Made in the image of God

The Genesis creation account says that God “created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27 NLT)

The phrase ‘in the image of God’ has significant importance that over the centuries has lost much of its significance. When Moses, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, wrote what we know as the book of Genesis the world was significantly different than it is today.

In the years that Moses walked the earth and down through the centuries the common practice of people and nations was to make ‘images’ of the gods that people served and of the kings that were in power. There were no newspapers, TV, or Internet. In order that people would remember the ‘god’ that they were to serve people would erect a statue of the ‘god.’ The statues would be found in all kinds of places and they would be all different sizes. The statues were to serve as a continual reminder of who was god.

Kings would likewise erect statues of themselves across the region that they ruled. One of the common artifacts that archeologists find is statues of kings. The statues were scattered throughout the kingdom and served to remind the people in the region who was in charge.

The closest practice that modern Americans have is the portrait of the President, who is in currently in power, which is displayed in many Post Offices across the country. The portrait reminds people, as they walk into the Post Office, who the leader of the land is.

The significance of God creating people ‘in His own image’ is found in these practices. Everywhere a person walks, sits, works or plays there is the image of God. There is a living representation of the God of the universe. There is a living representation of the God who is the king of the land.

The 2nd Commandment that God gave to Moses on the mountain was to make no ‘image’ of God or a statue that would represent any god or power. God commanded people that they were not to worship any image.

Why? God created people – living beings – to be his ‘image’ in the world. God’s intention was that people would look at one another and they would be reminded of God and reminded of who the King is.

Chasing God

Anyone who has been around cats very much has probably had occasion to be entertained by watching a cat chase its tail. Round and round and round the cat goes, the tip of the tail just out of reach. Eventually the cat tires and gives up. Then out of the corner of his eye he sees a tail twitch and the entertainment starts up again as the cat goes round and round and round with the tail illuding him one more time.

I was talking to someone recently who is living life like that. He is spending his life, at the cost of health, relationships and his ‘soul’ chasing after the illusive money, illusive pleasure, illusive fulfillment, illusive success and illusive ‘attainment.’ I asked him about all the chasing in his life and his response was accurate. He responded: “People are made to chase.” I agree with him. People are made to chase. The question is what are people made to chase? Are humans designed to chase money, pleasure, fame, fortune, power and success or something or someone else?

The Bible is a record of people chasing after the illusive ‘twitching of the tail.’ The twitching forbidden fruit caught Eve’s eye. The twitching lure of power caught Saul’s eye. The twitch lure of beauty and lust caught David’s eye. The twitching lure of possessions, success and a bigger empire caught Solomon’s eye. Each generation and every person experiences the allure of chasing the ‘twitching tail.’

Humans were not created to chase whatever catches the eye. Humans were created to chase God. Paul told the people of Athens:

Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn't play hide-and-seek with us. He's not remote; he's near. (Acts 17:26-27 MSG)

What are you chasing? Are you chasing the latest ‘twitching tail’ that caught your eye or are you chasing the one who created us to ‘seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find Him.’

Chase after God!

Specimens of Holiness?

Oswald Chambers in his classic daily devotional My Utmost For His Highest wrote: “God’s purpose is to make us one with Himself. The emphasis of holiness movements tends to be that God is producing specimens of holiness to put in His museum.”

Recently, when I read those words, I was challenged to consider how I view holiness, what holiness means and how it is worked out in a person’s life. Is God trying to make me into a ‘specimen of holiness’ to show off? I don’t think so. If that is what He is trying to do – may I be bold enough to say: He’s not doing a very good job. He’ll never have a trophy for His trophy case.

God is at work to make us like Jesus. God is at work to get our will to the place where we are open and available for His work. The Old Testament book of Zechariah records a conversation between the Devil and God regarding the High Priest Jeshua and it reveals an interesting truth about humans.

And the LORD said to Satan, "I, the LORD, reject your accusations, Satan. … this man is like a burning stick that has been snatched from the fire."

Jeshua's clothing was filthy as he stood there before the angel.

