"Set Apart" Series, Part Two: Snub & Run

In Part One, I pondered if the set-apart life could really be done according to 1st Peter 3:8 & 9. Based on the comments received on the blog and on Facebook, it's obvious people are hungry for discussion on this.

For Part Two, I'm going to pause & ponder the rest of that passage in 1st Peter. Verses 10-12 (The MSG again):

"Whoever wants to embrace life

and see the day fill up with good,

Here's what you do:

Say nothing evil or hurtful;

Snub evil and cultivate good;

run after peace for all you're worth.

God looks on all this with approval.

But He turns His back

on those who do evil things."

I love the way this is worded in the NIV too. "Whoever would love life and see good days..."

Do we as believers in Christ really desire to love life? Do we want to embrace it? Not love it and embrace it in the sense that we love life more than we love Christ, but do we love the life that God has given us to live by the power of the HOly Spirit--that life mentioned in John 10:10--"life to the full."

I think the two verses build on one another:

"The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy,

but I have come that they may have life & have it to the full."

We already have life to the full living in us, but whether we live it out to the full or not is a whole different story.

Sometimes we are content to be discontent with life. "The world is falling apart..." "I can't wait to be in Heaven..." True. But I don't want us to get to the point where we allow our thinking on the ick Satan is doing to rob us of Christ's fullness alive in & available to us today.

So if we truly desire loving Christ's life in us, this passage shares how to do that. Peter chooses to go back to the advice given in Psalm 34:

"Say nothing evil or hurtful;

Snub evil and cultivate good;

run after peace for all you're worth."

Sounds so easy, doesn't it? I can't think of anything I pray about more than God helping me in these areas. My words come from the overflow in my heart, and folks, it ain't pretty in there a lot of the time. If my spiritual life could be measured by how much time I spend in the Word, I would get an "A" for sure. But if it were measured by how much time I live out the Word, well, I'd never graduate!

But we don't ever graduate, do we? His grace gives us opportunity after opportunity to live life His way. He loves us that much.

I love the picture in my head when I read "Snub evil." There's no major rant, no violent declaration. Just snub and run on ahead. God in us is too good to spend time chewing out evil. We hold our heads up high, realizing we have the Word of life in us, and we go on to "cultivate good & run after peace." HE is the Prince of Peace, and when we run after Him, evil runs the other direction.

Don't mean to trivialize the power of evil. In every post on a passage of Scripture, there is another passage to give it more depth or light. Sometimes we are faced with a horrible battle with evil, and the Lord gives us more intense training in our faithwalks. We are to stay aware and on our guard against the devil's schemes (1st Peter 5:8). We are to fight with spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6). But I would still argue that if you are running after the Lord, you will be fully aware and armed when those intense battles come.

Please don't be intimidated if you are not to this place on your Christian journey yet. I've been a committed Christian since childhood, and I'm still not. But the question is, do we have the want-to? And if we're at a place where we have the want-to, are we willing to go about it God's way? We can't get there on our own.

"'Not by might, not by power, but by MY Spirit,' says the Lord." Zechariah 4:6

"...apart from Me, you can do nothing." John 15:5

I can't leave the topic without the last few points of the passage. They are key:

"God looks on all this with approval.

But He turns His back

on those who do evil things."

When we live life HIS way, He approves. When we do evil, He doesn't. He's holy. Yes, there's grace and forgiveness when we repent, thank goodness, but if we struggle with the same sins on a repetitive basis, we are wise to remember He is holy and that He hates sin. Often I have to get to the place where I've grown to hate my sin so much that I am more submissive to Him than ever to help me turn from it. Inevitably, when I do, it's hard and uncomfortable. But it's worth it in the end, because "life to the full" is so much sweeter than life to the comfortable. Full life keeps on giving and flowing. Comfort-driven life not only has limits, but also begins to deplete.

Wild stuff, but true. What are your thoughts?

Shot for the Soul

This is the time of year I get reeeeally burned out. I’m ready for the research papers, the end-of-year school projects, the extra activities, everything—to come to a screeching halt. You may be in a completely different season of life than me, but I’m certain whether you are a student, a working professional, an empty nester, or …, in some way this message applies to you.

