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
Volume 2 Post/Email 4 – Galatians 4:19
This week, we continue with more thoughts on the theme of spiritual formation.
In Galatians 4:19 Paul writes, “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.”
I believe this verse adds more to our previous post from 1 Peter 2:1-3 concerning growing up in our salvation as “newborn babies”.
Though Paul is writing to Christians who already believe in Christ, and have committed to following Christ, they are still in need of growth. One spiritual goal Paul had for them is that Christ would be formed inside of them, individually and collectively.
Along with our personal salvation, our personal spiritual development is of utmost importance! (This is also true for entire congregations.)
Much of the focus in the New Testament letters to the various Christians concerns them continuing to develop in their knowledge and faith, and how this impacts (should impact) daily living.
Obviously, the church of Christ, or community of Christ, is to be a people who are growing in the character and teachings of Christ. This means we look to Jesus for direction into divine living.
And discipleship demands evaluation and reevaluation of who I am, what I believe, and who I am becoming.
Am I becoming more like Jesus?
Through the gospels, we find Jesus asking his disciples questions, as a catalyst to cause them to assess and often reassess their life and faith.
A good spiritual question for us to ask ourselves is – In what ways do I lack the identity and character of Christ?
Am I lacking humility? Am I lacking honesty? Am I lacking compassion? Am I lacking faith/trust? (and so forth)
Are we in touch with the God of our interiority? Do we need to rethink and reexamine our attitudes toward self? Toward others? (We probably need to be in the habit of considering both!)
Thankfully, any identified needs for repentance and growth are not a mere act of will (or will-power).
Transformation of character is a continual interest of the Holy Spirit. We have God’s grace and power to propel us, empower us, and grow us.
Thus, spiritual fruit does not result from a humanistic effort at “self-transformation”, but from an ongoing walk in the Spirit. (In Galatians 5, it contrasts this concept with the “works of the flesh” and the “fruit of the Spirit”.)
In confession of our need for the Spirit’s help, we act in faith and repentance, attempting to follow Jesus, learn from Jesus, and be conformed to his likeness.
(I realize at this point I may be overstating, but I believe the following paragraph may be helpful to at least some readers.)
Sometimes the Spirit’s work is quiet and unnoticeable. The inward changes taking place may not be acknowledged by others, or even always seen by ourselves. Sometimes, this is because the fruit of the Spirit grows gradually rather than instantly. (Just as we focused last week on new Christians starting as spiritual newborns, and how it takes time to develop from a newborn to a person of maturity.)
So one way to measure my progress is by the fruit of the Spirit. A lack of fruit is a sign of an unhealthy and stagnant relationship with Christ.
After Paul lists the familiar fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, he states, “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other” (5:25-26)
Thus, another way to measure my spiritual walk, and whether Christ is continuing to be formed in me, is to evaluate my relationships. If I am becoming conceited, that will show in how I act around and treat others.
1. Exaggerating our own importance denies our total dependence upon and need for God. We are spiritually bankrupt and inadequate without the reign of God, love of God, and forgiveness of God.
2. Exaggerating our own worth also devalues the worth of others in our eyes. We are all 100% unworthy because of sin, yet 100% loved. We are loveable because he loves us!
It is through a growing awareness of the transforming power of God’s constant love for us that we respond with joy at the intoxicating prospect of a whole new way of life. A radical new way of life slowly become reality. The invitation to the abundant life Jesus offers is accepted and begins coming to fruition in our life. God’s kingdom slowly begins to permeate our life like yeast in bread (Matt. 13:33), and over time, we experience a reformation of our whole person. Trust becomes natural. Obedience becomes natural. Prayer becomes natural. Joy becomes natural. Love becomes natural – not just good feelings for others - but positive actions like forgiving and serving others, becomes natural.
Sin becomes unnatural!
Thus, we have Christ’s abiding presence, identity, character and strength formed, and ever forming, in us!!!
2 Peter 1:3 reads, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
-Brian
(Next week, and probably for more than one week, we will think deeper on this matter pertaining to the transforming potential of a regular and authentic life of prayer.)
Volume 1 Post/Email 2 – Philippians 2:4
This week we will continue our focus and thoughts on some spiritual food found in the book of Philippians.
Chapter 2 verse 4 reads, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
This verse definitely presents the tension we all feel of how we live and how we budget our time. For starters, we are definitely to be a people who care about others and invest our lives in others. However, this verse also implies that we take care of our own needs.
We all have self-interests. We have physical, financial, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs. Some days and weeks we might neglect some of our personal needs because of investing extra in helping others. Most weeks are a combination of mutual investments. Occasional days or even weeks we may need to invest mostly in ourselves. Even those times can result in blessing others because we find renewal and are re-energized to exert energy, focus and time on other people. Yes, even Jesus would get away from the multitudes, and even his closest disciples, to be alone with the Father.
You may be someone who goes so much and serves so many that you are neglecting your own spiritual, and even physical needs, such as rest. This is not what God wants or expects.
This week you may have plans to be involved in the lives of others by spending most of your discretionary time with them. Just remember it’s o.k. to also spend time praying and worshipping God privately and relaxing with your family in his presence. This week God may use you primarily within your own family. You may not think of this as something big, but your spouse and/or children might really benefit from some additional time and love, and you could benefit too. What might you do this week to give more attention and support to your family? What might you do this week to also invest in yourself?
Everyday this week, let God bless you with thoughts of his loving presence and peace. As you allow God to fill you and strengthen you, you will be most able to reach out to those around you.
You may be someone who has health issues that keep you from getting out much. You can still be used by God through actions like praying for people you know and calling family and friends. No matter our circumstances, we can all do something of service.
I heard an associate minister of a local church talk in one of our High School chapels a few years ago about a man he went to visit in the hospital, who, when he got there, asked if he could pray for the associate minister. It was a moment where the “associate minister” was actually “ministered to” by the Christian in the hospital bed. How incredible! The man was dying of cancer.
-Brian
(This, and previous ones, can also be accessed at www.elguy.org.)