"Grace" Enough Said!

Howdy howdy everyone it’s a new week and I pray this note finds each of you looking forward to the challenges the week presents. Last week I spoke with you about one of the main lessons I feel God has been showing me since leaving on this journey. This week I want to continue by talking about lesson #2. Granted he has shown and taught me so much more but these are the biggies. The continuing theme you might say. Last week was Gods Love I began with that one for two reasons. 1. It’s the first thing he showed me. 2. It’s the basis for everything. God is Love and without love nothing else would be possible. What I want to chat about today is Grace. We all know the word. If you’ve been around the church for any amount of time you know the word is tossed around about as much as any other word. But do we truly recognize the power and meaning of this word? I think we might have an idea of its power when it comes to God extending Grace to us. The more we struggle with sin the more we seem to understand grace. Christ even talks about this in Luke 7: 41-43 (I’ll let you look this one up) but this is not the angle of Grace I want to talk about today. Today I want to talk about the power of us extending Grace to others or maybe even more so the “Literal Destruction” that happens when we don’t live a lifestyle that exemplifies Grace. I doubt anyone would argue that God calls us to extend Grace to others he makes it clear that this is what he expects. Matthew 18:21-34 is the parable of the unforgiving servant. The master forgave the servant of a massive debt yet the servant refused to forgive another for a small debt. The whole thing ends with a stern warning in verse 35 “So my heavenly father also will do to you if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother his trespasses” Also read Eph 4:31-32 and Col 3:13. It’s clear we are called to forgive as Christ forgave us not begrudgingly. Actually the statement currently stuck in my brain is “If God the creator of this universe, our creator is willing to forgive anyone at anytime for the sin they have committed what gives me the right to even consider holding onto a grudge.”

Now please forgive me for the rest of this. My head is full of 101 things to say and examples to give so I fear the message may get muddled. I’m trying my best to set it clear as I do believe that this is at least for me the most important message God has ever shown me. Certainly the most powerful. In my observation of life and “the church” It seems that not only do we struggle to forgive others of wrongs they have done to us but we also seem to struggle with forgiving people of sins period. We look at people stuck in a lifestyle and set it in our minds that they are beneath us. I’m not going to say we do it on purpose sometimes it’s a lie that is whispered in our ear and we don’t remove it quickly so it begins to sink in. (Please note: I am saying WE so please do not think I am claiming to have it all together. Quite the opposite actually.) I began to process this the first page of the first chapter of the book “What’s so Amazing about Grace”. We see a prostitute confessing that she is so strung out and controlled by her addictions that she has prostituted her daughter two years of age to support her drug habit. She is asked if she’s ever gone to the church for help and her reply haunted me. “I already feel bad enough about myself. Why would I go to the church?” Ouch! Here is Yancey’s next quote “What struck me about my friends story is that women much like the prostitute fled toward Jesus, Not away from him. The worse a person felt about herself the more likely she saw Jesus as a refuge. Has the church lost that gift? Evidently the down and out, who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome among his followers.” Again OUCH! I read that and it was as if someone had punched me in the gut. I knew that statement was true. But then I went on to think about those in the church. Surely we treat them with love, respect and grace. Or do we? Let me ask you a question. If you stumble, lets say you’re single you go out on a Friday night drink too much and find yourself in the middle of a one night stand. Do you tell anyone from your church or do you hide it? You’re married and have an affair. Do you keep it hidden? You’re an alcoholic and fall off the wagon. Do you feel free to talk about it? Do you share your struggles with pornography? You struggle with Jealousy? “Larry just because we’re slow to talk about our mistakes doesn’t mean the church won’t accept us.” You may be right, but the fact of the matter is. We have all heard or participated in gossip about others. “If they chat about them what will they say about me?” Gossip is not showing Grace. We are quick to confront but slow to offer help. I’ve known people caught in sin struggling to get out and because it was an “A” level sin their friends turned their backs on them. The church cut them out of the ministry they were involved in without offering a plan for reengagement or offering help in the process of reconciliation. Now I’m not saying we are broken. I’m not saying we don’t do some things right. Some people are pretty good at this thing we call Grace. I am saying that we need to err on the side of love whenever possible. Our check to see if we are getting closer to Grace is “Do others feel safe confiding in me?” When is the last time someone came to you in confidence? If it’s been awhile ask yourself why. Are you too busy to listen? Have you participated in Gossip? How do you respond to those that “Don’t fit in”?

