"You cannot live the Christian life.
Jesus did not live the Christian life.
NONE of us can live the Christian life.
And if Jesus did not live the Christian life, what makes you think you can?
God the Father lives the Christian life. How does God the Father live the Christian life? He doesn't. He IS the Christian life. He IS the highest life. He IS the wellspring, the Source, the first motion, and the fountainhead of the Christian life.
The Father indwelt His Son here on earth for 33 years. He lived the Christian life inside Jesus. It was the Father's life, and His life alone, which lived the Christian life...which lived the Christian life - and His life alone - inside your Lord. It is the Father's life, and His life alone, that ever lives the Christan life. It is the Father's life, and His alone, which lives the Christian life in you..."
Surely such a truth is a freeing one, oh, Abba. Peace comes. No more struggle, no more trying. You, Abba Father, are living out in me, in each of us, such a life. So simple, so "organic", for you to do. Free from "do's" and "don't' s".
FREE TO LIVE!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Transformation (metamorphosis)
The wonder of it - we are being transformed (metamorphosed) into the same likeness as Christ!
These translations of 2 Cor. 3:18 are glorious reminders of what is going on...right now!
And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued [believe present tense is more accurate here] to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
II Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified)
...and I really like the Arthur Way translation of this: "All of us, with face unveiled, gazing on the mirrored glory of our Lord, are hourly being transformed into the same likeness from a mere reflected glory into an inherent glory, as may well be, since it proceeds from the Lord, the Spirit." II Cor. 3:18
One more, from Conybeare: "...and we all, while with face unveiled we behold in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves transformed continually [the tense is present!] into the same likeness; and the glory which shines upon us is [now being] reflected by us, even as it proceeds from the Lord, the Spirit."
Do we really believe what we are being told here? If so, then surely it will make a difference in how we view our life in Christ, and HIS work in us (yes, it is HIS work, not our efforts. A God business, PTL). No more striving, but, rather resting in His work IN us, AS us.
These translations of 2 Cor. 3:18 are glorious reminders of what is going on...right now!
And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued [believe present tense is more accurate here] to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit.
II Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified)
...and I really like the Arthur Way translation of this: "All of us, with face unveiled, gazing on the mirrored glory of our Lord, are hourly being transformed into the same likeness from a mere reflected glory into an inherent glory, as may well be, since it proceeds from the Lord, the Spirit." II Cor. 3:18
One more, from Conybeare: "...and we all, while with face unveiled we behold in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are ourselves transformed continually [the tense is present!] into the same likeness; and the glory which shines upon us is [now being] reflected by us, even as it proceeds from the Lord, the Spirit."
Do we really believe what we are being told here? If so, then surely it will make a difference in how we view our life in Christ, and HIS work in us (yes, it is HIS work, not our efforts. A God business, PTL). No more striving, but, rather resting in His work IN us, AS us.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
The meaning of words
It occurred to me that since Jesus did not speak English, what was He saying, what word was He using, when He is said to say, "Hell", an English word.
Well, one of those was Gehenna, which was a burning garbage dump, in Jerusalem, where refuse of all kinds was burned, including the bodies of criminals (which, of course, no self-respecting Jew would want for his end). It didn't burn "forever", for today, Gehenna is a lovely park...you can even have a picnic there, or go for a stroll.
The other word He used was Hades, which means, simply, "unseen", the place where all who die, go. No burning, eternal torture - simply, unseen. (In the OT, the word is Sheol - again, the unseen, the grave.)
The final word, spoken by Peter, was Tartarus, which he gleaned from mythology...where angels were "reserved for judgment."
Interestingly enough, Paul, who had his teaching from the ascended Christ, never once uses any of those words.
Food for thought for those who prefer to think of "sinners" (whom Jesus called "the lost") being tormented for eternity (another word it would be wise to check out as to its meaning in scripture).
How thankful I am tht Jesus Christ is the Saviour of ALL - that He truly IS a Saviour, and not just a Saviour who wanted to save, or hoped He would be able to save...who had to confess to His Father that He had failed...
In Is. 53:11, we read, "He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied..." How could such a think be? Because, praise God, He knew that He would draw ALL to Himself: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth [and He was, on the cross]. will draw ALL unto Me..." John 12:32, 33.
I rejoice in that day when ALL shall know this, and the "glory of the LORD shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea." Amen.
Well, one of those was Gehenna, which was a burning garbage dump, in Jerusalem, where refuse of all kinds was burned, including the bodies of criminals (which, of course, no self-respecting Jew would want for his end). It didn't burn "forever", for today, Gehenna is a lovely park...you can even have a picnic there, or go for a stroll.
The other word He used was Hades, which means, simply, "unseen", the place where all who die, go. No burning, eternal torture - simply, unseen. (In the OT, the word is Sheol - again, the unseen, the grave.)
The final word, spoken by Peter, was Tartarus, which he gleaned from mythology...where angels were "reserved for judgment."
Interestingly enough, Paul, who had his teaching from the ascended Christ, never once uses any of those words.
Food for thought for those who prefer to think of "sinners" (whom Jesus called "the lost") being tormented for eternity (another word it would be wise to check out as to its meaning in scripture).
How thankful I am tht Jesus Christ is the Saviour of ALL - that He truly IS a Saviour, and not just a Saviour who wanted to save, or hoped He would be able to save...who had to confess to His Father that He had failed...
In Is. 53:11, we read, "He shall see the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied..." How could such a think be? Because, praise God, He knew that He would draw ALL to Himself: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth [and He was, on the cross]. will draw ALL unto Me..." John 12:32, 33.
I rejoice in that day when ALL shall know this, and the "glory of the LORD shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea." Amen.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
What we shall be
The other day, was pondering who we are, and what we shall become...and it occurred to me that when Jesus said to the servants who had fulfilled their jobs well, "Well done, thou good and perfect servants," He was talking to servants.
It is NOT so with us! To us, who are His sons (gender is not issue), God says, "You are My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."
Ah yes, a son, and not a servant.
To those who would point out that we are slaves of Christ, I would clarify and say, We are sons of God, and His slaves to men.
Amen!
It is NOT so with us! To us, who are His sons (gender is not issue), God says, "You are My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."
Ah yes, a son, and not a servant.
To those who would point out that we are slaves of Christ, I would clarify and say, We are sons of God, and His slaves to men.
Amen!
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