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Spiritual formation, discipleship
Spiritual formation, discipleship Entries in Spiritual formation (20)
Seven Keys to Following Jesus
Thursday, March 24, 2011 at 12:34PM 
Most of us are keenly aware of the qualities we lack as followers of Jesus. Perhaps you’re like me: from time to time I catch myself thinking, “If I only had a little more faith I could be a better disciple.” Actually, we could substitute nearly any other quality for the word faith, “if I only had a little more teaching, time, energy, money . . .” We possess the assurance of our weakness instead of the assurance of his faithfulness.
Let me share with you a passage from Peter’s second letter that changed my life forever. Several years ago it flashed like lightning across my heart, and the thunder still rattles my everyday life
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort . . .~2 Peter 1: 3-5
Here are seven keys to following Jesus from these amazing words. Perhaps you could carry them with you:
• “His divine power . . .” As followers of Jesus, our everyday life in Christ should be based upon his divine power, not our human strength. Our lives in Christ began with the miracle of the new birth. He did something for us we could not do for ourselves. Each continuing day with him should be based on this same revelation--we need his divine power, daily.
• “has given us everything we need for life and godliness . . .” The problem is, most of us think that God did "His part" on the cross and now the rest is up to us. It’s a common mistake, Paul needed to remind the Galatians that what was begun in the Holy Spirit could not be finished in the flesh. The good news is on-going: he isn’t finished dispensing his grace!
• “through our knowledge of him . . .” Road block! Our western mindset leads us to believe that the knowledge of him comes through mere study. I’m pretty sure Peter is not urging us toward an academic knowledge of Jesus. There’s nothing wrong with the study of Jesus, but a more fruitful approach is to know him by experiencing his presence.
• “his own glory and goodness . . . ” 21st century Americans have difficulty understanding “glory,” but his glory can impact our life. Most of us don’t even have a category called glory, but Peter urges followers of Jesus to soak in God’s glory that way we might soak in a tub. Does that seem strange to you? Perhaps that why we have difficulty trusting in his goodness as well. Yet the testimony of those who have walked with him is: he is good beyond all measure. And better yet: this glory and goodness is directed toward us!
• “He has given us very great and precious promises . . .” Do we ever reflect upon his promises? My unscientific opinion: not one in ten believers can point to a promise made by Jesus beyond the promise of eternal life. For most the benefits of a relationship with Jesus are locked up in the age to come. Such promises may even be true, I’m afraid that for most of us his promises are like autumn leaves: beautiful, but not very useful. But what if there were promises for us to receive today?
• “So that through them you may participate in the divine nature . . .” Here is where the lightning flash knocked me over. We can participate in God’s nature, right here, right now. Part of becoming a child of God is receiving something of his nature. Have you ever reflected on the idea that if you are his child he wants you to enjoy the family identity as well? Who knows the full meaning of this scriptural phrase? Not me, but I’m convinced that whatever it means, it has to be good!
• “and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires . . . “ Many believers are trapped into thinking the gospel is only about forgiveness. They see the Christian life as a cycle of sin, forgiveness, followed by more sin. On and on, until we are transported outta here. But the good news is even better: Peter wants us to know we can be set free from the cycle of corruption!
These are the seven keys, but like all keys they merely unlock the door to the next the passageway. The scripture calls us to action as well. Two final points about taking action:
“For this very reason, make every effort . . .” Peter’s exhortation comes after we see things from God’s perspective. The order is important: notice that “effort” comes after we encounter his divine power, his glory and goodness, and his precious promises. Too many disciples of Jesus, serious in their commitment to follow him, believe that their effort comes first. Instead, our effort is a response to all he has done.
“For this very reason, make every effort (part two). . .” But there is another segment of Christians who think effort is opposed to grace. For these friends we can only quote Dallas Willard (as we do so often!) “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.”
Peter’s letter goes on to relate a long list of Christian virtues, and all of them are good (of course!). The danger of these next verses is when we believe we can accomplish the list apart from his divine power, his glory and goodness, and his precious promises.
First things first, we need to realize that our progress comes from empowerment, followed by our cooperation. Don’t be in a hurry. Take a week to meditate on what he has done. Take more! We have a lifetime to “make every effort.”
Monday's Meditation: The Distance Between Me and God
Monday, January 3, 2011 at 12:28PM 
"God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’" (Acts 17: 22-29)
At the start of this new year these words are ringing in my ears, “he is not far from any one of us.” What is the distance between you and God? Not far. So many of us have been told of the chasm between Holy God and sinful man, and I’m sure that’s true in some respect. Yet Paul spoke these words to people who did not care whether Paul’s God was real or not. He spoke to pagans with no regard for the holiness of God and no awareness of their own sin. He told them that God was behind the events and identities of their lives and pulling the levers in order to encourage people to turn his direction.
