Enter Here

If someone actually pointed out the way for you to find entrance to something you didn't even know you were looking for, would you go there? There are a whole lot of individuals who don't know they are looking for Jesus in their lives, but when they find someone pointing the way for them to find him, they are amazed at what they discover when the 'enter in'. We all need to be 'pointers' to the one who can answer every question, settle every dispute, open every mind, heal every heart, and bring peace to every troubled emotion. 

Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:9-10)

Come in through him - no other way will matter, nor will it bring the same reward. We try a whole lot of 'ways' to get peace, settle our emotions and sort out our troubled minds, but there is but ONE way - discover that 'entrance point' and you will discover more than you ever knew you needed! The moment we say "yes" to Jesus is the moment we discover hope. The 'thief' of our peace, joy, and stability has many ways to disturb those things - lots of entry points, so to speak. The ONE entry point into truth is through Christ alone.

A rich and satisfying life is the gift offered to you today. Will you accept it? You may have been looking all over the place to find that 'one thing' that would bring you deep and lasting satisfaction, but it is futile to look elsewhere. There is only 'one thing' that we all need - Christ. The enemy of our souls will try to convince us that we don't need Christ in our lives - that 'religion' is silly or kind of lame. 'Religion' isn't what Christ offers. He offers eternal life, freedom from our hurts and hangups, and even a deep and lasting peace that surpasses all of our understanding.

We can enjoy this life with him - not because we find the entry point, but because he prepares that entry point, readying our hearts, and opening our minds. Then, when we say 'yes' to him, he enters into our lives, sets things in order that where once kind of a mess, and begins the work of transforming our lives into lives of purpose, with a truly rich and satisfying end in mind. Just sayin!

With the same human life

So now anyone who is in Christ Jesus is not judged guilty. That is because in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made you free. It made you free from the law that brings sin and death. The law was without power because it was made weak by our sinful selves. But God did what the law could not do: He sent his own Son to earth with the same human life that everyone else uses for sin. God sent him to be an offering to pay for sin. So God used a human life to destroy sin. He did this so that we could be right just as the law said we must be. Now we don’t live following our sinful selves. We live following the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

God used a human life to destroy sin - but that human life was the Son of God, come to earth with the specific mission of taking our sins to the cross. Does it ever surprise you that God used 'human life' to destroy sin? Jesus experienced what we experience from day to day, growing hungry, weary, sweating from hard work. He didn't just pop onto the scene in all his divinity and take on sin! He lived with us, as us, yet he remained without sin. This gives me hope - hope that it is possible to live on this earth and not give into all the temptation that is surrounding us each day.

God did what the law could not do - it judged us guilty, but in Christ, he judged us free from sin. There is more to this being 'free' from sin that we might not realize. We must live following the Spirit of God, not our sinful lusts and selfish pride. That said, we might not realize that it is even possible to say no to sin - since temptation is all around us, pulling us every which way. Sin isn't some ethereal force we can blame for our disobedience. It is the response of our sinful, selfish nature (human form) to that temptation. Obedience is just the opposite - it is our holy response to resist the even the desire to give into that temptation/

As you might have already discovered, having a 'set of rules' by which we live doesn't make us free of sin. Our pride still exists - even if we remove mirrors, we will still find some way to make a comparison of ourselves with others. Our lusts still exist - even if we say we want to live pure and upright lives, it is hard to avoid all the pulls of our flesh in our own power. We will still want that chocolate bar an hour from now! We need God's help to avoid giving in - our own willpower is never enough. Rules guide us, but they don't make us holy. Only God does that! We need Jesus to overcome whatever pulls at us the most - it is his 'righteousness' that makes it possible to resist sin's pull, not ours! Just sayin!

You still gonna stink

Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good.
Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans. Fight for the rights of widows.  “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. (Isaiah 1:16-18)

When something is settled, there is no further discussion. It is fixed - established - no change is forthcoming. The condition of relationship is to come - to lay down one's own agenda and to submit oneself to obedience to the Lord's will. We can try to wash ourselves up and be clean all on our own, but we still gonna stink! Until we are willing to give up and learn at his feet, we are still gonna stink. We can do all manner of good works, but we still gonna stink. Until we come, lay down our sins, and sit at the foot of the cross, we are gonna stink!

Obedience is what comes next - we get that backwards, though. We work on all the 'steps' of obedience before we get ourselves into right relationship with Jesus. We think we can somehow work our way to God, forgetting or not even realizing that he has worked his way to us through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ! We NEED relationship - not good works. Good works alone is religion, pure and simple. Volunteer all you want - you still gonna stink. Give all that you have to the poor and needy - you still gonna stink. Come to the cross, submit your heart to Christ, and that 'stink' is gone!

I have pointed out the 'stench' of sin and the sin nature more than a few times today. Why? Too many times we get so caught up in the 'signs' of right-living that we forget there has to be a heart-change that comes with them. The heart needs to be made right with God FIRST, then the 'signs' of right-living we might refer to as 'good works' or 'good deeds' actually flow from a different place in us. They begin to flow from the place of trust, not the place of hope. Good works to GET us somewhere or something in life is a place of hope. Good works that God actually blesses flow from a heart that has trusted in the finished work of Christ to deal with our sins once and for all. 

The washing up we need most is accomplished at the cross. The 'cleaning of the slate' or the 'removal of all sin' is done at the cross. We 'give up' as we come - we leave behind as we go. The cross is no place for weaklings - it requires a significant amount of strength to give up and leave behind all that we have hoped in up till that point. To move into a place of trusting in the finished work of Christ to remove our stink requires strength - the strength to admit we are weak, unable to cleanse ourselves from the stink, and standing in need of a change of heart and mind. Just sayin!

Desire and Delight

Be delighted with the Lord. Then he will give you all your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him to help you do it, and he will. Your innocence will be clear to everyone. He will vindicate you with the blazing light of justice shining down as from the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:4-6)

A heart's desires can be many - no doubt your desires differ from mine, but if we were to list them all, our lists would be long! I desire for my children to know and serve the Lord Jesus Christ. My delight will be to see my two grandsons to grow up to be morally strong, obedient to the commandments of Christ, and to trust him fully with the control of their lives. My desire to see both my children and grandchildren realize their dreams burns deeply with. I desire health, so I do what I can to preserve it wherever possible. I delight in time in the Word of God, good worship music, and the freedom to share my heart in open communion with my Lord. A heart's desires and delights - many though they may be, the one that is most important is the one that leads us to the commitment to do all the Lord desires.