Please don’t just read this and say “It doesn’t pertain to me” or “I’ll get to this later on” it is important that we recognize the area’s in our life that we don’t model Grace and learn to make the adjustments, that we go to God and begin asking him to give us his eyes so we can view others not through our tainted glasses but through Gods perfect eyes. This is literally a matter of life and death for many. How many suicides happen because “I’m to ashamed to face anyone”, How many leave the church and turn from God because “I can’t measure up to the standards” I know this may be hard to believe but I am a stubborn person. I may plan on apologizing to someone because I know it’s the right thing but then I’m told by another “You need to apologize” Suddenly I don’t want to apologize. But if in love I’m asked “Have you thought about telling so and so you’re sorry?” It’s not so offensive and I do it. How many others are holding onto anger or unwilling to repent because of our lack of Grace? I heard a stat the other day that just blew me away. I had already been processing the dangers of un-grace when I heard this and went yep if this doesn’t drive the point home nothing will. Did you know that eighty percent of those getting abortions today claim to be “Church Goers”? Now I realize this doesn’t mean they all claim to be Christians or that all of them have a great understanding of scripture but it does mean that 80% have the option of talking to more than just Planned Parenthood. I know that shame is not the only reason for abortion. But if eighty percent attend church then I think it’s safe to assume the majority are getting an abortion because they don’t want anyone to know they had gotten pregnant. But lets assume I’m wrong for a moment. Forget all about the reason for an abortion. How many women have come to you and admitted they had an abortion? How many men have confessed urging their girlfriend to get one? If eighty percent attend church odds are you are friends with someone that has. We know God still loves them. Hopefully they know God still loves them. Can they go to you and know you will still love them?

Here’s the thing. I can continue to come up with example after example of why we need to show Grace and where we need to show Grace and how we can show Grace. After I’ve given all the examples I can think of you could chime in with just as many that I hadn’t thought of. Yes there are many examples and studies that show some will never go public with their faults no matter how open and loving we are. Others will always look for reasons to fault us as “The Church” But that shouldn’t stop us from doing everything possible to model Grace. Once upon a time those struggling with life came to Christ we are his church, his family, his representatives, we need to do what we can to make them comfortable with us as well and trust the Spirit to fill in the blanks. Once we do the hospitals won’t be as busy, more will live longer lives, more will live happier lives, the church will be closer to unity, Christ will be lifted higher, and Heaven will be busier.

I know this is all easier said than done. I know many of you reading this need to experience Grace before you can share it. You need set free from the shame you are feeling. You can’t believe God can forgive you because you’ve never known what that feels like. Just like last week I’m going to ask you if you haven’t asked for Gods forgiveness and accepted Christ as your savior “ASK FOR IT NOW”. He’s sitting and waiting for you to do it. It may be hard for you to believe but there is a major party waiting to break out in heaven and you are the guest of honor. Now for everyone feeling the shame of unrepentant sin find someone to chat with. Take that step let it out so you can feel the release and experience Grace, God’s Grace! If you don’t have anyone you can trust tell me. Please! If you’re not comfortable then for the time being set up a new e-mail that allows you to be anonymous and tell me. PLEASE! I want you to experience freedom in Christ. I want you to experience the freedom that God has given all of us.

I know I’ve pretty much wrapped this up but I feel the need to clarify a little of what I’ve said. Possibly a bit from a paranoia stand point. I am spelling out an incredible need for Grace I’m not saying everyone reading this is a judgmental bigot. Lets assume you are a “Grace Giver” No one since the days of Christ is as filled with grace as you. All I’m saying is you still have two area’s to be aware of. 1. Until we can match the Grace of Christ we still have a ways to go. (He offered Grace before we ever asked for it. Romans 5:8) 2. Satan is working overtime to make sure others don’t see Gods Grace. We need to work overtime to be sure they know it’s available.

I love you guys. Have a great week and as always. Lets live it “UPSIDE DOWN”

What I've learned after 3.5 months on the road.

