To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:
I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you fond them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

But I have this against you,

that you have left your first love.

Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.
Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes; I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.  Rev. 2:1-7

When Christ really captivates, everything happens and anything can happen.  That is how it was with Paul and with these people (the people at the church in Phillipi).  Christ had just captivated them.  They had no other thought in life than Christ.  They may have had their businesses, their trades, their professions, their different walks of life and occupations in the world, but they had one all-dominating thought, concern and interest -- Christ...
There is no other word for it. He just captivated them. And, I see, dear friends, that that -- simple as it may sound -- explains everything.  It explains Paul ... it explains these believers, it explains their mutual love. It solved all their problems, cleared up all their difficulties. Oh, this is what we need! If only you and I were like this, if we really after all were captivated by Christ! .. After all, nine-tenths of all our troubles can be traced to the fact that we have other personal interests influencing us, governing us, controlling us -- other aspects of life than Christ. If only it could be true that Christ had captured and captivated and mastered us, and become -- yes, I will use the word -- an obsession, a glorious obsession! When it is like that, we are filled with joy. There are no regrets at having to "give up" things. We are filled with joy, filled with victory.
There is no spirit of defeatism at all. It is the joy of a great triumph. It is the triumph of Christ over the life ... but, oh, we need the captivating to wipe out our selves -- our reputations, everything that is associated with us and our own glory -- that the One who captivates may be the only One in view, the only One with a reputation, and we at His feet. This is the gospel, the good news -- that, when Christ really captivates, the kind of thing that is in this letter (Philippians) happens, it really happens! Shall we ask the Lord for that life captivation of His beloved Son.

T Austin Sparks

as quoted in Insurgence (by Frank Viola) 

And, here we have the church at Ephesus.They were doing all the "good things," all the "good works" that we are sent to do as Christ's representatives.  But they had lost the love that was intended to motivate and direct those works.  Were those works still "good?"  Yes, but did those works still represent Christ?  Did those good deeds still bring His light to the world?

Jesus warns that if they do not repent, their lampstand, their representation of Christ in the world would be "removed" from its place.  They would no longer be His light.  

Oh, for a heart that is captivated with Christ, that serves from that love and because of that love.  Oh, for a heart that remains true to that "first love."

Conform vs Transform

15 Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,

2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

4 For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me;

6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:

11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

12 Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?

13 But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.

14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

15 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable.

16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding?

17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.

19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:

20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.                                                 Matthew 15:1-20  


Jesus condemns the Pharasaical outlook for two reasons:

1) They have built up the traditions of men to have equal merit with God's law.  Even, in some cases, to overrule the law and make it void.

2) They have made their concern strictly outward and are concerned mainly with having the appearance of  righteousness, but they have neglected the heart.  Their desire is all to DO correct things, but they have seem to have little to NO desire to seek God Himself, to draw near to Him, to please Him.  Their desire is more to impress their fellow man, to appear to keep the letter of the law, to appear to live every religious principle, and to appear pious to all who see them.  And beyond that, to hold high the standard especially when they see others failing.

I is so very easy to fall into this mindset, and 'religion' encourages us to do so.  First, we are in some ways a lazy lot, so when someone outlines in any form what we shouldn't or should do, we take the easy way out and live by "the code," being quite happy with our "spirituality."  We can live just up to the minimum standard and believe God is quite pleased with us.  If we slip up, we claim God's mercy and understanding.  This makes our lives so much easier in a sense, all we must do is learn "the code," and it doesn't matter whether it is a Scriptural mandate or a man-made obligation, in fact, the man-made commandments often take on greater weight that the Scriptural, i.e. "Thou shalt not smoke" vs "Thou shalt not covet, or "Thou shalt not bring false witness."

It is so easy to learn "the code" and so difficult to push into God Himself and to seek His will.

Building a relationship with anyone takes time.  Spending time with them, sharing your life with them, inviting them in to the intimacy of  your dreams and your longings, really listening to their heart's longings, seeking to understand their ways and their concerns does not happen overnight.  And so it is with seeking to really know God.  It can't be done on a Sunday morning, a quick prayer time, a rushed worship service.  Knowing Him comes as we run after Him, putting aside all the hustle and bustle of our lives, and really listening for Him in His word and by His Holy Spirit.  Not a quick devotional reading, not a predigested passage of Scripture with a short inspirational comment to follow.  But digging into the word with Holy Spirit's leading and looking to find Him there, listening for His voice, beholding His beauty and His love, reaching out to Him in prayer that is more than a list of requests or a ACTS formula.  It takes time and commitment and longing.

As I said, it is so much easier to conform ourselves to Christian "images."  Living up to the religious image is sure to win admiration and applause from our fellows.  But the one who seeks after God Himself and a relationship with God that is heart deep may find himself misunderstood and judged false because he will not always keep the man-made commandments, he will not always "look" saintly.

