Christ Is Relevant to Intimacy

The holiday season brings wishes of intimate gatherings and romantic gift exchanges. Do you struggle with intimacy? When you think of the word “intimacy” is a three-letter word the first and only thing that comes to your mind? God designed us to be intimate beings as our connection with others reflects His connection with us.

Intimacy is the concert of souls in communion with God as they connect within the context of God’s plan to achieve God’s purpose with each other. From the very beginning God created man as an intimate being representative of Himself.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Gen. 1:26–27 ESV)

“Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone…’” (Gen. 2:18 ESV). According to Theological Word Book of the Old Testament, the core concept is that it was not good for man “to be separate and isolated.” God created man to associate with all the beasts of the field but he could only be intimate with those of his own essence. Some have taken this passage to justify relational dependency, giving credence to a Christian hybrid of enmeshment between husband and wife in place of intimacy. “I will make him a helper fit for him” (Gen. 2:18 ESV) does not translate into man becoming complete because of the marriage relationship, rather that through marital companionship God would spawn into being the human race.

Marital companionship is certainly a fit context for interpersonal intimacy, but it is not capable of producing personal completion, nor was it ever designed for such a task. Note what happened between man and women as they disconnected from a primary intimacy with God.

At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Then the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” “Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?” The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” Then the LORD God asked the woman, “What have you done?” “The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.” (Gen. 3:7–13 NIV).

Here is a summary of the impact Adam and Eve instigated when seeking completion apart from God:

•Shame in response to exposure and vulnerability
•Compulsion to avoid being transparent
•Compulsion to hide from God
•Reverence for God changed into a fear of God
•Primary communion with God became a prime contempt for God
•Companionship was forfeited for control
•Adam compelled to blame Eve
•Eve compelled to rule over Adam

The abiding experience of intimacy was exchanged for a continuous effort to control intimacy, as intimacy now came to be seen as dangerous, something to be exploited and managed. The compulsion to connect was lost to a determination to govern through the dictates of selfish ambition.

Selfish ambition is the great enemy of intimacy. Most when considering the need for intimacy conceptualize it as getting for oneself something they do not have in order to make them more than they are. The anticipation of getting eclipses the notion of giving to another. Few people view the construct of intimacy as oneness experienced within a context of mutual sharing.

Selfish ambition undermines intimacy through the process of seeking one’s own interest at the expense of achieving relational connectedness. Selfish ambition also works to relieve obligation to relational loyalties, while fostering independence from any real bond to the relationship. Relational independence is an unhealthy condition whereby self-centeredness is heightened sponsoring self-absorption as well as vain conceit. The ideal of giving to another has been replaced by the idea of gaining for oneself.

God created mankind to live within a divine matrix where all relationships would be mediated by a primary connection with Himself that would lord preeminently over all other relationships. Therefore all intimacy must work through a relational hierarchy whereby Jesus is the central focus. Intimacy with Christ meets all essential needs producing completion and balance within the soul setting into motion by means of homeostasis, a congruent condition within one’s soul, brain, and body. This way the entire individual is brought into balance through their spiritual condition. This is the very reason Solomon could make the link between one’s trust in God and their subsequent physical health.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all you ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. (Prov. 3:5–8 ESV)

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Prov. 4:20–23 ESV)

Intimacy with Christ addresses the issues of the heart validated by God’s love whereby the Christian’s identity is made complete. It is then established that we are lovable, significant, and secure. This God-centered identity leads to fulfillment in Jesus that tempers all our motives and predisposes all other relationships to a holy balance. Relational equilibrium between God and all else is made possible with Christ having created within our souls a proper perspective on the priority that should be given to relationships within our lives, and the preeminence that needs to be given to God.

We are given wisdom and spiritual understanding by the Holy Spirit as we are brought to know God’s heart, mind, and will. The Spirit of God shows us how we are to live among people while finding Christ relevant to every area of our lives, as opposed to exploiting people, positions, and possessions. Jesus is made relevant to intimacy when we establish who and what we are based on our identity solidified in Christ’s truth, which in turn brings us to encounter oneness with Him.

Insight Journal
I reflect Christ’s intimacy with me when I …

What Is Authentic Love?

November 14, 2011 we published a blog post that touted the issue of counterfeit love. We wish now to elaborate that Christ is relevant to real authentic love, even essential to experiencing genuine love. In Desperate Dependency we assert, “apart from God, the human heart has no capacity for love.” Such an assertion is often met with offense that one's self-efficacy is violated.

The flesh flatters and comforts itself with thinking that it loves even amid obvious mistreatment of those we allege to love. Invariably there is some rhyme and reason to why continuous neglect, abuse, or rudeness can be fashioned into poetic stanza while offering in refrain a commitment to undying love. Others believe that the concept of Christ’s centrality to love is untrue having encountered no Christians who they deemed to be love-worthy. Either accounting, more often than not, elicits strong disconcerting emotions. What is still profound within such debate however is that the assertion, nonetheless diminished by the opposition, looms as truth.

You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect [i.e. mature in God’s love], even as your Father in heaven is perfect [in respect to the expression of His love]. Matt. 5:44–48 NLT

Many are insistent that one can love in a godly fashion without God. They are willing to assert human logic over divine wisdom, calling the veracity of God's principles into question as they ignore confronting the whole idea. Others skirt the issue with, "Well, we do not have to love like God to still love appropriately!" Here it is postulated that loving in a healthy manner is something altogether different than loving in a godly manner. Therefore one allows the latitude to choose between two plausible options, pacifying any guilt for having deprived their loved ones of God’s love. They instead feel justified for having given to them this most visceral version of the spiritual nutrient, hence believing they can love in a quality life giving way without loving as God loves.

Humanity continuously is on a quest to usurp God’s power. People risk all to find the Holy Grail, the Fountain of Youth, and the Ark of the Covenant in order to possess the power and benefits of God apart from submitting their lives to Him. Even now psychology seeks to mine for God’s truth from His Word at the exclusion of Christ Himself. Humanity would storm the gates of Heaven to take from God for themselves if they were able to do so. The Garden of Eden and the Tower of Babel offer ample proof that this depiction of the human nature is true.

Love has been seized, interrogated, and exploited for every visage of grace that can be extracted by carnal effort. In that love is treated in such an unloving manner speaks further to the issue that “apart from God, the human heart has no capacity for love.” Rather, such love possesses only a capital desire to steal, kill, and to destroy in like manner as does the mentor of fleshly deeds.

Furthermore, love is seen as the potion of life and is sought with great craft in anticipation of distilling for self that which would provide a living tonic for a dying soul, therefore undermining the concept of love’s sacrificial nature where it gives at its own expense, expecting nothing in return, for the best interest of the other. These musings emphasize the polar agenda that exists in the heart of man versus what exists in the heart of God concerning love.

There are times where both man and God were said to love with phileo type love (seven times collectively in the New Testament between John and Paul – not counting John 21). What is of great significance is the fact that nowhere in the New Testament is there a non-believer being expected to have loved with agapao type love. Agapao love is only shared by those who belong to God and is the exclusive kind of love referred to in John’s first epistle.

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 1 John 4:7–11 NLT

A survey of the New Testament would verify that agapao love was used expressively over phileo 143 times over 8 times to delimit the heart and activity of God, of Jesus, and of His children. When defining the type of love a Christian was to exemplify, agapao love was used to set the standard (see 1 Cor. 13:1–8).

While it is taught that phileo and agapao are closely related and therefore used interchangeably, the preponderance of usage within the New Testament works to set them apart. John and also Paul on two occasions use phileo with godly reference, yet only then in a limited capacity to show status of association, associations such as exist between the Father, His Son, and between the professing believer and God. Phileo serves to show the highest order of human love, while agapao serves to show the highest order of God’s love. On the occasion when it was important for Christ to express, using human terms, the great love the Father had for the Son, phileo was employed.

