Life #23 - To Live "Now" is to Hear His Voice

yellow spotted crotons 020

Children are taught, or threatened, to listen.  By the time they grow up, they’ve managed to construct an inner schematic that shuts out, or mutes, aggravating noises—mostly adult voices. This selective hearing is the type of schematic Christians erect within ourselves that prevents us from hearing God.

How did we do that? Churched Christians have a difficult time distinguishing God’s voice apart from the church’s voice. Often we convince ourselves that when we do what our church says to do, we’re hearing God’s voice. In the process, we neglect our family’s needs and we negate our own thoughts and feelings, which is Christ in us, until we’ve erroneously muted the voice of God. As a result, our witness of Jesus suffers within our own families and within our own psyches.

Scripture says there are many voices in the world and they all carry meaning (1 Cor. 14:10 KJV). However, Christians have only one Voice we should be listening to because the meaning from that Voice holds significance:

“Most assuredly I say to you,  the hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live” (John 5:25).

If churched Christians are dead because we cannot hear the voice that “now is”—so that we can live today—then how can we expect to hear that same voice at the resurrection, so we can live again?

======================================================================

Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.  

Life #22 - Life on Faith's Terms

crotons 016

A dear friend and brother-in-Christ fell asleep last month. He had thought about Jesus’ promise, “…whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:26 NIV), but the process to mĕtamŏrphŏō into the Lord’s image and to transform his mind (2 Corinthians 3:18; Romans 12:2) was going to take time, which our friend did not have. For the rest of us, however, there is still time.

God’s promises come by faith to each of us (Romans 4:16 NIV). And although Jesus gave us the promise of life, like Abraham we receive the promise by works of faith—for faith without works is dead faith (James 2:17). Thus corruption—in the forms of aging, disease, and death—will continue to assault our mortal bodies until the promise of unending life becomes our reality, our Isaac.

Our works of faith are to participate in the Divine Nature (2 Peter 1:3, 4 NIV) and—because of Jesus’ life and godliness—to live by, and keep in step with, the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:13-25 NIV). That’s how we escape the world’s corruption!

Corruption took at least 900+ years to gain the victory over Methuselah (Genesis5:27), but for us the reverse should not take so long. In fact, the mĕtamŏrphŏō process completes itself within our lifetime—all because Jesus abolished death and brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10).

So why aren’t Christians receiving Jesus’ promise that we "will never die"?

Perhaps our hearts are slow to believe.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.  

Life #21 - A Promise of Life in Two Timelines

flowering white mountain apple tree 009

If we are to apprehend life, then we are wise to apprehend all those things that pertain to life. The bible informs us that holiness and righteousness are characteristics that lead to life. A third characteristic is godliness.

“…godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8 KJV).

Yes, godliness holds a promise of life in two timelines.

The first timeline is the present. Zōē-life believers partake of the promise of life “that now is”. We are few, but we’re here. The world laughs at our holiness and derides our godliness, but these characteristics qualify us to boldly apprehend zōē-life "today", "now", "currently", "in the present"—while we are alive—so that whoever lives and believes in Jesus will never die (John 11: 26 NIV).

The second timeline is for the future. The majority of Christians will die because we live to partake of the promise of the life “which is to come”. This means “later”, “not now”, and “in the future”. We all know the promise of that life, called the resurrection of the dead.

Although God is a generous God, much of our Christian walk depends upon how we choose to appropriate faith to access his generosity. Our faith-choice determines the timeline we end up in: to live now and not die; or, to die now and live later.

Godliness holds the promise of life for now or for the future.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.  

Life #20 - When Religious Beliefs are Assaulted

Hawaiian Orange

“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe” (John 6:63, 64).

Some who heard Jesus' words did not believe him. It would have been easier to understand 'why' if he was speaking to a crowd of people. But he wasn’t. Sad to say, Jesus was speaking to his very own disciples! They followed him everywhere he went, from daybreak to sunset. They witnessed his miracles first-hand. They were special enough that he shared behind-the-scenes revelations with them that he never shared openly with the crowds. Yet for the disciples, as for Christians today, some teachings will offend because of their inherent mystery (John 6:61).

Offenses occur when we perceive that our religious beliefs are being assaulted. Jesus’ disciples felt that way when he said they had to drink his blood and eat his flesh in order to have life in them (John 6:53-61). Quick to react, the disciples abandoned him. Their reaction was understandable. But given their past history with him, perhaps they should have asked him to explain what he meant before they left.

