a review on the movie Fireproof

Last week I saw an interview with Kirk Cameron concerning his new "Christian movie".

for anyone who might be interested, this is Joel Spencer's review on it.

Hmmmm

I just read a blog on the Free Believer's Network "What is Relationship with God?".
You may want to read it here before you continue on as my post relates to this.

I certainly agree on many of his comments concerning the nature and expression of God's love
through His people.

But to say that any and all people who are loving and kind - are therefore children of God - and that because they love, they are therefore citizens of heaven, or that they know God - well this is not necessarily true.

Yes I fully agree that love is the ultimate and the deepest expression of Christ in us, (the width, depth, height) and that love, His love, is the factor that should motivate us, challenge us, and move us onward into a deeper expression of Himself in this world.

However, we also know that it is those who have been forgiven much that indeed love much. It is people who are forgiven of their many sins, saved by grace, ... these are those who love deeply and above all, value and appreciate Him much. They in turn are those that love and appreciate others in this same way. So again, it is those who are forgiven much that love much.

To make a conclusion or assumption that just because people are loving and kindhearted, they therefore know God, are Christians - however you want to say this, is not true. This is the exact same erroneous thinking of those who would say - 'because you go to church' - ' because you speak in tongues' - 'because you are baptized' -'insert your [particular] belief here', that you are therefore someone who knows God. Just because things appear a certain way, or someone concludes it to be so, it certainly does not necessarily mean that it is.

Salvation truly does require faith and a belief in the gospel, an endurance against many things, for ALL MANKIND are lost and without hope and truly all mankind are therefore in desperate need of God's mercy and forgiveness. This was why Christ died on the Cross 2000 years ago. No matter how loving people are, without Christ in their lives, they still need this revelation of what the Cross means for THEM and thus to be transformed by it.

We must not lose sight of the fact that all men need to know and believe Christ died for their SINS.

This is why we must keep our message of Christ simple, we must share it in a simple way. Simple is the key. We live it and share it in a very simple way - whether it's blogging, emailing, coffee shop, work place, whatever sharing. Simple is definitely the key. Of all people, Paul could have spoke in a very scholarly way considering how educated he was. He could have used his mind to speak in a very scholarly and eloquent way to others, but he laid that at Christ's feet, didn't he? He chose instead to speak in a very simple way to others - and to lay that at Christ's feet. So that it was Christ who would find root in people's heart. That is how the cross truly works! But it is the Cross, the power of the Cross, that saves mankind. And it is faith in WHAT HE HAS DONE ALONE that saves us.

Love will always be a mystery to mankind without the Cross. But love is complete (and perfect) with the Cross, the ultimate expression of love. Shall we speak of a love that does not speak of the Cross first - a love that is not of above and not of Christ? Many may know 'of' love and speak 'of' love with many words, (scholarly & complicated) but love 'without the message of love on the Cross' SIMPLY is not a love that will endure nor have power to transform one into the image that Christ would have for all. It might look similar, but is it ? It certainly would not go to the Cross and lay down one's life. We must remember from whom we have believed.

Possessing vs being Possessed

Have you ever heard someone say this : "Prayer is a wonderful tool". I saw that the other day on someone's facebook status. I cannot wrap my head around that thinking at all - though at one time I could have. I think I know why. I think that this thinking ie that "prayer is a wonderful tool" is part of the whole broader thinking, that of having all the correct formulas, of possessing information, of having disciplines, of having doctrines, VS POSSESSING AND BEING TOTALLY INDWELT BY CHRIST.

Therefore, to come to this place, we can be free because it's not so much about us possessing something as it's instead about being POSSESSED.

It's truly seeing Christ in everything and as everything, the fullness of Christ, that the Father was pleased to dwell in, all His fullness is in Christ.

This fullness as consuming us

This fullness as being so woven into our entire being,

Being called into this wonderful fellowship of fullness,

Being immersed in Him.

He is the fabric of our existence, of our consciousness, totally involved in our circumstances. In Him all the fullness dwells, and when we are joined to Him, we are in this state of fullness. Yes prayer helps us to put together our lives and to see things the way we need to see them.

