Fearless

So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. 

 You should behave instead like God's very own children,

 adopted into his family - calling him Father, dear Father.

 For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts 

and tells us that we are God's children. 

 Romans 8:15-16 (NLT)

Another benefit of being filled with God's spirit is freedom from fear.  There are many things that can cause fear to arise in us.  We may not know God very well and imagine him to be an arbitrary and cruel dictator waiting to crush us at the first misstep.  Or, we may be living in fear of others, always trying to please and never being ourselves.  Or, we may fear the future wondering if something bad will happen to us.  God's word addresses each one of these fears.

First, when we come to know and experience the fullness of God's love it changes our whole perspective.  His spirit joins with our spirit giving us assurance that we are his children and have nothing to fear. We no longer cower before him but begin to develop a trusting relationship.  We begin to call him Father, dear Father.

Fear has to do with punishment, but God does not punish us because Jesus has already taken all of the punishment we deserve.  He does discipline us, though. As a loving father he disciplines us as we need it for our growth and development, but we need not fear his actions knowing that they will always be for our good.   

Love crowds out fear.  As his love is perfected in us, our fears begin to subside.  The more we understand and experience God's love the less fear and apprehension we will have.  If we know we are his and he our loving father there will be no room for fear.

Lord, help us to come to know deep in our hearts that we belong to you and that you are our loving father from whom we have nothing to fear.  

Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.

 If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment,

 and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

1 John 4:18 (NLT)

Guilt-Free

Sunrise over the hills. Cave Creek, AZ

Therefore, there is now no condemnation

 for those who are in Christ Jesus,

 because through Christ Jesus

 the law of the Spirit of life

 set me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 8:1-2 (NIV)

Guilt is a poor motivator.  When we fail to keep laws and rules we have created for ourselves, guilt arises.  Rules can backfire causing us to crave forbidden things even more.  Because of our weaknesses, a system of laws and rules just doesn’t work.

God has instituted a completely new system.  It is a system based on a whole new law – the law of the spirit of life. It is a system in which the giver of the law is the fulfiller of it as well.  As we are filled with that life giving spirit an amazing thing happens.  We are now actually able to fulfill God’s laws, not by our own strength and effort but by the effortless yielding to the spirit within.

It is a walk of freedom.  When we realize we have been set free to follow the spirit, we do not have to be lead any longer by our guilty feelings.  We still may fail, but then, the spirit gently picks us up, dusts us off and sets us on our way again.  We are no longer under law of any kind except the law of love.  What a difference between the old guilt producing, try harder system and this new system which leads to freedom, joy and love.

Are we willing to let go of our own system of self righteousness and allow his gentle spirit to guide us every moment into this new life of joy and freedom.  All we have to do is ask.  Ask largely.  Ask boldly.  Ask in faith believing because God desires to bless you with the fullness of his spirit and his life.

This is a covenant not of written laws,

 but of the Spirit. 

The old written covenant ends in death;

 but under the new covenant, 

the Spirit gives life.

2 Cor 3:6 (NLT)

For when I tried to keep the law,

 it condemned me.

 So I died to the law

—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—

so that I might live for God.

Gal 2:19 (NLT)

Glory

Sunrise over Four Peaks - Cave Creek, AZ

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

Isaiah 6:3 (NIV)

Glory is the word used to describe God in all his transcendent beauty, majesty and holiness.  His glory fills all the earth and the heavens.  We see his glory all around us in the creation.  We experience his glory as we walk in his presence.   We are transformed by his glory.

When we look at our mundane lives we wonder “Where’s the glory?  What could it possibly mean that I am being transformed into his image?”  Yet, as I allow my mind to expand to encompass thoughts of his glory, I find amazing things happening in me.  First is worship.  As I contemplate his glory all around me, a sense of worship rises inside of me opening my heart to his transforming power. Then, even though I may face troubles of all kinds, as I acknowledge his glorious presence, I have a sense of peace and joy continually renewing my inner being.

God's desire for us is nothing less than that we should see and share his glory.  He has high hopes for us.  As we see and reflect his glory, he works in us to change and transform us into his very image – the image of Christ who is the exact representation of God’s glory.

