Teach to Obey

Jesus commanded his disciples to:

• Make disciples.
• Baptize them.
• And teach their disciples to obey all of his commands.

Including the command to make disciples, baptize, and teach to obey.

So, if his disciples taught their disciples to obey all he commanded, their disciples would obey by:

• Making disciples.
• Baptizing them.
• And teaching their disciples to obey all of Jesus’ commands.

Including the command to make disciples, baptize, and teach to obey.

So, if the disciples of the disciples taught their disciples to obey all he commanded, their disciples would obey by:

• Making disciples.
• Baptizing them.
• And teaching their disciples to obey all of Jesus’ commands.

And where would this process end?

A New Commandment

After Jesus tells his disciples to remain/abide in him, he tells them to remain/abide in his love. He loves them, just like the Father loves him. But to remain in his love, they need to obey his commands, just as he always obeyed the Father.

And what is his command? To love one another, like he loved them. The command “love your neighbor as yourself” has been around a long time. Jesus called this a new command: “love one another as I have loved you.”

And how did Jesus love? John says, in one of his letters, that Jesus died for the whole world. Not just for the Jews. Not just the religious people.

Jesus died for:

• his betrayer
• his executioner
• the scribes, priest, and Pharisees
• the barbarians
• Muslim extremists
• drug cartels
• the abortion industry
• Biden, Trump, Harris, and Pence
• and, even, Dr. Fauci
• and for his friends

(And, as I sit here, I am remembering names from the news, that represent selfishness, partisanship, unfairness, hypocrisy, and cruelty. And I realize Jesus died for each person, regardless of who they were, what they stood for, and what they did.)

And how did he love? He was:

• patient              - slow to judge/condemn
• kind                  - acted to benefit
• not arrogant      - did not look down on
• protects             - covers from the storms
• believes            - is committed to
• hopes                - expects the best of, and the best for
• perseveres        - stays the course
• and he provided a bridge to a restored relationship with the Father

It is my opinion, the reason Jesus said that the two greatest commandments were to love God, and love people, was because they were the priorities he wanted us to follow.

It can get a little tricky. To love God, we need to obey him. Part of which is, agreeing that some of what people around hold as good and true, is in reality wrong. God declares that these things are evil, and sinful.

Then, with our next breath, the next tick of the clock, we need to show patience, kindness, forbearance, and respect, to these same people. Especially, since, they are now angry with us for pronouncing God's judgment on what they believe, how they live, and what they value.

And isn't that what the cross shows, and demonstrates?

Connected to the Vine

Jesus introduces a metaphor to describe how life in relationship with him should be like. He says he is the “true vine.” And he says his Father is the “gardener.”

A gardener is the designer, and creator, of the garden. Or vineyard, in this case. He plans it. He executes the plan. He maintains the plan by promoting what works best for the garden – which is measured by what gives the most produce, or most fruit.

A grapevine gives a unique picture of this process. The grapes grow on the branches. The branches grow on the vine. And the vine grows from the root. The system is connected. For it to work, all the parts need to remain connected to each other. To gain fruit, each part of the “chain” is dependent on one another. Jesus, as the vine, is faithfully connected to the root. God’s family, as the branches, need to remain connected to Jesus.

It is God’s design, and intention, that his family bear fruit. But they are unable to bear fruit, unless the maintain connection to the vine.

How is the connection maintained? How do we remain/abide in Christ?

We can talk about disciplines. Reading the scriptures. Prayer. Attending church. I don’t want to give the impression that a disciplined practice of these thing is, in some way, not valuable. But, people can, and do, treat this things as boxes on a list. But relationship is more than check-boxes. The exercise of disciplines does not guarantee continued connection. “Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks.” Connection to the vine needs to be moment by moment.

If we consider moment-by-moment prayer to be identical to disciplined prayer, then it is impossible to do. Human beings cannot to practiced disciplined prayer every single moment of the day. The disciplines – reading, praying, and fellowship – are important and valuable. But they lose moment by moment value. Yet, God wants us to practice moment-by-moment prayer. God wants both. Both keep us connected to the vine.

As I said, moment-by-moment prayer cannot be viewed like disciplined prayer, or prayer meeting prayer. One way of viewing moment-by-moment prayer is frequent one-line prayers. One thank you. One petition for action, blessing, or revival.

A focused long time of prayer – one hour, two hours, etc. – is valuable. But 5000 one-second prayers are also valuable. What is necessary to start this type of prayer is some means to interrupt yourself.

Some time ago, I was give a small wooden cross. It was intended to be carried around in a pants pocket. It has spent most of the time sitting in a drawer. But for the last month, I have been carrying it with me. Each time, I put my hand in a pocket, I feel the cross, and I am reminded to offer short, one sentence prayers.

I know I am praying more. I wouldn’t be surprised if the duration has doubled. And I am being reminded of God’s presence with me.

