Thurlow Switzer: Beyond Still to Faith

Our society is caught in the throes of great anxiety and uncertainty. Many feel caught, as in, “still caught” in the situations and circumstances of life. In this anxious environment, how do we move beyond “still” as in “still caught” to a life of faith and growth in the things of God? We do so when we recognize every circumstance in life is a divine opportunity to experience God’s grace, love and provision.

Three times in the fourth and fifth chapters of the Book of Romans, the word “still” is used. Each occasion provides insight into the human condition in which humans find themselves as they come before God.
• Romans 4:11 NKJV – “while still uncircumcised”
• Romans 5:6 NKJV – “while we were still without strength”
• Romans 5:8 NKJV – “while we were still sinners

Still Uncircumcised
In the first case, Abraham became the father of faith while he was “still uncircumcised” (Rom 4:11,12). To this day, he is the father of faith for all who believe, even those who exist in an uncircumcised state. Paul made the point that it was not the condition of having experienced religious circumcision that saved him, but the simple matter of exercising faith in God, and that while he was still in a state of uncircumcision.

Although there is much controversy about what circumcision is and means, it at least seemed to be an act performed to seal one’s faith in the eyes of other people; an external religious act to confirm something hopefully authentic in one’s inner being. Water baptism carries something of the same meaning in New Testament order, an external act confirming the internal act of faith. However, often religious acts like circumcision or water baptism become a mere religious symbol empty of meaning. Therefore, “circumcision” has somewhat become a symbol of religious actions that somehow do not convey actual spiritual impact upon a person.

Therefore, we might say that to be “still uncircumcised” represents a beginning point for experiencing personal redemption and entering into the pilgrimage of faith; what Paul called believers into when he said, “to walk in the steps of faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised” (Rom 4:12). This is a desirable place to begin the pilgrimage of faith; that is, unencumbered by religious circumcision issues, the kind of external things put forward by religion that often keep individuals from discovering true faith. Each of us should start from where we are, “still uncircumcised,” and seek out simple faith in Christ, even as Abraham did.

For religiously raised people, often encumbered with religious circumcision issues that hinder truth faith, it might be wise to seek to return to a place where you are “still uncircumcised”, if you will, and pursue God’s love and Christ’s redemptive work from that vantage point.

Still Without Strength
In the second case, Paul refers to the fact that ‘when we were still without strength, Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom 5:6). People, especially American people, try to be strong, usually exerting all their personal talents and abilities to appear strong and capable in all circumstances. For many, it is a shame to appear weak and without strength. It often seems one must develop adequacy for all situations and believe that only the strongest will survive and succeed. Indeed, the American dream is often seen as the American success story.

Yet, to be “without strength” is a good place from which to begin and continue the spiritual pilgrimage. It was while the human race was still without strength, in the fullness of time, that Christ died for the ungodly.

Paul said to the Corinthians, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God” (2:1), but that “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (2:3-5).

In moments of great weakness, Paul claimed God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness, therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me " (2 Cor 12:9). He concluded his testimony by saying, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (12:10).

Compare our sense of weakness at times with how Christ Jesus experienced weakness. “For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you” (2 Cor 13:4 NKJV).

In the same way it was said of Old ‘Testament priests, “He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins” (Heb 5:2-3). Hebrews 5:6-8 highlights this very same thing about Jesus: “"You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” Therefore, “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15-16 NKJV).

Still Sinners
In the third phrase, we lift out the words “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). He did this to “demonstrate His own love toward us.” The fact that people are “sinners” speaks to the obvious fact that people often sin many times.

“Sin” (Gk: hamartia) means to “miss the mark.” Other Greek words in Romans five are also used, meaning such things as ignorance, to go aside from the path, or unwillingness to hear. The taint of original sin, extending to man's whole nature, inclines him to act in opposition to the will of God. Every concession to his corrupt desire, in thought, word, or deed, is actual sin. But while in this place of being still sinners, God acted on our behalf.

We must accept the fact that sin is a part of life. The human tendency is to come up short. “Sin is to fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10). Spouses sin and fail one another. Parents sin and wound their children. Children sin and fail to obey. Friends sin and fail in friendship. We must neither encourage sin or minimize it. We must simply accept it as a human frailty.

God’s response to sin, even blatant sin, was to love. God the Father sent Christ to deal with the “sin” issue on the cross. God the Son sent the Holy Spirit to help us deal with the “sins” issue, day-by-day, moment-by-moment. When I fail my wife (and God and myself), I need my wife to love me, and forgive me. When my wife fails, she needs me to love her, and forgive her.

