I Choose Life

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by (the) faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference...

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Romans 3:21–22, 27–28 KJV)

Observation:  It was the faith of Jesus that made justification available.   And it is faith in Jesus which takes hold of that justification.  This is the law of faith.  Faith begets faith.  Trust awakens trust.  The Father trusted the Son.  The Son trusted the Father.  They extended their trust to humanity.  And as we trust in them... They will accomplish their perfect work in us... Father, Son, and Spirit... trusted us enough to say... We believe that if we give You the fullness of our love, it will awaken love within in you.  It will awaken that which we have implanted in you from the very beginning... On the flip side of enmity between thy seed and her Seed is a longing for our Father's love.  But we don't know it until we see the fruits of that enmity.  We don't know it until we see the Seed of the woman crushing the serpents head by taking the spear in His side.  We don't see it til' we see and understand that in His hatred, our God takes all the evil His enemies can through at Him and then prays... "Father forgive them because they know now what they are doing."

In all of this, there is one thing we must understand about God's belief in us... It's not a belief in our ability.  If this was the case, the cross would not be necessary.  For we would be able to save ourselves.  No, His belief in us is a belief in our availability.  A belief that the cross would make us response... able.  Or able to respond.  All God needs is our response.  Our Yes.  Our choice.  The faith of Jesus in You in me is that we would choose if He chose.  That we would say yes to the Father, if we could experience the power of His profound yes on Calvary's cross.  He is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith in that when He, by faith, went to Calvary's Cross... He awakened within all humanity... the possibility of taking up their cross and following.  Before the cross... we would not have chosen Him.  After the cross... choice was once again possible.  Glory to God, our choice is the purchase of His choice.  He whom the Son sets free, is free indeed, because he/she has been given freedom to choose.  And in that choice we have been given an incredible gift.  What will we do with it?  What will we choose? 

I choose Christ!  I choose Life!

Thanksgiving Roses

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her Birkenstocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. 

Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location. Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. 

THEN! Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. 

"She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?" 

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of  the shop clerk. 

"I....I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra. 

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want the beautiful but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. 

"Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?" 

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." 

Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you." 

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi, Barbara...let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed thorny roses.

Except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped: there were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk.

Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers?

She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again." She said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Ahh, that lady just left with, uh....she left with no flowers!"

"That's right, said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra.

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery."

"That same year I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra.

"I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me, but when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?!" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."

Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man. "My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement...twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously.

"Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"

"No...I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times.

That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us. As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too...fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember, it was a crown of  thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read:
My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant."

Praise Him for the roses, thank Him for the thorns

Glory in Spendor... Glory in Shame... Glory to Your Name

"Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."" (Matthew 17:4 NAS95)

Observation:  While Peter was offering to make three tents, the Father engulfed them in his presence.  As the impetuous one was still speaking, God's grace became the tent of Moses, Elijah, Jesus and His disciples.  His favor sheltered them with the words: "This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased; listen to Him"  At this moment the disciples were experiencing the reality of Jesus words:  

""For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."" (Matthew 18:20 NAS95)

The Shekinah was among them.  The Beloved of the Father shining in all His glory, just as He'd promised His disciples six days earlier:

""Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."" (Matthew 16:28 NAS95)

This morning as I was beginning this prayer time, I decided to pray a covering prayer from Skip MacCarty's covering prayers email that he sent me a few years ago.  This was the prayer for the 17th of the month:

Show me Your glory, strengthening me anew every morning with power through Your Spirit in my inner being, that I may grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and through that love surpasses knowledge, help me to know it and be rooted and established in it that I may be filled to the measure of Your own fullness, reflecting Your glory and love to others in my character, words and actions that they might be attracted and drawn to You.  (Ex. 33:19-20; Isa.  33:2; Mt. 5:14-16; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 3:14-19; Phil. 1:9-11) 

As I reflect on this prayer, and upon the Father's overshadowing of Jesus and His disciples... I realize that to see God's glory is to see Jesus.  And our only worthy response to that glory is obedience:

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully." (Psalms 24:3–4 NAS95)

""Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8 NAS95)

The Lord reveals Himself to the pure in heart; to those willing and ready to obey.  He reveals himself to humble fisherman who willingly leave their nets to go wherever His bidding will lead them.  He reveals himself to those willing to listen to His Beloved Son.

