Old and New

(Rev. 21:5, Luke 9:51-56, 2 Cor. 3:4-18)

“Behold I make all things new,” says the One who sits on the throne.  Those are words Jesus Christ spoke to John when he was still in exile on Patmos.  John’s new thing would include release from the island and more peaceful days in Ephesus.  At that moment did he even think he might be released?  Tradition tells us he lived with Mary in a house in Ephesus, fulfilling one of his commissions from the Lord, to care for her.  Simply being present can be a powerful expression of love.  So John was present with Mary.

We do well to stop and think about the real context of Jesus’ days upon the earth, rather than only our theological concepts.  Jesus days were real, they were raw.  For many of us, our walk with Him has been so.  We should be grateful for those who have grown up in godly atmospheres and choose to serve His people.  They step into the raw and help clean up messes.  If we walk in compassion as Jesus did, we are positioned to participate to truly help.  The greatest help comes in cooperation with the Spirit.  By the Spirit, Christ Jesus, enters the scene through one of His own and makes something raw, new and beautiful.  We may find that the most beautiful expressions of love can look very raw.  Think of the cross.

We are learning to live and walk and serve by the Spirit.  Ministering a healing, a miracle, is an example of serving.  When we think we have done a work of power, may the Lord humble us so we let go of the glory.  We see works of power, healings done through Elijah and Elisha.  Other prophets were mainly messengers.  I appreciate messages and songs that note the power displayed through Elijah and honor the spirit of Elijah.  Yet, I want to be filled with the Spirit of Christ.  I would never speak critically of Elijah.  He was an awesome man of God.  The disciples referred to him when they were ready to call down fire on a city that did not receive Jesus.  Our Lord Jesus responded that they did not know what spirit they were of.  He came to save lives, to make all things new not to destroy.

We tend to wander back into the law and prophets but they cannot bring life or make things new.  Of course, we find a revelation of Christ in the law and prophets.  However, the new covenant has replaced, and is replacing, the old.  Nothing new and life giving is found in it.  It points us to Christ Jesus who is the life giver.  The law itself, written in stone, is a minister of death.  It shows us we are dead and need a savior, One who gives us never ending life, by the Spirit.  We need to press into Him, alone.  Paul waits to be executed and writes to the Philippians that he has suffered the loss of all things regarding his natural and religious life.  He looks to be found in Christ having no (that means zero) righteousness of his own, which is from the law.  By this he means the entire law.  I have read the law, that which Moses wrote or dictated to scribes.  It all moves us to the One, to Christ Jesus, in whom all righteousness is fulfilled.  He summed it all in loving one another, preferring one another.  Who loves like Jesus loves?

Love is the fulfillment of the law.  The law drives us to the throne of grace where we find mercy and grace.  It is His life in us that enables us to love.  May we increase in love.  Pursue love and earnestly desire, seek after spiritual gifts.  Those gifts are the impartations of the Spirit of Christ.  The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is the author of every new thing.  He is the Creator.  He is the life giver.  He is the teacher of all truth.  He brings to mind the words of Christ and reveals Him in greater and greater measure.  Then newness will spring forth from our innermost beings.  Then we are changed.  The new comes and old things pass away.  They will be remembered no more.  That is the victory, the life that God has promised and gives.  Receive His grace today.

The Preeminence of Christ

(Eph. 1:17-23, 4:10, Rom. 14:17, Dan. 10:4-10)

I have recently heard the phrase of the title mentioned by two different followers of Christ.  I would first remind us that Jesus is the Christ.  I write this because I hear some cast the Christ apart from the man Jesus, or add some other distortion to His person.  I have heard it said that He is a mystery and a marvel and I appreciate that simple statement.  I think it is a great way to express the truth.  It is a mystery that God took on human flesh.  Let us not be distracted by words and our inability to comprehend the wisdom and love of God to display his immeasurable love by sending His Son.  He left heaven yet was always aware of His Father’s presence with Him.  We could continue sharing about His time on earth among mankind but most important that we grow in knowing Him as He is today.

