Repenting … from Religion

S -"Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting him. So he told them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” For this reason the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. … “But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete – the deeds I am now doing – testify about me that the Father has sent me." (John 5:16-18, 36 NET)

O -Actually, Jesus wasn't breaking the Sabbath at all; he was breaking religion's Sabbath which claimed to be God's and was not. In fact, the very things which offended and inspired the leaders to pursue him were very things the Father gave him to do and was doing with him. "So Jesus answered them, “I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise." (John 5:19 NET) Religion, all religion, is always susceptible to misquoting the Scriptures, misguiding people and masquerading as God's kingdom. It will speak with "authority" where the Scriptures are silent and remain silent and resist where they speak with pristine clarity. At its best it can be a good reflection but never the reality; not any more than my body could become my spirit. Thus, the inaugural slogan and call of Jesus remains paramount for all who will follow him. Engage and accept the ongoing transformation of your thinking (repent) because the Kingdom is at hand. 

A -I admit my susceptibility to misquoting, being misguided and masquerading as something I'm not. I embrace the need for ongoing transformation in every area of my life and thinking. I don't want to be left to myself, even my best intended self. Today, while it is called today, I repent. 

P -Lord who works and calls to this very day,

Thank you for wanting me/us and for wanting to bring the ongoing transformation so desperately and consistently needed. I give you my full and unqualified cooperation … do what is already in your heart to do so that I will be transformed into your likeness in every way. I want to think, speak, live, love and act like you; unto the life that is really life. I repent from my religion and say yes to transformation in Jesus' name.

Love,

Steve

Help Not Wanted

S - “God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. ... God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. “We are his children,” just as some of your poets have said. … He isn't like anything that humans have thought up and made. … He says that everyone everywhere must change their thinking. He has set a day when he will judge the world's people with equity. And he has chosen the man Jesus to do the judging for him. God has given proof of this to all of us by raising Jesus from death.” Acts 17 TS

O - Heaven is requiring a change in thinking about everything. Every thing … God included. He does not dwell in religious buildings or places. He made everything and everyone (all 7.6 billion and counting). He does not need anyone’shelp for anything. Everyone will be assessed in these terms by Jesus of Nazareth. All people will be treated with equity. All. The proof for all of this is the resurrection of Jesus. He is reaching out to all and hoping all will reach back. As Jesus says, “Change your thinking the kingdom of heaven is near.”

A -There is not one person God hasn’t made or doesn’t love. In a world full of problems and things which need to be done God does not need the help of anyone of us for anything — anything. In fact, he is working on all the problems right now; every one of them. What he’s hoping for and desiring is for us to work with him. What if we all stopped helping and started cooperating? What if we actually started believing Jesus about earth(John 3:11-12)? A true change in thinking will produce a change in how we live and work. I will pursue and accept ongoing change in my thinking and living according to Jesus; intentionally choosing cooperation. I will stop helping.

P -Lord of heaven and earth,

Thank you for loving us and wanting us to work with you. I admit that:

·      there’s nothing you can ask me to do with you that you couldn’t do better without me. 

·      the point of the work is being together rather than getting it done.

·      you are focused on how we live not what we accomplish. 

Reaching back,

Steve

Heaven's Certainty on Earth

S -"Now I am certain that God treats all people alike. God is pleased with everyone who responds to him and does right, no matter what nation they come from. This is the same message that God gave to the people of Israel, when he sent Jesus Christ, the Lord of all, to offer peace to them. … Jesus was put to death on a cross. But three days later, God raised him to life and let him be seen. Not everyone saw him. He was seen only by us, who ate and drank with him after he was raised from death. We were the ones God chose to be witnesses." Acts 10 TS 