I have now been on the road for 3.5 months and man has it been an incredible trip. I have been able to experience so much of this country I mean really experience it. When you are on a vacation with a timeline it’s hard to really experience what you are seeing. Yes you can be in the moment yes you can enjoy it but you know you have a limited time so you can’t always soak in it. God has allowed me to soak in his creation. To hike and take my time doing it, to camp, meet and chat with others from the area, Watch the wildlife, get the feel of the region (Are the people happy or sad, rushed or casual, spiritual or not, what do they embrace belief wise? Why? What is important to them? It has been a great time. I thank God for giving it to me. I have traveled in the West, Midwest, South and Southwest. While I took off on this journey so I could get alone with God and hear from him about certain aspects of my life and future to experience him and get to know him better I think God had a different purpose in sending me. Yes I am getting some of the answers I was looking for but I’m getting them through God revealing his purpose of the trip. I gotta be honest I haven’t even said it yet but as I’m typing my eyes are beginning to fill with this strange moist discharge and I have a lump growing in my throat at the thought of what I’m about to say. I thoroughly believe that God has sent me on this trip for no other reason than to show me how much he truly LOVES ME! He knows me and knows how touched I would be through this experience. (Side note: I would not be saying this if an initial step of faith/trust in him had not been made) Never mind I misspoke slightly. I said “no other reason then to let me know he loves me.” He wanted to show me how much he loves all of us as well and how he is calling to us. You see I’ve noticed that in the area’s of this country that I personally have found the most beautiful the people living in those area’s aren’t as interested in God. Of course this is a general statement. there are Christ Followers everywhere. But you can’t argue that certain area’s of the country are more open to him than others. I have come to believe that in our search for God, fulfillment, contentment we are drawn to the area’s of creation that God expresses himself in a special way. You see he so loves us that he puts his stamp on creation and we are naturally drawn to him through that creation. Once we are able to embrace the beauty of his creation we are just a step away from recognizing the creator (Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so they are without excuse) Unfortunately what seems to happen is we as people are drawn to his creation (Because it speaks of him) but we refuse to listen to him when he says “SEE how much I love you” We have bought a lie that says “No God could love me THAT much. I’m not worthy of it.” But the truth is HE DOES LOVE US THAT MUCH! He loves us so much that even when we do not embrace him he still gives us that gift to enjoy. But when we do embrace him he gives us so much more. He says “Larry I love you so much I want to give you a trip that will change your life. One on one time just you and I because I know that is what will speak to your soul and give you life abundantly” He loves you so much that he knows exactly what will spur you onto greatness. Not necessarily greatness in the worlds eyes but greatness all the same. He knows what will speak to your soul. He knows what will make you excited to wake up in the morning. He knows how you were created and what will make you operate the most efficiently. He wants to give you life, abundant life (John 10:10 The thief does not come except to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. Also read John 6: 53, 63 and 1 John 5:12) The thief kills and destroys by saying “You are not worthy of love, How could the creator of this world possibly love you” But God gave us Christ so we could recognize the lie. He so loved us that he died for us. He came to give us life and to give it abundantly.

Now if you are reading this odds are you’re are saying “I know this you’re preaching to the choir” But I need to push a little further and ask “DO YOU REALLY?” Ok, you’ve said a prayer and you know the verses. You have the head knowledge. But have you let the realization that God loves you soak deep down into your inner being? Does that love effect who you are? Let me put it another way. Most of us know what it’s like to be in love. We have experienced it to some degree. We missed them when they were gone. We have that tinge of excitement when going to see them after being separated for a time. We can’t imagine life without them. We are disappointed when we can’t see them. We are sad when we find they don’t quite trust us in a certain area. THIS IS HOW GOD FEELS ABOUT US!!! When you know someone feels this way about you don’t you listen to them a little closer? You trust them because you know they don’t want to hurt you. If they say “Trust me do this” You do! When it comes to God and he says “Trust me do this” How much do you hesitate? I’m going to step out on a limb here and say. “The more we hesitate the less we believe he loves us” It’s the only thing that makes sense. We know he is God. We know he is creator of the universe. We know he is in perfect control. So if we hesitate the only reason that makes sense in my mind is we don’t trust him and the only reason we wouldn’t trust him is because we don’t realize how much HE LOVES US. Take a minute to sit back and ask yourself “Do I truly realize just how much God loves me?” I don’t think any of us can ever fully embrace and understand those depths but we can understand more. After you’ve asked that turn to God and ask him to reveal to you just how much he loves you. He’ll do it I don’t know how. He speaks with each of us according to how he made us but he will. Ask again tomorrow and the next day and the next. Why not make it a part of our daily prayers “God reveal your love to me today”