However, in context where God’s heart was expressed concerning the issue of love and when the concept of God’s love was set forth, exemplified, or commanded agapao was used to type the divine intention of God and the uniqueness of agapao love from the love of the human sort. It is not without any small interest that even phileo is seen in the New Testament with godly resolve, only when the human heart was involved with God. All other occurrences were man engaged in a loving association with himself or some other sinful pursuit. Therefore phileo was not an exclusively godly love association as is true of agapao love. In addition phileo had to do with love involving intimate associations that may be godly or not, while agapao was always found to be in active service to God’s heart and sacrifice for His purpose seeking the best interest of another.

Left to our own devices, we offer only a counterfeit version of love laden with self-interest as a means to secure our self-centered pleasures. We strive to attain value and worth through people, positions, and possessions, believing we can find fulfillment apart from Christ. This illicit love masquerades in forms that may look noble, but the chief concern is how something will impact self. The ideal of giving to another has been replaced by the idea of gaining for oneself.

We will evidence the fruit of love when we resign from the self-centeredness that culminates in emptiness and then allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to value others. That which is profoundly of God can only be received from God. No amount of human virtue can create what is foreign to his existence. What is rather notable is that whenever humanity attempts to assert self in virtue, it is soon revealed in vice.

Insight Journal
Do I believe that apart from God the human heart has no capacity for love?
I know I am evidencing God’s love because…

(excerpts included from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

The Truth of Relating to Christ

What does it really mean to have a relationship with Jesus? Most at this point are stymied by the inability to objectify the reality that exists between them and Christ. Many seek to answer the question with canned sayings holding little or no actual meaning. “Well, I trust Him,” or “I try to do the best I can to please Him.” Others venture more deeply into the platitudes with, “I know that I walk with God because I pray and read my Bible all the time and I know He answers my prayers.” How could one argue with such a display of religious piety? Yet it still does not answer the question that we are tendering. What does it really mean to have a relationship with Jesus? Let us not forget that God is faithful to us even when we are not faithful to Him. Thus His apparent answers to our prayers are not actually an indication of our faithfulness, but rather is a testament to His faithfulness to us. “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is” (2 Tim. 2:13 NLT).

We must first understand that whatever a relationship with Jesus comprises, it is that which has been given to us by God through His grace and not that which is created by force of our own human effort. Notice when people speak of their relationship with Jesus that it is usually couched in an ideology of what they are doing and affording for themselves. Such actions cited often encompass reading the Bible, praying, church attendance, service, witnessing, mission projects, etc.

Stop for a moment and evaluate. How is my Christianity being evidenced through the divine manifestation of Christ in my life? Can one who is not even a believer practice my version of Christianity? Conceivably can the unbeliever go to church, pray, read the Bible, offer service, share the Gospel, and participate in a mission project? Quite obviously, given that many have come forward to confess being a lost church member while having done such things for years. The Scripture records in John’s gospel,

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth….. For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:14-18 ESV)

The force of the prepositional phrase “grace upon grace” emphasizes grace being given for the purpose of promoting grace. Grace had to create the means by which grace could come. Hence grace propagating grace. Therefore John asserts, “of His fullness have we received” for Christ did all through grace. Christ through His grace established the foundation for which the operation of grace could accomplish God's good pleasure. Grace could not achieve in function what it did not possess in form. Thus, grace could not accomplish the holy purpose of God apart from first eliciting the just approval of God upon its proposed operation. The proposed gospel of grace effecting salvation could have not arbitrarily come by merely any sacrificial means.

Salvation could have only come through a just acceptable sacrifice. Grace therefore had to proceed upon the grounds of God's holy decrees, meeting God's righteous demands, satisfying God's just indictments, while propagating through grace God's goodness. All before the goal of grace could be truly actualized in Jesus Christ through the gospel of peace.

Relative to our initial question, Paul’s epistle teaches, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8 ESV). Here it is clear that we are saved by the construct called faith. So what does it mean to have faith? Is faith operationalized through a prayer? Some religions claim to embrace faith through the ceremony of baptism. Yet, others say faith is expressed through the sacraments. Religion is not without a short list of pious decorum depicting the exercise of faith ranging from observing dietary laws to striving to be good.

The exercise of faith is not delimited by an act or event as in something that we do. Rather it is characterized by covenant making confidence in the atoning action of Christ, in response to His invitation for us to come to Him. Through His redemptive efforts Jesus pleased the Father's holiness on our behalf. The word faith in Ephesians 2:8 is used as a genitive of means signifying that salvation is embraced by the avenue of faith, as if faith were a doorway leading into the divine court of the throne room of God. Faith in this verse is not about our personally possessing enough faith but rather traveling the road of faith as directed by God for us to tread on. Thus, one is either in faith or not. To assign amount and quality is to personalize the creation of your faith versus embracing personally that construct of faith provided by God. The exercise of faith is following as from the Lord in the way He is leading us to follow Him.

Otherwise faith, upon our having to create and possess a particular quality or quantity of it would in fact become a works salvation. For by the essence of our faith we would have been saved rather than being saved by the grace afforded by Christ. Would not this give us reason to boast? Therefore, faith above all is a confident hope in Christ that engenders a desperate dependency upon Him. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1 ESV).

Faith is not confidence in a prayer or any other pious act. It is an earnest expectation based in believing Christ's gospel truth. Faith is resting in the efforts of Jesus to please the Father’s holiness and thereby reconciling us to Him.

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. For we who have believed enter that rest. (Heb. 4:1–3 ESV)

Faith believes what the Bible asserts as true concerning God, ourselves, and the remedy applied through the shedding of Christ’s blood connecting us relationally to the Father.

Insight Journal
• How is my Christianity being evidenced through the divine manifestation of Christ in my life?
• What evidence is there in my life that I am a Christian?
• Do I seek to propagate my carnal version of Christianity in hopes of passing it off as authentic?

Trust?

Trust is defined as the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. It seems that we take trust for granted until we wonder if something or someone is trustworthy like when we cross a swinging bridge or choose a doctor. In a couples’ counseling session trust may have minimal significance until either the husband or wife utters the piercing words, “I do not trust you!” Sadly it seems most people live with little concern for the impact of their choices that result in the lack of trust or the inability to trust. Only when trust is required do we realize its importance, and only when trust is lost do we appreciate its value. Yet have we considered the issue of how we posture ourselves in trust and its ramifications on our relationship with God? How does trust factor into our interaction with God?

Solomon moves his son to consider the issue of trust in the well-known passage of Proverbs 3:5 – 8 (ESV).

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
      and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
      and he will make straight your paths.
Be not wise in your own eyes;
      fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
It will be healing to your flesh
      and refreshment to your bones.

Trust is actually the result of making the choice to believe in God’s truth. Given the meaning of the Hebrew word batah the emphasis here is to be moved to hope by force of belief that has previously been solidified in faith. Thus the process of sanctification can be observed in its linear flow: truth is introduced by revelation leading to enlightenment, belief is embraced, faith is experienced, as hope now becomes the essence of the new normal.

David presents in poetic fashion an understanding of walking with God in trust leading to the expected outcome of peace.

Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the LORD;
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him, and He will do it.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light
And your judgment as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him… (Psalm 37:3 – 8 NASB)

Have you considered what actually influences our willingness to trust? Spiritual death resulted from the choices Adam and Eve made. Their sin broke humanity’s relationship with God, and the devastating consequences trouble us daily. As a result of the Garden encounter:
      1. Humanity disconnected from truth and connected with perversion.
      2. Humanity developed a distorted view of God’s image.
      3. Humanity created a delusional view of themselves.

Belief and what we believe in are the bases for that which we choose to trust. The real question is do we believe in the truth or do we believe in a lie? Truth is not of a human origin and can be found only with God. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6 ESV).

