What do you believe qualifies you for the love of God?
When things go wrong in your life, is your first reaction to wonder why God let it happen? Do you become introspective to see what you have done wrong? When you pray, do you find yourself going through a mental checklist of successes and sins to determine if God will answer your prayer?

If we ask ourselves the wrong questions, we end up like Adam and Eve: alienate from God through the fear and unbelief in our mind. We usually ask ourselves if we are worthy enough for God to answer our prayers and meet our needs. The answer to that is an obvious NO! But God doesn’t answer our prayers because we are worthy; He does it because we are qualified. There is a difference. I may not be worthy based on my actions. But I am qualified for all the promises of God because I am in Jesus! To be qualified is to meet legal requirements. To be worthy is to be deserving. I meet the legal requirements even when I am personally undeserving. Why? Because I am in Jesus! He is worthy!

Paul said it this way: “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colassians 1:12). How could I possibly be qualified when I am not worthy? Simple! Jesus is worthy. He inherited all promises of God. I am now in Christ. In Him I share in the inheritance, all the riches of god.

In Jesus we were all given the gift of righteousness. We do not stand before God in our righteousness. We stand before Him in the righteousness of Christ Himself! “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Romans 3:21-22)

We have a righteousness that is not of our making. It is not based on our performance; it is based on the finished work of the Lord Jesus. “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (Corinthians 1:30).

When we receive His righteousness as a free gift, our conscience is made clear and our sense of self changes. We step into the identity that man was created to enjoy– one of dignity and worth. It is this very sense of righteousness that gives us peace and frees us from fear and wrath. It is the righteousness of Jesus that frees us from the abiding sense of lack, doom, low self-worth, and vague feeling of not measuring up. It is in this spiritual/ emotional state that we fulfill our God-given destiny as priests and kings.

–from Breaking the Cycle, by Dr. James Richards

I wanted to share some of the life lessons I have learned from my father and mother:

• The fundamental spiritual nature of life. It might be easy to take for granted, but not everyone grows up with parents who understand that everything that happens in life has a spiritual nature and spiritual roots. You have always taken that into account and I know that is a great generational blessing.
• How to look past the skin of the world and see the things of the kingdom. Your sensitivity to kingdom dynamics in every facet of life has been the foundation on which God has built mine.
• Mom, you have shown me how to love unconditionally and how to guide and encourage without judgment.
• Dad, you have taught me the difference between authority in position and authority in relationship. You have never needed position, titles or recognition to validate the quiet, confident authority God has given you.
• Leadership by wisdom and example over knowledge or position. One of the first things I learned from you is that there is a big difference between knowledge and wisdom. You have always been servant leaders.
• The importance of journey and process over expectations and accomplishment. You have always understood that God is more interested in the process than the end goal.
• A desire for experience over simple knowledge. You have not only pursued knowledge of God, but to truly experience a relationship with Him.
• How to recognize and pursue God’s spontaneous order over man’s rational structure. Man feels a need for structure, which can quickly become rigid. God desires order, but that order always comes with freedom and life.
• How to recognize truth in unexpected, sometimes abstract snapshots of life. Your gift to see the best in the oddities and quirks of others; to glean some truth or life lesson from virtually any situation or experience.
• How to create as created beings and a deep appreciation for all things created. Dad, your artistic gift for writing and painting and mom, your love for nature and God’s creation have been such a blessing to me.
• How to understand and operate in God’s economy of giving and receiving rather than the world’s economy of buying and selling. Watching you give things away rather than needing to sell them, and watching you graciously receive as God has provided for you through others has had a great impact on my life.

These are just a few of the many life lessons; the heritage you have passed on to me and the inheritance you are passing on to your grandchildren. I thank God for His faithfulness and I thank you for yours.

I love you,

Evan

First, I have to remind myself that love is a powerful weapon of spiritual warfare. Love is a supernatural force of God which brings life to those who receive it. Second, I have to know that this kind of love is not tied to my emotions. I do not have to “feel” like I love the person; I choose to to love them. Love is a verb. And third (and most important) I have to believe in the invisible. This is what is meant in 1 Corinthians 13:7 where it is written that love believes all things.