According to the seed sown shall be the harvest reaped. We sow seeds that are a result of our desires - desire the good and the seed will be good; desire the unholy or impure and you know the harvest will be filled with all manner of 'weeds and tares'. I learned that the wheat seed and tare seed are very similar, producing a plant that almost looks the same in the earliest part of their growth. When you begin to see the difference is when the fruit is being produced. The seed of the wheat plant is brown, while that of the tare is purple with a black seed. While the wheat seed is good for consumption, the seed of the tare is actually poisonous, containing a soporific poison. I wouldn't want a diet of tares, would you?

Desire functions as the seed for many an action in our lives. Perhaps this is why God reminds us to examine our desires - for our desires often reflect our delight. What is it you find your greatest pleasure in? Maybe the better question is 'who' is it you find your greatest pleasure in? A boyfriend and girlfriend, captivated by young love may immediately say it is the one they are in relationship with. A father of a newborn may be absolutely delighted in the new life he holds in his arms, but his delight in his wife may actually become more profound as he observes her take such good care of that new life. A man or woman who has asked Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, finding unending and unconditional grace at the foot of the cross, may actually find their greatest delight in him. 

Desire and delight go hand in hand. One leads to the other. We desire more of Christ and are delighted to find him in the stillness of our time with him. We desire to understand his ways and are delighted to see his hand in action in so many ways around us. We desire to fully grasp a teaching from his Word and are delighted to find those words come to life in us as we are faced with a challenge too great for our human wisdom. Desire leads to delight - delight leads us to the feet of Jesus. What desire is the greatest in your life today? If it is anything other than Christ and his goodness, perhaps it is time to take a break from whatever stands in the way of us finding our greatest delight in his presence. Just sayin!

Truth will always be truth

Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow. (Proverbs 12:19)

Elvis Presley reminded us, "Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, it ain't goin' away". Can you see the logic in what he said? Truth is enduring - it isn't here today and gone tomorrow. If we keep in mind that truth is not a 'thing', but rather a 'person', this statement is even more profound. You can shut Christ away for a time, but he 'ain't goin' away'! He is the one who will pursue, no matter how much darkness we create within our lives - his light isn't going to be shut out forever!

We would like to put 'truth' into a category - the truth we will believe quickly and easily accept; while the thing we have a little trouble believing or accepting may not be as easy for us to deal with. Christ is ALL truth - there is no 'believe this' and 'not that' in Christ. It is an ALL or NOTHING faith! You either believe he is the Son of God, came to earth to remedy this issue of sin in our lives, and now sits enthroned at the right hand of God the Father as the Redeemer and King of all mankind or you don't. There is no middle ground on this matter. 

Truth is enduring because truth is a person - Christ was, is, and will ever be. He existed before time as we know it, and will exist into eternity, even if we don't believe it. God gives us all time to come to the reality of his mission to have us as part of his family. To be redeemed (permanently set free) of our sins, not looking back, but eyes set on the goal of spending eternity with him. The darkness of sin tries to keep us from seeing this 'Son-light', but despite all attempts to block this truth from humanity, the LIGHT shines through.

If you think the Light of God will ever go away, fizzle out, or just plain leave you alone, think again. There is no way the person of Truth will ever stop being absolute Truth. There will never come a time he will just give up on us. He declares his love for us, pursues us with intent, so as to set us free from all untruth. Today, tomorrow, and into all of eternity - TRUTH remains. Just sayin!

We set out

I came across a quote from the journals of Christopher Columbus the other day and it struck me as a very simple way of proclaiming the truth about what happens when a man or woman decides to follow Christ. He said, "Following the light of the sun, we left the Old World." I know very well he was speaking of leaving one shoreline in search of another, but change up just one word in that and you have a pretty cool picture - "Following the light of the SON, we left the old world."

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

We set out for a 'new world' when we choose to follow Christ, don't we? Old has passed away, new begins and the journey before us is filled with hope, but maybe just a hint of reservation is mixed in with that hope, isn't it? We aren't sure about the journey, so we kind of 'hold back'. If you are like me, it didn't take you long to realize your 'reservations' about serving Christ weren't going to last very long. In fact, the longer I walked with him, the greater my hopes became of discovering the 'new' he had prepared for me to discover!

All those years back, when the men, women, and children who chose to take that journey with Columbus were setting foot onto those vessels bound for a 'new world', do you think they did so without fear? Not likely. They were leaving homeland, family, relationships, and there were probably some others who were leaving a 'bad past' behind in hopes of finding a new future ahead of them. Our 'homeland' isn't this earth, my friend. When we come into relationship with Christ it might just surprise each of us to realize how 'little' this earth has a hold on us anymore. 

Following the light of the SON - we set out. We leave behind the old, and take on the course of entering into the new. This is indeed a solidly biblical picture of what it is like to know and walk with Christ. We may not recognize how 'brave' we are when we take that first step down that path, but let me assure you of this - no one enters this relationship with Christ by osmosis or some magical 'poof'. We all have to take the first step. There will be lots of 'first steps' as we 'follow the Son', but let me assure you of this - the reward that awaits us at the end of the journey far outweighs the little bit of 'bravery' we need to muster with each of those 'first steps'. Just sayin!

Author = Authority

It is one thing to be proud of what you represent, but another to be proud in yourself. I am not ashamed to say and show that I represent Christ in my life, but I do get pretty down on myself when too much of 'me' comes through, showing that side of me that wants the attention and glories in being the center of it. If it were not for the work of the Lord in my life, I would have a very miserable existence. My life course would have been dramatically different. How do I know that? I know full-well the course I was on before Christ grabbed hold of my heart and I began to hold onto his as though my very breath depended on it. It wasn't a good one and the path was headed for more than one form of disastrous outcome. Maybe you can say the same - we don't have the same path, but we all somehow came to the realization we need Christ to take over that 'path setting' in our lives. If you aren't there yet, just wait - your point of turning is coming!