I am sure this is not the only method to interrupt yourself, to regain focus on God’s presence. But it is one example I have used recently.

Anxious?

In one of Paul's letters to the church, he urges the church to not be anxious about anything.

Like many words, the is a picture behind the word "anxious." The picture is one of being pulled in two directions. When we become anxious, we are often caught up in what-if's and maybe's. "What if this happens? What if that happens? Maybe I should do this? Maybe I should do that?" And , of course, the all encompassing: "What do I do now?"

We are currently living through a time of great anxiety. "What if I get sick? What if I lose my job? How will I pay my bills?"

God doesn't say to ignore your problems. He says to focus on your problems with him. 

Focus your hearts and minds on the Father. Bring your needs, concerns, wants, and problems to him. Communicate them to him thoroughly. But, bring them with thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving because:

• He loves you.
• He is for you.
• He is active on your behalf.
• He knows your needs and concerns.
• He is concerned, and active, to meet them.

He is not saying be thankful for the problem. The reality is -- life is not just your problem. There is always something to give thanks for. Sometimes, we need to forget the problem for a couple of seconds, and look for the good that's still out there.

Grace

Jesus died on the Cross to satisfy God's justice. So, by faith, we receive the verdict of the Eternal Judge: guilty, but pardoned, because the crime has already been paid for.

And by faith, we stand in grace.

If we are pulled over for speeding, mercy is the policeman does not give us a ticket. Grace is not only does he not give us a ticket, but he pulls his wallet, and gives us $40 to have dinner on him.

If we are pulled over for speeding, and taken before a judge. Justification is the judge saying" "Yeah, you were speeding, but the fine is already paid for." Grace is the judge pulling out his wallet, and giving us $40 to have dinner on him.

God does not just forgive our sins. He brings us into his family. He makes us his heirs. He prepares a place for us in his eternal kingdom. He gives us his presence. He plants new spiritual DNA in our being, so we will be forever changed. God insures that whenever something bad happens in our lives, good will result from it.

Having given our allegiance to Jesus, we are given lives of grace.

Thanksgiving in the Storm

Scripture provides an historical narrative of the Twelve, and the Apostle Paul, after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. It relates the expansion of the church amid persecution and opposition.

After a long journey, sharing the gospel, Paul returns to Jerusalem. The leaders in Jerusalem convince him to complete a Jewish ceremony, to demonstrate to his Jewish countrymen, that he honors the Law, and the ways of his Jewish ancestors. While doing this, some Jews see him, and start a riot, because of his involvement with the gentiles.

The Romans arrest him. This starts a series of trials before Roman authorities. Paul remains in prison for several years. And finally, they put him on a boat for a trial before Caesar.

While sailing to Rome, they get caught in an especially violent storm. The crew throw cargo and gear overboard in an attempt to keep them afloat. No one is eating or sleeping.

In the middle of all this, Paul tells everyone, that his God revealed to him that he would make it to Rome, the boat would be destroyed, but that everyone with him -- crew, captain, Roman soldiers, and other prisoners -- would survive. He encourages them to eat to maintain their strength. Then, in front of everyone, he gives thanks.

A lot of bad stuff had happened to Paul, but he take time to recognize, and appreciate, all the good that God did, and planned to do.

Over the last year, I have been reminded a number of times of the power of giving thanks. I do not negate reality. I do not overlook bad things. I do not romanticize life. But I do recognize that God is still active in the world. God still pursues people in love. God still has power, and authority, to extract good out of calamity. As a matter of fact, he promises that he would do just that.

God commands us to give thanks in every situation. That doesn't mean for every situation. Does God want us to thank him for a pandemic that has disrupted every facet of life, put thousand in the hospital, and killed thousands more? I don't think so.

I do think God wants us to develop a mind set, an attitude, and a perspective of thankfulness. To be alert to see, and recognize, the good happening all around us.

God's word is going out. People are being saved, and baptized, in downtown Minneapolis, and on the beaches of California. God's word is being proclaimed in Africa, Asia, and everywhere else, with positive effect. As a grandfather, I am witnessing the growth, and development of my grandchildren. There are still sunny days, and rainbows. There are still board games with friends. (Maybe people sit a little further apart, but they are still playing.)

I do not want to minimize any tragedy people experience. I grieve for lost jobs, and businesses, accidents, and injustices. But locking onto those things breeds discouragement, and saps the strength to pursue God's invitation to life.

I am encouraging us to begin peeking through the cracks, to see and embrace the good that God still gives birth to, in this world. Thanksgiving is a response of faith, receiving what God gives, agreeing with his work, and walking into his life, with joy and peace in our hearts.

"I Pray That"

There are several places in Scripture where the writer says “I pray that”. Since, I have just read a modern writer’s encourage people to pray the Scripture, I wonder if these I-pray-that’s should be our starting points?