Our "heart" -- the seat of our desires, our thoughts, and our feelings -- was corrupted by sin and had become utterly wicked.  But after the new birth, as we walk by the Spirit, He can change our hearts.  This too comes by seeking God and allowing the Spirit free access to recreate our hearts, to give us a new heart.  But we must seek Him, not religion, not the outward appearance, which disciplines the outside, cleanses the outside, but doesn't reach inward to the heart.

I just came upon these notes in my journal from way back in 1993, and I am so being reminded that I must let go of my own desires and understandings and strengths and instead seek the Lord Himself and submit to His recreation, which is an inward work that proceeds sometimes unseen.  I spend too much time looking at the outward and waste so much time trying to conform to some "image" of who I think I need to be, but my heart has strayed far from Him over the last few years.

So my goal is,

Give up:

• "images" of what it is to be a mature, consistent, spiritual child of God
• programs for how to get there
• demands of what I want God to do for me and with me and to me
• standards of judgement for whether He is doing it or not
• depending on my strength of will to obey

Instead:

• seek God for Himself alone
• spend time with Him, personally seeking Him, Himself, quieting my heart from all the distractions and the expectations
• submit to the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the word of God 
• conviction
• leading
• inspiration
• empowering
• encouraging
• trust God to draw me to Himself and to recreate my heart and life as He sees fit

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The Crisis of Our Times -- Insurgence by Frank Viola

As I write these words, the Christian faith is in crisis.  The impact that the body of Christ has on the world is meager.

The reason for much of this problem has to do with an insipid allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ among Christians and a profound misunderstanding of His Kingdom.  In fact, I'm convinced that our understanding of "allegiance" to Jesus is warped at best.

By and large, Christians seem to fall into one of two camps when it comes to following Jesus.
Camp 1 consists of those whose relationship to Jesus is understood to be an allegiance to external rule-keeping. These people may not realize it, but they are in bondage to religious duty and obligation.

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 NIV)

Camp 2 consists of those whose relationship to Jesus is understood to be a supplement to their already busy lives. Believing in Jesus makes them feel a little happier and helps them deal with sad days. But Jesus isn't really central to their lives. These people may not realize it, but they are in bondage to their own desires.

So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:16 NIV)

It's rare to find a Christian today who doesn't fit into these two camps. Yet they do exist. And my hope is that with the release of this book, their tribe will increase.

The tribe I'm describing--this third camp--is made up of those whose relationship to Jesus Christ is not motivated by guilt, condemnation, shame, religious duty, the fear of hell, or the hope of heaven. Rather, it's motivated by the compelling sight of the glorious Person of Christ and the irresistible power of His Kingdom.

 Insurgence by Frank Viola

I am so loving this book.  My life has become so very blah and isolated.  My relationship with God has become a little distant, maybe more than a little.

I long for the faith of those first-century Christians, the faith that enabled them to turn the world upside down.  The faith that is based on the Person of Christ Jesus and the glory of the Godhead, rather than on religion, religious behaviors, or just lip-service.  I long to be so enraptured by God that my life is a burning flame of faith, love, and glory, a flame that will rescue the walking dead we live among. 

Holy Spirit, I ask for Your transforming work in my life!  I ask for a powerful transformation that will turn my life upside down!

Getting out of the Boat

"Lord, if it's You," Peter replied, "tell me to come to You on the water."
"Come," He said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.  But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.  "You of little faith," He said, "why did you doubt?"
And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
Matthew 14:28-32

I have read that many times.  However, as I read it this evening, I noticed that as they climbed into the boat, "the wind died down."

So interesting!  Jesus could have calmed the wind at any time in this situation, but He allowed it to howl and rage until they got into the boat.

Perhaps if He had calmed it earlier, Peter's stepping out of the boat to join Him walking on the water would have meant so much less.  He may have simply strode up to Jesus and felt such pride and accomplishment in himself, in his bravery.  Or, perhaps he wouldn't have gone out of the boat at all.  Perhaps the storm calmed and Jesus walking peacefully across the smooth sea would not have drawn Peter out of the boat at all.

Yes, Peter got out of the boat in the midst of the storm!  He walked off toward Jesus, walking atop liquid water.  And, yes, he was overcome by fear at the roaring wind and waves.  BUT He got out of the boat, he walked on the water!  I cannot think of another mention of anyone other than Christ and Peter walking on water. 

I get so caught up in fear and especially in fear of failure or in the overwhelming guilt and shame of having failed.  But you know what, failing isn't as important as it can seem.  If I could just get it into my head that the amazing wonder of doing something new and terrifying and amazing is more important than the fact that I may have failed at it this time, perhaps I'd be more willing to step out of the boat.  I truly need to let go of the fear of failure and of all the self-recriminations when I do fail, and get excited about the fact that I tried something I haven't done before.  I imagine that, although Peter might have felt some chagrin at his doubting, he will never forget the amazing experience of getting out of the boat and taking those initial steps toward Jesus.

