Defining the Experience

Acts 2:16, “but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:”

If you break it down to the simplest explanation, what teachers do is define an experience. In Acts chapter 2 Pentecost had come and Peter is trying to define the experience in verse 16. Similarly, when a math teacher is demonstrating calculus he is doing so from an ability to articulate an experience.

For me, my purpose, my spiritual call is to proclaim the kingdom of God is at hand. That is God’s command to me. But to do this, to say that the kingdom of God is here, it is available right now I have to experience it, and thus this entire blog is born out of that experience. It is not an intellectual exercise. It is not a test of logic.

The kingdom of God is at hand so that we can be in relationship with God Himself. Do not murder no longer is a command. It is something unfathomable because of a relationship to the creator and an understanding that to do so would be in direct opposition to Him.

Some may say they are holy because of their doctrine, their dress, their ability of self control. I say that I am holy because Christ is in me and He is holy. I say that I am holy not because I am sin free but because there have been enough crises of doctrine and belief in my life to understand that those things were only there to lead me to the encounter with the True Source of holiness.

I get to a place where I believe… where my doctrine says… where finally I have discovered an absolute, only to have that absolute tested with an exception. Physical crisis, health crisis, financial crisis, relationship crisis… all there to say our faith in our beliefs is insufficient. There must be relationship. Only where we understand that our best is still contaminated, that our most complete belief is grossly inadequate do we spiritually come into the position of being able to enter the kingdom of God. Out of the confusion God is standing there with open arms saying come My child into My kingdom and sit on My lap. Let Me show you peace beyond comprehension. Let Me show you joy in the crisis.

St Augustine said this very same thing in defining his experience this way, “You were within, but I was without. You were with me, but I was not with you. So you called, you shouted, you broke through my deafness, you flared, blazed, and banished my blindness, you lavished your fragrance, and I gasped.”

Richard Rohr, a Franciscan Priest, seems to have had this very same experience. And he has articulated it this way -- calling the experience the “second half of life.” “In the second half of life, we do not have strong and final opinions about everything, every event, or most people, as much as we allow things and people to delight us, sadden us, and truly influence us. We no longer need to change or adjust other people to be happy ourselves… We have moved from doing to being to an utterly new kind of doing that flows almost organically, quietly, and by osmosis… concern is not so much to have what you love anymore, but to love what you have – right now. (Good or Bad)… Strangely, all of life’s problems, dilemmas, and difficulties are now resolved not by negativity, attack, criticism, force, or logical resolutions, but always by falling into a larger ‘brightness.’ (Surrender) Hopkins called it ‘the dearest freshness deep down things.’ This is the falling upward that we have been waiting for!”

He goes on with, “By the second half of life, you have been in regular unwelcome contact with your shadow self, (what God intends you to be) which gradually detaches you from your not-so-bright persona –stage mask in Greek—that you so diligently constructed in the first half of life. Your stage mask is not bad, evil, or necessarily egocentric; it is just not ‘true.’ It is manufactured and sustained unconsciously by your mind; but it can and will die, as all fictions must die.”

St. Augustine, Richard Rohr, a few of my friends have taken the first steps into the kingdom of heaven here on earth. Invite yourself in today. That is the only way I can say that you too can share in the experience.

I was baptized Catholic; I was raised early on Methodists. In middle school we were members of an Assembly of God church. I attended a catholic high school. And in college I started a 17 year love affair with a charismatic non-denominational church. None of which has any importance in the availability of the kingdom of God and the experience of the abiding presence of God. You do not have to be a teacher, a minister, an author, hold a title, or be affiliated with a particular denomination. All you have to do is ask to come in. All you have to do is knock.

This is not salvation. This is what salvation is for.

Will you knock on that door today? 

Second Childhood

Mark 10:15, “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.”

As I continue reading Richard Rohr’s “Falling Upward” I was hit with him comparing the second half of life with a second childhood. And I thought to myself, “YES… THIS GUY GETS IT.” Again, Richard calls this opening of eyes to the kingdom of God as a “second half” of life. Not that is necessarily begins half way through life, as some never experience it. But it is the place where, as he describes it as learning becomes more about unlearning.

Jesus said, “However then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4). The kingdom of heaven is one and the same as the kingdom of God. And it is here right now. Therefore it is not about His kingdom coming as much as it is about our awareness of it.

The child takes the Father at face value. The child remains humble and knows that he does not know it all. The child is grateful for his Father’s forgiveness, and seeks his Father’s attention in spite of the occasional discipline. And the child always goes to the Father in a crisis. The child knows it all belongs to the Father.

