Volume 3 Post/Email 1 – Isaiah 40:21-31
Lord permitting, as you read this, Jamie and I are at a Marriott resort in Marco Island!
If you have been with us on elguy from the start, then you know that thus far, we have had 8 posts textual - all from Philippians, and 12 posts topical - all on spiritual formation. Now we are ready for Volume 3.
Since we are on vacation, in preparing this weekly post in advance, I decided I would simply share a passage of Scripture for personal reflection and application, absent of any commentary.
May God speak to you through this reading!
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal? says the Holy One.
26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God'?
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Volume 2 Post/Email 12 – 1 Peter 2:7-8a
Peter writes, Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,' and, 'A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.'
Ultimately, this matter of the rock is out of our hands.
We will all be broken by it.
Our only choice is when, but all will experience brokenness.
Philippians 2:10-11 mentions that every knee will bow and every tongue confess.
If we wait until judgment day to bow, Scripture teaches it will be too late for being blessed.
If we choose to submit now, while the rock still causes us to stumble and break, the rock also becomes the capstone of our lives, and the foundation upon which we build.
And so, we conclude the theme of spiritual formation with the One who makes it all possible, Jesus Christ.
If you and I are trusting in him and having our beliefs, character, and lifestyle changed because of him, then we are experiencing formation from God.
1 Peter 2:6 reads, For in Scripture it says, 'See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.'
Jesus makes abundant life in God's kingdom available! Trusting him, learning from him, and accepting undeserved and unlimited forgiveness from him is our lot.
And verse 7a again - "Now to you who believe, this stone is precious."
Indeed, Jesus is precious!!!!!
He gently, lovingly, patiently and compassionately breaks us from everything sinful and unnecessary. He takes unholy filth and builds us into holy worshippers (priests).
-Brian
(Below are the lyrics to the song "We Fall Down")
We fall down, we lay our crowns, at the feet - of Jesus.
The greatness of, Your mercy and love, at the feet - of Jesus.
And we cry, Holy Holy Holy.
And we cry, Holy Holy Holy.
And we cry, Holy Holy Holy, is the Lamb.
Volume 2 Post/Email 11 – 1 Peter 2:5
The final 2 posts on the concept of spiritual formation will be from First Peter Chapter 2.
1 Peter 2:5 reads, "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ."
In post 3 we reflected on the first three verses of this chapter and growing as spiritually newborn babies.
Likewise, verse 5 implies gradual spiritual growth.
Our spiritual life is indeed, a journey. We "are being built" into a spiritual house.
I believe the tense of the verb is a present participle, indicating a continual reality.
The Christian life is always to be a "present tense" matter.
We have the daily privilege of being holy priests, and living before a loving and holy God.
We have the daily honor and opportunity to express love to God in worship.
How much of our lives involves any sense of God?
If we model Jesus, we will not compartmentalize our lives into the secular and spiritual.
Therefore, we should not think this verse applies only to spiritual acts like prayer. Intentionally befriending and doing good to others during the day, because of a heart oriented towards God and his will, is also spiritual.
Hebrews 13:16 reads, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
We should not reduce spiritual living, worship, and honoring God to a minimum amount of occasions. We should not think God is only interested in when we pray, study, etc.
He is pleased when we go to work, and how we work. He can be pleased by a conversation we initiate with a co-worker. Perhaps God smiles as we initiate a friendly conversation with a child?
Maybe God is just as honored when we adults play and interact with the kids before a Wednesday night class as he is when we are singing in the auditorium?
Is God not glorified when we share a meal with our family? Is it not spiritual (of God, God-like) to devote some energy to helping a kid with their homework, or to coaching a team, or teaching music, or being involved in a camping trip?
When a wife or husband cooks the meal for the evening [usually when we guys step up it's with the grill 
], can that not be with a godly, grateful, generous heart?
Are these matters supposed to be in a spiritual (God) context or not?
Jesus honored the Father with a heart oriented to worshipping His Father and doing His will through the nitty gritty of daily life! When Jesus spent time with children, or enjoyed a meal with some adults, or spent time in a boat with the disciples, these were also spiritual moments!
When the routine of our day is not spiritual is if we choose to not allow the heart, will and Spirit of God to impact certain moments of our schedule.
As we experience spiritual transformation into the likeness of Jesus, our eyes become more aware and astute to the spiritual realities and opportunities of the present moment.
It may be a moment to relax, to read, to sing, to pray, to visit, to eat, to play, etc. - but all in God's presence joyfully living our life with Him.
Am I missing something?
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 10 – Ephesians 4:6
I wanted to share a few final Scriptures on the concept of union with God.
May each verse enlighten and encourage a stronger awareness of God's presence and God's desire to be everything in our lives.
