Many true believers in Christ wonder what it means when we read in the scriptures about Christ being the bridegroom and the people of God His bride.
It seems to me that we have to look at it very similar to a man and woman getting married. I don't think we have to be confused about this: it's a love relationship, one where vital union between Christ and His people takes place.
Of course this must become a practical reality, not simply a doctrine or theory. It's a reality for those who believe this and respond to the inner draw of the Spirit of God deep within a believers' soul.
Christ dwells within us by the Spirit. That in and of itself is being the Bridegroom, although His dwelling entails everything pertaining to His life. It begins with the love relationship between God and His people. Everything else springs forth out of that.
What this tells us is we need to quiet ourselves before the Lord in our lives, and allow Him to relate to us as the Bridegroom deep within. It's a wooing, not simply a loud, pushy demonstration that anybody can latch on to in and of themselves. It's real, it's personal, and it's initiated by Christ Himself, for those willing to listen and hear.
As believers, we need to ask the Lord to draw us witin to Him where He dwells within our spirit, and calls us from our souls to look to Him within. That's what Christianity really is: the Spirit of Christ within us, sharing all of Himself and changing us into His image as we allow the practical work of the cross to eliminate our selfishness. That happens in our lifetime on the earth until we leave it.
This is why He said when He speaks to us, it doesn't do much good for those who are always thinking about problems, situations, concerns, loving this world, themselves, among a plethora of other things described by Jesus as that which keeps Him from being centered on in our lives.
Christ as our Bridegroom is within all who believe. The question becomes then who is willing to hear the voice of the Bridegroom within, and share in a fantastic fellowship and intimacy. Not too many are willing to travel this road, as it's a costly pearl where you sell everything to attain it.
Not too many of those naming Christ are willing to pay that price to obtain the pearl of our Groom who is Christ.
The price is the loss of our self in order that He can build Himself within us, and that building comes as He takes up residence as the groom. From that union with His people who He is will gradually be built and the Bride of Christ revealed in the created world, to be seen by all.
Jesus will have a people like this before He returns for them, and the Spirit within us is calling from deep within to share in that with Him; to share His life.
We can't do this at all, it must be Him initiating it, and us responding. Even then we must ask Him to enable and empower us to pursue His wooing, as without Him we can do nothing.
The key to participating in this intimate fellowship with the Lord is ignoring all the outward things that always grab out attention and distract, and quiet our souls and restfully allow Him to share Himself with us.
That's the starting and ending point on our journey to know this great God of ours, who created us for this very reason.
Showing posts with label Christ Lives in us. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ Lives in us. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
The Father's focus from before time, during time, and after time, is Jesus Christ. He has been the purpose of the Father all along.
What does this mean? The Father has poured everything He is into Christ. All that the Father ever had to say has been said in Christ. All He's ever wanted to do has already been done in Christ.
So what does that have to do with the people of God? To be a believer is to have Christ within us. So everything Christ is from the Father, is now living within us.
That's what it means when we are told He is working toward being all in all. He's accomplished that with the cooperation of Jesus Christ, now He's working on extending that into His people.
We've heard that Jesus is the pattern Son, and He is all that, but it's not referring to some outward systematic pattern, but an organic pattern coming forth from who the Father is in Christ.
Let's look for a moment at what it means for God to be all in all as the end passion of the Father's eternal purpose.
We know that God is everywhere, as He fills the created universe and heaven as well. But that's a very general presence, and doesn't have much meaning to His purpose. That's just part of the fact that nothing can contain God ... or so it seems.
But, when God indwells His people, His filling isn't like the way His general presence in the created realms is. His presence there is full of purpose, and that is that everything will gravitate toward and change into the image of His son, whom He's already accomplished His filling in.
What we're talking about here is transformation; a process throughout our lifetimes on the earth where He brings us through many crosses, pressures and situations where He is able to weaken our self-life in order that His life can be worked into us in a way that changes us into His image.
