Living strong in the Spirit

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Anyone who pulls out a club and tees up the ball soon learns the agonizing truth that golf is “the game of opposites.”  When the clubhead passes through on a leftward trajectory, the ball “slices” to the right; when the pendulum swings right, the ball “hooks” left.  If we want the shot to go higher, we don’t “scoop” underneath the ball, rather we swing down on it.  But most of all, to hit the ball farther we must loosen our grip and (repeat after me) slow down!  It is the relaxed, easy swing that powers the longer, stronger golf shot.  It’s all so counterintuitive!  So frustrating!  Yet so true.

And so similar to living strong in the Spirit!  For the less we cling to our own will and the less we travel our own path, the more powerfully the Spirit of God flows in us and through us.  Jesus has coached us in this “opposites” principle clearly enough: “My power is made perfect in weakness.”  And ever his student, the Apostle Paul attested, “... when I am weak, then I am strong.”

The concept is hardly new, but a consistent truth throughout the Biblical narrative.  It wasn’t the 40 year-old, “kill-a-man-with-my-bare-hands” Moses who led Israel out of Egypt, but an older, weaker Moses, now “more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.”  And what “mighty warrior” did God commission to save Israel from the Midianites but Gideon, the runt of the litter in the weakest clan of Manasseh!  (Who?  Me?)

On its face, strength in weakness seems so unnatural.  And perhaps that’s the key!  For God’s power is always aligned with his purposes, while our sinful nature always hacks away at our own. 

Yet we are his people, and he is our God.  His purposes have become our purposes, and our struggles he has taken upon himself.  So we do well to put on Christ and rely on his strength working in and through us.  For “The spirit is willing,” said Jesus, “but the flesh is weak.”

To what impossible task has God called you?  Can you trust him to be your strength for it?

The Word Became Flesh

At times I can be very cynical, and I suspect many people can be too.  And who can blame us? Look at how we sometimes respond to each: “The check’s in the mail”. “I’ll get to it tomorrow.” “Yeah, I knew you might have problems with that.” And so on and so on ….

 

Logos is Greek for Word

Today’s reading is John 1:1-14. The Old Testament is full of God’s promise of a savior. The prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Ezekiel, Elisha and others speak of the Messiah. Even Moses hinted at the Messiah 1500 years before he came. In today’s reading we learn that God kept his promise. The Word became flesh!

 

Our savior Jesus Christ, true man and true God, put aside his heavenly crown and lived with us on earth. He became one of us!

 

Jesus

He ate, he bathed, he bled, he wept and he smiled. He healed people and fed them. He suffered and died for our sins. He even rose from the dead and came back to earth. He finally ascended into heaven!

 

Yes, we humans can be cynical, but there is proof that God kept his promise. The Word became flesh. Many, many witnesses saw Jesus and what he could do. Some of these witnesses put pen to papyrus to leave an historical record of his life. We are blessed because we can read these eye witness accounts!  

 

Rarely did Jesus speak for himself; he let his actions speak for him. Angels announced his birth. John the Baptist testified about Jesus. God let it be known Jesus was his son when John baptized Jesus. After his death, angels announced Jesus resurrection, and sure enough, Jesus appeared to his disciples in his resurrected body.

 

And after his ascension, his disciples went here and there testifying what they had witnessed.

 

Even though we have historical records, it is difficult to believe that the Word became flesh. Fortunately for us, Jesus sent a counselor, the Holy Spirit, to us. But that is a different topic.

 

Yes, the Word became flesh. And because of it, we celebrate Christmas.

 

Have a Blessed and Merry Christmas!

How do we talk about Jesus in a world that does not know him?

John 3: 13-21

John 3:16 is one of the most well-known verses in the bible, even to those who do not claim to be Christ followers. The true meaning and impact of this incredible proclamation however is missed by most, and written off as just a bunch of words. OMG! Just the most significant words ever communicated, EVER!

The “Journey” (Bible for seeking God and understanding life), describes John 3:16; “This one sentence contains the greatest message, from the greatest source, describing the greatest love, demonstrated by the greatest sacrifice ever given. It contains important words for everyone, especially those who think they have to “be religious” go get God’s approval.

How do we get through to the world? In what way do we approach those who do not understand the heart of our God? What can we say or do to make an impact?

         LIVE              LOVE                REACH

Many look to accomplishments to lead them to fulfillment or spiritual security. Jesus says to us, just as he did to Nicodemus in John 6-7; “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, you must be born again.”

When those not of Christ hear the term “born again” it scares them off. They feel as though they must suddenly submit to something foreign and scary, abruptly transforming into some sort of saintly being far beyond their capability. The truth is, it is a journey not a moment. Learning about the Lord, and submitting to His word can take a lifetime. Our faith, love, and trust in God evolves over time. We can help that truth be known through the way we approach our own life and relationships with others.

God looks to His people to be a model of Jesus, to LIVE honestly with passion, and thrive to be all we can be for his kingdom. He directs us to LOVE sincerely as He loves. Patiently walking alongside of and taking baby steps with those in this world who do not know Jesus is how we REACH others, never abandoning or giving up on them just as God has promised never to leave us.

Read/Listen to John 3:13-21

John 1:1-17

Jesus is God’s Word
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.” John begins this book echoing the same words used to begin the Bible. Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning,……”

Jesus was with God in the beginning. He came to this earth not as just a good man, but as the God-Man. The second in the trinity, temporarily disconnected from the other two in order to bring true light and life to us all. “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us.” He was here! “”He was in the world and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.” How could that happen? How could we be so blind as not to see God when he was right here on this earth? So often Jesus revealed His true identity, but was questioned and denied time and time again.

In John 8:23-24 Jesus again reveals his origin. “You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world….” The true basis for our Christian faith is not just the moral teachings of Jesus, but Jesus himself. When asked, “Who do you say I am?” will we have the correct answer? In Matthew 16:15 Jesus asked Simon Peter, that question. “Christ, the son of the living God,” was his response. We can memorize those words in case that question comes to us, but what is truly in our hearts will ultimately determine our forever.

Read John 1:1-7 here
Listen to John 1:1-7 here