Monthly Archives: October 2015

Ambassadors

26 Monday Oct 2015

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Ambassadors for Christ

I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ~ John 17:15-17, ESV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:20, ESV

 

In it, not of it.
        Deride us if you must,
labeling other-worldliness and unworldliness
                          annoying heresy,
                                           because of refusal
to conform to world’s
                          false and fleeting fashions—
                                           immoral conducts.

                         Not from it, sent into it.
                Set apart—sanctified:
                                          to NOT walk sinfully,
                                 as evildoers, doubters, backsliders;
                                          to NOT talk vilely,
                                 as non-believers, unbelievers, disbelievers;
                                          to NOT think wickedly,
                                 as atheists, agnostics, apostates.

Ambassadors for Christ.
                         Sent into world
                                         with full power,
                                         with all authority,
                to publish and proclaim peace—
                                           the Gospel Message: reconciliation;
the fullness of Christ.

 

~ from my Spirit’s Musing manuscript

Transformation

13 Tuesday Oct 2015

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Transformation

Since, then, we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. ~ Ephesians 4:22-24, MSG

 

 

Sadness comes in many colors,
Depression does too—it’s not just blue.

Yellows are few and far between,
For goldfinches of happiness
Never fly where ravens of sorrow
Twitter destruction, agony, and death—
Loss of hope, peace, victory, and joyousness.

People say: “You think you’re smart,”
“A real know-it-all”; or “you’ve got some gall.”

The pall of their willful blindness
Throws shade—they err in judgment;
Can’t discern lack of confidence or fear
Of highbrows ripping apart
Everything I write or speak.
They are unable to see
Day-to-day gray mood
With companion fuchsia funk
Suffused with a purple haze
Emanating from hues of red and blue—
A reserved mix of passion and trust.

No mental assent here; it’s clear
Grace accepted; resurrected new life.

Redeemed, reborn, saved, justified,
Being sanctified: Holy Spirit filled, refilled,
Transformed, pruned, taught, nudged,
Controlled; yet, unaware of true
Natural talents or
Spiritual gifts, if any.

Transitioning between two non-colors;
In a compromise season, no rhyme or reason.

Must preserve balance and stability, but
Gray mood—not black or white—is unemotional,
Detached, indecisive, and motionless;
Makes a mature and responsible fence-sitter
Who ironically maintains status quo, with
Gray of old age—a blend of blue, green,
Pink, pale purple, and yellow
Running together;
Chronic suffering of sorts;
Praying and hoping pain will go away—
This issue of blood, a bleeding soul.

It’s now or never—produce gold, silver
Gem-stone quality deeds that endure for sure.

Survive consuming Fire’s test, or enter eternity
Without teeth or taste; no smell, sounds, sight or touch—a true reversal;
For this fact tortures very core: young no more!
Born in year of rabbit: tender, sensitive, noble,
Approachable, amorous, but conservative;
Even so, unloved and unfortunate.

Let window He opens when
Opportunity’s last door shuts
Release freedom, hope, necessities
So aging believer
With simplified faith
Can have deepest needs met:
A belonging feeling; a healing satisfied;
A place in the Son; a balanced life.

Let gray tints—sadness and depression—transform
As faith’s Author and Finisher manifests
Brightest, purest gold—love, respect, favor;
Enhanced vision, clarity of thought;
Rebuilt confidence, and restored lost
Hope, peace, victory and joyousness.
Forever and ever and ever more, amen.

~ from My Spirit’s Musing manuscript

We Didn’t Choose Christ

01 Thursday Oct 2015

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John 15_5

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ~ John 15:5, ESV

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide…. ~ John 15:16, ESV

 

 

In the Jewish culture, students (disciples) traditionally choose their own Rabbis (teachers). However, Christ reverses that tradition. He does the choosing. This reversal of Jewish tradition is typical of God’s Economy—His sovereign Plan for mankind. For example, God’s Kingdom is revolutionary primarily because it is an upside down Kingdom in which the first becomes the last, or the last becomes the first; the leader becomes the servant, or the servant becomes the leader; and so forth.

Now although most of today’s college or university students can choose their postsecondary schools, professors and majors, believers in Christ still do not choose Him. They also do not choose their calling(s).

Because of His finished Work on the Cross, Christ gets to choose who gets to abide in Him. In other words, the Vine selects who He wants to be His Branches. The uncomfortable truth for many of today’s believers to swallow is that we are not called to work in Christ’s Vineyard, because of a feeling within us, or because others believe God wants us to be preachers, pastors, Sunday School teachers, and etcetera. 

The bottom line is that Father God ordains us so that we can work for Christ in His Vineyard. Then too, even though the Lord is our true Vine, it is the Holy Spirit who is our true Husbandman. As branches, whatever we do or say that glorifies God comes from the Vine—comes from Christ via the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. This Divine Truth is why we have to allow the Life of the Vine (Holy Spirit) to flow through us so that we can produce the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit prunes and cleanses our lives, via Living Water and Fire or His Practical Sanctification Process, this is the reason why He (Life of the Vine) and Christ (the Vine) expect us to bear much fruit.

As moral free agents, we can choose not to follow the purpose Father God has for us—we can refuse to respond to the Vine’s Divine Call and the Husbandman’s Divine Care—but to do so will cause us to forfeit our fruit-bearing position in the Vine—to be deprived of our service privilege. The point here is that the only way we will be able to produce the Fruit of the Holy Spirit is to answer the Vine’s Divine Call and then yield to the Husbandman’s Divine Care. Shalom. 

 

~ from my soon-to-be-published manuscript – Keeping It Real: Daily Renewing the Mind