Summary
So, when we find ourselves in these three conditions, still uncircumcised, still without strength, and still sinners, we come to Christ Jesus who connects us continually with God’s love. We will find peace, strength and redemption in the fullness of God’s love, Christ’s provision and the Spirit’s leading.

Phil 1:9-10 – “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent.” NKJV

Exodus 14:13 – “And Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. NKJV

Numbers 9:8 – “And Moses said to them, "Stand still, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you." NKJV

Ruth 3:18 – “Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day." NKJV

2 Chronicles 20:17 – “You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you." NKJV

Psalms 4:4 – “Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah” NKJV

Psalms 23:2 – “He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.” NKJV

Psalms 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” NKJV

Alanna Jennings: Freedom from Disappointment

Freedom from Disappointment
Alanna Jennings

Disappoint: To fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of; to defeat the fulfillment of hopes or plans; to frustrate; thwart.


One of the greatest joys in this life is the privilege we have to minister to others in their time of need. I find that ministry to be most effective when I am able to comfort others with the same comfort with which I have been comforted: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Cor 1:3-5)

I was recently having lunch with a dear sister, and was endeavoring to comfort her, as she and her husband have an adult child who has come home to be rescued. It is, more often than not, those closest to us who have the greatest power to disappoint us, if we allow them.

I want to examine that disappointment just a bit.

What we don’t often realize is that our implicit or actual disappointment does far more damage to those we love than it does to us. Disappointment, as spoken of here, is not to be confused with grief or pain suffered as a result of the breach of trust that results from the moral failure of others.

I have seen in my own life, and in the lives of many believers, that disappointment is one of the greatest and most frequent sources of sorrow. As Proverbs 13:12 states, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick”. Beloved, so many in the Body of Christ are needlessly heartsick.

The Lord showed me three years ago that disappointment was simply unrealized expectation, and that I could only be disappointed when I put my expectation in anyone or anything other than Him. What freedom it brought to me when I realized that it was actually possible to live a life free from disappointment - and, more importantly, what freedom it brought to those I love, especially my children, when they learned that they could neither disappoint me, nor God.

This truth was revealed to me when the Lord gave me a rather lengthy and vivid vision relating to His unconditional love. The revelation came to me as I meditated on Ephesians 1:3-5 and Revelation 13:8 which made clear to me, once again, that the Cross was always Plan A, not Plan B. That is, the cross was not a rescue operation - it was always the only plan.

Please allow me a little poetic license, and imagine, if you can, the following scenario:

The Father, Son and Spirit are together, in counsel, before the foundation of the world. The Father sees that it is not good that the Son should be alone, and wants a Bride for Him. The Father also desires “many sons”, as we are told in Hebrews 2:10 – “For it was fitting (becoming, comely, right) for Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.”

And so, the Father, looking through time and space, sees you and I, and chooses us, despite knowing every evil, rotten thing we would ever think, do, or say. As it is stated in Ephesians 1:3-5, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.”

An all-knowing, all-seeing, sovereign God could not have had, nor will ever have, any unrealistic expectations concerning any of us. Therefore, He could not possibly ever be disappointed in us. However, He was obviously very aware before the foundation of the world that in order for Him to have us, someone would have to pay the price for our sins.

In my vision, I saw the Father, turn to the Son, and ask, “Will You get them for Me?” The Son willingly said, “Yes”. And so, the Son of God, the spotless Lamb, was slain right then and there for you and for me. Revelation 13:8 tells us that Jesus is “….the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Amazing love – unsearchable love – that the Spirit of God would be willing to live within the hearts of men so as to empower them to live lives far beyond their capability … lives worthy of their calling. And He did so knowing that He would be continually grieved by their thoughts, words and deeds - though never surprised by them.

If I am to live a life free of disappointment, then I must put all of my hope and expectation in God, and God alone, for hope in Him will not disappoint!

Rom 5:1-5 – “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. and not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us”

If we place all of our hope in God, and if that hope does not disappoint, then no human being or circumstance will have the power to disappoint us. This truth is not only incredibly liberating for us, but is powerfully liberating for everyone we love. This is especially important for our loved ones to understand when they face times of moral failure – they cannot disappoint us (… because our expectations are not in them). This knowledge will aid in bringing freedom and healing not only to them, but to us as well.

Be free, dear Children of God, from feelings that you are disappointing God. And, free others from any sense that they are disappointing you. Put your hope and expectations in God and God alone … this hope will never disappoint you.

“Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.”
Ps 31:24

Lynda Switzer - Placing Christ First

Placing Christ First
By Lynda M. Switzer

There are many facets of our faith. The Apostle John wrote the Book of John to lead readers to a settled, strong, secure faith. A burden on my heart is that we who comprise His church can be involved in a lot of stuff about our faith and miss the heart and foundation of our faith – the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s important to consider our Savior as He reveals Himself in the Gospel of John and to focus on our Lord, to focus on who He says He is, and to focus on what He has accomplished for us. This can help us discover more clearly who we are in Christ and who we are related to.

I Corinthians 15:3, 4, states “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” These verses are the heart of our faith. Christ was crucified for my sins, for your sins, and for the sins of the whole world. I have missed the mark of the glory of God. I am a sinner. Jesus died in my place – in your place; He was buried; He rose again to provide salvation –new life in Christ for you and me and for the whole world. This is the focus of our faith. The Church in America can get all too easily sidetracked and focused on the latest fad – whether it’s evangelism, or prosperity, or pro-life, or Christian education, or prayer, or politics, or going hi-tech, or drama, or the gifts, or healing, or prophecy, or many other church-related pursuits. All of these aspects of church life are good and have their place, but first place belongs to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the salvation that He has provided for us. What is the authentic focus of our faith every day?

As we ponder the true focus of our faith, I’m reminded of a vision my husband shared recently when our congregation gathered for prayer. The picture God gave him was of a man plowing a field. It was autumn and time for the fall plowing. He saw in the Spirit that it’s time to plow our fields. Hosea 10:12 reads, “Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.”

I grew up on a farm and my dad plowed some fields in the fall and he plowed some fields again in the spring. The fields that were plowed in the fall were ready to receive the fall rains, to soak in the blankets of winter snow; they were ready to receive the seed my dad planted in those fields. In parallel in our walk with the Lord, He gives us opportunities to let him plow the fields of our hearts, to break up the fallow, hard, neglected soils of our hearts. His plowing may be gentle or it may be severe depending upon how hard our hearts have become. But, if we will surrender our hearts to the faithful plowing of the Spirit, the faithful seed of God’s Word will take root in our lives. Our hearts will be prepared and open to receive the rain of His Spirit and to receive the seed of the Word of God fertilized by covenant relationships.

In the Book of Exodus 3:13-15, when Moses was drawn aside by the burning bush and took off his shoes in that holy place before the bush that burned, but was not consumed, God commissioned Moses to lead the people of Israel out of Egyptian captivity. Moses asked God whom should he tell the Israelites had sent him to them? God’s response was, “tell them I am that I am has sent you.” God is I AM. He continues to reveal Himself as the “I am” of our salvation. These words reveal God’s essence and speak to the focus of our faith.

Jesus in the Gospel of John speaks distinct statements of who He is. These revealing statements of our Savior are parallels to God’s covenant name by which he revealed Himself to Moses by the burning bush. I was at school subbing the other day. In one hallway there was a large poster that said, “Identify – to name and to describe.” In this article I’d like to identify the core, the central theme of our faith – to “name and describe” the lodestone, the multi-faceted diamond that is the central truth of the Word of God.
Jesus reveals the Father. He consistently pointed beyond Himself to the Father who sent him and whom He sought to glorify.

Jesus reveals Himself, “I am the bread of life” in John 6:35, 6:48, and in John 6:51, He says He is the living bread. In the Greek the word is artos, bread as raised or a loaf.
Bread is called the staff of life. We probably each have our preferences for a specific type of bread to make a sandwich. I like a dark, seedless rye. Many cultures depend upon daily bread to survive. When our Savior reveals here that He is the bread of life, He’s telling us that He’s the true, heavenly loaf. He’s our true, life sustaining power.
Anything else that we taste to try to satisfy us will be inadequate.

In John 6:27 Jesus says, do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which gives life. His disciples asked Him, “What shall we do?” Jesus says our work is to believe. In John 6:48-59, Jesus says to believe in Him is to partake of Him. We feed on Jesus the bread of life when we partake of the benefits of his death and receive His salvation.

What we believe is so important. What we believe will eventually lock us up, shut us up, bind us up, or set us free. Why is it that we treasure our locked hearts? Do you ever find yourself saying or thinking, “Or I don’t believe I could do that?” The Gospel is our bread; Jesus is our living bread.

Our identity: We are redeemed sinners with bread to give to a hungry world. I recently heard that many women in our country between the ages of 40 and 60 are committing suicide. Expansive studies will be launched to try to discover why these women are giving up. Perhaps you’re thinking, I feel like giving up, too. Jesus, our Savior, the living bread, the Gospel, is the true bread that satisfies the deepest longings on our lives. He is the lover of our souls who helps us when we feel like giving up.