If anyone wants to be proud, he should be proud of what the Lord has done. It is not what a man thinks and says of himself that is important. It is what God thinks of him. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18)

The way we think about ourselves says a lot about how we think God sees us. There is much that goes into the way we think about ourselves, but I'd say the one thing that comes to mind is the tendency to either be way too judgmental about each and every aspect of our lives, or care so little about it that we just live it any old way, come what may. These ways of viewing ourselves is kind of messed up, though. When we get way too judgmental about everything we do, think, or even wear, we find ourselves living very negative and complex lives. If we are way to lackadaisical about how we are living and making choices, we may find our life just lacks purpose and direction. We are all over the board and this isn't good either. Believe it or not, we need both judgment and liberty in our lives.

We might see the need for judgment, while someone else sees the need for liberty - but one without the other leaves a life with an imbalance of 'authority'. You see, whether we are looking at life through the eyes of judgment or liberty, it is all a question of who is the 'authority' we are submitting our lives to in the first place. If we are the ultimate judge and jury in our lives, then we have said we are the 'authority' who we consider most important. To live without boundaries is also saying we are the one who has the 'authority' to live as we see fit. Either way, the wrong 'authority' is in control! Our lives are designed to have Christ at the center - in the spirit of a man - as the authority. Why? He is the 'author' of our life!

As the 'originator' of life, Christ as all the authority to that life, but let me assure you of this - authority is either heeded, or it is resisted. We may butt up against his rule in our lives a whole lot - letting our own prideful self get in the way more often than not. If you haven't figured it out already, that is not the best way to live! We may care less what he asks us to do, we will just go with the flow and see where it gets us. If you haven't figured that one out already, you don't usually find the journey at the end of that road was all that fulfilling or rewarding. Christ is meant to be the one true authority in our lives - anything less than him at the center will make for a pretty unfulfilled and 'pride-filled' life. Just sayin!

Self-Denial 101

Demonstrate living a life of denial of one's self for me. What does that really look like? Someone may point out there is this attitude of putting others first. That is definitely a good one. Another may tell us there is this kind of self-abasement that occurs when you really are living a life of self-denial. While we all need a realistic view of ourselves and should not think of ourselves as better than anyone else, I think a life of self-denial may just be more than putting yourself down. Self-denial might begin with an attitude and lead to actions, especially if we do it the way Jesus recommends!

If any of you want to walk My path, you’re going to have to deny yourself. You’ll have to take up your cross every day and follow Me. If you try to avoid danger and risk, then you’ll lose everything. If you let go of your life and risk all for My sake, then your life will be rescued, healed, made whole and full. (Luke 9:23-24)

The attitude we need to exhibit is one that reveals genuine commitment to walk in obedience to his commands and to honor his actions of grace toward us. All of life's 'self-denial' moments come as a result of our submission to him - by really putting him first in our lives above any other perfectly understandable desire or self-interest we may have. This attitude leads to us taking obedient steps - action follows the attitude we assume. We begin to accept there will be danger and risk in obedience, but we do it willingly and with a heart of gratitude because of the extreme grace we have been shown in our lives.

We can never truly avoid danger or risk when it comes to living obedient lives. We may think this Christian walk will be one of the easiest things we do in life, but let me just remind us all of the fact the 'self-nature' desires to be number one in our lives and will continue to demand that position! We are by nature pretty self-centered individuals. I have just offended some of you, I know, but the truth is sometimes hard to hear! We live so as to make sure our needs are fulfilled. Don't believe me? The last time you had 'seconds' at the dinner table, did you ever stop to consider who it is you might have encountered today that didn't even have 'firsts'? 

Letting go of 'center' in our lives is harder than you'd think. You might think being overwhelmed by the grace of God would be more than enough to get self out of the center for good, but if my life is any indication of how it is for others, then self isn't going to take a backseat easily! This may be why Jesus made reference to taking up our cross daily, while making that conscious choice to follow him. It is a daily thing - moment-by-moment even. When we see 'self' creep up a little, we remind ourselves there is another way God desires. We get Christ back at center and we take another step forward. This is the life of a believer. This is what 'denying self' looks like. Just sayin!

What do you see?

None of us really likes for anyone to compare what we have, or what we have done, with what another has or has done. What we have doesn't really matter, but try to tell that to some people. What we have done isn't all that important, but some amass credentials like they were something to be coveted. We don't really want anyone else assessing us, do we? There are times when an honest assessment of who we are and what we are doing is something we'd rather avoid. Facing the fact we might not be moving in the best direction at the moment is sort of intimidating, if not downright humbling! Yet, the beginning of any real change in our lives begins with the first step - the step we take to the mirror of God's Word!

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. (Galatians 6:4-5)

There is a natural progression from examining our "true identity", seeing clearly how we "fit" into the placement we have in this life, and how "committed" we are to fulfilling the mission to which we are called. Until we begin to understand the "truth" of our identity, we will either live way below our potential, or live with too high of an inflated impression of ourselves! Both are a problem! Scripture clearly defines our identity when we are without Christ - sinners (Romans 3:23). This pretty well discourages us from living with an inflated image of our self-worth when it comes right down to it. In fact, self-worth is really not worth much! Just as clearly, scripture defines who we are with Christ in our lives - redeemed, holy, and new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). Sometimes we live far below our potential simply because we don't really understand what it entails to be a new creation in Christ!

When we are finally looking into the face of Jesus - seeing our identity in him - we begin to open up to the possibilities this newness of life produces. The "fruit" of our lives begins to change from decaying, worthless, or destructive activities, and we find ourselves moving toward activities which produce the evidence of the new creation we have become. As with any fruit, these changes in our character are produced through growth - dead trees don't produce good fruit. Fruit begins in our lives with a bud of faith - faith that making the right choices will produce what is promised. In time, the fruit we feed is what we develop! It isn't the 'high associations' we make in life, but rather being embraced with the love of God and his intense grace.