This kind of love leads to a revelation of a person’s true identity in Jesus. This kind of belief entails a download from God of His heart for the person and an understanding of how He sees them. I come to know, deep down in my heart, that this individual is more than the brokenness, weakness or meanness they may appear on the outside. With this revelation and understanding comes the energy and endurance I need to love and serve above and beyond my natural ability.

When I believe all things on behalf of another person, I release God’s Spirit into their life to convict them of sin, to heal them of wounds and to draw them to Himself. He fills me with the wisdom of His truth about a person so that I can speak that truth into their life and cut away lies. Isaiah 49:2 says that He made our mouth like a sharpened sword. This sword can cut both ways. We speak out of what we believe, and that either builds a person up in agreement with God, or is a destructive force in their life when we speak out of only what we see in the natural.

All we need do is ask Him, “Who do You see when you look at this person?”

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21

American sociologist and theologian, Peter Berger, speaks of “signals of transcendence” or clues or signs that lead us to consider the possibility that we are not accidents of chance. I would go a step further and suggest that these signals of transcendence are glimpses of the Kingdom of Heaven; fingerprints of the One who created the universe and Who designed each one of us for a specific purpose and role within that universe.

There are universals, or principles of reality, upon which existence itself is ordered and built. For example, what some might call “karma” is nothing more than the natural law of sowing and reaping. Everything we do and say (dare I suggest everything we even think) is a seed that is planted in the soil of our own hearts and the hearts of others. No seed is neutral. It is either good or it is bad. Every seed will bear fruit, either good, or bad. Another reality of the law of sowing and reaping is “multiplication”. If I plant one seed of wheat (or of anger, or lust, or of love, or service), I can expect a harvest that produces dozens, or hundreds of it’s own kind.

These signals of transcendence can be seen much like we see signs of invisible physical forces such as gravity. I may take it for granted when I see a rock rolling down a hill, or a leaf falling from a tree. I may even forget gravity exists as I go about my day-to-day life. However, my ignorance of gravity does not make it any less a reality when I stumble and fall. Likewise, the spiritual and relational laws of the universe effect us whether we acknowledge or understand them or not.

I suggest we look for these signs and clues, as we might see that leaf falling, and come to know the One who left them for us to find. To know Him is to come to understand His ways and to know His greater purpose and meaning for our lives.

Many will respond to life’s challenges by thinking them through and formulating ideas and logically working through challenges in life to a point where one has a planed response to life problems. On the down side, they may think themselves into inaction by accepting thoughts of fear and failure.

Others react emotionally and seek to reconcile life’s difficulties in their heart. They grapple emotionally until they feel OK about whatever challenge life may have dealt. Unfortunately, feeling good can turn to feeling bad almost instantaneously.

Still others react by doing. To step out decisively and implement a program answers to the pragmatists felt need. Sometimes this can lead to doing everything but what is best in a given situation.

All the above systems of reacting to life can be valid, sensible approaches to solving life problems.

However, there is a fourth system which, when understood, becomes the foundation of the Christians worldview: Christianity is ultimately rooted ontologically, in being. Although thinking, feeling and doing are key to the Christian walk, we will never find real victory and transformation until we replace the “old man” or identity with the “new man” and BE what we were created.

Just as all points of the compass are critical to navigation but are all dependent on North as a point of reference; thinking feeling and doing are important to navigating through life, but will not result in true direction without their relative position to being. Once we have an inner revelation of who God created us to be, we have a “true North” from which we know what to think (West), what is a valid emotion (South) and what is sensible and productive to do (East).

There are two truths about my identity. There is “what is true” and that is I am a sinner who daily fails to be the person I know I should be. I think terrible things, and make terrible choices. The truth about how I behave is undeniable. However, there is also something called “The Truth” and that is I am the new creation; washed clean of my sin by Christ’s sacrifice; gifted and called to serve the King of Kings; created to be unique and talented; loved by the creator of the universe.