Truth is comprised of principles, precepts, and promises of God that empower life with the strength of God. Although God’s law is written in our hearts, we must make the choice to believe God’s truth by accepting His reality as fact. Yet just knowing God’s truth as fact will not change our lives until we believe by faith and appropriate God’s truth in the course of our living. It is not until truth shapes our choices and molds our behavior, sculpting us into the image of Jesus, that we may say we believe. Do we really believe what we say we believe about God so that it permeates our lives and defines our actions?

We may have a vast knowledge of the Bible, but if this knowledge has never changed us it is because we do not believe what we know to be true. When we believe, we act on what we know is certain. “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Heb. 11:1 NLT). It does not require complete comprehension. Absolute understanding is not a necessity. What is essential is that we trust and follow in God’s way. “You will hear a word spoken behind you, saying, ‘This is the correct way, walk in it,’ whether you are heading to the right or the left” (Isa. 30:21 NLT).

Insight Journal
I can trust God because...

(excerpts included from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

I Lost Trust

I remember the very day when trust departed from my [Kirk] life. It was the first day of spring when I was 4 years old. For a long time my father had been promising to build a house for us. Our house was a cement shell with rough cement floors, cinder block walls, and room dividers. We had no running water or bathroom. We were dependent on two wood burning fireplaces to keep us warm in winter. When it rained there were three leaks over my bed and five leaks altogether in the bedroom that was shared with my two brothers plus Mama and Dad too. Many a night we awoke to rain soaked quilts. Interestingly, it was quite comforting to return to sleep with the dripping sounds of five pans catching water.

From my description you may think I grew up in 1920’s – 1930’s. Our living conditions were substandard even in rural North Carolina for the 1960’s. For some time Dad had been responding to my questions about moving with, “Well, Erk,” (this is what Dad called me) “in the spring we will build a house and move over to the land.” “The land” was a five-acre plot that somehow my mother was able to buy and retain amid my father’s continuous drinking and gambling. With Dad’s comforting refrain consoling my heart, I would run off with thoughts of a better tomorrow when we would move into our new house – a home with heat, a roof that did not leak, and maybe even carpet. This hope kept me a bit warmer as the damp winter lumbered long with its cold.

Finally, winter gave way to the impending joy of fairer days. One morning I awoke to the most beautiful day I could ever remember. It was the kind of morning that made you feel good on the inside. I sprang from my bed and ran outside to commence an intense day of play and mischievous gallivanting. I recalled running into the house almost plowing into Mama, who asked me why I was so happy. I said, “I feel good today!”

“Well honey, it’s the first day of spring and we all feel good because it is such a pretty day.”

“It’s spring!” I screamed with anticipation that had come to fulfillment. I ran through the house telling everyone to get their stuff because today was moving day!

Mama chased me through the house, confused and somewhat amused with my flight of fancy. She grabbed me while saying, “What are you talking about?”

“Mama, it’s spring and it’s time to move to our new house over at the land!”

Mama quickly retorted, “What house? There is no house at the land.” Mama by this time had grown concerned and was on her knees making eye contact with me and holding me by the shoulders quite firmly.

“Mama,” I replied, “Dad said that in the spring he would build us a house and we would move. It’s spring, so let’s go!”

“Honey, your dad has not built the house yet.”

I remember not being dissuaded by such a sentiment. “So it’s not done yet,” I conceded.

Mama began to recognize the implications of my beliefs. She asserted very directly to me, “Kirk, there is no house. Your dad has not built a house and that is all there is to this. We are not moving!”

All that was previously wonderful changed to the hue of awful. I was incensed to the point of rage. I yelled at Mama, pushing her backwards. “You are lying! My dad can do anything!”

I ran out the front door to where my dad was talking to his drinking buddy, Larry. I could not contain myself so I got in between them vying desperately for Dad’s attention. Dad was too busy looking at Larry’s new Harley, which probably was purchased with all the money my dad lost at Larry’s house gambling on cards, chicken fights, and dogfights. I could no longer wait, so I blurted out, “Dad, today is moving day! Let’s go and pack so we can move to the land!”

I remember Dad being bewildered and annoyed. “What are you talking about little Erk?”

“You said that when spring came we would move, and today is the first day of spring, so let’s go Dad!”

By this time Dad was not only annoyed but also angry that I had interrupted him and embarrassed him by pointing out the fact that he made promises he had no intention of keeping.

Dad pushed me aside. “Can’t you see I’m talking? We are not moving. I have not even cleared the land, and I have not built the house! We are not going anywhere, so leave me alone and quit bothering me!”

I was crushed. I learned that day that the man I thought was so great was a consummate liar. This was the first of many such occasions where I caught my dad lying until the day that he finally left and never came back.

But what I lost that day was more than my relationship with my dad. I lost the willingness to trust. I remember so vividly believing with complete confidence that my dad could have done anything. In my innocent mind it would have been no big deal for him to clear the land, build the house, and move us into it – all in three short hours.

This human example illustrates the influence of trust. Even when trust is misplaced it exerts a certain power on life that provides hope even when believing in a lie. We choose where to place our firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Throughout life we look to our objects of trust to provide security. Disillusioned we stumble into the pit and believe we can trust no one but ourselves. The harm befalls us when we develop a heart that is not willing to trust in anything beyond ourselves and what we can control through our own efforts. In our feeble attempts to be the god of our own lives, we miss an intimate connection with the Father who is worthy of trust.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. (Prov. 3:5–6 NKJV)

Insight Journal
Children see God as relevant because they can trust that there is someone bigger who knows the best way to make things work out. When did I lose that concept of God?

Do You Need A Spanking?

Have you noticed a growing trend that people tend to broker only in those commodities of God that provide instant return – love, grace, mercy, forgiveness? Rarely does anyone equally welcome His moral attributes that cause us to flee into the rocks in fear of His holy presence. Relating to God demands that we have a holy reverence for Him that moves each one of us as His children to value God with all our soul’s ability. Only through encountering the total of God’s moral nature are we given the ability to form a proper response that is remotely worthy of Him. Embracing God’s truth, justice, righteousness, goodness, and holiness are the only means by which we as hopeless sinful individuals will ever appreciate Christ’s love, grace, and mercy. Only with this godly perspective can we run to Him for forgiveness when we are faced with the fear of wrath or discipline.

The wrath to come is God’s judgment, condemnation upon the children of “disobedience,” upon those who are outside of Christ’s redemptive grace. Paul admonishes the Roman Christians to note that “it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience” (Col. 3:6 NASB). Paul continues to assert, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Rom. 1:18 NASB). While chastisement is God’s loving discipline upon His errant children, “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts” (Heb. 12:5–6 NET).

Many possess a distorted view of God’s holiness while wrongly assuming that His love, grace, and mercy somehow stay the hand of His holiness, justice, and righteousness. God is hence presented as one who “winks at sin” and is portrayed as an indulgent parent. Such teaching betrays the essence of God’s moral nature and does little more than encourage sinners to believe they are saints and saints to living little better than sinners.

The truth is God has established holiness as the moral standard by which to enter into fellowship with Him.

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5–7 ESV)

The problem is that apart from Jesus’ redemptive care, administered to us through His gospel applied to our souls by His Holy Spirit and actualized within our lives by His divine unction, we are incapable of connecting to God. A desperate dependence upon the grace of Christ forms the foundation for relating intimately to Him in relational communion.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1John 1:8–2:2 ESV)

As our advocate Christ intercedes on our behalf before the Father because He has pleased the Father through His sacrificial death on the cross. The Bible sets forth that “in Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col. 1:19–20 ESV).

As our heavenly parent, Christ chastens His children so as to bestow upon us His holy heart.

