POWER OF THE BOULDER

"Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundations on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who has heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was very great" (Luke 6:46-49).

So how's your foundation holding up these days? Are your doors and windows opening properly? Are there gaps, leaks or cracks in the brick or mortar? I'm not a contractor, but I've learned a few things after living in 2 older homes.  And one thing I've discovered: foundation problems usually happen due to settlement or some kind of upheaval. Settlement means part of the foundation has dropped below where it was meant to be. And upheaval means it's risen above that starting place. Either way, a bad foundation can bring your entire house falling down around you. 

A strong foundation is a must if we want to withstand the many shifts in our journey with Christ. It doesn't matter what we look like on the outside: without a sturdy foundation, we're going to crumble in a crisis. If we try to muddle through without a firm foundation, any kind of conflict--a sudden loss in the family, poor health, or a damaged relationship-- will break down whatever we've built up. 

We've got to have a sheet of bedrock to hold onto when we face those upheavals. To endure the storms that beat against our house, we've got to dig deep into something more solid. The only solid foundation is found in Jesus. In the middle of any kind of storm, "the Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer" (Psalm 18:2). "Who is a rock, except our God?" (Psalm 18:31) The storms can beat against Jesus and He'll stand firm. He'll remain though the waves crash against Him in relentless fury. 

I remember seeing this for myself on a trip to Virginia. We were walking along a lovely sandy beach, hunting for rocks and shells. While enjoying the ocean's salty spray, we noticed a huge boulder not too far from shore. It stood as tall as a 2 story building, looking like an island in the middle of the sea. It was a windy day and the breakers beat and swelled around that rock. But it stood firm and tall.

How long had it stood there, I wondered. How long had it taken beating after beating? Sand and waves could not erode its strength. It kept standing in spite of wind and storm. And that made me think of Jesus. He is that boulder in my life. He's the only One who can take me through the trials and temptations that harass me. He's bigger than any storm I'll ever face.

Do you feel overwhelmed at times? Here's a prayer that can give us strength to hold on:

"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a shelter to me, a strong tower from the enemy" (Psalm 62:2-3). 

Have you climbed onto that Rock? We need to go higher than where we are so the floods can't wash us away. We won't lose our hope or peace if we head for higher ground. That's the place where we'll find strength and deliverance. And that means going to Jesus every day, to our unfailing Rock. "Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us" (Psalm 62:8). 

Whenever we are weak, Jesus is strong. We may not have any strength of our own, but if we hold onto Christ, we can be strong. Our strength is actually made perfect when we're at our lowest point.  It becomes complete when we depend on Jesus and His unfailing Word. And the reason is because Jesus says, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

How is Christ's grace enough when we go through storms or when our foundation is shaking? God's grace is His power. And how much power does the Lord have? When Jesus sailed on a stormy sea in Galilee, the boat He was sleeping in was ready to go down. Many of the disciples like Peter and John were seasoned fishermen. They were probably muscle-bound fishermen; they were used to battling storms, rowing their boats to safety. But this storm was different! Nothing they did was working. No matter how hard they rowed or how much they bailed, they were still taking on more water and sinking. Terror gripped their hearts as the lightning flashed and the thunder roared. 

In their terror, they forgot who was in the boat with them. They forgot to flee to the Rock that was higher than the storm. But when lightning flashed, for one split moment, they were able to see Jesus sleeping. So they cried out, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?" (Mark 4:39)

"As the disciples grasp their oars to make a last effort, Jesus rises. He stands in the midst of His disciples, while the tempest rages, the waves break over them, and the lightning illuminates His countenance. He lifts His hand, so often employed in deeds of mercy, and says to the angry sea, "Peace, be still"" (Desire of Ages, pg. 335). And immediately, the storm is gone. The waves sink below the water and the boat rests on a quiet sea. 

When Jesus met the fury of that storm, was He afraid? No. But not because He is God, not because He's the Master of wind and sea. Jesus had set that power aside when He became one of us, the Son of Man. Jesus says, "I can of Myself do nothing" (John 5:30). He turned to His Father when He faced that storm. God was our Savior's strength and power. "He trusted in the Father's might. It was in faith--faith in God's love and care--that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which stilled the storm was the power of God" (Desire of Ages, pg. 336).

That's the Power of the Boulder--the same power that's available to you and me. Is it enough to vanquish the fears in our life? To put to rest the worries that God won't be there for us? If Jesus is bigger than the winds and the waves, if He's stronger than disease or death, then He can handle it. He can handle any problem we'll ever face if we'll put our trust in Him and believe that He's our sufficiency (2 Corinthians 9:8).

"Through faith [God's people like you and me] subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong" (Hebrews 11:33-34). But their faith was not in themselves. I think they knew the truth of these words, "Without Me, you can do nothing" (John 15:5). But they also knew where the Rock was. And they turned to the Lord in faith, in prayer, and leaned with their whole weight on the word of God. For they knew "the grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever" (Isaiah 40:8).

Jesus is our Rock because of His unending love for us. Jesus is our Rock because His word is packed with life-changing power. To cling to His Word is to cling to Jesus and discover the Power of the Boulder. And the strength can be ours when we trust in His might to deliver us.

"Seek the Lord and His strength! 

Seek His face forevermore!" (1 Chronicles 16:11)

PREPARE NOW

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (Matthew 25:1-4).

