Logos

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:1-5)

Did you know the word "Word" (logos) meant more than 'word' in the Greek language. It also carried the idea of divine reason, mind, wisdom, principle, and message. When John uses 'logos' in this passage, he was indicating all things divine were inherent in Christ - none more important than that he brought the message of salvation for all of mankind!

Stop for a moment to consider why John used this form of the word 'logos' to describe Jesus. Perhaps it was because words are what makes up communication - they are what allows the passage of ideas from one person to another. It could be that John's intent was to show us that Jesus is the way that God communicates with mankind. Jesus is that 'go-between' much like words between you and me. He is the mediator between God and us. 

Jesus’ life is God’s way of communicating truth and life to us. If you want to know about God, perhaps the Book of John is a good place to begin. Within its pages, we can actually study Jesus’ life. In essence, John is telling us that Jesus is God’s sermon to us. Studying the book of John is not just about learning of the person of Jesus. It is a direct window into the mind, purposes, and plans of God.

In other words, knowing Jesus (learning from him) is how we come to know our heavenly Father. God's life and character are reflected in all Jesus did and said on this earth. We learn through him. The message is inherent in the person - Jesus. Hear it and believe. Then watch all of heaven open up before you as God reveals himself more and more. Just suggestin...

Empty Vessels

John's gospel records a wedding celebration attended by Jesus, his mother, and a few of his early disciples. You may know the story, but as the celebration went on, the wine ran out. In those days, the host of the celebration would have been devastated to realize they had 'under-planned' for such an event. Weddings were a big deal, with most likely the majority of the community celebrating such an event. So, how did the host 'run out' of wine? We don't know the 'why', but we know he would have suffered great embarrassment if such a thing had of been known to those in attendance. I wonder how many times we have been saved from 'great embarrassment' when our 'wine jugs' ran dry because of our 'under-planning'?

Standing nearby were six stone water jars...each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” (John 2:6-10)

Sometimes we glance over this story of the 'first miracle' of Jesus, but there are some definite truths here that we should likely ponder a bit. First, we see the jars. The jars were empty, but they were readily available. The wine had been stored in some other form of 'wine jugs' or 'flasks'. These were empty water jugs that were used to hold water for 'ceremonial cleansing'. Jesus always uses what is available to him. If we remain available, though we are 'empty' right now, he will use us for his glory. Second, we see the obedience of the servants. It was immediate and without questioning. Availability is one thing - unconditional or unquestioning obedience is another! Jesus asks us for both.

We may not always know what Jesus is about to do in and through us, but when we respond with obedience, we can be assured he will do great things. We may not see what he is doing, as these servants likely did not have any idea the water was about to become wine, but if we are bold enough to do as he says, when he says it, we are positioned to see great things happen! The servants knew they had brought him water - they also saw the reaction of the host when he tasted the 'fine wine'. Imagine carrying a jug of about thirty gallons of water to Jesus, then taking a scooper of it to the host, only to see something 'transformational' happen between the well and the sip! 

Jesus is all about doing 'transformational' thing in us - he is also using us to do 'transformational' things by being living testimonies of his power and grace. How? By taking the steps of obedience he asks. The best for the last - this speaks volumes about HOW God often works in our lives. We see little hints of what he is doing - small changes occurring - but then at some 'end point' we realize how HUGE of a work he has done. Available servants, willing to respond in obedience to the 'weirdest' or 'silliest' of things he might ask will see his glory revealed right in front of them. What was once empty is now filled with much more than we ever imagined possible. Just sayin!

The cost of grace

But the fact is, it was our pains he carried—our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on him, on him. (Isaiah 53:4-6)

As my pastor read this passage from the NIV yesterday, I was reading along in The Message translation and these words just popped out with such meaning. Read them a couple of times, if you will, and see if God doesn't just speak a bit louder to you about the tremendous gift of grace he has given each of us through the finished work of his Son, Jesus. A couple of things really spoke to me:

- It was OUR pains he CARRIED. If the cross wasn't heavy enough, he carried another load to the cross - our pain. All the things which 'disfigure' our lives - more than crooked bones, cancers, and diseases galore - EVERYTHING that 'disfigures' our lives was upon his shoulders. Everything that defiles our lives was taken to the cross. However short or long that journey was for Christ, he bore not only the weight of the timber cross, but the burden of our disfigurement.