Now, I don’t want to just assume that if you are reading this you already know Christ and have embraced and accepted the love he is offering to you. If you don’t know him but you want too simply go to him right now and ask him to come into your life. Just let God know that you now realize how much he loves you and that you accept his gift of salvation through Jesus Christ. Then ask him to reveal his love to you in a greater level. After you are done with that find someone that embraces life in Christ tell them what you did and ask them to help guide you through this thing called Christianity. If you don’t have anyone to go too ask me (Tell me either way I want to hear about it) I would be excited and honored to help point you toward a great relationship with our Creator, Savior, and Holy Spirit. GOD!!!

That was my two cents worth for the week. Next it’s lesson #2 from God to me. “GRACE” It’s just a word but the action behind it could quite possibly be the most powerful force in this universe.

As always Gang lets go out this week and live life “Upside Down!”

Love, Love, Love, Love. I love it.

This one may be a bit harder than normal to follow. I hope not but as I read it I lose myself once or twice. Sorry about that but I couldn't quite figure out what adjustments needed made.

Hello Friends,

I hope this finds everyone having a great day and looking forward to an excellent week. A few weeks back I talked briefly about how each time we read through scripture we can pick up something new that we had never thought about before. We can have favorite books of the bible or even verses for years and then one day read it again and have a new revelation jump out at us. This once again is something that happened to me a few weeks back. I had one small revelation that has in many ways forced me to try and change how I relate to others. Or should I say it’s given me a new lens to view others through. At first you wont see what the big deal is but stick with me and I think you’ll begin to track. Some may disagree, actually this time I kinda expect that to happen. That’s fine, I just ask that you consider it then feel free to tell me your disagreement.

A few years ago while reading through the Gospels I noticed that Jesus spent his ministry saying “Love your neighbor as you love yourself. This is recorded many different times throughout the gospels. (Matt 22:39, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27) Then I noticed at the end of his time here he stepped it up a bit. In John 13: 34 Jesus says “ A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you. He repeats this in John 15: 12-13 and spells out how he has loved us. “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.” I always looked at these verses and thought. “God is stepping it up. It is no longer good enough to love our neighbor as we love our self. Now we have to love our neighbor greater than we love ourselves.” Here we go, brace yourselves, wait for it, wait for it… I was wrong. There I said it. I was wrong. I was wrong because I didn’t continue reading. I was also wrong because I didn’t pay attention to the words (That usually does help a little). Before we continue on to the next verses lets look at what Jesus said in these. Chapter 13: 34 “A new commandment I give to you” STOP RIGHT THERE! That’s what I overlooked. He said a NEW command. Not “a replacement command” Not “a change to an old command” “A NEW COMMAND” But Larry, this command obviously trumps the other after all by following this one the other is followed as well. If we don’t read any further you’re right. But since we have to take it as a whole lets ad verse 35 of Chap 13 “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” He is telling his disciples to love EACH OTHER this way. He isn’t saying love everyone this way. Lets move on to Chapt 15 and ad verse 14 to the mix. “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this. Than to lay down his life for his friends YOU ARE MY FRIENDS IF YOU DO WHATEVER I COMMAND YOU.” Verse 14 qualifies “who” he is talking about “His Disciples”. In other words “his followers” or those of us that have accepted him as our Lord & Savior. He is calling us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ greater than we love ourselves. The rest we just love as we love ourselves. So Larry, why is this such a big deal? Why not just stick with “Love everyone greater than ourselves?” I’m not going to go so far as to say you can’t do that. But let me go ahead and tell you where this is exciting to me. First of all I’ll admit that I have a hard enough time loving as I love myself because I really like myself a lot. Growing up it was very natural for me to pursue the best for me. I suspect that’s the same for all of us. Now you really expect me to love others greater than me? Not likely, not very likely. It’s just not going to happen unless I have developed some sort of relationship with them. Say a “Brotherly relationship” Even then it’s not likely unless I have help (Thank you Holy Spirit!) So separating the groups into two categories makes it all a bit easier. But here is where it really excites me. When we love someone as we love ourselves we are getting their attention. Nobody else treats them that well why are we? This causes them to begin watching us. After watching for awhile they notice we are treating each other “even better”. After all we are treating each other better than ourselves. (Sound familiar? The church in Acts? Read how they lived one more time.) After watching this for awhile they come up to us and ask “How can I be a part of that?” Next thing you know we are welcoming a new brother into the family. Evangelism at its best! Now lets follow the process in reverse. How many of us have ever had a brother or sister that was stuck in sin? Never mind, stuck means trying too but can’t get out. How many of you have ever had to confront a brother for living in sin even though they knew it was wrong? Matt 18: 15-17 tells us what to do. We are to confront one on one, then two on one, then bring them to the church. If they still do not change we are to treat them like a heathen or a tax collector. If we are treating everyone the same and then told to treat them like a heathen or tax collector then we need to turn our backs on them. But with this realization Christ doesn’t tell us to turn our backs on them. He says to treat them as a heathen or a tax collector. Hmm, Christ healed many that didn’t believe in him, one of his disciples was a tax collector. This means we are to love our “Fallen Brother” as we love ourselves. We haven’t turned our backs on him. We can still love him just as much as we love ourselves but if he is used to living in community he is used to so much more and hopefully will desire to join once again. I like that answer to confrontation so much better than the alternative. I’ve tried the alternative and must be honest. It sucks for all involved.