Another thing I want to remember is that maybe the Lord is allowing the wind to howl and the waves to roar that I might have the chance to face my fears and step out of the boat. 

Walking through the Fire or the Storm

Even when the world attacks or a situation seems dark, difficult, and even dire, it may still be part of God's purpose and will.  He has not promised us a life of constant "success," ease, happiness, and sunshine.  We can see God's purposes and plans worked out in the lives of all His prophets, disciples and followers, yet not one lived a life of complete joy and peace in a worldly sense.

The thing that makes the difference is KNOWING GOD, trusting Him, and going where He sends us, recognizing that His will has purposes and results for greater than any road of comfort and worldly success could ever provide.  As Jesus did, we MUST draw very close to the Lord to build that relationship of trust and love which will enable us to walk through the fire or the storm because we KNOW His goodness, His love, and His ability to "work all things together for good."

Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit, the Revelation of God

Jesus Christ - the Person of the Godhead in whom the glory of the Godhead is manifested, the complete and absolute revelation of all that God is.

All of God's conveyed words could only give us an outline of who He is and of whom we are and how we should serve Him.  Jesus brought life to that word; He gave it expression and made it tangible. So we were able to see in Him God's love, holiness, and power, as well as how those characteristics applied to us.  

And beyond this, when Christ returned to the Father, He sent the Helper to us.  Holy Spirit lives within us to continue Jesus Christ's work.  The Spirit brings the word of God to life, again, revealing God's love, holiness and power.  He continues to speak to our hearts and to lead us in understanding God and walking in His will.  

How personal and gracious God is that He would not just send His inspired word through His prophets.  God chose to take on flesh and blood to live among us, to taste our trials and our struggles, and reveal Himself personally.  In His flesh, He took on the sins of the world in His death to enable us to join Him in eternity.  Now, He tabernacles within us, sharing our very lives, encouraging us, leading us in His ways, and speaking to our hearts very personally.  The Spirit also breathes life upon the inspired word of God, helping us to see beyond the surface wording into the depths of mystery and power.

How could mere religion possibly compete even with libraries of 'holy books'?

A Dangerous Faith

Jesus was a dangerous man -- dangerous to the power structure, dangerous to the religious, dangerous to the crowds of people who followed Him.

Shouldn't Christianity be considered dangerous -- unpredictable, threatening to the status quo, living outside the lines, uncontrollable, fearless, wild, beyond categorization or definition.  It is time to find the place where the dangerous wonder of faith can be discovered -- a place landscaped by risky curiosity, wild abandon, daring playfulness, quiet listening,, irresponsible passion, happy terror and naive grace.

Found the above in an old journal.  Not sure whether I wrote it or if I got it from somewhere.  Not sure that it is stated correctly.  My heart is trying to say that it is time to leave behind all the comfortable churchiosity, the safe "sanctification," and the predictable religiosity.  The dangerous One we follow is calling us out of the boat and onto the water, out of our comfort zones and into the battlefields.  

Even as I write this, I wonder if I have what it takes.  I wonder if I can set aside my fears, doubts and insecurities.  

Let's encourage one another; let's strengthen one another, let's step out together and take that first dangerous step of faith!

Faith Does

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by it the men of old gained approval.   Hebrews 11:1

“Faith Does.”  Actually, I am not trying to say that faith does anything in and of itself.  It is not an invisible magic force that operates in the world.  Rather, by faith, we choose to act and God chooses to act in response to our faith.  First, let’s look at what choosing to act in faith accomplishes.

Faith Obeys and Acts
Faith obeys, and true faith moves us to act.  As James says, “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?” (James 2:14-15)  Abraham left Ur and then Haran by faith, seeking a country in which he would spend his entire life as an alien, a land that God promised to give him.  By faith he gathered his servants, the wood, and his son Isaac to head for Mt. Moriah, the place of sacrifice, because he believed God would keep His promise even when it seemed impossible.

By faith Moses led a multitude of thousands into the desert believing God would lead them all the way to the Promised Land and that He would provide for them on the way.  Joshua marched his army around an impregnable city wall for seven days.  (I wonder what they were thinking on days four and five?)   And Gideon pared down his grossly outnumbered forces to 300 men before the first recorded battle of his life.