What is the distance between you and God? How far do we have to go to connect with him? Not far. It turns out that each day we live, we move, we take our steps, breath our breaths, we run our errands and do our jobs and live our lives--and all the while he is not far from any one of us. Do I know this? Do I feel it? (Or in the words of my friend Kristin Tennant, do I make space for him?) If he is not far, how much space do I need?
How can we make space for him? John Wesley was one of 19 children; his mother, Susannah, made space for God by pulling her apron over her head and taking a moment to pray. How can we make space for him? I have a friend who takes a ten-minute retreat from everything, including his own thoughts, just to sit in silence with God. I have another friend who uses his a different scripture reference as his computer’s password; each time he logs on he recites the verse and asks for God’s help in his work. Bill Johnson, pastor of Bethel church in Redding, CA suggests, “Since you can't imagine a place where He isn't, you might as well imagine Him with you.”
Whatever we may think the distance is, the testimony of the scripture is that he is not far from us. No one is excluded. How far do we need to turn? In the coming year perhaps we can learn that the answer is, “Not far.”
The Lessons of Elijah
Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 10:18PM “Elijah was a man just like us.” James 5:17
In my experience many Christians consider Christlikeness impossible in this life, yet expect an almost magical transformation of their character and faith immediately upon entry into the next life. I wonder: why would God, who shows the utmost respect for our freedom of choice and personality while we live on earth suddenly take control of our faith and choices in heaven? Does that sound like the Father’s way?
Monday’s Meditation challenged us to consider James’ suggestion that if becoming conformed to the image of Jesus is unimaginable, perhaps we could set our sights lower--on someone like Elijah. The same Elijah whose voice and piety intimidated kings and queens, whose trust in God manifested in his personal control of the weather for three years, and whose appetite for the power of God called down fire from heaven. That Elijah.
Why would the scripture include such incredible stories of people like Elijah? How can his narrative impact our lives? One of my younger friends replied that we should not expect the same miracles as the life of Elijah, but he is included in the Bible so we might imitate his faith. For me, the message of Elijah is precisely the opposite--faith for miracles may be easier than faith to believe that God cares for us, or faith to hear his voice. Here’s what I make of Elijah’s example:
“Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let anyone get away!” (1 Kings 18: 40) Elijah used the astonishing manifestation of fire from heaven as authority to order the execution of 400 men. Wouldn’t that have been the perfect moment to invite the pagan prophets to abandon their false gods in favor of the one True God? Yahweh was a demonstrably better choice. Instead, Elijah appealed to an impressionable crowd of people--themselves wavering in faith--to execute a humiliated foe. Could the tacit lesson be that miracle-working faith does not guarantee we have God’s heart? Jesus suggested that very thing in Matthew 7: 21-23.
“I am the only one left” (1 Kings 19: 10) Even after winning a spiritual showdown of Olympian proportions, Elijah felt isolated and alone. This rings true in our day: internationally-known preachers and musicians display a public image of confidence and power but are privately ravaged by their relational poverty. Having become rich in faith--the currency of the Kingdom--they discover their Kingdom riches do not guarantee intimacy with the Father. I have no idea why this is true, but I have seen it time and again.
“After the fire came a still, small voice.” (1 Kings 19: 12) The Father’s voice is not a matter of power, but of intimacy. Elijah, the prophet of the grand gesture, gravitated to the fire, the earthquake, and the windstorm. Yet the Lord was present in the stillness, not the tumult. E. Stanley Jones described the authority of God’s voice in this way: “the inner voice of God does not argue, does not try to convince you. It just speaks. It has the feel of the voice of God within it.” Another way of saying this is, “the entrance of your word brings light.” (Psalm 119:130)
I believe James when he says Elijah was a man just like us. I am capable of mistaking the grand gesture for his voice and missing the stillness of his presence. I am capable of misinterpreting God’s display of power as justification for violent actions. I am capable of making God’s work "all about me," foolishly thinking I’m the only one when in fact there are thousands close by.
Yet Elijah’s example needn’t be a cautionary tale: his life is also a picture of how God comes close to the depressed and broken, choosing them to represent him. His life is a picture of how God provides for us even when we run from our problems and simply would prefer to quit. His life is a picture of God’s desire to work through men to accomplish His ends, and in the process shape and transform those men in their weakest moments. His life is a picture of an older man who chooses and trains another to take his place--choosing to share freely what was purchased dearly.
Elijah’s life gives me hope not only for the miracles, but for the friendship of God. It assures me that I do not have to choose between the two.