God has highly exalted Him, this man Jesus, and given Him a place and a name above every name and authority.  No one compares to Him.  We are called to make Him our Lord, but I have found that I first simply acknowledge that He is Lord.  He alone is worthy to rule.  And I am wise enough to know that I must receive His Spirit, be filled up continually with that Holy Spirit, and let down my resistance to His working in my life.  By the Spirit, His kingdom, His rule, is expressed in and through us.  The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.  His lordship is made known in and through us by the Spirit.

Some among His people are concerned about an increased emphasis of the Spirit in our day.  The real problem throughout the church has been our own doubts and fears of things getting out of control.  The Corinthians were out of control because they were dealing with their earthly, carnal natures.  It takes time for us to grow.  Patience with those under our spiritual care is critical to an atmosphere of grace.  But we must never allow the deception that we can continue as we came and not grow.  The letter to the Romans acknowledges that some are still practicing corrupt lifestyles.  Paul took the time to teach them and bring them to Romans 12.  He beseeches them to present their bodies a living sacrifice.  That word, beseech, is a strong word.  Dictionary meanings include to beg earnestly or urgently.  We could say implore.  Paul’s heart was in it.  The Spirit is patient yet earnestly after us.  He pursues our hearts relentlessly.

Why this pursuit?  The Spirit is after Christ’s bride.  She must be clean, spotless, without wrinkles.  We might despair and say, it’s not possible.  Remember the thief on the cross.  He is welcomed into Paradise.  It can take a lifetime to be truly clean.  We want to bypass the work of the cross.  We all want to avoid pain.  We must each know Him for ourselves.  No other way can be found.  He is a personal savior, and He is the savior of His body.  He is the preeminent Bridegroom.  He, by the Spirit is perfecting us together.  May we submit to Him and one another along the way.

He has provided one way to be perfected, to mature.  Beholding Him we are changed.  We do learn some things through counseling and wisdom through others.  Ultimately the only change comes in the secret place, shut in and seeing Him, the One who is seated on the mercy seat.  It will expose our weakness and any dark corner in our hearts.  Daniel saw Him in His glory.  His life was committed to the Living God so that he was ready for the vision he had.  He wrote that no strength remained in him and he repeated that thought.  The Spirit made it clear that Daniel was emptied.  Daniel wrote his goodness was turned into corruption and he was in a deep sleep on his face.  It took a touch from God and a moment of trembling to restore Daniel. The call remains to seek His face.  That call is repeated throughout the Bible.  He alone is worthy of our attention.  He is glorious.  He alone sits far above all rule and authority.  He is worthy of our lives.  And His perfect love casts out fear.

Pursuit

(Song of Songs 1:4, Ps 34:14. Rom 14:19, 2 Tim.2:22, Heb. 12:14, 1 Pet. 3:11, 1 Cor. 13-14:1)

I looked at Webster’s definition of pursuit and was disappointed in that the tone conjured bad thoughts.  It included capturing and killing, like a hunt.  The Lord wants to capture us for love.  Paul wrote that he was a prisoner of the Lord but he had been captured by the lover of our souls.  To His people, the Lord said through His prophet, that as a young man marries a virgin, so shall the Lord marry you.  That is a beautiful intimacy that our heavenly bridegroom is after.  Yes it is spiritual and includes a lifelong pursuit by the relentless love of God.

We can consider the love of a man and a woman.  A man falls in love and pursues a woman.  They marry.  Natural love.  We read of it in Song of Songs.  It is allegorical and represents the Lord and His church, His bride.  We know the Lord is after something deeper and higher.  The Lord Jesus came on a heavenly mission.  One picture of the end of this age is called the marriage supper of the Lamb.  It is a time of unparalleled joy.

While that unspeakable joy remains for us, we now are in the time of pursuit.  What do we pursue?  First, we see He continually pursues us.  Pursuit is a matter of passionate, heart intensity.  It is compared to a fire.  Fire, once loosed cannot be easily contained.  His Spirit knows how to regulate the flame.  We learn to steward the gift of God in us.  And as the Shulamite (His bride) called to be drawn away, we are called to pursue our Bridegroom as He even pursues us.  What happens when they meet!  May we maintain a single eye, like the dove’s eye.  His eye is single toward us.  May we return such a gaze.