The first, I-pray-that, that occurs to me, Paul prays for the Holy Spirit to empower our human core. God sends his innate power, that created the world, that raised Jesus from the dead, through his Spirit into our hearts.

Why? So, we can walk on water? Or raise the dead? Not in this particular passage.

Paul prays for the Spirit to transform our inner core, so that Christ may dwell there.

The world is in rebellion toward God. It has an anti-God attitude. We need power to go contrary to the world, to choose to return to God. We need power to re-connect, and live our relationship with him.

So, we can likewise pray for the Spirit to work in our lives, and in the lives of others:

• To pursue our relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit.
• To grow in that relationship – in understanding, and increased connection. (Remember the parable of the grapevine.)
• To give allegiance to Jesus.

But wait! There’s more!

He prays for all God’s family to have power to understand the full extent of God’s love. We have accepted God’s love, and God’s version of life, by giving him our allegiance. We have established our lives in his love. Now, we need to grow in our understanding of it, by our experience of it.

This experience is o huge, that only a fraction of testimonies, and descriptions, of it would swamp the internet. It is seen spanning the miraculous to the mundane. From maternal self-sacrifice, to canine loyalty, otherworldly sunsets, plain old kindness, and miraculous healings. God’s love is present, and expressed, through all those things.

Paul says he prays for God’s power to manifest itself in people, so they could move into relationship with God, and to awaken to God’ ever present, personal, individual, and all powerful love, and its manifold expressions.

Alignment

We recently looked at Jesus’ parable of the grapevine. And, even more recently, I found myself asking a question about it. Why did Jesus spend quite a bit of time encouraging the disciples to keep connected? Because he knew there would be a tendency in people to become unconnected.

Jesus said our connection with him would result in: fruit, an increase in our partnership with him, an increase in our relationship with him, and an increase in joy. Can we say we see these things in abundance in the family of God? Could the reason for their lack be a lack of connection?

I don’t consider this a matter of a person’s eternal destiny. Lack of connection does not mean that God throws these people out of the family. It is a matter of daily, moment by moment, relationship. I have relatives I have not seen, or talked to, in years. Obviously, there is not much connection. I cannot benefit from any relationship with them. In the case of relationship with Jesus, he is saying there is tremendous benefit by remaining connected.

We can become disconnected in several ways. Sin and disobedience is obvious. Letting our schedules rule us is another. We can also let different attitudes block him from areas in our lives. We connect with our church lives, but we act independently with our jobs, our families, or our politics.

God rules all of life. We need to get all of our lives aligned with God’s Word and God’s Spirit.

One person calls this a process of aligning and enforcing. Aligning is allowing God to rule in our lives. When we gave him our allegiance, we gave him permission to rule. But on a practical daily basis, we rebel. Perhaps not with overt sin. Perhaps with a passive resistance, not giving him access to our home life, our entertainment, our vacations, our sex life, or what we allow into our heads – movies, TV, or reading. We may continue to find in our lives that we need to get aligned with God’s heart. Perhaps the same thing will need to get aligned many times. 

Enforcing is proclaiming, or asserting, what is true – that is, according to God’s word – about an area.  You may have a relationship that is broken, with fights and disagreements, mutual disrespect, and mistreatments. What is God’s message to us about that? What does he say about disagreements, taking revenge, forgiveness, and love? What do we say about them? Who is right? 

Probably misalignment generates more disconnection than overt sin. We may need a daily practice of aligning with God. That is, we may need to agree with hm, that he rules all of our lives, and what that rule should look like, according to God’s word.

Give Thanks

Jesus is about to feed 5000 people with a small boy’s lunch. And he gives thanks.

Jesus is about to raise Lazarus from the dead. And he gives thanks.

Paul encourages God’s family to seek God in all situations with prayer, petition, and thanksgiving.

Paul encourages God’s family to be thankful in everything, not for everything. If we were thankful for everything, then we should be thankful for every evil, heinous thing that ever happens. Every atrocity. Every act of cruelty. All selfishness and sin.

God designed, and created, the world, so he would have a love relationship with people. The primary characteristic of relationship with God with people was intended to be love. That was God’s heart. Hatred, and evil, were not in the plans. We do not need to be thankful for COVID, economic disruption, loneliness, business failures, or any other fall out.

But we ought to be thankful.

Giving thanks can just be part of the formula, when we pray. But looking at Scripture, I think God intends it to be more. Thanksgiving is intended to be a reorientation, and a refocus, on God’s nature, character, and resources. Giving thanks should have an effect on our hearts. Which should, in turn, affect our perspectives. Which should, in turn, affect our actions.

What we do would be different, if we recognized God wanted a relationship with us, loved us, because we are his children, was always paying attention to us, was always listening to us, and always taking action for us.

Giving thanks ought to remind us of all of this, and what god has done for us already, and therefore, what he is willing, and able, to do. And if we are reminded about who God is, and what he has done, we ought to have confidence to move forward with whatever is happening, because God is moving with us.