There is a great deal that goes into "sinking ourselves into the work we have been given". When we begin to take responsibility for the image we allow ourselves to behold (the image of Christ vs. our own self-image of importance), we begin to find our true "fit" in life. It is in the discovery of what God has declared "true" about us that we begin to walk free of the bondage of our past. We behold many a false image of ourselves throughout our lives - what others declare about us, what we tell ourselves about our insignificance, who we believe society wants us to be, or what books tell us we need to become in order to have 'arrived' in life. Isn't it time we begin to take a fresh look into the mirror of God's face?

It is in the eyes of Jesus we behold the perfection he declares over our lives. The depth of his love expressed in those eyes of grace speak more truth about us than any other image we could behold. When we finally see ourselves as he does, we have no problems with being "on mission" with Jesus! In fact, we actually begin to get excited about the possibilities Christ produces by his presence in us! So, look deeply into his eyes of grace, my friends! He declares you lovely, perfect, and whole! Now, begin to reflect THAT image to the world today! Just sayin!

The gift

How much is a fair day's wage? I sometimes watch these shows depicting how life was in the earlier days, when men and women plowed fields, laid up stores from their gardens, and raise livestock to support their families. Some were laborers in the fields, others worked at 'trades' such as carpentry, stone mason, or storekeeper. Yet, one common theme seemed to emerge - the day's wage. It wasn't much, but it usually helped with the bare necessities - such as new shoes when the soles of the present ones had worn thin. The day's wage was well-earned by the sweat of one's brow and heavy lifting of one's back. The worker did a good job and he earned his wages - he deserved his pay. It wasn't a gift to him - it was hard-earned. There is one thing we can never earn - that which is given as a gift. A gift is something given from a heart that knows the specific need and desire of another.

If you’re a hard worker and do a good job, you deserve your pay; we don’t call your wages a gift. But if you see that the job is too big for you, that it’s something only God can do, and you trust him to do it—you could never do it for yourself no matter how hard and long you worked—well, that trusting-him-to-do-it is what gets you set right with God, by God. Sheer gift. (Romans 4:4-5 MSG)

There are just some jobs too big for me to do anymore. I don't do well with lots of heavy labor any longer - although I sometimes forget this fact! I have found I must hire these tasks out to others - not because I couldn't do them, but because I am not as young or as strong as I used to be! There is one task too big for any of us - that of making our hearts right with God. This is only done via a gift - the gift of the cross. This is the season of gift-giving. Many will take great care to listen to what others share about what they would like, how they have yearned for a particular thing, and then they will ensure that object of one's yearning is wrapped carefully and put under the tree for Christmas morn. One such gift is available - but it doesn't need to be unwrapped one day of the year! It is available to use year round!

We could never find this gift in a store, nor could we fashion it with out own hands. It is impossible for us to make right our own hearts - we do not possess the right stuff to 'put right again' the gap between us and our heavenly Father. There is but one way to be made right - and it is sheer benevolence that makes us right. The benevolence of our heavenly Father makes the gift possible - the obedience and love of his Son 'paid' for the gift. No 'cost' too great where it concerns our hearts! The love of our heavenly Father overrides all human reasoning. His love embraces those who refused to embrace him. His grace-filled love 'paid' the price to purchase for us what we could never earn by even our best of toiling!

We shall celebrate with friends and family all over the world this Christmas season with gifts of all kinds. Let us never forget the gift that need not wait until Christmas morn to fill our hearts and settle our minds. Let us open it up, try it on, and see just how well it 'fits' our soul! The gift we could never earn is a most well-fitting gift indeed! Just sayin!

Need a little glue?

We all know there are things in this world 'joined together' that just don't stay together very well! I have had chairs get wobbly over the course of scooting in and out, with joints coming loose and requiring much effort to get them 'firmed up' again. I have had papers placed in right order, stapled and bound, only to find that after repeated examination those pages 'wear loose' and sometimes even tear away from their bound edges. Heaven knows there are tons of relationships, once strong and vibrant, now withered and worn, no longer with anything holding them together - although once bound together, they are now separate and standing alone. It is not God's plan to have what he joins with him ever loose that connection, though. His intent is that we are joined with him - in an intimate and growing relationship - not to be separated from him again!

“I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples. “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples." John 15:5,8 MSG

When we are correctly joined with Jesus - he grafts us into his life source. There is no doubting where the life comes from, for the power is supernatural, the energies oftentimes way beyond our own natural energies, and the outcome far exceeds what we could produce in any effort of our own. Living and vital connection yields vital growth - fruit is born from such a connection. Sometimes people share with me their frustration over not 'seeing' much change in their lives - as though they somehow expected to be instantly free of frustrations that have been a constant cause of stress in their lives. I guess I'd have to ask a couple of questions of those individuals. 

Is the connection you made with those things that frustrate you so much now really a connection you need to keep now that you are connected with Christ? I am not telling you it is okay to abandon your marriage if that is the point of frustration, but maybe you could abandon some of the things you have held onto within that relationship that haven't been producing the right outcome within that relationship. For example, if you have learned it is okay to raise your voice at one another, yelling and arguing all the time about who knows what, maybe it is time to let go of some of those 'bad habits' you have allowed to interfere with the growth within that relationship.

Is your frustration with certain things because you are expecting to see growth without any investment on your part? God doesn't just 'pump life into us' - he expects us to invest in that life sustaining connection. The grafted branch doesn't just sit there - it begins the process of meshing with the branch it has been grafted into. It works to make the connection just as strong as possible - as much as the branch it has been grafted into works to supply all that will be needed to accomplish that vital connection and 'growth possibility'. We might want to just sit in relationship with Jesus and have all handed to us on a silver platter, but there are times when God asks us to take a step and then he backs that step with his power.

Fruit is a result of connection. Connection is only possible when two are willing to be 'merged together'. Solid connection is something that must be maintained - for every connection can be weakened by stress against the joints that bind the parts together. We must maintain the connection with Christ on a daily basis - a connection that will bear fruit in time - not instantly! Just sayin!

Impotent or Important?

When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him. Even if we were good, we really wouldn’t expect anyone to die for us, though, of course, that might be barely possible. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Romans 5:6-8 TLB)

What would you do for someone who 'under-valued' you, having little to no use for you? Most of us would be honest here and say we'd do very little, if anything at all! Why? We live in a world that expects reciprocity! We look for the 'what's in it for me' situations and that is what we go after more than those 'even if it means nothing for me, I will do it anyway' moments. Honestly, we want to 'get' a little out of whatever we 'put into' something, don't we? This is only natural. It is something quite supernatural to give without any expectation of getting!