As we look through the referenced passages where we see the call to pursue, they each refer to peace.  When earthly relationships break down, emotions can get raw.  Bitterness is often exposed.  Thank God for His Spirit which helps us to release the pain and bitterness and find grace to forgive.  He brings a comfort which restores our souls and we can maintain peace in the storm.  Pursue peace with all.  And pursue righteousness and sanctification.  Isaiah wrote for us that His kingdom (government) will increase without end and that peace will accompany it.  Maintaining peace is a challenge.  Peace includes His rule, His reign over our hearts.  In Psalm 85, we read that righteousness and peace have kissed.  There we find His kingdom.

What do we pursue?  The question repeats.  Many necessities compete for our time and attention.  Hopefully, the longer we go on, we see our hearts change.  Our pursuits change.  Some seek wisdom, some adventure, some experience, some material things.  The list could continue.  The Living God calls and says, “Seek my face.”  Pursue Me as I pursue you.  Read all of the references and search their context.  How do we spend our time and energy?  First, I have learned to get quiet and receive His peace, the Lord’s presence.  We open up to Him, the One who loves us like no other.

Trouble comes.  Jesus said it would.  To those who are disciples, He said be of good cheer.  Disciples are followers, they are pursuers in that sense.  It makes me think our pursuit must be aligned with our following His lead.  Our efforts apart from Him lead to frustration but that turns us right back to Him.  We need never despair but hope in Him.  Our pursuit includes valleys and climbing mountains.  We find He has been pursuing us all along.

Pursue love, Paul writes at the start of 1 Cor. 14.  We should ignore chapter breaks.  He has clarified the meaning of agape, that deepest, purest love.  Our pursuit includes maintaining it in all our relationships.  That may be the greatest challenge of our lives.  It is not the only thing but the highest.  It remains alongside faith and hope.  It has companions which are also essential.  And Paul says to earnestly desire spiritual life or experience.  Without those gifts our ability to exercise that highest form of love is constrained if not prevented.  Without the presence of Christ in us by His Spirit, how can we love like He loves?  And with Him, we learn to love.

God’s Clock Revisited

(Gal. 4:4, Dan. 9-12, Rev. 11-12)

In the fulness of time God sent His Son into the world.  At His personal departure from this world, Jesus Christ told those gathered it was not for them to know the times and the seasons which the Father has put in His authority.   We can review history and see God’s working in a myriad of ways.  Since the appearing of the fulness of God in Christ Jesus, He has taken man to a new level.  He would take us higher.

No matter your particular understanding of our times, or “eschatology”, all things are accelerating toward the end of this age.  Human understanding, science, and its application in technology move past our ability to steward it.  As Daniel said, knowledge will increase.  Notice that it creates fear.  Rather it exposes our fears.  Let us take them to God and release them.  May we see His sovereignty over all.  In His kind intention, He came down at Babel and scattered the people.  Otherwise they would have been destroyed by pride.  God’s desire has always been to give us His name.  We want to make a name for ourselves.

From the time of Christ, God’s intention has been more clearly displayed.  As Jesus taught, He would say, “It has been said. . . , but I say to you.”  We could ultimately say, the goal of love is to love your enemies and allow your life to be laid down before them.  It is always directed by the Lord.  Otherwise it is our effort to merely mimic the One who must be glorified in all things.  Let us humble ourselves daily, coming to Him as our all, as our source for every want and need, as the Good Shepherd.  There we will find rest for our souls.

He must remain our focus in this day and every day.  Christ is the Alpha and Omega.  He is the fulfillment of all spoken through the law and the prophets.  Only His life overcomes the world.  We consider the Hebrew calendar and we rightly honor Abraham and those who followed him.  But Abraham’s seed is Christ.  And, by faith, we are Christ’s.  And He is ours.  We are one Spirit with Him.  As it is today, hear His voice today.  His words are life.  Read through Revelation and put your “eschatology” aside and you will see Christ and learn something of His purpose.  In Daniel and in Revelation we read a progression but we do not see a progression of feasts and shadows.  In Revelation, we see the beloved city but she is spiritually Sodom and Egypt.  A whore is there, uncircumcised in heart.  The Spirit is speaking in spiritual terms.

