Drink From the Deep

I want to tell you the story of heaven today. I’m convinced Oliver Wendell Holmes  got it wrong when he said people can be“so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good,” (Yes, that’s not a scripture verse, it’s from Oliver Wendell Holmes) In my experience I find Christian who aren’t heavenly minded are no earthly good.

I’m not saying we go around wishing things where different, waiting for the day Jesus returns to right every wrong and to judge perfectly. I know when I consider heaven, it motivates me to see as much of it here on earth as I can. I’ll need to unpack that statement, but there is much that scripture teaches us about heaven that I want to make time for in this post. Suffice it to say, heaven is where the Father’s will is done perfectly and I want to see His will done on earth as it is in heaven.

Because He’s good and He’s in a good mood.

I want us to consider heaven today…

Because it will encourage us not to worry about others worry about… and we’ll have peace.
It will encourage us to watch not the world but for the world to come… and we’ll have joy.
It will encourage us to stand ready by His grace… and in his righteousness.

This brief life on earth is the preface, not the book, the preliminaries, not the main event, the tune-up, not the concert. You were created for so much more than you could ever possibly experience or even conceive in this life. Inside your spirit you know that it’s true. You cry out for justice, you want good to always be done, the pain that sin causes sickens you… when you slow down enough to notice.

It’s because the core of who you are has been ruined for everything less than your destiny.

Some of you husbands just think your wives like to complain… No. It is because she lives in a fallen world that has yet to be redeemed in a body that has yet to be perfected and her spirit resists accepting that she has been created to live in anything less than her destiny… you go girl.

Just remember the eternal perspective if you’re one of those given to complain… you’re not complaining about your husband not putting the toilet seat down. You’re complaining because you were created for heaven and heaven is not yet here… but it’s coming.

Romans 8:21-23 NLT
All creation anticipates the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us.

Jesus told us he’d be coming back…

John 14:1-3 NIV
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

What does the Bible say heaven will be like?

Heaven will be a lot like earth, only so much better than earth that it seems like an insult to describe it like earth. I’m not trying to lower your expectations but I want to give you some frame of reference… This world is a shadow of things to come - a pale reflection see through the glass darkly.

This world is where we live… Heaven is the place where God is.
Home of Christ, angels, and redeemed. Only for those who know Christ, whose names written in Lamb’s book of life.

1 Peter 3:21-22
and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand–with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.

This world really exists…
Heaven is located up and out there, outside our own universe. It is solid. Real. Not airy. Not ethereal. Tangible.

1 Thessalonians 5:16
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

In this world we have bodies… In heaven we will have resurrected bodies
Facts of our Resurrected Bodies

1. It will be a recognizable body. 1 Cor. 13:2
2. It will be a body like Christ’s body. 1 John 3:2
3. It will be a body that will permit eating. Luke 24:41–43; John 21:12–13
4. It will be a body in which the spirit predominates. 1 Cor. 15:44, 49
5. It will be a body unlimited by time, gravity, or space. Luke 24:31; John 20:19, 26
6. It will be an eternal body. 2 Cor. 5:1
7. It will be a glorious body. Rom. 8:18; 1 Cor. 15:43

In this world we have houses and cities….In heaven we have homes and the new Jerusalem
Heaven is a city whose builder and maker is God. A city by definition consists of residences. People live together. No isolation.

Hebrews 11:10
For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

City will have walls, gates, streets. Three gates on each side, 12 gates total. Access from all over new earth.

Revelation 21:21
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.

No down payment, closing costs, mortgage payments, property tax, utility bills.

John 14:2
In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.

And if you think you’d never like the city, it’s because you’re thinking of earthly cities, with litter and dirt and crime. The heavenly city will have all the freshness and vitality and openness of the country with all the vibrancy and interdependence and relationships of a city. And there will be no racial divisions between people.

In this world oceans divide people… In heaven…
Water. No oceans to separate people of earth but fresh water–a great river, flowing not stagnant.

Revelation 22:1
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

We travel in this world… In heaven There will be travel…

Revelation 21:27
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

People will go from one place to another. Gates never shut. Our means of travel may be interesting–we are told we will be like Jesus and that his resurrection body is the prototype of ours. He walked through walls with his resurrection body. Perhaps we will have the option of walking, or traveling at the speed of light, or even the speed of thought.