Christ can permeate and transform our lives and relationships, binding us ever closer to one another in love, peace and unity!
We can trust that our Father is over us, through us, and in us!
We are accepted; approved, forgiven; claimed; preferred; loved!
After stating there is one body, Spirit, hope, Lord, faith, and baptism, Paul continues in Ephesians 4:6- "one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."
Paul writes in Colossians 3:11 - "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."
This verse is worthy of meditation and consideration.
Think of the diversity mentioned in this one verse! The Greek tradition was polytheistic, whereas, the Jewish monotheistic. Barbarians were not considered civilized, and Scythians were known for their brutality, being considered just a little better than wild animals. Slaves were not treated as those who were free, much less, as wealthy aristocrats.
Now, think of the many ways we make distinctions - socially, racially, religiously, morally, etc. Paul states that "Christ is all, and is in all".
It isn't that we do not recognize our diversity in the body of Christ. It is that we recognize that Christ is superior to our cultural and traditional differences! Christ transcends the barriers, and unites all cultures and people of faith in Him!
Paul states in Ephesians 3:6 - "This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus."
How broad is your circle of Christian fellowship? What differences do you see Scripture deeming significant enough to divide?
Is the church family you most closely identify with and involve yourself described most accurately as being judgmental, self-righteous and sectarian, or described most accurately as being loving, accepting, and unified?
Is Jesus all and in all in your church fellowship? Is Jesus all and in all in the dynamics of your personal relationships?
Jesus came to bring people of diversity together!
Faith in Christ unites!
The greatest expression of this togetherness and oneness is supposed to be the church!
Ephesians 1:22-23 reads, "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 9 – 1 John 4:13-16
As we continue on the primary theme of spiritual formation, another great text to ponder concerning union with God is 1 John 4:13-16.
"We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
These words make the profound mystery of God practical and understandable!
These words convey what it means to have a relationship with God, and how this relates to and impacts daily living.
Does God live in me? Do I live in God?
John states that faith (specifically in Jesus) is the avenue to such a union/relationship. "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God."
Furthermore, John makes this otherwise abstract concept more concrete and tangible. "Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him."
Do I bask in God's love for and affirmation of me each day?
You cannot truly love yourself more than He does! He is wild about you! He delights in you! There are NUMEROUS Scriptures that say so!
Do I reciprocate God's love? Do I show Jesus I love him? Do I tell my Father I love him? Do I tell Jesus I love him? Do I thank Jesus and the Spirit? Do I worship the Father? > An affirmative answer to these type of questions is vital to truly experiencing God (and union with a tri-personal God), and not just having dry knowledge of God, or having what we might describe as an intellectual or academic spirituality.
The other type of questions I need to reflect upon for spiritual inventory and application pertain to my relationships and interaction with people.
Do I love and help others, including those with whom I am different? Do I love, forgive and serve people who have not always treated me with love?
Am I relying on God's love for me and my sinfulness, or disregarding this need and reality? Am I trusting in the transforming power of God's Spirit and Jesus' presence to change inwardly and overcome my unloving attitudes and tendencies toward people?
God wants us to learn, and be ever learning, how to live in union with him.
Through our love for others and from others we experience the loving presence of God - heaven on earth.
Fellowship (loving union) with God is what creates transformation in our lives. Faith in Jesus expressed through prayer to God (in love) and through love for others are tangible acts that help us consciously be aware of this all-important, imperative union.
Think of what your life would be without an authentic relationship with God!
Think of what your relationships would be without the giving and receiving of Christ's love!
First John 4:13 states that God's Spirit is in you, filling you with love and empowering you to love!
We cannot love very long on our own resources. We need the presence of God's Spirit permeating and saturating our lives with His goodness!
Brothers and Sisters - Keep living in God!!! Keep living in love!!!
Continue experiencing formation into the likeness of Jesus!!!
ELGUY!!!
Continue loving your family, including that family member who others and/or yourself finds difficult to love!
Continue loving your congregation, including that brother or sister who others and/or yourself finds difficult to love!
Continue being Christ-like at work, including toward that co-worker or boss who others and/or yourself finds difficult to love!
Resist the temptation to not love! Refuse to be a container of even a smidget of hatred! Resolve to be empty of any ill-will, or even indifference!
To summarize and clarify:
Continue investing your life in people - even people who seem to not appreciate you, value you, your friendship or help, and people for whom it appears that your love and investment is not making any difference.
God's unending love for you and investment in you has made all the difference for you, and your unwavering love for someone with whom you could easily give up on is what could make all the difference in their life and future.
Be a vessel full of God, overflowing with love for God, for yourself, and for others!!!
-Brian