We are quick to condemn—or flee from—teachings that upset us. That’s probably a good thing because it reveals our limitations as “believers”. Jesus’ teaching on life separated disciple from disciple (John 6:66). Will his promise of life also separate believer from believer?

Our little faith must not waiver when assaults upon our religious beliefs occur, especially by brothers or sisters in Christ who reveal different ways to see time-honored scriptures. After all, to whom shall we go, if the Lord puts spiritual words of life on their lips and in their hearts for us?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.  

Life #19 - Tangible Life Provisions

Christians worldwide receive communion in the form of a round wafer or piece of bread. We do so to remember what Christ did for us (Luke 22:19).

Jesus spoke about the children of Israel, who ate of the heavenly bread God provided in the desert—yet they still died. Christ compared his body to bread, which also came down from heaven. But this time, his body would serve as God’s heavenly provision to the church—that Christians may have life and not die (John 6:50).

A number of us, however, have received the Lord’s body and blood unworthily (1 Corinthians 11:27-31 NIV):

“For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 11:29, 30 NIV).

The Bread of Life, Jesus, was meant to keep the church in life. But, that provision is dependent upon our self-examination. Thus, the body and blood of the Lord works as a two-edged sword for Christians: we will have life and not die—or get weak, sick, and “fall asleep”. The choice to choose carefully is ours—always.

Yet, life is what God intended for the human race from the very beginning. Although Adam lost it all for us, Jesus restored it. Christ gave us a tangible way to receive his life and not die—through the passing of the cup and the breaking of bread.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scripture quotations from King James Version (KJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.  

Life 18 - The Glory of One

pink torch ginger

Jesus gave his followers God’s glory that we might be “one”:

• And the glory which you gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one (John 17:22);

In referencing John 10:30, Vine’s Expository Dictionary defined “one”, hĕis, as the “union and concord” that exists between the Father and the Son. Likewise, the glory Jesus gave us is meant to bring about that same “union and concord” among believers.

“Children”, tĕknŏn, however, often take faith for God’s future glory; so it is unlikely that tĕknŏn will apply the present glory in the here and now. It follows that they will not undergo a change until after death and resurrection.

“Sons”, huiŏs, on the other hand take faith for the present glory, and accompany our faith with works; otherwise, our faith is dead (James 2:17, 26 KJV). Today, among the fellowship of “sons”, the “glory of one” can be seen in operation by our changed conduct, which gives evidence of the dignity of our relationship and likeness to God’s character.

When the “glory of one” is displayed among believers, the world sits up and takes notice. They come to know, recognize, and understand completely that the Father loves them in the same way he loves Jesus (John 17:23).

The Captain of our salvation continues to bring many huiŏs-sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10; 2 Corinthians 3:18) that the world might have a life-saving knowledge of Jesus—not just by our words—but by our deeds!

Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; Greek definitions from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:

• ONE #1520. hĕis, hice; one. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (1981): with respect to John 10:30, metaphorically hĕis stands for “union and concord”);
• CHILD, CHILDREN #5043 - tĕknŏn, tek’-non;
• SON #5207 - huiŏs, hwee-os’;

excerpts from our book to be released next year.  

Life #17 - Future and Present Glory

honeycomb ginger 012

The future “glory” is for all Christians who resurrect from the dead (1 Corinthians 15: 42, 42); while the present “glory” is for all Christians to transform into God’s image (2 Corinthians 3:18).

In Genesis 1:26, God made a people in his image. Though the people ruined the plan, time and failure did not diminish or alter it. Thus, the same glory that mĕtamŏrphŏō, transformed Jesus on the holy mountain (2 Peter 1:17), is the same glory that mĕtamŏrphŏō, transforms believers into God’s image.

• “…we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

“From glory to glory” is the present ministry of the Spirit, of life, and of righteousness. Glory transforms believers into God’s image, so that what remains is more glorious than what is passing away (2 Corinthians 3: 6-11).

Jesus’ death reconciled us to God, but his life saves us (Romans 5:10). Thus, the Son promises to those who die and to those who live: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25, 26).

Being made in his image, we are equipped with his life. Thus, the Son of God insures that we neither frustrate God’s grace nor fall short of God’s glory (Colossians 1:27).

Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; Greek definitions from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible:

• Transfigure #3339. mĕtamŏrphŏō, met-am-or-fŏ’-o; from 3326 and 3345; to transform (lit. or fig. “metamorphose”):—change, transfigure, transform.

excerpts from our book to be released next year.