The Vine and the Branches

On a grapevine, fruit grows on the branches. It is on the branches that life occurs. That which is valuable, or desirable, happens. The purpose for all the work in having a grapevine grows on the branches.

But, if a branch is severed from the vines, it dries out, gets brittle, and it is impossible to grow fruit. The branch can only produce fruit, if it is connected to the vine.

Water, and nutrients, are absorbed from the ground by the roots, and flow to the branches through the vine. It is the connection that activates any value of the branch.

When we gave our allegiance to Jesus, we became part of God’s family, and we were grafted into the vine. The material of the vine, and the material of the branch fuse together. Life can flow easily to the branch.

The branch can produce fruit, which is valuable and desirable. Or the branch can produce growth that waster the life, or produces bad fruit. That’s why the farmer gives active care, removing the bad fruit, and unproductive growth.

Of course, this vine-branch connection is figurative. What is really involved is the connection between people. A person’s allegiance connects him to the vine, but a person’s practice defines the nature of that connection. We can give our allegiance, but not necessarily live out that allegiance.

The vine (Jesus) wants the connection to be a vast river flowing into the branch, with each cluster of grapes requiring a semi to carry it. That type of “production” is extremely rare, to say the least.

Jesus urges us to maintain a state of connection. What that is, is not necessarily defined in this story. Of course, he does seem to comment on it. And his entire ministry is an almost perpetual lesson about connectivity to the Father.

Mankind was designed for this. The human spirit’s main fuel is relationship (connectivity) with God. God designed, and created, the world, so he could have a love relationship with the world, just like his love relationship within the God-head.

We know how that worked. Mankind rejected a relationship with God, thinking they were getting something better. And that rejection released all that is wrong, and evil, in the world.

And God’s message: “Come back! Re-connect!” And many have returned, and re-connected. And the connection, along with (according to Jesus) an active remembrance of what he said, will produce semi loads of fruit.

We remember what Jesus said, because if we practice what Jesus said, the connection works. Many have given allegiance, but they are not obedient to Jesus’ words.

If we are honest, no one is completely obedient. And many follow man-made systems, believing they are following Jesus. But, the God-head is living and active. Father, Son, and Spirit pursue a relationship with each of their children, providing daily communication. And persona; guidance and direction. There are many things that God give direction on that are similar. (All plants need water.) But many things are different, (Harvesting tomatoes and wheat are different.)

And we need to hear all of Jesus’s words to us. Words that are common to all. And words that are specific to us. And we need to obey them all. It is the obedience that maintains, and improves, the connection, brings life, and bears fruit.

The Farmer

It all begins with an idea in the farmer’s mind. Then, it is location, location, location. Wheat, and corn, are generally planted in flat areas. Grapes, and coffee, are often planted on the sides of hills, or mountains.

Then, the soil must be prepared. We think of plowing the soil, so seed, and roots, can penetrate easily. But, in mountainous areas of Asia, they plant rice. Terraces are carved out of the mountain, and appropriate soil is hauled in, and dumped on the terraces. In one place in the Philippines, an irrigation system was built, bringing water from the rain forest on top of the mountains.

Then, the seed must be planted. Grain is scattered. Some vegetables are plant with three, or four, seeds in a mound. In the colony of Plymouth, the Indians taught the Pilgrims to plant corn, using three seeds, and one fish, per mound.

Then, there is the ongoing care of watering, weeding, and fertilizing. Water, and fertilizer, provide necessary nutrients for the health and growth if the plants. Weeding removes things that hinder the health and growth if the plants.

Finally, there is reaping. There are a number of techniques, from using combines to harvest wheat, to handpicking tomatoes, and clusters of grapes.

God has designed all mankind. He is all-wise, so he must be at the beginning of all Kingdom works. Our part is to move in agreement with him.

We can seek him to hear his plans, so we know which way to move. We can seek him, and ask him, to move. We can be alert for open people, who may become doorways to bring the gospel to families, and communities.

He prepares the land for sowing, and reaping. He prepares it for each crop. Each work has common features. (All plants need water.) But, each work is unique. He will introduce, or allow, different things to provoke discontent with the status quo, and urge a search for meaning, and significance. (COVID ?)

He finds good soil, and plants his word. Some germinate quickly, and fruit is produced soon. Some move more slowly. God, the master farmer, is not concerned about time, or work, because his eye is on the harvest.

And the harvest is not grain, vegetables, or fruit. It is the hearts, and souls, of people. It is the family, that he is building.

The Grapevine

Right before he went to the Cross, Jesus introduced a metaphor to his disciples. God’s family is like a grapevine.

Father is the farmer. He prepared the ground, planted the seed, and cares for the plants. He weeds, waters, and fertilizes.

Jesus is the vine. He is the means of supplying life, nutrients, and energy to the rest of the plant. The branches grow, because they are connected to the vine.