- We might have thought we were the ones being punished for our sins, but all that defiled us was put upon him. He bore the TOTAL punishment. Not just physically, but emotionally, and I daresay spiritually, as well. Remember, there was that moment in time when he prayed and it was as though all of heaven was 'closed' to him. He felt alone, isolated, and the pressures of all that 'punishment' was fully upon him. 

- All of us have done our own thing, gone our own way. No matter how good we think we might have been, nothing we have done will ever do what has been done for us already in the work of the cross. EVERYTHING we have done (even those unrealized sins) were placed fully upon him. Stripped, beaten, hurting beyond measure, he bore those things without complaint or anger. Did he want to be out from under the burden? It may come as a surprise to you, but when he asked his heavenly Father if there was any other way, he was maybe facing a bit of fear over what would come next for him. Even our fears were part of his walk to the cross.

We might not realize perfect healing in our physical bodies until we reach heaven's gates, but trust me on this one - we HAVE healing. We may not realize the depth or breadth of our need for a Savior - our 'sin' may not seem that big. We ALL needed that finished work - we ALL can say we deserve way more punishment that we do grace. Grace is a gift, but that gift had a steep price! Just sayin!

It isn't gift wrapped, but it is a good gift!

"Christmas is the spirit of giving without a thought of getting. It is happiness because we see joy in people. It is forgetting self and finding time for others. It is discarding the meaningless and stressing the true values." (Thomas S. Monson) What stress are you under right now just because of 'holiday prep'? So many times, we spend far more time 'prepping' for the meals, gift-giving, and decorating that we forget to spend a little more time with each other just enjoying the time. The true value of Christmas is not in the 'prepping', but in the 'spending' - spending time with those we love.

When the people cry to the Lord for help against those who oppress them, he will send them a savior who will rescue them. (Isaiah 19:20)

Some may even feel as though Christmas is not a very big deal. It is a time for good food, some entertainment, and a load of gift-wrapping being undone in an instant. They miss the meaning of the moment. The gift given all those many years ago isn't appreciated as the 'greatest gift' of all. Jesus hasn't even been invited to their table for the holiday feast. Sadly, many will go through the motions of Christmas and not experience the real purpose of Christmas - the gift of a Savior for all mankind.

This kind of 'celebration' is memorable, for sure, but it is just a bit 'emptier' than God desires. All stand in need of a Savior - even those who don't realize their need quite yet. Let this be the season of gift-giving in your homes - share the gift of Jesus with someone who might not even know to 'cry out' for a Savior yet. Share more than the wrapped packages - share yourself. Let them see Jesus in you in acts of service and kindness. Share yourself with others this season and in so doing, you are likely to be sharing just a bit more of Jesus than you realize. Just sayin!

Learn from the best

Don’t be lured away from him by the latest speculations about him. The grace of Christ is the only good ground for life. Products named after Christ don’t seem to do much for those who buy them. (Hebrews 13:9)

I like the imagery of this passage - "Products named after Christ don't seem to do much for those who buy them." It might speak to each of us about some of the "products named after Christ" we might have bought into over the years. For example, have any of us have been duped into believing something from scripture just because someone else told us it was in scripture? Perhaps we think the adage "God helps those who help themselves" is from scripture - a direct quote of sorts. Have you ever been told this by a well-meaning brother or sister in the Lord? Well, the adage is attributable to Ben Franklin, or even apparent in Aesop's Fables - but not God! Does that one shock you? We find ourselves buying into many "products named after Christ" without really testing them to see if they are indeed the "real deal". The Bereans were given kudos for taking what they were taught, then going home, studying these things over and over again against scripture to see if the teachings were in alignment with scripture. This is something which might just help us not buy into products "about" Christ and draw us nearer to learning directly "from" him!

