Working on Something

“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” John 19:30

I am struck by the threads I find that runs through scripture. One thread I have been following for awhile is the rest of God. Let me break this down as quickly as possible.

In Genesis 2:2 after the work of creation God had finished and then he rested. In John 5:17 Jesus says,” My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” Well, my mind began to question what did Jesus mean by this? God rested, what work is He doing? Jesus implies that God has been working and is work to this very day. What I have discovered is that the work of creation is finished done. But, because sin had entered the world from Gen. 3:15 God was at the work of redemption. God was working on something!

From the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through the birthing of a nation-Israel, God was at work. When he brought Israel into the Promise Land, called a prostitute to help them conquer their enemies he was working on something. When out of the womb of the one that Jacob loved less-Leah, came Judah, God was working on something. Even in spite what men will do Tamar gave birth to Perez, God was working on something. When Ruth, a Gentile, left Moab with Naomi and was redeemed by Boaz who was the great-grandfather of David, God was working on something. Through forty and two generations God molded, moved and patiently prevailed with a people to bring forth the Son of David the Messiah-Emmanuel, God was working on something.

So when Jesus, in John 5, identifies with the Father, Jesus is working together with God on something.

At the cross on Golgotha’s Hill, God in Jesus Christ had completed the task of our salvation, the work is done, the Lamb of God has taken away the sins of the world-IT IS FINISHED!

The reason why you can’t get this by works is because the Father in Jesus Christ has already worked it out-IT IS FINIISHED

There is nothing you can or have to do about it. Jesus has already worked it out. Our salvation is free now and forever. Praise God I am redeemed.

Lessons and Learning

I have a lesson to learn and my Teacher is helping me to pass it. The Holy Spirit has led me to the place of learning the importance of trusting the Lord. I have been here before, but resisted the Teacher; only to repeat the class.

The lesson hurts. It hurts to give up my will and way. It hurts to have my emotions so vested in controlling the situation. I have come to the place where I fully understand that I can’t change anyone, including me. The dreaded word surrender comes to mind and I release the controls and turn everything into His loving hands. I stop fighting the process of redemption and rest.

In the process there are stages to my surrender. It is almost like the stages in grief. In the lesson the purpose is to ultimately trust God-totally and without reservations. The layers of defenses are being broken as I surrender each. The tools used are crisis and conviction.

The crisis comes and how I react or respond usually brings conviction. God built in us the desire to thrive, and sin warped its purpose. It became our drive for self-preservation. We became selfish and self-centered. The thinking “what’s in it for me” is old as the garden. The conviction is the Spirit of Christ reminding me that my life is hid in him and is crucified.

When we come to Christ and he indwells us the battle of the flesh vs. the Spirit of Christ is one for position. God uses the everydayness of life on earth to hone our walk in the Spirit or practice of His presence in our life. God uses hurts, pain, relationships, jobs, school, parents, children, animals, money or anything else He wants to use. God uses the interactions with other human beings, save or unsaved. It is the mundane everyday pits and falls of living on earth in our cities or towns that we learn how to live as people of God. “What do you have in your hands Moses?”

I was one who sought after the spectacular. I wanted to see many signs, wonders and miracles. I went from one spiritual high experience to another. I read every book that promised me success or mystical treat if I did these 6 or 10 steps. I wanted to be powerful and significant and to see Jesus face to face. I wanted all that without the journey of the cross, dying to self or brokenness. I had a “zap me Jesus” theology. More importantly I have a Father that wants a mature daughter that relates to him in sweet communion and fellowship. He is relentless in his pursuit of me- God wants my all. So, we go back to the crisis.

How does God bring me to total surrender and willing to learn the lesson? He sends pressure or takes a small step back and let’s history take its course. Now my usual response would be not to fight but flee the pressure/crisis. Yet, there comes the time when you just need to learn the lesson and grow up. It is also at that time that you desire more of God, then having your way.

I became tired living in lack and mediocrity. You can feel it in your gut that there is more to this then just getting by or trying to make it through. We are meant to be full and overflowing with God’s grace, mercy and love. We were meant to overcome by His blood and our testimony. Victory isn’t just a word to be song but a way of life for believers. I knew that more of him meant me giving him more of me.

The recent crisis and trust lesson was most painful, on two levels. First, it hurt to see my family go through the heartache, and second, it hurt me that I couldn’t fix it. God had told me to believe him for restoration no matter what it looks like. When I looked at the situation or even listen to what’s going on I have the choice to give into despair or rejoice in the God of miracles. Trust is built over time in God’s word. I trust that God restores, renews, and redeems people. I trust that what God wants for me and the people in my life is more then I can ever imagine.

The crisis caused me to surrender to God’s will and way-His word for this situation. So, when my emotions got in the way I confessed what I was feeling and sought for God’s power to touch my emotions. Another time my thoughts and imagination began to take over and I spoke the word to them. In my mind I pulled down and brought into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. I am learning to war with my praise and worship and filling my mind with “whatsoever thoughts” (Phil. 4:4-8). I simply surrender what I want, how I want, and when I want to God.

I trust Him. I am growing in faith and loving my God for sending what I need to know Him better, more and more each day. I love Him for that.

I was told sometime ago “faith that is not tested is a faith that can’t be trusted.”

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

James 1:12

I am Going to be Like Him

People were very vocal and boisterous this morning on the bus. It is New Year’s Eve and the Christmas-New Year’s Eve holidays seem to bring the best out in some people. They seem to be free to say out loud what they feel. It took me a second to feel that same freedom. I am a reserved, shy and quite person. I never want to draw attention to myself. Now that is when I think that I am in control of what happens around me. God’s sense of humor is to place me in various situations where I am forced to stop hiding or playing the control game.

