UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH #7 – Jesus Sets Us Free From Every Sin

My internet friend, Brant Hansen, said something the other day that inspired me to write today’s blog.

What Brant noted was that we tend draw the line between good people and bad people. If we do good things, God will accept and love us, but if we do bad things then God will hate us and punish us. But, as he wisely pointed out, Jesus never drew those distinctions between good people and bad people. Instead, Jesus seemed to always draw a distinction between proud people and humble people.

Humble people receive God’s mercy and grace, but God opposes proud people. (See James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 3:34)

What matters, then, is not “being good” or “being bad” but coming to God with humility.

See, God isn’t looking for a few good men. He already knows there aren’t any. Instead, God is looking for humble people who are willing to receive His wonderful gift of life and justification through faith.

I was also looking again at a series of verses in Acts 13:38-41 where Paul affirms something equally amazing, saying:

“Through Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you…everyone who believes is set free from every sin – a justification you were not able to obtain under the Law of Moses.”

Most of us don’t really get that. In fact, that’s why Paul goes on to quote Habakkuk 1:5:

“I am doing something that you will not believe, even when someone explains it to you!” (quoted in Acts 13:41)

What’s the thing that we cannot believe? It’s the idea that Jesus has “set (us) free from every sin” and that we are now fully and totally justified under the Law of Moses – AS IF WE KEPT THE LAW PERFECTLY. Even though we don’t keep the Law perfectly (because we can’t), Jesus DID keep the Law of Moses perfectly and then (get this) He transferred that justification to every single one of those who put their trust in Him.

Wow.

What if we actually believed this message? Well, if we did it would mean that we would live like people who were not condemned for their failures. We would live like people who really believed this:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)

Over the weekend I was sharing this exact verse with a brother in Christ and after we were finished he said something like this:

"How awful to miss what Jesus has done for us on the cross."

That is exactly what someone might say who hasn’t yet understood Romans 8, and Acts 13 because after hearing this truth our first reaction is to put ourselves right back under condemnation again.

Don’t do that.

The point for us is that Jesus has set us free from every sin and has justified us "as if we kept the Law of Moses perfectly" because Jesus DID do that in our place, and then He shared that work with all of us.

So, rather than being down on yourself for not seeing it - just see it and accept it and start walking in the light of a new day, rejoicing in the freedom that Jesus has given you and the FACT that you are set free from sin and from condemnation!

Go ahead and say, "Woo-hoo!"

You might even want to jump for joy. I'm serious. Find a private place where no one is around and jump into the air and say "Praise God!" because that's an appropriate response.

Try it! And then make it your mission to daily wake up and remind yourself of the Truth: I am set free to live without condemnation from God because Jesus has done what I could never do – kept the Law of Moses perfectly – and now I live in the reality of God’s Grace as if I had kept the Law perfectly. Not because I have, but because Jesus did and He gave that gift to me.

Keep saying it until you really believe it. Then spread the Good News.

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AMERICA, NOT BEAUTIFUL.

America is not the messenger of Jesus. America is the messenger of Death. She masquerades as an angel of light, but her hands are full of murder and bloodshed. She is the Angel of Death.

America kills more people around the world than Al Quaeda every day.

America spends more of its money on creating instruments of death than any other nation on Earth. More than the other fourteen largest nations combined.

No one loves death and war more than America.

America allows her own children to starve so that the most number of weapons can be built to kill as many people around the world as possible.

American is an Empire, and like all Empires, America rules by death and fear and the sword. All while pretending she is for freedom and truth and democracy.

America has more power than Rome ever had. America has the capacity to kill more people around the world than Rome ever dreamed of. She exploits more poor nations around the world and rules by intimidation and fear.

America is nothing like Jesus. She is not Christ-like. America is a bully.

America will kill children for financial gain.

America will exploit the poor to build greater wealth for herself.

America believes that if it can kill enough people, the world will become a better place.

America does not love freedom.
America loves money.

America does not love the poor.
America loves Herself, and money.

America's God is not Jesus. Her only gods are comfort, and safety, and luxury. War, and death and deception are in her heart.

America's God demands a human sacrifice, which Her citizens readily, even tearfully oblige.

We call them "Heroes". We say that they are fighting for our freedoms and defending our rights as American citizens. But the truth is, they are dying for none of those reasons.

Our dear sons and daughters are sent by the thousands to die on foreign soil so that our richest Corporations may earn Billions more in profits.

The rich get richer. The poor die, or get poorer. 

America is not beautiful. America is not christian. America is an empire that crushes, kills, exploits, destroys, and lies about with a smile.

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister (America): she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were proud and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it." (Ezekiel 16:49-50)

"And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her." (Rev. 18:4-8)

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-15)

11/16/13; 4:45 a.m.
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Apologetic

Early on Saturday morning I woke up around 4:30 am. I had two short phrases in my head and I knew that I could just go back to sleep and probably forget them or I could get up, find some paper and a pen and start writing down what was beginning to form in my head.

I got up.

The first thing I wrote was the post "Love Chapter (Remix)" which I posted later that same day. So far the response from that has been very positive.

The second thing I wrote was a little more controversial.