In that city, the Lord has appointed two witnesses.  Divine fire comes out of their mouths and devours their enemies.  They are killed.  They have a limitation but they are taken up and become a greater witness to those who saw.  Is this a rapture before the rapture?  I am asking the question to emphasize the point that we ought not spend too much time trying to figure out timing.  Rather, what is the state of the church and are we praying?  This scene clearly indicates that a rapture will happen and a city will see it.  An earthquake follows and many die.  Do we recognize that similar things have happened on a smaller scale?  Among the records of the early church, it is recorded that a group of Roman soldiers were sent out on a frozen lake to die as they would not worship the emperor.  A guard watching saw a vision of angels bestowing crowns.  One faltered and the guard took his place to gain heaven.

The group of which Jim Elliott is most known, is another example of visions.  When he, Nate Saint, and the others were killed by the Auca natives in Ecuador, the killers saw angels.  They trembled at the site.  Elisabeth Elliot and others went and discipled those natives later.  The love of Christ displayed in their lives is beyond where I am today.  Such love.  The Lord gives visions to advance the kingdom.  Visions have happened throughout the days since the kingdom arrived by the Spirit.  Of course, a final worldwide vision of rapture is coming.  Are you willing to be such a martyr?  This is a high calling and not all are called to it.  May we be faithful witnesses and give strong support to those who are called into harm’s way for the sake of Christ Jesus.  This is a heavy thing for us to hear.  It sounds trite to say we are all going to die at some point.  Precious to the Lord is the death of one of His children.  Death was not the original intention.  God provided for resurrection before the world existed as the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the cosmos.  He knows the end from the beginning.

Moving On

(Hab. 1,2,  Luke 15:11-19, Acts 21:10-14)

In the time of the law and the prophets, God had men and women who knew Him.  They spoke with Him and heard His response.  They had visions.  They saw what God was doing in their day and they saw what was coming in the future without fully understanding.  So today, some are known as prophets.  Some refer to a concept of the “office of prophet.”  That distorts the reality inferring an “official” position.  The gifts of the Spirit are functions not positions.  No hierarchy exists in the body of Christ.  Yet there are those with authority.  We could say they are shoulders in the body.  True leadership is necessary.  When the mature ones speak or minister, His sheep know it is genuine. The true prophetic word will be by the Spirit.  We say it is like God Himself speaking to us.  It is.  We recognize that each one is an imperfect vessel.

We have been distracted by false expectations and understanding concerning nations.  We have prophesied and declared things out of our own imaginations.  We see and prophesy imperfectly.  Recent history among a so-called “prophetic” ministry is evidence.  Most important that some of those who prophesied concerning governmental positions saw their error and said so.  They repented.  Who among us has always spoken correctly concerning the Lord’s working?  We are too often shooting from the hip verbally.  We too easily miss the true Spirit of prophecy which comes from the mouth of Christ Jesus.

Paul wrote we prophesy in part.  We need to hear what others have to say.  What we find too often is that we elevate some ministries to a higher place than we ought.  The “local church” as we call our groups, typically have a senior pastor or lead elder.  We may make him, or her, the final authority but that should never be the case.  Apostolic authority is needed today as the Lord established it at the start.  Notice the apostle did not stay in one place for the very reason that it too easily becomes his church.  More importantly, others do not grow.  We find, if we are growing, a time comes when each of us must move on.  That is healthy.  But this is not a fixed law or formula.

If we notice the Lord’s dealing with man, His people move.  We often hear this phrase and it is true.  We are, each of us, on a journey.  His people passed through the wilderness.  The church was scattered after Pentecost.  It is easier to steer a moving object than to start it moving.  Yet motion for its own sake can be fruitless.  What motivates us?  What provides our direction?  Is the Spirit your co-pilot, or is He your pilot?  We need to give others space.  At times, we may see them heading off course, or even heading for a wreck.  For certain, we should give warnings.  Sometimes, we must let them go or they will never learn the lessons they need to receive.  At other times, we love them so much, it is hard let them go.