Faith Rests
A Sabbath rest remains, therefore, for God’s people. For the person who has entered His rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from His. Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience. (Heb. 4:9-11)  In resting from our own works, we rely on the finished work of Christ Jesus.
Jesus calls us into His rest:  “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”  (Matt. 11:28-30)

Faith is being confident of what we hope for, convinced about things we do not see. And without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to God, because whoever approaches Him must believe that He does exist and that He becomes a Rewarder to those who seek Him out. Hebrews 11:1 & 6

It is so interesting that I am writing this even as I am going through a trial of my faith, and a time when I feel that my faith is showing just how weak and wimpy it really is. For those of you who don't know me or my situation, let me just say that my family and I don't know where we will be living next month. The house we have been renting was foreclosed on, sold at auction, and is being put on the market by the bank. The mortgage on the house we are planning to rent has not yet been approved. And so, we find ourselves within a couple of weeks of moving and not knowing where we will be moving to. It’s stressful to say the least. And I wonder, where is my faith?

So, here I am examining FAITH as a person who is struggling with faith at the moment. I am not struggling with my faith in God as my Father, as the One who loves me, or as my Provider. But I am struggling more with what He is doing in my life at this season and
in this circumstance. In this need, is He God, my Provider, or is He God, my Sustainer in times of need? Would He be saying, “My grace is sufficient?” Is He providing the nice house we long for, or is He at work teaching me that I don't need all the long list of things American prosperity has taught me to accept as necessity? (Hmmmmm. Maybe I think too much and over analyze everything!)

Anyway, the above verses in Hebrews are the basis for my understanding of what faith is. From them I understand that FAITH is a firm confidence in the things that we
expectantly hope for: the things God has promised and the things we have been told are true in Scripture. The word here for “firm confidence” is hypostasis, a Greek word that was commonly used in business documents of the time as the basis of a guarantee of transactions It is important to note here that it isn’t so much about my faith as it is about the object of my faith, God. Just as in a business transaction, the contract itself is only as valuable as the integrity of the one you are contracting with.

Faith is also a confidence, acceptance, and belief in things that we cannot see. It’s rather like believing in gravity or the wind. “Faith apprehends as a real fact what is not revealed to the senses. It rests on that fact, acts upon it, and is upheld by it in the face of all that seems to contradict it.” Notice verse 11:27, where it says those who lived by faith “endured as seeing Him who is invisible.”

So faith is a confidence in things that are not here yet (we haven’t received them physically as yet) and a conviction about the things that exist but we just can't see them. It is learning to walk or live according to the truth of God’s Word, even when we haven’t yet received and are not yet able to see. Matthew Henry said that faith is to the soul all that the senses are to the body.

From this "definition," it would seem that the things that we see and the things that we already have are not of faith, they don’t require faith. And, you know, that is the rub. I ask God to give me faith, to build my faith, but then I get upset when I don’t have or see all the things I “need.” Maybe I should be careful of what I ask for, it sounds a little like asking for more patience and then having one person after another getting on your last nerve.

Interestingly enough, Hebrews is very direct in saying, "All of these (the list that follows in Hebrews 11) had their merit attested because of their faith. Nevertheless, they did not receive what had been promised, because God had planned something better that would involve us, so that only with us would they be brought to the goal." It seems to imply that having enough faith is not a guarantee that we will get everything we hope for when we expect it. God may have something better in mind. God's thoughts and ways are so much higher and farther than ours, and we don't always quite understand what He is truly saying or what His timeline is for its fulfillment. Nevertheless, we are to believe if for no other reason then that it pleases Him.

By the way, take another look at the last paragraph. The Word says they “had their merit attested because of their faith.” What it is saying is that God testifies about their faith. All through Scripture we find God pointing out those who believed and who expressed their faith actively in their obedience. It seems that among other things, the Bible may also be God’s Brag Book. I hope that doesn’t sound sacrilegious. I know that all the wonders throughout the Bible are the work of God. Yet, it seems that God made sure a record was kept and a report was made to honor them for the things that they did in faith. Can you imagine God giving a testimony about you because you believed Him? Wow!

Verse 6 says that we must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him out. I guess we can’t have faith in His promises if we don’t believe that God exists, that seems like a given. But we also must believe that He is good, that He wants to do us good. We must believe that as we reach out to Him, He will be reaching out to us and that He will do us good. We must believe that His will for us is good.

Again, I am so like a child here, Daddy God says "I am taking you somewhere." And immediately I start, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" He says, "I am doing a new thing in your life." And, I begin asking, "Are You done yet? Am I done yet?"

I want to have faith. I want to believe and trust in God. I want to please Him by my faith. BUT I want everything NOW. I want my needs to all be met! I want my walk with Him to be smooth and easy. According to the definition of faith above, if I had all of this, if I could see Jesus sitting here beside me, where would my faith be? And if I didn't need faith, how could I please God?

i. Word Pictures in the New Testament, Archibald Thomas Robertson, QuickVerse.
ii. ibid
iii. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the New Testament, QuickVerse.
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