Unwindings.org

Today I had a few moments to talk with my mother on the phone. We talked about many of the problems in the world right now from war in the Middle East to some recent tornadoes in Montana that devastated a community. It was a reminder to me how at any given moment there is someone, somewhere in the world experiencing overwhelming circumstances that are well beyond their control. As we mutually encouraged each other that our Hope is not found in anything this world has to offer she shared a wonderful truth found in Our Daily Bread on April 16, 2010, titled “For This I Have Jesus”…

In an evangelistic meeting in Ireland, the speaker was explaining what it means to abide in Christ and to trust Him completely in every trial. Concluding his message, he repeated several times, “It means that in every circumstance you can keep on saying, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ ”

The meeting was then opened for testimonies. One young woman said, “Just a few minutes ago I was handed this telegram. It reads, ‘Mother is very ill; take train home immediately.’ When I saw those words, I knew that tonight’s message was meant just for me. My heart looked up and said, ‘For this I have Jesus.’ Instantly a peace and strength flooded my soul.”

Three or four weeks later the evangelist received a letter from this woman. It read, “Thank you again for the message you gave that day. Life has become an uninterrupted psalm of victory, for I have come to realize that no matter what life brings, for this I have Jesus.”

That believer in Christ had found in her Savior the One who would be with her “through fire and through water,” and who would bring her “out to rich fulfillment” (Ps. 66:12).

If you are enduring a great trial of affliction, remember—for this you have Jesus!

Our Daily Bread – www.odb.org

All the times we have been afflicted with life’s troubles… were we so quick to say “Lord, for this I have You!”? What a helpful reminder this is. The loss of a needed job, an difficult financial situation, the loss of a loved one, a severe health issue or any other circumstance that squeezes in on you from every side – to say “Lord, it is for this very circumstance I have You.” We have no idea what each day will bring into our lives but Jesus does and is prepared to be everything we could ever need.

Christian behaviorism is an area of study that has long interested me. The believer was never given the right to change his/her bad behaviors and subsequently DO good behavior but instead has been given the capacity to recognize bad behavior as revealed by God and then the responsibility to trust God as He changes that behavior and leads us in the good behavior He has already designed for us (Eph.2:10). This is a basic New Covenant truth. But this truth is such a big struggle for the Christian especially in today’s society because of the growing want to see God doing His work in us immediately. The “I want it all and I want it now” mentality otherwise known as living in the present or Hedonism.

Turns out that our perspective of time very much impacts how we live our lives. I invite you to watch the below video produced by the 250 year old London-based Royal Society for the advancement of the Arts (RSA). By no means do I subscribe to all of the RSA’s worldly philosophies but I do find that this specific video presents some fascinated scientific analysis that Christians can appreciate. As you watch this video think about your personal time perspective. Do you live your life based upon the way things have always been? Do you live for the ‘now’ wanting immediate gratification? Or do you live with the hope that what God is doing, seen and unseen, is far better than anything you could ever orchestrate – a hope that brings God’s rest and peace into your present state of living?

Open our eyes Lord and teach us to trust and rest in You in our daily living.

You may hear from time to time the term “paradigm shift” tossed around but have you taken time to consider what is really means? I was reading an article titled Paradigm Shift by John Woodward, a former pastor and now the Director of Counseling and Training at Grace Fellowship International. His article once again reminded me of this term. Woodward begins his article with this statement ‘A radical change of personal perspective has been coined “a paradigm shift.” ‘ A radical change of personal perspective? Those are interesting words that mean a lot to me personally. A paradigm shift within the Christian’s life is a radical change that causes amazing shifts in thinking, behaving and even in vocabulary. Terms like abundant life, grace walk, New Covenant living, freedom in Christ and the victorious life seem strange to many believers. It is classified by many as weird if not outright crazy talk. But the changes are so radical within the “shifted” believer that the criticism, although real, does not change the power or authentic experience of Galatians 2:20.

As I read through his article my soul was so encouraged. I am not as crazy as I feel sometimes. Challenging centuries of unscriptural traditions and legalism that has seeped into today’s Christian walk at times leaves me discouraged but it is helpful to know that I am not alone on some tainted theological island. As I continue to trust the Lord in this journey and thank Him for sending encouragement into my life from the writings of men like John Woodward, Steve McVey and others, I will also continue to pray for the the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of the believers around me.  The words of Woodward are so succinct…

The Galatians 2:20 paradigm is not grasped by biblical and theological study alone; it is revealed by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” (1 Cor. 2:12). Biblical knowledge is not the same as biblical insight. How the Lord must yearn for us, us to fully appreciate the gracious blessings of life in Christ!

To read Woodward’s entire article, go here

For the last several weeks I have been teaching through the story of Samson with my family. Found in the Old Testament book of Judges chapters 13 through 16, God led me to begin building a comprehensive lesson that would be highly interactive for both adults and children, informative and presented from a New Covenant perspective. The idea is that this would not be another children’s Bible story filled with linear facts but would be more of a dialog between adults and children as they work through the lesson together openly discussing the many facets of Samson’s problematic life that God worked for good.

What a joy is was for me to dig out the many truths found within these few chapters and now that joy is revisited and even amplified as I get to participate in the wonderful discussions about these truths. I know I have said this before but children can be amazingly insightful if given time to participate without pressure or time restriction. They possess an unfiltered simplicity that many adults have learned to replace with a complexity that rivals quantum mechanics. As a Bible teacher and daddy I can learn so much from The Teacher within my own children as long as I continually reinforce their freedom in Jesus Christ and then afford them opportunity to express His inner workings.

As we work through the story of Samson, instead of concentrating on his story I shifted the focus on what God intended for him, God’s provisions for him during his struggles and the accomplishments of God’s plan in spite of Samson’s human failures. It really turns the story of Samson on its ear and brings the wonderful truths of God’s grace into the present moment. We can begin to better understand our own relationship with God and all that He intends for us in spite of our human failures, selfishness and stubbornness. God desires that we respond to Him now as He is accomplishing His plan and not waste time striving to feel a certain way or get our needs met.

Samson spent so much time and energy trying to fulfill his own needs. In fact, it wasn’t until I started developing this interactive lesson that God revealed a principle to me… new for the first time. Samson was truly an awesome human specimen that bare handedly ripped a lion into pieces, caught 300 foxes, killed more than 1,000 men in hand-to-hand combat and carried city gates that weighed more than today’s average car. Yet, he was so consumed with himself that he didn’t know that the power of God he possessed had left him once his hair was cut (Judges 16:18-22).It wasn’t until he rose to fight the enemy that realized he was powerless. What an awful time to find out you have no power… when you need it the most.

Many Christians today although sealed by the blood of Christ are powerless when fighting “the enemy”. Many do not even know they are powerless until spiritual wickedness rises up in attack. Our strength is only found in the Lord who equips us, readies us, trains us to stand in courage against all that seeks to undermine the victorious message of God’s grace. Those attacks will come folks… they will come. Are you ready to stand in courage and faith on your own if called upon?