God’s family are the branches. The branches are where fruit is produced. Fruit is produced, because the branches are connected to the vine. The quality of the connection matters too. If the branch is clinging to the vine by one, scrawny strand, almost breaking off, not much life can flow to it.

The purpose of the grapevine is to produce grapes. Fruit is the whole point to have a grapevine.

Fruit is essentially the effects of God’s family in the world. Because the fruit is connected to the branches, and the branches are connected to the vine, the fruit should have the nature of the vine in it. In other words, the fruit should have the nature, and the character, of Jesus.

Jesus walked perfectly with the Father. As branches, we will walk with the Father, not perfectly, because of sin. Be we should walk with Father in increasing perfection.

Jesus walked in perfect obedience to Father, in perfect love, and complete faith. So, his life showed the world, who God is, and what he is like. By his words and deeds, he moved people to desire to know God like he did, and choose to follow God like he did.

And this life, that was in Jesus, not only should be in us, it is in us. When we gave allegiance to Jesus, we were connected to the vine. The sap of the Holy Spirit is flowing into us, and, in some measure, out of us.

To give a simple definition: the process of growth, and sanctification, is a process of enabling, and allowing, the Holy spirit to flow through us, and in us, more freely, and easily. To connect us to the vine, securely, and truly, without hindrances, to allow the sap of the Holy Spirit complete, and undisturbed access to every last molecule of our lives.

There are experiences that hinder our ability to receive. They warp our view of God, his abilities, his love, and his intentions. Some of these are abusive. Some if these are honest presentations of what someone thought was the truth, but was a misunderstanding of God’s intentions, filtered through their own experiences.

That is why we need to remain connected. This is why, we need to continue to seek Father, to renew relationship, to obey more completely, to be open to Father’s input. He will cause life to flow, where it is needed most, to bring growth, perfection, and a greater impact in the world.

Transformation

In one place, Paul urges us to be transformed, and transformation comes from the renewing of the mind. The word for “mind” in the original language come from the word for “knowledge.” Meaning, Paul is specifically saying we need to change our “knower”. I have spoken quite a bit about my view of the inner man, so I will skip it here. But, part of transformation is changing what we know, and therefore, how we think. Transformation comes when all of the inner man comes into agreement.

But, what happens because of transformation? What changes? Paul goes onto describe that.

First, he says we grow in our recognition that we are part of the body of Christ. Each one has a place. Each one belongs. Each one has a gift, or a means to contribute.

When a person gives his allegiance to Jesus, the Holy Spirit makes his home in the person’s inner man. He begins a process of changes thoughts, words, actions, motivations, desires. He fires up the person’s uniqueness. Part of that uniqueness is a particular area of service, for which he/she have been designed. This includes motivation to serve in that area. As skills, renewal and growth occur, this service becomes recognized by the body, and used more consistently.

And sometimes, the Holy Spirit uses a person’s service, but it has an effect outside his normal practice. A teacher evangelizes. A server becomes a path way for physical healing, maybe even miraculous healing.

No matter the gift, no matter the particular effect, it is important to the particular part of God’s family the person is associated with.

Not only does the service matter, but the perspective matters. The perspective of what is important, and how different issues should be approached, is different for someone motivated by physical service, emotional health, accurate understanding of the Word, or the promotion of prayer. Any issue confronting God’s family needs each perspective, so that all the bases are covered. God builds his body with multiple viewpoints on purpose.

Second, love must be real, and genuine. Love should be disgusted when evil is done, and hold fervently onto what is good. Love treats others like family. Puts others first. Works hard, and passionately, to serve God, because it recognizes God’s will is being best for people. Expectations about the future should lead to joy, and it should motivate people to persevere. It opens up hearts to embrace others. From giving to meet needs, to opening up one’s home.

And love compels a different view, attitude, and action toward ones who oppose, and are against you. Love wants good for everyone. And it might even work for good for those who attack you.

Love is genuinely glad when good happens to people, and genuinely sad when something bad happens.

Love does not place one’s self above, or look down on, others. It lives in harmony, connects, and associates with those society regards as inferior, or without value. Love seeks peace with all.

Transformation involves change in attitude, perspective, and action about how people – yourself and others – fit in God’s world

Discerning the Best

In one of Paul's letters, he prays that the church would abound, or would exceed what was expected, in love. Normally, one would expect that abundant love would result in abundant generosity, service, or good deeds. And it should. But Paul combines this abundant love with knowledge and understanding. The result is God's family can discern what is best, and live blamelessly. 

Godly discernment can never be just knowledge alone. Nor can it be just love alone. Knowledge brings just a list of rules with no motivation for the good of others. Love alone wants, and works, for others' good, but without direction, boundaries, or an idea of what good entails.

