Different Christmas Reflections #2 – Fullness

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Different Christmas Reflections – #2 – Fullness

Another different perspective on this Christmas season for our thoughts and meditation… Fullness.

I know what came into your mind… and this has nothing to do with Christmas dinner, Turkey, stuffing, or Pumpkin Pie, although we do “stuff” ourselves with the Turkey … after we stuff the Turkey!!

 

No, this fullness has to do with the coming of Emmanuel… but it does not involve physical food. I want us to look at the fullness that Paul says we are to have in his reference in Ephesians 3:16-21 –

  (NKJV) …that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height– to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (emphasis mine)

This fullness is to be filled with all the fullness of God! Emmanuel came, yes, to pay the deadly penalty of sin, but He came for so much more! He came that His own life should fill us to the max. One of the words that Strong’s uses for the word “filled” in verse 19 is, “crammed.” We are to be crammed full. Full of what? We are to be “crammed full” with “all the fullness of God.” What does that mean? The New Living Version puts it this way, “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Imagine! Your life, my life lived every day, with all the fullness of life and power that could come from the very life of God living in us! This is not triumphalism. Paul certainly was not one who was without trials, persecutions, and even doubts at times. No, not triumphalism, rather a realization of the purpose of God in our lives. This is the way Jesus lived. It is the way He desires us to live.

You ask, “How do I get this fullness?” Paul does not leave us to guess. He says he wants us to be strengthened in our inner person so that Christ will be at home in our lives, and we will be growing in our understanding of His love for us. A love that is so high, and deep, and wide, and long that it is impossible to comprehend it, yet available for us, each day. When we are growing in our comprehension of the love of God through Christ, we will be able to live in that kind of fullness.

But this means, “knowing Christ.” It means cultivating my relationship with Him through regular Bible study, prayer, worship, witness, humility, dependency, and humility. It means that Jesus’ advent was for so much more. Maybe it means that I have not been realizing the full potential of the life of God in me. Maybe I have not been living in the Fullness of all the completeness of God’s character and power in my life each day. Maybe, just maybe there is more to this Christmas story than I had connected with the manger.

And just in case you thought it might be quite impossible for you to live such a life, Paul makes sure that we understand that what God intended for our lives in His Fullness, He is quite capable of accomplishing… so Paul reminds us in verse 21, Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen That is a pretty strong reminder that God is able to accomplish this in  your life and in mine if we live in the place of knowledge and intimacy with Him. Do you feel your heart being stirred, and drawn deeper? Me too.

This Christmas season as we remember and celebrate the advent of Emmanuel, God with us, let us remember the prayer of Paul in Ephesians 3, and seek after the greater Fullness that Christmas brings to us.

May the Lord bless you with all His Fullness this Christmas Season and each day of the New Year.

 

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Different Christmas Reflections

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Some “Different” reflections on Christmas…

 “Different” Reflection #1  – A Foreigner

This weekend before Christmas 2012, I will have been here in Brazil for 2 months.

Over the past year, the Lord has done some pretty amazing things to confirm that He wanted me here, and He has demonstrated that in supernatural ways. You can read more of the story on my ministry website at, www.yourservantinchristmnistries.org.

And, my reception here in Brazil has been truly a blessing, and very humbling. The people have welcomed me and opened their hearts and their homes to me in wonderful ways.

But the reality is, that I am a foreigner here. I am trying desperately to learn the language. I am still praying for the supernatural gift of language, but in the meantime, I’m working on it.

I tried to explain to the folks here when I first arrived that “everything you don’t even think about, is new to me.” Everything. Food, cooking, shopping, cleaning, customs, expressions, bathroom things. And with the newness comes the stresses of trying to learn and get things right.

There is the issue of communication. Not only the challenges of language, but making sure that we really do understand one another. The presumption on other’s parts that I know what is going on… the schedule, the routine, the way to dress, all of the things, again that others take for granted, it is most of the time forgotten that I have not clue!