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (Heb. 12:7–11 ESV)

Perhaps the most frequently chastened sin in Scripture is the issue of unbelief, when God’s children murmured against Him and /or moved away from Him to God-substitutes thereby committing idolatry. Is this not still the pattern that is most seen among Christians today? Christians attempt to place God on notice that He has not pleased them. Protest follows as they seek a God-substitute to foster having their own way.

God, as in the Old Testament, chastens His children that they might learn to trust Him.

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears. (Heb. 12:12–17 ESV)

God has no higher concern and espouses no greater agenda than to promote Jesus as preeminent within our lives. Thus His grace is dedicated to this mission. Grace cannot be manipulated or exploited to achieve our own selfish ambition, nor will it be subservient to our vain conceit. Grace resides securely within the heart and mind of God, having no other master, and can be wielded by none other than His hand.

Insight Journal
I need to ask for forgiveness from God because I wanted God to serve me on my terms when…

(excerpts included from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

As A Little Child

“An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest” (Luke 9:46 NIV).

“When he [Jesus] was in the house, he asked them, ‘What were you arguing about on the road?’ But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest” (Mark 9:33, 34 NIV).

We read these verses and marvel that the disciples could be so petty after Jesus had just announced his coming persecution and death. “…he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise’ ” (Mark 9:31 NIV).

Jim Rosscup, in An Exposition on Prayer, postulates

Several things could have led to the question. (1) Jesus had spoken in His great sermon about being greater in the kingdom (5:19), later of being least in the kingdom (11:11). (2) Jesus had singled out Peter, even promised him keys to the kingdom (16:17–19). To wield keys in a king’s palace was to have position with authority giving access to various rooms. Other things, too, could naturally provoke the curiosity. (3) Three disciples were distinguished in going to the Transfiguration, nine not selected (17:1–13). (4) Conviction is building among the disciples that Jesus is the Messiah (16:16). The three had even heard the Father attest Him (17:5). And Jesus has just given Peter the illustration of a king and his sons. (5) Jesus singled Peter out in providing tax money for Himself and this one disciple (17:27).

Too often people gripe about who the pastor spends the majority of his time with, or joust to gain recognition from prominent individuals in order to feel significant. While complaining that there are “favorite pets” people vie for that sacred position themselves, all the while protesting that everyone should be treated equally. However, Jesus life did not exhibit that example. He chose disciples to invest His time in (Matt. 4:18–22), and committed the spreading of the Gospel message to them (Matt. 28:16–20).

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. (Matt. 18:1—5 NIV)

Matthew 18, then is about pleasing God and having a status He approves. A prayer question in curiosity about who is greater in pleasing Him receives Jesus’ answer in criteria of pleasing Him. These flow in attitudes of humility, receptivity, discipline and forgiveness. …they are to view what pleases Him as He assesses it in them, in a servant’s attitude. This is to be humble, dependent on and receptive to Him, prizing His will in self-control and disciplining others, and forgiveness. In essence neither entrance into nor eminence in the kingdom is due to human greatness. It is a privilege conferred by God’s grace. It is not by people deserving but by their dependence. The quest is not really status by the followers’ worthiness, but submission to His will. At the core is not seeking high achievement, but submitting in a humble, helpless attitude—that is, not grasping for self but giving oneself away to God and to others in ways that please Him. (Rosscup)

The Life Application Study Bible notes in reference to Matthew 18: 1–4:

It is easy to lose our eternal perspective and compete for promotions or status in the church. It is difficult, but healthy, to identify with “children”—weak and dependent people with no status or influence.

Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We are not to be childish (like the disciples, arguing over petty issues), but rather childlike, with humble and sincere hearts. In what areas of your life do you tend to struggle with childishness? In what ways are you making progress with childlikeness?

Insight Journal
Am I willing to become “as a little child” and dependently trust Christ even though it may mean that I will have no status or influence?

Christ Is Relevant to Unity

Oneness with Jesus produces unity with each other.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1 – 3 ESV).

What does it mean to be eager? We anticipate with delight a good many things; Chocolate, bicycling, camping, time with our children, and the list may go on and on. But how many of us can really say that at the top of our list is an eagerness to keep the "unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"? Some are too busy creating disunity within the body of Christ, therefore the thought of maintaining unity is lost to the almost good intention which slightly emerged somewhere between “I ought to…” and “I should…” and “maybe next time.” The sad truth is that being “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” is not part of our daily agenda.

The admonition however is clear; we are to be eager to keep the peace that has been committed to us by the Holy Spirit of God. Unity serves as the benchmark of our divine kinship. To be one with Christ is to be one with all Christ represents, and with all who are one with Him.

The issue of unity is so essential and implicit to Jesus that wherever unity is found, there you will also find Christ in the midst of it. Union with Christ, as evidenced by the traits of such a connection (the Epistle of 1 John delimits these traits), becomes the foundation for all fellowship within the body of Christ and is the litmus test for anyone claiming to be Christ's follower.

This notion of being unified in the Spirit, with all that Christ represents, is completely fulfilled in possessing the love of Christ within our hearts and expressing the love of Christ to others. See 1 Corinthians 13:1 – 3 and 1 John 4:7 – 21.

Oneness with Jesus compels us to connect to each other.
What compels someone to possess an earnest desire to be a steward charged with maintaining the health and welfare of unity? To be the keeper of the light that has been lit by the Holy Spirit? Would it not be that very Spirit that lives within us that moves us into a concerted oneness with each other?

Unity and union are elements comprising intimacy afforded by a common identity while establishing family connection. Unity (the state of being one) is the process producing the condition of our union (the state of being united). Unity is what God is achieving through oneness within the hearts of His children, while union is the resulting condition being established between His children within His Spirit. Unity and union are not merely synonyms but rather are various dimensions of the relational matrix. Unity is caused by oneness with Christ compelling the condition of union to exist between His children.

Oneness with Jesus prompts a sharing of our unified faith with each other.
The issue now is how do we enter into oneness? The answer is that we must have a unifying identity (being in Christ), leading to an unbreakable intimacy (being of Christ) motivating a uniform industry (being compelled by Christ).

The prepositional phrase “of the Spirit” is genitive in case and is certifying that this unity has originated from God's Holy Spirit and is given by the redemptive process of grace, bestowed by the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ. It is He who is working within and between the children of God bringing all His children into the unity of the faith.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:11–13 NIV).

Unity possesses a very unique and distinct signature. Peace is the bond offering proof of who we are in Christ and to whom we belong. Peace asserts that we are children of God birthed by the Bride of Christ – the Church.

Peace is the evidence of those who are dependent on Christ to provide the ability to cope with the problems, pain, and perplexities of living. In the midst of conflict we can experience the absence of fear, dread, and impending doom as we rest in the presence of His safety, tranquility, and contentment. A continuous relationship with Jesus Christ overflows with peace that comes from entrusting every struggle to Him. There is strength in knowing that while all around us is in flux and failure, Jesus provides a spiritual stability beyond the normal boundaries of this existence. We experience peace in the presence of finding Christ relevant to our situation even when we cannot be in control.

You will keep in perfect peace
      all who trust in you,
      all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the LORD always,
      for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock” (Isa. 26:3–4 NLT).

Our relationship with each other is to draw directly from the well of Christ and to drink inter-personally of the water of everlasting life. As we are with God through Christ Jesus—at peace, we are to be with each other—“in the bond (or ties) of peace.” With identity establishing intimacy, peace in this context, now compels the family of God to the industry of sharing their intimacy with each other—sharing with one another the peace that has been received from their bond with Christ that now has become the bond between them. Being reconciled with God results in possessing a bond with our brothers and sisters in Christ, as those whom have been reconciled through Christ to God. Being at peace with Him is now what people of faith have in common. It is our bond—the shared uniqueness that is therefore shared between us.