Because of the sensitive subject matter of what I'd written I decided to share it with my friend, Herb Montgomery. His response, while positive, was essentially that it would likely get me into a lot of trouble once I posted it for everyone to see. This only confirmed what I had also thought after I had finished writing it down and reading it back to myself out loud.

Today, partly as a joke and partly to prepare people for what I was about to post, I sent out a Tweet that said, "Just wanted to say goodbye to all those who will probably stop following me after I post my article on Thursday. It's been fun."

But seriously, I do expect that many of you will decide not to follow my blog after you read what I've written later this week. If so, that's OK with me. My prayers lately have been that the Lord would begin to speak to me more clearly, and I believe that this article is probably only the first of many such articles to come. So, if you don't like what I have to say on Thursday, you should probably go ahead and check out early.

Some of you might wonder why I am going out of my way to cushion the impact of the article in this way. Let me assure you, it's not because I am afraid of losing followers. It's also not because I want you to agree with me.

Here's why I'm writing this pre-post: Because I want you to hear me out before you judge what I have to say. I want you to prayerfully, soberly, take what I've written to heart before you decide that the things I'm sharing are coming from a place of arrogance, or (worse), from some sort of political perspective.

Once you've read what I have to say, you're free to disagree, to unfollow me, and to write me off as a nut job. Many have already beaten you to the punch. That's OK. All I ask is that you spend at least a day prayerfully considering what I've said and searching the scriptures to see if there might be any truth to what I've written.

If you can do that for me, I'll be extremely grateful to you.

Thanks for your attention.

Peace,
Keith

The Love Chapter (Remix)

And now I will show you the most beautiful way.

If I build a church that's larger than a football stadium but I don't love people the way God does, I am nothing.

If I write books that sell millions of copies and made Oprah's favorites list, but don't love my enemies, then I am worth nothing.

If I have a Television show where I take money from the elderly and the weak-minded and twist the scriptures around to promise endless health and a faith without suffering, then I am not of Christ.

Love is not violent. It does not kill. It does not carry a weapon. Love does not shed blood, unless it is bleeding for the sake of others.

Love is not arrogant. It does not insult. It does not carry a sign full of hateful words. Love never causes others to doubt God's goodness and mercy.

Love always transforms, always serves, always gives, always kneels down to touch the outcast, the homeless, the orphan, and the sick. Love washes the feet of the proud and the broken alike.

Love does not withhold mercy from those who do not deserve it. Love freely rains down goodness and relief and hope upon the hopeless.

But where there are wars, they will cease.
Where there is violence, there will be peace.
Where there is hate, it will pass away.

For we know full well that our Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us not to kill, and we know
that He spoke to us of loving our enemies, and turning the other cheek, and walking the extra mile, and blessing those who curse us, and doing good to those who hate us, and laying down our lives for others, and loving our neighbor - even if that neighbor hates us with all of his heart.

When I was a non-disciple, I thought like one, and I acted like one. But when I became a follower of the Prince of Peace, I put away violent things.

Now, we see but a poor reflection of Christ in ourselves, and in the Church, but one day we will see Him in our own face, and in one another, more clearly.

And now, these three remain: Hate, Arrogance and Love. And the greatest of these remains to be seen.

Amen.


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11/16/13; 4:45 a.m.

Little Seeds

There was no way I could have anticipated how my little suggestion would explode and impact the lives of hundreds of people on the other side of the country.

It was just another meeting at work. One of our vendors wanted to hold an event with our sales team in Buffalo to promote their “Build To Order” network during the week of September 11th.

A few ideas were tossed back and forth, and then I said it: “Why don’t we have our sales team build backpacks full of school supplies for low-income families?”

It was a winner. But I had no idea just how big it would be.

Weeks went by and I heard nothing. That, in itself, is not unusual. I almost never hear feedback about how these things go. It’s rare to even get a photograph after the fact. But then the news started coming back to me.

At first it was only a comment from the vendor rep who said, “Keith, that was the single best thing I have ever seen or been part of at this company.”

Wow. I was shocked. Then came the internal email which provided photos and details which were overwhelming.

Over 400 backpacks were stuffed with supplies by hundreds of associates in less than two hours. Two schools in the Buffalo area were awarded 200 backpacks each. Then it got really awesome.

Cisco, the vendor, donated $1,000 for every hundred backpacks we filled. So each school received a check for $2,000 in addition to the backpacks and all of the leftover supplies.

But the story wasn’t finished yet. Not by a mile.

When the principals for each school showed up to receive the backpacks they were stunned. One woman, when she saw what was waiting, burst into tears while describing how many of her students are Refugees. “Some of these kids barely have clothing and can’t afford school supplies,” she said. “This is a dream, how could they be so lucky?”

By the time she was done telling the stories of these children there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.

Then Cisco decided to make this an annual event. And then the Wall Street Journal did a story on it.

Best of all? Both of those schools will have funds freed up to fund other important programs that, without those checks, would have been cancelled completely.

Not bad for a simple idea at the end of a conference call on a random Tuesday.