He wants to more than weaken our self life, He wants to obliterate it. But because it'a a process, that takes time. For Christ to be Lord, it means we are to set aside our wishes and desires and let Him fill us with His.
We can do nothing pleasing unto God if we're not doing things from Him. To do things from Him, we must be willing to lose our self-centeredness and become Christ-centered.
We can't be concerned with whether others are doing this, we must be accountable to Christ; it's our responsibility in that.
So the eternal purpose of God is completely worked within Christ, coming from the life of the Father Himself. Now Christ, through the Holy Spirit is doing the same thing, filling us with His life in order to have us be bearers of His image. This is why we're supposed to be lights to this world, as we are to live from the one true light: Jesus Christ.
This can only happen in those who are willing to come to Christ and say there are no holds barred (We give Him permission to do what is needed to be done to accomplish His purpose). In reality, if we have the right start to our lives in Christ, this is in essence what we're saying to Him.
The problem is once He starts working in our lives, we draw back and look more toward outward things because the inner way of Christ isn't an easy one, as our terrible selfishness and self-life comes forth when He works in us, and many fall by the wayside because of what they see.
Consequently they misinterpret what it is Christ is trying to do. They think He's beating them over the head with a big stick, rather than Christ drawing them more toward the center of His light where everything is exposed.
Understand that. God isn't trying to embarrass, humiliate or mock you, He's simply taking His rightful place on the throne of your spirit and soul, and to do that He must eliminate within you that which stands in His way. It's just that at times it's not a pretty process, and you can come to the place where you want to quit. Don't! You're getting close to what He's working on in your life when those times come, so don't give up when you reach the depths of despair. He's got you right where He wants you!
Just surrender to Him over and over again and trust His love for you. You won't make it if you don't. Everything comes from the hand of God, as He allows it all, being completely in control. Just ask the simple question of what He is doing in your life, not so you can understand in the early stages, but so you can cooperate with Him and not fight against the grace of God working in you. Understanding comes later when the process is over, so you can help others that will go through similar things.
Anyhow, that's a small sketch of what it is God had in His heart from before time and creation. He is one who wants to fill all things with Himself, so who He is is seen throughout all the created realms throughout eternity. That's what we're called to. That is to be our purpose as well.
Let me give you one more illustration to help you see this.
What if 10,000 years from now we were still here in the universe, and man started colonizing the planets?
Let's say 100 people are sent as the seed of a new planet to colonize, but none of them are believers. Would the presence of God be on that planet? Would it be part of the eternal purpose of God?
No. The eternal purpose of God through His presence can only happen when a people internalize Him in an intimate fellowship that results in them being changed into His image through a lifetime of transformation.
So while the general presence of God is already everywhere in the created physical universe, the kingdom and will of God isn't, which is what it is He is working toward in a people.
If the kingdom and will of God isn't in a people, then it isn't part of wherever man is, not matter how many bodies are present in a specific place.
That kingom and will of God are only present where His image bearers are. Where they are, there He is. If they aren't, His presence as dictated by His eternal purpose doesn't exist.
Meditate on that as it applies to His people and His church. Think of it in terms of "Christ in you, the hope of glory." He's talking very specific, not general as mentioned above.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Zombie Christians! Zombie Churches!
I want to mention briefly what happens when Christ within us isn't the focus of our lives.
What one of the great tragedies of Christian history has been, is the creating of structures to endure, regardless of whether the life of Christ is active within His people. This is the purpose of these structures: to endure no matter what happens.
An amazing part of this tragedy is the effect it produces. Now you have something claiming to represent Christ which is in fact dead. The horror is that even though it has no life, it walks and talks as if it does. That's what I call zombie churches and Christians.
A number of people even think this is a good development; existing and going on whether the life of Christ is there or not. This is the evil of organization and institutionalism as it relates to the people of God.
To this day the confusion and effect springing out of this zombie existence is a heavy taint on the person of Christ.
This is why whenever we look to see Christ glorified on the earth, it never lasts and eventually people turn it into an organization or stop pursuing Him altogether.