There is a vast difference between learning "about" someone and learning directly "from" that person. When we learn "about" someone, we are learning things that are closely associated with that individual, but we are not necessarily learning what makes that person "tick" - how they think or move. When we get to learn "from" them, we get to know the original and nothing is quite the same -anything less doesn't quite reach the same level of experience. As it comes to our relationship with Christ, there is a danger of never drawing close enough to recognize the real thing when we see it. As long as we are just learning about Christ from someone else, we get familiar with some of the nuances of his character as they know them, but we don't sense the action of that character within us. When we are learning from Christ, it is most often because we have leaned into him ourselves, heard the beat of his heart, and drawn strength from that nearness. To know about him doesn't help us spot the imitation when it comes, but when we know him ourselves, we can differentiate more accurately between what is "genuine" and what is the cleverly designed "imitation".

Knowing about him opens us up to being lured away by the latest speculations and 'half-truths'. We have to live "in" grace - not just appreciate that grace exists. We have to live "in" Christ - not just appreciate him as a good man, a great teacher, or as a means for us to get into heaven. We need a close, intimate relationship with him in order to learn from him - otherwise we are just learning about him. I have good friends and then I have my best friend. What she knows about me that some of the others don't might not seem significant at first, but the closeness we have developed allows her to tune into my moods, know when I need to talk, and then know when we just need to be quiet together while we enjoy just hanging out. We have learned from each other - not just about each other. We have developed a level of relational intimacy which allows us to understand more than the superficial stuff about each other.

If we can begin to see the value of daily drawing close to Jesus, allowing his Word to penetrate our lives, even if we don't get every little thing we read each time we read it, we will begin to develop the protections we need that keep us from buying into "products named after Christ". In time, the more we expose ourselves to truth, the more truth begins to penetrate the recesses of our minds and thoughts. When we hear or see something that might seem to appeal to our senses, we will be met with the inward warning of that thing just not being truly correct. All falsehood bears some semblance of truth, or we'd never be drawn into believing the falsehood. We learn fully of God's grace in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. We learn of the actions of grace in his life actions - those things he modeled on our behalf. We learn the generosity of grace when we begin to see the sacrifice grace made on our behalf in the person of Christ. We learn "from" Christ - not just about him - building safety into our lives. To keep from being lured into stuff that merely proclaims to be a product which carries the name of Christianity, we have to learn from the one who Christianity is all about! Jesus! Just sayin!

Act - React - There is a difference

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 12:1)

Study how he did it - those are big words, but if we were to truly take them to heart, just imagine where we could be! Nothing standing in our way that we cannot overcome - nothing shutting us down even before we begin. Keep your eyes on Jesus - study how he walked alongside a bunch of people who didn't always model the values he did, what responses he gave when things weren't exactly going his way. There is something powerful in just studying the ways and words of Jesus - it can open our eyes to little ways we can 'adjust' our lives so that we aren't just blazing our own trail in life.

What we will discover most about Jesus is that he never wavered. He never lost sight of the goal - it was always set before him. The cross was his mission - his purpose was to bear upon himself the sins of all mankind - to become the perfect sacrifice for those 'parasitic sins' that seem to cling to each of us. Jesus did more than 'put up with' stuff along the way, though. He actually responded to it - sometimes with silence, at others with words that were kind, but carried a wallop of conviction to the hearer. He knew when to respond - when to just stay still and allow the stillness to do the work that needed to be done.

We might each learn a bit more if we were to just remain still a bit longer. Stillness is probably one of the hardest things for our society today - we just seem to need noise and movement in order to 'meditate' and 'ponder'. I took a short vacation a couple weeks back and it rained and rained. I usually love to get my rod out into the waters a few times on those weeks away, but we only managed to get to the lakeside one day because of all the rain. That time of just sitting there, watching the water, listening to the fish jumping, seeing the joy on the child's face who catches his first fish - those are precious times.