The Funniest Joke Ever (or is it?)
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 09:59AM 
Hysterical, no? In anticipation of the hilarity my wife has already headed for the car.
It gets worse. Not only do I think my comedic stylings rival those of Jack Black, I also think my philosophical depth rivals Kierkegaard. Each one of us is born fully human. Each of us has the potential for relationships filled with love, kindness, mercy, and grace. And each of us is born a complete idiot.
The potential of human life and relationship depends on what happens after birth. Every child needs love and attention, food and care, safety and security. Every child is born with the capacity for language, yet has no concept of sounds, words, sentences or meaning. Every child grows in its ability to learn, discover, and relate to others. The beginnings of life are finite, the potential is infinite. Coming into maturity depends not only on the child, but the family as well. And the neighborhood. And the society.
When Jesus suggested to a religious teacher “no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born from above” he was describing the beginnings of our life with God. In the last hundred years the evangelical church has made it the end of life with God. Jesus (the smartest guy in history) knew how to use a metaphor. He was pointing in the direction of life with God, a life that begins with new birth and carries infinite potential. Here is the challenge for North American believers: we have embraced the concept of new birth, but we have mistaken it for the end when it is merely the beginning. Spiritual formation is not an option for "serious students," it is reality that flows from the new birth. We are born into a new Kingdom, where the scripture itself refers to some as babes in Christ and others as mature sons and daughters.
All children grow. Some grow healthy and strong, others grow weak and die. Still others languish in a lifetime of unfulfilled destiny. Some develop into adults capable of healthy relationships, others develop into misshapen caricatures of human beings. Some take their place in society while others are stranded awkward and alone. Why do we think it any different in the Kingdom of God?
Infinite God, Infinite Grace.
Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 11:09AM When I decided to take seriously the call to follow Jesus I left God’s grace behind for a while. I thought grace was what God did for me the day I was born from above. I thought grace was only about forgiveness. I thought grace was a ticket to heaven. How little I knew about God’s grace. Decades later I’ve discovered his grace is the air I breathe."In the terrain of life with God, grace is not a ticket to heaven, but the earth under our feet on the road with Christ . . . Grace saves us from life without God--even more it empowers us for life with God." ~ Richard Foster (with Kathryn Helmers) in Life with God
God’s grace starts well before we come alive to his call; it is the power to forgive and save at the new birth; and it is the pathway to walk with him forevermore. As mentors like Richard Foster and Dallas Willard have pointed out time and again, the spiritual disciplines are practices that put us into position to receive more of his grace--the disciplines are not spiritual hurdles to be cleared by the “serious” student of Jesus. The startling truth is that those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus need more of God’s grace than others who have no interest in spiritual transformation.
May I share three surprising passages about God’s grace?
- “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2: 11-12) Simply put, Paul reminded Titus that God’s grace is available to teach us how to live right now. Do we ever think of grace as a teacher? What have we learned from grace? God’s grace stands ready to teach us even after we turn to Jesus: we can learn how to say ‘no’ to ungodliness. We can learn from God’s grace how to live upright lives. We need not be forever trapped in a cycle of same-sin, same-forgiveness, same-life. This too is part of the good news.
- “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16) Apparently the good folks who translated the New International Version were challenged by the more literal rendering of this verse, “From his fulness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (NRVS) The NIV substitutes “one blessing after another” for “grace upon grace.” But why argue over translation? I believe John was searching for a way to communicate that God’s grace is multi-layered. If we walk with him 50 years we will discover again and again the God who beckons us (in C.S. Lewis’ happy phrase) to come “farther up and farther in.” But take note: if we are determined to think of grace as merely a ticket to heaven there is no farther up and farther in--either in this life or the next. Why come to the shores of God’s grace only to dip our toes in the ocean?
- “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” (James 4:6) More grace. Greater grace. All the more grace. I believe James was speaking from experience, not theory. I think he discovered the multi-layered grace of God as he learned to humble himself again and again. When we humble ourselves we position ourselves for greater grace. One sure indicator of a religiously closed mind is the firm conviction that we have this Jesus-thing figured out. The religiously closed mind is only interested in exporting it’s brand of spirituality. We need to discover that it’s impossible to drink in God’s grace if we do nothing but tell others how to live.
What kind of Father would tell his child, “I’ve done all I’m going to do, the rest is up to you?” Our transformation is his work, accomplished as we present ourselves to greater grace again and again. If we limit his grace to the work of forgiveness, then forgiveness is all we will know. If we open ourselves up to his infinite grace then our destiny is the infinite God.
Infinite God. Infinite Grace. Infinite Destiny.