I was reading this in The Message this morning and found a fresh perspective on a well known chunk of writing from Paul. I find this translation doesn't take away from the original but adds depth to the timeless truths in our vernacular.
Let this word to the Thessalonians speak for itself for it is at the centre of community in Jesus.
The Way He Wants You to Live
And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
Don't suppress the Spirit, and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. Throw out anything tainted with evil.
Now, this all sounds pretty good but it sure sounds impossible, right?
It sure is, at least out of my experience with myself and others. We are quite messy people given our fleshly (human) natures. In spite of all the good things we can do and those moments of good behaviour we express, we all fall short. Paul's words look darn near impossible to live up to at most times; even at our humanly best.
The point is we can't sustain living in this quality in our flesh. Jesus tells us that "apart from {Him}, we can do nothing". It is His live dwelling in us through the Spirit that enables us to with a catch; we need to let Him work in us. That can be the hardest part especially when our old ways and patterns try to take over.
In fact, we are most likely to fail when we look at life like this as a discipline, holding fast to an idea of God and what His propositions are for us. It is easy to extract lists of do's and dont's from the text.
Honestly, most of us do and try to live like this in our own power and apart from intimacy and communion with the Father. The fear of this intimacy keeps us from letting Him live through us and leaves us with the grand proposition; trying to do this out of our own innate goodness.
So why is it that we fear initmacy with the Father? Do we really know that we are His Children? Is it our sins (new and old) that keep us from Him? Do we feel that we are not worthy to come boldly to Him?
All of these questions are answered in the work Jesus did for us all once and for all on the cross. None of those are real issues if we truly have received Him (acknowledged what He did, who is IS, loves Him and His words). That is our part.
His part begins when He and The Father love us and move right into our neighborhood and indwell us! That is where He begins the good work in us that only He can complete. All He wants in return is an intimate relationship with us.
This is not any ordinary relationship; we are His Children, joint Kingdom heirs with Christ, and best of all; -- He calls us Friends.
Now who wouldn't want to be in an intimate love relationship with the Creator and Lord of all?
Amen?
Showing posts with label Community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Community. Show all posts
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, April 6, 2007
"Behold! How They Love One Another"
Central Thought
I read this often quoted line a few months back. The line itself is believed to orginate from a report given by a Roman procurator to Caesar (Tiberius, Julius??) about the potential threat of this new cult that was spreading throughout the empire. That statement frequently poked into my thoughts.
During a night watch the following came to me during a time of soaking prayer in 1 John over GCC. It became an on-going prayer that the Lord continues to add to as it is given out. While this one wasn't the most peculiar or flashy communique, its subtle. soft voice grabs our attention as it invites us to carefully consider its simplicity. Here is how it unfolded:
He then told me to put a banner over that statement, “Behold How They Love One Another”. Love is as simple as it is complex and facinating. It would be un-realistic to believe we can completely describe its facets. However, the Lord began to describe some of the important ones i believe He wants us to consider and act on.
“Perfect Love:
Each time i would enter into a soaking prayer or pray over this word, He would give me a few attributes. The interesting thing about them is that the majority are verbs:
I believe this is a good start and we all can and should, no, must, add to this list within the words of our testimonies. We can ask the Father which ones He wants us to add. It is an on-going thing. While we can't be all things to everyone, we can be someone to somebody. We just have to ask the Father who and He will show us.
Initial Impressions
While this verse is a huge statement in itself, it should not be seriously considered without meditating on the whole of this chapter let alone the book. Out of all the things God desires and calls us to, Love is the head, framework and foundation. It really is what we are to be focusing on; Loving Him, foremost, passionately without reservation, and, Our Neighbours. The rest of the things we need to be mindful of would become instinctive within this context.
A Greater Sense
The most powerful moves of God will come out of a spirit of humility, anonymity and keeping a low profile but keeping a watchful, prayerful eye on each other, as opposed to bringing our ministries to the forefront, synthesising community through process and program, and merchandising God's truth and healing.
In the world today there is more money, food, goods and services available than at anyother time in history. As a race we can generally say we lack for nothing corruptable or temporal. Yet famine, pestilences, poverty, loneliness, sickness and abandonment are wide spread. We are in a glut of truth in the Church these days. Everyone has a book, a conference to stage or a ministry to tell about, but, are we really about the doing of what we know? There is a literal smorgasbord of truth to feast at, which in itself is a great thing. but we have become spiritually obese. We eat and don't exercise like we should.