We need 'precious times' with Jesus. We need to be still. In the stillness, we can often see our where our true focus is directed. I am most convicted in the stillness - when I realize just how much 'parasitic sin' I still have clinging to me - how much I have bumbled and stumbled along without really listening to his voice. Learn FROM Jesus how to be LIKE Jesus - this is what is laid out for us today. How? Study how he lived - his words are only a small portion of who he is - we need to study his actions and his reactions. If you haven't really noticed - Jesus seldom reacted - he acted and the world took notice. Just sayin!

Broaden your scope

Do you know the difference between a telescope, a microscope, and a horoscope. Each has a purpose in this world, unique in he power each has to reveal something to us. Many scientists understand the purpose and function of the microscope - while the astronomer has a vast knowledge of the possibilities of the telescope. The man or woman without much hope, grasping for something by which to "predict" their day's outcome might turn to the horoscope, but let me just say this is the one 'scope' that you should not really spend your time focusing on. I did a word search to find out how many words in the English language contain the word "scope". I was surprised to find 108 words! Some are for medical purposes, others for the discovery of movement, still others for the purpose of focusing on distance. There are scopes to predict the presence of electrical current, explore hidden spaces, and even to predict the changes of temperature. What became very apparent to me was that mankind has developed a whole lot of ways of "discovering" stuff once hidden or not easily understood!

You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. (Colossians 2:9)

Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. God is really not afraid for mankind being able to see and hear him clearly. The image we have of God is made complete in beholding his Son - Jesus. All of God is expressed in the life of Jesus - a living, breathing example of the one true God. I think God knows we do better in our "discovery" of what was hidden when we "see" what was previously hidden. We don't need the telescope, nor the microscope, and certainly not the horoscope to recognize the fullness of Christ and the utter emptiness of everything without him. Let that one sink in a little. As we look at the purpose of these three "instruments" of "revelation", maybe we will get to understand what God wants us to 'get'. The telescope is made for the eye. It is an "optical" instrument. With it distant objects appear larger - and by appearing larger, they have an appearance of being "nearer" to us. An astronomer will be quick to point out the two basic types of telescopes: refracting and reflecting. The refracting telescope has an eyepiece and a lens in a long tube of sorts. It is the simplest form of telescopes - allowing us to view the object as nearer by adjusting the series of lenses to bring the object into focus. The reflecting telescope is a little different because it has a mirror which gathers light from the object it is pointed toward. As the lenses are adjusted the object's light being reflected allows the object to appear larger and ultimately nearer. We don't need a telescope to understand God. Why? Maybe because the Son of God, made flesh, is able to do both the "refracting" and "reflecting" of God the Father, so we see him clearer and feel him nearer!

The microscope is also an "optical" instrument - made again for the eye. Perception often begins with the eyes! What does the microscope allow us to do? Isn't it for the purpose of discovering things way to small for us to see with our naked eye? Without the combination of lenses, we could not see clearly what is before us. Yet, it was through the "discovery" of these microscopic things humankind began to understand the mystery of things which actually harm us and keep us from developing as we should. It is through the use of the microscope we find the cure for disease, the hope for a new life free of certain debilitating processes. In considering this, I just have to wonder how many times looking at our life through the eyes of Jesus has brought us to the discovery of things we thought too insignificant to focus upon, but by which we were being slowly destroyed!

The horoscope is really not a "scope". Those into the "alignment of the planets" will use them to "predict" the outcome of some event, or the "predicting" of future events. Now, don't for a moment believe that I am endorsing the practice of astrological predictions! I don't read these and I know scripture clearly warns against putting belief into the "reading of the charts". Here's what I know - God controls the planets, the stars, the moons. He "aligns" all as he orders. Why would I need to study them when I have access to the one who created them all in the first place? I can have the revelation of all things through him - I don't need a "predictor" of my future from some "chart"! I have the predictor of my future in having invited Christ to be the Lord of my life! Human nature seeks answers wherever they "appear" to be available - but God gives us all the sources of answers we need in his Word, through his Holy Spirit, and in applying the teachings of both into our daily lives. Everything else we use to "discover" hidden secrets, or the unknown, is empty compared to the "revelation" that comes directly from the one whose sole purpose is to both reflect and refract the light of heaven into our dark souls. The "discovery" of Jesus - the Son of God made flesh - is the only "discovery tool" we really need! Just sayin!

