 'You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above'..."  (John 19:10-11)

No one else in all eternity did what He did – endured what He endured – or paid the price that He paid on that Good Friday.   So how fitting that no one else in all eternity would receive the Honor and Glory and Power that He received!  Jesus Christ is the most Powerful Ruler and King over all the Universe!

God seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, ²¹far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. ²²And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be Head over everything for the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

“Thank You, Jesus – for GIVING up your life for me.  No one holds the power of the Universe except You. And in that fact, I rejoice and the ‘eyes of my heart’ have been enlightened in order that I may know the Hope found only in You.”

-dawn

4.3.13 "Why So Surprised?"

Welcome to the POG Blog! In the reading today we get a sense of the affects of Easter on the followers of Jesus just months after the resurrection.

Acts 3 ¹¹ While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. ¹² When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. ¹⁴ You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. ¹⁵ You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

So here we are probably within months of the resurrection, ascension and Pentecost and Peter and John have come upon a crippled man and healed him in the name of Jesus.  Now the crowds have gathered and Peter seizes the opportunity to declare the message of Jesus – risen from the dead – to them.

I love the line, “Why does this surprise you?  Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we made this man walk”!  Peter is definitely in a different place than he was months before when he denied Jesus three times.  He has embraced his Risen Lord, been filled with the Holy Spirit and now is no longer normal.  The old normal is on display by the crowd – surprised that the man is healed and thinking that the explanation is somehow in the persons of Peter and John!  Peter tells them that the risen Jesus is the source of this power – not he or John.  The new reality is that the power of Jesus continues to work among people even though Jesus is not physically present.  Jesus now works with power through His followers by the presence of His Spirit.

This is the new reality – the Exceptionally Alive reality - and Peter declares it. “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. ¹⁶ By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.”

WOW!

Today I get to live in the same life and power that Peter and John lived in.  I have access to the same Father by means of the same Spirit in the name of the same Jesus. 

I think I will have an Exceptionally Alive day today!  Not by my power – Not by my strength!  His!

What about you?  How does all this sound to you today?

delton

4.2.13 "A Resurrection Frame of Mind!"

Welcome to the POG Blog! Today’s scripture reading makes an amazing practical application of the resurrection of Jesus,

Romans 6 ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

I think the phrase that grabs me most today is “ In the same way, count yourselves…”  So the apostle Paul is trying to tell me that the death and resurrection of Jesus has changed the way I “consider myself”,” look at myself”, ‘feel about myself”… in his words “count myself”!   Even today?

I noticed even this morning that my mindset - my frame of mind – as I enter the day really matters what kind of day I have and what kind of day the people around me have.  Paul is saying that the death and resurrection of Jesus makes it possible for me to “count myself” dead to sin but alive to God.  The resurrection means I get to be alive to God today.  I get to live in the power of the resurrection today by looking at myself and taking on the frame of mind as being “alive to God”.  It is as if I get to approach the moments of my day with the heart and mind attitude that says, “God I am open and available to follow You today, thank You for making it possible for me to be “alive” to You today.  Thank you for dying for me so I can count myself as “dead to sin” and thank you for resurrecting so I can “count myself” alive to You today.  I receive your Holy Spirit to live in me with the power and presence for me to be alive in You”!

Another thing  that grabs me about the way Paul talks about this is that he seems to realize that this ‘frame of mind” is not normal or natural for us – it is a miracle of God.  It is not our default to ‘count ourselves dead to sin and alive to God”!  That is good news because it helps me understand why it is so hard sometimes and why I must daily be intentional about doing life alive to God – or as we said last Sunday “Exceptionally Alive!”  The challenge of living with this frame of mind also leads me to lean on God to empower me by His Spirit.  His resurrection power alone can do this as it flows through me. 

I am both excited, challenged and comforted by the reality that today I get to live “exceptionally alive to God” in every aspect of my life today!

What do you think about this?  What is God saying to you today through this word?

delton

4.1.13 "April Fools?"

Welcome to the POG Blog!  Happy Easter Monday! Luke 24  On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. ⁵ In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? ⁶ He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ⁷ ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” ⁸ Then they remembered his words.

I have fun with April fool’s day!  I usually try to get somebody really good during the day sometime!  It’s fun!  What is interesting is to read this text with an April fool’s day lens on.