Want to know what I love most about all of this? It’s that I have been asking God to show me the fruit of my ministry for a few months now. Mostly because I’ve been feeling as if I need to do more, or be more, or serve more. Then God shows me how much He can do with the most simple and random actions we take. Even when we’re not trying to bear fruit, He can do so much with so little.

It really is just about bringing our two loaves and a fish to lay it at His feet. He is the One who does the real work. He is the One who gets the Glory.

I keep seeing the picture of someone carrying a large sack of seed to the newly plowed field and every little seed that drops off along the way is springing up, growing stronger, bearing fruit – just as He designed every seed to do.

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47 YEARS AGO TODAY

Yes, 47 years ago today, the fabric of space and time pulled back to reveal this fragile and yet strangely troubled soul.

It was a day of wonder and tears.

Cigarettes were burned. Laughter echoed down the hallway. A mother's heart slid into gear.

The angel's sighed, and one of them farted, but no one knew which one it was so they pretended not to hear.

It was a day of love so great it hurt to breathe.

Glad to be here, my friends.

Hope to be here a bit longer before I join the flatulent angels.

Peace,

Keith

Repent Or Likewise Perish

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-3)

Pilate, as a Roman ruler over Jerusalem, had essentially one job; to keep the peace. Sometimes that took the form of appeasing the Jews when they were angry, and at other times it took the form of putting down rebellion against the Roman Empire.

We know that Pilate was a cruel man, and history bears witness to that fact. But Pilate was not arbitrarily cruel. As one who had a vested interest in keeping the populace happy, he was not prone to using deadly force on a whim.

So, taking what we know about Pilate into consideration we can safely assume that those Galileans who were killed in the temple as they offered sacrifices were in the act of rebellion against the Empire. Especially since we know that this time in Roman History was littered with would-be Messiahs who routinely gathered followers and made attempts to overthrow the yoke of the Roman government.

It was not uncommon for these wannabe Messiahs to seek God’s favor before they launched their rebellion. This almost always involved offering sacrifices to God in hopes that His favor would rest on them – and not on the Romans – as they set out to free themselves from Roman rule.

This practice was also indicative of a mindset that Jesus often tried to correct in his teaching. For example, whenever someone got sick or experienced suffering the assumption of the day was that this was due to some sin the person’s life.

You might remember when the disciples pointed out a blind man to Jesus and asked, “Who sinned that this man was born blind? His mother and father, or him?” Jesus was quick to answer, “Neither.”

Not only did the Jews wrongly assume that suffering equaled God’s judgment, they also assumed that a lack of suffering equated to God’s approval or favor. Jesus tried to dispel that idea often. But he also tried to teach people that violent rebellion against Rome wasn’t God’s strategy.

He had already told everyone that instead of following the “eye for an eye” method of resisting their oppressors, the way that God approved of was quite unconventional:

“You’ve heard it said, ‘an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth’ but I say to you, do not resist an evil person (that includes your Roman occupiers). If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also…If anyone forces you to walk with them one mile (a common practice of Roman soldiers), go with them two….You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy’ but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you..If you love only those who love you what reward will you get? Don’t even tax collectors do that?” (Matt.5:38-47)

In essence, Jesus here is warning the Jews that if they persist in these attempts to overthrow the Roman Empire by employing violent rebellion, they would “likewise perish” which means, literally, that they would die “in the same way”, that is, by having the Roman army slaughter them while they are in the Temple offering sacrifices.

Sadly, this is exactly what did happen to the Jews in AD 70 because they did not listen to Jesus. They refused to accept Him as their nonviolent Messiah. They refused to let go of their “eye for an eye” method of resistance. They refused to love their enemies (the Romans) and therefore they perished just as those Galileans did.

Jesus goes on after this to point out the death of eighteen people who were crushed when a tower in Siloam fell on them. Several New Testament scholars have suggested that this tower was a Roman stronghold which fell when Jewish rebels attempted to tunnel underneath it to reach the stockpile of weapons stored there in hopes of arming themselves for yet another rebellion. The tunnel weakened the integrity of the tower’s foundation and it fell on them and killed them and others living around the tower.

Once again, Jesus warns them that unless they repent of this lust for Roman bloodshed they would “likewise perish”, that is, by having Roman structures knocked over to crush them beneath the weight. This, again, is exactly what happened to the inhabitants of Jerusalem who were destroyed when the Romans made Jerusalem desolate in AD 70. [And the parable of the fig tree in the vineyard that follows this verse verifies that this destruction is exactly what Jesus has in mind here.]

The point Jesus wants to make is that it was not the sinfulness or righteousness of those people that brought the calamity upon their heads, as they were prone to assume. Instead, Jesus wants them to see that their lust for a violent messiah and a bloody uprising is what brought them doom, and unless they repented of that way of thinking and began to trust the nonviolent, enemy-loving way that Jesus was preaching, the entire nation would be lost to violence.

We still have the same choice today. As followers of Christ, our choice is clear. We obey Jesus. We trust Him. We do not put our hope in weapons or violence or bloodshed. No, instead we put all of our hope in the way of the Cross.

We embrace the wisdom of Jesus and we refuse to trust in violence because we are convinced that love is more powerful than any weapon formed by man.

Aren’t we?