I read a story to my daughter last week about Leonardo Da Vinci*, how sometimes he would work on a painting or an invention for several years, only to struggle with finishing it out (though often he did, thank goodness). He loved creating and imagining, building the plans, then lacked the drive to complete them. Most of the time, his desire to finish was based on how enormous he imagined the idea to be in terms of impact and renown. Wow, oh wow, could I relate to that personality flaw.

When I came across this version of the popular Hebrews 12 verse today, it grabbed the ear of my heart and held on for a good while:

Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

Several things jumped out at me here. “Never quit” as a result of “extra spiritual fat.”  The NIV says, “everything that hinders.” Pretty loose interpretation here, but how necessary. What spiritual activities do you engage in that are extra? Mere fluff? What are some of the things you do out of compulsion or legalism or self-righteousness or pride? Hmmm.

“No parasitic sins.”  These are not the ones committed accidentally. These are the ones that are eating away at you, infecting you from having your best run ever.

“Study how He did it.”  Gotta spend time studying. How did Jesus endure everything He had to endure to get through this life completing His mission? Was He always the first one to sign up for the next availability of service in the temple? Did He stop to meet every person’s need? What did He do, and how does that apply today?

“Because He never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever.”  Thought about where you’re headed lately? Thought about those who might not go along to Heaven with you because you’re too busy to love them or serve them or talk about Jesus to them? Do you let others’ opinions weigh you down? Do your earthly circumstances consume you, keeping you from seeing your future reality? Was His sight on earthly renown or eternal placement?

“When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”  Wowzer. This is where reflection, praise and thanksgiving come in. Notice it doesn’t say to go over your own story. It says to go over HIS. Look at what HE faced. Look at what HE endured. Stop, look. Listen. Prepare for a jolt of java-like determination to get you going again.

I don’t know about you, friends, but this worked for me. I’m not only ready to finish out my kids’ school year without having a meltdown, I’m also ready to tackle some other unfinished projects around the house. More than anything, I’m determined to lean in to get to know my Savior better. It is my relationship with Him that matters most. I want to learn His way of reacting to situations, His way of dealing with stupid questions, His way of dealing with Holier-than-Thous. I need to know what kinds of opportunities were important to Him, what kind of people caught His attention. HOW He handled the stress, the insults, the publicity. His mission. And the only way to do that is by fixing our eyes on Jesus first and foremost.

Where are you with all of this? 

I long for all of us to have His adrenaline shot into our souls, to examine our priorities, our sin struggles, our relationship with Jesus. I pray for all of us to finish strong…blameless, and to take at least one or two souls with us to our final destination. All of this so that we can have an “exhilarating finish, in and with God.” 

And may He receive glory and honor and praise, for it is all in His name we live and move and breathe. Amen.


* source: Leonardo DaVinci by Diane Stanley

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

Oh, that I could say this prayer and mean it...

It fills my heart with passion.

Pause. Ponder. Praise...

"I AM A PART OF the fellowship of the unashamed.

I have Holy Spirit power.

The Dye has been cast.

I have stepped over the line.

The decision has been made. I am a disciple of His.

I won't look back, let up, slow down, 

back away or be still.
My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure.

I am finished and done with low living,
side walking, small planning,
smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame vision,
worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position,
promotion, plaudence or popularity.
I don't have to be right, tops, recognized,
praised, regarded or rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience.
I am uplifted by prayer, labor by power,
my pace is set, my gait is fast,
my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow,
my way is rough, my companions are few,
my guide is reliable, my mission is clear.

I can't be bought, compromised, detoured,
lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch in the face of adversary,
negotioate at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of popularity,
or meander at the maze of mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up,
until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up,
paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ:

I am a disciple of Jesus,
I must go 'til He comes,
give 'til I drop,
preach 'til I know,
and wait 'til He counts me.

For when He comes for His own,
He will have no problems recognizing me.
My banner will be clear."

~ Author: An unknown pastor from Zimbabwe

1 Peter 4:14-19 (The Message)

If you're abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. 

It's the Spirit of God and his glory in you 

that brought you to the notice of others. 

If they're on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, 

that's a different matter. 