Hello! It is me again! May I come in?

I remember welcoming my two grandsons into this world, privileged to be at both of their births. The joy was overwhelming, but so was the relief. The relief that my daughter had made it through, that the pain was over, and that she would stabilize her very stressed body. She suffered from high blood pressure, excessive swelling, and lots of health worries just prior to delivering the boys. When we welcome someone, or something that can occur, we are actually expressing a little bit of pleasure in the moment. There will be memories attached to it, but there might also be a little bit of work! Welcoming new life into this world is a lot of work. So is welcoming Jesus into your life! You don't have to 'do the work' of being forgiven for your sins, but you do have a 'lot of work' ahead of you in learning how to make right choices and 'rework' what have become bad patterns or habits in your life! Good news is that we don't do it alone!

It's the word of faith that welcomes God to go to work and set things right for us. This is the core of our preaching. Say the welcoming word to God—"Jesus is my Master"—embracing, body and soul, God's work of doing in us what he did in raising Jesus from the dead. That's it. You're not "doing" anything; you're simply calling out to God, trusting him to do it for you. That's salvation. With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me! (Romans 10:9-10)

The word for our day is "welcome". A word we can use as interjection when one's arrival gives one PLEASURE. This is like saying, "Welcome, stranger!" That is how it is with us when we first "welcome" Jesus into our lives - he is a "stranger" to us at first. His ways are a little foreign to us, his purpose for our lives seems a little like setting out into the unknown, so we welcome him, but as a stranger, not as a familiar member of our lives. Yet, in welcoming him in, there is the infilling of such pleasure that we are overjoyed by his presence. At other times, this borders on a greeting of kindly COURTESY. This is like saying, "Let's give him a warm welcome". There are times I think we treat Jesus this way - kind of formally welcoming him, but not really excited about his arrival or his purpose! We extend the "courtesy" of allowing him access into our daily lives without really much forethought or "end-thought" for that matter. Our relationship with Jesus is quite different when we anticipate the pleasure his presence brings vs. extending him a mere courtesy of access!

There is also the idea of RECEIVING something we will experience in a new or deeper way as we welcome someone or something into our lives. This is like saying, "It was a welcomed time of rest." When we welcome Jesus into our lives, we are welcoming all we will receive at his hands. This means that we welcome (move from mere acquaintance into practical experience) all that he brings our way. It means we give someone the FULL RIGHT to something we hold access to alone. This is like saying, "He is welcome to give it a go." When we welcome Jesus in this manner, we are really telling him that we don't want to give it a try alone! We want him right there, alongside us, helping us with the issue at hand. We "grant" him the right to be in control - to move us from "trying" into actually "experiencing" what it is he has in mind for us.

Last, but not least, there is the negative meaning of welcome that we cannot overlook. This is the idea of an UNWANTED welcome. This is like telling Jesus he has "worn out" his welcome! I hope we are not at that place EVER with our Lord! Yet, I wonder if there are times when we just want to ask him to "leave" for a while - because the "heat" is too hot, the "intensity" is too intense. We may feel that his presence is a little "no longer welcomed" because we really did not count the cost before we stepped into what he asked us to do. It is the "word of faith" that welcomes Jesus to go to work in our lives. I think this is kind of like telling Jesus, "You are welcome to have full access to my life." We are doing more than being "courteous" to Jesus - we are viewing that his work in our lives will ultimately produce "pleasure" beyond our imagining. I have times when I am guilty of welcoming Jesus in a half-hearted manner. I think this is human nature. Thank goodness, I have more times now of welcoming him with eager anticipation. That is the process we refer to as growth - moving from courteous welcoming of Jesus' work in our lives into a place where we are cheerfully embracing his work! So, how have you been welcoming Jesus this week? Just askin!