I have discussed this here before. Father has designed the world, and people, to work optimally on specific types of fuel. There are physical fuels, like food, water, and rest. There are spiritual fuels, like love, creativity, and purpose. And the primary fuel is a growing relationship with the Creator, and Father of all. Discerning the best means finding the best way to meet all these needs.

Moreover, love and knowledge need to rule over our conduct. Paul says love and knowledge should produce pure and blameless lives. Fruit of righteous ness that results in glory to Father.

The most obvious thing I am seeing currently is a lot of "hate speech". There may be accurate, even correct, knowledge, but it is not combined with love. And so it does not see, or promote, what is best.

Our Ruling Allegiance

Jesus taught that a person could have only one ruling allegiance. People have many allegiances. But they should give their primary, ruling allegiance to the Father.

He was specifically speaking about consumerism, as something that could assume the position of the ruling allegiance. That is, seeking significance by amassing stuff.

I have been realizing that a person’s political position can also become the ruling allegiance. Especially here in the US.

If your ruling allegiance is to the Triune God of the Bible, then you realize he created the world to be perfect. And when man sinned, he set about to re-create the world to be perfect.

Then, the teachings of Jesus ought to inform you what leads to God’s perfection, and what ought to make good governmental policy. Policy is different than God’s instruction to people, but God’s word ought to influence, and guide, the policy. So, in a world that gives its allegiance to Jesus, that is what should be pursued.

And the teachings of Jesus ought to inform you how to do politics, and how to speak politics.

People, who have given their allegiance to Jesus, should speak, and act, as a demonstration of God’s character, and as a draw toward God’s family, and kingdom. The life of God’s family, standing alone by itself, should be one that is compelling, and convincing, toward choosing to give one’s allegiance to Jesus. Jesus specifically said that love and unity within God’s family demonstrates the reality of Jesus’ identity, and purpose, in the world. And the love of God’s family to the world is part of the declaration of the gospel to the world.

What means the odds are pretty good that a follower of Jesus will need to show love, to communicate love, to someone he/she disagrees with politically. And if demonstrating patience, and kindness, to someone on the other side of the political fence is difficult, or distasteful, then maybe one’s ruling allegiance is not to Jesus.

God's Weapons

The spiritual realm reaches out to affect the physical realm. Not only does Father continually act to draw mean, and women, to come to him, and become part of his Kingdom, but the enemy also acts to distract, discourage, and dissuade. God's family does not have enemies among mankind. The real enemies of God's family are spiritual powers, working in agreement with the enemy. When the days seem especially evil, the enemy and his allies are especially busy.

In such times, Paul says God gives us armor to defend ourselves, and to wage war against the enemy.

Our first weapon is truth. People navigate life using the building blocks of the values, and truths. So, the enemy introduces multiple lies to add confusion, and doubt.

So, not only do God's family need to be familiar with God's word, and God's revealed truth, but maybe they need to be reminded often, so they remain focused, and undeterred, in life. And reminded of all of God's revelation, like:

• God designed, and created, the world.
• God designed, and created, people.
• The rules that govern the world's operation were given by God, not man, not the enemy.
• If we choose to follow Christ, we are united with Christ.
• If we are united with Christ, we are part of God's family.
• If we are united with Christ, we are God's heirs.
• If we are united with Christ, we are God's artwork.
• God's love is what empowers our lives.
• God's family should band together, equip one another, demonstrate his love and power, and expand, and increase, to and through every people group on the earth.
• God will continue to reveal himself to his children, so we can understand our future, God's power and action on our behalf, and God's victory in the world.

The second weapon is the results of our being united with Christ. I have mentioned some of the results above. But, Paul's main focus here is: Christ satisfies God's justice, and God's family is no longer under a curse of God's  judgment. We can stand before God blameless, because he removed the blame. We can stand before God innocent, because he removed the guilt. We can face the future with hope, because we have returned to where God intended us to be. With him. In his family. In close relationship. Having the ear of the King, in which he promises to listen, and act. I know the way he acts may not be how I expect. But he will act with complete love, and complete wisdom.

The third weapon is the peace that comes from the gospel. If we receive the gospel, and agree with it, and give allegiance to Father because of it, then we have become part of God's Kingdom, and part of God's family. Then, all of God's promises are available to us. Some are automatically a part of choosing to follow him. Some we should ask, and receive. But, in either case, the love, and power, of God are injected into our circumstances. Though the world is in chaos, we can live in peace, as we connect to what God has done, and is doing.

And, as these weapons should be aimed at the enemy., and his kingdom, we can wage war against him directly, by bringing God's message to those under his authority. Those, not in God's family, are in the enemy's kingdom. And the two are at war. It's not a war of bullets and bombs. It is a war for hearts. It is fought by gaining agreement with God's message, and gaining faith responses in that message about God's love and the cross. We cannot debate someone into the Kingdom. We can plant, and water, seed. We can change the spiritual atmosphere by our conduct. Perhaps mostly by using these weapons. Not the least of which is sharing about God's love, and the cross, to as many ears willing to listen, as we can find.