Now I am thinking about two different situations.  I was first thinking about the times when someone has made a bad decision taking them way from God’s ways and intentions.  The other is a time when certain danger exists but God is moving someone.  Such it was when Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem.  He loved his people and wanted to bring the gospel to them.  A prophet came and showed him and those with him that he would be bound.  Those who loved Paul would have prevented him but he was compelled by love to go.  They wept and sent him on his way.  The Lord’s plan was to bring him to Rome, and so it was.

Again, I return to the foundational truth of the new covenant.  All (who believe in truth) will know me from the least to the greatest.  Mature sons is what God is after.  Every seed reproduces after its kind.  If the seed of Christ has found good soil in you. His life will be reproduced in you and you will walk as He walked.  He walked in love.  He walked in righteousness.  He walked in compassion.  He walked in wisdom.  He did what he learned from His Father.  Are we moving in this way, His way?  Love is patient, is kind, does not seek its own benefit but the benefit of others.  Ultimately, the only benefits that matter are those that are eternal

So we move on but where are you going?  Are you following the Lamb where He leads?  Have you been sidetracked?  Have you completely turned away.  The Lord says, Peace to him who is near, and to him who is far off.  If you are on track, keep going.  If you have drifted, be realigned.  If you have turned away, turn again.  He is waiting for us to move on, toward Him.

Revival

(Acts 2:1-12, Acts 13:1-3)

For over 2000 years, since the day of Pentecost had fully come, groups of people have been experiencing the presence of God.  We call them revivals.  We also call them outpourings, renewals, visitations, moves of God, and other names that do not come to mind as I write.  We put specific names on some of these such as the Reformation, the Great Awakening, the Charismatic movement, the Jesus movement or the Jesus Revolution.  We also identify them by location and so we refer to Azusa Street, the Welsh revival, the Hebrides revival, the Toronto blessing, and others.  Very recently we have heard of a wonderful time at Asbury University.

If we look at all of these, hunger for the Lord and seeking prayer are part of every story.  We cannot develop a formula or pattern because the Lord always looks through to see the heart.  The words of a message itself will not do.  It is the heart of those seeking.  It can be one man, or one woman seeking as a start.  I have known an occasion when I was in prayer and heard, as it were, from the throne of God , that it was time for a shift, a judgement, in the sense of an exposure to take place.  I said what I heard and it shortly took place.  I realized I was not the only one praying and hearing and speaking the thing.

Now it is of great value for a gathering to touch God no matter the size of the group.  Consider Pentecost where it was about 120.  At Antioch it happened in that the Holy Spirit set apart two men for the work He had in mind.  That is what it means to be holy, to be set apart.  Isaiah knew it.  Luther knew it.  Calvin knew it.  Polycarp knew it.  Wesley, Whitfield, Zinzendorf, and Edwards knew it.  So did David Brainerd.  Should I go back some and name Latimer, Wycliffe, Hus, and Brother Lawrence?  Let’s not forget Finney, and William Seymour.  The list goes on.  Many names are not recorded but those true followers of the Way are saints.  We set some on historic pedestals but the Lord knows all who have truly left all to follow Him.

Before I continue, I would mention women also who were set apart for particular purposes. Mary, Jesus’ mom, Mary Magdalene, Mary and Martha of Bethany, Junia (See Rom. 16:  ), and Priscilla are known to us.  As I have mentioned before, check out Romans 16 and the several names mentioned there.  Little is known about some of them and nothing more about most.  All these were filled with the Spirit.  I want to say that other women through history have carried the Lord’s presence.  Jeanne Guyon, Susannah Wesley, are among many in the cloud of witnesses.  When the Lord moves in the earth, He is working to prepare new vessels, new conduits for His life to flow into the world.  It has been repeated through history.

