Acting like a baby? Or, beautifully mature?

The emotional range of a 5 year-old is nothing short of amazing. She can go from ‘end of the world’ tearfulness to ‘I’m going to Disney world’ laughter in 60 seconds! He can be ever so charming and compliant this moment, only to turn into a kid who is mule stubborn and sullen the next. Those mercurial emotions are part of being a child. The brain’s ability to regulate impulse is not very well formed when we are 5!  In fact, learning to filter emotions, to control impulses, and to connect the consequences with our actions are skills that do not fully come into being until we are near 20 years of age!

The Christian life mirrors our human development. We are ‘born’ into new life by the Spirit. Then, we must grow in grace, developing maturity, through teaching by those who are further along and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Paul lamented the childishness of the Corinthian believers noting that they were still lacking control over temptation, ‘mere infants’ incapable of receiving the Word.  Peter wrote to us that we "must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18, NLT)

Are YOU growing in God’s grace gifts?

Is the Spirit leading you from a place where you need constant monitoring to a life that is lived ‘on purpose’ with an appreciation for the promise of Eternity?

One of the primary indicators of maturity, natural as well as spiritual, is steady, sustained effort toward unseen goals. A parent feels great when their child starts to carry responsibility without constant urging. As that child begins to show signs of preparing herself for something more than the next moment, there is relief in knowing that an adult is emerging.  Our Abba desires that we too learn to regulate our behavior, that we learn to see past the immediate desires and choose the best and highest things that He has for us.  Paul urged his spiritual son to keep on growing.  “Timothy, you are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.” (1 Timothy 6:11)

Do not measure maturity by perfection but rather by progress!  If you think that spiritual maturity will make you flawless, discouragement is inevitable. Nobody gets it right all the time. However, if you are still living with the same sins that you were struggling with 5 years ago, you have a case of arrested development.  God, the Holy Spirit, lives in you. Be responsive, obedient, earnest and He will train you for maturity, leading you through tests and trials, giving you confidence to grow on.  "So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!" (Hebrews 10:35, NLT) "But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved. Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." (Hebrews 10:39-11:1, NLT)

Here is a word from the Word for us as we grow up in Christ. "So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11, The Message)

Below the surface?

I love to watch a storm blow around my house here in rural New Jersey.  The trees bend under the strain. I am watching a struggle – wind and tree – and it is amazing to me! When Hurricane Sandy blew through here so violently a few years ago, the wind won and a tree toppled onto the wires leading to my house, damaging the transformer that feeds power to my house, tearing out the lines that connect me to the rest of the world. The root system on that tree, which was about 35 feet tall could not hold, but all around the one that fell, hundreds of trees were held upright by an unseen root system. Their strength came from what was below the surface!

Storms are going to blow through life. Will you stand?
Difficult times will rock your world. Will you fall apart?

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians includes this petition: “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you (will be) rooted and established in love.” (Eph 3:17) He mixes his metaphors. “Rooted” is an agricultural reference to plants with a well-developed root system that are able to withstand dry times and harsh winds. “Established” is about structures that rest on a solid foundation that keeps them from settling, cracking, and collapse. Where do those roots grow? Into love! What is the solid foundation? Love!  Truth is important. Doctrine is not to be ignored. However, when the storms are raging, it is love for Him and His love for us that will keep us. Beth Moore writes that “A plant or tree is as strong as its roots are deep.  The deeper you and I are rooted in the unfailing love of God, the less we sway when the winds of life blow harshly.  When I am going through a difficult time, this truth becomes my anchor:  God cannot make a decision for my life outside His lavish love for me.” (Breaking Free)

It is noteworthy that in Paul’s prayer in Ephesians just before he prays for Christians to be steady and grounded in God’s love, he prays that they will come to know Christ’s Presence ‘dwelling’ in their hearts!

Jesus is not be a Person we visit at church, Someone we reach out and contact occasionally.  We can invite Him to ‘move in and take up residence!’  Our relationship to Him is best illustrated by marriage, when a woman and a man in love, take the permanent step of commitment and, with holy vows become ‘one,’ living together and, over time, blending their lives so that ‘me’ becomes ‘we,’  in a union that makes both stronger.  Have you invited Jesus to move in? Is your life irrevocably given to Him, discovering Him love in ever new and wonderful ways, day after day?

During Bev’s (my late wife) illness and since her death the number one temptation with which I struggle is knowing and accepting God’s love. My Self rises in resistance to say, “If He loved you, how could He do this to her?”  I must go to the Word where I find the assurance that no matter how things look from where I stand, with limited vision and understanding, He is a good Father, who loved Bev deeply and who loves me.  When, by faith, I submit to the will of my loving Father, I rest! My soul is nourished by worship. Anxiety is replaced with peace.  Again and again, I fill my mind and heart with this declaration - "Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? …No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35, 37-39, NLT)

So, invite Him to move in. 
Pray to know His love. 
And you will stand – rooted and established in love that is not superficial, but growing deep below the surface.