Insight Journal
1. Based on my behavior, do I value keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace?
2. Does my life demonstrate oneness with Jesus and unity with my Christian siblings?
3. Do I possess the bond of peace with Christ and in my relationships with others?


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Bearing with One Another in Love

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love…” (Eph. 4:1-2 ESV).

Paul continues unfolding the process of spiritual development for one who is walking worthy of his call. He now urges the Ephesians to combine patience with the process. A worthy example of what Paul is admonishing is found in the words of Jesus.

“You have heard that it was said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist [to set one’s self against, to withstand, to oppose; Strong’s Concordance] the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.” (Matt. 5:38 – 42 ESV)

Many have looked upon this passage thinking that Jesus is being very unreasonable to demand such a resolve in the face of abuse. Yet their understanding of His teaching misses the sentiment of what Jesus is actually challenging us to do. Jesus is admonishing His children to realize that patience is a trait unique to God. But patience is greatly misunderstood as being something more akin to passivity, or being passively compliant, or simply resigning to the desire of another. Yet patience, as an evidence of the fruit of the Spirit, possesses qualities directly from God’s own DNA.

Patience is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that enables us to persevere under pressure. Patience maintains the virtues of love, joy, and peace when faced with the pressures of wrong, mistreatment, or taxation. When pressed, patience does not retaliate but rather addresses the underlying motivations of the soul. By His fruit of patience, the Holy Spirit moves us to look to Jesus for strength, giving the ability to forbear in circumstances that would otherwise deplete our resolve. Therefore it is not surprising that the child of patience is forbearance. Bearing with one another in love evidences the life that patience prompts us to live within the Spirit. As humility brings forth gentleness, so patience produces forbearance.

Delusional, would be the characterization of anyone who thought they could exemplify the virtue of patient forbearance apart from God’s divine enabling. As a virtue of the Spirit of God, we must receive patience from God as opposed to attempting to manufacture it from within ourselves. In our own efforts we simply suppress our frustration while over compensating with continued availability in view of gaining status with man or God. Therefore forbearance must arise from Christ who is working to accomplish His good pleasure within the lives of those yielded to Him.

Patient forbearance is the process of being personally empowered by God’s divine enabling to regard as sacred the relational pathways that allow us to journey among our spiritual kin, while on mission for God. We are to remain ever faithful to God in regards to what He wants us to accomplish in another's life. Not allowing any discontinuance within the relational connection between our spiritual siblings and us. We are to be a vigilant source of God's grace to each other within the body of Christ. Therefore we should not to allow issues to emerge as obstacles to God's love flowing through us to each other.

We must be careful to remain dead to sin while not allowing our interpersonal issues to animate the flesh, whereby we are once again empowered by the nature of sin within us, giving way to selfish-ambition and vain conceit. Forbearance is an example of godly enablement.

The difference that separates godly enabling from ungodly enabling is whether one is moved towards personal empowerment through obedience to God's Word, or rather being encouraged to continue traversing and travailing within their sinfulness while using attention and influence to escape their consequences. At the point where enabling does not yield the fruit of righteousness, we are to move to exhortation with truth confronting sinfulness while asking the probing question, “What does your behavior say about your relationship with Christ?” All the while continuing to forbear with them through their choosing Christ’s Redemptive Process over Self's Redemptive Process.

We are to hold others accountable to godliness, allowing others to bear the weight of their sin's consequence, while exposing, exhorting, enlightening, enriching, establishing, and encouraging with truth.

Seeking to please over ministering to each other is a sure means to breaking the unity of the faith used to undermine the patient forbearing process. The process of pleasing others works only to establish expectations of one gaining some reward for their labors. When disappointment arises, the prospect of pleasing another turns to contempt for the other. We are to forbear in love and not in a pathological waltz of manipulative interaction with each other, so as to gain some semblance of worth for ourselves.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10 ESV).

Insight Journal
Am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? How can I be a better servant of Christ?


(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Gentleness: The Living Out of Christ Within

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness… (Eph. 4:1 – 2 ESV).

How do I conduct my life with gentleness?

Gentleness is given expression through humility. The conjunction "and" tying gentleness with humility is a logical connective emphasizing that gentleness is that which humility produced. One therefore cannot conceptualize gentleness apart from casting it from the mold of selflessness. Whatever can be said of gentleness is brought forth from a selfless soul and lived out within the confluence of Christ likeness and death to self.

Gentleness is therefore the fruit of the Holy Spirit that enables us to reflect God’s grace to the world. Grace is God's power to live that enables us to fulfill His will and be complete. The transforming presence of Christ establishes the order of our souls so we can convey God’s grace through gentleness. As God’s Spirit produces gentleness in our lives, He establishes our attitude, fashions our approach, and directs our actions with others. When we are blessed with the fruit of gentleness, His abundant supply must overflow into the lives of others. With humble selflessness we are compelled to transmit His power to live. We cannot be content with merely possessing the attitude of gentleness, but as representatives of God to others, we must display His fruit through our actions. “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (James 3:13 NASB).

Gentleness draws it's essence from living within the confines of brokenness, where one has given up their willfulness in order to be ruled by God's benevolent authority. The gentle live to accomplish God's good pleasure as the Spirit of Christ guides their way into being bearers of His grace to others.

Gentleness promotes God's position yet does not participate in any selfish ambition hidden within the carnality of the flesh's agenda. Selfish ambition stands opposed to the soul of gentleness, and with vain conceit propagates self's redemptive process. Without God’s grace, selfish ambition would assert, “I must be served”; “My way must be followed”; and “I am right.” According to selfish ambition, having control over life’s resources is seen as the priority and must be the object of life’s pursuit. Selfish ambition is not concerned with the welfare of others but with the power we have over our domain. It is through this perception of strength that we derive our sense of self-sufficiency. With continuous resolve we persist in our selfish ambition.

Conversely gentleness recognizes the power which one possesses as present to serve God's purpose, and utilizes such influence to accomplish God's plan within the lives of those in need. Jesus exemplified gentleness when He asserted, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matt. 11:28 – 29 ESV).

Jesus emphasized, "I am gentle and lowly in heart." The dative case noun literally means "in relationship to the heart I am gentle and lowly." The virtue of gentleness is not merely a good deed that is given God's blessings as it is being committed. Rather gentleness is derived from a heart that has been given to Christ, bearing fruit created and formed in His image which engages people in a redemptive manner prompting rest for their souls.

Gentleness is therefore characterological in nature and does not exist in deed if it first does not rule in the heart. Gentleness expresses the heart of Jesus in the glory of grace so that others may experience Christ's excellence through our relationship with Him.

We can exemplify the fruit of gentleness when we relinquish our selfish ambition. Enabled by the Spirit, I can reflect God’s grace. “Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25 NLT).

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)


Insight Journal
I fail to evidence the Fruit of the Spirit of gentleness when ...

Evidences of Humility

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
      he did not think of equality with God
      as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
      he took the humble position of a slave
      and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
      8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
      and died a criminal’s death on a cross. (Phil. 2:5 – 8 NLT)

Jesus, who is our unparalleled example of humility, while upon earth literally could have been the embodiment of a super hero or the alien from another world with supreme power. He could have wowed the populace and wooed the noble into following Him. Jesus could have been the conqueror of the world.

With His infinite knowledge and authority over the elements He could have ushered in the generation of technology with His unfathomable wisdom. He could have established colleges and schools of philosophy. Jesus was in a strategic position to be the ultimate human. None of which, however, would have saved the souls of humankind from our sins.

Jesus instead chose to make “Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:6 – 8 NJKV).

Jesus chose to be our Savior, submitting perfectly and specifically to the will of His Father. He asserted, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:30 ESV).

Humility is understanding that your life is not you own, for it has been given by God and is to be directed at His will. See 1 Corinthians 6:12 – 20.