Jesus reveals Himself as “I am the light of the world” in John 8:12. The setting of Jesus revealing Himself as the light of the world is the story of the woman caught in adultery. Into her dark, depraved life, Jesus said that He is the light of the world. The Greek word here is phos, to shine, to make manifest, especially by rays, luminousness in the widest application, fire, light. The world is truly dark without the light of Christ. I like the light. In my home, I like to open up the blinds and let the light come in. I like to walk in the moonlight or sit by a window when the moon is shining brightly and listen to the voice of my Lord.

However, darkness sometimes gets into our lives. What darkness are we caught up in right now? What’s in our lives that others either condemn or make their accusations at in our life? Darkness hides the size of the fears and lies in our lives. Because our Savior died on the cross on our behalf, Jesus gives us the power through the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives to bring anything hidden in our lives to the light. Whatever is hidden, the evil one will accuse us with; he’ll whip us and beat us up. But when the hidden in our lives is brought to Christ, the light of the world, Christ sets us free of any and every dark stronghold. That is our Savior, the light of the world.

When we think about Jesus, what about Him do we think about? Above all else, what is central is that He came to bring God’s light into the darkness of this world and into our darkened lives. Every day God’s Spirit will light up and enlighten the Word to us. Our identity: We are redeemed sinners with authentic light!

Jesus reveals Himself as “I am the door of the sheep,” in John 10:7-9. Our Savior is our door to a personal relationship with the Father – now and forever. The word in the Greek is thura, thoo-rah, a portal or entrance, the opening, door, or gate. Jesus as He reveals that He is the door speaks to His saving action on our behalf. He is the door to abundant life and provision. Jesus is the door – our security and safety are in Christ. He is our protection. We as sheep can go in and out – speaking of our daily goings and comings - in safety because we are protected by our Lord.

Every time we read the Word we can look for the Door, the entrance God opens to us. In Joel 2:26, 27 we read, “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel. I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.” II Peter 1:3 reads, “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” As believers there are choices before us – believing the Gospel and receiving Christ as our Lord and Savior, going through the Door of Jesus Christ and entering into the safety of a life in Christ or flirting with the evil one who came to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. Our identity: We are redeemed sinners who’ve walked through the door of Jesus Christ.

Jesus reveals Himself as “I am the good shepherd,” John 10:11. He is the Good Shepherd with genuine concern for our lives – in stark contrast to the hireling who is interested in his self preservation. The Good Shepherd gave His own life, John 10:11, 10:15, 17 and 18. Our security lies in the true shepherd and his relationship with the Father. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep – that’s the Gospel – that’s the cross and our Savior’s great love for us. God by His Spirit will convict us when we get in that place of “cocking” an attitude toward the Lord when we blame God and place our judgment against Him for stuff that happens in our lives. In our pain we assume the worst about our loving heavenly Father.

Sometimes when I’m struggling I ask God why or I tell God I’d just like to see His footprint in the midst of what’s happening. In those moments, it’s too easy for me to forget that my Savior is the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd is often pictured with a shepherd’s staff. The Psalmist David writes in Psalm 23 that “Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.” When God judges us it’s not about destruction, but about setting things right in our lives. In those moments, when we’re in the midst of hard stuff, difficult situations and circumstances, knowing Jesus is the good shepherd can bring everything into focus. Our good shepherd is so worthy of our expressing our gratitude to our Him, instead of blaming and judging His ways. Something happens when we begin to thank our good shepherd. Healing comes into our souls; we are impacted by the goodness of the Lord and are motivated to lovingly care for others.

The Psalmist, David, wrote and sang of the goodness of the Lord:
- Psalm 27:13 – “See the goodness of the Lord”
- Psalm 31:19 – “How great is thy goodness”
- Psalm 33:5 – “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord”
- Psalm 65:11 – “You crown the year with your goodness”
- Psalm 107:8 –“Praise the Lord for his goodness”
- Psalm 107:9 – He fills the hungry soul with goodness
Our identity as redeemed sinners: we are protected and cared for by the Good Shepherd. He laid down His life to set us free so we can lay our lives down for others.

Jesus reveals Himself as “I am the resurrection and the life” in John 11:25. The setting here is Jesus with his good friends Mary and Martha as they mourn the recent death of their beloved brother and Jesus’ good friend, Lazarus. The Greek word resurrection – anastasis, standing up again, a moral recovery of spiritual truth, raised to life again, rise from the dead, rising again; to stand up, arise, lift up, raise up, stand up right. Our heavenly Father here in Jesus reveals the new order of life. John 5:21 reads “For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will.” Because of our Savior’s death for us on the cross, He is our resurrection and our life.