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TAPESTRY

A few weeks ago I shared a little about my prayer asking God to show me the fruit of my labors. It mainly came out of a place of feeling defeated and doubting my effectiveness in the Kingdom of God. But still, the Lord was faithful and He began to encourage me through various people who had no idea about my inner struggles, and slowly I'm beginning to see a little of the fruit in my life.

One of the ways He's been doing that has been to reconnect me with people from my past. For example, over the last few days I've heard from two former co-workers whom I've not seen in over ten years who each (separately) are feeling called to start organic church groups in their area. Both had been reading my blog and my books and asked me to help them move forward.

Then, on Saturday, Wendy and I attended a memorial reception for a friend's daughter who had died very young. While we were there I talked to several people from our previous church and one of them was a woman who drew me aside and said, "You have no idea what you've started." She then proceeded to tell me all about how she had first been inspired to serve the poor and care for the outcast while we were leading compassion ministries at that church. Then she told me about how she had been mentoring young boys in juvenile detention and in local jails, and how she had been knitting blankets for orphans, and many other wonderful things since we had left.

"This is your fruit," I heard the Lord whisper to me in between this woman's amazing testimony.

"See what you started?" she asked me. But I knew that most of what she was telling me had nothing to do with me, really. I put my hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes and said, "It sound to me like this is what you and Jesus started." She laughed and nodded her head and then she gave me a great, big hug.

The pastor at the memorial service shared an illustration about how our lives are like a tapestry. On this side of things, it looks like a tangled mass of thread; all jagged, random and messy. But God looks at the tapestry from the perspective of eternity. He sees it on the side that is beautiful and intricate, and perfect; exactly the way He wants it to be.

We have no idea how many people we impact in our lives, or how. Sometimes the Lord gives us a glimpse, but only a glimpse. We still have to walk by faith and trust that He is working everything out for good, whether we see it or not.

One day all the unanswered questions will make sense. The apparent pointlessness of our lives will reveal hidden meaning. The mysteries of why young mothers die and leave grieving children and parents behind will be revealed. The question of our influence on the people around us will be answered in full. 

And on that day, all of it will make sense, and all of it will glorify the One who is even now at work on the tapestry of our seemingly tangled, jumbled and random lives. 

I can't wait to see the finished work.

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UNSATISFIED

Have you ever felt unsatisfied in your relationship with Jesus? Have you ever been frustrated with your own spiritual walk with Him? Perhaps you assumed that it was because you weren’t a member of a better church, or maybe you were convinced it was because you weren’t spiritual enough, or praying enough, or reading the Bible enough?

Recently I had an epiphany of sorts as I listened to a friend of mine express a similar frustration. What I realized was this: We will never be fully satisfied spiritually until we see Jesus face to face.

And that’s a good thing, by the way.  

I think it is only because we are unsatisfied that we pursue Him more. Our awareness of a greater need for Jesus is partly how the Holy Spirit draws us nearer to our Lord.

What we should be most concerned about is a lack of desire to know Jesus more.

But here and now, the simple fact we must face is that if we are living in this flesh and blood reality we will never be fully satisfied. We also need to be careful not to diagnose this overwhelming dissatisfaction as a failure of our church family, or even our own lack of spiritual perfection. What’s missing is the full and complete presence of Jesus in our life. That’s what we’re longing for, and that is what we must pursue, but we have to do so without condemning ourselves, or others in the Body of Christ.

One day we will see Him face to face and then we will be satisfied in His presence. But here and now we are simply called to hunger for more hunger and to thirst for greater thirst. This holy desire draws us nearer to Jesus, but it will not ever be fully satisfied until we are physically in His arms.

“You broke the bonds and you loosed the chains; carried the cross of my shame. You know I believe it. But I still haven’t found what I’m looking for.” – Bono, U2

Stay hungry.

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Bearing Lemons

Lately I've been wondering whether or not God has any use for me. Specifically, I've been pretty self-critical about my own apparent lack of spiritual fruit.

As I've shared recently, the Lord has reminded me that His love for me is absolute and unconditional. But there was still more He wanted to show me.

Last Sunday morning, one of our dear sisters in the Lord shared something that God had been showing her as she worked in her garden. She said, "Every time I look at our lemon tree, I think of you, Keith."

We had a few laughs about how the sour lemons symbolized my pessimistic tendencies, but then she continued. "A few months ago you had shared with us about how you really wanted for God to show you the fruit of your ministry, and ever since I've felt like God was showing me that your time is coming. Just like this lemon tree. The fruit isn't ripe yet, but those lemons are just so big. They are going to be huge and ripe very soon. I feel like this is God's way of saying that you will see your fruit very soon."

That really blessed me. This assurance came out of the blue, at a time when I was already doubting God's love for me and his unconditional acceptance.

That evening she emailed me a photo (the one attached to this article) to show me just how large the lemons were. She said, "Keith, the lemon tree is in a pot, and from the picture you can't see

much of the fruit. But you can see the relative size of the lemons...and they're starting to turn--can you see the beginning of yellow? Lord, give Keith fruit in his life that will remain!"

So, while I'm not totally sure why the Lord chose lemons as my metaphorical fruit, I do hope that there's room in his kingdom for a nice tall glass of lemonade in the coming days.