Therefore we do not lose heart. 

Though outwardly we are wasting away,

 yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

  For our light and momentary troubles

 are achieving for us an eternal glory 

that far outweighs them all. 

  2 Cor 4:16-17 (NIV)

And we all, with unveiled faces

 reflecting the glory of the Lord, 

are being transformed into the same image

 from one degree of glory to another.

2 Cor 3:18 (NET)

Easter Sunrise

On Easter, I had the wonderful privilege of attending the Easter Sunrise Service at the Grand Canyon.  We arose at 4:00, donned layers of clothing as a buffer against the cold and walked through the darkness to Mather Point.  We found a great spot on the rocks facing the Eastern sky.  We sat quietly in meditation, listening to beautiful music, as the darkness gradually gave way to shades of light.

The message began with a quote from former Arizona governor Howard Pyle who presided over the Canyon's sunrise service for 25 of its 77 year history.

 

"Slowly the soft black lines of the horizon widen to the right and left as the golden glow of the sunrise moves higher and higher.

In a matter of seconds, colored lights are hanging everywhere.  

The Easter sun is on its way. No longer are we standing on the edge of nowhere. There is movement and form on a gigantic scale, and sound to match the voices and the rustlings of the birds and scampering things along the rim. What has been a dungeon-like darkness below becomes a mysterious combination of enormous black and blue shadows, then the shadows become a vast network of interlocking mountain ranges and ridges. The temple heart of the Grand Canyon."*

Facing the lightening horizon, the pastor, reads from Psalm 19.

 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.

Psalms 19:1,4-5 (NLT)

 

As we began singing Christ the Lord is Risen Today, the glorious, radiant bridegroom bursts forth over the North Rim.  

    The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat.               Psalms 19:6

As we listen, Pastor Patrick eloquently compares our glorious sun to the even more glorious son, Jesus, our Savior.  We are awe-struck and a greater understanding of his light and love fills our souls. 

As the service concludes, we sing,

 "Shine your light and let the whole world see, 

we're singing for the glory of the risen King."  

  

As the full splendor of the canyon comes into view below, we go forth with great joy, in the presence of our risen Savior. 

 

But for you who fear my name,

 the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. 

 And you will go free,

 leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.

Mal 4:2 (NLT)

 Listen to Christ the Lord is Risen today: http://youtu.be/MldbSYf4DpU

* Arizona Governor Howard Pyle, providing the radio "call" of the sunrise at the Easter Sunrise Service, ca. 1954.

The Mystery of Prayer

I tell you, you can pray for anything, 

and if you believe that you’ve received it,

 it will be yours.  

Mark 11:24 NLT

We can ask for whatever we want and we will receive?!?  How can this be? - It is the amazing mystery of prayer. 

God tells us to ask and keep on asking and we will receive whatever we ask for in his name - that is, according to his perfect will and plan.  When we ask for good things for ourselves and others, God is delighted to hear our prayers and delighted to answer them.  We don't know how he will do it or when - he has all time and eternity at his disposal - but, we can be assured, because he has told us so, that he is working in every situation to bring our pray to fulfillment.

He asks us to pray without doubt. Doubt arises when we think too much, when we try to figure things out. We think, "How will he do it and when? It seems so impossible that it could ever happen."  When we doubt, we are focusing on ourselves.  When we believe, we are focusing on the one of whom it is said "nothing is impossible." (Luke 1:37)  He just asks us to present our requests believing and leaving all the how? and when? to him. 

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thes. 5:17).   Like breathing, prayer can be a constant and automatic part of our lives.  Prayer can be our first response to every event and circumstance. We can participate in God's work by praying for all people, people we don't even know. Prayer expands us. It helps us to get out of ourselves and pay attention to the needs of those around us.  Prayer opens us to the presence of God.

I know, Lord, that you have heard all of my prayers.  Prayers for myself, my loved ones and friends and those I have never met, for health and happiness, for strength and salvation and you will answer them all in your time and in your way.  Thank you.

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power

 and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16 (NLT)

So we have not stopped praying for you

 since we first heard about you.

Col 1:9 (NLT)