There is so much about the child and the purity of heart one represents. The child is not pre-conditioned by systems. The rules of life are relatively simple. And so to is this entrance to the kingdom of God. Children see the kingdom. Children are able to practice His presence as I have often written about. But to be a child is in so many ways means to learn to unlearn.

Being a child means that we have to surrender what we know, what we’ve been taught, and who we have made ourselves to be to Christ and His lordship. Not merely in word, but in heart and deed.

Come be a child with me. Innocent, truthful, and without pretense or guile. Better yet, ask God to invite you into the freedom of childhood.

Life's Prize

Philippians 3:12-14, “Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize or the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

It was a rainy nasty weekend, and being too lazy to clean the house I purchased a book called “Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr. In it, Richard described 2 stages of life. The first stage being the longest part normally where God creates a vessel. It is here our ego is simultaneously being built, where success, security, prominence, all grow. The second stage of life is where we realize the first stage of life had little to no spiritual significance, often because our failures have challenged our beliefs sufficiently that surrender to God. (At least that is my synopsis.) And so in this second stage humility, understanding, and love emerge as God fills the vessel created in stage one.

For me this Stage 2 is the eyes open to the kingdom of God. It is coming ever so gradually into the place where Christ is preeminent, not just is word, but in the depths and fullness of my heart. Stage 2 is where the prize comes into vision.

If you read all of Philippians 3 you will see that Paul comes to the realization that all his religious efforts were “loss for the sake of Christ.” We see in this passage that the only thing that is important, the only prize that life has to offer is the opportunity and “surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus.” This is stage 2. And the paradoxical thing is that Richard Rohr basically admits the futility of the message of this stage of life, because neither he nor I can teach you to the place. It is as if you have to be invited by God Himself. But we can articulate the sanity of the insanity. We can encourage you to “press on toward the goal.”

When you get to Stage 2, when you have kingdom eyes opened, there is a clarity of how all things have been and will work together for good. All those negative experiences had just as much kingdom impact in shaping the vessel of your soul for God as all the good things. The teachings and the rules had by necessity the need to be broken for true freedom to be understood. In Stage 2 you can see that all of life is not about Christ… it is Christ. Anything less is second place.

The prize is knowing Christ and His resurrection. Not just a final resurrection but a daily resurrection from a daily bearing the cross, and a daily dying to everything that is not Him. Anything less is second best… it is to be the first looser. 

Today's music selection has nothing to do with anything... I just like the song. :-)

Holy Despair

Ephesians 3: 17-19, “…that you… may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breath and length and height, and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”

Daily I read something from T. Austin-Sparks. This is probably because fifteen years ago his book The School of Christ was used as one of my first lessons while attending ministry school. Today, as I read that same book came full circle into my day again with the above passage.

T. Austin-Sparks (TAS) in conjunction with the Holy Spirit created in many of us a crisis of faith. When discussing the breath, length, height, and depth of Christ and His love he said, “If we live as long as ever man lived, we shall still be only on the fringe of this vast fullness that Christ is… This is not just rhetoric; this is truth. Let us ask our hearts at once, Is this true in our case?”

15 years ago a class of aspiring ministers asked in our hearts if this was true. Today again I find myself once again, is it true in my heart that I see I am only on the fringe of the vast fullness of Christ? Have I in arrogance arrived at some spiritual plateau? Have I settled that the vision I have of Christ is good enough?

TAS goes on, “Are we coming to despair on this matter? That is to say, that we are glimpsing so much as signified by Christ that we know we are beaten, that we are out of our depth, and will never range (measure) all this. It is beyond us, far beyond us, and yet we are drawn on and ever on… That is the mark of a life governed by the Holy Spirit. Christ becomes greater and greater as we go on.”

Looking back 15 years I am in awe at the depth achieved, but looking forward I am in greater awe that this relationship with Christ , this understanding of His fullness achieved so far is but a drop of water in an endless ocean.

Oh the holy desperation to know the fullness of Christ. More… is all that my heart can say.

Private Religion

Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Christians come is so many varieties. There are some who will run barefoot through a church waiving a banner of flag in a charismatic “wholly roller” service all the way to the silent individual always sitting as far back as possible and attending limited services. There are Christians excited about their relationship and preaching and teaching to anyone who will listen, while others are only comfortable having a “private” religion. The energetic see their acts and words as being the lamp on the lampstand, while the quiet see their piety as the very same thing. And both are right if their actions are born truly in relationship to Christ. However, both can be wrong if their actions are motivated only to get or forego attention.