Hopefully this encourages you as well to place your hope in Him for whatever fruit may come in your life. Honestly, the process of bearing fruit is the work the Lord does in and through us. It's really nothing we can control, other than to cooperate with Him in that process.

“Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29)

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Love Like That

After our recent "Coffee, Tea and Jesus" gathering, the woman whose home we were meeting in (a total stranger before that evening) asked if she could pray over Wendy and I. Of course, we said, "Yes."

As she prayed for us, it was clear that she had several specific words of encouragment for both Wendy and myself. One thing she shared was that God looked at me and was very pleased. But honestly, as she prayed these things I sat there in disbelief.

I did not accept this in my heart because when I think about what God must feel when He looks at me all I come up with is "disappointment". All I can see is how much I've blown it and how far I've missed the mark.

Still, the word she gave us was very beautiful and touching. We thanked her for her blessing, but deep down I wasn't buying it.

Later that night I prayed and asked the Lord, "If what she said was really what you think of me and how you feel about me, I need you to confirm it through some other witness."

On Sunday evening, my oldest son was sitting at our computer working on his homework. I felt an urge to surprise him with a blessing, so I took my brand new noise-cancelling headphones and placed them over his head as he worked. Then I set my iPod to one of his favorite songs and started to play it. He looked up at me, smiled, and nodded his head to the music.

As I left the room, I distinctly heard the Lord whisper to me, "That's how I feel about you, my son. I just love you. I love blessing you. I love you because you are made in my image, not because of what you've done, or what you fail to do. I just love you, Keith."

I couldn't help crying tears of joy as these words washed over me.

Suddenly, I remembered the week that my son was first born. He slept between Wendy and I for a few weeks and one morning I woke up before either of them. My son was asleep between us and I was overwhelmed with love for him. Why? I wondered. He hasn't spoken a word. He hasn't done anything for me. He couldn't if he wanted to. But I loved him so much. I would die for him right now. I would do anything to protect him, to bless him, to show him my love.

In that moment, God spoke to me and said, "That's how much I love you, my son."

The memory of that word, combined with this fresh reminder of His enduring love was just so beautiful to me. All I could do was say, "Thank you, Lord."

He loves me. Now I believe it.

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Coffee, Tea and Jesus.

Last week a sister from our house church family had a great idea. She decided to invite a few friends over to her house for an evening of coffee, tea and the Gospel. Specifically, the purpose was to gather together in order to read through the entire Gospel of Mark all at once.

Wendy and I were among the few who attended, along with two other people and our friend’s roommate.

After everyone had their tea or their coffee and a small handful of homemade pumpkin bread or dried fruit, we sat down in the living room and began to read, after a short opening prayer.

Each of us had a slightly different translation to read from, and that was just fine. Some of us had NIV, or ESV, or NKJV, and our friend even read from a Children’s Bible.

As we began to read, we all began to notice things we had never noticed before. But since our goal was to read through the Gospel of Mark all at once we held our thoughts until the end.

Some of us ended up reading sections of scripture that seemed quite appropriate to our individual walk. Others found themselves choking up as they read the words of Jesus. Some even noticed humorous conversations and comments within the passages that made them smile or laugh quietly during the reading.

After the reading, which took about an hour and a half, we took turns sharing how the Lord had spoken to us during the evening. Certain events took on new meaning as we began to understand the context in which they were took place. Teachings that Jesus gave suddenly meant something slightly different than we had originally thought once we could see the bigger picture.

Some details were minor. For example, I had never noticed before that the woman with the issue of blood had struggled for 12 years, which was the same age as the daughter of Jarius who Jesus was on his way to heal when she touched him. Somehow the juxtaposition of a woman who had been imprisoned in her body through suffering and a young girl whose life had lasted equally as long before expiring seemed strangely significant.

Still others noticed how dull the disciples seemed to be; always misunderstanding Jesus, arguing about who was the greatest, rebuking someone who was healing in Jesus’ name, forbidding the children to come to Jesus, fearing for their lives in the storm, and yet their constant foolishness and weakness only served to glorify Jesus all the more.

This was such a wonderful experience that our friend is determined to do it again. Maybe with another Gospel (Matthew or John) taken in chunks (like part one this week and part two and even part three if necessary in the weeks to follow).

What I loved most about all of this was my friend’s hunger for more of Jesus and His word. I loved that this hunger inspired her to do something about it, and to invite others to join with her in this. I especially love that I had nothing to do with it other than to show up and participate as one of those who was desperate for more of Him.

Are you hungry for more of Jesus too? If so, I’d highly recommend hosting your very own “Coffee, Tea and Jesus” gathering. Start with the Gospel of Mark (it’s the shortest Gospel), and invite a few friends to participate with you. There’s no need for a Bible teacher, no need for any seminary-trained leader to officiate. Just hungry people and a handful of Bibles meeting together to ask the Holy Spirit to lead them into all Truth.

It might even be a great way to ask your neighbors to learn more about Jesus too. Especially if they know that they’re not expected to do anything other than to read about Jesus and listen to Him speak.