O -  The ones God chooses to be his representatives, his ambassadors, are those who know that he treats all people alike.  Not just all people who join or belong to a certain subset of the world's population (religious or otherwise) -- all people.  The ones chosen by God, not self-appointed or commissioned by other humans, accept that they are to BE witnesses rather than to DO witnessing. Religion teaches that people can please God ONLY if they join their group. Religion wants its adherents to do witnessing (propagate its teachings and conclusions). Heaven wants all people to meet a person who is already reaching out to everyone. Those who respond to him are to be his witness. One of the very first follower put it this way: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.”1 John1:1-3ESV

A -According to Jesus, he is not discovered in the Scriptures. The Scriptures testify of him but he is revealed by his Father, by the Spirit (John 5:39-40; Matthew 16:15-18). This is the experience of millions and hundreds of millions of people over the years and it is my experience too.  It’s not knowing about Jesus but actually knowing him that is the point.  This is because he is heaven's only point!  This is certain and made certain in him. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John17:3ESV) God's Kingdom is relational not theological or religious. We are invited to a relationship with Jesus which is eternal life.  The result is being a witness of him rather than doing witnessing about theological ideas and precepts. This is the certainty all people are invited to … and I am gladly accepting him and his invitation!   

P -Lord of all and Lord of me,

Thank you for engaging me relationally according to Spirit; for letting me know you and not just know about you.  Your love for all people is amazing, unchanging and eternally life giving. I am very glad to be able to be a witness of your person.  You have made me certain on earth about heaven's intent and purpose. AMAZING!  I do love you back!

Steve 

Regarding God’s Love

S -“It was before Passover, and Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and to return to the Father. He had always loved his followers in this world, and he loved them to the very end.” John 13 TS

O -There is nothing passive or disinterested in God’s love for the world (7.6 billion and counting). Jesus and his Father love us “in this world.” They are not waiting for the next age to come to express their love to us. They’re not even waiting for us to respond … they’re initiating with unconditional love. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”(1 John 4:10 NIV) We are loved in this world to the very end.

A -We are loved unconditionally; actively, personally, passionately. We are not loved by God so that we will love him back; though he wants us to love him back. We are loved because we are loved, period, full stop. It’s a decision and commitment made by him and he refuses to change his mind. The relational, personal experience of his love and person is being offered unconditionally in this world, to every person, every day … to the very end. Will I open my heart to him who has already opened his heart to me? I will make myself loving present to him unto the life that is really life. His love for us/me will never end even when my days in this world do. 

P -Sovereign Strong and Friend of sinners,

Thank you for not waiting, for not conditioning your love toward us. You love us first and most and refuse to change your mind. I turn to you my face and offer a wide-open heart and life unto you and all you already have in mind. I do love you back.

Steve

God Not Hidden

S - "The one [Jesus] who comes from heaven is above all others. He speaks about what he has seen and heard, and yet no one believes him. But everyone who does believe him has shown that God is truthful.” John 3 TS

O - There is nothing Jesus speaks about that he is not a material, firsthand, expert witness to.He’s the one human being who has literally seen it all. Heaven, hell, God, the devil, lCreation, the first man and woman, humanity’s greatest and worst moments, etc. he’s above all and has seen it all. He himself is God’s good news to the world (7.6 billion and counting). By his living and his speaking, he offers himself and that which is completely accurate regardless of topic. By embracing him anyone and everyone can know God and know how beautifully truthful (literally not hidden) he is.

A - It is more than interesting to note that the predominance of Jesus’ words are about earth and not heaven. Over 90% of his recorded words focus on the here and now not heaven and the age to come. Yet, he is the completely credible witness about everything. Religion claims to believe him but primarily limits its belief to things about heaven. Jesus wasn’t sent to convince earth just about heaven but about earth as well. His words to the well-respected expert on the Scriptures underscore this in amazing clarity. "I tell you for certain we know what we are talking about because we have seen it ourselves. But none of you will accept what we say. If you don't believe when I talk to you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I talk to you about heavenly things? [John 3:11-12 TS] Will I believe, embrace, accept, engage God’s message about earth? If I will, then believing Jesus about heaven is the beautiful consequence which includes experiencing just how not hidden God actually is.