To be "organic" as the people of God, is not a testimony to a certain methodology, but to the fact that there is a current and ongoing, intimate fellowship with Christ within in a corporate manner. Anything else will simply be a horrid zombie; either individually or corporately, that names the name of Christ, but has long been out of intimate fellowship with Him.
By this I'm not saying that any type of denominational or setting in a building is good if the life of Christ is there, what I'm saying is we can throw all that away and still not have anything. We can meet in homes, live in neighborhoods together and enjoy a lot of freedom. But if that isn't coming forth from Christ within, it has no meaning other than changing a physical location or hanging out together.
Being truly organic means nothing less than sharing the fellowship of the Godhead together: both individually and corporately. Anything less is simply doing things as the "walking dead."
In the end, everything in Christ must be experiential. Anything less than that is going through motions that are completely devoid of life, and living off of something that you once or never had.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
I want to mention briefly what happens when Christ within us isn't the focus of our lives.
What one of the great tragedies of Christian history has been, is the creating of structures to endure, regardless of whether the life of Christ is active within His people. This is the purpose of these structures: to endure no matter what happens.
An amazing part of this tragedy is the effect it produces. Now you have something claiming to represent Christ which is in fact dead. The horror is that even though it has no life, it walks and talks as if it does. That's what I call zombie churches and Christians.
A number of people even think this is a good development; existing and going on whether the life of Christ is there or not. This is the evil of organization and institutionalism as it relates to the people of God.
To this day the confusion and effect springing out of this zombie existence is a heavy taint on the person of Christ.
This is why whenever we look to see Christ glorified on the earth, it never lasts and eventually people turn it into an organization or stop pursuing Him altogether.
To be "organic" as the people of God, is not a testimony to a certain methodology, but to the fact that there is a current and ongoing, intimate fellowship with Christ within in a corporate manner. Anything else will simply be a horrid zombie; either individually or corporately, that names the name of Christ, but has long been out of intimate fellowship with Him.
By this I'm not saying that any type of denominational or setting in a building is good if the life of Christ is there, what I'm saying is we can throw all that away and still not have anything. We can meet in homes, live in neighborhoods together and enjoy a lot of freedom. But if that isn't coming forth from Christ within, it has no meaning other than changing a physical location or hanging out together.
Being truly organic means nothing less than sharing the fellowship of the Godhead together: both individually and corporately. Anything less is simply doing things as the "walking dead."
In the end, everything in Christ must be experiential. Anything less than that is going through motions that are completely devoid of life, and living off of something that you once or never had.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
This post we'll go a little deeper into understanding what it was that has so moved God's heart throughout eternity.
When God created, it came from something within Him that couldn't be denied: His love. There was no way that there could ever not be a creation, because the love of God demanded He share it beyond the Godhead. That is the impetus behind the creation.
So when Adam and Eve arrived on the scene, even though they literally saw and interacted with God, they never received the most important thing they could have: the life of Christ within. Most believers don't understand that it was the motivating purpose behind everything God meant for mankind, and specifically for those who believe in Him.
What's amazing about the time of the disciples when walking with Jesus on earth, was even after all that time, and even when He was resurrected and appeared and talked to them for a period of time, they still didn't have what Christ was fully after.
What was it? The spirit of God living within them. That's why Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit to come into them.
See, just like Adam and Eve, it wasn't enough to walk with God where you would even see Him with your physical eyes. That's never enough, and as Jesus pointed out, neither was it for those who physically saw Him on earth.
That's the importance of John, who beyond all others, saw that there was a life in Jesus that defied anything on earth (Paul saw this clearly too, but I'm referring to original disciples). It's why when you read his account of Jesus, it's goes beyond the simply earthly Jesus to the intimate union between the Father and Son, with the life of the Father living in Jesus.
John saw that life and expressed it so uniquely in the gospel he wrote.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
When God created, it came from something within Him that couldn't be denied: His love. There was no way that there could ever not be a creation, because the love of God demanded He share it beyond the Godhead. That is the impetus behind the creation.
