I’m sorry I’ve been so busy of late. I wanted to finish the next chapter of Jake Colsen before I leave town tomorrow. I’m headed up to Sacramento for some BridgeBuilders assignments and to hang out with some brothers and sisters on a pretty cool, though sometimes difficult journey.
Thus, I’ve not been able to add to this blog nor the discussion going on below regarding how God transforms us. I’ve followed it, but I haven’t had time to chime in, though I like a lot of what folks have written there. It might be worth your reading through all the comments if you haven’t. But don’t think anyone has any final answers there.
The answers are in Christ alone. As I’ve read through that discussion on how we deal with sin and temptation, I am reminded how easily words fail us. I know some of the people in that discussion and when I read their words I both know what they are trying to communicate, and how others might take what they are saying in a way they may not mean. Don’t misunderstand that comment. Theological discussions can be helpful, but the kinds of things being discussed there will not be solved by theology alone. Those things are sorted out in the reality of a relationship with the Living God that flows from our security in his love, even at our most damaged. That doesn’t justify our damage or provide us with an excuse to be cavalier about our brokenness. But it does allow his healing love to flow through our lives and us to hear his heartbeat as he leads us into ever greater heights of his freedom. < /p>
I’ve had people right me this last week with a host of questions about how to deal with people in the Body of Christ who bully others, or use others to build their own following. I’ve been asked what people should do in specific situations with people or body life. It seems that we’ve been trained well to look for structures, methods or a process that we can just implement and know we’ve done what God wanted.
I don’t mind offering some thoughts where I have them. It is valuable for us to sort out in Scripture and in the experience of others who are following Jesus the ways in which God works. Those are powerful tools. But in the end our deepest issues will only be solved relationally. He has not left us with systems and formulas, but with his Spirit. When you don’t know what you’re to do, go to him. If you don’t know what he is saying to you, it is a perfect time to let that relationship deepen so that you will. If you need help, get help learning to listen, not getting the answers from someone else so you won’t have to.
The answers are in Christ alone. He will use the very things going on in your life to draw you to him. Get with him—alone! Ask him for what you need. Then go through your days looking for him to make clear his way to you. That can happen a thousand ways, from a growing conviction in the heart to a circumstance change that opens an unseen door. Learn to follow him and you can face anything, even those lonely moments when you don’t have any idea what he is up to!
Wonderful there, Wayne. I’m sharing this one with others.
It is really that simple isn’t it?! It is not up to us to figure this life out… trying in our own efforts to become transformed children of God… but it is about Christ and Christ alone!
It’s common talk amongst Christians that this life in Christ is about RELATIONSHIP and not RELIGION, but dang if it ain’t really, really true.
It seems that I have experienced more transformation in my life in the past few months than I have in all my days that I claimed to know Him. The difference being that now I see it all is about Jesus and what He accomplished at the Cross. It IS about relationship… we, being made a new creation, being born again into the family of God are in fact His children, His relations. And it is out of that relationship that He lives and moves and changes us.
If I am coming off like I’ve got this all together please forgive me! I know that I am just seeing a tiny bit more through that dark glass! But what a sight to behold… Jesus!
Love to you, Bro’
Dave Aldrich
Good stuff Dave in the comments on both of the last two posts. It’s all about Him and He is SOOOOOO glorius!
Amen, Steve!
Wonderful there, Wayne. I’m sharing this one with others.
It is really that simple isn’t it?! It is not up to us to figure this life out… trying in our own efforts to become transformed children of God… but it is about Christ and Christ alone!
It’s common talk amongst Christians that this life in Christ is about RELATIONSHIP and not RELIGION, but dang if it ain’t really, really true.
It seems that I have experienced more transformation in my life in the past few months than I have in all my days that I claimed to know Him. The difference being that now I see it all is about Jesus and what He accomplished at the Cross. It IS about relationship… we, being made a new creation, being born again into the family of God are in fact His children, His relations. And it is out of that relationship that He lives and moves and changes us.
If I am coming off like I’ve got this all together please forgive me! I know that I am just seeing a tiny bit more through that dark glass! But what a sight to behold… Jesus!