But if it's because you're a Christian, 

don't give it a second thought. 

Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!

It's judgment time for God's own family. We're first in line. 

If it starts with us, think what it's going to be like 

for those who refuse God's Message! 

If good people barely make it, 

What's in store for the bad?

So if you find life difficult because you're doing what God said, 

take it in stride. Trust him. 

He knows what he's doing, and he'll keep on doing it.

Once Upon A Time...We All Lived Happily Ever After

“He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.’”
Revelation 21:6

Imagine you’ve been given an amazing book to read in a super comfy chair with no distractions. You open it up and read the credits. The introduction then informs you that this particular book is self-timed, but it doesn’t let you know how long you have to finish it. As soon as you open it, though, you only have a certain amount of time to read it before it self-destructs. The timer has begun the moment you opened the book. How exciting!

The beginning is so thrilling that you are sitting on the edge of your seat and your heart is racing: “Once upon a time…” Your mood changes by the time you get to the middle of the story, and the words begin to run together. You hate to admit it’s even a tad on the boring side. You keep reading, however, because you’ve got an unknown deadline. As you go on, your boredom turns to frustration, then to apathy. When will I get to the exciting part?

It seems to me that this is often the way many of us live our lives on this earth. We’re here, in the middle of our life stories, knowing our days our numbered, and we’re just waddling through or struggling on until we get to the “exciting part” or even the end itself. We know that our Lord is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, but we need fresh reminders that He is here with us every day in between, surely, to the very final chapter!

Our Alpha did not come at the beginning only to give us a promise at the end…He came to keep His promises in the middle as well. He says in John 10:10b, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” And He gives us that fullness each and every day through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in us and through us: “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of Truth…for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:16-18.

Let’s make a great start to this new day in the middle chapter of our life stories. It’s sobering to think that we have no idea how close to the end of our book we actually are. First, though, let’s take a pop quiz over the chapters before this one: “Who have been the main characters in my story? How have I blessed them? How have they made a difference to me? When was the last time I shared the gospel with someone, or even my story?”

And can you recall the plot? “Where was I when I gave my life to Jesus, and what details led up to it? How have I grown as a Christian since then? What sin struggles have been overcome, and which ones am I carrying over?” And on and on…continue to ask yourself some true or false questions and spend this time deciding which facts you need to leave behind and which ones you need the Lord to use to make changes in you today.

Here’s the happy ending: “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and He will live with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’” Revelation 21: 3-5

When we know the hope that exists at the end, it makes us want to live our now to the fullest. What stimulating characters, adventures and plots will our lives record this day? What struggles will the Lord allow to shape us and grow us up? Will we choose to be the conflict or the climax in others’ life-stories? Why should we waste a single moment we’ve been given? Let’s live on in the Spirit together, shall we? Until the “HAPPILY EVER AFTER!” So be it.

In the Key of HE,

Sploshy Steps

Kristen over at Exemplify posted her monthly Monday Manna meme today. I couldn't resist this one, because it is part of the melody of my lifesong.

“The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly,
along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”
1 Timothy 1:14, NIV

I love the way the Message puts it too...

"Grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. And all because of Jesus."

The word that stands out to me is 'poured.' Picture being out on a walk, and all of a sudden, it starts to sprinkle. Random wet dots appear on your head and your clothing. But if it begins to pour, you're drenched all the way through your shoes...every sploshy step leaves the marks of your saturated state.

When I picture the grace of the Lord that way, it humbles me. I'm drenched with it. It has completely poured down and covered my stink. And because of who He is, each step I take leaves marks of His grace. Just as if I were to soak someone else with a big hug after coming out of the rainstorm, so I will drench others with Him as I touch their lives with love. With each trial and struggle I walk through stemming from the faith He's given me, so the faith of others can be strengthened.

He desires us to live this saturated life, and we can do so as we fill up on Him.

John 10:10b
"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Lord, I can't thank You enough for pouring out your grace, faith and love. Please keep me soaked in it as I walk through this life. Help me not to trust in anything or anyone other than You to provide rich, abundant life. Be my everything, Lord, and may everyone I touch experience more of You as a result. In Jesus' name, Amen.

In the Key of HE,