Humility is based in trusting God who loves you and will work all things for His glory and your well-being. See 2 Corinthians 4:7 – 10.

Humility submits your soul to Christ because His blood has purchased it; and therefore, humility realizes that your life is to be spent for His pleasure. See Romans 12:1 – 2.

Humility empties your soul of self concerning any notion that you have rights that entitle you to preferential treatment over another person. See Philippians 2:3 – 4.

Humility is the attitude of the soul when you have removed from your heart any assertion that promotes self-interest over God's will, and is devoid of any resistance that asserts itself against God's purpose. See Philippians 2:5 – 10.

Humility is the soul finding Jesus relevant to every area of life. The humble waits dependently for Christ seeking to “live out your salvation to its full potential with fear and trembling.” See Philippians 2:11 – 12.

Humility is predicated upon the premise that God has the sovereign right to order your steps in any manner that pleases His holy purpose. See Isaiah 45:9, 11 – 12.

Humility is not simply a disposition or an attitude fostered by an attempt to subdue self. Rather humility is a condition of soul shaped into the image of Jesus through the dynamics facilitated by the Holy Spirit. See Galatians 5:16 – 25.

The Holy Spirit, as He leads us to encounter truth, to believe truth, to be traumatized by truth, and to enter into the brokenness fostered by truth, transforms us into a divine person submissive and obedient to His will. Being therefore willing to give up our willfulness, humility becomes the quintessential [representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class] essence and manifest state of brokenness.

With these evidences of humility in mind, would you characterize yourself as a humble person?


Insight Journal
In what ways does my life evidence humility?
In what ways does my life NOT evidence humility?

How Can I Be Humble?

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility…” Eph. 4:1-2 ESV.

Do you have the tendency to defend, promote, or preserve yourself? Do you strive to be seen in the best possible light? Do you always want to be right and viewed as successful? The extent to which you engage in promoting your self is the evidence that you are lacking in humility.

When confronted with sin, the human condition seeks to respond by excusing the issue of sin or explaining the episode surrounding the sin, all for the purpose of escaping any exposure to sin. Selfish ambition and vain conceit are pervasive within our normal course of life, creating such a condition of heart where humility is a rarity. Humility as a construct has been so marred by self-centered intent that its meaning within our culture is obscure.

To prove this point, simply ask anyone to define humility. The response you may anticipate will be a very blank look followed by a random attempt to provide an answer. Most of the answers will be from previously heard sermons articulated without personal experience with what is being tendered. The reality will become obvious that humility is not apart of our social norm.

Christians today substitute humility for a pretense of being right. Thus within a conflict the modern day Christian seeks how they may best promote themselves while posturing to look the most righteous within the conflict. Therefore eliminating the need to be humble for being right. Such a demeanor concerning humility would demonstrate how far from the true meaning of meekness we have strayed.

There is a chasm between our theology and how we treat others, between our doctrinal faith and our deployment of our faith, between our position in Christ and our practice of Christianity. To appreciate this expanse, just consider that anything not done in love is preformed through selfish ambition. To understand the potency of this point simply read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1 – 7:29). Here you will be shown by Christ the nature of the issue. Consider the Beatitudes as a sample.

And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
      “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
      “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
      “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
      “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
      “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
      “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
      “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
      “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
      “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. (Matt. 5:2 – 11 ESV)

Humility is all about what I am not. One who possesses the virtue of humility discerns from within their soul, that they bring nothing to God so as to increase Him. Additionally they know that they add nothing to God so as to enhance Him. Therefore, bringing nothing to God nor adding anything to God, the humble of heart grasp that they stand before God only by the love of His redeeming grace. Humility leads the broken to understand that only by divine enablement can personal empowerment be embraced.

Pride while bringing honor, praise, and exaltation to self asserts with pious tone, "I want to do great things for God or I want God to do great things through me." Pride misses the point completely for being emerged in the pursuit of greatness—only God is great, and apart from His enabling grace and the perfecting work of Jesus Christ we are incapable of industry for God.

Industry, compelled by our intimacy with God, prompts us within our service to glorify God, to edify God's people, and to solidify God's will on earth. There is no room for self to glory in what self has done. Nor is there time for self to bask in the residual effects of accomplishment, whereby one is validated to feeling significant and secure. Humility proclaims that self has nothing to contribute.

The two polar extremes that block dependency on Jesus are “I am not good enough” and “I am good enough.” The reality is that it is not about us—whether we are or are not good enough. It is about Christ and what He has accomplished.

Insight Journal
1. When do I try to defend, promote, or preserve myself?
2. How do I define humility?
3. Do I agree with the statement that anything not done in love is preformed through selfish ambition?

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Walk Worthy of Your Call

Paul, after expounding the depths of the Christian's IDENTITY in Christ and the INTIMACY that ensues upon entering into the truth of who we are in Christ, admonishes the Ephesian church to INDUSTRY.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Eph. 4:1–3 ESV)

The message of our book, Desperate Dependency, emphasizes that Jesus makes a difference in your life and this difference is embraced through "finding Christ relevant to every area of your life." Paul focuses on the three issues that bring Christ's relevance to fruition within the Christian's life experience – IDENTITY, INTIMACY, and INDUSTRY. Paul exhorts the church to arise and take their place within God's divine economy, while making the spiritual investment worthy of a child of God. One may hear the words of Christ echoing from the timbre of Paul's pleading.

If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matt. 16:24 ESV)

We must notice that Paul is making his earnest appeal for “walking worthy” as he sits confined in a prison. The words "I therefore a prisoner" are followed by the dative case phrase "for the Lord" showing that Paul's imprisonment was by virtue of his relationship with Jesus.

Within the context of walking worthy of the Lord, Paul admonishes further:

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, (Eph. 5:15-18 NLT).

The verb tense of "walk worthy" emphasizes that we, the professing believer, in covenant relationship with Christ, are to choose to embrace a pattern of life that is submissive to Christ and obedient to all His principles and precepts, so that we may then live within God's good pleasure and live out His redemptive plan for our souls.

We are to make all concerted efforts, within the confines of enabling grace, to live righteously in all areas and circumstances of our lives. Asserting in practice what Christ has personally instilled within us positionally (2 Peter 1:5-10). We have been afforded this magnificent opportunity because God is our Father, we are His children, and because our Father has a plan for each one of His children. This sentiment expresses our IDENTITY, INTIMACY, and INDUSTRY within the confines of our covenant relationship with Jesus, allowing us the ability to find Christ relevant to every area of life.

Therefore we are to walk in a manner that is worthy of God's call. “…live a life that corresponds to the standard (God) set when he called you.”* People who identify themselves as Christians must understand that they are called to live divinely within a sinful world, that any orientation towards and quest for evil is a violation and betrayal of covenant faithfulness to God.

God is not calling us to some compartmentalized contradiction where our service is a mockery to our spiritual condition, or where INDUSTRY scoffs at the lack of INTIMACY with Christ, as we wander aimlessly because of a lack of IDENTITY in Christ.

God has not sentenced us, within the Christian life, to sojourn within a barren wasteland. God does not set His children up to fail. He desires for us to possess our birthright (IDENTITY in Christ) and to live congruently with what God has willed for us (INTIMACY with Christ) so as to be compelled by the essence of Christ alive and dynamic within each of us (INDUSTRY for Christ).

The call of God expresses His will and good pleasure for us, communicated to those who were willing to receive Him (Phil. 2:12-13). This call encompasses all aspects and intentions of His having called us to Himself through salvation, sanctification, and service.

As Louw & Nida have asserted in their linguistic recommendation, “I ask you then … live worthy of the responsibility which God has urgently invited you to accept” or “… live worthy of the task which God has given you to do.”*

The call of God is always in connection to completing His plan and fulfilling His purpose so as to accomplish His good intention – to complete His bride and to bring His children into the image of Jesus that praise would be brought to the glory of His grace.