It is as if the angels could have followed their announcement with “April Fools – just kidding - we just moved the body to the next tomb over…!”   But they didn’t!  Now it seems a little sacrilege to suggest such a thing but as I thought about it something clicked.  Even though God wasn’t pulling off an April fool’s joke sometimes I act like He was – like Jesus really isn’t RISEN.  

Jesus is alive – risen from the dead – with that reality my life gets to be one of hope, strength, love goodness and truth every day.   As we rehearsed yesterday in worship @ POG we get to live - “Exceptionally Alive!” God calls me every day to access this resurrected life by faith.  Jesus is alive – no joke – not kidding - and because He lives I get to live now and forever!

I look forward to today!  I get to live the resurrected life of Jesus!  I will not live “Exceptionally Alive” today on my own strength – I will only live “Exceptionally Alive” as the resurrected Jesus lives through me.  He has promised to fill me as I trust Him by faith.  One of the best ways I have found to practically start every day on a trajectory aimed at living “Exceptionally Alive” is to pray something like this,

“Jesus, I sincerely receive You as my Life, my Holiness, and my Strength.  I receive all the work and triumph of Your Resurrection through which You have conquered sin, death and judgment.   Death has no mastery over You, nor does any foul thing and I have been raised with You to a new life to live Your life – dead to sin and alive to God.  I now take my place in Your Resurrectin and Your life through which I have been saved by Your life.  I reign in life through Your Life!  Apply to me the fullness of Your Resurrection – I receive it with thanks and I give it total claim to my spirit and soul, my body, my heart, my mind and will! Amen

Have an “Exceptionally Alive” day ,

delton

3.29.13 "When there are no words, Jesus knows my heart!"

Matthew 27: 38-46 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.  And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”  Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.  And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”  So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying “He saved others; he cannot save himself.  He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.  He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him.  For he said, “I am the Son of God.” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Over the years I’ve read these verses several times.  But now, reading only these eight in isolation, seems to amplify the sadness I feel.  I feel so frustrated with the people who “passed by, deriding him.” Their ignorance so obvious, and so willful.  They acknowledge the miracles they've seen, yet they demand more.  They demand that he save himself.

As I picture Jesus hanging on the cross, I wonder what thoughts are going through his mind.  Does he feel the rejection of the crowd?  Is he relieved that his mission is almost over?  Is he afraid?

I’d like to think that in spite of the pain, that he was fully aware.  I’d like to think that he felt some pride…that he’d made his father proud, and that his job was complete.  That even now, in the face of more rejection, that he stood fast.  I want that for him.

So here we are…2000 years later, still reading this story.  Still gathering on Good Friday to remember his sacrifice.  I want desperately to look up into his eyes and tell him that I understand.  That I know who he is, and I know what he did.  I want somehow to find the words to thank him appropriately….to find a way to make it clear that it was worth it for him to do what he did.

And then I realize how impossible that is.  There are no words…

But if what he says is true, then he knows my heart…he knows my thoughts.  And he knows the depth of my gratitude even if it’s beyond my ability to express in words.

What do you think of when you read these verses?

Jon

3.28.13 First Communion Then, Now and in the Future

Lord, we come to this day with the humility You taught us through Your Words and Actions on this night. In a span of hours, You prepared us with a way to connect with You in repentance and forgiveness, You sought Your Father for help in bearing Your burden, knowing those closest to You would fall short in supporting You at crucial times. You were arrested. You speak to each of us in different ways through the experiences of this night - please prepare our hearts to surrender and receive the Gifts of Your Word. Amen. Today's reading comes from Matthew 26:26-46: While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: “ ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.

Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!"

Wow! SO MUCH to be unpacked in these verses and my heart is reminded once again and humbled once again by all that My Lord did for me this week that literally changed my life and the lives of generations before me and after me. It truly leaves me speechless.

Tonight has a special meaning for our family -- one we haven't yet experienced. Tonight our oldest daughter joins us in communion for the first time. It's been amazing to watch and hear her process the magnitude of the Sacrament and what it means to her as she prepares for tonight.

This morning I read the verses above from a parent's perspective and a phrase caught my eye that hadn't before - "I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

I've always seen Communion as a chance to remember this first Communion between Jesus and His disciples, what Christ did for me and how my slate is wiped clean thanks to his sacrifice for me. But I never really saw it as a promise for a future First Communion with Him! How exciting is that! I'm emotional and beside myself today as I look forward to sharing this Meal with my daughter - how much more so must He be for the day when He gets to Commune with us!