But you....

Whom have I in heaven but You? I want nothing more on earth, but You. My body and my heart may grow weak, but God is the strength of my heart and all I need forever. (Psalm 73:25-26 NLV) We could ask ourselves this question daily and if we were really, really honest with ourselves and others, we might just admit we have a whole lot of things and people who get in the way of our closeness in relationship with God! We have all manner of media to distract us. We engage in all manner of 'hobby' to fill our downtime. We masterfully add events and meetings into our schedules until we realize we haven't left any time for even a bio-break! The more we ask if we really have the right focus, the more we may discover we don't.

We cannot be afraid of asking, though, for it is oftentimes the point of discovery that sets in motion the change we really need in order to 'right' that focus once again. I know I speak for myself on this one - the more I find myself 'empty' - the more I find my relationship with Jesus has had some 'interrupters'. It isn't that I fall out of relationship with him, but our time together is more superficial instead of deeply meaningful. Our time is rushed and our moments grow less frequent. Have you ever found yourself there? You only need to keep in mind the heart of our psalmist to understand what God is after  ---  that God is our strength, all we need, and nothing makes our heart grow weaker than to be out of that close relationship with him for any length of time.

My mother is 100 and she has lived a long, long life. Her heart is still 'strong' in the sense that she doesn't take a lot of medications to support it, but it is growing weaker by the day. You will notice her slowing her pace, taking more and more time to accomplish even the smallest of tasks, and requiring lots more breaks in between those tasks to 'recover'. Her heart has lost some of the strength it used to possess. A weak heart needs rest - when we see our 'hearts' growing weak, it isn't more we need to pile in as much as it may be less we need to be doing so we have time to recover!

We all need time well spent in times of spiritual rest in order to recover our spirit, regenerate our heart, and bolster our soul. We do well to ask if Jesus is really the strength we seek, or is he something we try to 'pile in' at some point in our day that we just know we need, but don't really give a top priority. We do well to evaluate if he is all we need, or do we live with a Jesus AND.... kind of focus. If it is the Jesus AND.... kind of focus we have had, we might just need to come back to the place we let go of that which has been making our heart weak! Just sayin!

A well dug well

Deep wells are necessary here in Arizona because anything near the surface actually dries up pretty quickly unless it is fed from a very deep and refreshing source. The tendency to water only the surface of our ground actually doesn't promote deeper root systems, but a more superficial rooting. The trees, shrubs, and grasses with only these superficial roots often don't make it for the long haul of summer because they have nothing to draw from when the intensity of heat comes. We want to have deep wells to draw from, as we will face many a circumstance in life that turns the heat up more than a little in our lives.

Knowing what is right is like deep water in the heart; a wise person draws from the well within.
(Proverbs 20:5)

There is a tendency to "over-think" things today. We "work" a solution until it is what some call "fool-proof" and then we might take the steps to put it into action. The problem is that none of us is really all that what we work is sometimes 'proof' we are still a little bit foolish. I find that I am more spontaneous than 'over-working' a solution at times - I like to try something before the idea has a chance to grow mold! Most of the time when I act quickly, I come out all right. There are more than a few occasions though where that spontaneity resulted in the occasional flop, supporting the idea that it wasn't a "fool-proof" plan.

There is a time for planning and I definitely know not every half-baked idea is a good one! I am no fool, although I act the fool on occasion. There is a well that lies deep within that we each can draw from when we need an immediate solution to a problem life deals us - but a well must be found before it can become our source. Whenever we take the steps to do exactly what God has reminded us to do in his Word, we are creating a deeper well to draw from. What are those steps? Glad you asked!