Helpless people are really powerless. The helplessness isn't that we lack courage or even the 'want to', but that we lack the power to make something happen. We have been 'incapacitated' - we lack the capacity to do whatever needs to be done. A similar word to helpless is impotent - we are inadequate in completing whatever lays before us. The idea here is that we were unable - there was absolutely no way for us to ever make ourselves right with God again. We were without any way of escape - bound by our sin and shame, linked to our past mistakes and failures.

Now, you would think that someone who lacks the capacity to escape - being held in a place of bondage - would want to be free, wouldn't you? Do you know it is quite possible for someone in bondage to become so 'used to' the bondage that they don't even look for freedom any longer? There might be a niggling of desire now and again, but since the bondage has become so much the 'norm', the motivation to try to be free just isn't there any longer. Maybe this is why scripture points out we had 'no use' for Christ. We just didn't see the purpose of a Savior any longer - we had become resigned to our lack of freedom and just didn't see any way out.

Even those who live 'really good lives' have no real way of escaping the fact they were born sinners. The nature to sin is inherent in our genetic make-up. We will eventually compromise, no matter how 'good' we are. The need for Christ's sacrificial death may not even cross our minds because we are working out our own 'destiny' via our 'good deeds', but the truth is that our own destiny won't even get us close to an eternity in God's presence! We need what we don't even know we need - a Savior. 

It is good news that our eternity isn't limited by what we value or what we can do for ourselves. If we counted on these two things to draw us close to God's heart, we'd still be miles and miles away in the end. Just sayin!

A thing of beauty

Let me ask you a question today: What has become irrevocable in your life? What is it in your life that you absolutely know is "unalterable"? There are likely a good many who would say it is the crook in our nose, the moon-surface shape our cellulite creates over our body, or the whiteness of our teeth. Another group might make mention of the bad reputation they have come to acquire over the years, or the lack of any real reputation at all. There are a whole lot of things, occurrences, and "issues" we'd like to label as 'irrevocable' in our lives - unalterable facts, things not easily repealed, or with 'no appeal' left to be made. In Christ, there are certain facts that are truthfully 'irrevocable' - like the fact he loves us, or the fact his grace is sufficient for everything we think is 'irrevocable'!

The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. (Romans 3:21-24 MSG)

We each have a 'long and sorry record' as sinners, but the good news is that what we have no way of changing ourselves is not beyond changing when Christ is given access to those things. Nothing about our sin nature is 'irrevocable' - nothing we have done is too great for his blood to make a way for our cleansing (our 'being made right'). Something irrevocable is permanent - our sin is not permanent when it comes into contact with the blood of Jesus. It isn't that we get it 'annulled' - it is that we get it totally and completely taken away. Unlike the one who wants whiter teeth and must go back time and time again to have them bleached, the blood of Christ does the job the first time and it just keeps on doing the job!

Whatever has become a 'constant' in your life that you don't see any way out of is not really the same thing as God sees as the 'constant' he wants to portray in your life. No reputation - good or bad - is constant when he comes into the picture. No blemish or scar - real or imagined - is unalterable in his hand. He hasn't labeled us a certain way and then left us in that condition. He provides a way for any 'negative condition' to be transformed by the power of Christ. We want to label a whole lot of things as 'unalterable' in our lives, but the only thing truthfully unalterable is the truth of God. The only thing that transforms time after time is this truth. We might perceive the 'issue' as not able to be changed, but God sees a way even when we don't. 

Some things we 'want' to change are superficial - like the crook in our nose or the cellulite on our thighs. The things God sees as 'worth the worry' are our heart, mind, soul, and spirit. Don't sweat the small stuff - they might annoy us a little - but God sees a thing of beauty even in the dimples of our thighs! Just sayin!

On and on and on

With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation; it’s now out in the open for everyone to see: A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations, and of glory for your people Israel. (Luke 2:32 MSG)

God made no attempt to enter into this world "under cover". He sent his Son, not as an "under cover God", but as God with a bod. He took on human form, coming as light to a dark world. Light just cannot be hidden - it has a way of finding a way out of the darkness, but best of all - it has a way of helping each of us find our way out of darkness.

Jesus could have come in any form, but why take on human form? It is pretty simple actually - we needed to "relate" to him. We might have heard of his power, seen his miracles, and even studied his existence, but to see him embody the very "form" of mankind revealed something of his love that actually allowed us to connect with him. That connection was only possible because of his ultimate sacrifice on the cross, though. While his birth, taking on human form, was very important and a little bit impressive, it wasn't nearly as important or impressive as his death, burial and resurrection!

Restored relationship required more than being able to "relate" to God with a bod. It required the blood sacrifice we never could offer ourselves - the blood sacrifice of the truly "perfect Lamb". While not growing up during the times of sacrificial offerings on the altar of fire, I can tell you the selection of the sacrifice was very important, yet still very imperfect. As close to perfection as that sacrifice came, with as little evidence of blemish as it had, that animal sacrifice was still not totally without blemish! It had no way of fulfilling the ultimate need of humankind. Only Christ could do that.

And so he did .... in being born, he lived among us. In living among us, he showed us aspects of his love and goodness we could not really understand apart from that example he left with us. In facing opposition greater than most of us will ever endure in a lifetime, he revealed something of his strength and character that only a God with a bod could show us and help us to hold onto in our own times of personal conflict. In coming, he prepared to leave again - not in a kind and humane manner - but in the ultimately awful death of the cross. In leaving again, he prepared the way for his return. 

None of us really could relate to God in the way we do today apart from that coming and ultimately in that leaving. It is this connection he made that helps us to "relate" to the righteousness of God because that righteousness has been made ours in his life lived on our behalf, and his death in perfect human form - a sacrifice too great for any of us to ever accomplish. Light came, we tried to snuff it out, but it shines on and on and on. Just sayin!

Groping?

You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You’re out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. 