In this world we remember… In heaven we’ll remember..
We know that in the heavenly city there will be memorials to the twelve tribes and to the apostles. Remembrance is something very important to God. We will sing of Christ’s redemption, his space and time history death on our behalf. Christ’s resurrection body bore the nail scars–this itself reminds us of redemption.

We’ll know our loved ones in heaven. We’ll know even those we didn’t know on earth. Peter James and John recognized Moses and Elijah in the transfiguration. They had died 900 years earlier and nobody had a picture. Christ’s resurrection body resembled him–the disciples had a hard time recognizing him at first, but they thought he was still dead!

You don’t become ignorant when you go home with Christ, you become enlightened. Heaven’s joy is not based on being uniformed but in having an accurate perspective.

In Heaven there is light…
Light. No secondary sources. No generators and power lines, not even the sun. Illumination right from God himself–the lamb is the lamp. There will be no night–could be a variation in brightness; maybe a gentle suffused light.

Revelation 21:23
The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

In Heaven there will be trees and seasons…

Revelation 22:2
down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

And animals…
Revelation talks of several angels riding out on horses. Elijah–chariots and horses of fire come to and from heaven. Elisha–God sent horses and chariots and warriors from heaven.

Revelation 19:14

The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.

Heaven is the culmination and progression of the kingdom of God in it’s redeemed state.

Those of us who long for justice, justice for the racially oppressed, for the politically persecuted, for the unborn children need to remind ourselves not to give up hope, not to become embittered. Heaven will bring great relief to the suffering, the hungry, the hurting. No crying, no pain, no sorrow, no more death. No hospitals, cemeteries. No sin.

Revelation 7:16-17
Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

No evil. No fear. No abuse, rape, murder, drugs, drunkenness, no bombs or guns. Walk streets at night.

We Enter Into our Destiny
No miscommunication or fear of misunderstanding. total intimacy with Christ. We are told that he will give each of us a new name. A personal name that will mean much to us and to him.

Revelation 3:20
Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.

Heaven will be deeply appreciated by the handicapped that will not be handicapped any longer. Think of those who can walk and run and hear. Think of those blind from birth that will see for the first time. The hymn writer Fanny Crosby said, “Do not pity me for my blindness, for the first face I ever see will be the face of my Lord Jesus.”

Revelation 21:4
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.”

And think what heaven will mean to the mentally handicapped, who will wake up in heaven to great powers of understanding and learning. Who, will be as free in their minds as those who were crippled on earth will be free in their bodies.

There will be great joy in heaven….
And just thinking about it now should give us Joy and Peace.

That’s not all I mean by Heaven is the culmination and progression of the kingdom of God in it’s redeemed state.

Let me explain. There are five things we do in this life for eternity. Four of them we will do in eternity.

Worship

Revelation 19:1-3
After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever.”

See Revelation 5 and 15 and 19.

There will be no temple, no church buildings. We will need no props to worship him. PowerPoint is not eternal.
Christ will be the focus of all. Worship will be unaffected, without pretense, and without distraction. We will lose ourselves in worship of Christ, and before we turn to the duties at hand we may suddenly realize that we were so caught up in worship that we have spent the last hundred years gazing upon the Lamb.

We will worship Christ in singing. In Revelation 5 we are told of a choir of angels of ten thousand times ten thousand–that’s a hundred million. And then we are told that the whole rest of creation joins these 100 million. The 100 million are merely a little ensemble up front. Can you imagine the power of the song? If hearing gathered voices praise God as one moves us in this life, what will this be like in eternity?

Fellowship

Revelation 19:9
Then the angel said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

Christ promised we would eat and drink at table with him; plus come from all over to sit at table with Abraham and patriarchs. We will feast at the marriage supper of the Lamb.

There will be an endless supply of water and food. No famine or drought. No food poisoning, no indigestion, no high or low blood sugars.

(BTW I have a Christocentric Theology of food that allows me to enjoy every meal with Christ and His body.)