So when Adam and Eve arrived on the scene, even though they literally saw and interacted with God, they never received the most important thing they could have: the life of Christ within. Most believers don't understand that it was the motivating purpose behind everything God meant for mankind, and specifically for those who believe in Him.
What's amazing about the time of the disciples when walking with Jesus on earth, was even after all that time, and even when He was resurrected and appeared and talked to them for a period of time, they still didn't have what Christ was fully after.
What was it? The spirit of God living within them. That's why Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Spirit to come into them.
See, just like Adam and Eve, it wasn't enough to walk with God where you would even see Him with your physical eyes. That's never enough, and as Jesus pointed out, neither was it for those who physically saw Him on earth.
That's the importance of John, who beyond all others, saw that there was a life in Jesus that defied anything on earth (Paul saw this clearly too, but I'm referring to original disciples). It's why when you read his account of Jesus, it's goes beyond the simply earthly Jesus to the intimate union between the Father and Son, with the life of the Father living in Jesus.
John saw that life and expressed it so uniquely in the gospel he wrote.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
a
Monday, August 25, 2008
The work (fruit) of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, . My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Isaiah 32: 17-18).
The work or fruit of righteousness is peace. That peace is a work within us, as our soul lines up with our spirit which is in fellowship directly with Christ.
This is part of what is meant when Jesus told us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. When we throw all of who we are onto Christ, who dwells within us, we are working toward a place of quietness of the soul, and a resting place where we cease from our own labors.
That's the end of the pursuit of the righteousness of Christ. We rest in Him and His work, and labor only as we see Him labor, and speak only what we hear Him speak.
Jesus lived this way throughout His life on earth, submitting His purpose and soul unto the Father.
Our major job in this life is to learn to rest in Christ within, allowing the cross to destroy our self-centered lives so we may live our lives unto Him; or rather, allow His life to live in us. We are to live by His life after all.
While this is simple to understand, it takes a lifetime of pursuit to accomplish. Our souls have become so over-stimulated and strong that we need to ask the Lord to weaken it through the work of the cross in us so we even have the desire to pursue this way of life.
Jesus did this His entire life on earth, not only when He was in public ministry. This is why the Father was "well pleased" with Him when He was identified by John the Baptist and emerged out of the water of baptism, before He did anything related to what we consider ministry.
The Father was pleased with Him before He did anything publicly, because Jesus simply lived out His life in union with the Father in His spirit within Him.
They didn't suddenly become closer because Jesus went public, they were close during His entire life on earth. He quietly spent His life fellowshipping with the Father, and kept doing it even when He became busy.
Dwelling in union with Christ in us is the peaceful habitation and quiet resting place referred to by Isaiah. While we need to learn to do this individually, it's primarily related to the church, which will become a peaceful resting place when we learn to deny ourselves and think of each other more important than ourselves.
The reason there is so much turmoil in the church is because people don't embrace the cross and allow it to demolish their old man and self so that the life of Christ may be formed within them, and ultimately flow out to others as the river of life.
First we must individually embrace the cross, and then connect to others looking to travel the same journey. If we don't embrace the cross, all the talk of the organic church or non-institutional church will be meaningless, as the self-life will always end up destroying the work of God He attempts to give birth to.
Only a people who are willing to have their self-life weakened and destroyed will be able to enter into peaceful habitations; within themselves or with their brothers and sisters.
The work or fruit of righteousness is peace. That peace is a work within us, as our soul lines up with our spirit which is in fellowship directly with Christ.
This is part of what is meant when Jesus told us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. When we throw all of who we are onto Christ, who dwells within us, we are working toward a place of quietness of the soul, and a resting place where we cease from our own labors.
That's the end of the pursuit of the righteousness of Christ. We rest in Him and His work, and labor only as we see Him labor, and speak only what we hear Him speak.
Jesus lived this way throughout His life on earth, submitting His purpose and soul unto the Father.