Little by little, as the Word dwells in us through Christ, as we dwell in Him richly, we become taken up in Christ. It's not that we through the discipline of prayer have changed anything, but that Christ has come in His power to abide and live in us, and that through His Spirit working in us, living deeply in us, we are transformed into this deeper reality of Christ.

Eating and Drinking

"And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let every man examine himself and so let him eat of THAT BREAD and drink of THAT CUP. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's body."

1 Cor. 11:24-29

Paul was reminding them in verse 22 that what he was to talk about - the Lord's Supper, shared with the disciples - wasn't to 'eat' and 'drink' ( to share a regular meal together) He might have been concerned that perhaps they were thinking that the Lord's meal was the same thing as regular meals they shared. He wanted to clarify to them that though eating a regular meal together was important and was the custom of the early church (and should be ours too), this wasn't like that at all. Just Eating together. He also took occasion to remind them that they should be sharing their food with others which it didn't seem they were doing. ((20-22)) If they weren't going to share what they had, then they should eat at home.

Paul wrote because he didn't want them to confuse the purpose and meaning of the supper the Lord shared (the Lord's supper ) with that of a regular meal.

Regular meals are things that are predictable, they happen at the same time, day after day, week after week, month after month, on and on.

The Lord's meal wasn't like that. It was different. It's NOT a ceremony.

"Are we showing forth God's life and death in our lives???"

Consider are we committed entirely to the Lord ? How are we living our life, and showing His life to others - honestly reflecting this is to partake of His bread and is to partake of His blood. This is true communion that Christ wants with us. Just as He stood amongst His disciples long ago, He stands in our midst longing for us to receive the power of the sacrifice that He gave. Whenever we get together with others, we share this communion, we exhort one another onwards in true fellowship with Him and with each other. He wants us to continually experience the power that was in His sacrifice, for us, the power that was in His Blood and in His flesh. We only do this through honest searching and examination of our hearts, life, and relationships with others. It's the only way to experience spiritual life.

Adding anything to it (such as making it a regular weekly or monthly ceremony) is to not really add to it, but to take away from the purpose.

It's not a little cup with wine or a piece of bread, something literal. It's deeply personal and a continual work and empowerment of the Spirit that enables one to partake of His death and life.

It's spiritual, that is what Paul is trying to say.

If we think it's a weekly, a daily meal service or a monthly ceremony, well then we are not considering Christ's true sacrifice by adding (taking away) to it. It meant for us (spiritual life). In fact, making a ceremony in any fashion - will hinder and oppose the spiritual and create confusion, sickness and chastening.

No Need to Validate (Wayne Jacobsen)

podcast

Amazing podcast by Wayne Jacobsen on 'No Need to Validate'

... any thoughts ??

Christ Alone

by Lynette Woods


"Who shall not reverence and glorify Your name, O Lord? For You alone are holy." (Revelation 15:4a).

If seeing Christ alone does not make me want to look and keep looking only at Him,
Then I may as well just concentrate on what I can see here and now on this earth instead.
If hearing Christ alone does not matter much to me,
Then I may as well seek and listen to the opinions and advice of other people instead.

If touching Christ alone does not thrill me,
Then I may as well look for excitement, amusement and pleasure in this world instead.
If Christ alone does not make me know I am wanted,
Then I may as well look for some people who will need and want me instead.

If Christ alone does not make me laugh at myself and my many blunders,
Then I may as well laugh at other people instead.
If Christ alone does not make me sing every song for Him,
Then I may as well sing for myself or other people instead.

If Christ alone does not cause me to grieve and pray with Him for others,
Then I may as well pray and cry tears of self-pity for myself instead.
If Christ alone does not soften my heart by causing me to identify with Him in His sufferings,
Then I may as well experience the suffering caused by my hard-heartedness and rebellion instead.

If Christ alone does not share His thoughts with me,
Then I may as well be occupied with my own thoughts instead.
If Christ alone does not share His heart with me,
Then I may as well be affected by those things which affect me and my affections.