Let me know if you try it. I’d love to know how it goes.

-kg

MIND THE GAP

There is a gap between what I believe and what I practice.

For example, I believe that Jesus commands me to practice radical enemy-love and nonviolence, but in practice I enjoy watching violent films.

I believe that Jesus calls me to love others as I love myself, but in practice I am quite selfish and often put my own needs ahead of others.

I believe that Jesus commands me to share my abundance with the poor, but in practice I use my disposal income to purchase a lot of useless things for my own pleasure.

I believe that Jesus commands me to love other Christians as a reflection of my love for Him, but in practice I often find it more difficult to love my brothers and sisters in Christ than other people around me.

I believe that Jesus calls us to serve others in humility, but I often find myself looking for the praise of others and I sometimes feed on that recognition.

I believe that Jesus loves me more than any other person alive, but sometimes I find it very easy to ignore Him.

There's a large gap between the beliefs I hold in my heart and my daily practice of faith. I suspect you may also share the same kinds of struggles.

The reason why we constantly struggle to align our faith with our practice is this: We're not capable of success.

See, when I read the words of Jesus they are so true and so beautiful that my spirit soars. I cannot help but to acknowledge the truth and the wisdom behind His message, but the part I forget is that without Him none of it works.

The problem is me. I am a member of a race of people who have fallen short of the glory of God. This is why Jesus had to come in the flesh in the first place - because we were not capable of doing what God wanted us to do by ourselves.

Jesus stepped down into the muck with us. He demonstrated unsurpassed humility and weakness. He let go of all of His power and authority and embraced a complete dependence upon the Father. This is how Jesus lived the sinless life. This is how He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets.

Then, Jesus turned around and told us that He could do nothing apart from the Father. He also told us that we could do nothing apart from Him. He commanded us to love one another, and to love God and He said that we would never even come close to making that work without remaining in constant and continual reliance upon Himself.

So, my failure to live out the values of His Kingdom is simply due to my attempt to fly solo. This is where I fall down. This is where I am confronted with my own weakness.

The solution? To cling to Jesus daily. To trust in Him for everything. To remain as close to Him as possible every moment of every day. To pray this simple prayer without ceasing - "Help me, Jesus. Help me."

This weakness in my flesh is actually the power of Christ at work in me, if I am connected to Christ. Without that connection, it is only weakness.

The gap between my practice and my faith is equal to the distance between myself and Jesus.

Mind the gap.

-kg

MORE THAN WE NEED

In the middle of his teaching about the Kingdom, Jesus was interrupted by a man in the crowd who said, “Rabbi, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

Now, this wasn’t out of the ordinary. Rabbis often settled legal matters such as this one, but Jesus is quick to point out to the man that he was more than a Rabbi, he was the Messiah who was proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.

Then, Jesus turns back to the crowd and uses the interruption as a spring board to warn them about the love of money, saying:

“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13-21)

Essentially, God has blessed the man in the parable with more than he can use. Instead of sharing what he has with those around him living in poverty, he decided to hoard it all for himself. But before he can enjoy it, he dies that same night and loses everything.

Now, it’s too easy to make this a parable about rich people. Jesus doesn’t do that. He warns all of us not to put our trust in possessions and wealth, regardless of our current financial situation.

Truthfully, this parable has cut me to the heart recently. I’ve realized that Jesus is talking to me directly here. I’ve been living my life lately as if it is all about me and my comfort. Everything I do seems to have one single purpose at the center of it – to serve my flesh.

No, I’m not talking about anything as repugnant as lust or pornography here. I’m talking about the simple pampering of my flesh with endless entertainment, good food, and the basic desire to be made comfortable and happy at all times.

But that’s not my calling. I am called, as every follower of Christ is called, to lay down my life for others. I’m called to seek the well-being of others before I seek my own. I’m called to suffer for the sake of the Gospel and to take up my cross daily. That’s not comfortable or safe.

The wisdom of Jesus here is simple. Everything you and I own will one day belong to someone else. As Paul says:

 

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” (1 Tim. 6:6-8)

 

This is what an Eternal perspective looks like. It’s why Jesus urges us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread” because our goal should be to live daily by the grace of God, not out of the abundance of our own sufficiency.

 

Simply put, the Kingdom is not about us. We need to let that sink in. Deep. The Kingdom is not about us. It’s about the King. Our part is to love Him and to love others as He has loved us.

 

One thing that sticks out to me in the parable that Jesus tells is the final word about being “rich towards God.” What does that mean?

 

I believe the answer is found in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:

 

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

 

Am I rich? Compared to the rest of the World, yes. Compared to most people around me, no. But that’s beside the point. The simple truth is that I am just like the rich man in the parable that Jesus shares. I have more than enough for myself and my family. We have all we need and a little bit extra. So, what am I to do with that extra? I believe that Jesus is calling me to surrender all of that to Him – and myself – for the eternal work of the Kingdom.

This is only the beginning.

 

-kg

 

How To Leave A Traditional Church

I recently received an email from someone who had a question after reading my book.

"Hi Keith,

Thanks for your book, "This Is My Body". I've been on a journey for the last two years or so as I work out what organic New Testament Christianity looks like.