Our major job in this life is to learn to rest in Christ within, allowing the cross to destroy our self-centered lives so we may live our lives unto Him; or rather, allow His life to live in us. We are to live by His life after all.
While this is simple to understand, it takes a lifetime of pursuit to accomplish. Our souls have become so over-stimulated and strong that we need to ask the Lord to weaken it through the work of the cross in us so we even have the desire to pursue this way of life.
Jesus did this His entire life on earth, not only when He was in public ministry. This is why the Father was "well pleased" with Him when He was identified by John the Baptist and emerged out of the water of baptism, before He did anything related to what we consider ministry.
The Father was pleased with Him before He did anything publicly, because Jesus simply lived out His life in union with the Father in His spirit within Him.
They didn't suddenly become closer because Jesus went public, they were close during His entire life on earth. He quietly spent His life fellowshipping with the Father, and kept doing it even when He became busy.
Dwelling in union with Christ in us is the peaceful habitation and quiet resting place referred to by Isaiah. While we need to learn to do this individually, it's primarily related to the church, which will become a peaceful resting place when we learn to deny ourselves and think of each other more important than ourselves.
The reason there is so much turmoil in the church is because people don't embrace the cross and allow it to demolish their old man and self so that the life of Christ may be formed within them, and ultimately flow out to others as the river of life.
First we must individually embrace the cross, and then connect to others looking to travel the same journey. If we don't embrace the cross, all the talk of the organic church or non-institutional church will be meaningless, as the self-life will always end up destroying the work of God He attempts to give birth to.
Only a people who are willing to have their self-life weakened and destroyed will be able to enter into peaceful habitations; within themselves or with their brothers and sisters.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A number of people I've communicated with through the years have misunderstood what it means to walk in the presence of the Lord. I thought I'd take a moment and help give some understanding and insight into this so we can know better what it is this means.
First of all, let's talk about the presence of the Lord from a couple different areas. You have the general presence of the Lord, which fills the universe, and which the created universe can't hold; even the heavens of heavens. That talks about a general presence where God is everywhere because nothing created can hold Him.
Second, there's the much more important specific presence of God, which dwells within those who have received Christ as their Lord and Savior. That presence dwells within us with a very stated purpose: filling us with Christ. But it isn't a general filling, where God is there because of his endless, eternal makeup, rather He's there so His life can inhabit us in a complete way.
Taking up residence within our spirit, God then begins to work His presence within us through the cross so that He doesn't simply inhabit us, but changes us into His very image.
Eventually, His eternal purpose of filling everything with Himself will be fulfilled, as His people embrace union with Him and change from glory to glory through the many trials and struggles of life.
So while the presence of Christ within us definitely is a tremendous blessing and closeness, at the same time His dwelling within us is so He can have pre-eminence and the two will become one. Essentially that's what it means for the church to exist, to be a visible testimony of the invisible Lord.
For that to happen we must open our hearts to Him in faith so He can rule the kingdom of our hearts.
All of us who truly believe have the life of Christ within us, but very few are willing to walk the difficult path that will destroy our self life in order for the life of Christ to be manifest. The work of the cross is the tool used by God to bring this about, but most aren't able or willing to embrace that effective, destructive tool in order that the perfume of Christ can be released from these human vessels.
This is why God continually calls a people to walk in this way, as there aren't many able to walk this walk individually. It's also his ultimate will and purpose that a people exist that show forth who Christ is; not simply an individual.
While we all need to embrace this way as individuals, it's to be expressed and displayed in a corporate people. In the end, that's the reason God created and the purpose for being called out of all the nations to Christ. That's what the church is, a people called out of this world into a higher life and world, which, corporately, is to be brought from a higher realm to this one.
It all happens in the hearts of a people sincere and serious about walking in union with Christ.
First of all, let's talk about the presence of the Lord from a couple different areas. You have the general presence of the Lord, which fills the universe, and which the created universe can't hold; even the heavens of heavens. That talks about a general presence where God is everywhere because nothing created can hold Him.
