Holy Spirit

Be

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I know I have a part to play in this thing called faith. I know that the Bible says:

But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16, NLT).

But as strange as it sounds, I looked up the word “be”. There were a number of definitions and uses, but the one that fits its use in the Scripture above would be the same as used in the phrase, “Be careful” or “Be happy”.

The Mirriam-Webster Dictionary says that “be” is used to describe the identity of a person or thing; or used to describe the qualities of a person or thing; or used to describe the condition of a person or thing.

Identity. Qualities. Condition.

Holy.

Because of Christ, my identity is holy. I have been chosen (you have been, too) to be set apart as an instrument of grace, to bring glory and honor to the One who did this for me. I am a child of God. That is my identity. I am BEING holy.

Because of Christ, the Holy Spirit of Christ now dwells within me. I am being transformed from glory to glory into the image of Christ. It is no longer I that live but Christ who lives in me. I am no longer comforming to the pattern of this world but my mind is being renewed (little by little). I have the mind of Christ. If you are a follower of Jesus, you do too! I am not perfect. But I’m not who I used to be. The old is gone and the new has come. Those are my qualities. I have Christ dwelling within me. I am BEING holy.

Because of Christ, I eternally reside in the Kingdom of God. I have a home in heaven that awaits me. It will be glorious, to be sure. But that’s not all. Eternal life happen in the here and now! I am a participant in the divine nature of God! I get to watch God work in me and in the lives around me! No matter what happens to me or the world around me, I know that the Kingdom is unstoppable and unshakeable. No matter what Fox News or any other report says, in spite of the world around us, God’s Kingdom is not in trouble. The ending has been written! It’s victorious, and despite what happens in my world today or tomorrow, I am victorious, too! Unshakeable. That’s my condition. I am BEING holy.

The part I have to play in this journey of faith is to “be.” BE holy. Because of Christ, you and I are.

Good News indeed!

Be still…

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On Saturday, I rode out on my motorcycle to see my friend Dave, who invited me out to a rental property he and his wife, Dawn, own just east of Charlottesville’s airport. It was a beautiful ride on a beautiful Spring day. I took the back roads and arrived mid-afternoon as he was mowing grass as he does every other week.

I took a tour of his property which includes a total of about 20 acres, part of which is open field fronting on the Rivanna River. It was a gorgeous piece of property. He said loves to come out and spend hours on one of his two mowers, normally with his son, Clark, who helps him. He says, “It gives me a chance to be with my son. Sometimes we just sit on a tree stump and talk and enjoy God’s creation.”

Before I left to head home, we hugged, and then there was a pause. A gentle breeze blew through the trees and there was no noise except the sound of the new leaves rustling as breeze traveled through them.

Pastor Brandon did something unusual at church yesterday. After the worship music portion of the service, he explained that silence is a gift from God, and then he had us sit in silence. He said, “This may be the most spiritual thing you do today.” And as I sat there with my head in my hands, at first I heard people getting settled in their seats. But the longer I sat there, my mind shifted from the here and now to that brief moment Saturday as the breeze blew through the trees. As I sat there, I realized that the brief moment of silence with David was a gift of God. It was a moment of His presence… of His grace… of His love. And as I sat there in siilence, His presence again saturated me and, frankly, I began to cry, overwhelmed by His presence and love.

Silence is a gift from God. It helps us separate from the clamour of this world. It allows us to hear that “still, small voice”. It allows us a chance to experience His presence, His grace and His love.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

It’s not easy. It’s awkward and uncomfortable. Pastor Brandon broke the silence by saying, “That half hour you just experienced was three minutes.”

It was the best three minutes of the day. It WAS the most spiritual thing of the day yesterday… and the day before.

An Open Invitation…

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“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! (Isaiah 55:1)

“You made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” — Augustine

How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
They feast on the abundance of your house;
you give them drink from your river of delights.
For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light we see light.
(Psalm 36:7-9)

“…but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (Jesus in John 4:14)

It is an open, endless invitation to FINALLY find what satisfies. There’s nothing you have to do to prepare. You just come with a willing heart.

God will meet you there.

It’s not by accident that you’re reading this.

No matter your status or situation… Just come.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
(Psalm 34:8)

I’m praying for you.

Worth It

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I can still remember where I was on September 11th, 2001, as I’m sure you can. I remember a lot of things about that day: the stunningly beautiful, clear blue cloudless skies, how I discovered it happened, prayer at church at noon, being glued to the radio at work listening, and then, later, the TV watching in horror and disbelief. It was a day that changed the world, to be sure… and that’s an understatement.

I also can still remember my reaction. Folks were debating how the United States should respond. Strike back immediately, carpet-bombing, plan a war, institute sanctions, etc. There were voices coming from everywhere, and I’m sure the choices that then-President George W. Bush made were excruciatingly tough. We know the decisions that were made and events that ensued. But I wasn’t so sure that was right course.

Don’t get me wrong: I am so thankful for our military men and women who serve selflessly to protect our freedom and way of life around the world. Thousands have paid the ultimate price. Thousands more are still paying the price from the wounds they suffered. “Thank you” is not enough.

It is a hard thing to love. It is especially hard to love those who don’t love me back, or who, in fact, hate me back. It is hard to love those who don’t even say, “Thank you.” It is hard to love those who don’t even pay attention to me. I tend to love only those who love me in return, or at least pay attention to me. Maybe it all boils down to the fact that I tend to love only those who think I’m worth something.