Consider the fact that I live in a house by myself,  without much means of transport other than my feet (which over the years have not been  used to going barefoot or with sandals), so I am isolated here and completely dependent upon others for most things. My last haircut was 6 weeks ago… I really need a haircut, but I have no idea where there is a barbershop near where I live, and I am not ready yet to just wander the streets looking. I am dependent on others for the shopping needs other than what I can get at the store that I can walk to. But they do not have some items I need, so I am dependent upon others and their schedules to take care of those issues.

The isolation also plays a role in my own feelings. I have to remind myself that it has only been 15 months since Marilou died. Part of our relationship was we could just “be” together, we could talk about things. Now, there is no one most of the time. And those who are here, because of language and culture do not understand and cannot connect with the things that I feel deeply. So this deepens the sense of isolation.

Now, what does that have to do with Christmas? Maybe you have already gotten the connection. The Apostle John puts it this way in his gospel, He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.  John 1:10-12 (NLT)

The Christmas story is multi-faceted. We so often talk about Emmanuel, God with us, but John reminds us that the reception of this “foreigner” was not without difficulties. Matthew records the words of Jesus Himself in Matthew 8:20 that Jesus did not even had a place to rest His head.

He had communications issues too, even His disciples did not understand Him most of the time. The religious leaders certainly did not.

Emmanuel, God with us was a foreigner in the world He made by the breath of His mouth. A word of comfort to all who may feel like strangers in this world as well. Indeed, we are made for a different world, and Peter reminds us that we are pilgrims and strangers here (I Peter 2:11).

This Christmas season, let us take great comfort in the truth that the One who was a foreigner in His own creation has gone before us to prepare a place for us with Him where we will never be foreigners, or strangers, or alone, or isolated. It is all part of the story of Christmas.

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The Adventure Continues…

The Adventure Continues…

Hezekiah put his whole trust in the GOD of Israel…  He held fast to GOD—never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter everything GOD had commanded Moses. And GOD, for his part, held fast to him through all his adventures.2 Kings 18:5-7 (MSG)

Indeed the Lord is faithful to hold us fast as we follow Him on the adventures He has ready for us. In December of 2011, the Lord invited me on an adventure with Him. The invitation came with the picture of a motorcycle and sidecar.  He was driving the motorcycle, and I was in the sidecar. My job is not to drive, but to trust Him as He drives. My job is to stay in the sidecar.

Thanks to Daron Otis for this totally awesome depiction of my adventure…and more to come!

Some time after that I looked up the definition of “Adventure.”  At Dictionary.com, adventure is defined in this way:  1) an exciting or very unusual experience. 2) participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure. 3) a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.

And certainly this new adventure is full of the spirit of adventure, exciting undertakings and actions of uncertain outcome! From the very beginning, God has proved Himself faithful and has reminded me that He is holding me fast…even as I never loosen my grip on Him.

On October 25, 2012, I will board a flight that will bring me to the city of Joao Pessao, Brazil, and the People of First Baptist Church of Valentina. A people I have come to love and cherish over the  past four years of my travels there. Their story is the subject of my book, “When God Transforms the Desert.” 

And true to the definition, there is the element of uncertain outcome. Who know what lies before me on this adventure? I certainly do not, but my “Daddy” does. And wherever He takes me, it will be good.There have been many confirmations along the way. The phone call in which I was told (by someone who was not aware of the invitation from Pastor Eneas for me to join them in Brazil) that I had a “Macedonian Call” on my life. The time as I was driving, feeling overwhelmed, said out loud, “Jesus, we need to have a talk.” And at that very moment, a bright green…  you guessed it, motorcycle and sidecar drove past on the other side of the road. Yes, He has proven Himself Faithful over and over again.

I want to take a moment here, and encourage you to believe God for your adventure. The one God has in His heart for you. To join Him on this “Great Adventure,” do not fear, He knows all about you, He has an adventure that is tailor made for who He made you to be.

If you accept, you will find the road, unknown, challenging, “adventurous” yet so wonderful because He is there with you all the way, never loosening His grip on you. Showing you facets of His wonderful character and faithfulness that you would never have know if you had not accepted His invitation to join Him on your adventure.

I do not know what your adventure might be like, but I know if you hold tight, and stay in the sidecar, it will be a ride you will never regret.  Ask Him what your adventure might be.

 

 

 

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