The fourth weapon is faith. Faith is confidence in what we cannot experience with our senses. If you have faith in God, his love, grace, and active involvement, you are confident in something you cannot see, hear, smell, or touch physically. We receive what God has said, and agree that it is true. Often, we must take action, based on what we have agreed with, whether we see immediate results or not. Prayer receives in faith, God's power, love and grace, as God said he would act. We may need to continually, and regularly remind, agree with, and affirm what God has proclaimed.

The fifth weapon is God's work in our lives. This is like the second weapon, in that it focuses on what God has done. But the second weapon focuses more on justification. God forgives sin, cancels our debt to him, and brings us into his family. This weapon focuses on all the work in our lives, and the world. The enemy will remind us of our progress. God will remind us of our progress. God does not promise us immediate perfection. It is this progress, which demonstrates God's continual focus on his children, his unrelenting attention to their good, and our reason for hope.

The sixth weapon is his revealed word. In his word, God reveals: who he is, what the world should be like, what it is really like, what people should be like, and what they are like. He reveals how we can move from the "are" to the "should." And, usually, the move is result of inviting his presence into the situation.

Lastly, there is prayer. Prayer becomes the way of connecting all the weapons to the situation. Prayer becomes the way of receiving, agreeing with, and applying God's weapons to the world.

NOTE: I recently read an encouragement to pray Scripture. Scripture is God's revealed truth, God's revealed will. Therefore, it is an expression of God's heart, and what he desires to act on. In Scripture, we know God's will, and there should be a way to reflect God's will back to him in prayer. Like all new things, it may involve a little work, and creativity at first. But, we can be confident we are praying in God's will. We may still not know the timing, or the methods. 

We cannot dictate to God what he must do. We are agreeing with what God has already said he wants to do, and providing a way to release it.

God's Answer

We were all rebels. We were all sinners. At one time, we lived in agreement with Satan. It is his spirit working in the hearts of the disobedient. Every single one of us should be chained in a dungeon, and left to rot.

But that's not what the King did. The King made a way, so everyone could go live in the palace -- all of the losers, the foolish, the mean, and the cruel. The wrongs we did do not hold us. Our pasts do not exclude us.

God designed the world, and designed life. Joy, and peace, are derived from agreeing with the design, and, therefore, with God. Clinging to the past will not produce joy, and peace. Clinging to dreams of the future will not produce joy and peace.

It is, as we choose Jesus, and become united with him, that God's Spirit begins to work in us. Then, we work in agreement with him, and complete his work, and the assignments he gives us. 

God's Destination for His People

A work of the Spirit began in a city in Asia Minor, modern day Turkey. Paul hears about the ongoing response of the people there, and writes them a letter. They have turned to, or the social group they belong to, and  Christ. They have rejected ways and teachings of their fathers. They have embraced Christ, as the way to peace and acceptance by God. They have embrace God's people, and are filled with love for them.

So, Paul's heart is full for God's family in this city. He prays for a heart increase in their lives, individually, and as a body.

What these followers of Jesus are, and what Paul prays for them, are where all of God's people should be going.

God's family are people, who have chosen to follow Jesus. That initial move of faith needs to grow, and increase. Our reliance on his grace, his heart intention for our good, and his actions on our behalf, need to increase.

God has made those, who follow him, his family. Family needs to embrace one another, and serve one another, as an outflow of the heart. We need to see Jesus in the hearts of others, who follow him, and not the name on the door of their building, or the social group they belong to, and treat them as Jesus would.

Then, we need to increase in the areas Paul prays for.

We need wisdom, and insight, to grow in understanding God's nature and character. We need to see more clearly, and deeply, God's love, and mercy on one hand, and God's hatred of sin on the other. But we need to remember God's order. What is the greatest command? And why is it the greatest?

We must gain understanding of our hope. Hope, in the Biblical sense, is a positive view of the future, God's view of the future. Our hope needs to affect our lives. If it was clear, and vivid, in our minds, and hearts, we would communicate with more passion, conviction, clarity, and frequency.

We need to fully understand God's power. It created the world from nothing. It gave life to Jesus after the Cross. Then, it raised him to sit on the throne, and rule over Creation. God put him there, to benefit his family. Jesus fills all things.

Life With God

Some of you might be surprised to learn that I read a book now and then. I recently finished "With" by Skye Jethani.

Many Christians say that following Jesus is not a religion, it is a relationship with God. This book explores that relationship.

The Bible begins with creation. God created the world as a place where he could put people. As a place where he could have a relationship with the people he created. Relationship is built into the fabric of creation. God designed people to have relationship with him, and one another, and to rule over creation in partnership with him.