The next several blog posts will be given to understanding what Paul was admonishing us to embrace in Ephesians 4:1-3, the walk that is "worthy of the calling to which you have been called."

Insight Journal
1. What does it mean for me to walk worthy of the calling by which I have been called?
2. Have I made the choice to embrace a pattern of life that is submissive to Christ and
obedient to all His principles and precepts?
3. Do I make all concerted efforts, within the confines of enabling grace, to live
righteously in all areas and circumstances of my life?

*Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, vol. 1, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains, electronic ed. of the 2nd edition. (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996).

Jesus Calling to Live in Dependence

JESUS is CALLING. DO you HEAR HIM?

After many years of writing her own words in her prayer journal, missionary Sarah Young decided to be more attentive to the Savior’s voice and begin “listening” for what He was saying. So with pen in hand, she embarked on a journey that forever changed her.

In the daily devotional Jesus Calling are the words and scriptures Jesus lovingly laid on her heart. Words of reassurance, comfort, hope. Words that have made her increasingly aware of His Presence and allowed her to enjoy His Peace.

Each day is written as if Jesus Himself were speaking to you. Because He is. Do you hear Him calling.

The following is Sarah Young’s entry for September 2.

Living in dependence on Me is a glorious adventure. Most people scurry around busily, trying to accomplish things through their own strength and ability. Some succeed enormously; others fail miserably. But both groups miss what life is meant to be: living and working in collaboration with Me.

When you depend on Me continually, your whole perspective changes. You see miracles happening all around, while others see only natural occurrences and “coincidences.” You begin each day with joyful expectation, watching to see what I will do. You accept weakness as a gift from Me, knowing the My Power plugs in most readily to consecrated weakness. You keep your plans tentative, knowing the My plans are far superior. You consciously live, move, and have your being in Me, desiring that I live in you. I in you, and you in Me. This is the intimate adventure I offer you.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:9–10 NIV)

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ (Acts 17:28 NIV)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Col. 2:6–7 NIV)

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 NIV)

(excerpts from Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young)


Insight Journal
What has Jesus been saying to me?

What is Man That You are Mindful of Him?

Living is about finding Jesus in the midst of our lives – being complete in Him, fulfilled through Him, and enabled by Him. Ironically, the spiritual dimension underpinning the foundation of our existence has been abandoned by human civilization in preference to what sin and carnality can provide. The completion and fulfillment once experienced by man in dependency upon His God, has been lost. All that now resides of our former selves is the longing to be more than we are. This longing is the yearning burning within each person that either propels them to human achievement, to dream dreams of the grandeur of man, or to sink to despair in the sea of disappointment. All human accomplishment is limited to that which human ingenuity can produce. Redemption from what we are and restoration to what we once were is not within the purview of our ability.

The question set before us now is, “Will we seek to define life in accordance to the flesh or in accordance with the Spirit?” How each one of us answers this question will form a relational bond with our purpose for living that will companion with us on life’s journey. Choice by choice, we will move toward meeting our eternal destiny forged by having authentically received Christ or not.

“Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.” (Rom. 8:5-8 NIV)

Joshua admonished the children of Israel:

“Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Josh. 24:14–15 ESV)

We fall into a trap if we believe a person, position, or possession other than Jesus can complete our lives. In our daily struggles we search for ways to stimulate our emotions or sedate our emotions in order to feel good. But that which makes me feel good enslaves me. The end result is bondage. What a cunning ploy Satan has devised! “This is what you need to feel good about yourself,” he asserts as he lays the net to ensnare you. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25 NIV). “An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him” (Prov. 5:22 NLT). These strongholds are fortifications that keep us imprisoned.

Every person possesses within his or her heart a completion scenario that delimits what would produce the ultimate fulfillment and satisfaction. This experience would represent the greatest encounter in life. Beyond this, nothing could be better. Our completion scenario is created out of a synthesis of our orientation to God, what we value, and what we think and feel. This completion scenario motivates desire and gives direction to our behavioral pursuits that are reinforced through immediate gratification. It is here within our very own version of our completion scenario that we seek to be validated by our God substitutes.

The generations of those who have sought salvation in Jesus Christ have been eclipsed by the shadow of the hordes who have rejected Him. Jesus grieved as He admonished, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13–14 ESV).

Jesus asserted, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV).

Within our lives we each possess a sacred “God place”—that place designed by God for God. Only He has the right to occupy this position in our lives. From this God place He rules over our souls and replenishes our hearts with His validating love, while establishing our identity. When any other entity occupies this place, we are guilty of idolatry. The Old Testament is replete with warnings and consequences that result when idols invade the lives of God’s chosen people. Although we may dismiss these passages because they are often connected with the pagan gods of Baal or Asherah, these admonitions also apply to modern life where we continuously allow other entities to fill our God place and dictate our lives. Any substitution for God we permit to establish our identity, love, significance, or security is an idol. These counterfeits break the heart of God. He aches as He watches our foolish endeavors to find completion in our lives through empty alternatives.

What then is man that God is mindful of him, that He would alter the course of the world so that you could deviate from your fallen path to find Him amid the ruins of your life? You are in truth the object of His love!

Insight Journal
How do I live in contradiction to my faith by professing love for Jesus that I do not practice in life?

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

It's Too Hard

When God calls, how do you answer?

Are we really, fully available, or are we only comfortably available?

Remember Moses response to God when he was asked to be God’s spokesman?

...God called to him from the midst of the [burning] bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”

And he said, “Here I am.” (Ex. 3:4 NKJV)

Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” (Ex. 3:10 NKJV)

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”

So He said, “I will certainly be with you....”

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’ Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction... to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’ (Ex. 3:11–17 NKJV)

Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ” (Ex. 4:1 NKJV)

Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” (Ex. 4:10–13 NKJV)

...I will be with your mouth and with his [Aaron] mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. (Ex. 4:15 NKJV)

People complain that it is just too hard to do what God is asking. When we protest, “It’s too hard,” we are actually stating that God is not keeping His promise to enable us. Even in Old Testament times, the people protested that God’s ways were too difficult, and so they attempted to adjust His standards of holiness. This was God’s response:

“But you dishonor my name with your actions. By bringing contemptible food, you are saying it’s all right to defile the Lord’s table. You say, ‘It’s too hard to serve the LORD,’ and you turn up your noses at my commands,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies. “Think of it! Animals that are stolen and crippled and sick are being presented as offerings! Should I accept from you such offerings as these?” asks the LORD . . . “For I am a great king,” says the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, “and my name is feared among the nations!” (Mal. 1:12–14 NLT)

So how is it that we manage to believe we do not have to give God our best? Why are we convinced that He is asking something of us that is too difficult? When will we choose to believe God’s truth instead of falling for Satan’s deceptions? Moses was whining too. “And the LORD told Moses, ‘When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do’” (Ex. 4:21 NLT). In the midst of all our weakness we can rest assured that God will empower us to accomplish what He desires of us.

Satan has perverted the concept of submission, similarly to the concept of dependency, so we believe it is something to be avoided. Through submission we yield our hearts to God’s will and our wills to God’s heart. This surrender creates a reciprocal harmony of fellowship between God and us. Together we walk step by step with the heartbeat of God. We do not have to come up with our own plans or follow our own processes; we can compliantly follow His way. This submission establishes the path of restoration to love, joy, and peace, and produces grateful obedience.

Obedience is the place where divine enablement meets with personal empowerment. Our desires are not merely to rigidly do what God wants us to do, but to fervently seek to know and pursue His will. Our motivation for living is to connect to God in a vibrant relationship where we are studying His Word and communing in prayer and following His design. This yearning for prayer and assimilating the Scriptures is for the purpose of understanding His heart and applying His principles to every aspect of our lives, realizing that His designs are perfect. It is our responsibility to allow God’s Word to infiltrate the void created when we yielded our independence to God. We bow before God, willing to be governed by His sovereignty.