We may be discouraged because we’re trying to live the Christian life in our own strength. Our life motto may be, “I can do this! Leave me alone!” Then sooner or later we realize, we can’t do it in our own strength. When we start to sink, God is there to rescue us. Resurrection power is resident in each of our lives.

In reflection in God’s Word, the Lord was showing me what He means when He says He is the resurrection and the life. I sensed the Lord revealing that some of us have been bowed over; we’ve been dragging; we can’t seem to get up spiritually. God by His Spirit, wants to raise us up, lift us up, change our thinking – recover our thoughts with the Gospel, the good news of our Savior, who Himself was raised up. Our identity as redeemed sinners - We are raised-up children of God! The Gospel gives us resurrection life, power, and destiny.

Jesus reveals Himself as “I am the way, the truth, and the life” in John 14:6. Jesus is the way to the Father. The Greek word here is hodos, the route, distance, journey, highway or progress on the route. Jesus reveals the truth about God. The word truth in the Greek is aletheia, true, truly, verity, as not concealing. Jesus is life. The word life in the Greek, zoe means to live, quick, lively, and vitality. Jesus reveals truth to us and gives life to us when we lose our way and find ourselves struggling. What is our answer? Our families can lose our way. Our children, our grandchildren can lose their way. Our marriage can lose its way.

One day I lost my way. I had just dropped my husband off at Reagan airport and was driving home to Maryland, but shortly after I left the airport I missed the turn to get on the George Washington Parkway. Before I knew it I was driving on the George Washington Bridge into DC. I kept going and tried not to panic, but very quickly I realized I was lost and getting more lost every minute. I was beginning to drive in some neighborhoods that I don’t think I would have felt very safe walking alone in. I just kept driving - reasoning that at some point I should discover Route 495, the beltway again. And . . . after many, many anxious minutes and miles, I began to see road signs for 495 again. Finally, I got back on the beltway and headed home. I lost my way in the natural, but we can lose our way spiritually too.

Sometimes we lose our way because God confronts us with His truth in an area of our lives, and we just begin to dance and skirt around His truth instead of embracing it. We try this detour or that. The Gospel is the way to come back to God, to acknowledge I’ve missed the mark. I miss the mark every day and need to repent and turn back to God. Jesus is the way and He made the way for me. He brings truth to my life. Jesus said we shall know the truth and the truth will set us free. God wants to set us free of things in our lives that are not His way; they’re not His truth, and they’re not His life. He is our life!
Our identity as redeemed sinners - We are people of His way, people of Biblical truth, and people filled with His life.

Jesus reveals Himself as “I am the true vine” in John 15:1. He repeats this in John 15:5. The vine and the branches describe relationship between Jesus and His disciples. Jesus came to give us life that is defined as “the simplicity and purity of enjoying a growing relationship with Him.” The word vine in the Greek is ampelos, a vine as coiling about a support; also from the grain and the chaff just threshed on the threshing floor. In Isaiah 5:1-7, Israel is compared to a vine under God’s loving care. In John 15:2 there is the fruitless branch which does not abide. God wants to do some pruning in our lives. It’s interesting how some of us keep immaculate, clutter-free homes, but we haven’t dealt with the clutter inside our souls which crowds out a deepening relationship with our Lord.

Our sin impacts our relationships; however, deeper connection with the vine releases the flow of life from our Lord and Savior that produces the sweet, attractive, delicious fruit of the spirit in our lives as listed in Galatians 5:22, 23 – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. The true vine makes possible our abiding; Jesus invites and anticipates our abiding. When we think of our relationship, our faith as a multi-faceted diamond, it will take our entire lifetime to search out and get to know our Lord, the true vine. Even then there will be so more of our Lord yet to be revealed.

The Apostle Paul expressed his heart’s desire to continue to know his Lord and Savior in Philippians 3:10, “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” The people who know the Lord are the ones who are free to live and love without any agenda toward our Lord. As we read the Word, let’s look for keys to deepening our relationship with God. Some of the fruitfulness of abiding includes our prayers being effective, John 15:7; glorifying God in our fruit bearing, John 15:8; demonstrating our discipleship, John 15:9; and having fullness of joy, John 15:11. Our identity as redeemed sinners - We are believers in relationship with the true vine.

Let’s seek to align ourselves afresh with the Gospel. Jesus is our life! Let’s embrace the many opportunities we have to express our love to our Savior and to thank Him for His sufficiency. Does the life of our Savior flow out of us? Does what we do and say in our homes matter? Everything matters. God can break us free from conditions and man-made systems that rob our joy. Rules that we put on ourselves or others put on us cannot bring freedom; they only have the power to accuse. As we turn afresh to Jesus our Savior, we can leave behind the crippling effects of guilt and condemnation. The scripture in Romans 8:1 tells us that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.