P - God who is not hiding,

Thank you for loving us so much you give Jesus to us all so that your person and purposes would be known in crystal clear clarity. Yes to you and yes to Jesus! I will live/believe/have complete confidence in him and in all he has seen and heard. With the help of the Helper I will believe him about earth and not just heaven. I do love you back.

Steve

Greater than Sustainability

S -"I tell you for certain that everyone who has confidence in me has eternal life. I am the bread that gives life! … I am that bread from heaven! Everyone who eats it will live forever. My flesh is the life-giving bread I give to the people of this world.  … The living Father sent me, and I have life because of him. … Once again Jesus spoke to the people saying, “I am the light of the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”" John 6 & 8 TS

O -Jesus is the point of everything. He's the only point heaven is offering or making. For all humans he is the bread that gives life; the light that gives life; life which is more than mere existence. He is resurrection life. This life does more than sustain … it transforms.  The life he gives is vibrant, irrepressible, refreshing, eternal … forever life giving. 

A - There is a huge difference between something that is life sustaining and that which is life giving. Physical bread sustains our bodies but does not give us life. At some point, our bodies are no longer able to be sustained by bread.  Confidence in Jesus, i.e. the ongoing exchange with (bread) and reliance on (light) him results in life that is ever-growing and never-ending. It is irrepressible -- it cannot be contained or controlled.  It is, however, received and experienced here and hereafter. I will confidently follow him unto the life that is really life (John 5).  

P -Lord who is life,

Thank you for wanting us in your forever and ever. Thank you for loving us where we are and as we are -- and for not leaving us (merely sustaining us) there.  I am so glad to depend on you as bread and light day by day … unto the life that is really life. You lead and I'll follow.

Confident in you,

Steve

No Mystery in How Heaven Works

S -"Jesus said: Don’t judge others, and God won’t judge you. Don’t be hard on others, and God won’t be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.” Luke 6 TS

O -Heaven sends and gives Jesus to the world to do more than make a sacrifice which would forever lift the trajectory of the human race. He comes to clarify the person and purposes of God. He will do only what the Father does (John 5:19) and say only what he says (John 12:49-50). The section above begins with who is saying the words which follow; words dealing with judgment, forgiveness, generosity and how people can be certain about how heaven will treat them. Earth and heaven do not agree on these topics. Earth says that the way to avoid judgment is to never do anything which brings one into judgment. Heaven says judgment will be avoided only if one refuses to judge others. The world thinks that forgiveness is about expressing or accepting an apology. Jesus says forgiveness for ones’ own failings comes by forgiving others theirs — even if they haven’t asked yet. Provision won’t be wonderfully abundant unless it is preceded by generosity to others. By life, word and deed Jesus leaves no doubt: God wants us to respond to others on earth the way we want him to respond to us here and hereafter.

A -The above direct and often repeated dynamic Jesus gives to the world (currently 7.6 billion) doesn’t require any religious affiliation or practice. He’ll say it and demonstrate it time and time again. The anticipation of how Heaven responds to all people is uncomplicated, practical and lacking any need for deep theological understanding. Jesus makes my day by day, circumstance by circumstance, living crystal clear. Do not judge. Don’t be hard on others. Forgive. Be generous. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated … because in truth that’s exactly how heaven will treat you. 

P -Lord God Almighty,

Thank you for eliminating the guesswork of how heaven will actually work for all earth’s inhabitants. Thank you for sending and giving Jesus to me and to all. He is your message and good news to the entire world. It is amazing that this clear dynamic is not only your assignment to us but also the crossroads where heaven touches earth; and you stand ready to empower us to do this. Yes, amazing! I welcome and choose to engage. Your will be done on earth just as it is done in heaven. 

Living, thinking and loving in Jesus,

Steve