Eternal Life

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (Jn 3 :16)

What is eternal life? Some would say living forever, but if that is all it is, my desire of it would be based upon the enjoyability of the life I am living. If I am enjoying my life, then living forever ain’t so bad. However, if I am having a hard life, then living forever would be akin to hell.

Some folks would say it is going to Heaven when I die. Now, I like that ending, but what about today or tomorrow or even yesterday? Is my only hope that when it is all said and done that I won’t burn in hell?

There is a difference between life and living and there are different kinds of life we can live, but if we want eternal life, the life marked by no beginning and no end, the God-infused life of fullness, abundance, power and purpose, how do we get there? I like the old farmers answer, “You can’t get there from here.”

An understanding of what is meant by the term eternal life is necessary, in order for us to know how to get there. First of all, eternal life is not a destination. It is the way of living rightly related to, and in fellowship with God. Jesus prayed "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (Jn 17:3) The words translated eternal life in this verse are the same as those in John 3:16 above. Jesus said that eternal life is knowing God and Himself. This knowing is a personal, experiential knowing It is a knowing and being known, that has a personal intimate quality about it and is on going, and life changing. But “You can’t get there from here.”

From our Mother’s womb, we are born into a natural life, and in that state we cannot experience eternal life. We are born earthly, and our roots are sunk into the earthly, and our lives and knowledge consist of and are filled with the desire for earthly things. That which is earthly cannot perceive, understand, nor enter into eternal life.

So how do we get there? Just as we are born into our natural state, our earthly life, so we must be reborn, born anew, born again born from above in order to be able to enter into eternal life. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." (John 3:6-7) We must be born of the Spirit in order to enter into this eternal life. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can perceive it, understand it, and walk in it, and it is only through Jesus Christ that we can enter into it.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (Jn 14:6)

Lab Dogs And Deodorant Spray

"My writer friends, and they are legion, do not go around beaming with quiet feelings of contentment. Most of them go around with haunted, abused, surprised looks on their faces, like lab dogs on whom very personal deodorant sprays have been tested."

(From Bird By Bird Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott. I found this on a post at Simply Simon recommending the book - http://simoncareyholt.typepad.com/weblog/2007/04/anne_lamott.html ... looks like a good book.)

It made me laugh out loud. I was so taken with the look the lab dogs would have on their faces. I could so imagine and relate with how they must have felt. Yes, I was in the process of having one of those mornings. Then I had to make a decision.

Do I go about looking at the rest of the day through offended eyes or do I forgive and view the rest of the day with clear eyes.

I think it would have been great to have immediately chosen forgiveness and a clear view of life. I didn't ... I had to think about it for a while. O, how I wanted an apology, an admittance that I had been wronged, a reason to let go of the offense that at the same time would validate my feelings and rights.

Isn't it amazing that we are so easily offended in life, and then offended by the Word of God, that tells us how to handle those offenses. The Bible doesn't validate our feelings and rights, it calls us to live for Him, revealing Him in and to a society that doesn't believe in nor know Him.

Each day presents us with many opportunities to be offended. If we are focused on ourselves, we will be. How much better when being reviled to not revile back, but to reveal Christ.

The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then watch out that the light in you is not darkness. (Luke 11:34-35)

How's your eyesight today?

The Seed of Destiny

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John12:24)

Destiny is placed in us as a seed. It could be argued that it is placed in us at natural conception or spiritual conception. One thing that is sure though is that our Devine destiny will never be fully accomplished apart from God.

As a seed in the natural, so the seed of destiny must go through a certain process before it produces its fruit. Simplistically, a natural seed must go into the ground and it must die. There has to be moisture and heat to rot the husk and germinate the seed, then down go the roots and up comes the sprout.

A spiritual seed, the seed of God’s destiny, also has to die. We are aware of its presence, we are drawn by its call, but are not capable of walking in or fulfilling it. It must be buried in the womb of God’s presence. We acknowledge it, we admit our inability to make it happen, and we release it back to God that He may cause it to be, and that He may receive honor and glory from it.

The natural outcome of that destiny dies and is buried in the purposes of God. God then resurrects it to life, and a destiny we could have never pulled off with our own abilities begins to germinate. Its roots begin to sink into the purposes of God, and our destiny begins to sprout.