Lord, Your Grace is simply overwhelming today. I thank You for the Sacraments You have instituted, knowing our hearts need reminding of what has already taken place and what will take place in the future. I'm just in awe of You and Your love for me. Amen.

I would love to hear your thoughts on today and the experiences you had during this Holy Week. Lisa

03.27.13 - Refocusing on Dependence and Mission by flipping tables

Please begin with prayer for an open heart, before you read the passage below. Matthew 21:12-17 – ¹² Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ¹³ “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” ¹⁴ The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. ¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.

¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?”

¹⁷ And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

We have to understand what upset Jesus so much in this moment.  As Delton mentioned, the population of Jerusalem swelled from 10,000-25,000 people to 150,000 people for the Passover & Feast of Unleavened Bread.  People would journey to Jerusalem and stay for the week to celebrate with fellow Israelites and participate in various ceremonies.  The Passover celebration would include the sacrifice of a lamb, which was typically done in families or groups of 15, so they needed a ton of lambs!

Each lamb had to be approved and who better to approve the animals for sacrifice than the religious leaders.  Also, you could only buy a lamb with Temple currency.  So, you would have to exchange whatever local currency you had for Temple currency and then buy a lamb or dove or whatever else was needed.  Now, the religious leaders had tremendous control over this process and it was a sort of monopoly.  What they decided to do was fatten their pockets by tacking a profit onto each money exchange (you would exchange back to local currency upon leaving Jerusalem as well) and added to the sale of animals.  The leaders had authority to determine what an acceptable sacrifice was and my guess was their animals were the only ones!

This was pretty bad, but not even the worst of it all---the Temple was set up with multiple courts that had limitations to go deeper inside, depending on who you were.  There was an outer court, which was the largest, that was for the Gentiles.  Gentiles is from the word ‘ethne’, which is where we get ethnicity or it’s literally translated ‘the nations’.  There was another court further in that was for Jewish women, another court further in for Jewish men, and a couple other courts in the center for the various levels of religious authority.

The court of Gentiles was for anyone to come and seek God and pray.  God’s story has always been bigger than His chosen people and He has always desired the nations (in both Old and New Testaments) to come to Him.  Jesus was so upset because they took the court for people of every tribe, nation, and tongue to come and seek God and turned it into a huge flea market!  No longer were the religious leaders using it as a ‘house of prayer’ (dependence & seeking God), but turned it into a profit center or ‘den of robbers’!  So, Jesus in His righteous anger flips over tables and drives them out.  Then notice what happens---the blind and lame came to Him and were healed!  Children came in and praised God!  Both these groups were pretty low in Jewish society.  Once Jesus had cleared out the self-centered religious busyness, the real works of faith could take place.  The house of God was intended as a ‘house of prayer for all the nations’ (Mark’s account).  Prayer shows dependence on God and nations points us towards mission.

My heart was convicted by this text today.  How have I made a mockery of our faith through religious activity centered on my own personal gain?  How has our church or the world of Christendom made a mockery of our faith through religious activity centered on our own personal gain?

Church, we need to repent for the ways that we have twisted our faith and taken the focus off of God (dependence) and the nations (mission).  We can be so filled with religious activity that we neglect God in the midst of hollow rituals.  Maybe the Western Church has complicated our faith so much that we run churches like businesses and create busyness for the staff and members that takes energy away from prayer (dependence) and the nations (mission).  Jesus drove out all the religiosity from the Temple courts---not just the leaders making a profit---then invited the broken to have ‘church’.

Father, I repent of the ways I have made my faith about selfish gain and not Your Kingdom.  Spirit, guide us in the true ways of the faith and direct our steps, our time, our resources, and our vision.  Maybe James 1:27 can be our guide, ‘Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.’

If Jesus were to evaluate your life, what would He ‘attack’ with righteous anger?  If He were to evaluate our church, what would break His heart as religious action centered on self?  Are we in the first group being driven out or the second group centered on Jesus?  I would love to hear your journey and how this passage impacted you.

mike

3.26.13 "No Entry into Jerusalem without Christmas!"