Eating is not just to eat–the table is the center of conversation and fellowship. We will meet and converse with other inhabitants of heaven. God tells us we’ll fellowship with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. We’ll meet David and Ruth and Esther and John the Baptist and Mary and Peter. I look forward to meeting and feasting with Origen and Anthony and Patrick and Charles Finney and Smith Wigglesworth and C. S. Lewis (and you - won’t we have a lot to catch up on?).

Discipleship
We will learn, progress in knowledge. When 1 Corinthians 13 says we will know in full, it’s in contrast to seeing through a dark glass. We will know accurately. But we will not be all-knowing. Only God is that, and we will never be God.

Ephesians 2:6-7: ” . . . in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace…”

A continual learning more about God, who can never exhausted.

Right now 11% of our brain is used. I know in heaven we’ll have new minds with our new bodies, but consider even what we have now to be amazed at what’s to come.

Theology is the understanding of God and we will be able to understand God in what he reveals to us and throughout his creation. How long will you spend studying a black hole? Why not? Who has placed in us the thirst for knowledge and understanding and beauty? Our Creator. And because he is a Creator he will go right on creating.

Service

Revelation 22:5
There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever.

We are called joint heirs with Christ. We will own property, residences in heaven. We will enjoy those treasures that we have laid up for ourselves in heaven while on earth.

Revelation 22:5 says we will reign with Christ over the earth. Luke 19 tells us those who have been faithful in this life will be placed in authority, some over one city, some five, some ten. 1 Corinthians 6 tells us we will judge or rule over angels.

How else will we serve Christ besides ruling? Well, we will be creative and exercise abilities–all will sing and some will play instruments. (Harp and trumpet mentioned, but no doubt many other instruments too.)

We will no doubt compose, write, paint, carve, build. We will exercise our God-given gifts, and continue to develop and perfect our talents.

No time to talk about the rewards we will be given… but they are many…

Evangelism

This is the one eternal purpose that is only for this time… and this is where I want to get back to the importance of story and this is where I want to get back to keeping watch and being ready.

The only thing that is keeping Christ from returning, is the fullness of time… when the full number of people come into his kingdom. This is the only thing we can’t do for eternity and so that’s why we make it a priority in this life.

Paul told Philemon

Philemon 1:6
I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.

What is part of the every good thing we have in Christ? HEAVEN.

One of the reasons we’re not excited about heaven is because we are not actively sharing our faith. One of the reasons we are not actively sharing our faith is because we are not excited about heaven.

Another reason why we don’t share our faith is that we’ve been shamed into doing it and it hasn’t gone well. Bill Johnson says “without power, the gospel is not good news” and he follows it up with “we owe people an encounter with the love and power of God”.

When we bring Heaven to earth, God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.  Is there sickness in heaven? No. So we know it’s not God’s will for people to be sick on earth and we can pray with faith and see them heal.

In fact, Christ sent his disciples out and told them to “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons and raise the dead”. (Matthew 10:8) Then when He commissioned His disciples he told them to make disciples “teaching them to obey everything I’ve commanded you.” (Matthew 28:20). That has to include healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons and raising the dead.

Incidentally, these are 4 things we can’t do in heaven. We can only do them here in this fallen world that screams out for reconciliation. When we do, we bring heaven to earth. We bring the circumstance into agreement with the Father’s will. And it’s so much fun to share your faith in love and power.

I did a review for Kevin Dedmon’s book “The Ultimate Treasure Hunt” that you may want to check out if you want to tools to bring heaven to earth.

Consider it.

Cessation is a fancy word for ceasing. It’s usually used to describe why some in the church don’t believe the gifts of the Spirit are for today. The argument I often hear is from what Paul said in 1 Corinthian 13:9-10 (NIV):

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

The argument continues that when the Bible was formalized, the gifts seemed to cease from history. This is of course is a distorted understanding of history. I often laugh about the Church  teaching the gifts no longer existed, but if someone was proven to operate in them, they would  be called a saint… or burned at the stake, then later canonized.