There is no question that we need to be honest about our sin and constantly confessing, repenting and choosing the grace of God for those areas of our lives where we are not behaving according to who God made us to be. However, God separates our behavior from our identity and sees us as the finished work He created us to be. Christ’s blood covers us and the Father sees us as the righteousness of Christ. The enemy is constantly looking to re-enforce the feeling of failure and place condemnation and a burden of shame on our shoulders. When we focus on and feed our weaknesses, we are agreeing with the kingdom of darkness. I want to agree with the one who made me and focus on The Truth about my identity.

Similarly, what we believe about and for each other also tends to be what is reproduced. Standing with God and agreeing with The Truth about those we love produces faith vision in their lives and brings life.

Phillipians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy –meditate on these things.

When David wrote this Psalm, he must have been gazing up into the heavens on a clear night, struck by the beauty and complexity of creation. David may have been able to count 1,500 stars with his naked eye, yet we now know that there are an estimated 100 billion stars in our home galaxy, the Milky Way, and there are another estimated 100 billion galaxies, each with an estimated 100 billion stars!

“What is man, that You are mindful of him?” The answer to this question seems less and less likely to be found with each step we take into the limitless expanse of the universe. The more we know about the intricacies and complexities of the human body; with each new discovery and small advance of science; with each new sunset and flower blossom, the mystery of why God pursues man becomes more difficult to fathom.

Psalm 40:5 says that God’s thoughts towards you and I are too numerous to count, and they are all good. Jeremiah 29:11 says that God’s thoughts for us are of peace, to give us a future and a hope. He knew you and I and had planned out our unique personality and gifting from before time began. If you are like me, you have a hard time accepting these facts. After all, we know our failings and short-comings. I find it hard to believe that God feels good about me because I don’t feel good about myself.

The difference is that God separates our behavior from our identity. He knows who He created you to be and that you do not cease to be what He created just because you might sin at times. You and I would do well to take the lead of the creator of the universe and agree with Him about who we are. When you get under a load of self-condemnation, do you stop and check it with God before you buy it? You might be surprised by the freedom He gives you to decline carrying such burdens.

“Blessed are they
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man
whose sin the Lord will never count against him.”
–Romans 4:7-8

In a similar fashion, we don’t discover who we are and then become it: we are what God created us to be from the beginning of time. As we lift our eyes and look to the Creator, our identity is revealed and we either agree with the truth and it is manifest, or we deny the truth and go on living as something we are not. Often, we give more merit to what another person said we are than we give to the one who created us. (And most often, that person does not really know who they are, let alone who we are.) Yet we agree with them without question and become the very thing we believe –like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Let us look to the Creator for our identity and agree with Him. Let us question everything we believe about ourselves and hold it up to the flame of scrutiny: where did it come from, and how did I come to believe it? Let us invite the Spirit to reveal the truth about who He designed each of us to be, and then become that very thing.

Reach high, for stars are hidden in your soul.
Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.
–Pamela Vaull Star

One day, Dr. Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.
“How many push-ups can you do “
Steve said, “I do about 200 every night.”
“200 That’s pretty good, Steve,” Dr. Christianson said. “Do you think you could do 300 “

Steve replied, “I don’t know… I’ve never done 300 at a time.”
“Do you think you could ” again asked Dr. Christianson.
“Well, I can try,” said Steve.
“Can you do 300 in sets of 10 I have a class project in mind and I need you to do about 300 push-ups in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it I need you to tell me you can do it,” said the professor.

Steve said, “Well… I think I can…yeah, I can do it.”
Dr. Christianson said, “Good! I need you to do this on Friday. Let me explain what I have in mind.”

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, the professor pulled out a big box of donuts. No these weren’t the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend with a party in Dr. Christianson’ s class.

Dr. Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, “Cynthia, do you want to have one of these donuts “

Cynthia said, “Yes.”

Dr. Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut “

“Sure.” Steve jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten. Then Steve again sat in his desk. Dr. Christianson put a donut on Cynthia’s desk.

Dr. Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, “Joe, do you want a donut “
Joe said, “Yes.”
Dr. Christianson asked, “Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut ” Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut. And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut. And down the second aisle, till Dr. Christianson came to Scott.