Larry, lets assume you’re right. We don’t have a community that looks like this. You are absolutely correct. I have an incredible community, one I thank God for daily and we aren’t there yet either. But that is no excuse to not strive for it. The model is there and with a bit of work, focus, love, and the help of the Holy Spirit I believe we can get there. I believe we have the “love each other as we love ourselves” pretty good but that’s not enough. We will get there and you can too. I know you can. Why? Because God says so!

What do we do until then? Larry what about 1 Cor 5 how do you reconcile all this with that? I have my theories about the 1 Cor passage but can’t give any definite answers. (I just felt the need to put it here in an effort of full disclosure.) I don’t have all the answers (Shocking I know) But I can say this… (Actually I heard a pastor say it just this morning) When you don’t know how to respond. While you are trying to figure out “What do we do until then?” Whenever you are in doubt just remember. God is love so “ALWAYS LEAD WITH LOVE”

Alright gang it’s another week! Lets begin with love and as always live it “Upside Down!"

I was wro… wron… I was mistak.. mis… I didn’t have the whole picture.

Happy New Year everyone! It’s not only a New Year but a new generation as well. With the introduction of each New Year we are invited to look at our lives decide what we do and don’t like about them then make the appropriate changes. My new years resolution is to continue with the path God placed me on during the past year. I can honestly say that I am about as happy right now as I have been in years. Not that the past few years have been bad but in 2009 God finally put me in a corner where I had to decide If I was going to continue trusting in me and what I know or will I lay it down and truly trust him. Not wanting to bore you with all the details lets just say I consulted with some great friends and knew I didn’t really have a choice. It hasn’t always been easy but God has come through in such a way that I can’t imagine ever turning back. But I’ve been here before, I’ve taken that step and God came through then in a big way as well but for some reason after a couple years I decided to take hold of the reigns again. I held on tighter than ever. I knew I wasn’t as happy yet I kept working my brain trying to figure it all out. I tried to start businesses that were not me. I did some things professionally that I questioned how excited God would be about it. I partnered with others that I new where not above board ethically. While doing these things I justified it all by saying that it was a means to an end. They kept me free for ministry. I could come and go as I wanted this way I could go to the church whenever needed to work where they needed me. If a friend or family member needed anything I could go and help. But what happened? Before long I wasn’t involved in any ministry at the church and didn’t have a desire too be. Even though I was making more money than I had in the past I was deeper in debt and because of who I did business with others were beginning to question my integrity. In a few years I went from someone who enjoyed the ministry, was trustworthy, enjoyed working with others and controlled his budget to just the opposite. Now don’t get me wrong I didn’t grow into some low life backstabbing, overspending, heathen. I still loved God. If you looked at how I spent my money I really wasn’t wasteful, and I would never wrong or mislead anyone. It was all much more subtle than that. Few would say I was doing anything wrong. Lets take it one step further. I went from someone that enjoyed helping others to one that still did it but grew to resent them for it. I would see friends helping others and come back smiling. I would help someone with a smile and leave with a frown. I found it draining instead of energizing. WHAT WENT WRONG?

