Jesus101...Thinkings #2

Well...WOW! Delving more into who Jesus is continues to amaze me. Today, I heard a beautiful sermon on more of His powerful approach to people. So very shocking...and so very special. :)

Think about it...He actually allowed the possessed, the tax collectors and the prostitutes into His life. He even invited Himself over to their houses for dinner!! He touched the lepers and the dead to bring healing and life. Now, you and I might not find that so controversial in concept, but in the face of the religion of the area, this was hugely grotesque. To the religious leaders and the "devout", these actions were completely unclean. "Contaminating" one's self in such ways was UNACCEPTABLE. Never mind that people were being set free...

Yep, that's my Jesus. Every single heart worth His pursuit...

And now something makes sense...People caught in the snare of self-righteousness and "keeping up appearances" can't honestly stomach this King or fully participate in bringing His kingdom life. He's willing to get His hands dirty and forsake His reputation for the sake of freedom and healing...and that's just simply unacceptable to the comfy, safe "church".

It begs the question...am I willing to do what Jesus did with the "unclean" of our day?

Goodness...He came for me in my worst of the worst...and He calls me forward every day. Here's to getting on board with His ways for the sake of others.

Yay for MORE! :)

Privilege of Dependence

A bunch of people from my worshiping community got together the other night to pray. (Side note: Wow! We need to do that more often!!!) As we were talking about different stories from people's "faith banks", it struck me how wonderful it really is to step into our position as the Abba's children. And dependence on Him????...as tough as that can initially be for our independent cultural wiring...that dependence is a great privilege. A PRIVILEGE!! We GET to depend on the good Father for every good gift.

Positioning our hearts in such a perspective???...makes us seers of the miraculous! So, so FABULOUS!

So...we better get to yielding efforts in our own strength. We need to get on board with the privilege of dependence.

He's that good. He's that loving. And He's constantly at work. :)

Resting Place Prayer Events

Yep...it's coming together!!! We are hosting a couple of prayer events at church. Times to just rest and "soak" in the presence of God. I'm so excited!

There is something so key to going to the resting place. It intentionally allows the heart to settle in His presence and peace and then refocus for whatever kingdom purpose is before us. So, so beneficial!

More info to come! :)

Faithful and True Ministries

I'm going to put this out here because I continue to hear such great stories of healing and freedom with their holistic approach. Sexual addiction is so prevalent in this sexually saturated culture. It's even glorified. Yet, all the while precious hearts are suffocating and dying under the weight of it.

The Jesus I know...and the Jesus I want to be like...is not ashamed of anyone. He offers forgiveness, healing and restoration. True worth!!!

Here's to some people that really do a great job with men and women who are ready to make a change!

Faithful and True Ministries Website

Transforming the Whole Mind

Christians talk a lot about "transforming the mind". It comes from the charge in Romans 12:2 to "...not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.".

What becomes so odd...especially in the Evangelical realm...is how "transforming the mind" can become used in a limiting fashion. For one, many choose to spend their faith investments focused completely on the mind without following it to the deeper seat of the spirit...the heart. Tragic, really. For another, "mind" is defined so narrowly. Unfortunately, so many in a solely modern way of thinking equate "mind" with "intellect". Basically, the more facts and arguments you know...the more transformed the mind becomes.

Sigh.

Yes, it's true that knowledge is powerful. An understanding of concepts can help build a great foundation. BUT..."knowledge", when used in scripture, is far more of an experiential concept. It assumes relationship with the divine. AND..."mind" actually refers to so much more than intellect. It can include the following and likely so much more:

* Wisdom. Growing in how to apply truth well is far different from intellect. Goodness, how many fact-smart people do you know who can argue a point to the ends of the earth yet are completely inept at applying wisdom?? TONS! It's definitely a place for transformative investment.

* Thought Patterns. We can have encyclopedia-equivalent knowledge packed in the recesses of the brain but not be equipped to interpret reality appropriately. We all have "grids"...those mental, emotional or spiritual lenses through which we choose to see our interactions...and those "grids" are primarily fueled by wounds. And honestly...if I may be so bold...I believe our free will...our ability to make choices...can be "bound". Yep...a limited ability to choose. The good news is that freedom is available for "grids" and a bound free will. Again...it's definitely a place for transformative investment.

* Imagination. There is the experience of truth that is not bound by what you can see, hear, smell, taste and feel. It is the seat of ideas, dreams...creativity. Powerful truths of myth and fairy tale, of vision and perspective are born and expressed there. God is so "for" it. And again...it's definitely a place for transformative investment.

So...if we, as Abba's children, are going to go after the transformation of the mind, why not explore more than just picking up all those facts and propositions? Wouldn't it be wonderful? I say...YES!!!

...and then let it lead you to that powerful heart of yours. :)

One Thing

Expectations

Oh my...it's amazing what a little thing like home improvement can reveal about a gal. Hahahaha!