We find that these vessels are not perfect.  Flaws are exposed.  Sometimes the flaws are downright ugly.  We have seen this in recent times.  While I could be specific, I choose not to do so.  Let us simply say we have seen men and women acquiring spiritual positions to deceive others to abuse them and use them for self-serving purposes.  Be sure that God sees and will judge them.  Let us look to ourselves to not be complicit in such perversions of ministry.  We are called to serve in humility.  Christ came not to be served but to serve.

Revival comes when we seek God in humility, when we have learned to receive His love, and that He is the source of all that really matters.  Many have been abused and wounded.  We have heard we must avoid a victim mentality.  And too often I have heard some say that they just need to get over it.  Too often we do not see the depth of the wound and are quick to dismiss others.  I have done it especially when I realize I cannot really help them.  We need wisdom to know when it is better to leave someone alone so that God might work through someone else. We cannot force God’s hand or set the clock for Him.  Being filled with the Spirit includes a sensitivity to His mind and heart in every situation.  When we see the Spirit moving and stirring go with it.  It may be small today but it can build till we see overflow and a surge.  Go with the surge and learn to keep our hands off.  It is always about Jesus Christ having preeminence.  The book we call Acts has been referred to as the acts of the Holy Spirit.  That is true.  He has never stopped moving and He is ramping it up in these days.  Let us move with Him.

His Love Has No Limit

(Eph. 3:17-19, 1 Cor. 13:8-13, John 1:29, Rev. 5:6)

Years ago I learned this song.

His love has no limit,

His grace has no measure,

His power has no boundary known unto man,

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,

He gives, and He gives, and He gives again.

I sing it often.  Few words can say so much.  All else may fail, but the love of God never fails.  It has no end because He is (I am that I am) and love is His nature.  We could say it is His very essence.  Paul prayed that the Ephesians would know the height and depth and width, and the length of the love of God that goes beyond knowledge.  How can we know that which cannot be fully comprehended?  Lord, save us from mere philosophy but may we never cease to consider the wonder of Your love.

To ponder the story of Jesus has great value.  To begin, He was born of a virgin, taking on human flesh, then threatened with murder as a little child, and raised in the traditions of the Jews.  From the incident in Jerusalem at 12, for 18 years He bore with the self-righteousness of the Pharisees every Sabbath.  He saw the way the system of His day oppressed the people.  He knew His calling and what was done to the prophets.  And He came to clearly understand He was sent as the Lamb of God.  What does it mean to bear the sins of the whole cosmos from Adam until that day He was crucified, and beyond?  Who can understand the weight of that?

As we read the gospels we see different perspectives.  We see stories repeated but with different details.  Throughout, the love and compassion of Christ shines through.  He never allowed the religious darkness of His day to stop Him from healing, or casting out a demon.  His motivation was always love.  He delivered people from demonic oppression, healed the sick, restored a dead son to her widowed mother, and so much more.  John tells us He did so many good and wonderful works that all the books in the world could not contain the record of them.  We might say he was exaggerating but I don’t think so.  In one man, God had concentrated His power so that He might touch a nation of people.  But in the big picture, those people rejected Him.

While this love that was extended to His enemies, to those who hated Him, was shown exponentially through Christ Jesus, God had showed it to Israel for centuries.  Read through the prophets.  God saw His people, whom He wanted to know intimately, as a whore.  She was unfaithful in heart.  She wanted blessing she could touch and handle but God was looking for a circumcised heart.  He worked as a surgeon to open her eyes to His ways of lovingkindness and truth but she could not see.  And in love and wisdom, He waited for the fulness of time and sent His Son to display His love.

Now, He has a many-membered body on the earth.  “A body you have prepared for me,” Christ says through the prophet.  He goes on, “It is written in the book.  I delight to do Your will O my God.”  Christ is declaring this to His Father.  Are you listening?  Are you a member of His body?  This is your story.  You may not “feel” like it but His Spirit is echoing in your spirit, the will of God is your delight.  It brings the highest joy you can know.  What is the will of God?  Love Him with all that you are, and love the ones around you as He loves you.  That is how we love ourselves.  Lean back into the love of God for you.  Soak in it.  Remember it.  Meditate on that truth.  He who gave His own Son to draw you to Himself, will give you all you need through Him.