Author: Craig

Rebirth ~ Key Verses — GLORIFYTHELORD

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“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person.  The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

With the arrival of each new kid into our family I was gob-smacked with awe, excitement, hope, and joy!  That’s what new life does.  It creates a new perspective!

Jesus died so we might no longer live for ourselves but for him who died for us and was raised to new life.  So now since you have received Jesus and His grace for the forgiveness of sin, you are a new creation!  This is how we we can see ourselves and see others who belong to Jesus.  We have been born again.

But you know, just as it didn’t take long for the reality of diapers, dirty dishes, and noise to challenge my happy view of the kids, it doesn’t take long for the reality of my brokenness and the world’s to crowd out the truth of the new creation. But don’t settle for this fleshy view.  Re-calibrate your life with Jesus daily.  We are Jesus’ new creation, a work in progress nonetheless, but we are His masterpiece!

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”  2 Corinthians 5:17

System alert: careful with your goals.

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“Goals may cause systematic problems for organizations due to narrowed focus, unethical behaviour, increased risk-taking, decreased cooperation, and decreased intrinsic motivation.  Use care when applying goals in your organization.”  Daniel Pink

Do you know what it feels like? When we feel pruned.

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From Mike Breen in Covenant and Kingdom.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts of every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful… Remain in me and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.”

As Jesus was walking through the streets of Jerusalem toward the Garden of Gethsemane, having left the Upper Room and the scene of the Last Supper, he paints a remarkable picture of the new covenant.  He says that as he and his disciples flourish under the care of their Father, the Covenant unity between Jesus and his followers will always produce new disciples.  The Relationship will sometimes feel “pruned” (cut back), especially after times of great harvest.  Pruning is given by the gardener so that the branch ceases to concentrate on itself and focuses on the source of its life.  The pruned-back branch is much more aware of its need to remain connected to the vine.  The natural consequence of remaining connected to Jesus is that we produce fruit:

“If you remain in me and I remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”    (Mike Breen, Covenant and Kingdom, commenting on John 15.)

Others ~ Key Verses — GLORIFYTHELORD

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“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”  Philippians 2:3-4  NLT

I have a friend who says, “You gotta rock Philippians 2:3-4!!!”  His enthusiasm for treating others well and better than himself challenges me!

When Jesus touches our life we start to love others rather than use others. Servanthood means that I can temporarily suspend my own needs in order to attend to the needs of others. This means I’m sacrificial; I have a “whatever it takes” attitude in my circles of concern.  You know what annihilates service? Preoccupation with ourselves. Or a desperate need to be pumped up, propped up and applauded by other people. Or plain and simple — pride — we think we are better than everyone else. The Gospel meets each one of these black holes to not only plug them but to reverse the flow. Jesus transforms us into servants like Him. Now we can pour out our life secure in the knowledge of our unmerited, graceful exaltation with Jesus and by Jesus.

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too.” Philippians 2:3-4

Lordship ~ Key Verses — GLORIFYTHELORD

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“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.”  Matthew 7:21 NLT

Over the last week I’ve been reflecting on the twin themes of relationship and responsibility as they are revealed in God’s Word.  Jesus invites us into relationship with God by way of His grace and truth.  Now we call Him Lord.  In response to being loved by Him, we take up the responsibilities of citizenship in His Kingdom.  Now we seek to do the will of our Heavenly Father.  To reverse the order is poison and is NOT the Gospel.  We do not take up responsibilities in order to gain our identity with Him (That’s religion.)  Rather we receive Him as Lord and accept the responsibilities He gives to us (That’s grace.)  Jesus warns us, we do not really know Him as Lord if we are not also spiritually enabled to desire and to do the will of our Heavenly Father.

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! ‘Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who actually do the will of Father in heaven will enter.”  Matthew 7:21