The latest is...how much I tend to lean on expectations...and need them for a more secure feeling.

Don't get me wrong...expectations have their place...but...oh dear...it's amazing how much not being able to nail down an expectation or keeping expectations fluid can be SUCH a problem.

Deep breaths.

So...it's going to be a good thing for this girl. The work being done is EXCELLENT. Such high quality. Finding other ways to have serenity apart from expectations...priceless in the long-run. :)

Pay Attention to those Screaming Wounds

Yes!!!...it's ok!!!!!

It is simply unfathomable the number of people who, rather than stopping to notice a heart wound that needs healing and actually getting it taken care of, choose to recycle same old patterns and same old outcomes...and proceed to see it as something continuously outside themselves.

For sure...it's not ok to be repeatedly hurt. Most definitely.

BUT...an unaddressed wound...becomes the very thing that steers the ship...and ultimately becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It can direct the wounded to other unhealthy relationships, away from healthy ones or into the sabotage of healthy ones. Most definitely, wounds create grids that can make investment and assault indistinguishable. Reaction born of a defense mechanism judgment with no clarity to truly discern motives. Oh my...it's so very sad.

Every. Single. Time.

And it doesn't have to be that way!!!

For every wound there's a healing. Yes, it hurts. And yes, it can feel uncomfortable and lonely...due to the fact that wounds, though icky, can actually become a strange comfort and less-than-ideal friend...but that healing-related loneliness is temporary!! It's the path to fullness and relationship.

So...if there's a screaming wound, be willing to see it...YES, you have to be WILLING to see it!!...and then let Jesus go there with you. Why would He want anything less than an unshackled life for you? He has shalom-peace in abundance, and He's just that good!

And for those left in the wake...oh man, there's healing for you too. Yes, I'm sure there's solace in the knowledge of and communication with others who've been run down by the same ship...but there's always individual healing for you too! Take it! Most definitely take any "checks" or accusations to the cross to eliminate any contributions on your part, but then...leave it at that. Take your healing and become a prayer warrior.

Oh, those screaming wounds... :(

Resting Place...The King is Here

I'm so unfathomably obsessed with the "resting place"...intentionally pursuing the presence of God...hosting it well...making my heart a good home. Jesus did this all the time when He walked the earth. He connected with the Father and was better able to bring the kingdom to others.

I stumbled on this song quite accidentally, but it opened my soul wide. Powerful truths to hold near...1, the King isn't far away...He's here. Eternity collides with this present, making His love more than a concept. It's a present reality. 2, "on earth as it is in heaven"...yep, the resources of the kingdom are available today. He's opened heaven's gates, so dive in. 3, I'm captured. Not in the sense of an unwilling prisoner...in the sense of knowing a love and a life that can be replaced by nothing else. Completely surrendered to and made more alive by...Him.

So...bask? Yes...enter the song and let His presence find a place to dwell within you. After doing so, you may find a greater sense of mission or purpose...and maybe even simply that you are not alone. :)

Here are a few of the lyrics.

The King is here, The King is here
He's alive inside of me
The King is here, The King is here
Love will never, ever leave

We worship and we praise
We lift Your holy name
We rejoice for our King is here
We're living to proclaim
You've opened heaven's gates
We rejoice for our King is here

You are here, You are here
You've come in power and majesty
God, You are here, You are here
Every heart has been set free

We are captured by You,
Surrendered to You
We'll never be the same
Because You are here
We're alive to praise You
Give all glory to You
We'll never be the same
Because You are here.

 

Maybe

The Resting Place

Oh my. I love this! I can't even count how many times I've watched it...and still will!

 

Faithful God

My sweet Dad sent this to me. Such a great song to lean back into. Faithful God. :) I've been doing some moments of "resting place" lately. I honestly just visualize myself sitting in the Father's lap, all curled up in His safety...being "still" and knowing He is God. Peace is there. Shalom peace. :) And from that place???...yep, we pray some powerful things. Ya, baby! Good stuff.

 

Fear and the Resting Place

I've been listening to a sermon by Bill Johnson called "The Resting Place". It's actually refreshing to hear as it can be so easy to focus on "signs and wonders" aspects of kingdom life but totally neglect the true source of all that...the resting place. I'm actually delving a bit more into that concept in my Jesus study because He's doing that constantly...entering that place of shalom-peace to reconnect with the Trinity and refresh one's soul.

Anyway, one of the things Johnson mentions in the sermon really caught my attention. It related to fear and the resting place. He cautioned that entertaining fear in one's life directly limits the move of the Holy Spirit in and through us. The degree we don't take our fear to the resting place is correlated to the degree we limit the experience of His presence in the fearful situation and become an obstacle to the release of His solutions.

Wow.

Lesson?...go to the resting place.

Yep...do it.