Lord, thank you for a new day and for another chance to read and reflect on your precious word.  Amen John 1:9-14

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Professor Fred Kramer at the old Springfield seminary often compared the gospel of John to a pool of water so shallow that lambs could wade and so deep that elephants must swim. I love the gospel of John. It’s a great time to do a little wading.

It seems a bit strange to be reflecting on this passage in John during Holy Week when we have come to associate this section of Scripture, especially verse fourteen, with the incarnation of Jesus at Christmas.  However, without the incarnation there would be no entry into Jerusalem, no last supper, no Garden of Gethsemane, no trial, no beating, no cross, no death, no grave and no resurrection.  We would be living in a world without hope.  We can thank God that in His great love for us, He sent Jesus into the world so that we might have hope and be counted as His children.

Unlike the world that did not recognize him, and his own people who did not receive him, we can be grateful today that God, by His spirit and His spirit alone, has made us children in His forever family.  Through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have the right to become God’s children. We have been born anew, “not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

“All Praise to Thee Eternal God” is one of my favorite Christmas hymns.  The first stanza, written in about 1370, was traditionally sung at Christmas time during the Middle Ages.  Martin Luther wrote an additional six stanzas that were published in 1523.  I have come to love the last stanza because it expresses my feelings about the incarnation and about the joy I feel in being loved unconditionally by God who did not spare His own son so that I could live with Him forever.

All this for us Thy love hath done;

By this to Thee our love is won;

For this our joyful songs we raise

And shout our thanks in ceaseless praise.

Hallelujah!

I pray that this hymn stanza expresses the joy of salvation you feel today as you begin this Holy Week journey.

John

3.25.13 "A Different Kind of Peace!"

Welcome to today's POG blog! Luke 19:37-42 NIV        

“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all of the miracles they had seen:

            ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!’

            ‘Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’

‘I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it…”

          This passage begins with the “whole crowd of disciples” praising and worshiping Jesus.  They are filled with hope and joy.  They have received Christ and all of the peace he brings.  To them, He is a truth so obvious that even the “stones” see it.

The passage ends with Jesus weeping over Jerusalem.  Although obvious to the disciples, the people of Israel failed to recognize their new king. They were expecting a king to come in power and provide military peace/freedom from the Romans.  Jesus looked on them with sadness because he had so much peace to give them (a different kind of peace), but they refused to receive Him. In the next verse in Luke, Jesus says, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

I wonder how often Jesus looks on me with sadness because I refuse to let him close and give me all he desires (peace).  The past couple of months have been pretty crazy for me.  We are in the middle of my daughter’s volleyball season (which requires lots of weekend travel), are starting my son’s basketball tournament season, things at work have been much busier than usual, and I have taken on additional responsibilities at church.  Even though these are all good things, the “busy”ness has put a strain on my quiet time with God.  Frankly, I have found myself just trying to get it done most days.  It is no surprise that instead of having a peaceful heart, I have been stressed out and frustrated.

When I walked into church this morning and saw the palm branches everywhere and the joyful music playing, I was overwhelmed with emotion.  I grew up in a liturgical church, so  Palm Sunday was a jubilant celebration with much fanfare.   The familiarity of the ceremony touched me profoundly.  I was reminded by Jesus of how much and for how long he has been loving me. I instantly felt “back in sync” with him.  I couldn’t keep from raising my hands and singing to him (raising my hands is kind of a stretch for me).

It is beautiful that when I turn to Him, rather than making me pay for my neglect, he welcomes me lovingly and gives me His peace!

Erin

3.22.13 "I am dead - and Alive!"

Welcome to the POG Blog! Todays reading is 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.

I remember when I first ran across this verse in my journey of faith!  Iwas in my mid-twenties and Dawn and I were going to a church in North East Dallas where the pastor preached in relevant and life giving ways.  He often encouraged the memorization of key scriptures as a way to have the Word of God "hidden in your heart"!  This was one of those verses he ofter referred to - I memorized it - and God has used this word in my life countless times over the last 25 years!

There is both death and life in this verse - Good Friday and Easter - the end and the beginning!  I am dead today!  I also am alive today!  I think the mystery that the Apostle Paul is attempting to reveal to the Christ followers in Galatia is how they can now look at themselves because they have met Jesus! In one sense they need to see themselves "dead - crucified" and in another way they need to see themselves "alive - I live by faith in the Son of God"!