Have you ever thought a wedding could be a big surprise? There's usually quite a bit of planning when you or your child is getting married. But in the days of Christ, they didn't have set times for weddings. A special day was chosen by the bride and groom's family but not the precise time. When the wedding day arrived, the groom would leave his father's house and, in a torch-lit procession, head off to get his bride. But she never knew exactly when he'd be knocking at her door. That must have been such an exciting day! To know you were getting married, but not knowing exactly when. 

Jesus used the events surrounding a Jewish wedding to help us prepare for His soon return. "Therefore you also be ready," He said, "for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Matthew 24:44 Like the Jewish bride, we don't know the exact time for our Lord's arrival. It's going to be a surprise, for Jesus said, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." Matthew 24:36 

And yet, Jesus says He's coming soon. At least 5 times in the book of Revelation, Jesus announced His coming. He says it's closer than we think. In fact, the very last words of Christ in the Bible say, "Surely, I am coming quickly." Revelation 22:20  Don't you long for the day when quickly will become now? When you will see Jesus with your own eyes coming in the clouds of heaven? How I long for that day! And like the bride in Christ's parable, I want to be ready, so no matter when my Savior comes, I'll be able to say, "Behold, this is my God. I have waited for Him, and He will save me." Isaiah 25:9, personalized 

I want to be one of the wise virgins in this kingdom parable. They were waiting for Jesus with lamps trimmed and burning. And along with their lamps, they carried a vessel of oil. They were eager for this great day but they were also ready. A wise virgin makes advance preparation for the coming of the Bridegroom. For she doesn't want anything to stop her from joining the wedding.

What kind of preparations do wise virgins make? First of all, they're eagerly waiting for the Bridegroom to come. They have heard the good news and they want to be part of the wedding. His coming is their Blessed Hope, the focus of their entire life. 

The next thing they do is carry a lamp. Wedding processions from the bride's to the groom's home normally happened at night. That's why wise virgins brought a lamp along. It was a Bible lamp, for the Psalmist says, "Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105  

A wise virgin understands the Bible. She knows that God provides signs to alert the world that His coming is almost at the door. Matthew 24:36 Perhaps she's aware of the promise in Matthew 24:14 that "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." She's looking for the signs of His coming, such as an increase in wars and rumors of wars or the rise of false Christ's or false prophets. Knowing her Bible fans the flame of her faith, so she continues to shine with undimmed light in this dark and sinful world.

The 3rd thing a wise virgin does is keep a fresh supply of oil on hand. The lamps used in Bible weddings were not the small clay lamps often used at home. They were really torches, probably sticks with oiled rags. The oil kept the torch burning and needed to be replenished from time to time. The oil in a virgin's lamp is the presence of the Holy Spirit. He is the fire that burns in her heart and shines out through her life. As Jeremiah once said, "His word was in my heart, like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not." Jeremiah 20:9  

The Holy Spirit is often associated with oil in the Scriptures. Anointing oil is connected with the outpouring of the Spirit upon a king, a priest, or even Christ Himself. When Jesus announced His ministry as the Messiah, He declared, "The Spirit of the Lord  is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor." Luke 4:18  Acts 10:38 also reveals another use of this symbolism--"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power." In Zechariah 4:6, the angel Gabriel explains to the priest the working of God's Spirit. Zechariah saw the golden lampstand from the sanctuary in a heavenly vision. The lampstand had a golden bowl on top of it; the stand also had 7 lamps with 7 pipes that led to each lamp. Beside the lampstand were 2 olive trees.

"From the two olive trees the golden oil was emptied through the golden pipes into the bowl of the candlestick, and then into the golden lamps that gave light to the sanctuary. So from the holy ones that stand in God's presence His Spirit is imparted to the human instrumentalities who are consecrated to His service. The mission of the two anointed ones [the olive trees] is to communicate to God's people that heavenly grace which alone can make His word a lamp to the feet and a light to the path" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 407). It is "not by might, nor by power" that we shine for Jesus. It's by the Spirit of the Lord as He speaks to us through the Scriptures.

And yet, a wise virgin has more than just an understanding of the Bible (wonderful though that may be). God's Word permeates her entire life just as the oil permeates the torch she holds in her hand. Her lamp is more than just knowing facts about God. It represents what the Spirit is doing in her life.  The Pharisees in Christ's day had an astounding knowledge of God's Word. And yet, they refused to accept Jesus as the promised Messiah and eventually plotted his death.

But the wise virgins have an experience in the word of God. It has become the light of their life because they've chosen to live what they know and believe. They have made room for the Holy Spirit and welcomed His presence by receiving and applying His word to their life.  "Through the Holy Spirit, God's word is a light as it becomes a transforming power in the life of the receiver. By implanting in their hearts the principles of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes of God" (God's Amazing Grace, pg. 214).

This is an astounding truth and the heart of the gospel message. For the gospel of Christ "is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also for the Greek." Romans 1:16  God's Word is a creative and re-creative power when we surrender our lives to Christ. The same power that Jesus used in creating this planet is in His Word. Every verse, every page has the life of God within in. And if we'll open our hearts to receive it--just as it reads--Christ will transform our sinful heart and make it the temple of His Spirit. We may walk in newness of life, filled with all the fullness of God, and shining with the glory of our Father's love and holiness. 

A wise virgin can shine in the night as she waits for the Bridegroom because she's allowed Jesus to have full control. She's saturated her mind with His living word and it's changed her from the inside out. His character has become her own.  The same love and righteousness seen in Jesus is glowing in the light of the wise virgin. His oil is streaming through her life.