(Ephesians 5:8-10 MSG)

All of us grope around at some point in life, whether it being while we are trying to find a career, or maybe the next step we should take in order to get to some point we imagine will make us happier. To grope means we are just feeling our way toward something. Mom is legally blind, but I have noticed her vision failing just a week bit more this year and she is now "groping" around the house a lot more. She seeks those "touch points" that are familiar to her - the back of the sofa as she makes her way to the kitchen, or the length of the hallway wall as she makes her way back to the bedroom. It is a natural part of life to reach out when we don't know which way to go for sure - but to live all of life this way is extremely limiting!

God doesn't want us just barely making our way along in life - feeling our way through. He wants us to know for sure the direction we are to take and then step out into it with confidence and bold assurance. Life without Christ is kind of like life without our vision - always groping for the edges that help us know which path we are on. It is a pretty unclear course and there is a lot to "mire" us down. We find ourselves groping because WE are trying to find our OWN way rather than to have a way made open to us. Mom won't get her eyesight back, so I can see why she gropes for the familiar objects that act as "markers" for her path. We don't have to settle for the darkness of soul that makes us "grope" for some semblance of assurance we remain on the path to where we believe we are supposed to be headed!

Christ has made the way plain - but to enjoy the way that is bright with his presence, we have to change courses! We have to move from needing to trust in what we can see and feel on our own to sometimes not seeing, but trusting we are on the right course because we "feel" something better than a "pathway marker" - we feel his presence. His presence fills the hungry soul and opens the path before us - not so much free of wrong choices, but clearer as to what the right choices should be. Just sayin!

Frame me

Choose your friends with caution; plan your future with purpose, and frame your life with faith. (Thomas S. Monson)

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness. (James 3:17-18 TLB)

We are all in the process of "framing" our lives each and every moment we make split-second decisions. It is what precedes those decisions that often determines the "steadiness" of the course we will take. As Monson stated, we need to ensure our lives are "framed" with faith - in other words, we have the firmest of foundations upon which to allow our steps to be taken. That foundation is Christ - it begins with saying "yes" to him, but it continues each and every moment when we allow the "frame" of our lives to be filled with him. The frame was that moment in time where we said "yes", but the picture that is contained within that frame is made up of all those moments when those split-second decisions are made!

A life of faith is built on all those moments when Christ's wisdom becomes our own. We step into his plans and purpose, assuming not so much the leader role, but the disciple role - allowing his teaching and wisdom to be imparted and then "grafted-into" our lives. If you have ever watched an arborist take a portion of one tree and graft it into another tree, there is a skill to his work. If he makes too big of a slit for the graft to fit into, the tree will be more susceptible to disease, allowing moisture and insect to invade the tender place created for that graft. If he makes too small of a slit or doesn't bind the new graft just tight enough, it won't make contact as it should with the "host" tree and it will not survive. The placement of the graft is important and the way it is bound to the host is equally so. The same is true of each of us - our lives of faith are not going to survive and grow as they should until the "bond" between Jesus and us is secure, well-founded, and free of invading disease!

The grafted branch doesn't always take on the characteristics of the tree where it is attached right away. It makes every effort to live as it used to live, but if it wants to grow, it must yield to where it is placed for that growth. As with each of us, we can try to live independently, but we will soon find we are cut off from the life supply we so desperately crave and need! The friends we choose are a direct result of the lives we allow to be framed - they make up the "picture" within the frame - for they affect each choice we make within that frame. The plans we make (or allow to influence our lives) are going to equally affect the picture within the frame. The one constant thing is the frame - the picture might change a little from time to time, but the frame is the same! When that frame is Christ, the picture doesn't yearn to be outside that frame - it is adorned by the absolute beauty of the frame! Just sayin!

Eviction notice posted

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

(Ephesians 3:17-19 NLT)

What or who is at home in your heart? This might just be a tougher question to answer than we first think, because our first inclination is to say, "Well, Jesus, of course." Yet, I have to ask, how many roommates is Jesus forced to live with? How much space do these other roommates take up in that heart of yours - in my own heart? It might be that roommate of constant guilt, always yacking at you and never letting you forget it is around. It could be the roommate of pride, demanding its own way and struggling to allow control to be "lost" in anyway. It could even be the roommate of negativity, nagging and demeaning until you just don't want to even be around yourself any longer! Either way, Jesus might just be in "competition" for a little more space in our hearts - if we were totally honest here.

I remember the first trip my BFF and I took together. We were pretty sure we'd do well sharing space in a cabin on a cruise ship, enjoying a few rays on the deck together, and luxuriating in the quietness of the open seas. I'd have to say that back then, we did well together, but we hadn't grown in our trust of each other quite like we have now. In fact, as we travel together these days, we are quite comfortable just hanging with each other, being our real selves, and we actually look forward to these times with anticipation and excitement. It is like we have grown comfortable being in "each other's space", yet still giving each other "enough space" to be exactly as we are. In these couple of week's a year we get to enjoy away from caregiving of elderly parents, work, and all the routine of life, we get to just unwind, put our feet up, take long walks, enjoy a little piece of God's beautiful earth, and just "hang". I think God wants those special times with us, too, but it could just be our lives are a little too "occupied" to allow many of these times!

While retreats and special times away are good to recenter our lives and help us regain focus, they probably aren't the true "staple" of life by which we all live and breathe. We must learn to balance the constant barrage of demands the "roommates" in our heart make upon us, right down to kicking some of those "roommates" out so there is more room for the one who really matters! We have a tendency to not want to deal with the roommate nobody wants - but why? Why do we tolerate that "messy" roommate who makes us feel dirty inside? Why do we permit that "intrusive" roommate to take up more space than we want to give it? Why do we humor the "demanding" roommate who always makes its own needs the most important needs of the moment? Perhaps it is because we aren't really all that good at serving the eviction notices!

The truth of the matter is that most of us have a hard time "evicting" these "space-consuming" roommates in our heart. It isn't meant to be our job alone - we need someone stronger and more powerful than us to "serve notice" and then kick them out - Jesus! Not only is he the most gentle, kind, and loving roommate our heart could ever welcome in, he is also the most powerful and capable! He will deal with these "space-consuming" roommates - but we have to be willing to serve notice and then allow him to enforce that notice. We stop and he starts. We put down roots and he gives us stability. We open the door and he kicks them to the curb. There is just not enough room for the stuff that only "consumes space"! Just sayin!