That is how loving others begins: by assigning worth to them. The sobering thought is that they (whoever “they” are) are worth as much as I am. That includes the guy standing by the offramp, looking for a handout. That includes the homeless guy up in Washington D.C. asleep on a park bench with a newspaper over his face. That includes the pedophile I heard about on the 6 o’clock news. And that includes those that inflict damage and horror in my life and in others’ lives, either by the words they say, the things they do, or even the bombs they set off.

Jesus thinks they are worth dying for. Jesus thinks I am worth dying for. Jesus thinks you are worth dying for. They are, I am, and you are treasures to Jesus. That is how love and service begins for me: by trying to develop the eyesight of Jesus and seeing the beauty and worth of the lives around me, and then putting that love into action by serving them. Love isn’t love unless it is accompanied by service.

But I can’t do this. I simply can’t. Without God’s help, that is. And I fail at this. Every. Day. I fail. I need more of Jesus.

The world needs more of Jesus.

(il)Logical

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Have you ever had a deja vu? A feeling you’ve been here before or done this before? I’m sure you have. When I have them, which is very infrequently (more when I was younger), it originates from a dream. I have a dream and then weeks, months, or even years later, I am in that very situation. How is that possible? Gift of prophesy? Maybe, but I don’t think so.

For me, I think that when I have a deja vu, I tap into something eternal inside me. I know that sounds crazy and there’s nothing I can do to prove it and there’s nothing Scriptural to back it up. I’ve had deja vus since I was a kid, so it was way before I’ve had a relationship with God, but how else do you explain it?

Friday night, I saw the movie, “Heaven Is For Real.” The main character, played by Greg Kinnear, is a pastor. I won’t spoil the movie for you, but his life, family, and church are turned upside-down as he tries to explain the unexplainable (and unScriptural). Some things are beyond explanation. I can relate, in a very small way.

But isn’t that what faith is all about? Isn’t faith just trusting God when there’s no explanation possible? Faith is beyond words. Faith is beyond human reasoning and logic. Faith is all about surrender and trust… surrendering my need to know everything and my need to figure it all out and my need to explain it all… and then trusting in the One who has it all figured out and the One who will explain it all one day and the One who does know it all (who created human reasoning and logic!).

A couple of verses come to mind as I type:

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1, NIV84)

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12, NIV)

As I posted a couple of days ago, my friend Cindy asked us all on Facebook, “If you had 5 minutes to FaceTime with God, what questions would you ask?” I have loads of questions like, “What’s the purpose of mental retardation, autism, and mental illness?”, for instance. But for now, I’m content not knowing the answers for life’s most pressing questions. And actually, that’s very liberating for me. I don’t have to figure it out.

I will just surrender and trust.

A place where truth resides

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Last night I attended my regular men’s group meeting. I really didn’t want to go. I had a hard day filled with difficult people, deadlines, and non-stop running. I was tired and wanted to just flop on the couch and relax.

I’m so glad I went.

I used to lead a men’s group. When Sharon and I left our long-time church last August, leaving those men behind was frankly, for me, the hardest part of leaving. I miss those guys terribly. I never thought I’d be able to develop a bond with others that I had with those guys. I desperately miss those Monday nights. We could share anything with each other and it was a place where God spoke to each of us. Countless times, God would gently (or not so gently) speak truth into my life as I facilitated the group.

Last night, in my new men’s group at our new church, God spoke truth into my life through the material and through each man as he shared his thoughts, struggles, and his victory. I sat there as one of the guys, sharing and receiving truth.

Do you have a place like that to go? Do you have a place to go and receive truth, other than your normal seat on a Sunday morning? It’s an important question to ask, if you hope to grow… if you hope to receive encouragement and hope… if you hope to receive truth that you otherwise would never receive by reading your Bible at home or by praying in your quiet place or even by sitting in your regular seat on Sunday morning.

Don’t get me wrong. Reading your Bible at home is important — extremely important, and is the main way God speaks to His people today. Going to your prayer closet or quiet place is extremely important. You need to humbly come into God’s presence each and every day. Attending weekly corporate worship with a group of like-minded believers is tremendously important. It is uplifting, encouraging and brings good news into your life and into the lives of those around you (or at least it should).

But we were created for community and it’s in community where God’s grace also flows. A community is a safe place where you are free to be yourself, warts and all. It’s a place where you find love, acceptance, encouragement, and accountability. It’s a place where truth resides.

I miss those Monday night guys so much. But I’ve found a place where truth resides, and believe me when I say it: the truth does set you free! (John 8:32)

Formation for Mission

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I’ve mentioned the three books our church is working its way through many times. I only do so because God used these books to change me: the way I look at myself, the way I look at the things happening around me and my role, and the purpose you I have in the Kingdom.

The church has been on a nine-month journey through…

The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows
The Good and Beautiful Life: Putting on the Character of Christ
The Good and Beautiful Community: Following the Spirit, Extending Grace, Showing Love

The books are designed to help each person focus on spiritual formation, growing in grace, and living out their faith to make an impact on the world around them, even if that world is just their family and the families in their cul-de-sac.

They are not just Bible-studies. They are spiritual formation with a mission.

This should really be the point of growing in Christ. We don’t do it for ourselves. We don’t even do it for God. We do it for the world around us… to be Jesus to the folks around us and bring more into this Unshakeable Kingdom.

Take the next 3:30 to watch this video. It sums it up nicely.