Volume 3 Post/Email 6 – Proverbs 11:24-25
One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.
A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
I really like these 2 verses and thought they would be good ones to share here on elguy.
These proverbs encourage us to extend a helping hand to our fellow man.
Another translation ends with "he who waters others will himself be watered."
When we only live for ourselves and self preservation, we actually miss out on personal blessings.
However, when we look to bless others, a byproduct of a generous heart and generous acts is personal gain!
By faith, we believe and trust in the supernatural realm and providence of God.
Thus, we live with the awareness of the truth that we actually gain when we give!
We actually end up refreshed, or watered, when we refresh or water others.
Are we giving freely? 
-Brian
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 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 8 – John 14:17
The last few posts on spiritual formation have been specifically on the concept of union with God.
Without going deeper in terms of my own commentary and observations, below are several statements of truth from Jesus for us to consider and pray concerning a closer union with our Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
May your reading and meditating upon these be a blessing to you spiritually!
“But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” – John 14:17
“On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” – John 14:20
“If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” – John 14:23
“Remain in me and I will remain in you.” – John 15:4
“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.” – John 15:7
“Remain in my love.” – John 15:9
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” – John 15:11
“All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.” – John 17:10
“Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name – the name you gave me – so that they may be one as we are one.” – John 17:11
“May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” – John 17:21
“I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.” – John 17:26
Also, these are all wonderful verses to be mindful of when taking communion on Sunday with the Father, Son, Spirit, and your brothers and sisters in Christ.
-Brian
Volume 2 Post/Email 1 – Jeremiah 17:5-8
Have you ever felt empty spiritually? Have you ever experienced burn-out?
We desperately need God and His Spirit filling and fueling our lives.
In a spiritually vacuous, fast-paced world, even a few moments of quiet reflection spent each day in the presence of God can uplift and transform.
Jeremiah, like other spiritual prophets in the Bible, gives us a word from God on these matters.
Jeremiah 17:5 reads, “This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on the flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD.”
How easy it can be for good people of faith to unconsciously and unintentionally start trusting in themselves, including their own strength and wisdom, and begin losing sight of God.
When we neglect seeking, worshipping, and trusting God we can experience spiritual emptiness.
Likewise, burn-out results from giving without receiving – working without worshipping – preaching without praying – serving without His Spirit and strength.
God wants to bless us and nourish us. He wants His loving presence and power to permeate our lives. He wants to make our lives complete and fruitful.
Jeremiah 17:7-8 reads, “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
Fruit-bearing is a work of God.
Without God, our labor is in vain.
Psalm 127:1 says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
Psalm 127:2 says, “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves.”
Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is go to bed, not to keep staying up and doing more activities. Everything is not on our shoulders. We labor in vain without God’s help.
As you let God use you this week, make sure you are being filled with His Spirit, trusting in Him, and not depending on the work of your own hands.
Loving off of His resources and serving with this orientation and understanding is a joy!
We need renewal and refreshment from God. Worship renews and re-energizes us for the tasks at hand.
-Brian