Here is a word from the Word. Know it, believe it, live it. 
"This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him. This is the kind of love we are talking about—not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love! This is how we know we’re living steadily and deeply in him, and he in us: He’s given us life from his life, from his very own Spirit." (1 John 4:9-13, The Message)

________________

How deep the Father's love for us

How vast beyond all measure

That He should give His only Son

To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss

The Father turns His face away

As wounds which mar the Chosen One

Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross

My sin upon His shoulders

Ashamed I hear my mocking voice

Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there

Until it was accomplished

His dying breath has brought me life

I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything

No gifts no pow’r no wisdom

But I will boast in Jesus Christ

His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward

I cannot give an answer

But this I know with all my heart

His wounds have paid my ransom

Stuart Townend © 1995 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Beating the monster called - anxiety

Do you ever feel the grip of anxiety? It is normal to feel some level of it before a big test or a job interview. A major life change makes most of us think some anxious thoughts. But, for some, too many, in fact, anxiety is a daily curse. For some it is a feeling of panic that paralyzes. For others, it is worry hangs on like a weight stealing energy that could make them more productive. For others, it shows up as a feeling of inadequacy that threatens to overwhelm. If you are one of those who wrestles with anxiety, know that it is not because you are weak or flawed in character. It is ‘just life’ for some but there are choices that can defeat those thoughts.

Psychologists speak of the cognitive behavioral triangle – Thoughts-Feelings-Behaviors. Changing what is in our mind will change the emotions we feel and that will lead to real changes in how we act! A good counselor is helpful because she can help a person to examine how he thinks, becoming aware of things not true, or exaggerated fears, or assumptions unsupported by facts. Christians go a step further! God, by His Spirit, enters me and the Word informs me.  Paul points the way to ‘peace.’ "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:6-10, NIV)

How do we get control of anxiety?

First, we pray!

Real prayer is not a rote set of words we offer sleepily right before we go to bed. We engage our mind with God, we take our genuine concerns to Him. We ask for wisdom, insight, and provision.

Next, we give thanks!

Thankfulness elevates God in my mind. It helps me to see His work in my life.

Then, we redirect our thoughts!

A Psalm of praise helps reshape them.  It might be something as practical as turning all the stream of negative news that makes us feel as though the whole world is on fire. It may be actually speaking to ourselves to break a cycle of negative reactions. The Word says “you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

The ‘peace of God’ is real, but we must own it!  When we build our hope around money, reputation, or even the acceptance of other people – we will turn into unsettled, confused, and anxious people. We need not be terrible sinners to find the peace of God lost. We can lose it when we trust in things unable to hold us up.  There will be times, in every life, when fatigue comes after major effort, or when illness depletes us, or when many pressures come from all side, or when disappointment finds us and won’t let go. God is still God those times. Isaiah invites us to enter the promised peace of God. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10, NIV) 

The peace of which the Scripture speaks is a state of being.  “Shalom” is the Hebrew word. It is a word rich in meaning – about being whole, made complete, having a tranquil mind, and enjoying full provision for life!  The context of the promise is about the restoration of Jerusalem after her destruction by invaders.  God speaks and says that though He allowed her to experience His anger, it was only for a season. Now she would be made whole.  She would rejoice like a woman abandoned by her husband who finds new love. “For your Maker is your bridegroom, his name, God-of-the-Angel-Armies! Your Redeemer is The Holy of Israel, known as God of the whole earth. You were like an abandoned wife, devastated with grief, and God welcomed you back, like a woman married young and then left,” says your God.” (Isaiah 54:5-6 The Message) He follows with this promise. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you." (Isaiah 54:10, NIV) 

Paul teaches Christians that they are brought into that promise, that the covenant of peace belongs to us through Christ, for we are brought into God’s favor by Him! Here is a word from the Word. Make the truth found here part of your cognitive-behavioral triangle! Thoughts – Feelings – Behavior. "Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:1-5, NLT)

So let me ask it again – are you entering into the promise of God, living in His holy peace, the ‘shalom’ promised to people who are embraced by His great love?

_____________

Good, Good Father

I've heard a thousand stories,

Of what they think You’re like,

But I've heard the tender whisper

Of love in the dead of night.

You tell me that You’re pleased

And that I'm never alone.

You're a Good, Good Father,

It's who You are,

It's who You are,

It's who You are.

And I'm loved by You,

It's who I am,

It's who I am,

It's who I am.

I've seen many searching for answers,

Far and wide,

But I know we're all searching for answers,

Only You provide.

Because You know just what we need,

Before we say a word.

You are perfect in all of Your ways!

You are perfect in all of Your ways!

You are perfect in all of Your ways, to us.

Love so undeniable I can hardly speak,

Peace so unexplainable I can hardly think.

As You call me deeper still,

As You call me deeper still,

As You call me deeper still,

Into love, love, love!

Anthony Brown | Pat Barrett

© 2014 Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Common Hymnal Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

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CCLI License # 810055