God gives fresh opportunities to stop basing our faith on how we feel at the moment, or on our emotions, or on our present circumstances. The Holy Spirit is always tuned to the Father’s goodness and love. Placing our faith in Jesus releases us to grow in gratefulness, joy, and holiness. The Apostle John confronts us with the claims of Jesus that demand a personal response of faith in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God:
Jesus is the bread of life,
the light of the world,
the door of the sheepfold – the door to approach God,
the good shepherd who sees us in Christ not on the basis of whether or not we’re measuring up each day,
the resurrection and the life as the victorious One who defeated satan,
the way, the truth, and the life now and for eternity,
and the true vine whom we’re in relationship with. Romans 8:35-39 points out that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ.

The Holy Spirit reveals this Jesus to us; He opens our eyes to see who Jesus really is and what our salvation is truly about. Jesus’ message is our hope; the gospel is our bread, our door, our confidence, our assurance. Jesus gives us freedom to love, respond, and serve in every situation that we find ourselves in. Let’s exalt Jesus, His death and resurrection and fall in love afresh with the Great I Am. He’ll help us to realign our lives with the core of our faith – the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,” Ephesians 2:8, 9. God wants all of us and every part of our day. As Tozer said, “God gives all of Himself to each one of His children.”

Deborah Switzer - Shower Power

SHOWER POWER
By Deborah Switzer

Have you ever gotten dirty? I mean really dirty? I remember when I went on a mission trip to Haiti. Our focus was the construction of an orphanage and evangelism to the natives. It was so hot and dirty, and the hard labor left us covered in an uncomfortable mixture of sweat and dirt. To top it off, we had no indoor plumbing for bathing. I recall how grimy I felt covered in sweat, sand, and dust. I yearned for a long shower to wash away the filth.

Now I can’t believe I am actually confessing this: But there have been other days in my comfortable American life where I didn’t feel quite so stinky. So I would be happy to throw on a little deodorant and perfume and continue throughout my day without a shower. After all, I didn’t smell, so there was no harm done.

About a month ago, as I was worshipping God in my church, I was amazed that the Lord brought these two “shower” images into mind. We were singing a refrain “showers of mercy and grace;” and from there, the Lord took me on a rabbit trail of revelation. He lovingly reminded me of my Haiti experience, and how much I appreciated finally stepping into that long-awaited shower. I could remember in great detail how sticky, hot and dirty I felt – and also just how uncomfortable that made me. But when that wonderful moment of cleansing came, oh how freeing it felt! With joy, I watched the dirt swirl down the drain, never to be seen again. In just a few seconds, my filth was washed away, and I was left feeling refreshed and new. It was almost as if I had forgotten how confident I could feel when I was truly clean! I was able to move more freely after that shower, no longer disguising my foul odor or my filthy skin from the rest of the team.

When God “showers us with His mercy” we spiritually experience what I experienced naturally in Haiti. So many times in life we will find ourselves completely covered with sin and its consequences. This layer of “spiritual filth” makes us truly long to be clean, to have the grime washed down the drain and leave us feeling fresh, new and confident. How amazing is God’s love that He will shower mercy upon us and literally wash away the most caked-on, thickly encrusted layers of sin we can carry.

King David experienced this level of spiritual filth after committing adultery and murder. There are times, like David, where we might feel that our sin is so great, that nothing can truly completely wash it away. Yet, the reality of his depravity caused David to cry out this heart felt prayer in Psalm 51:

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion, blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

What I appreciate about David’s prayer is that it goes so much deeper than just a washing away of sin. There is a creative process that happens in our lives when we truly repent and allow God to wash us “whiter than snow.” The cleansing power of God’s love is linked with the creation of a pure heart. In His amazing mercy, God not only cleanses us, but He daily recreates us (if we repent), so that we leave His shower not just feeling fresh, but actually being fresh, new and confident. We truly leave His tub a brand new person, transformed by the power of His Spirit. And even when the amazing moments of the actual shower of mercy end, Christ still wraps us in the towel of His grace, and allows us to carry the fragrance of His presence everywhere we go that day. That is quite a transformation from the dirty sinner that originally stepped into the shower!

God’s showers of mercy also produce humility. Once we have experienced His mercy and love, we begin to understand that, eventually, the sin of this world will start to drown out the fragrance of His holy presence in our lives. We recognize that we must daily enter His shower of mercy which brings forgiveness and renewal and allows us to carry His presence once again for the brand new morning.

This leads me to the second part of God’s rabbit trail revelation … the days when I choose not to shower.