Now if the oil only stood for a knowledge of the Scriptures, the wise virgins could easily have shared their oil with the foolish virgins who brought no oil with them. You see, during the night, all the virgins fell asleep as they waited for the bridegroom. But at midnight, a cry was heard, "Behold, the Bridegroom is coming! Go out to meet Him!" Matthew 25:6  Quickly, the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps to join the procession. But the foolish ones, who brought no oil with them, have no light to shine. They pled with the wise virgins, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out." Matthew 25:8  

But the wise virgins couldn't share what they had because it wasn't knowledge that the foolish ones were lacking. They were missing an experience with God! They had an outward form of godliness, but sadly, no real power. God's grace was missing, and we can't lend that to someone else. We can't pass on the formation of a righteous character to someone who hasn't known the Lord. The Bible says, "Even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it [living in the same place where we live], they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness." Ezekiel 14:20, RSV
"In spiritual things no man can make up for another man's deficiency...character is not transferable. No man can believe for another. No man can impart to another the character which is the fruit of the Spirit's working" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 411).

If I want to be a wise virgin when Jesus comes in the clouds of glory, then I must prepare now. I can't expect to be ready if my lamp is empty when I see Him coming. I must have more than a superficial work going on in my life. I must hold communion with Jesus all through the day, learning how to trust Him with every facet of my being. I must put myself daily into the hands of His Spirit, allowing Him to break up my old nature and be formed into a new creation that lives for Christ and Christ alone.

Jesus is waiting to pour the riches of His presence into our lives. We can be a living torch for Christ as we soak in His Word each day and give our wills to Him, moment by moment. Lord, keep our hearts soft and our ears open so we may hear the slightest whisper of Your Spirit and do exactly what You tell us. May the glory of Your love be seen in all we do. Let our light shine with who You are and what we are in You!

CROSSING THE RED SEA

"And the Lord said to Moses, 'Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward'" (Exodus 14:15).

Where can you go when no matter where you turn there's no way out? Mountains of difficulty tower above you, an impassable sea stares you in the face, and in the distance, all you can see is the enemy gaining ground. It looks like a hopeless mess, doesn't it? And it might very well be if God hadn't led you here. But He did. He led you to the lonely shores of the Red Sea for a very important reason. 

When all you can see are problems staring you in the face, you don't notice the chains around your hands or ankles. You don't realize that fear has enslaved you. All you see is blackness. All you feel is this heavy burden on your back, pulling you down-down-down and threatening to carry you away. 

You and I can be trapped just as much as Israel was when she was a slave in Egypt. And just like Israel of old, we need to be delivered. Sometimes, the only way God can set us free is by bringing us to the shores of the Red Sea--to come to the place where we feel powerless. For if we're ever to get out of this mess, we need Him to save us. Only when we reach the point of utter dependence can Jesus be our Deliverance.

We have to let go. We have to stop trying to solve things on our own and allow Jesus to lead the way. He has a way out. And if we stop long enough to listen, we'll hear Him say, "Don't be afraid. Don't fear to trust Me with your life. Just stand still. Allow me to work and you'll see what I can do!" That's pretty near to what God said through Moses as the children of Israel panicked on the shores of the Red Sea:

"Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again" (Exodus 14:13, RSV).

This command really makes me think. Many versions of the Bible say, "Fear not, stand still" but just as many say, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see..." So I doubt that God just wants us to sit in the bleachers and cheer Him on. He didn't want Israel to just STAND THERE either. He wants us to stop long enough to hear Him speak--I will provide. I've got the way out! Jesus knows what we're up against and He's going to do something about it. 

And standing still doesn't mean doing nothing, for God does nothing without our cooperation. It means He wants us to take a leap of faith--to stop thinking like a slave--as if we're on our own, with no helper in sight. When we put our life in God's hands, He becomes our mighty Deliverer. He makes it HIS BUSINESS to rescue us from the pit of sin or the ravine of fear and to pull us out Himself. "The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace" (Exodus 15:14).

But hold on! There's still a part for you and me. Victory never comes without some effort on our part. God provides the power, but we must move forward. So the Lord says to us as He once said on the shores of the Red Sea, "Tell the children of Israel to go forward."  And as God directed, Moses stretched out his rod and the deep waters parted so Israel had a dry path through the midst of the sea. 

But when did the waters go back? Did the people sit on the shore, waiting 1st to see if God could do what He said? Did they think, "I'll wait here until I see it with my own eyes"? Did they act like a doubting Thomas, reserving the right to believe after they'd seen the evidence? Absolutely not! For the Bible says "By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned" (Hebrews 11:29, italics supplied). You see, God works as He sees us exercising faith or trust in Him. Why couldn't Jesus do as much healing in Nazareth as He had in Capernaum? Because His neighbors only saw Him as the son of Joseph and Mary; they didn't believe He could do it. And their unbelief kept them from receiving healing and deliverance. And God didn't work any different for the children of Israel on the shores of the Red Sea. 

"If the people had held back when Moses bade them advance, God would never have opened the path for them...In marching down to the very water, they showed that they believed the word of God spoken by Moses. Then the Mighty One of Israel divided the sea to make a path for their feet" (From Eternity Past, pg. 197).