Before this starts to sound like yet another world vision appeal, i would like to say that we, the church, heirs to the kingdom have the best position in this world to not only just relieve these things grieving the Father's heart but to also bring His presence in to those places, into the cracks where a huge populace has fallen into. I believe this to be observable and measurable.
For every three healthy souls, there are five broken. For every one visibly broken, there are four who have fallen through the cracks, For every one we stumble across in the cracks, there are four we may never see. That is, of course, without asking the Father where the are.
We Desperately need Him and His Love at work in us.
We also Desperately need each other to love.
I read this often quoted line a few months back. The line itself is believed to orginate from a report given by a Roman procurator to Caesar (Tiberius, Julius??) about the potential threat of this new cult that was spreading throughout the empire. That statement frequently poked into my thoughts.
During a night watch the following came to me during a time of soaking prayer in 1 John over GCC. It became an on-going prayer that the Lord continues to add to as it is given out. While this one wasn't the most peculiar or flashy communique, its subtle. soft voice grabs our attention as it invites us to carefully consider its simplicity. Here is how it unfolded:
This is Our Witness, Our Testimony, to the world and to each other, before a Loving Holy God, that the world will know that we are His because the great love He lavished on us has been evidenced in our great love for each other.
He then told me to put a banner over that statement, “Behold How They Love One Another”. Love is as simple as it is complex and facinating. It would be un-realistic to believe we can completely describe its facets. However, the Lord began to describe some of the important ones i believe He wants us to consider and act on.
“Perfect Love:
... Covers a multitude of Sin
... Casts out all Fear
... Permeates our Being
... Is Seen – Our Fruit
... Looks for the Lost and Lowly
... Lifts the Fallen
... Restores to Righteousness
... Gives Life by Giving it up for another
... Always Hopes and Trusts
... Never Fails or Gives up
... Gives deference to the other
... Seeks His Neighbour's welfare
Each time i would enter into a soaking prayer or pray over this word, He would give me a few attributes. The interesting thing about them is that the majority are verbs:
Lives Larger
Encourages
Lifts
Builds
Gives Instantly
Dreams
Shares
Rules
Lives Larger
Swings Wide the Gates
Makes Room for More
Welcomes
Comes out of Brokenness and Surrender
I believe this is a good start and we all can and should, no, must, add to this list within the words of our testimonies. We can ask the Father which ones He wants us to add. It is an on-going thing. While we can't be all things to everyone, we can be someone to somebody. We just have to ask the Father who and He will show us.
Initial Impressions
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. -- 1 John 4:12 (NIV).
While this verse is a huge statement in itself, it should not be seriously considered without meditating on the whole of this chapter let alone the book. Out of all the things God desires and calls us to, Love is the head, framework and foundation. It really is what we are to be focusing on; Loving Him, foremost, passionately without reservation, and, Our Neighbours. The rest of the things we need to be mindful of would become instinctive within this context.
A Greater Sense
The most powerful moves of God will come out of a spirit of humility, anonymity and keeping a low profile but keeping a watchful, prayerful eye on each other, as opposed to bringing our ministries to the forefront, synthesising community through process and program, and merchandising God's truth and healing.
In the world today there is more money, food, goods and services available than at anyother time in history. As a race we can generally say we lack for nothing corruptable or temporal. Yet famine, pestilences, poverty, loneliness, sickness and abandonment are wide spread. We are in a glut of truth in the Church these days. Everyone has a book, a conference to stage or a ministry to tell about, but, are we really about the doing of what we know? There is a literal smorgasbord of truth to feast at, which in itself is a great thing. but we have become spiritually obese. We eat and don't exercise like we should.
Before this starts to sound like yet another world vision appeal, i would like to say that we, the church, heirs to the kingdom have the best position in this world to not only just relieve these things grieving the Father's heart but to also bring His presence in to those places, into the cracks where a huge populace has fallen into. I believe this to be observable and measurable.
For every three healthy souls, there are five broken. For every one visibly broken, there are four who have fallen through the cracks, For every one we stumble across in the cracks, there are four we may never see. That is, of course, without asking the Father where the are.
The Mailbox – Part Three: Alive!
The Body Becomes Vibrant and Vital.