 There is one thing I am wrestling with that I hope you can help me process: How does one leave a traditional church gracefully, without losing the relationship of genuine spiritual mothers and fathers? While I may not agree with the model of church that they subscribe to, my issue is not with them personally as believers. These are people who have laughed and cried with me and encouraged me to pursue the dreams God has placed on my heart. I'm now convinced of the need for Christians to gather in a more organic way like a house church setting, but equally convinced that there has to be a better way to do this than just telling my church "You guys have got it wrong. I've found a better way. See ya!” 

Does that make sense?"

Since I believe this is a common question that many struggle with, here’s my answer:

First of all, when it’s time for you to go you’ll know it. The pain of staying will be greater than the pain of leaving to pursue a more organic form of New Testament church.

But, when you do leave, be sure to leave well. As it says:

"If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men." (Romans 12:18)

Just so you know, it might not be possible to leave without a few hurt feelings, especially on the part of your pastor and leadership staff. They will most likely see your exit as a betrayal and as a criticism of their ministry no matter how hard you try.

Even so, make sure to bless them on your way out. They may not bless you, but you need to bless them.

To do this, ask the Lord to give you love and mercy and grace for them, even as they mock you and shun you and slander you behind your back. Consider this is an exercise in sharing in the sufferings of Christ.

Also, remember that you are not "leaving the church" because the Church is the Body of Christ (all over the world). Yes, you are choosing not to fellowship with a specific group of Christians in a certain place and time, but you are not leaving Christ - therefore you are not leaving His Church.

This also means that you are still a member of those people. They are still your brothers and sisters, and you should treat them as such even after you step away from that fellowship. In other words, don’t break the bond of love, even if you break the bond of weekly fellowship.

Now, I have to ask, “What are you leaving for?” I mean, where are you going next? Are you looking to start a house church in your community? Are you looking to join an existing group? What's next? Where is the Lord leading you?

This is just as important as “How do I leave?” because you have to know what it is that God is leading you to go and do next. Even if all you know is that you’re going to pursue a more open meeting where every believer is free to participate and share according to their gifting, you still have to have some idea of what comes next.

Finally, just remember, you are not alone. There are hundreds and thousands of other Christians who have made this same step.

If you're not already part of a house church community, I'd suggest joining a few Organic Church groups on Facebook.

The important thing is to move closer to Jesus in this process, and to move closer  to the Body life experience that you know is part of God's plan for you and your family. Don't walk away from one fellowship into a vacuum. That's probably even worse than staying where you are.

Blessings,

Keith

NOTHING MATTERS

The New Testament has a lot to say about nothing. It says that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37), Jesus can do nothing on His own (John 5:30), and we can do nothing without Jesus (John 15:5).

It also says that without love we are nothing (1 Cor. 13), Jesus made Himself nothing, and that we should also become nothing to follow His example, (Phil. 2).

Finally, we’re told that we brought nothing into this world with us and we can take nothing out of it when we leave (1 Tim. 6:7), but if we can learn to rejoice in our sufferings and trials in this life – trusting that God is able to make everything work together for our good – then we will become perfect and complete and lack nothing (James 1:4).

 

Nothing is awesome.

 

PODCAST: Moses or Jesus? Your Choice.

Jesus contrasts His ministry and teaching with the Teachers of the Law. Are we under the Law of Moses or the Law of Christ?

Painting Women In A New Light

From the earliest days of our house church gatherings we have always encouraged everyone to share a testimony of what God has done in their life, or to talk about what God is teaching them, or share from scripture what they’re learning in their daily walk with Christ.

Because we’ve rejected the modern practice of elevating a pastor or teacher above the rest of the Body, the issue of women operating within their gifting as members of the priesthood has never been an issue for any of us.

Within the Organic Church movement the emphasis is on Christ being our Leader, therefore everyone else is treated as an equal within the Body. Teaching is not seen as "exercising authority over" anyone, so the question of whether or not a woman can teach in that context has never been a problem for us.

Our goal has been to live out of the reality of the priesthood of every believer found throughout the New Testament. As Peter said at Pentecost, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit was a fulfillment of God’s promise to empower the Church, and that promise was made to “all people,” including “sons and daughters” (Acts 2:17). Quoting from the prophet Joel, Peter went on to say:

“Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:18)

From the beginning, God’s intention was that women and men together would equally receive the outpouring and empowering of the Holy Spirit.

Women are included among those who the New Testament authors refer to as “a holy priesthood”:

“You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” ( 1 Peter 2:5)

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” ( 1 Peter 2:9)

“And has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 1:6)

“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:10)

“The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:6)

Therefore, women in the New Testament church are not only allowed to behave as priests, but they are highly encouraged to do so. Why? Because the health and well-being of the Church is dependent upon one very important practice: the mutual sharing and serving of every single person in the Body of Christ. (See 1 Cor.12)

Without this practice of operating as organs that support and strengthen one another, we cannot rightly call ourselves the Body of Christ, can we?

We don’t believe so.