Whatever problem we may face on our journey with Jesus, there's a way to go through it. Remember, we have a mighty Deliverer who's on this journey with us. He doesn't just hand us a map and tell us to get going. He knows the dangers we face. He understands the trials along the way--He's been there before us. And He knows the way out. He is the way out! And He's walking beside us every step of our journey.

move - work - pray - wait

So what can we do when we find ourselves on the shores of the Red Sea? Move forward in faith, holding onto God's promise, "I will never leave you or forsake you." Hebrews 13:5. "Work in faith, and leave the results with God. Pray in faith, and the mystery of His Providence will bring its answer. At times it may seem that you cannot succeed. But work and believe, putting into your efforts faith, hope and courage. After doing what you can, wait for the Lord, declaring His faithfulness, and He will bring His Word to pass. Wait, not in fretful anxiety, but in undaunted faith and unshaken trust" (Testimonies for the Church, book 7, pg. 245).

You may not know exactly how God will work things out. But He wants you to know today that He is able and longs to deliver. Don't be afraid, only believe, and you'll see the salvation of the Lord. Move when God says move. Start marching and you'll see the waters parting for your deliverance!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:35,38,39).

INSPIRE A GENERATION

"Do you not know that in a race all runners compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it!" (1 Corinthians 9:24, NRS)

In 2012, the official motto for the summer Olympics was "Inspire a Generation."  If you could flash back to last summer, you might see a single runner carrying the Olympic torch. But you'd really see scores of athletes doing the same thing--Passing on the torch to those of us watching, inspiring another generation to go for the gold or push themselves farther than they ever thought possible. It's like passing on a legacy of heroism, courage, and excellence--all rolled into one.

One of those inspiring athletes was Michael Phelps. If anyone's life could pass on a legacy, it was Michael. At the age of 27, he'd won more Olympic medals than any other athlete in history--22 of them all together and 18 of them gold! He was so good that he inspired a young boy called Chad le Clos to get into the game. 

When Chad was only 12, he saw 19-year-old Phelps win 6 gold medals in swimming. And he decided right then and there that he was going to become the greatest swimmer in all the world. He watched every race that Phelps ever swam over and over again. He posted pictures of his hero all over his room. Keeping his goal and his hero  in mind, le Clos worked his way to the summer Olympics of 2012. And not only that, he would race against Phelps in the 200-meter butterfly! As le Clos stood on the edge of the pool, his one thought was, "I want to make Michael proud!" And believe it or not, he certainly did.

Michael Phelps has always wanted to make a difference in the sport of swimming. When he was just 15, he told his coach he wanted to compete: not for the gold medals, the world records, or the thunder of applause. Instead he wanted to motivate young people to follow their dreams. So when Chad le Clos told Michael how his life had touched his own, Phelps got all misty-eyed as he thought about his legacy. 

One athlete touching another doesn't quite equate to inspiring a whole generation. But the more Michael Phelps we have in this world, the more impact there will be. For example, if you could influence just 1 person to follow Jesus this year, then there would be 2 of you following Jesus. And if you and your friend now influenced 1 more person the next year, then there would be 4. In the 3rd year there would be 8, in the 4th year 16, in the 5th year 32! And if you could keep this momentum going, with each person influencing only 1 person per year, at the end of 10 years, you would see over 500 people following Jesus as the result of your witness!

And that's only looking at your impact! Just think of what could happen if everyone in your church did the same thing! It's easy to see that an explosion could happen if we'd all be inspired to bring someone to Christ and inspire them to do the same. 

The math can be quite exciting when you think about making disciples for Jesus! But inspiring a single generation isn't merely about the numbers. That's only one kind of growth. The ultimate growth is what happens on the inside. Because if we want to pass on a true legacy, life has to be created and duplicated. And then it must never stop! Because even if we could fill up the pews in our churches so there's standing room only, we could still miss out on the revolution that Jesus wants to ignite.  Without an inner revolution in the heart, there's no momentum for passing on the torch. There's nothing to compel us to share the gospel. And even greater than that, there's no salt to make others thirsty for Jesus!

We need transformation in your life and mine to make the gospel revolution happen. Because Peter's life was changed, 3000 were converted in a day. Because Paul's life was changed, the gospel was carried round the world. In fact, when Paul came to Thessalonica, the Jews stirred up such a revolt that they dragged Jason and some other men to court with the allegation: 

"These who have turned the world upside down have come here too!" (Acts 17:6) 

That was what the enemies of Jesus saw in the Christians of the 1st century. They  turned the world upside down for God! "By the cooperation of the divine Spirit, the apostles did a work that shook the world. To every nation the gospel was carried in a single generation" (Acts of the Apostles, pg. 593).

How could so few impact so many? It's not because one man influenced only one person a year! It's because each disciple of Christ was filled with the power of the Spirit. And by that Spirit, they were transformed so their lives testified to the truth of the gospel.  Their walk matched their talk. And this was what made their witness so contagious, so explosive that they changed the world in a single generation. They were on fire with the truth as it is in Jesus. But that truth was lived out in their lives every day--consistently and victoriously. And people took notice "that they had been with Jesus" (Acts 4:13). If they had been put on trial--as many of them were--there was ample evidence to prove that Jesus was alive and well in every department of their lives. 

Like Phelps and le Clos, the disciples pressed toward the goal ahead of them. And if we could interview them today, they would say, "I want to grab a hold of Jesus for the same reason He grabbed hold of me" (see Philippians 3:12). They were shooting for the same goal that Jesus was shooting for when He walked the dusty roads of Galilee. Now Christ's goal took Him to the cross, but Calvary wasn't the finish line. For in Gethsemane, Jesus prayed:

"I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4, italics supplied). 

What was that work? Jesus spoke these words before He ever went to the cross. So He couldn't have been talking about that. No, for in verse 6, we catch a glimmer of the goal Jesus was headed for. He prayed, "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word." 