On those days that I had hoped I could just slide by with a little bit of man-made fragrance, I found myself not being quite as confident. I lacked boldness because deep in my heart, I knew I wasn’t really clean. I may have appeared ok on the outside, but I knew underneath I still needed a shower. The lingering question of “Do I smell?” was somehow always in the back of my mind. It reminds me of Christ’s harsh words to the Pharisees: “You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.” (Matthew 23:27). We should never grow so arrogant that we become unaware of our own “stink.” Our stink (or sin) will never have a rose-scented distinction in the nostrils of God. We must allow His cleansing to infiltrate our pores, no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient it may be.

God designed sin to be uncomfortable and ugly because it proves how beautiful and generous His mercy can be. God’s unmerited, gracious favor produces much humility in our lives. Never was this demonstrated more powerfully then in the washing of the disciples’ feet. When Christ chose to lower Himself to the role of a servant to wash the disciples’ feet, His generous and undeserved mercy was once again displayed to them. Imagine … their King was cleansing the dirt from between their toes! Still, Peter’s initial response to Christ’s gesture of love was, “You shall never wash my feet!” In Peter’s eyes, it was wrong to have the Messiah see his naked, dirty feet and wash them. Still, Christ’s response back to him was, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (John 13:8).

I think all of humanity has a bit of Peter in them. Somehow it seems wrong to have to strip down naked and allow Christ to see us in our entirety … to allow him to cleanse every single spot of our stench and grime. It seems much easier to put on a little deodorant (pride) and perfume (man’s fragrance of works) to appear to be clean. Yet, even the most noble of actions cannot replace actually taking a shower in Christ’s forgiveness each morning. Without His mercy, we know in our hearts that we are not truly clean; instead we are producing an artificial stench that can smell even more revolting than just good ol’ plain dirt (sin). Eventually, the fragrance of works mixed with the stench of our sinful nature will create a putrid smell. (Have you ever tried to spray air freshener to rid your kitchen of the smell of rotten garbage? It never works, and usually ends up smelling worse than the garbage itself. Covering over a nasty smell with freshener doesn’t work in your kitchen, and it certainly doesn’t work in your spirit either! The smell will linger unless we completely empty the trash [sin] and wipe the can clean with Lysol [God’s forgiveness] to produce a new, pleasant aroma!)

As Christ Himself stated, we can have no part in Him unless we allow Him to see, smell and touch every sin … no matter where it is hidden or how long it has been there. So we find ourselves humbled once again, as we strip down to our mistakes, shortcomings, and sin, and allow the cleansing shower of mercy to wash over us. And as we stand before the Lord naked and vulnerable, His blood so gently comes and rinses the foulest sin down the drain, never to be seen again, “for He remembers our sin no more” (Isaiah 43:25).

Have you showered in Christ’s mercy today? I encourage you to step into the most refreshing and renewing time of your day – you won’t regret it!

Jonathan Switzer: Pure Joy

Pure Joy

I mean, really. How many things in life should be considered pure joy?

Here’s one: My wife and I recently had an appointment with an ultrasound machine. It clarified that our fifth little bundle of joy would be a girl. After four boys, we will finally be having a girl.

Clearly, it is a “pure joy” situation. There were tears and shouts of joy.

Here is another possibility from a child’s perspective: Carol and I just purchased a more expense video game for our boys for Christmas (large enough they won’t be getting much else this year). We smile to one another as we consider the “pure joy” that our kids will express that Christmas morning.

It seems that presents always represent a “pure joy” situation; both the giving and receiving of gifts seems to approach pure joy. In a simplistic way, this explains why God's grace in Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of pure joy.

However, when I buy a gift for myself (i.e. a new car or computer) the joy of the purchase usually comes with a sobering reminder of the cost paid for it (buyers remorse). Quite simply, joy in getting something for me, honestly, does not usually result in a pure joy scenario. There is some happiness, but compared to giving and receiving scenarios like Christmas, it tends to pale severely.

In the Bible, though, "pure joy" can be confusing.

Think about James' letter. When James says that we are to, “consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds”, it can tend to sound a bit overwrought. All Christians know that we are to have a Christ-like attitude but surely it is too much to think that James’ admonition is to be truly followed.

What happened to babies and presents?!?

It’s interesting…when I watch Extreme Makeover, Home Edition, I consistently cry when they move that bus. Seeing the expressions and reactions on the faces of the families who have lived in near hopeless situations for years, while still giving to others in a sacrificial manner, always chokes me up. Pure joy is the only proper description. It is the kind of joy accompanied with uncontrolled sobbing and ecstatic jumping and yelling.

Can you see the comparison to James' admonition to consider trials pure joy?