-kg

A Jesus Thing [Guest Post by Wendy Giles]

Guest post by Wendy Giles

During my recent trip to Tennessee my mother wanted very much to bless me with something beautiful. As we were in a gift shop during a visit to a cave with a large underground lake we came across some sun catchers. Some were very pretty. They had ones with pansies (my favorite flower), and some with lighthouses (I love the ocean) among their choices.

My biggest desire was just to spend time with my family, not to receive a souvenir. But my parents wanted so much to bless us, not realizing that they, themselves, were already the blessing I wanted most.

Today, I have a sun catcher, but it isn’t either of the two I looked at with my mother. It’s made of plastic, with uneven paint, made by a five year old girl who lives on our street. She left it on our front porch with this note:

“Dear Wendy,

I made you a Jesus thing and I’d like you to have it.

Love,

Sienna”

This sweet little girl blessed my heart so much. We just finished (over the summer) a Kids Club for the children on our street. She came and heard about Jesus here in our home. He blessed her (and me) enough to place on her heart the desire to give me a gift.

It amazes me that with Jesus we see a common thread woven through the hearts and lives of His followers – both young and old – the desire to be a blessing.

Sierra, like my Mom, wanted to give me something that would be a blessing. She, like my Mom, is already a precious blessing to my heart. The sun catcher is simply a reminder of the sweet gift I have been given.

I am blessed to be so loved.

-Wendy

Effortless and Free

I’m currently in the research phase of writing my next book. That means I’m doing a lot of reading and studying and thinking about the topic before I eventually sit down to put my own thoughts down on paper.

This weekend as I was immersed in this process, I discovered something new and I had to share it with all of you here on my blog.

Many of us are familiar with Jesus’ statement :

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Now, I’ve always read that verse as if Jesus was saying, “Are you tired? Are you stressed out? Come to me and I’ll give you the peace you’re searching for.”

While this is still a valid reading of that verse, I discovered something even deeper was going on that I wasn’t aware of until now.

Jesus had a lot to say about the teachers of the Law, and almost none of it was good. His main criticism of them was this:

"(The teachers of the law) tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them." (Matthew 23:4)

"Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them" (Luke 11:46)

See, Jesus was pointing out that the teachers of the Law burdened people with endless rules and added pressure to perform in order to be accepted by God. Keep in mind that these same teachers of the Law were unable to keep these rules themselves, and they also refused to help anyone else keep the Law.

So, when Jesus turns and says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me…and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”, He is contrasting the Law of Moses with His Law (the Law of Christ).

This is significant for several reasons. One, because Jesus is giving people a choice. They can continue to try and follow the Law of Moses – which no one can keep. Or, they can take off that yoke and put on the one He offers which is easy and light.

This is a radical teaching. Jesus is offering people an opportunity to find peace, and to please God, without jumping through the hoops imposed by the Law of Moses. The Apostles expressed this same idea when they said:

"Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear?" (Acts 15:10)

But we’re not done yet. The second thing I realized was that Jesus’ offer to take on His yoke is not about following an easier set of rules. In fact, if anything, the Law of Christ is even more difficult to keep. Why? Because Jesus raised the bar on the Law of Moses by declaring that even our thoughts about sinful actions were equal to committing those acts.

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” (Matthew 5:21-22)

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts the Law of Moses (“thou shalt not murder”) with His Law which says, “If you are angry with your brother you will be judged.” He also says that if you look at a woman to lust after her it’s the same as committing adultery with her, and so on. Yet, Jesus still maintains that His yoke is easier, not harder, than the yoke of Moses. How can this be?

Here’s the key. Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says something that, at first, sounds like bad news:

"For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)

Wait…what? My righteousness must be greater than those Pharisees? How can that make things easier for me? That sounds more than impossible, especially if those guys can’t even keep the Law themselves.

And that’s the point. See, while the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law placed burdens on people that they themselves couldn’t carry, Jesus only expects us to do the things that He has already done demonstrated are possible to accomplish, (i.e. – Loving our enemies, turning the other cheek, forgiving those who persecute us, etc.). And while the Pharisees wouldn’t lift a finger to help people keep the Law of Moses, Jesus promises us that if we will remain in Him, He will empower us to bear good fruit and keep His Law of Love.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

See, the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law were victims of a grave misunderstanding. They thought, “If we do enough righteous things, we will become righteous.” That’s insane. Jesus pointed this out by saying:

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." (Luke 6:43-45)

In essence, the idea is this: Trying to produce good fruit will never make you a good tree. But, if you are a good tree you will naturally bear good fruit.

This is the major difference between the Law of Moses and the Law of Christ: Jesus makes us into “Good Trees” that naturally bear good fruit. That’s why it’s so easy to keep His Law of Love. As long as we remain in Christ, who is Love, then we will be filled with His Love and we will bear good fruit that pleases Him.

I’ll end with one more verse, this time from the Apostle John who said:

"And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." - (1 John 4:21)

"In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome..." (1 John 5:3)

Keep in mind, the commands John refers to here are not the commands of the Old Covenant, but the New Command of Jesus that we love another. This command, unlike the Law of Moses, is “not burdensome” because Jesus is the vine and divine love flows through him like rivers of living water. All that matters is being grafted into that vine of life and endless love. The rest, is easy.

 

-kg