Christ's mission was two-fold:
#1--Demonstrate to all the world who the Father really is.
#2--Pass on a legacy to the men He was training to take up His work. 

Jesus revealed the Father and we are to do the same. That is why our Savior prayed, "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me" (John 17:21). The duplication of Jesus in every disciple is the reason for the cross. By His saving act, Christ made it possible for us to be reconciled to the Father and for His character to be seen in our lives.

 The work of salvation means more than just forgiving our sins; "it means taking away our sins and filling the vacuum with the graces of the Holy Spirit. It means divine illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 419). And when that happens, when Christ is formed within and truth possesses our hearts, "The glory, the fullness, the completeness of the gospel plan is fulfilled in the life" (ibid). It's fulfilled because the character of Jesus is created and duplicated in you and me. And that's the greatest testimony that Jesus is real and that He came into this world. He is the Son of God and the Savior of men. He is who He said He was and the proof is unequivocally testified through the lives of His disciples. Even if your neighbors never crack open the Bible and read the life-changing story of Jesus, they should be able to read it in your life. 

Because here's the bottom line--A Christian is like Christ. And that's the goal we're shooting for. Paul said it so powerfully, "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:28). For this goal, Paul pressed on, straining every muscle of faith, that he might achieve this goal in every disciple that he made for Jesus Christ. "For this [goal]" he says, "I toil and struggle with all the energy that He powerfully inspires within me" (Colossians 1:29, NRS). Through Paul, Jesus inspired a whole generation! He inspired Paul. And Paul's goal was reached when he saw a mature or perfect duplication of Jesus in every one of His disciples. 

It wasn't an easy goal to shoot for. It's much higher than inspiring young people to shoot for their dreams or achieve notoriety by surpassing a world record. But God still wants us to take that Olympic motto and use it for Jesus. He needs you and me to inspire a generation for Christ. He needs us to forget those things which are behind us and reach forward to all that lies before us, to "press toward the goal of the prize of the Upward Call in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13,14). 

That Upward Call means to live for Jesus  every day--consistently and victoriously. And it means to live like Jesus every day--consistently and victoriously. And yes, we will strive higher than those around us. For it's an Upward Call! Christians aren't merely forgiven, they are revived and recreated to be like Jesus. Christ isn't merely our Savior. He is the great Restorer. And if we put our lives into His hands, He will restore His image in  us.

"Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God's ideal for His children. Godliness--Godlikeness--is the goal to be reached" (Education, pg. 18). "Therefore...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:1,2). 

YOUR WORDS - MY WORDS

"Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against You!" (Psalm 119:11)

Yesterday, I embarked on another adventurer with Jesus. Do you need a challenge to stir you up? I certainly do. It helps my journey to stay fresh and new when I have a project to work toward. 

I like to have an aim when I wake up in the morning and open my Bible. I used to struggle over that. I'd sit and stew, "Now what shall I read today?" I'd flip through pages, wondering what I needed for the day. Sometimes I'd read a psalm or a chapter in Paul's letters or maybe a story in the gospels.  But I always had such an unsettled feeling! I felt like a little butterfly, flitting from flower to flower, sipping here and sipping there. But I've discovered in this journey with God that I need something more substantial when I seek Him with my whole heart.

My goal for some time has been digging in the Psalms. I find such joy and communion there. (It's actually where I've learned what intimacy with Jesus is all about.) This past week, I've spent more time there than ever. Lately, I've been traveling through the valley of the shadow over the death of my dear mother. Again and again, I've turned to God's promises to give me hope and strength. His love has been washing over me and drawing me back into His Word. Just yesterday, the Lord impressed me to carry the Psalms with me everywhere I go. How could I do that? By memorizing His Word!

I've chosen to begin with the longest Psalm, the pinnacle of this wonderful book--Psalm 119. It's a beautiful work of poetry, an acrostic poem that's divided into 28 stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza contains 8 verses, bringing this song to 176 lines of communion with God. 

Yesterday, I committed the 1st letter, ALEPH, to memory. As I read those words, I recognized the 1st 4 verses from a Scripture song I have on tape...

Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently.

That made an easy start. Only 4 more to go. I began reading through the new verses and as I memorized one, I'd go back to the start and say them all together. Then I'd move onto the next verse. I'm not sure how many times I said those words out loud. But somewhere along the way, I really began listening to what I was saying. This was the prayer of someone who is seeking a deeper walk with Jesus, just like I am! Someone who wants nothing more than to be like Christ and follow in His ways. 

When I found I could say all 8 verses, I went to a quiet spot and began praying through the Psalm, verse by verse. I prayed that I might be undefiled as I walked with Jesus today, that all my steps would be His steps. I renewed my desire to seek Him with ALL my heart, with every fiber of my being--body, mind, and spirit. I chose to serve Jesus steadfastly and wholeheartedly. I prayed for victory over temptation, fear, and pride. I literally used the words of the Psalm, saying "Oh that my ways would be directed to keep Your statutes!" (vs 5) My heart was so full of praise by the time I reached verse 7. I joined in with praise for the love of God and for a stronger desire to walk in His ways.

As I went through my day, I kept hearing the words of that psalm running through my head. I could hear the blessing of being one of the undefiled, a disciple of the ALEPH. As I washed dishes or made supper, I kept meditating on those words. They gave me such a quiet peace that carried me through the day. But it was more than a peace. I knew that Jesus was beside me; His presence was more vivid as I contemplated His precious words. The burdens I'd been carrying were wonderfully lifted!