If knowing Christ alone does not make me give up on myself,
Then I may as well defend myself (using His Word if need be).
If knowing Christ alone does not destroy my pride and ambition,
Then I may as well promote myself (using His Fame and Glory if need be).

If knowing Christ alone does not make me content to be unknown by man,
Then I may as well create and maintain a good name for myself (using Christ's Name if need be).
If knowing Christ alone does not bring me face down to the dust,
Then I may as well stand tall and accept people's admiration and appreciation (on His behalf, of course).

If I do not submit to Christ alone hiding me in Himself so that only He may be seen,
Then I may as well expose myself so people will look at, admire and notice me.
If Christ alone does not fulfil my need for Love,
Then I may as well prostitute myself by looking for love from people instead.

If Christ alone is not my only anointing,
Then I may as well manufacture my own version by manipulating people's emotions.
If Christ alone is not my only qualification and definition,
Then I may as well get a title and some credentials from man instead.

If belonging to Christ alone does not satisfy my need for acceptance,
Then I may as well join a group of people and commit myself and my time to them.
If knowing Christ alone does not make all other relationships pale by comparison,
Then I may as well concentrate more on my relationships with people here on earth than with Him.

If receiving Christ alone does not in turn release me to freely give because of All He has given,
Then I may as well just take all I can from both Him and others and give nothing.
If Christ alone does not give me freedom to trust and obey what I have heard Him say to me personally,
Then I may as well disobey and do what I (or other people) want me to do instead.

If Christ alone does not go along with my plans or use me as I desire,
Then I may as well just use others for my own ends and make things happen myself.
If trusting Christ alone is not deemed sufficient for anything and everything I may encounter,
Then I may as well do whatever I can to ensure my success and survival in all areas of life.

If Christ alone does not have first place in my life,
Then I may as well go any place I like, whenever I like.
If Christ alone does not have control of my life,
Then I may as well exercise my rights to do and say whatever I believe to be right.

If Christ alone is not my Teacher and Unveiler,
Then I may as well just accumulate and articulate the knowledge of others.
If Christ alone is not my Wisdom and Light,
Then I may as well jump to conclusions based on what I think I see from the light of my own candle.

If Christ alone does not make me know true Peace and Joy,
Then I may as well fill my life with many things and many people instead.
If Christ alone does not bring me real Rest,
Then I may as well keep myself very busy so I don't notice my internal lack and restlessness.

If Christ alone is not becoming the essence of who I am,
Then I may as well spend time 'finding myself' and bolstering my poor self image.
If Christ alone is not my Life,
Then I may as well just live for myself and forget about eternity.

If Christ alone has not proved to be more than sufficient for any trial I face,
Then perhaps my trials need to be repeated...
If Christ alone is not enough for me,
Then perhaps I am a hypocrite using His Name...

If Christ alone is not the Love of my life, then who is?
If Christ alone is not my reason for living, then what is?
If Christ alone is not real to me in every aspect of my life, then am I being unreal?
If Christ alone is not enough for me, then do I really know Him at all?

If Christ alone will make me nothing,
Then He will be my Everything.
If Christ alone is the One Thing that matters to me,
Then the "many things" will totally lose their power and ability to trouble me.

If Christ alone will open my eyes, then I will truly see because of Him.
If Christ alone will open my ears, then I will genuinely hear because of Him.
If Christ alone will break me, then I will be gloriously free because of Him.
If Christ alone will touch me, then I will be completely healed because of Him.
If Christ alone will breathe on me, then I will really live because of Him.
If Christ alone will feed me, then I will be fully satisfied because of Him.

If Christ alone will come and live in me in spite of my total unworthiness,
Then I will be worthy because of Christ alone.
If Christ alone will come and show me that I am irrevocably and completely His,
Then I will be lost in the wonder and glory of being joined with Christ alone!

If Christ alone is what I see, then HE will be seen through me!
If Christ alone is what I hear, then HE will be heard through me!
If Christ alone is what I touch, then HE will be felt through me!
If Christ alone is what I eat and drink, then HE will be tasted through me!
If Christ alone is the Fragrance I wear, then HE will be smelt through me!
If Christ alone is all I know, then HE will be known through me!