But today I’m more concerned about a new cessationism. This comes from believers who are afraid to teach on Angels. They get nervous when anyone talks about angelic experiences. They discount such experiences with a superiority of disdain. These are good, godly people who   are looking often are looking out for the church.

The problem is they are denying scripture.

Before we get into what scripture says about angels, let’s look at the warnings it gives. These are not to be taken lightly.

Angels  don’t fully understand salvation

1 Peter 1:10-12 (New Living Translation)
This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.

They were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen.

Angels are Inferior to Jesus

Hebrews 1:5-13 (New Living Translation)
The Son Is Greater Than the Angels
For God never said to any angel what he said to Jesus:
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.”
God also said,
“I will be his Father,
and he will be my Son.”
And when he brought his firstborn Son into the world, God said,
“Let all of God’s angels worship him.”
Regarding the angels, he says,
“He sends his angels like the winds,
his servants like flames of fire.”
But to the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever.
You rule with a scepter of justice.
You love justice and hate evil.
Therefore, O God, your God has anointed you,
pouring out the oil of joy on you more than on anyone else.”
He also says to the Son,
“In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundation of the earth
and made the heavens with your hands.
 They will perish, but you remain forever.
They will wear out like old clothing.
 You will fold them up like a cloak
and discard them like old clothing.
   But you are always the same;
you will live forever.”
And God never said to any of the angels,
“Sit in the place of honor at my right hand
until I humble your enemies,
making them a footstool under your feet.

They Are Not To Be Worshiped

Revelation 22:8-9 (New Living Translation)
I, John, am the one who heard and saw all these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me.  But he said, “No, don’t worship me. I am a servant of God, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this book. Worship only God!”

Matthew 4:9-10 (New Living Translation)
“I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”
“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say,
‘You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.’”

They Aren’t to Be Listened To If They Contradict Scripture

Colossians 2:8 (New Living Translation)
Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

Galatians 1:8 (New Living Translation)
Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you

If we look only at these Scriptures, then look at Church History we have ample cause to shy away from teaching about angels. But there is such a rich revelation of the angelic in scripture, we do ourselves a disservice to not tune in to the reality of their existence. In the next post we’ll start examining what Scripture tells us about angels. Feel free to share your stories with me…

How we see the Father is important. It’s critical in fact. If we think of Him as a distant and impersonal than we never approach Him and build our relationship with Him. Names have a lot to do with our perception.

The Father has many names that He has revealed, and those are great to study to get to know Him. My focus today are the names He calls us.

It should matter who gives us names. Those who are more important or who have more authority over us have the right to name us. What the Father says about us enables us to live out our destiny. When we know whose we are, “Who we Are” takes on a whole new meaning.

I’m going to start by reminding you who you are in Christ, then move on so you can discern your the Father’s destiny for you…

This is adapted from Neil T Anderson’s “The Steps to Freedom in Christ”

In Christ You Are Completely Accepted. The Father says that…
You are God’s child (John 1:12)
You are Christ’s friend (John 15:15)
You have been justified (Romans 5:1)
You are united with the Lord and You are one spirit with Him (1Cor 6:17)
You have been bought with a price; you belong to God (1Cor 6:19,20)
You are a member of Christ’s Body (1 Corinthians 12:27)
You are a saint, a holy one (Ephesians 1:1)
You have been adopted as God’s child (Ephesians 1:5)
You have direct access to God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18)
You have been redeemed and forgiven of all your sins (Colossians 1:14)
You are complete in Christ (Colossians 2:10)

In Christ You Are Totally Secure. The Father says that…
You are free forever from condemnation (Romans 8:1,2)
You are assured all things work together for good. (Romans 8:28)
You are free from any condemning charges against you (Rom 8:31-34)
You cannot be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39)
You have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2Cor 1:21-22)
You are confident that the good work God has begun in you will be perfected (Philippians 1:6)
You are a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20)
You are hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3)
You have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)
You can find grace and mercy to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16)
You are born of God and the evil one cannot touch you (1 John 5:18)

In Christ You Are Deeply Significant. The Father says that…
You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mat 5:13,14)
You are a branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15:1,5)
You have been chosen and appointed by God to bear fruit (John 15:6)
You are a personal, Spirit-empowered witness of Christ’s (Acts 1:8)
You are a temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16)
You are a minister of reconciliation for God (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
You are God’s co-worker (2 Corinthians 6:1)
You are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6)
You are God’s workmanship, created for good works (Eph 2:10)
You may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph 3:12)
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! (Phi 4:13)

Here’s a video to help get these truths into your thinking…

Do you ever wondered what the Father is really like?