The Pharisees and Sadducees desired to see Jesus in His glory... "they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. But He replied to them, "When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' "And in the morning, 'There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah."" (Matthew 16:1–4 NAS95)

Granted, the sign of Jonah was a glorious moment.  But it was glory cloaked in darkness.  Glory cloaked in suffering and shame.  Because of their disobedient and rebellious hearts, this was the only glory with the potential power to bring the murderous throng to the point where they could see Christ in His radiant glory.  

In fact, it was Peter, one of those who had been with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration who would speak to these hardened sinners who had stood mocking at Mount Calvary... At the Pentecost, the glory of that moment with Jesus, Moses, and Elijah would rest upon the disciples of the upper room and as Peter preached, the crowd would be convicted of the glory that had been veiled in shame and reproach before them at Mount Calvary:

""Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death...  But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power... Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."  (Acts 2:22–24, 33, 37–38 NAS95)

So what does this all mean?  Well if you want to see Jesus glory in splendor, follow Him, obey Him, trust Him; otherwise the cross is where you will witness His glory.  In our disobedience the only thing which can get to you and I, is the glory of the cross.  There is no other sign, no other manifestation of God's presence that can break the power of sin in our lives.  

In fact, even those who listen and follow still need the cross.  Because while we may do good things... at our core we are contagious with the infectious disease of sin.  And when we least expect it, it raises it's ugly head in our lives.

Application:  As I look back on my life, I realize that I have had those Mount of Transfiguration experiences.  I have beheld the glory of God.  The first one I can remember was student week of prayer at Andrews Academy.  Another glory of God experience was Lynn Bryson in the seventh grade.  Then there was the time when I was walking up above the Path Finder building and the crimson leaves of autumn.  There was the moment when I called Laurence after finishing the song Take Me Now.  There was the prayer time with the pastors above Estes Park and the prayer time this March at The Cove.  

I am so grateful to God for all the glorious moments He has bestowed upon me.  But I realize that I still need Calvary.  Because it is all too easy to become proud and boastful about the moments I have spent in His glory.  I realize from yesterday's study and reflection that Lucifer was one who stood closest to the Father, but he fell away because of spiritual pride.  And just the time when I think I am over spiritual pride, it can rise up again in me.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, may I boast in nothing but Your cross.  Holy Father, I am determined by Your grace to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.  You have affirmed this calling through Dwight's message from annual council that Ingrid and I listened to on Sunday morning in which he spoke on Zechariah 12:10ff:

""I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10 NAS95)

Father, in his confession of personal jealousy toward Mark Finley, Dwight reminded me that we all need to look upon the One we have pierced.  That no matter how many Mount of Transfiguration moments we have, we ultimately must return day by day to Mount Calvary.  And Jesus, only as we see You hanging there in all of Your Glory... bearing our sin, our shame, and our guilt... only then shall the power of sin be broken in our lives, only then shall we join with the angels in song of praise and adoration... 

""Worthy... Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing."" (Revelation 5:12 NAS95)

Surrounded by Victory

^NAU Titus 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. ⁹ But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ¹⁰ Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, ¹¹ knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

^NAU Ephesians 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Observation:  The Holy Spirit is the guarantee, the down payment, the assurance of my ultimate transformation.  This Spirit of the New Covenant who causes me to walk in the ways of my Savior is the assurance of an ultimate transformation and sinless existence.  The victories He brings today are a foretaste of the ultimate victory promised at the resurrection:  

1 Corinthians 15:54-58  when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.  ⁵⁵ "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"  ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 

In this passage I hear Paul saying, lay hold of the victory now, because of the victory that is coming.  On the flip side, lay hold of the victory now because of the victory that has come.  