Initial Sense:
God not only identifies our current states, circumstances and tells us how we got to where we are but He shows us a way forward. That way is inviting as it is wonderful. It may also be hard work for us if we seize this prophetic bit as the opportunity He sees for us to press in on.
This one came during John Micklefield's exposition on becoming peacemakers for that is what we often need to be in the Kingdom. I believe that teaching is very much integral with the whole of the mailbox transformation. The following came to me as he was impressing us with the facts that we have the Holy Spirit within us to release joy within the midst of sufferings, perhaps even the hard road of peacemaking too. The transformation of the mailbox is all about taking the hard road of peacemaking. The definitions he used to describe peace would also serve as evidence that the mailbox has been in deed transformed. I can't explain how it segued but the following is the result of it.
The realisation of the jealousy that forms the roots of control within us individually and corporately, makes way for the Holy Spirit to release us from its effects, as He begins to move freely within each cell. Seing jealousy the way it is and in its varied and subtle forms makes the way for repentance. Repentance makes the way for the Spirit totake hold of us individually. His life begins to flow and we begin the (possibly rapid, if not immediate) process of transformation to His purposes. We begin to take upon the shape He has predestined for us.
The ridgid, well defined shape of the mailbox becomes supple and pliable in the flow of the Spirit. The essential oils of grace and mercy soften the hardness in the cell walls. The scars left by jealousy, indifference and pride are removed and pure delight in Him and each other begins to take root and manifest.
The cells move and bend to embrace each other's form. They delight in their Creator. They delight in each other. They begin to shimmer and move; dividing and imparting new growth, new cells. Each cell is unique and fit to each other perfectly.
We become bendable to the will of God. We not only begin to find it joyful and satisfying; we are excited in the prospect of being conformed to our individual shape within that very unique and wonderful shape He has for us together; His children, His cells, formed in an organ of community with in the body with Christ as the head and essences of life. The Connections and life within is vital and vibrant, from the least cell, throughout every organ to the head, without exception. There is no cancers in this body as the cells all love each other to the point that it becomes the glory of the whole body. It can not be mistaken or hidden.
The three scenes imparted about the mailbox need some though and reflection. We need to put the three stories together for ourselves and seek God in what He is saying to us individually.
What do you think?
Initial Sense:
God not only identifies our current states, circumstances and tells us how we got to where we are but He shows us a way forward. That way is inviting as it is wonderful. It may also be hard work for us if we seize this prophetic bit as the opportunity He sees for us to press in on.
This one came during John Micklefield's exposition on becoming peacemakers for that is what we often need to be in the Kingdom. I believe that teaching is very much integral with the whole of the mailbox transformation. The following came to me as he was impressing us with the facts that we have the Holy Spirit within us to release joy within the midst of sufferings, perhaps even the hard road of peacemaking too. The transformation of the mailbox is all about taking the hard road of peacemaking. The definitions he used to describe peace would also serve as evidence that the mailbox has been in deed transformed. I can't explain how it segued but the following is the result of it.
The realisation of the jealousy that forms the roots of control within us individually and corporately, makes way for the Holy Spirit to release us from its effects, as He begins to move freely within each cell. Seing jealousy the way it is and in its varied and subtle forms makes the way for repentance. Repentance makes the way for the Spirit totake hold of us individually. His life begins to flow and we begin the (possibly rapid, if not immediate) process of transformation to His purposes. We begin to take upon the shape He has predestined for us.
The ridgid, well defined shape of the mailbox becomes supple and pliable in the flow of the Spirit. The essential oils of grace and mercy soften the hardness in the cell walls. The scars left by jealousy, indifference and pride are removed and pure delight in Him and each other begins to take root and manifest.
The cells move and bend to embrace each other's form. They delight in their Creator. They delight in each other. They begin to shimmer and move; dividing and imparting new growth, new cells. Each cell is unique and fit to each other perfectly.
We become bendable to the will of God. We not only begin to find it joyful and satisfying; we are excited in the prospect of being conformed to our individual shape within that very unique and wonderful shape He has for us together; His children, His cells, formed in an organ of community with in the body with Christ as the head and essences of life. The Connections and life within is vital and vibrant, from the least cell, throughout every organ to the head, without exception. There is no cancers in this body as the cells all love each other to the point that it becomes the glory of the whole body. It can not be mistaken or hidden.
The three scenes imparted about the mailbox need some though and reflection. We need to put the three stories together for ourselves and seek God in what He is saying to us individually.
What do you think?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