In the end analysis Jesus is saying with the words above that what is important is that life in the individual be a reflection of the glory of God. Pretty simply accomplished in a perfect world of perfect hearing and perfect obedience. But all is not perfect yet. So perhaps we can use this lesson to cast aside judgments of others.

The City set on the hill has nothing to do, but to be. The lamp has nothing to do, but to be. We too have nothing to “do” as a Christian. But rather we are called to “be” a reflection of Christ. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world…” (John 8:12) And He is the light in our lamp.

The Bereans were known for studying the word of God. But being a theologian does not make a person a reflection of Christ. After all, the Bible as we know it is a relatively modern accomplishment. Prior to the printing press the Bible was limited to clergy and confined to religious institutions. In Christ' time and for dozens of years after none of the New Testament existed. Praise God that we have it today as the most published book in human history, but to know every word does not in and of itself make a person anything. Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;” (John 5:39) This is what it is all about. Christ is the fulfillment of scripture. Christ is the light. Christ is the living water. Christ is all that matters.

So have your religion in private, or on the mountain tops, but have it with Jesus in reflection of the Christ you individually come to know. Shout from the rooftops, or walk in humble piety, but do it in obedience and emulation of Him. 

I have included Word of God Speak for a second day because it conveys this message. “I’m finding myself at a loss for words. And the funny thing is… it’s ok. The last thing I need is to be heard, but to hear… what you say.” Jesus could have said you are a bell set on the wall to warn the city. He could have said you are a horn, or any host of other noisy devices. But He did not. He said you are a lamp… He in essence said… “be”… not “do.” In being, then He is able to do. It's not what you say... it's who, and whose, you are. 

Seeing Clearly

Mark 8:25, “His eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”

My thoughts, prayers, and devotional time continue to lead me to these thoughts on healing. More specifically… that somehow we / I need healing spiritually so much more than we could possibly need physical healing. The irony of these conversations with God is that my love coach, Jim Spivey, is in the process of an excessively long recovery from a head injury. He could very much use an instantaneous touch of God’s healing hand.

Jim is a man who I and many others rely on as a mentor; and as someone with clear spiritual vision. Unfortunately he is inaccessible having been largely incapacitated. Who can we go to for spiritual vision when our coach is out of the game?

The answer is clearly Christ Himself.

Jim quoted T Austin-Sparks in his blog this morning. T said, “Engaging in the realm of God is not going to result in a refined self, a reformed self, or any other kind of patching up and repairing self. It is going to result in ‘none of self,’ and all His Son.” And not only is engaging in the realm of God going to be with none of self, but I would ad that engaging in the realm of God is going to be without someone else holding your hand to get there.

Yes we all encounter spiritual guides. Some are blind guides leading the blind. Others are full of love and vision leading the sheep. But at the end of the day God purpose is that we would individually have spiritual sight. That we each have individual relationship with Him and consequently He will be forever removing and reintroducing those who we lean on excessively for sight.

Father, help me to see clearly. Help me to act in love on that vision.

Major on the Minor

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 & 14:1, “Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes (love), the partial (gifts) will be done away… Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts…”

In yet another miracle of God, my second book is imminently about to hit the market. It is titled “God Heals” and a scriptural breakdown of five things that are in spiritual play in every healing. All of which is backed up by real testimonies I have witnessed God create. And even as that book is about to come out, I can’t help but wonder why we all, myself foremost of all, major on the minor. Why do we, at least in the evangelical circles, get so hung up on miracles and gifts of God?

Just the other day I read a critical commentary on the modern church because of a lack of miracles, specifically miracles of healing. And yet scratch my head, because a miracle of healing is never the end. Think about it. Lazarus died and was raised from the dead… to what end? To die again. The paralytic was healed and walked… to like us all die.

This is not to say we should not “desire” gifts of healing and of the spirit as Paul wrote. But this is to put those things in their proper order and completely second to what Christ demonstrated, namely love. “Pursue” love Paul tells us. And more, that when perfect love arrives, all the other “stuff” will be unnecessary.

This miracle of love is what I want to see in my life. Just this morning my heart was broken as I desperately need it in my life. It has been great to see blind eyes opened, and I would not change that, but what I need is to find that place where I truly love in traffic, at work, in my home… everywhere I go. I want to see the miracle of love in my everyday life and trivial tasks. That is the miracle the world is waiting for. People that know Christ and walk in His love. 

So simple, but so difficult. Think about it. What good is it to pray for the sick and see them healed if a honk in traffic is returned with a bird... or worse? What good is it to preach to hundreds, even thousands, if at home harsh words are met with harsh words? "Wretched man that I am. Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:24)