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)

Insight Journal
Prayerfully discern: What lies am I believing that keep me from an intimate relationship with Christ?

Christ Is Relevant to Painting

It has been a LONG summer! In some ways too long. In other ways not long enough. Last fall we primed ourselves for some major home remodeling. One project has led to another, and in May Kirk suggested that we paint our downstairs. It must be noted from the outset, that I do not delight in painting! I do it, but I am not like my friend, Tricia, who joyfully tells me each year how much she is looking forward to her vacation time so that she can repaint all the rooms in her home, and she says it with an expansive smile and means it too!! Several other things are important for you to know. The downstairs used to be our garage, and it had been reallocated to our den/guestroom/crafting area. The walls were covered with unfinished barn siding, and cabinets and bookshelves were stained to achieve a rustic look that coordinated with our wood-burning stove.

Translating, “Let’s paint downstairs” means relocating my entire stash of crafting supplies throughout the house and dismantling all the shelves to be able to access the walls in order to paint them. It also means that everything that had a wood look would be painted either yellow or white. Yep, I said yellow – bright, June Day yellow. That was Kirk’s choice! I like happy colors, so I wasn’t going to argue about him straying from his normally dull, excuse me, muted pallet to embrace the warmth of June Day, but I did question him, repeatedly! Okay, deep breath, we can do this.

I knew it would be a grueling task, but I truly had no idea of the path ahead of us! After long conversations with our friendly Sherwin Williams paint consultants, we purchased many gallons of primer and paint and bravely (actually it was timidly) embarked on the adventure.

Did I happen to mention that as we were working on the downstairs, a contractor was also installing a new entryway to replace the rotting door ensemble? Really the reason for this portion of the remodel was to prevent downpours from flooding our basement. We hoped that in a few short days our front entrance would be reinstated and a new driveway installed to divert the water from the house. The driveway was torn out, and construction commenced in full force.

After Kirk spent hours sanding the cabinets, and shelves, I struggled with the painting process. I grumbled and complained that it didn’t look good and I couldn’t achieve the desired results. Another consultation with Sherwin Williams left them shaking their heads and saying they couldn’t make it work either. Really? Yep, I’ve said that word a lot this summer! So Kirk sanded some more to remove what I labored so many hours to accomplish. I was filled with grumbling and complaining.

Our kids constantly remind us to “Google it” to find solutions, so I took my problem to Google. The bloggers recommended Benjamin Moore paint undercoated with a special primer. I purchased Benjamin Moore paint and the special primer and conducted various sample tests on a cabinet door. The results were superior, but I was still nervous. Ultimately we settled on that particular paint without fully considering how a dry time of 16 hours between coats would actually impact our lives. Would you like to do the math to determine how many days it takes to prime and put at least 2 coats of paint on each side of 48 cabinet doors and drawers, 41 shelves, and all the cabinet bases in a limited indoor space? (I tried it outside, but the birds bombarded my first attempts, and the 90-100 degree heat and rain caused additional complications.) I’ll give you a hint – the answer is TOO long!

“Lord, how are you relevant to this?” In the midst of my grumbling and complaining He gently called me to spend my painting time with Him. God wanted to transform my painting time into an extended, focused prayer time alone with Him. Pray for THAT long? As my painting days drew into weeks, I found myself eager to begin my painting downstairs so that I could have those hours with Him. I blared my playlist of Desperate Dependency related music as He reminded me of His presence and reassured me of His plans for our lives. He set me aside to bring my clients, my burdens, and my dreams before Him and to listen for His tender words of direction.

Many days Sarah Young’s Jesus Calling devotional echoed relevant truths such as:
      •“Self-pity is a slimy, bottomless pit.”
      •“Rest in My presence.”
      •“Find freedom though seeking to please Me above all else.”
      •“Bring Me the sacrifice of your time.”
      •“Hold My hand, and walk joyously with Me through this day.”
      •“When things seem to be going all wrong, stop and affirm your trust in Me.”
      •“I speak to you continually. My nature is to communicate, though not always in words....You can find Me in each moment, when you have eyes that see and ears that hear.”

In regards to painting, the summer has been too long. But in regards to my time with the Lord, it has not been long enough. I think I should go prayer paint some more while I still wait for our new driveway and decide how to finish the entryway!


Insight Journal
How do you find Christ relevant to your everyday, nitty-gritty tasks?

Christ Is Relevant to Aliens

It’s that time of year again – back to school time. The challenges that lie ahead of our kids are honestly incomprehensible. We may believe that we have been there before and understand completely how to navigate the turbulent waters, but in actuality, they are sailing through uncharted territory. Thankfully, God offers timeless truths that apply to current day situations, so that He can help us guide our children to honor and glorify Him in all they do. As parents it is our responsibility to raise them to this goal, not simply to coddle them or supply their material needs as they age. Depending on God’s guidance is a parental characteristic that we must demonstrate to our children so that they may find Him relevant to every area of their lives.

The peer pressure that draws our kids into the hive mind resonates with the adage that “resistance is futile.” The following is a question from a young friend:

I have a question or something to tell you, which ever u rather. All of my friends or at least almost all of them have a cell phone..(big surprise) but I don't.. well that doesn't bother me too much but it does a little because everyone is all like"Ooh want to see my this or my that?" or "Oh ya we txt each other all the time" or "YOU REALLY NEED TO GET A PHONE!" well, it seems like almost everyone of my friends only want to talk to me either in person or by txt, if I can't txt then they don't want my #. It hurts me a little cause its like, everyone else is closer to each other cause they text the other person all the time and like they know every bit about that person.. And I know like nothing cause I can't txt them. what do I do??

Her scenario reminded me of my [Melanie] horrible 7th grade year. When I was in 7th grade I had a terrible time fitting in. The girls in my class berated me because I did not wear Wrangler jeans. I begged and pleaded, and finally was able to purchase my very own pair of Wrangler jeans. The day I walked the halls of school wearing my Wrangler jeans, I believed that I would finally fit in. I was certain I was doing exactly what was expected of me. But, nope, my efforts still did not win the acceptance of the group – they weren’t the right kind of Wrangler jeans! It was at that point I decided that I was going to be who God had for me to be, and if others didn't like it, they didn't have to look.

The reality is that as Christians we are considered aliens to this world! As aliens Peter tells us how to live. “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11 NASB).

Our life’s goal should be to glorify God in all we do. As we seek to know God and His ways more and more, we will better know what He has for us to do. We may not understand how everything fits together all the time, but we can know that God placed us into our unique situation because He has unique plans for us. We don't have to be like everyone else, or know what everyone else is doing. We do need to grow to be like Christ and know what He wants for us to do every day. God's plan for you is different than His plan for anyone else. Enjoy being different!

The draw to be a part of a larger collective is an attribute God has placed within us so that we may desire to be a part of the body of Christ and dependent on Him to set the standards for life and living. Satan works diligently to distract us with time and energy wasters that others consider the essentials of life. But God's got more important things for us to do.

Two other verses kept coming to mind regarding my young friend’s situation.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1–2 NLT)

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. (1 Corinthians 13:11–12 NLT)

As we live lives that are desperately dependent on Christ, the resulting connection will magnify the Lord. Realizing that our central focus of life is to make Him look wonderful, the dross of the world falls away. Our unified adventure with God supplies purpose and meaning to life. C. S. Lewis wrote, “But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.”

Insight Journal
Consider: If I applied these verses to my life, what would I do differently?

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col. 3:1–3 NLT).

(excerpts from Desperate Dependency by J. Kirk & Melanie D. Lewis)