DESTINY

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Php 3:12-14)

Destiny is not just some place we end up at, it is also something we participate in every day. We don’t just end up at our destiny, we are actively involved in it every day. You might say we have a role to play in our own destiny.

If you were going to take a trip, you would have some sort of plan. The things you would need to do to get ready, what you would take with you, the route you would be taking, and even where you would stay when you get to your destination, In all of it you play an active role. You know your destination, either by desire or need. Everything you do to get ready, the traveling, the getting there, and what you do after you are there, is part of the fulfillment of that destiny.

All that we do is destiny being fulfilled. We can trust the inclinations of our spirit, because we are inhabited by the Holy Spirit. We might not be able to say at this point, I am destined to do this. But as we follow the inclinations of our re-newed spirit we are fulfilling our destiny in that moment.

As we begin living out our destiny, our destiny is accomplished. Our destination is sure, but there are things we can do that will make our stay at our destination better. We need to live out of our destiny, not live out of our past.
The times already lived are gone. Let them go. Now is not about what was or what has been or even could have been.. Now is about what can be, as each of us lives out of our destiny, as each of us begins to walk into our destiny, as each of us begins to daily fulfill our destiny, and walk out of our destiny.

What is God’s destiny, God’s purpose, God’s desire for you today? I can assure you that His desire is for you, and that His desire for you is good, and that His desire is that you walk in that goodness. His desire for you will not violate His Word or His character.

God’s promise for your destiny is “I shall accomplish My purpose for you”. As long as you are submitted to Him, you can trust what you sense for your destiny. Begin to live out of it, to live it out, and you will be accomplishing your destiny as you fulfill your destiny, and end up in your destiny.

You can’t see it all right now because you would begin to pursue it as a goal instead of a destiny, a life to be lived out. Destiny is more about living than about destination. Live, live out what is in your heart, and God will take care of any direction correction that is needed.

And then there are destiny’s friends. These are those special others that God places in our lives. Somehow or other, they are connected to our destiny and we to theirs.

And there are all those around us that we interact with. Sometime it is for the living out of our own destiny, and sometimes it is so they can begin, or continue, to live out their destiny. We also have a part in the destiny of those around us. We can encourage it or quince it, help direct it or scatter it, be a part in it or a discouragement to it.

And we’ve not yet spoken of destiny’s child. This is the good that comes from the living out of our own destiny and the encouraging of others in the living out of their own destinies. Be fruitful and multiply.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

Savin' Me

I came across this music video by Nickelback this week. I thought it had a great message. I had to watch it full screen a couple times to see all it had for me. If you are interested you can find it at http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/artists/Nickelback/showVideo.aspx?fileID=1267

The Way of True Life

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (Jn 7:38)

Tuesday as I was spending some moments turned towards the Lord, I seemed to hear Him saying, "There is a place that is close to Me where you can abide and hear my voice as a well of springing water. The sinner is cleansed and the saint refreshed. The water of My presence will heal your soul, refresh your spirit, and strengthen your body. All who seek Me may come to this place. My Presence is found in Christ and administered by the Holy Spirit. Join Me at the well."

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Is 12:3)

Many Nations

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; (Rev 7:9)

Sunday I visited a local church that was different than the one I had been visiting. As I set there in my chair I looked about and I saw not many who were like me. I wasn't necessarily comfortable but I really liked being with people who were different than me.

God calls people who are different than one another, diverse from one another, to be in community with one another. He doesn't necessarily call people who are alike to come together and be comfortable in their alikeness.

"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD. 11 "Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you. 12 The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling." (Zech 2:10)

The Resurrected Life

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Ro 6:4)

The resurrected life is a life that is lived towards God. It is a life that acknowledges Him, submits to Him, gets life from Him, and lives to please Him. We are no longer to submit to sin, but are to submit to God, we are no longer to obey sin but are to obey God. We are to offer the parts of our bodies to God as instruments of righteousness.