Well, let's consider Job again. Job seems to give us a similar (if not more dramatic) illustration of what James meant. It could be argued that no one faced a more precipitous drop in prosperity, a more stratospheric rise of misery, than Job. He was the “greatest man in the East”. He had an overabundance of flocks and herds, seven boys, three girls and a loving wife. Yet, in a short period of time all of his flocks were stolen or destroyed and his children killed in a fluke windstorm that destroyed the house where they were eating. Finally, a severe skin disease left Job sitting in dust and ashes scraping his skin with a broken piece of pottery, with his wife telling him to, “curse God and die.”

So, would James say that Job should have considered his trials pure joy? Where would the compassion be in such counsel? “Back off James!” we might be thinking.

Well, let’s look at James’ comments more closely. After his encouragement to consider it pure joy, he went on to say that, James 1:3 “the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Apparently, James was of the opinion that “pure joy” is related to having our faith tested. Come to think of it, the Extreme Makover families were all living out very difficult tests of faith. They had been giving sacrificially despite not having enough to take care of themselves. Surely, that would be properly described as a test of faith.

James claimed that the believer would not be complete until their faith had been tested to the point that they develop perseverance. Perseverance has a work in our lives. When perseverance has finished that work, we become mature and complete, not lacking anything.

The writer of Hebrews seemed to also be of the opinion that suffering is part of God’s plan to perfect people. In Hebrews, we are given the impression that Christ himself was perfected through his suffering and death on the cross. Heb 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.

Apparently, God has a perfect plan for bringing you and I to perfection. Part of that plan includes suffering. When encouraging believers to not get discouraged with hard times, Hebrews 12:4 says it this way, “In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” He makes those comments after saying, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful man, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

So, yes, Job fits James’ scenario. Job was facing a Satanic attack. That attack was due to Job’s righteousness and loyalty to God. In fact, the last two beatitudes might help here. They say, (Matthew 5:10-12) “Blessed are you when you are persecuted for righteousness sake, for yours is the kingdom of heaven” and then “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of (Christ). Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven.” Though, Job did not know to rejoice, his suffering was for righteousness sake for the sake of his relationship to God.

But that is our point! Job did not know he had reason for joy. The joy always comes from the hope of the reward or the actual fulfillment of such a hope. No wonder Job had no joy.

Christ endured the cross for the joy set before him. The Beatitudes encourage us to consider it blessing, when we face persecution, because of the hope of heavenly reward. James says to consider trials pure joy because of the hope of maturity and completion. Job did not know God was planning to bless him immensely. But, of course, God blessed him twice as much at the end than the beginning.

Suffering in the cause of righteousness or for Christ’ sake means huge blessing is on its way to that believer. This is always the case. When trials come...Blessing is coming! The beatitudes were clear about this. Hebrews was clear about this. Christ showed this.

Which is why James opens his letter with it.

So, look at what we are told at the end of the book of Job, “Job 42:10-17 After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. 11 All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. 12 The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. 13 And he also had seven sons and three daughters. 14 The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. 15 Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job's daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. 17 And so he died, old and full of years.

Job, of course, had no idea that God had such good things planned for him.

You and I, however, because of the testimony of Job (…and the testimony of Daniel, Joseph, David, Jesus, the Apostles) and resurrection of Christ do know this. Christ knew the joy that was coming. James encouraged us to hope for the completion that awaits us.

But another question needs to be answered. If joy is so related to suffering why bother? Who needs joy if we have to face such hardship?

Paul answers that question this way, "(Rom 6:19-23)19 I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness. 20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. 21 What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Basically, Paul says that suffering is coming one way or the other. We can submit ourselves to the type of suffering that comes from our being a slave to sin. Or else we can choose to embrace the type of suffering that comes from being a slave to righteousness. As the famous 60's singer said, "you're gonna serve something." The question is whether we want the good things promised from suffering for righteousness sake or be stuck with the bad things that come from suffering under the bondage of sin. Because of Christ, it's our choice.

So, let's consider what God has in store for us! Paul says it this way: (1 Cor 2:6-10) No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"- 10 but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit.

So, should we consider it pure joy to face trials? If Job is any indication, then, Yes. If Christ is any indication, then, yes. If we believe James, then, yes.

As a parent of four boys, I know that the joy my boys have brought has always been accompanied by a measure of suffering (diapers, attitudes, late nights, cleaning up). I have no doubt our new little girl will be the same.

So, Rejoice! We are overcomers, more than conquerors, unable to be separated from God’s love! God has glory in store for us.

God has glory in store for my unborn little girl. We’ll simply consider her “pure joy.”

And any other trials that come…because of God’s promises to us in Christ…yes…we can consider those also, “pure joy.”