And today it's just the same. As I sat by the window, I could see a flock of juncos and sparrows pecking at the seed I put out for them that morning. But my thoughts were more on Jesus. This morning, I was planting the words of BETH (the Hebrew letter B) in my mind. Two of the verses I recognized. 

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. PSALM 119:9

Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You. PSALM 119:11

As I learned the words of BETH in Psalm 119, saying them over and over again, I felt them burning into my heart. It reminded me of a time when Jesus appeared to Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus. When they finally realized it was Jesus who was talking to them, they said to one another, "Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32) I knew how those men must have felt! For as I'm saying God's word out loud and hiding it in my heart, I want those words to be mine! They're becoming my prayers and my desire in following Jesus.

I want to take heed according to His Word. PSALM 119:9
I want to say, 'With my whole heart I have sought You! O let me not wander from Your commandments!' PSALM 119:10
I want to hide God's Word in my heart so that I don't sin against God. PSALM 119:11
I want to declare with my lips all of God's righteous judgments. PSALM 119:12
I want to rejoice in the way of His testimonies. PSALM 119:13
I want to contemplate His ways. PSALM 119:15
And most of all, I don't ever want to forget His Word! PSALM 119:16

Can your heart be revived in just a day or 2? I believe it can! God's Word is so powerful, and when we come to Him with hungry or aching hearts, He can do more for us in a moment than it would take a man years to do on his own. 

Reading God's Word is a blessing in itself, but when I hide it in my heart and meditate on it through the day, it's like I'm digesting it. The life nutrients that are there are filling me up and bringing me closer to Jesus. I want to stay in His presence all day long! And now I can--as I talk with Him about His precious Word and how it can really become my own!

ALL THINGS

"Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:2-4).

Some of my favorite Bible verses are promises that include the word all. Perhaps it's because my new journey with Jesus began with a promise, "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13. Or maybe it's because I see the radical love my Father has for me. His doesn't dispense His love in small doses; rather, He lavishes me with it. It overflows in such rich abundance that there's barely room to receive it.

Take a look at this promise. Jesus says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). When I make Christ #1 in my life, He makes it His responsibility to give me what I need. I can rest in this promise because I have a loving Father who cares what I'm going through. He's more than willing to be my Provider and give me "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:2, italics supplied).

When my journey leads down a cloudy path where I encounter trials and troubles, I  may be tempted to cry out, "Dear Lord, where are You? Have you left me all alone to fend for myself?" But then I read this precious promise in Romans 8:28. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." So I hold onto His hand more tightly, looking up toward this light. My Father is working for me. He may have led me down this cloudy path because I need something along the way. Perhaps, there's something missing in my character, like humility or patience. Or perhaps I've been depending on myself too much. Or I haven't spent enough time kneeling at His feet.

Today, I'm walking down the valley of the shadow of death, as my mother is slipping farther away. She lays in a hospital bed in her home, barely eating and struggling to breathe. She may fall asleep in Jesus in a day or two. And the loss that I feel is sometimes unbearable. I am grieving for the mother I once knew and long to see her whole and healthy! But it is not My Father's plan. There comes a time when we must say good-bye to those we love. We must all walk through the valley of the shadow, but we need not walk there alone. For Christ walks beside us, holding our hands or holding us in His everlasting arms. "The eternal God is our refuge and underneath are His everlasting arms." Deuteronomy 33:27. 

"Though it may sometimes seem that things are out of control, we can always take comfort in God's enduring promises and constant presence" (Margaret Fishback Powers). I can even enter His presence when I lean on those promises! They are my assurance of an ever-abiding love that will not let me go!

"O Love that will not let me go, 

I rest my weary soul in Thee;

I give Thee back the life I owe,

That in Thine ocean depths its flow 

may richer, fuller be.

O Joy that seekest me thru pain, 

I cannot close my heart to Thee;

I trace the rainbow thru the rain 

and feel the promise is not vain,

That morn shall tearless be.

A few verses past Romans 8:28 is another precious promise that I treasure in my journey. Christ, the Loving Giver, reminds me there's much more He longs to bestow. I see it when I keep my eyes on the cross. For at Calvary, God poured out the greatest demonstration of His love for me. Nowhere else in all of Scripture will I see a plainer picture of His love. Jesus gave His all for me. He sacrificed everything for my salvation. Every drop of blood that He shed was for me!

And "He who did not keep back His only Son, but gave Him up for us all, will He not with Him freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32, Bible in Basic English) How can I not place my life into His hands? He has proven Himself over and over to be worthy of my trust. He has come through for me more times than I can count. He's always there, always present to hold me up and hold me close whenever I need Him. He is there for you too. For all of us who struggle in this dark and cloudy world. 

As I ponder this amazing promise, I can't help but notice that the abundance that Jesus longs to give comes when He enters my life. He gives us all things with Him! Every single blessing comes from Jesus. It comes through His presence. It's not just that He's the One who hands me those blessings. The blessings are rooted in Him. In knowing Him as my personal Friend and Savior. When I know Jesus, I know peace. I know comfort and rest. I know victory and strength. I find it all when I have Jesus.

And I find Him through His great and precious promises. For they give me a glimpse into My Father's heart. They show me how eager He is to be near me and give me all I need. I can't see what all those needs are right now. But My Father looks down into my heart and sees how His little girl needs to grow. For the greatest desire He has for us is to see His reflection in our lives. "Christ is seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men; and He does this through those who believe in Him" (Christ's Object Lessons, pg. 67).  