The burden he carried

As I sat at dinner last night, celebrating with my oldest grandson his twelfth birthday, my youngest grandson wanted to tell me what he had written in his journal at school yesterday.  As he spoke, it become apparent to me this little guy was actually listening in his Sunday School class!  I am not going to do this justice, but here is pretty close to what he wrote:  "Jesus died on the cross.  Jesus died on the cross and was buried in a grave.  Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the grave to separate us from our sin and death."  Those aren't the exact words, but he was so articulate, not veering one word as he restated it from family member to family member around the table.  Obviously, this little guy got the message - we are no longer separated from God because of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ!

So he was despised and forsaken by men, this man of suffering, grief’s patient friend. As if he was a person to avoid, we looked the other way; he was despised, forsaken, and we took no notice of him. Yet it was our suffering he carried, our pain and distress, our sick-to-the-soul-ness. We just figured that God had rejected him, that God was the reason he hurt so badly.  (Isaiah 53:3-4 VOICE)

I re-read passages in scripture which come to new life for me on occasion - the above passage was that moment for me this morning.  As I frequently do, I look at scripture in different translations, simply because there can be a kind of "freshness" to the same passage.  A couple of things really stood out to me from this passage:

- Jesus was grief's patient friend.  I don't know how you handle things which bring you grief in life, but on more than one occasion I have simply walked away from them. Whatever it was became "too much work" for me to continue to "nurse along", so I just gave up on it.  It may have been a hobby - like when I tried to learn to play the flute.  It could have been that second language I endeavored to master - like when I tried to learn Spanish while driving to work in the morning.  These things brought me more "grief" than I actually wanted to endure.  Grief is often something which brings us discomfort - so we want to avoid it at whatever cost. Jesus was grief's patient friend - he may have wanted to turn his back on the pain he felt repeatedly when his purpose and plan was rejected by mankind, discovering just how deep man's hatred could be toward others in their place of deepest need.  Yet, despite the pain of grief, he endured - not because he "had to", but because his love is so intense toward us that he "wanted to".

- Many took no notice of him.  In some areas of my community, there are homeless lining the streets, often just "hanging out" with their carts and belongings in tow.  Some lounge on grassy areas, keeping cool under the boughs of an elm or just enjoying the shade afforded by the shadow of a building close by.  Others sit on benches at the local bus stops, no intention of catching the next bus, but simply lounging their to catch a few moments of rest.  I am caught by the stark reality of just how many pass by in their cars and trucks, oblivious to their existence, their intense need never even crossing the minds of these passers-by as they make their journey from one place to the next.  Sometimes it is easier to "take no notice" than it is to actually pay attention to those God brings across our path.  I wonder how different it would have been for Jesus had some who "took no notice" actually stopped long enough to deeply consider what he said, how he acted, what he was doing?

- It was our suffering he carried, our pain and distress, our sick-to-the-soul-ness.  He didn't just carry his own pain and distress over being rejected and despised, forsaken by mankind.  He carried OUR pain, OUR distress, OUR sickness of soul.  I don't know many in this world who step up to carry the burden of another without thought to the intensity of their own burden they are also carrying.  He wasn't put off by our pain. Our distress of mind, emotion, body - none of it kept him from picking up that burden and carrying it as his own.  Our soul-sick, sin-full, and stubborn spirits - he carried them all.  Herein is the example of love we can emulate - to carry the burden of another, even when the weight outweighs anything we have carried before.  

WE were the reason he hurt - though we might want to have shifted that blame to God - something we do all too well. If we ever doubted God's love for Jesus in allowing him to die on the cross those many years ago, think again.  It was his intense love for us that allowed him to die in our place, but it was also his intense love for Jesus (and us) which allowed him to not remain in the grave!  Just sayin!

Does pedigree really matter?

Jesus taught a lot in crowds, simply because there were a lot of curiosity seekers that flocked to him, but also because he found himself in the right place at the right time to use those opportunities as "teachable moments". One such moment was on the day known as the Feast of Tabernacles - a time when Jews solemnly gathered to celebrate one of the required "feast days" outlined in the Law of Moses.  There is controversy in the crowd, simply because people are all hung up about his upbringing, lack of education, and the place where he was born (and even perhaps the family into which he was born into).  This isn't a new problem for men and women, is it?  We tend to judge based on some "criteria" we hold for the "value or worth" of another because they went to school somewhere other than the local junior college, or have a familial line linked to some aristocracy.  Truth is, nothing of a "pedigree" in human terms really defines us as who we are - it is the character of a man which defines him.  To that end, Jesus doesn't want the crowd to be hung upon his "pedigree", but rather to see deep into this character - his mission was always to reveal the character of the One who sent him (his heavenly Father).  He cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Rivers of living water will brim and spill out of the depths of anyone who believes in me this way, just as the Scripture says.”  No one could offer such a gift as he did, yet some struggle with the "gift" because the "giver" doesn't "match" their impression or image of "pedigree".  Isn't this just like us to be so hung up on the "person's background" that we miss what is right in front of us!

The Pharisees said, “Are you carried away like the rest of the rabble? You don’t see any of the leaders believing in him, do you? Or any from the Pharisees? It’s only this crowd, ignorant of God’s Law, that is taken in by him—and damned.” Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus earlier and was both a ruler and a Pharisee, spoke up. “Does our Law decide about a man’s guilt without first listening to him and finding out what he is doing?”  But they cut him off. “Are you also campaigning for the Galilean? Examine the evidence. See if any prophet ever comes from Galilee.”  Then they all went home.  (John 7:47-53 MSG)

To top things off, the religious leaders get word of his actions of teaching in the Temple - about half way through the feast.  Now, so as not to make a move too hastily, they observe what he does, listen to what he says, quietly noticing how some in the crowd will embrace him readily and others will reject him, getting all hung up on this "pedigree" thing!  To the religious leaders, they didn't have "enough evidence" to shut him down yet and not suffer the retaliation of the crowds who were drawn to him.  So, they wait and plot.  In their waiting, they have employed those who will act as their "plants" in the crowds to report back what he is doing and saying.  Maybe this was because all the religious leaders could not be seen as totally "getting into" his teachings because this would show they supported his ministry.  Regardless of their tactics and reasons, they still will not embrace the possibilities of him being Messiah.  All, that is, but one!  Nicodemus - the one who had come to Jesus under the secrecy of darkness - to find out for himself, first hand evidence to either convince him of the reality of his purpose and plan in teaching as the possible Messiah, or to discount those teachings and the man alike.