It’s too easy for us to look at our own fathers, or the greek god Zeus, or Santa Claus, and assign those attributes to our heavenly Father. But that view would be distorted.

Jesus says, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9 (NLT)

That’s because Jesus was the exact representation of the Father. As Bill Johnston says; “Jesus is perfect theology”.

He only did what He saw the Father do

For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. John 6:38 New Living Translation (NLT)

He only said what He heard the Father say

I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it. And I know his commands lead to eternal life; so I say whatever the Father tells me to say.” 
John 12:49-50 New Living Translation (NLT)

So let’s spend some time looking at Jesus so we can see the Father more clearly. These are thoughts that I consider when I wonder at and about the Father.

Jesus - Liked to Party

The Son of Man, on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.” Matthew 11:19 (New Living Translation)

The Father - Rejoices Over You with Singing

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (New Living Translation)

Jesus - Loved His Friends

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. John 15:13-14 (New Living Translation)

The Father - Calls You The Apple of His Eye

Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings Psalm 17:7-8 (New International Version)

Jesus - Didn’t Come to Condemn

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17 (New Living Translation)

The Father - Is Not Angry with You

“Just as I swore in the time of Noah that I would never again let a flood cover the earth, so now I swear that I will never again be angry and punish you. For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you.
Isaiah 54:9-10 (New Living Translation)

Jesus - Healed All Who Were Oppressed by The Devil

And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38 (New Living Translation)

The Father - Forgives ALL Your Sins and Heals All Your Diseases

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
Psalm 103:2-3 (New Living Translation)

Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. He is perfect theology. If you want to know the Father, you need to know His Son.

It’s not the Father’s will for you to be away from them. (2 Peter 3:9) He longs to welcome you into His family (Luke 15:20). You can trust Him. He’s good.

Have you ever gone out for a ball game in May thinking “I hope it’s stopped snowing”? Well, that’s my thoughts for today. Snow in May… not uncommon in Edmonton, but certainly unwelcome by most. It makes me think “Why am I living here?”

I’ve been running into people lately and after a conversation ask them the same thing. No, usually I’m not telling them they should leave Edmonton. I am trying to convince them to live out of Romans 8 instead of Romans 7.

What do I mean by that? Well, usually somewhere in the conversation they’ll quote something like “The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. ” Romans 7:14-15 (NLT)

Then when I tell them “But you’re dead to sin” they go on… “I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.” Romans 7:19-20 (NLT)

Please understand, I know I’m putting words in their mouths. I don’t know anyone whose memorized a great deal in the New Living Translation. But the sentiment is consistent. “I sin, therefore I am a sinner.”

I’ve never seen anyone live out their destiny with that attitude.

I get it. I understand we struggle with sin. I know that what Paul wrote seems to apply so well to our situation that it’s easy to quote it as a vindication for our experience. But you are not a slave to sin. If you sin, it’s your choice. Good thing you have a Father who, when we confess our sins, is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

The main problem with quoting that section of Romans 7 is that it is taken completely out of context.  Paul is describing his life under the Law. When we see ourselves as worms and worthless, not only as we saying the Father is a fool for entrusting us so great a mystery, we are living under the law… So why are you living there?

Move onto the truth of Chapter 8. I get so excited reading the whole chapter, I’m going to include it here. Read it out as a declaration. Know your Father is good and He’s in a good mood. He hasn’t made junk. He’s promised never to get angry with you again (Isaiah 54:9-10)

What the law was powerless to do, Christ accomplished on the cross. So why are you living under the law? Let Romans 8 get into your thinking. Memorize it. Declare it. Enjoy it. (The emphasis are mine… it’s too good to leave alone….)

Romans 8 (NIV)

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering . And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.