Second, there's the much more important specific presence of God, which dwells within those who have received Christ as their Lord and Savior. That presence dwells within us with a very stated purpose: filling us with Christ. But it isn't a general filling, where God is there because of his endless, eternal makeup, rather He's there so His life can inhabit us in a complete way.
Taking up residence within our spirit, God then begins to work His presence within us through the cross so that He doesn't simply inhabit us, but changes us into His very image.
Eventually, His eternal purpose of filling everything with Himself will be fulfilled, as His people embrace union with Him and change from glory to glory through the many trials and struggles of life.
So while the presence of Christ within us definitely is a tremendous blessing and closeness, at the same time His dwelling within us is so He can have pre-eminence and the two will become one. Essentially that's what it means for the church to exist, to be a visible testimony of the invisible Lord.
For that to happen we must open our hearts to Him in faith so He can rule the kingdom of our hearts.
All of us who truly believe have the life of Christ within us, but very few are willing to walk the difficult path that will destroy our self life in order for the life of Christ to be manifest. The work of the cross is the tool used by God to bring this about, but most aren't able or willing to embrace that effective, destructive tool in order that the perfume of Christ can be released from these human vessels.
This is why God continually calls a people to walk in this way, as there aren't many able to walk this walk individually. It's also his ultimate will and purpose that a people exist that show forth who Christ is; not simply an individual.
While we all need to embrace this way as individuals, it's to be expressed and displayed in a corporate people. In the end, that's the reason God created and the purpose for being called out of all the nations to Christ. That's what the church is, a people called out of this world into a higher life and world, which, corporately, is to be brought from a higher realm to this one.
It all happens in the hearts of a people sincere and serious about walking in union with Christ.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
In continuing on with our look at Jesus as the Tree of Life, I want to start off this time with the comment thousands of years ago by Soloman that there is "nothing new under the sun."
Taking that insight and applying it to Christ as the Tree of Life, I want to show some of the simplicity of this as it relates to the church.
Our walk with the Lord within, while it may be new to us, as far as experience goes, is not new at all, from the point of view of the Godhead. They have been walking this eternally.
What this means is we are partaking within of His existing experience and living it out among one another.
One easy to understand concept we can embrace and practice as the church, is to comprehend that much of we do when we practice our Christianity, or Christ-centeredness (which is what Christian means), is repeating how the Godhead has lived together before time.
So when we share with one another what it is Jesus is doing through our current circumstances or revealing to us, is more than anything else, reminding one another of what has happened throughout the existence of God.
The practical outworking, is that when we share, much of it is to remind one another of who He is, and help one another to learn more of who He has always been.
In other words, we do more reminding when we talk and share life together, than anything else. As a matter of fact, as we grow in Him, it simply becomes His life emerging out of us toward and into one another.
The reason this has become complicated isn't the only the unbibical way people meet and the whole pagan structure and practice, but many times even when people start to see the organic, they tend to share the things they've learned in schools or colleges, especially related to philosophy and related courses that are diametrically opposite of who Christ really is.
It's nothing other than the old alternative tree of the knowledge of good and evil being consumed.
So we again get the mixture that always weakens and ultimately destroys the testimony of Christ in His people.
Remember, Christ is writing His story within us, so ultimately people will be able to read us as a letter from God. That's why Paul one time said "you are my letter," referring to the church.
In the end, that's the overall purpose of Christ as the Tree of Life, to be eaten and internalized, so what is within will be shown without and read by all men.
Jesus Christ: The Tree of Life Series
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
a
Taking that insight and applying it to Christ as the Tree of Life, I want to show some of the simplicity of this as it relates to the church.
Our walk with the Lord within, while it may be new to us, as far as experience goes, is not new at all, from the point of view of the Godhead. They have been walking this eternally.
What this means is we are partaking within of His existing experience and living it out among one another.
One easy to understand concept we can embrace and practice as the church, is to comprehend that much of we do when we practice our Christianity, or Christ-centeredness (which is what Christian means), is repeating how the Godhead has lived together before time.
