kingdom of God Archives - Messenger to the Thoughtful

Dear friends,

We are excited about the new book, Life in 5D: A New Vision of Discipleship that will be available for wider distribution early in 2023…stay tuned! You can go to www.discipleshipdynamics.com for more insights and to experience the life-changing assessment that anchors the book.

Here are some thoughts from 2022 for 2023:

Can we find two minutes to breathe in the goodness of God, and breathe out our burdens? I find I need to pause often and pray, “Lord, how grateful I am for your presence…and here are my deep concerns.” There is a reason the Holy Spirit is seen as breath (ruach…pneuma) …we serve a living God who animates all creation, sustains our life, and empowers flourishing. Let’s pause, take a breath, and know we are loved.

All good work is a “thank you” to God for the grace and mercy we receive in Christ. Our Creator is an Artist, and each of us is a masterwork of divine love.

In memoriam: New Testament scholar and passionate Pentecostal leader Dr. Gordon Fee passes away in 2022. When I was a student in Bible College, Dr. Fee gave a series of lectures on the kingdom of God at our school and local church. He changed my life, when, in the course of one morning, he did a detailed, academic exegesis of Scripture and led a prayer and healing meeting. I realized that head and heart could be integrated in a mature way and both passion and principle are vital for faith.

Dear struggling friend: in Jesus, God forever became one of us. You are made in God’s image and invited to allow Christ to bring beauty in the midst of brokenness. Please receive the divine affirmation today: you matter. Your value is affirmed in your very being and reaffirmed in the Cross and Resurrection: you are the joy set before Jesus as he took on our sins and sorrows, sufferings and unanswered questions.

I am hopeful today. Yes, I have eternal hope in Christ and the expectation that, “all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.” (Julianna of Norwich) In the meantime, the Holy Spirit is working, bringing many foretastes of the future as we call people to faith, work for justice, and joyfully delight in the forgiveness, deliverance, healing, and reconciliation found in Christ. No good work is unimportant and our daily labor is not in vain.

Dear doubting and deconstructing friends: Disappointment in God and the Church is understandable. Inexplicable tragedies, hypocritical adherents, and emotional and relational hardship scar our psyches. I will be your friend and listen to your cries. I will also welcome you home to Christ as you ponder that Jesus knows undeserved suffering, unanswered questions, and truly understands your journey. Mature faith is often born in doubt.

When I was 17 and in the midst of family crisis, my local church surrounded me with love, from my peers in the youth group, to spiritual parents and pastoral mentors. One refrain from them all stays with me to this day: “You are loved by God. His love is unconditional, and the Cross proves your worth. Let his love bring peace and strength.” Holiness and hard work are a thank you, not conditions of God’s love.

Forgiveness is powerful. It is not excusing the wrong actions of others or ourselves, but choosing a new future. Through the Cross, we are forgiven, and we are now called to extend the same to others. Forgiveness does not erase history, but it begins healing. Even if the other wrongdoer is not penitent, choosing a new future liberates us.

Daily gratitude positions our hearts, heads, and hands for loving service to God and others. Our affections are purer, our minds are clearer, and our daily work is more meaningful when we love our lives as a thank you to Christ.

To all friends who feel, “in between” in life: it is these moments that deepen our faith, increase our fortitude, and develop resilience. This moment is not forever, but our God is forever faithful. Stay steady, guard your inner imaginations, and pray and share with trusted fellow pilgrims. All shall be well.

See you next year!

Last week we shared a vision of wholeness in Christ and hope you are encouraged to pursue God more deeply and buy our forthcoming book! In this essay, I want to offer some biblical foundations and practical wisdom so that we can jump-start progress in both our personal relationship with the Lord and in our local churches being more effective in equipping healthy believers. Here is an excerpt from the Introduction of our forthcoming book, Life in 5-D:

Our starting point was a simple question: “What does a healthy disciple look like?” Another way of saying this is, “What are the outcomes of a Christ-centered life under the kingdom of God?” One leader was blunt, “What does life look like when Christ is Lord of all?”

The Bible itself contains several summaries of what God expects of His followers. In the Old Testament, The Ten Commandments (Exod 20 and Deut 5) are imperatives for the people of God, outlining a life of gratitude rooted in God’s election, deliverance, and covenant-love (Exodus 4-20). Micah 6:8, in poetic fashion, summarizes a whole-life commitment of justice, mercy, and devotion.

Jesus shared the foundational attributes of Kingdom life in the Beatitudes (Matt 5) and His blessings (Luke 6) from the sermons on the mount and plain. Jesus told His followers that the commands to love God with one’s whole being and love one’s neighbor as oneself are the foundation and fruit of all of God’s ways (Matt 22:37-40).

Paul the Apostle, in the great love chapter of 1 Cor 13, unveils attitudes and actions that are the fruit of a life devoted to Christ. The fruit of the Spirit and the virtues of divine life are outlined in Gal 5:22-23. Peter offers another list of beautiful virtues in 2 Pet 1:1-10.

In the Book, we summarize the application of these beautiful passages in 5 Dimensions and 35 Outcomes. In visual form, here is a new picture of wholeness:

“Wow! That is so much to grasp!” yes – and we have an adventurous lifetime with the Lord to understand and grow in this wholeness.

If we are serious about a flourishing life, here is another passage from the book to encourage us forward:

Here are three insights that will help us be victors and not victims as we move forward:

One: Our life will include both joy and suffering, unexplainable difficulties, and unbelievable delights. We are always walking in both, “the power of his [Christ’s] resurrection and participation in his sufferings” (Phil 3:10). When we embrace this paradoxical power of Christ, we will find greater endurance and discover fresh wisdom as we reflect on how God is at work for our good in all circumstances (Rom 8:15-39). For those of us who love theology, this is an integration of a theology of the Cross and a theology of glory.

Two: Satan has no weapon against humility. This is why both James and Peter exhort believers to humble themselves and then see the enemy flee as they resist his temptations (Jas 4; 1 Pet 5). When we aim for God’s glory and the good of others, eschew power-seeking for service, and celebrate others more than ourselves, we are filled with peace, trusted with divine power, and fulfilling God’s will in all we do (Mark 10:45).

Three: Expect an inner battle in addition to circumstantial challenges. As we embrace the 5 Dimensions and 35 Outcomes of our life in Christ, all kinds of distractions, distortions, and even depressing thoughts will fill our minds: “Nothing ever changes.” “These ideas are fine for some people, but not for me.” “This is too complex.” “I am not important.” In addition to these thoughts, we must also guard against spiritual pride as we embark on this journey.

With hearts full of faith, Let’s decide that today’s discipline is tomorrow’s destiny and that with God’s help, we can see real progress!

Tag Archives: kingdom of God

Wisdom from 2022 and Looking Ahead to 2023

We Know Better, Part 8: More wisdom from Life in 5-D