I really want us to see the attitude of the Pharisees - the religious leaders in this passage who obviously hold themselves as superior to the crowds gathered together at the Temple for the feast.  It is clear from the passage that these religious leaders see the crowds as "simpletons" and "uneducated". They focus on their own "superior" understanding of scripture - because they had the "privilege" of being brought up in all the right schools, with the right opportunities.  If there is one thing I have learned in this lifetime, it is that when we "elevate" ourselves in our minds and hearts, our attitude of pride dictating how we respond to people in this life, we are in for a sad awakening to the reality of our humanness!  Nothing can bring us down from our pedestal faster than having one indiscretion revealed, or finding out our "masks" we thought we wore so well did not conceal the insecurities we actually still possess!

To the religious leaders, the crowds were "rabble" - common people.  To Jesus, they were individuals created in the image of God, designed for the purpose of worshiping the Holy God.  To the religious leaders, the crowds were "unable" to ferret out the truth about Jesus' teachings simply because they didn't have the right education.  To Jesus, their degree of education was "evaluated" more by their responsiveness of heart to the message taught, not the place they attended school!  We see sharp contrasts between how Jesus and the religious leaders treated the crowds.  To one, they were not significant enough to bother with - to the other, they meant everything and were the very purpose for which he existed!

Nicodemus dares to speak up - to challenge the religious leaders - not as an outsider to the group, but as one of them!  Imagine the looks which might have come his way as he dares to challenge them about this "great teacher". He probably drew more than one disapproving glare, and maybe even a few clicks of the tongue in disgust over his "naivete".  Perhaps some were holding their heads low as they might have been some who taught Nicodemus in the schools of the Law these Pharisees attended - almost shamed by his challenge to consider Jesus as a prophet or even as the Messiah.  Ask yourself this - if you were in the same position as Nicodemus, would you speak up? Would you be afraid of the "pedigreed" mass, or willing to stand up for what you believe to be true?  

Nothing determines our destiny except our position in Christ Jesus - it isn't our position ON Christ that matters as much as our position IN Christ!  When we cross-over from arguing about the reality of what he is and accept him as who he is, we move INTO him.  This move is what determines our destiny. Stay firmly planted in our focus on "pedigree" and we will likely miss the most amazing gift of our lifetime!  Just sayin!

Visitor or Resident?

It used to be that families built homes, settled in regions all pretty close to each other and then passed down the homes/land to their children.  This is not the case so much anymore, as we live in a pretty "mobile" society where families are separated and "heritage" rarely includes the family domicile being passed down.  Where we "reside" says a whole lot about us, though.  If we live in a cardboard box, or a piecemeal shanty, most would say we were "homeless", a "street person", or living in "poverty".  If we were to move to a nicely furnished apartment, the first two would likely not apply, but we could still be living in "poverty" as in America poverty is defined as making under $11,000 a year as a single person.  So, just changing where we reside doesn't always change everything about us, does it?  But...WHO resides in the dwelling does make a huge difference!  If the wealthiest of men took up residence in a piecemeal shanty, would we now call that person "poor" or "impoverished"?  Not likely.  In fact, we'd probably say they are a little touched in the head because to have all "means" by which to live well and then choosing to live in those conditions is definitely a little odd.  If we have allowed Christ to take up residence in our lives, and continue to live "below our means", we are no different than that man!

But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won’t know what we’re talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God’s terms. It stands to reason, doesn’t it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he’ll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ’s!  (Romans 8:9-11 MSG)

WHO lives within makes all the difference.  When I have guests come into my home, I usually try to put myself in their shoes and anticipate what they may need while they are here.  It might be that I bring in special food that I can make to satisfy their hunger, or perhaps their favorite beverage such as flavored coffees or green tea.  I put out clean hand towels and ensure the toilet paper is fully stocked.  The house is tidy and the door is open.  Why? I want them to feel welcome and I want my home to be a place where they feel comfortable.  Guests don't stay, do they?  Not indefinitely.  They have a set time of coming and a relatively set time for leaving.  One who resides in my home comes and goes at will, settles into whatever space they desire, and has the full gamut of conveniences, foods, and the like at their disposal. The one who resides within the homes gives a certain "feel" to the home.  Why? The home is a reflection of those who reside within.

When Christ takes up residence within us, we become reflections of him.  We begin to think less of the "old way" of living and more of how much his presence has changed the "feel" of our lives.  It is like his very presence gives us a "makeover" in terms of the old being gone and the new taking its place. The transformation may not always be instantaneous, but it is dramatic.  As a homeowner, I know how just putting a new coat of paint on the walls changes the very "feel" of the room.  Add a few new splashes of art or even a little better lighting and the transformation is even more dramatic.  The same people dwell in the structure, but the "feel" becomes different as the freshness begins to occur within each "space" in the home.  When Christ comes, he brings the capacity to give us this "freshness" we lacked by having things the "same old way" in our lives for so long.  Even the subtlest change can begin to make us sense tremendous outcomes!

We may have a broken down shanty at first - inviting him in to take up residence within the walls of brokenness we reside within.  In time, he doesn't just whitewash the walls of our brokenness - he takes apart those piecemeal ares and begins to build anew with solid and enduring "material".  If we were to stand back and observe all the work in motion within our lives at any one moment, we might just be surprised at how it all comes together!  As we invited Christ within our lives, we may have been a little ashamed to have to invite such a "person of means" within our crumbling walls of shame, guilt, and despair, but he wasn't put off by the "little" we had to offer in comparison to his "greatness".  He didn't expect us to put out the guest towels, but to give him a permanent place in which to allow a little piece of him to begin to affect one room at a time until all the rooms of our lives are made afresh and anew.

It isn't so much where we dwell, but who we choose as residents within our dwelling.  Just sayin!