You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I’ve started a new blog at EmpoweringInspiration.com. It deals with applicable inspiration for life in the Spirit - a how-to of living in step with the Father.

DrinkFromtheDeep.com returns to it’s initial purpose of experiencing more of our supernatural Father. I’ve been called a mystic, and I took it as a compliment. It was given by a retiring clergy from another denomination. In our conversations around quantum physics, I’m convinced he came to a new relationship with Jesus. He was used to different language, so when he said “you’re a mystic” without a hint of distain, I knew it was meant as a compliment.

Christian mystics historically have taken truth from the natural to explain the supernatural. That’s what I’m attempting to do here. And it starts with a discussion around having the Kingdom within us…

When Jesus was on earth, He spoke in parables about the Kingdom. These parables weren’t understood by the casual listener. Even those closest to Him had to ask Him to explain what they meant.

Over the centuries, the church has greatly abused what Christ said about the Kingdom. We’ve considered it an earthly kingdom when He himself said “It’s not of this world” (John 18:36). We’ve assumed the church is the Kingdom when it’s in fact the means by which the Kingdom advances. Most of us don’t live in a society where a Monarch holds political power, so we’ve remained ignorant about the Kingdom.

I’m not saying I have all the answers. The analogy I’m about to lay out is limited to the Kingdom within us and that is such a small part of the Kingdom we know and experience this side of eternity. I’m working through another analogy for the Kingdom that’s in the world, but the imagery isn’t coming as easily. I’m part of an individualistic society, it’s more difficult to think in terms of the whole… and I have a head cold right now that’s making it difficult to think at all.

So here’s a thought I’ve been working on that helps me understand the Kingdom in the life of any individual. I hope it helps you understand a bit more about the Kingdom of God within you (Luke 17:21).

The Kingdom is like a pregnant woman. The seed in her starts small and grows (Matthew 13:31-32). She may or may not know she’s pregnant at first, but the changes in her body become obvious over time.

Life begins at conception. It’s not fully formed and will naturally mature. But the woman can never say “I’m a little bit pregnant”.  She’s no less pregnant than someone in her last trimester. Life is within her. To carry a child is a magical, yet perfectly natural part of who she’s been created to be.

Sometimes a women has a hard time to conceive (Matthew 13:19).  A baby can be aborted spontaneously without thought or malice (Matthew 13:20-21). Abortion can also be a choice (Matthew 13:22).

Whatever the reason is for the child not being born, healing of emotional and sometimes physical wounds need to occur before conception is attempted again.

We know somewhat what a newborn will look like. They have characteristics of their parents that become even more prominent over time. However, no matter what we dream our child may look like or accomplish, there is always the opportunity for those dreams to be exceeded.

So to it is with the Kingdom.

No analogy is perfect and I hope this one didn’t stir up grief for anyone. For me, it helps to understand the Kingdom within me. I am my Father’s child and as I grow I become more like Him.

As I said above, there is much more Jesus said about the Kingdom and much of that is better understood as  being  “anywhere the King reigns” .

As soon as I settle on a picture for that which makes sense, I’ll submit it here for your comments. In the meantime, I’d appreciate knowing what you think about this analogy.

Trevor

Today wasn’t quite the day I envisioned when I began. Just as I was finishing uploading one website and about to upload another, the power went off in my house.

My first thought was to finish the email I was writing on my laptop before the non-existence battery died, then I realized I couldn’t send it as the router and modem were out.

No worries, I copied it and saved it and closed the lid.

When God gives me time I ask what I should do.  I’ve been itching to start EmpoweringInspiration.com as a blog for practical inspiration for life in the Spirit. The posts have been written for the next few months, but without power I couldn’t start that.

Then I thought I could go soak in the hot tub… but there would be no jets and it would only cool the water. I could go work out on the elliptical trainer… but that plugs into the wall and it’s not much of a workout without resistance. So I thought I’d read the Bible.

And it was great. It was alive. It was encouraging and challenging. But I couldn’t help but thinking how reliant I am on power.

I cleaned up some chocolates that shouldn’t be in my line of site and put them in the freezer… and I realized the food in the fridge wasn’t being kept cool. No one could call except on my cell and that battery wasn’t going to last forever. I went out to meet with my intern for lunch and when I got back the power was still off.