First, we must hide his word in our hearts. That is more than just memorizing chapter and verse. It is allowing the word of God to get deep into the core of our being - through study, meditation, and application of the word. When we need to call upon the lessons we have learned, they will be there as guiding influences. Then we must allow the Holy Spirit to take up residence in our lives. We are given the gift of the Holy Spirit at the point of our saying 'yes' to Jesus in our lives. There is a very distinctive act - a point in time - when we invite him to truly "fill us" to overflowing with his presence. At that point, there is a definite "infilling" of our lives with the power to live for Jesus.
We also must engage with the Holy Spirit to see the fruits produced within that only he has the power to bring forth. Fruit such as affection for others that stems from an attitude that is not simply focused on what WE can get out of the relationship, but is committed to being a blessing in the lives of others. The fruit of the Spirit is evidence of the work of Christ in our lives - evidence of a deep well.

When a believer allows these things to occur, there is a well of "wealth" to draw from when the time arises. We look upon that person and call him "wise" because his every action seems to be "well-planned". In fact, you are probably just witnessing the person living life with lots of "dips into the well" of faith. They have frequented the "well of life" (Jesus) and now they have a "reliable well" to draw from when life hands them challenging moments. Wells require some work, though. They must first be dug in a place where there is hope for the flow of water. That is why we "dig into" Jesus. Then they must be dug deep because the waters that come from deeper down are purer and much more refreshing. They must be accessed - no well serves its purpose if it is just there for "wishing"! Become a "well-digger" today - you will be amazed how many times you will "tap into" the refreshing, reviving, and rejuvenation of the "well of life". Just diggin!

Give me a double portion, please

I saw a post in my social media feed this week which simply read: "Don't look down on anyone. Only God sits that high." There is much wisdom in this advice, my friends! We sometimes try to sit in God's place, don't we? The throne of judgment is reserved seating --- and none of us has what it takes to sit in that seat! Seriously, how many times do we maybe think in our heads (and hearts), "Sheesh, I'd never do something a ridiculous as that?" I know I find myself thinking this other person should "know better" or "have more sense" or "pick another hobby". They are just not doing very well and it is pretty evident, but do I need to be the one to point it out? Probably not.

God is light, and in him there is no darkness. 6 So if we say that we share in life with God, but we continue living in darkness, we are liars, who don’t follow the truth. 7 We should live in the light, where God is. If we live in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood sacrifice of Jesus, God’s Son, washes away every sin and makes us clean. (I John 1:5-7 ERV)

The idea of us all dealing with some measure of darkness in our lives means we might just be cut out of the same cloth! None of us escapes the darkness entirely - we are born into it, live among it, hear about it, observe it, and even engage in it on occasion! We find "darkness" comes in many different sizes and shapes, at various times of the day and night, in ways we don't always recognize, and with such subtlety that it is likely we may not even know it is there until it has fully enveloped us. The reason we cannot sit on that seat of judgment is that we aren't light - God is! He is the one who has "perfect view" of all the facts.

It is the same blood sacrifice we ALL need. It is the same measure of this sacrifice we ALL require in order to remove all evidence of darkness from our lives. This truth is the equalizing force for all of us. None of us is aware of just where the darkness lives within our lives - at least not entirely. We make judgments about our own lives and then suppose it is also "okay" to begin to do the same with the lives of others. The fellowship we "attain" is the one we "maintain" and that isn't going to happen very well as long as we see the measure of grace WE need as different than what others need.

My dear children, I write this letter to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone sins, we have Jesus Christ to help us. He always did what was right, so he is able to defend us before God the Father. Jesus is the way our sins are taken away. And he is the way all people can have their sins taken away too. (I John 2:1-2 ERV) 

What we need more of is this reliance upon Jesus to help us where WE need help - focusing squarely on the truth we ALL need to "better our acts". More of Jesus in us means less of US looking down on others for their mistakes, bumblings, and whatever it is they are "lacking" in their lives. He is the only one capable of defending us against all manner of judgment - because more of him equates to less of us! Just sayin!