Jesus101...Thinkings #1

The first story that's been on my mind in this Jesus obsession is from John 8. It's the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery. I know...weird place to start...but I can't shake it. It's just so disturbing yet powerfully beautiful. I guess that kind of describes most of Jesus' interactions...

Disturbing: All these pharisees drag a woman into the temple with the purposes of further humiliating her and causing trouble with the Christ...intent on ultimately killing her and also discrediting Jesus (with the goal of eliminating him as a threat at some point). They stand her up in front of the crowd and call Jesus out.

I put myself in her place and I'm overcome...dragged through the streets, maybe barely clothed, being cursed at and spit on, and then paraded in front of the supposed "holy" in full mockery... Oh, the fear, the shame, the loneliness. I'd want to die right there.

Beautiful: Jesus pauses to "write on the ground with His finger". Can I just say...over all the years I've heard so much speculation on what He was writing. Some think the sign of the cross or of the Christian "fish". Others think He started scribbling the specific sins of the accusers to expose their hypocrisy. You know what I think? I seriously believe we watched him pause to turn His heart toward the Father's...to listen for what His view, His will, His love was calling for. Amazing.

And then...oh then...He rises and defends her worth publicly. He assumes her worth in a culture that barely valued women, to religious legalists who'd rather spit on her value because of her sin...and to the woman herself who clearly didn't or couldn't live in such a way that owned her own preciousness. He defended true human worth when no one else would. Beyond listening to the Father's heart, His first action was honor, and all inhumane motives paled in the light He cast...

And just when you'd think He is done, He takes it further. Yep...the verse that the church has often utilized as a formulaic starting point rather than a capstone to honor. "Go and sin no more." What He's not saying is, "Ok, we're done here. Move along and stop doing what you've been doing.". He's not saying, "Get behind me, satan!". No, a little research into Greek shows that He is saying something along the lines of...brace yourself, people..."Now, pursue this journey you've just entered into!" with an affirmation of "because I know you can do it!". Seriously!!! That's what that means!!! It was a launching pad from a foundation of assumed and ascribed worth.

And it's no different for us...

When He looks at you...and when we listen to the beat of His heart for others...He blesses worth and invites us into the ownership of the weight of who He's made us to be. He asks us to pursue the journey we've now entered knowing that with Him we can do it! And...He asks us to get in the game, get dirty and cheer that journey for others.

It doesn't mean it won't be hard. It doesn't mean that it won't take time. What it means is that HE'S EXACTLY THAT GOOD!

The Hero of Worth. The Kingdom of Honor. The Calling into Healing, Hope...MORE.

I want to love the world like that!!!! And...I'd love to see the church known for such honor.

 

Jesus101...Thoughts Intro

I've been thinking a lot about Him lately...goodness, wanting to know Him more and know more about how He did what He did when here. The church likes to talk a lot about theological topics...and there are a ton which is great, but as a whole we don't talk a lot about Him and how we can be more like Him. Yes, we will do the "what would Jesus do?" method of evaluating our choices and behavior, but I want to be "like" him not just in modeling, but in asking "how would...how did Jesus do...?" right alongside the consideration of His desire and will.

* I want to turn my ear to the Father's heart like He did and do what I see the Father doing...intentional mission.
* I want to love from a true source of love, not just a discipline.
* I want to walk in soulful agreement with the Godhead and be a more effective "releaser" of Presence and Power.

So...I've been diving in a bit more. Stepping into the stories, asking Him to show me who He is and how I can be like Him...because...well...I don't want to be a "good Christian" anymore. I want to be a child of God, expressing the heart of God's kingdom and utilizing all the resources of heaven.

And, yep...I"m gonna be a-bloggin' about it. ;)

Officiating

Here's a new one! I've been asked to perform a wedding! I'm not a pastor, so I'll have to do a little research! Interesting opportunity! :)

The Career Sweet Spot

I've heard of this notion of the "Career Sweet Spot" before. The place of intersection of these things:

1. Your strengths and skills.

2. Your passions and interests.

3. Your purpose and calling.

Where those three overlap is a place of fulfillment.

I've been rolling these around in my head again. Evaluating life direction...even if it doesn't mean a change of job (although that'd be nice some day)...just to have a better sense of who I am and what I'm made to do in my life. Good stuff!

Gossip

I'll tell ya what. I absolutely despise gossip. For whatever reason, there are people who can't resist. Truly...poor expression of humanity.

Man, it was a bad ending to my school year with that sort of behavior. Spinning things. Totally lying. It was bad. And...it was so hard to not be too rocked by it.

What gets me, though, is adults. Christian adults. And...how they pretend they aren't a part of it...right to your face...but behind your back...knife in position.

Sigh.

So...for me...it is absolutely foolish to place trust with a gossip. Yep, I draw huge boundary lines when I find that sad state to be true. Less vulnerability. No confidence. More preservation. Gotta do it...and apparently, gotta do it again. :(

Here's to summer!!...a more gossip-free zone!! Dear God, let it be so!