Romans 8:33-37  ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  ³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

Our existence is to be a victorious one because we are surrounded by victories past and future.  The victory of the cross and the victory of the advent.  These two mighty acts of God have the power through the guarantee of His Spirit to inspire love, devotion, faithfulness, and obedience.  What an awesome, awesome, assurance.

Application/Prayer:  Jesus you are my victor.  You have conquered sin and taken me captive to righteousness.  "It has not appeared as yet what I will be.  But I know when You appear, I will be like You.  For I will see You as You are."  (1 John 3:2 personalized).  

In the mean time I will seek to be like You to the best of my fallen ability.  I choose to die to self.  To let go of my rights and embrace the freedom of Your sacred constraint in my life.  I receive Your patience.  The ability to suffer with grace and gratitude.  When my children whine, when I don't get what I want, when I'm grumpy Lord, these are the times I need Your victory in my life the most.  Take me to the cross and teach me the true meaning of self-sacrifice.  I want to find my life by loosing it.  

From where does my help come from?

I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

 My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

(Psalm 121:1-4 ESV)

Observation:  It is easy to look to the hills.  The stand so bold and so prominent in our view.  The hills can inspire, but they can also overwhelm.  If your simply taking them in, why they can be breath-taking.  But if you are seeking to climb and to conquer... than they can overwhelm... they can disarm courage and confidence.



Application:  Lately my hills have felt like follow-up for The Radical Teachings of Jesus, and the Foster Care Church initiative for the valley.  I have talked of these hills.  I have made them bigger than they are.  I have exalted them.  But this morning Jesus is saying to my heart:

Jim, your help doesn't come from the hills.  Your help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.  I will keep you from all harm.  I will watch over you.  I do not slumber nor sleep.  Tonight as you were resting, I was working.  Tonight as you slept secure in my love, my mighty hand was orchestrating and designing answers to the prayers I will inspire you to pray for this foster initiative and the follow-up to the Radical Teachings.  Trust me son.  Look to me. I am your help.

Prayer:  Jesus I thank You this morning that You are my help.  Thank You that You are always on the job.  Always working for my blessing and benefit.  Jesus I praise You today that You climbed Calvary's hill, not focusing on the massiveness of that challenge, but choosing to look in faith and trust to Your Father saying, "Not my will, but thy will be done."

Lord this is my prayer for this foster initiative and for this follow-up.  "Not my will, but thine be done."  Jesus I have been afraid of these things because of the greater hill of my reputation.  What will people say if I fail?  What will people say of me if I don't produce or don't come through.  Father forgive me for this kind of thinking.  Forgive me Jesus for seeking to "make a name for myself."  Jesus Your name is the only name that matters.  Your renown is the only thing worth living for.  Jesus I just want You to be lifted high this morning.  I want You to be exalted.  I want You to be made known.  Jesus, Your promise is:

"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."" (John 12:32 NKJV)

Jesus, be lifted high in me.  Be lifted high in Your church.  Be lifted high in the valley.  Be lifted high in our home.  Be exalted Lord Jesus... above heaven and earth.  

"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven." (John 3:13 NKJV)

Jesus, Lucifer sought to exalt himself above the stars of heaven, above the thrown of the Most High, but You chose to humble yourself.  When Satan was seeking to ascend, You said, I will descend.  When Satan was seeking to accuse, You said I will bear the accusation... I will take Jim's sin upon myself.

O Jesus I exalt Your Holy Name.  Thank You Jesus for bearing the penalty of my sin.  Thank You for being sin for me that I might become the righteousness of God.  Thank You for becoming the author and perfecter of my faith on Calvary's cross.  Thank You for praying for my forgiveness.  Thank You for always living to make intercession for me.   Thank You for being a friend to me when I have only been friendly to You.  O Jesus draw me close.  Draw me to You heart.  Draw me to Your side.  Love me personally.  Lead me personally.  Be my personal Lord and Savior.  Come in and sup with me.

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me." (Revelation 3:20 NKJV)