Love to you, Bro’
Dave Aldrich
Good stuff Dave in the comments on both of the last two posts. It’s all about Him and He is SOOOOOO glorius!
Amen, Steve!
I don’t think any of us were stating how God deals with us as "final answers", to me, it was a few people sharing how we’ve been walking through some issues in our lives.
That’s why I was asking early on as to how God has walked Steve and George through some of their struggles. To me, everyone’s story is different, as each of our hearts and lives are different.
I like hearing others stories, not to find fianl answers, but to hopefully gain some insight on how God is walking others along their journeys.
I don’t think any of us were stating how God deals with us as "final answers", to me, it was a few people sharing how we’ve been walking through some issues in our lives.
That’s why I was asking early on as to how God has walked Steve and George through some of their struggles. To me, everyone’s story is different, as each of our hearts and lives are different.
I like hearing others stories, not to find fianl answers, but to hopefully gain some insight on how God is walking others along their journeys.
Jolly,
About our walk, I think that the biggest thing that is giving a better realiztion of the victory of the cross for me is opening up my mind to the concept that I have been underestimating the full extent of Father’s love for us and for all people. The one thing that never never fails for any persom is the love of God apart from anything that we ever do. We didn’t choose to be cursed by the actions of the first Adam. It was a result of his actions. Could it be that the redemption of us all was fully accomplished outside of even our decisions by the second Adam? That gives me so much hope for every son of Adam.
Jolly,
About our walk, I think that the biggest thing that is giving a better realiztion of the victory of the cross for me is opening up my mind to the concept that I have been underestimating the full extent of Father’s love for us and for all people. The one thing that never never fails for any persom is the love of God apart from anything that we ever do. We didn’t choose to be cursed by the actions of the first Adam. It was a result of his actions. Could it be that the redemption of us all was fully accomplished outside of even our decisions by the second Adam? That gives me so much hope for every son of Adam.
Wayne, you said,
"If you need help, get help learning to listen, not getting the answers from someone else so you won’t have to."
How does one help another to listen to Him?
If anyone else has thoughts on this I’d love to hear them.
Dave A.
Wayne, you said,
"If you need help, get help learning to listen, not getting the answers from someone else so you won’t have to."
How does one help another to listen to Him?
If anyone else has thoughts on this I’d love to hear them.
Dave A.
Dave,
I don’t have time for the long answer here…
But the short answer is by letting them walk beside you a bit. I don’t think ‘hearing’ God is an exact science, but learning to identify his voice becomes more clear as we (a) spend time with him, (b) grow increasingly familiar with the spirit and content of Scripture, (c) watch how others follow him (c) lose confidence in our own agenda, and (e) seek confirmation from people who are being shaped by God’s character.
Lots of people tack God’s name to their own ideas and plans, but finding those who are truly responding to the Lord’s leading in their lives is a real gift. You’ll notice it first in the character and by how they treat people and the act that they are not so heavy-laden with their own agendas—especialy for others.
By encouraging others to listen to Jesus and by living openly before them as to how we do that will help them discover how he wants to do it in them!
Dave,
I don’t have time for the long answer here…
But the short answer is by letting them walk beside you a bit. I don’t think ‘hearing’ God is an exact science, but learning to identify his voice becomes more clear as we (a) spend time with him, (b) grow increasingly familiar with the spirit and content of Scripture, (c) watch how others follow him (c) lose confidence in our own agenda, and (e) seek confirmation from people who are being shaped by God’s character.
Lots of people tack God’s name to their own ideas and plans, but finding those who are truly responding to the Lord’s leading in their lives is a real gift. You’ll notice it first in the character and by how they treat people and the act that they are not so heavy-laden with their own agendas—especialy for others.
By encouraging others to listen to Jesus and by living openly before them as to how we do that will help them discover how he wants to do it in them!
Good thoughts.
Learning and unlearning we be. It does take time to flush ourselves of ourselves so that we can begin to see Him.
Thanks, Wayne.
Dave
Good thoughts.
Learning and unlearning we be. It does take time to flush ourselves of ourselves so that we can begin to see Him.
Thanks, Wayne.
Dave