I’ll tell ya what went wrong that’s the easy part. Somewhere along the way I began depending on myself instead of God. Professionally I knew where I wanted to be so I set out to get there. Financially I new where I wanted to be so I set out to get there. Ministry wise I new where I wanted to be so I set out to get there. I knew God and others expected me to be a servant so I tried to become the servant. What went wrong is easy. The real question is how did I get there? I’m gong to answer that question with a verse. Philippians 4: 6-7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. The next verses go on to talk about the things we should meditate on and if we do The God of peace will be with us. I knew where I wanted to go in my life career wise, financially and ministry wise. Since I knew I guess I didn’t even think about asking God. But this verse (and others) says “In EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication” It doesn’t say “In the things you doubt” or “only when afraid” it says in “EVERYTHING” I quite going to God because “This is something I can handle” By the time things came up that I couldn’t handle I was out of practice so to be quite honest I didn’t even think about going to him. I grew to resent helping others for the same reason. I was already doing things on my own so there was no focus on God in the process. If I’m not looking to God then I can’t see his heart. If I can’t see his heart I wont enjoy the sacrifice. I have a friend that is a Christian but tends to think we as Christians ask God about too much. He uses French fries as an example. He’ll hold up two fries and say do you think God cares which one I eat first? Of course not! His point is “If we live our lives focused on God then our minds will automatically go in the direction God desires. I’ve heard sermons on this as well and I will say they are correct. But I will also say that I think they oversimplify it. I thought my life was focused on God. I was doing what I was doing to remain open for ministry. We need to guard against losing focus. Praying about everything is one way to do it. Lets go back to the French fries for a moment. If guarding our hearts and our minds means that we need to go to such an extreme in “Praying about everything” then God isn’t going to complain if you ask him which fry to eat first. I think he’ll probably say “Larry, I love you thanks for asking. French fries are bad for you so don’t eat any of them” (Joke, joke, I’m joking don’t get bent out of shape.) He’ll probably say “I don’t care eat them however you would like. Thank you for asking”. After awhile you’ll get to know his heart and some of the things he doesn’t care about. In the mean time three things will begin to happen. 1. You may find he does care about some things you assumed he didn’t. 2. You’ll get into the habit of going to him. 3. You’ll lose the habit of depending on yourself.

Back to my New Years resolution I need to ad a little to it. My New Years Resolution is to continue on the path God has placed me on by going to him daily and asking “God what do you have for me today? When I have a decision to make I will go to God and ask “God do you have an opinion in this matter? When presented with the opportunity to serve another I will go to God and ask “God help me to see your heart in this matter? I love where I am at and where I seem to be going and I don’t want to do anything to stop that progress. I hope and pray that you are in the same place. If not I pray this is the year that God draws you closer to him. WHAT IS YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTION?

It’s funny how God works. When I titled this and began writing it I had planned on going somewhere completely different. Began the introductory paragraph and knew we were going somewhere else but didn’t know where until the end. With that in mind I trust that there is at least one person reading this that needed to hear it. If it is you then please right now close your computer and go somewhere you can be alone. Go to God and ask him to do whatever he needs to draw you closer to him. Ask him to show you how to stop depending on your own understanding and start depending on him. Then just sit and listen. God will talk. He will make himself known. What he says to you may or may not make any sense. Don’t let that deter you from following. After all it doesn’t have to make sense to you you’re the one letting go. Ya never know once you do you may find yourself living “Upside Down” and loving it.