WHO not HOW

We certainly find ways to be very narrow minded when it comes to what we believe, don't we?  Don't get me wrong - there are definitely times when we need to be rather "narrow" in our focus, but it is never to be to the exclusion of truth or the denial of another's faith in Christ.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the differences in HOW we worship as congregations that we miss the fact we are worshiping the same GOD!  It isn't HOW - it is WHO!  Three simple letters make all the difference - but only in the arrangement of those letters!  What matters is the doctrine we adhere to as we walk this earth.  If a person claims to be Christian, but then denies the work of the cross, making Jesus nothing more than a great teacher or another of the prophets, then the doctrine is wrong - therefore, the worship is not correct.  If a person fully appreciates the aspects of grace, knowing full-well that the cross of Christ, his life, death, burial and resurrection make it possible for a man to enter into eternal life with God, then their doctrine aligns with scripture.  That same individual might not "worship" in the same way we do, but it doesn't make their "style" of worship wrong.  In fact, there is as much diversity in "style" as there are people on this earth!  What makes worship "right" or "wrong" is WHO we worship - what we do with Jesus!

It doesn’t matter if you are circumcised or not. All that matters is that you are a new person.  If you follow this rule, you will belong to God’s true people. God will treat you with undeserved kindness and will bless you with peace. (Galations 6:15-16 CEV)

It is this matter of being "new" in Christ Jesus which unites all believers - regardless of our "style".  I probably tend to "lean" to the style of worship where I sing out loudly, enjoy the band playing robustly, and even raise my hands to heaven in honor of the one I am singing these worship songs to in the first place.  But...that doesn't make my "style" of worship the "right" one for everyone.  I was raised Catholic, seeing the many changes in the "style" of worship over the years.  We went from the old school Latin masses where no one knew what was being said and everyone was as somber as funeral attendees to the folk mass in which lay leaders strummed guitars and we sang rounds of Kumbaya.  Now, the latter "style" fit my fancy a little closer than the former, but it still pales compared to where I find myself today in worship.  Why?  In those days, I still hadn't connect the "WHO" of worship to the "HOW" of worship. I just liked the beat and tempo of the guitar music and "hip" songs!

I think Paul wants us to remember this important fact - WHO matters more than HOW.  It matters not whether we are "circumcised" - relating to the very traditional and more "staunch" types of worship - or "uncircumcised" - relating to the more non-traditional styles of worship.  What matters is how we are embracing Christ - what we do with his grace! Grace is not to be trivialized, but to be appreciated, celebrated, and given away time and time again.  In turn, we are worshiping God in an attitude of gratitude!  The connection we make with God's grace and how we connect others to his grace is where the true heart of worship is found.  If we don't handle God's grace well, we really aren't connecting others to Christ and this is what God's intent was in extending grace.

There is nothing more "peace-producing" than to have grace be the middle ground for our living.  It is grace which gets us beyond the differences in style - to the point of not being critical of another's principles of worship.  Relationship is challenging enough without muddying the waters with being critical of another's style of worship.  Remember the key here is what another does with Jesus and his grace - if they have a correct biblical perspective of these key factors, then their worship is between them and God - they have nothing to "prove" to us.  

So, our focus is on being new creatures in Christ Jesus. This newness of life (a life based upon grace) is the true measure of worship. Scripture accurately and simply declares, "For it is by God's grace that you have been saved through faith. It is not the result of your own efforts, but God's gift, so that no one can boast about it." (Ephesians 2:8-9 GNT) The gospel message is sure and to be trusted. The good news which gives us a foundation of mutual worship is simply: "God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all: everyone has sinned and is far away from God's saving presence. But by the free gift of God's grace all are put right with him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free." (Romans 3:22-24 GNT)  

So, as we begin to focus more on WHO we worship than on HOW we worship we will be asking this question - what are we revealing in our worship about the grace and gift of Jesus?  If we can honestly say our worship aligns with what scripture says about this, then our worship is fine!  Just sayin!