In what way should I see myself dead? - Why did Jesus die? - SIN!   So I can see myself "crucified with Christ"!  When sin, satan, evil and wrong come calling through temptation or addiction or habit or brokenness I get to say to them, "I can't hear you, I am dead to you - a corpse, I have been crucified!"  What a freedom to know that sin, brokenness and the devil are not my master!

In what way should I see myself alive?  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.  So when Jesus comes calling, the Holy Spirit is leading, God is speaking through His Word - I get to say,"Yes, I am listening, ready to go, fully alive to follow"!  The life I now live is my Jesus life!   I get to live dead to sin and alive to Christ!  To put it in the words of Sunday's message, "Deny yourself - follow Jesus!"

This is such a handy life-giving way to live moment by moment everyday!  I remember 25 years ago writing this verse on a little card and carrying it around with me for a couple weels!  I would look at it several times a day!  It began to sink in!  I wound up memorizing it through use! 

Try it!  Memorize it!  Use it through out the day reminding yourself of the truth, "I am dead to sin - but alive to Christ!"  I don't have answer the voice of sin, brokenness and evil!  I do get be alive and responsive to Jesus, His word and Spirit!

Thanks for listening!  Now I would love to listen to you! How does all this strike you today?

Enjoy!

delton

"Eagerly with strenuous exertion." 3.21.13

Sunday’s Message dealt with denying Self, and following Jesus. This Section of Scripture reminds me of an athletic race – track – or swimming for example.  Here’s the journey God took me on as I pondered today’s verses.

Philippians 3:12-16

¹²Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. ¹³Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; ¹⁶however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

”Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect… “ “become perfect” - to complete; mature; make perfect by reaching the intended goal; to finish a race or course. Winning first place is not always the goal.  Ask marathon runners – many of them say that first or last place doesn’t matter – Victory for them is simply finishing.

“I press on in order that I may lay hold of that…” “lay hold of” -  to obtain the prize with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion.

Oh,  that nagging little word “eager.”   So, I am to be “eager” as I follow Jesus? This reminds me of parenting.  I want my children to love me so much that they eagerly “obey” me and “follow” me. I can “force” them by sheer authority as a parent to obey me.  I can force them to adhere to my rules – or else the wrath of mom will descend.  But then, they will respond out of being forced to obey.  Their heart and love for me is not what motivates them.  And that is not at all what I want, is it? I want them to “obey” me because they LOVE me – not because they “have” to.  I want them to be “eager” to love me and “please” me.

I think that is what Jesus wants from me.  He wants me to follow Him with eagerness – and because I love Him – not because I am afraid of Him – not because I am just following a “rule”.

That same definition also says “with the idea of eager and strenuous exertion.” “Strenuous exertion”?  This sounds like training – exercise – an athlete working toward winning a race. Sounds hard.  So, I am to eagerly follow Jesus, but I need to understand that it will not always be easy.  It will require strenuous exertion. It will stretch my spiritual muscles.  It will hurt.  I will run out of breath.  I will ache.

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…” If an athlete keeps looking backward at those running behind – or if a swimmer keeps looking behind to see who is catching up – they will lose precious nano-seconds and possibly lose the race.  They must keep focused on the finish line.   If I keep looking behind and hang on to the past – it makes it very difficult to follow Jesus. I must keep my eye on Him.

“I press on toward the goal for the prize, the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” “Upward” – heavenly. “Call” –an invitation to the Kingdom of God and its privileges.

¹⁵Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you…” “Attitude”- mind set. “Reveal“ - things revealed from God, made known by His Spirit and influences.

As I run this race – of following Jesus and denying self – it talks about my attitude – and that God will reveal to me a different attitude. A good coach will point out ways to improve physically as well as encourage an athlete with their attitude.  He will spend hours training and giving tips such as better shoes meant for that type of race; how to come off the starting block differently; in swimming – how to turn under the water faster; wearing suits and those adorable swim caps that help to move through the water faster; etc. etc. etc., in order to reach the goal.

And that’s what God does for us.  Through His Holy Spirit, He will reveal and influence us as we grow and mature. He will change our attitude and mind-set as we follow Him.  He will mold and shape, prune and ripen us as we stumble, fall, get back up, and try again.

So, let us press on in order to obtain the prize with eagerness and strenuous exertion, that we may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 

After all, Jesus eagerly pressed on in order to win His prize – you and me!

-dawn