That belief means more than something I think in my head. To believe in Jesus is to trust Him completely. It's knowing He loves me and knows what is best for my good. "Thus instead of our own, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness" (Education, pg. 253). When I believe in Jesus and His unfailing promises, I ask Him to be Lord of my life. It means coming to Him with open hands and an open heart, knowing I'm empty without Him. And that's how His promises fill me and comfort me. Because I admit I'm poor and needy and need everything He longs to give. Not just one or 2 blessings--but absolutely everything!

Jesus says, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it!" (Psalm 81:10) That's another promise that I can't turn away from. I'm hungry for Jesus and I want to be filled. And God is just waiting to do it!

"Now to Him who is able to do abundantly above ALL THAT WE ASK OR THINK, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20). 

These ALL Promises are only the tip of the iceberg. I hope you will hunt for more of them yourselves and discover ALL the love the Father has bestowed upon you!

OUT OF THE DITCH

Driving can be a tricky business. It's not an easy thing to stay in the right lane. When you're just learning to drive, you have to keep your eyes on the road, on the straight and narrow, so to speak. And where you look can make all the difference.

When I first started driving, my eyes focused on the strip of road directly in front of my car. But I ended up waving back and forth in a curvy path rather than going in a straight line. And I couldn't keep up with traffic because I was so focused on keeping that car going straight.

It wasn't until we had the Highway Lesson that things turned around. You'd have thought, I'd be scared spitless going so fast when I've been barely creeping along. But I wasn't! As I looked down that big stretch of road, my focus totally changed! My eyes looked farther ahead and I didn't drive in a wobbly line anymore. I drove straight ahead just like everyone else. It was definitely the turning point in my driving experience! And guess what? I passed the course!

Where is my focus as I drive along in my journey with Jesus?  If I'm driving down my street, I come to open fields where farmers plant soybeans, corn and wheat. On almost every side are deep ditches. I'm sure they're designed to catch the run off when it rains. We live on low-lying ground which floods easily in the spring. Those ditches are probably there to drain off some of the water. They're pretty deep. And if you're not alert, you could fall into one of them. There's no guard rail to stop you. And if your car slid off the road, there's no way you could get out--without a tow truck, that is.

So how do I stay out of the ditches? How do I stay in the middle of the lane without swerving to the right or the left? I think it all goes back to my Highway Lesson. It depends on where my focus lies. If I look too long   at one of those ditches, my car follows my eyes and off I go--into the ditch! But when my eyes look forward, I keep moving forward, and I end up going in the right direction.

Why is it that we're so prone to end up in ditches? Just this morning, I was reading a new book I had just ordered. It was on how to revive your walk with God. Definitely part of my Living Way Journey. This morning, I turned to the chapter, "The Importance of Knowing God." And there was that catchy phrase that I know all too well. "It's not what we know, it's who we know." From a writer's standpoint, it sounds great. It's short, it's catchy. But it's  not so good when you use it to know God or how to be saved. It makes you think that belief doesn't matter, that knowledge of God is antagonistic to a relationship with Him. Later in the chapter, the author even goes on to say, "We don't get to know God through doctrines or teachings about Him."

Now I know there are some people like the Pharisees whose focus was solely on orthodoxy in doctrine. And I mean solely. That's all there was in their journey with God. They struggled over paying tithe on the mint and the cumin but neglected the weightier matters of the law, such as mercy and faith (Matthew 23:23). They put greater importance on washing your hands (being clean on the outside) than what you were on the inside. As a result, Jesus said they were  "like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness" (Matthew 23:27). They had fallen into the ditch of knowledge without the Spirit. Knowing about God without knowing Him personally. Possessing the truth without the truth possessing them.

But the problem wasn't at all with the knowledge of God. What we believe about God matters! When  Eve ate the forbidden fruit, she believed it wouldn't matter if she listened to the serpent. God had said not to eat this fruit, but Eve bought into the devil's lie and thought he knew more than Jesus. Perhaps she thought God was withholding something good from her all along. Or this was such a little sin, God wouldn't be that particular if she disobeyed. But it mattered what she believed and what she did with that belief. For Eve ended up outside the garden and losing her innocence. Knowledge of God mattered for her!

And what about the children of Israel? As they waited for Moses to come down the mountain, they decided to take matters into their own hands. They'd have their own worship service. So they built a golden calf and danced and sang around its image. And they soon declared, "This is your god, O Israel, who took you out of the land of Egypt" (Exodus 32:4). And they offered burnt offerings and gave peace offerings, thinking all the while they were worshiping the Lord. Right at the foot of Mt. Sinai--where God's holy presence was revealed! Did it matter what they believed about God or about true worship? When Moses came down from the mountain, he ground that calf into powder and 23,000 men were killed that day. Because their skewed knowledge led them into idolatry and brought apostasy into the camp of God!

"The Israelites had been guilty of treason, and that against a King who had loaded them with benefits and whose authority they had voluntarily pledged themselves to obey" (Patriarchs and Prophets, pg. 324). And what led them to such treason? Was it their knowledge of God? Was it their doctrines which led them astray?

Think about it for a moment. Every day, the Israelites saw with their own eyes the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. They knew that God was personally leading them to the Promised Land. They knew He was the One who opened the Red Sea, protecting them from the army of the Egyptians.  But when things didn't go their way and they couldn't understand why Moses was still up in the mountain, their focus changed. It moved toward the faith of the Egyptians--worshiping what they could see rather than the Lord Himself. Their knowledge of God became skewed as their focus of God changed. And as their focus changed, so did their worship. They danced before a golden calf and the Bible says, "they rose up to play" (Exodus 32:6). They even blended impure sexuality with their prayers and offerings!