But the serpent tempted the first people. They saw they could be like God, and take control. But things got out of control real fast. This attempt to replace God broke the relationship with God, the peaceful, predictable world, and introduced fear into man's experience. And religion has sought, in various ways, to relieve fear, and regain control, ever since.

Even, in common Christian responses. The book looks at four common responses. Each response can be backed up with Scripture. So, each response has good things built into it. But, too much of a good thing can be bad.

What the book calls "Life under God" focuses on the Bible's teaching about obedience. Obedience is good. God says that obedience to him leads to all sorts of good things. We are choosing to live in agreement with God's design of creation.

Some assume this is some sort of quid pro quo. Following God becomes a way to manipulate, or control, God. A person goes to church, reads the Bible, and maybe even, tithes. And God should do his part of the bargain.

This, of course, is not really following God. There is no relationship. It is a form of religion, almost of magic.  Following rituals to gain favor from the spirit world.

There's "Life over God," which holds that Christianity is a superior life-style. The Bible is mined for principles that lead to better living. Yes, the Bible does contain principles that if followed lead to better living. Living in agreement with God's design.

Again, it is not following God, because there is no relationship. It is a better morality, or philosophy. 

There's "Life form God," which looks to what God can do for you. It is a focus on receiving God's blessings. And God does bless. I think God wants to bless more than people think.

But, the focus is on the "stuff." Life becomes focused on "stuff." We know who God accepts, or approves, because they have more "stuff."

Again, there is no relationship. One does not have a relationship with a vending machine, even a Vending Machine, with capital letters. Relationship does not focus on the gifts, and ignore the giver, or walk with the giver, as long as the gifts keep coming.

There's "Life for God," which focuses on the mission. And there is a mission. To glorify him. To establish his Kingdom. To proclaim his message, and build movements of followers. To love truly, and abundantly. God created mankind to fill creation with his presence. And that has not changed.

But, as valuable, and noble, a focus on service, and having a role in expanding God's footprint in the world, it is still not relationship. It is a focus on self. It is a focus on one of the partners in this adventure.

Do not misunderstand me. God wants obedience. God wants people to learn right ways to think, speak, and act. God wants to bless abundantly. And God sent Jesus to begin his Father's mission. And God wants his family to partner with him in completing his mission.

But he wants all of these to be done immersed, surrounded, and built from relationship.

I see myself, especially, in the "Life over God." Life is something to figure out, like a puzzle. But I know that the main fuel for life is a relationship with Father.

But if following Jesus is not a puzzle, nor a bunch of rules and rituals, nor some status symbols, nor merit badges, what is it?

How did Jesus do it? Jesus did "Life with God." Scripture says Jesus withdrew often to spend time with his Father. So, prayer and Scripture are part of being with God. And prayer and Scripture could be involved in the other four too.

Praying for God to act in a matter, or puzzling out how God looks at something, is not wrong. But maybe there is something more.

The book talks about "communion." Not in the bread and wine sense, but in the sense of speaking, and listening, about feelings, concerns, failures, hopes, and dreams. People have difficulty being open, and vulnerable. And communion is all about being open, honest, and vulnerable with God. And it is listening, allowing God to speak, and act, in our hearts.

Communion is hard to define, or describe, because we have gotten used to engaging with God on objectives -- solving the puzzle, getting action toward some end -- that we don't know how to sit and be quiet. It takes time. Maybe more than we want to spend. And maybe it will seem like nothing is being accomplished. 

We spend time just catching up with our friends. Maybe we need to spend time catching up with God.

As I said, I tend to focus on solving puzzles. And solving puzzles is not bad. Puzzles need to be solved. But maybe I should also spend time withdrawing, appreciating who God is, what he has done, and is doing, being hones about my failures, lacks, hopes, dreams, and aspirations. And then just listen. Maybe God will speak, and I will receive much wisdom, and encouragement. And maybe God will just sit with me in silence, empathy, and love.

God-given Identity

In one of Paul's letters, he begins by affirming that God has given us every spiritual blessing. And he comments on some of the blessings.

 

The first blessing is God's solution to sin. God planned before creation, that Jesus, one part of the God-head, would become human, demonstrate what a life with God should look like, and give his life as a sacrifice to satisfy God's judgment. Now, those, united with Christ, are accepted by God. They will be set apart, and he will view them with Christ-colored glasses. He will not see their sin. He will make them part of his family. He redeemed them, and forgave them. One picture, the Bible gives us, of forgiveness is putting all our sin on a goat, and sending it away into the wilderness, never to return. Our sin is gone. Our sin, and guilt, are no longer part of our lives. He has showered his kindness on us.

 

Another blessing involves God's plan to give all authority over creation to his Son. And because we are united with his Son, we will receive an inheritance. God made all people, who chose to give him allegiance, his people. He marked the as his people by giving them the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is God's guarantee that we are his people. And it is God's guarantee that we will receive our inheritance.

 

These are indeed reasons for celebration and worship.