Scott was on the basketball team, and in as good condition as Steve. He was very popular and never lacking for female companionship. When the professor asked, “Scott do you want a donut ” Scott’s reply was, “Well, can I do my own pushups “
Dr. Christianson said, “No, Steve has to do them.”
Then Scott said, “Well, I don’t want one then.”

Dr. Christianson shrugged and then turned to Steve and asked,
“Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn’t want “
With perfect obedience Steve started to do ten push ups.

Scott said, “HEY! I said I didn’t want one!”
Dr. Christianson said, “Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and these are my donuts. Just leave it on the desk if you don’t want it.” And he put a donut on Scott’s desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down. You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow. Dr. Christianson started down the third row. Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Dr. Christianson asked Jenny, “Jenny, do you want a donut “
Sternly, Jenny said, “No.”
Then Dr. Christianson asked Steve, “Steve, would you do ten more Push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn’t want ” Steve did ten….Jenny got a donut.

By now, a growing sense of uneasiness filled the room. The students were beginning to say “No” and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.

Steve also had to really put forth a lot of extra effort to get these pushups done for each donut. There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Dr. Christianson asked Robert, who was the most vocal unbeliever in the class, to watch Steve do each push up to make sure he did the full ten pushups in a set because he couldn’t bear to watch all of Steve’s work for all of those uneaten donuts. He sent Robert over to where Steve was so Robert could count the set and watch Steve closely. Dr. Christianson started down the fourth row.

During his class, however, some students from other classes had wandered in and sat down on the steps along the radiators that ran down the sides of the room. When the professor realized this, he did a quick count and saw that now there were 34 students in the room. He started to worry if Steve would be able to make it. Dr. Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Dr. Christianson, “Do I have to make my nose touch on each one “

Dr. Christianson thought for a moment, “Well, they’re your pushups. You are in charge now. You can do them any way that you want.” And Dr. Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason, a recent transfer student, came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled in one voice, “NO! Don’t come in! Stay out!” Jason didn’t know what was going on.

Steve picked up his head and said, “No, let him come.”

Professor Christianson said, “You realize that if Jason comes in you will have to do ten pushups for him “

Steve said, “Yes, let him come in. Give him a donut”
Dr. Christianson said, “Okay, Steve, I’ll let you get Jason’s out of the way right now. Jason, do you want a donut “

Jason, new to the room hardly knew what was going on. “Yes,” he said, “give me a donut.”

“Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut “
Steve did ten pushups very slowly and with great effort. Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Dr. Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those visitors seated by the heaters. Steve’s arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was profusely dropping off of his face and, by this time, there was no sound except his heavy breathing, there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two students in the room were two young women, both cheerleaders, and very popular. Dr. Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, “Linda, do you want a doughnut “

Linda said, very sadly, “No, thank you.”

Professor Christianson quietly asked, “Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn’t want ” Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow pushups for Linda.

Then Dr. Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan. “Susan, do you want a donut “

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, began to cry. “Dr. Christianson, why can’t I help him “

Dr. Christianson, with tears of his own, said, “No, Steve has to do it alone, I have given him this task and he is in charge of seeing that everyone has an opportunity for a donut whether they want it or not. When I decided to have a party this last day of class, I looked at my grade book. Steve, here is the only student with a perfect grade. Everyone else has failed a test, skipped class, or offered me inferior work. Steve told me that in football practice, when a player messes up he must do push-ups. I told Steve that none of you could come to my party unless he paid the price by doing your push ups. He and I made a deal for your sakes. Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut ” As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Dr. Christianson turned to the room and said. “And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, on the cross, plead to the Father, ‘into thy hands I commend my spirit.’ With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he yielded up His life. And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten.” Two students helped Steve up off the floor and to a seat, physically exhausted, but wearing a thin smile. “Well done, good and faithful servant,” said the professor, adding “Not all sermons are preached in words.”

Turning to his class the professor said, “My wish is that you might understand and fully comprehend all the riches of grace and mercy that have been given to you through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He spared not only His Begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all for the whole Church, now and forever. Whether or not we choose to accept His gift to us, the price has been paid. Wouldn’t you be foolish and ungrateful to leave it laying on the desk “
- Author Unknown