Knowledge of God--right or wrong--makes a difference in who we know. Theology isn't a dry and boring subject. It is a knowledge of God and His truth. And truth matters. Why else would the Scriptures say, "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth"? (1 Timothy 2:1) Why would Christ commission His disciples to carry the gospel round the globe, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20)? Knowledge, doctrine, teachings, truth--they are all the embodiment of what the Scriptures are. They are a saving knowledge, a sanctifying truth, and a pure doctrine. For through them we discover the truth as it is in Jesus.

It's not that doctrine is wrong. It's our focus that is out of whack and how we teach or live that doctrine. Our doctrine of the Law could be understood like a Pharisee, thinking that my obedience is what saves me. Salvation would then be based then on externals alone, such as correct Sabbath-keeping, tithe-paying, modest dressing, passing out tracts and the like. But when I see the Law as a reflection of My Father, I begin to see that  keeping the Law is learning to love--to love God with all my heart and mind and strength and to love my neighbor as myself (Mark 12:30,31). "We  love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). I keep the commandments because I'm in love with Jesus. Not in order to earn my salvation or to make God love me. When He is my focus, His Law is my delight. I will say like Jesus, "I delight to do Your will, O my God; and Your Law is within my heart" (Psalm 40:8).

But if we begin to look at the Bible as a list of do's and don'ts, without knowing the God of the Bible on a personal level, our focus will only become foggy or even distorted. And we could end up in a ditch. On one side of the road will be Jesus and on the other side of the road will be Doctrine. And we could end up thinking it's Either-Or. We have to choose between the two of them. But that's because we're looking too much at one side or the other  rather than  looking at the whole picture.

 Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). He is the embodiment of all doctrine. He lived every teaching that He's passed on to us. And He's found within those teachings. In every doctrine we see a picture of who He is--of His love for the lost, His grace for the sinner, His delight in spending time with us, in His purity and mercy. So in promise and prophecy, in story and commandment, we see a snapshot of Jesus. He's there if we'll open our eyes to behold Him.  And if we refine our focus.

When I was in college, I  heard one of the Bible professors say,  "I wish I could make my own Bible. At the top of every page, I would print a picture of Christ. It would be a constant reminder that every verse, every chapter is a revelation of Him." I've often wished he could have made that Bible. It would have saved many of us who have lost the picture of Jesus within His Word. We'd be able to see Christ in the Old and New Testament and in every doctrine that we find there.

"Christ as manifested to the patriarchs, as symbolized in the sacrificial service, as portrayed in the law, and as revealed by the prophets, is the riches of the Old Testament. Christ in His life, His death, and His resurrection, Christ as He is manifested by the Holy Spirit, is the treasure of the New Testament. Our Savior, the outshining of the Father's glory, is both the Old and the New...The Old Testament sheds light upon the New, and the New upon the Old. Each is a revelation of the glory of God in Christ" (Christ's Object Lessons, pp. 126, 128, italics supplied).

It's not about one or the other--the old vs. the new. Neither is it about law vs. grace. Or doctrine vs. relationship. Every Word that comes from God is essential in the Christian journey. Christ says, "Man should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). "All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

So why do we have doctrine? So we can be complete. The Greek word artios can also be translated as 'proficient' or 'perfect.' But perfect in what way? The last phrase qualifies what the apostle is aiming at. He says, "that the man of God may be...thoroughly equipped for every good work." I like how it's put in the Basic English Bible. It says: "That the man of God may be complete, trained and made ready for every good work."

This kind of focus aligns doctrine with discipleship. For Jesus says, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). The 12 disciples were trained by Jesus. They spent 3 intensive years of training, listening to Christ's doctrine, observing Christ's life, and joining with Him in Christ's work. But even then, their training wasn't complete. Not until they were converted and received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost were they fully trained.

"Under the training of Christ the disciples had been led to feel their need of the Spirit. Under the Spirit's teaching they received the final qualification, and went forth to their lifework. No longer were they ignorant and uncultured. No longer were they a collection of independent units or discordant, conflicting elements. No longer were their hopes set on worldly greatness. They were of “one accord,” “of one heart and of one soul.” Acts 2:46; 4:32. Christ filled their thoughts; the advancement of His kingdom was their aim. In mind and character they had become like their Master, and men “took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus”" (Acts of the Apostles, pg. 45).

The saving knowledge of Jesus comes through the proper training under the Spirit of God. And make no mistake--He is the Spirit of Truth, the same Spirit that inspired holy men of God to write the pages of the Bible (2 Peter 1:21). And those pages contain the knowledge through which we come to know God. Jesus said of the Scriptures, "these are they which testify of Me" (John 1:29). The problem isn't the Scriptures or the doctrines it embodies. The problem is as Jesus said on that day, "You are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."

God's Word contains the very life that would raise us up from the dead and transform us so  men will take knowledge of us, that we have been with Jesus. "The words that I speak to you," Jesus says, "are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63). There is life in doctrine, reproof and correction. There is life in instruction in righteousness. If we are hungry for that life today, "grow in the grace and  knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). Pick up your Bible and read.

You don't have to be a Pharisee. You don't have to jump in a ditch. You can love God's Word and still love Jesus. You can come to Him every day and discover a closer walk through doctrine. For Jesus is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" (John 14:16). Discover the Living Way through the Truth as it is found in Jesus.