So when we share with one another what it is Jesus is doing through our current circumstances or revealing to us, is more than anything else, reminding one another of what has happened throughout the existence of God.
The practical outworking, is that when we share, much of it is to remind one another of who He is, and help one another to learn more of who He has always been.
In other words, we do more reminding when we talk and share life together, than anything else. As a matter of fact, as we grow in Him, it simply becomes His life emerging out of us toward and into one another.
The reason this has become complicated isn't the only the unbibical way people meet and the whole pagan structure and practice, but many times even when people start to see the organic, they tend to share the things they've learned in schools or colleges, especially related to philosophy and related courses that are diametrically opposite of who Christ really is.
It's nothing other than the old alternative tree of the knowledge of good and evil being consumed.
So we again get the mixture that always weakens and ultimately destroys the testimony of Christ in His people.
Remember, Christ is writing His story within us, so ultimately people will be able to read us as a letter from God. That's why Paul one time said "you are my letter," referring to the church.
In the end, that's the overall purpose of Christ as the Tree of Life, to be eaten and internalized, so what is within will be shown without and read by all men.
Jesus Christ: The Tree of Life Series
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6
a
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Talking about his inner core group of disciples one time, Jesus in prayer to the Father said they weren't of this world, just like He and the Father weren't of this world.
This is an extraordinary statement talking about His people and who they were to be.
Many people professing Christ don't want to face this conclusion of Jesus about those that had surrounded Him when he was physically on the earth, because the implications are devastating to those that love this world.
We are a people called to be in this world, but not of this world. We are to live from a life totally contrary to the way this world functions and what its endless fears and concerns are.
One thing that may shock people was Jesus never moved based on need, only on the word and actions of His Father. If He heard it from the Father, or saw the Father doing it, Jesus would do it. If not, He would say or do nothing unless it was the Father saying or doing it in Him.
Jesus went so far as to say without the Father He could do nothing. Nothing means what it says. That's the life we are also called to live while on this earth.
A major problem Christianity faces today is they are intimidated by the world and its ranting against the Lord and His Christ, to the point where they are trying to please the world and prove something to them. We aren't called to that as a purpose, and we aren't called to please this world.
The only thing Jesus says is they'll know we are of Him because of the love we have for one another.
But we don't love one another to prove it or to please the world, we do it because it's what Christ and the Father are. They are love. The love we then organically express to one another is seen as being from God. We simply don't pay attention to that seeing. When the Father wants the love we have for one another to be seen by the world, He'll make sure it's seen.
For us we simply live our lives quietly and peaceably on the earth, like we're called to do. The world will take true notice of a people that live life from another world than their own. They won't notice or care about those that name the name of Christ and yet are just like them. We are called to a higher calling than that.
Only Christ can do this as we hold to Him as our head within us. It's not something we can make happen.
Don't be afraid to be different than what this world is, we don't live from the same source they do. We are not to be of this world - and we aren't. We live from another life source that doesn't originate here. We need to cooperate and allow the Lord Jesus to live his life in us.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
One of the problems of talking about what has become called “Mysticism” is that people tend to immediately assume that it concerns something that cannot be known by the everyday believer in Christ. The word itself implies something that is hidden and almost impossible to comprehend. While I think that the word is an unfortunate one in reference to what we are going to discuss, it is the one that has been used throughout the centuries, so we will use it for our purposes and bring the mystery out of it.
What has been called mysticism is nothing more than believers throughout history that have been dissatisfied with their walk with the Lord, and as a result begin a pursuit of Him that brings them into deeper union and closeness and intimacy with their Lord.
While this is simplicity in itself, it also leads into the endless depths that exist in Jesus Christ.
The great purpose of God is that He wanted to share the fellowship of the Godhead with man that He created in His image. That was the great motivating factor that resulted in creation of man. Because God is love, it was impossible to keep His greatness and love to Himself. The problem is that most Christians have no idea that we can enter into this fellowship on a consistent, non-stop basis.