The resurrected life is new kind of life that we were unable to live before we knew God. It is a life that cannot be lived without the life of God inside of us. It is a life lived to God and for God. It is a life that offers itself to God to be an instrument of His righteousness, for His glory, to the accomplishing of His purposes in Christ Jesus.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Ro 6:11)

The resurrected life can not be lived out of our past, or even in identity with our past. It must be lived out of who we are now, not who we were before we knew Christ. It is a life that cannot be identified with sin, failure or what we can accomplish in our own abilities or own strength.

The resurrected life cannot be lived with out dying. We must die to sin, selfish ambition, soulish wisdom, and sensual pleasures. We have to identify with Christ’s in His death by being buried with Him in baptism. To be baptized into Christ is to baptized into His death. Everything before that burial is dead, is no longer the rule of our lives, is no longer the purpose of our living, and is no longer in control of our destinies.

The resurrected life is the life that is raised up out of the tomb of death. It is the life that is raised up in the same way that Christ was resurrected. It is no longer a natural life lived for natural purposes, it is a supernatural life, endowed with supernatural power, and lived for supernatural purposes. It is man-ward life laid down and buried, and then raised up a God-ward life.

The resurrected life is a life identified with the resurrected life of Jesus Christ. Its allegiance is not to self, the world, or the demonic, but its allegiance is to the Lord God Almighty. It is a life lived with the passion, purpose, and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the life Christ gives us. Let us not settle for the residue of what we have died to, but let us reach out and live the resurrected life by the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ, and let us live it for the glory of God our Father.

The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. (Ro 6:10)

Freedom To Become

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (Ro 8:1-2)

Where there is condemnation, there is no freedom. Where there is no freedom, there is no real growth. We will never become or accomplish what The Lord is calling us to as long as we sit under or are subjected to condemnation.

Condemnation quenches, cuts off, blames, squelches, grieves, manipulates, blinds, binds, and causes hopelessness.

The Spirit builds up, encourages, directs, corrects, helps, enables, frees , and gives hope.
Condemnation creates an atmosphere of blame, guilt, and control. You will only be free to become what the condemner wants or thinks you ought to become or be. The condemner makes and interprets all the rules and motives.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor 3:17)

Where the Spirit of Life is, there is freedom, freedom to become who God has called us to be and to do what God has called us to do. To be set free from our sinful pasts and set free to all we can be in Christ.

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev 1:5-6)

Hitting The Mark

I press toward the mark (the distant mark looked at, the goal or end one has in view) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Php 3:14)

We probably all start out pretty good. It doesn't take us long after we become Christians to figure out That Jesus is the One we set out sights on, who we head for. It all seems pretty simple, progress is fairly constant, and our lives are becoming steady.

Then at some point, years down the road, it is not simple anymore. We have too many targets, too many marks we are heading for. At first we do not realize what the problem is, all we know is the joy is gone. Discouragement begins to haunt us, we don't seem to know what to do any more.

May I suggest that we may have gotten off track. We're trying to hit so many marks, that we can't even figure out how to hit One. Some marks we may have added could be the desire for other things. When this happens, the Word is choked and we become unfruitful, stale, discouraged, passive, and undirected. Some marks could be ministry, how we think others percieve us, or even church

I am not going to belabor this, after all, we have the Holy Spirit and can understand spiritual things. Since we have been raised with Christ. let us also set our heart and minds on things above and let nothing lead us astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

Looking Back

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (Isa 6:20). Yesterday morning I was reading in Isaiah and came to this verse. I remember the first time this verse arrested me. It was about 18-20 years ago. My first thoughts back then, along with a feeling of self-justification, were, "Yea Lord, there's a bunch of people out there who don't speak in agreement with your Word!" Following that thought I was filled with conviction concerning how often my own words were not in agreement with the Word of God. Again this morning I re-read the above scripture. I looked back over the years, and I would have thought:

• I'd have come much farther in this area than in actuallity I have.
• That I would speak more life words than I do.
• That I would speak less death words than I do.
• That I would use my words more to help others become who they are in Christ.

I looked back at what Isaiah said in chapter 6:5-7, - Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

In verses 5-7 he is given a revelation of (from) God, then comes repentance, forgiveness, and cleansing, followed by separation and commissioning in verses 8 & 9.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell ...

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to God.