It amazes me that a classical Pentecostal that I am would be so resistant to going with the flow. I pray every morning for God to order my steps. I must have a memory lapse of that prayer or it has become a routine and not my honest desire. But it is my desire. Either I trust Him with my whole life or not; whether on the bus, in the streets, or teaching a class.

The challenge is, being open to fact that God is in the everyday stuff of life. He is concerned and involved in the between points, from point A-Z. I have said many times that God waste nothing. If I look real hard he is in everything concerning the life of a believer. We must go back to the bus.

People were getting on the bus talking loud and saying, “Happy New Year”; “Have a prosperous New Year”; and “God bless everybody.” One lady, the loudest one on the bus, told us to not take old things into the next year. In just a few minutes it was as if we were all friends greeting each other. Everyone seemed genuinely supportive of each other. It also seemed to be the general consensus that we need to leave this year and look forward to a new year.

In the book “God Hunt” the author instructs the reader on a journey in how to see God in one’s everydayness. When I think that I am in control of what experiences to have during the day or who I will encounter daily I have stepped out of following the Spirit into the way of my flesh. What is flesh? The flesh is my will, way, thinking, and controlling attitude. Ouch!

God uses the mundane, the funny, the tragic, and the unfiltered experiences in my life. He patiently strips the layers that are me with mercy, and he care-fronts me about my defects and sin. The more that the layers are removed the more I see him. I see the loving Father, the creative Creator, and sovereign Friend.

Little by little the resistance to live in the Spirit-led moment with the Father is leaving. I am open to the great exchange of Christ’s ways and thinking for mines.

I understand the passage in 2 Corinthians 3:18 (The Message) just a little bit more than I did yesterday. “Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.”

Foot Washing Love

Recently, my pastor has been teaching on servanthood. Whenever I hear that word my mind goes to the story in the gospel of John 13:1-17. Remember when Jesus Christ demonstrated what it looks like to serve and love each other. The Son of the living God, God incarnated in human flesh, strips himself of his outer garments and wraps a servant’s towel around his waist. The Apostle Paul describes the humility of Jesus as, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”

Jesus, knowing that his time to die was near picked up a basin and poured water and proceeded to wash and clean his disciples feet with his hands. He then wiped their feet dry with the towel that is fastened to his waist. Jesus in one stunning act of humility presents two messages; one, he came to serve and not be served, and two, those that are followers or students of his are to do likewise.

I have thought about my resistence to following Jesus' example or Apostle Paul's instructions to esteem others higher then myself. As I read this story again, in preparation for Holy Week, I am convicted that I have sinned and not been a servant to my brothers and sisters.

Jesus later on in the story announces a new commandment. We are to love each other as He loves us. In the next verse Jesus says, "Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples." (John 13:34, 35 NLT). I have imagined myself going before my church and making a public confession of my sin of not serving and loving them.

I would say to my church the following: Please forgive me for putting conditions on my love and service. Forgive me for chosing who I would love and care for or who was worth loving. Forgive me that I needed you to be loveable, likeable, sane and safe. Forgive me for deciding when and how I would serve you and never considering nor asking you what you needed. Forgive me that I had a caste system for who I would love. Forgive me for not listening when we talked. And forgive me that I was more concern about programs then people.

And then I would wash their feet.

"Can You Smell Him"

This true story is so rich in explaining the kind of closeness I desire with God in Jesus Christ.

“Diane had given birth to her daughter Danae after emergency surgery. The small baby was only one pound, 9 ounces and 12 inches long. The doctors told Diane and her husband that the child would most likely not live through the night and if she by some chance did survive she would have major medical conditions suffering much pain.

The husband, David tried to prepare his wife for the death of their child, but Diane would not receive the doctor’s report. She believed that the baby would live and be healthy. Due to the fact Dana’s nervous system was “raw” her parents were unable to hold her. Any touch or caress would only cause more pain and discomfort. So, along with the wait, and the anxiety about her survival was added the unmet need to hold their baby girl. Diane and David prayed that God would stay close to their precious little daughter.

It was two long months before they could hold her in their arms. As her mother believed she left the hospital after four months a healthy child, without the predicted medical problems spoken by the doctors.

When she was five years old Danae and her mother Diane were watching her brother Dustin playing baseball. She was sitting on her mother’s lap, when she began hugging her chest, she asked her mother “Do you smell that?”

Diane began smelling the air and detected that there was an approaching thunderstorm, and she replied, “Yes, it smells like rain.” Danae closed her eyes and asked, “Do you smell that.” Once again her mother responded, “Yes, Danae, it smells like rain.” Danae says, “NO, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.”

How close have you come to that smell? Have you entered into that most holy place with the Father that you could lay your head on His chest and smell that sweet aroma of His love? Is your relationship with Him so close or worship so real that a sniff of His presence causes you to bow at His feet? Or have you longed for those intimate moments in His presence but are not sure how to get there?

What we need to believe is that God our Father is waiting right now for us to have and intimate fellowship with Him in the throne room. Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of the Father, has positioned us there with Him, but we must believe and enter in.

I long for such intimacy with the Father. And I know that it takes time on my face in prayer and worship realizing how close He is and how much He loves being with me. It means spending uninterrupted time getting to know His heart. I also know that I need come to Him as a child naked, vulnerable, and depended. It is in that position, with my hands lifted in surrender, that the Father will take me in His arms and hold me to His chest, and like a nursing baby I will smell the scent of the one who nurtures life into my soul.

Do you smell Him?