Now this is Unity

Hello once again everyone,

Do you know what never ceases to amaze me with the bible? The fact that each time I pick it up I get something new. I can read the same verse 20 different times and seemingly get something different each time. It’s not that I reinterpret the verse every time. It’s just that my life changes a little and the verse will speak to where I’m at now. Or my understanding of God grows slightly and I am able to glean more because of it. Take for example a verse that has been one of my favorites for close to fifteen years now. You would think if I had been thinking about it for fifteen years there would be nothing new to gain from it. Right? Wrong! This is what I want to chat about today. This hit me probably three weeks ago and I’ve been meditating on it ever sense. You may read it and think “Duh, where have you been?” If so just smile smugly and thank God that I’m finally getting there. Actually I hope that’s the case because it seems so blatant to me now that I can’t believe I’ve always missed it.

What I’m going to do is give you a list of verses and have you read them. See if you can guess where I am going. Then after you’ve read through I’ll tell you what I saw. Good? Good. Lets go.

John 10: 38 … Though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the father is in me and I in him.

John 13: 31-32 … Now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him, If God is glorified in him God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him immediately.

John 14: 10-11 Do you not believe that I am in the father and the father in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own authority but the father who dwells in me does the works. Believe me that I am in the father and the father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves.

John 14: 20-21 At that day you will know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you. He who has my commandments and keeps them it is he who loves me and he who loves me will be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him.

John 15: 4-8 Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in me and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire and it will be done for you. By this my father is glorified that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.

John 17: 21-23 That they may all be one as you father are in me and I in you that they also may be one in us, that the word may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them that they may be one just as we are one. I in them and you in me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me.

John 17: 26 And I have declared to them your name, and will declare it, that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I in them.

1 John 2: 24 Therefore let that abide In you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the son and in the father.

1 John 4:12-17 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and his love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his spirit. And we have seen and testify that the father has sent the son as savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

There ya have it. Quite a bit to read but I wanted to make sure you had the full picture. Believe it or not I could have given you more but these are the clearest picture of what I want to point out. Have ya read them? Good. Have you thought about it? Read through one more time and think about what God is saying here. Go ahead, I’ll wait I need to grab my pizza anyway… Ok, ya got it. Here is what I see in these verses. First I see the obvious and what we are taught growing up. “The trinity, I in you and you in me.” God and Jesus in each other no big revelation there. Lets go back to John 17: 21-23 since that is the verse I’ve loved for so long. I’ve always read that verse as a call for unity. Which it is but lets read it closely. “As you are in me and I in you that (here it is) THEY MAY BE IN US” That’s what I’ve always missed. We always expect God to be in us after all Christ promised the Holy Spirit. But for us to be in them? Wow, that just blows me away. Now some of you may be saying “Wait a minute Larry these verses are not saying we are literally in him but that we need to abide in them. We need to focus on them.” That is why I gave so many verses. You are correct some of these verses are probably saying that. John 15: 4-8 could be read that way. But in it I am still a branch attached to the tree. You can most likely find other verses that support “Abide means leaning into him” I wont argue. But that doesn’t mean these verses aren’t clearly saying we are “In him”

Ok, I buy it. We are in God as God is in us. So how does that make my life any different? What am I suppose to take away from this? I’m not going to tell you. This week I give you a revelation and say spend some time thinking about it and leaning into God asking him. “That means you don’t know then. Right Larry?” You’re kind of right. I have my idea’s. I think I know what it is telling me but I can’t quite bring myself to say it out loud yet. Here is what I do know. It means I’m a much bigger part of Gods family than I ever dreamed of. I also know that there are verses in there that are the infamous “If you than I” (John 14: 20-21). We have to remember those and hold up our end of the bargain. Obviously it’s not a demand for perfection since we can’t accomplish that but it’s also much more than “I’ll follow when it’s convenient.”

My friends I’ve been meditating on this one for three weeks now and I still haven’t come near completely grasping its meaning and power. But I can say that my confidence in who I am in Christ has grown ten fold with this understanding. Not only is God in Christ and Christ in God and the Holy Spirit in that whole mix as well. But I am in God as God is in me. Chew on that for a minute and see if it doesn’t just blow you out of the water. (No pun intended)

What a way to go into the New year. Knowing that we are woven into the very being of Our God the creator of this universe. Have a great New Year and this year lets “Live it Upside Down”