This is the great goal of what has been labeled mysticism; to learn to dwell in the presence of God endlessly no matter where you are or what you are doing in life.
It is here that everything dims before the majesty and unspeakable greatness of Christ. It is here that all things melt before His presence as we walk in fellowship with Him.
And as we dwell in His presence, we truly learn to grow from glory to glory, changed as we simply center our beings in Him and as Jesus gave us by example: to do what the Father did and speak what the Father spoke and share in that together.
When we truly hunger after this privilege we have been offered from God, we will realize that heaven truly has come to the earth in the presence of Christ; both individiually and corporately.
In the area of communion with Christ and close experiential union in our relationship with Him, there arises an important issue that must be addressed that affects all of us that know Christ. I call it the “great disconnect.”
What do I mean by that?
For example, let’s look at the testimony of Jesus concerning the religious leaders when He was upon the earth. He exhorts the crowd that unless their righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees, they wouldn’t enter the kingdom of God. This is a disconnect. The Pharisees intellectually knew the right things to say - Jesus Himself tells the crowds to do what they say but not to do what they do – yet He rips into their hypocrisy.
In the area of union with Christ and knowing God, we have developed this same unfortunate lifestyle. We read about it, yet we never enter into it. I don’t care how much you may know what the scriptures teach, you must then do what it says. In the case of entering into an in-depth, continuous fellowship with Christ, we are exhorted to do it but don’t enter into it. This is a disconnect.
The great majority of us don’t even comprehend that there is this fantastic desire by God to be in continual communion with us.
In truth, He is of course always with us. Yet we don’t participate in this constant reality. Rather we are content to take an occasional moment to say a little prayer or spend a little time with Him. This is far from what He truly desires for us.
When Jesus was on the earth, He revealed to us that He never did anything without the Father’s okay; neither did He speak anything unless the Father spoke it. This necessitated a continual union and awareness of the Father to be able to know what His will was at any given moment. This was given to us as an example of how we are to live.
Remember the scripture that speaks to us of praying without ceasing? This involves the same concept in reference to God’s expectations of us. This prayer is obviously speaking of moment by moment awareness of the presence of God with us. How else can we follow the example that Jesus set before us to live in?
In another place Jesus tells us about what eternal life really is. He reveals that eternal life is knowing the Father and His son Jesus Christ. That was the entire purpose of Jesus coming to earth that we may once again enter into this fellowship with Him unhindered and through the veil that He opened up for us again into the presence of the Father.
That’s why at His death the veil rent in two. Access to the Father through Christ was now available to all those who believed on Jesus. We have no need of intermediaries, for all of us are to know Him from the least to the greatest.
The problem is that all of this sounds good except very few enter into this on a continuous basis. This is the greatest disconnect of all. One of Paul’s great prayers was that he might know Him. This was an experiential cry, not a desire to have some intellectual understanding of Christ. Again, even the Pharisees had that. That’s why we are even told that even the demons believe. That doesn’t do them any good.
We must hunger to cross the threshold into this fantastic purpose and offer of God to enter into this extraordinary union with Him.
It’s unfortunate that history has labeled this purpose and desire as “mysticism.” It attempts to make those who pursue this as weird or strange and not right in some way. The truth is that this is the hunger of God’s heart from before time to have a people to be in union and intimacy with. To say that this is to be replaced by some type of special person hearing or relating to God on your behalf has been devastating to the church for centuries.
This is the age of the reality that is in Christ. We no longer relate to types or symbols or any intermediary between God and man except for Jesus Christ. He is no respecter of persons and He will gladly encircle you with His presence and union if you simply ask Him.
To not do this is the greatest disconnect of all.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
That God may be all in all
That we may all know Him
Comprehend that eternal life is knowing the Father and the Son
All may know Him from the least to the greatest
We may know whom we believe in
That we learn Christ
We would know all that matters is that we're with Him together
We no longer live, but Christ lives in us
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