And it was time to check twitter…. no worries, I had my iPhone. That app didn’t work, and neither did the one to update this blog… what was God trying to tell me?

There is an obvious analogy - we can’t do much without power. We may have batteries that may or may not be able to hold a charge, but if they aren’t charged up, there won’t be much life in them.

The same is true in our spiritual lives. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing. We can try on our own power, but that’s limited at best. We can’t operate for long on our own without plugging in.

All in all, it was a peaceful day for me. I didn’t (yet) accomplish my goals, but I was able to spend unexpected time with the Father. And He was fun to be around. I’ve decided to get back to more regular time with Him, without having to use the lack of power as an excuse. And I’ve also made peace with a few significant decisions in our lives, ministry and business all because I took the time to plug in.

Be blessed.

BTW next week I start posting 2x a week on this blog. I’m focusing on developing a working theology for the nameless, faceless revival that’s happening all over the world.

It feels like a long time since my last post. I appreciate all the feedback and encouragement. I’ve been in thought over the direction my posts have taken and have decided to move back to the original purpose of this blog - talking about experiencing more of our Supernatural Father.

I saw a post on Twitter that made me see the need to move back to encouraging people to listen to the Father, since He’s almost always talking. In fact, my oft said statement “The only time the Teacher is silent is when the test is on.” Can be countered with “His temporary silence speaks volumes in what He’s entrusted in us.”

This, and a passion to put together a working theology for the nameless, faceless revolution that’s happening right now has led me to decide to turn this blog back from practical application to ponderance and awe.

Don’t worry, I’ll be setting up another blog for the “How - to” of a radical faith in an amazing God. But until I finish the shop at ExpectancyMinistries.com it will have to wait. I have 35 posts ready to go and the domain waiting to be set up, so I’ll let you know when it’s good to go.

When the test is on, the Father may seem distant.

When the test is on, you may feel abandoned.

When the test is on, you may doubt what you once knew.

But when the test is on, you can find comfort in the Psalms knowing others have gone through it before you.

When the test is on, you know He’s entrusted you with something great because He’s trusts you to handle it correctly.

When the test is on, you know He’s good. He hasn’t set you up to fail, the good work started in you will be completed.

I’ve had to remind myself of this lately. So I hope you don’t mind me reminding you as well.

Here’s another excerpt from my latest booklet “How to Judge Without Being a Jerk”. Before it goes to press, I’m happy to send out the print-ready manuscript to anyone who wants to take a look and tell me what you think. The last few months I’m really getting a clearer view of what the Father is teaching me in the process we’re in. I’m looking forward to sharing what I’m sensing He has in store for us.

Please comment about my thoughts on discernment:

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The Greeks had a word “krino”. It meant to, “discern,” “decide” and “condemn”. We most commonly translate “krino” into English as “judge”.

It’s easy for us to move from discernment to condemnation without any thought of it. But the Bible tells us not to be so hasty:

Be honest in your judgment and do not decide at a glance (superficially and by appearances); but judge fairly and righteously. John 7:24 (Amplified Bible)

So how do we discern? How do we decide? And how do we condemn?
Discern…

Spiritual discernment is how the Spirit shows the church or individuals what  the Father wants them to do and be.

Discernment is more than just a skill. Discernment is a gift from God before it is anything else. Yet there are clearly skills you put to use when activating your gift, and you can become better at it through training and experience.

These are the main criteria the Bible gives us to look for when we discern a situation:

• Is it governed by love 
    (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)?
• Does it center us onto Jesus the Christ and Lord 
    (1 Corinthians 12:3)?
• Does it direct us to Scripture, not away from it 
    (Isaiah 8:19, 20)?
• Does it builds up the church and its members 
    (Ephesians 4:11-12)?

Discernment is a supernatural gift, and - as with all gifts of the Spirit – when it’s not done in love, it perverts into something ugly.  People who use discernment without love are critical people. They easily condemn.

Love keeps discernment in its proper, life-giving place.

If we love our Christian brothers and sisters, it proves that we have passed from death to life. But a person who has no love is still dead.
1 John 3:14 (New Living Translation)

Move in the gift of discernment. Here’s how:

We are told to “eagerly desire” spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:29, 14:1, 14:12 and 14:39).  You operate in it by and through faith and in a continual attitude of worship. There is not space to draw this out further, so let’s simply summarize how to move in the gift of discernment:

1. Eagerly desire discernment
2. Operate in it by and through faith
3. It’s activated in worship.

Gifts can come through impartation, so let’s move on to it right now. Have you been eagerly desiring discernment? It can be yours right now. Believe that you’ll receive this gift, then act on what He shows you.

Father, right here and now we impart the gift of discernment on those who read these words and who by faith and in love choose to act on the gift of discernment that You freely bestow.  Lord, give them dreams, give them visions, give them a deep inner knowing. Empower them to speak out in faith and in love. Father, we ask also for the gifts of wisdom and knowledge needed to accompany discernment. Thank you for being a Good Father who gives good gifts to His children who ask.

Now listen to what the Father says. Don’t look at the situation to find solutions; look to see the Father’s will. The gift is yours. Stir it up. Use it. Impart it to others.

________

Contact me if you’d like a digital copy of this entire teaching.

This comes from my new booklet on judging. I raise questions here that I’ll answer in the next post. I’m in the process of editing that booklet, and have decided to change the name of it to “How to Judge and Not be a Jerk”. Thank you everyone for your feedback.

I’m working on five more booklets that flesh out “How to Live Life Above the Negativity”. These are companions to my book “Life Above the Negativity - from 10 minutes a day” We’re almost done this year’s international campaign. Find out more at LifeAbovetheNegativity.com.

It concludes on Easter Sunday. We’ve had people continue to sign up for 40 daily emails at 40DaysFromNegativity.com and it’s amazing to see how it’s spread around the world.

The booklets are written to followers of Christ, with heavy emphasis on the Biblical basis for living life positively. I’ve been encouraged to write Cross-over material for a general audience and as I work through the material, I see the potential to take universal truth and plant seeds about the heart of the One who made the Universe.

We’re also praying about and investigating setting up one-on-one coaching to help people work out the implications of living life above the negativity. Let me know if you’d be interested.

That’s probably enough of an update. Love to have your feedback on this section of the booklet. It really is to whet the discussion that follows it up. You’ll be able to see it after Easter, when I post it.

Happy Easter, may it truly be a time of resurrection.

_______________________

Don’t Judge

Jesus made some interesting statements that we often overlook. He said:

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (New Living Translation)

OK, I was just checking to see if you were reading every word. Almost everyone knows John 3:16, but how often have you quoted the next verse?

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:17 (New Living Translation)

Look at what Jesus says later in John…

I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. John 12:47  (New Living Translation)

Is this the Jesus you’ve been taught? Is He the one you live to show?

Before you decide I’m off balance, consider what Paul wrote the Romans. He’s just finished writing about the complete reprobate-ness of the culture in chapter one and he follows it up in chapter two with -

You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
Romans 2:1-4 (New Living Translation)

It’s clear; we’re not to judge people who are not yet inside the church.

But we’re told to Judge…

OK, I can hear the booklets getting ready to close, so I need to bring it back to the whole counsel of God. Let’s put John 12:47 into context. Jesus did continue the teaching found in Acts 10:42, 2 Timothy 4:1 and 1 Peter 4:5 in the next verse…

But all who reject my message and me will be judged on the Day of Judgment by the truth I have spoken. John 12:48 (New Living Translation)

And you and I can’t live this life with the creed “They’re not hurting anyone” to excuse sin in others.

Proverbs 25:26 says:

If the godly give in to the wicked,
it’s like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring. (NLT)

Furthermore, not only will Jesus judge the living and the dead, we are told to judge as well.

Don’t you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church? 1 Corinthians 6:2-4 (New Living Translation)

And we are told specifically to:

Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NIV)

But if we are to judge, how do we work out the implications of His other commands in our life?

“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
Matthew 7:1-2 (New Living Translation)

We need a better understanding of judging.

_________________

The “better understanding” is coming…