So the angel said to the others standing there, "Take off his filthy clothes." And turning to Jeshua he said, "See, I have taken away your sins, and now I am giving you these fine new clothes." (Zechariah 3:2- 4 NLT)

God is not looking for perfect people, even perfect High Priests or perfect Prophets. He is looking for people who He can ‘take away their sins’ and make them into a ‘burning stick.’ Where does God find those people? He ‘snatches them from the fire.’

God is looking for people to ‘snatch from the fires’ of life and then HE takes their sins away and HE gives them ‘fine new clothes.’

God isn’t trying to find trophies or make trophies. God is looking for people to transform and then to use to ‘snatch from the fire’ and ‘take away their sins’ and ‘give them new clothes’ and then do it all over again with someone in the fires of life!

That is what Biblical holiness is – God transforming one so that He can use them. Over and Over and Over again!

Here we are Lord, Rescue us from the ‘fires’ of life. Take away our sins. Give us clean clothes. Use us to rescue others. Amen

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is a great day to spend with family and other loved ones. Almost everyone looks forward to the week of Thanksgiving and the day. There are lots of reasons for that. For some the shortened work week is a much anticipated respite. For others it is the time with family. For others it is the turkey and dressing. For others it is the endless football.

The scriptures teach that thanksgiving is not only a ‘day’ but that it should be a way of life. From the earliest days of Israel’s history the people of God would respond to life with a line that is recorded dozens of times in the Old Testament --- Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV)

Jesus half-brother James wrote: Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17 NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV)

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 NIV)

A good verse to live the rest of life by is: Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

Thankfulness centers our heart on the reality that everything we have is not ours because of our strength, ingenuity, talents, beauty or family heritage. What we have does come from the Father. What about what doesn’t happen? Has tragedy, struggle, sickness, etc not happened to us because of our ability to control all of life, protect ourselves and keep ‘bad’ away? No! The truth is protection and ‘being spared from’ things is also a gift from the Father above.

In different settings I’ve been personally challenged by people who start EVERY prayer with thanksgiving. My tendency is to jump into business. There are so many needs in life. There are things that I would really like to see God do. There are people who need miracles. So I just jump into business.

I walk away from those times of praying with others challenged to slow down, to not be in such a rush to get to business but instead to take time to give thanks.

I need to grow in making thanksgiving a way of life. How about you?

Jesus - The Defining Reality

What is the ‘defining reality’ of your life? What is it about your life that defines everything else about you? If some part of your life were to be taken away – what part would have the most impact on who you are and how you live?

The answers to those questions are complex and they are varied. For some the ‘defining reality’ is their racial class. For some it is their work, for some it is there roll as a parent, for some it is their talents, for some it is their marriage and for some it is their standard of living. There are many ways that a person defines their life.

For those who ‘define reality’ by their race – if that were changed or taken away – the reference point for everything else is taken away. For those who ‘define reality’ by their work, their parenting, their marriage, their talents, and so on - when the ‘defining reality’ is taken away – the reference point for everything is taken away.

For a follower of Jesus – the ‘defining reality’ is meant to be Jesus. Disciples are meant to define everything in life based on Jesus. Jesus is the point by which everything else in life finds a ‘relative place.’ Just like the North Star and the North Pole are points upon which navigation is calculated Jesus is the point where all of life is calculated. Just like all clocks are coordinated relative to Greenwich Mean Time Jesus is what everything in life is coordinated to.

Paul wrote to the church in Colossi - “…, set your hearts on things above, … Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. … your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, …” (Colossians 3:1-4 NIV)

Set your hearts on things above – navigate by that. Set your minds on things above – coordinate to Jesus.

Notice the last four words – Christ, who is your life ….

There is the defining reality of life. Christ, who is your life. Christ, who is my life.

Jesus, help us to define everything else in our life by you and not you by the other things in our life. Amen.

Seeing the Future

If I could only see the future! We just finished a prolonged season of political commentators, reading the tea leaves of the political polls and giving us a daily forecast of the political weather. We’ve heard a lot the last few months about ‘La Nina’ and the strong winter we are going to have. After the record high temperatures this week, one news anchor reported that they had gone back to 1949-50, the previous record for high temperature in November, to find out what had happened in the winter of 1950. Seattle had 51”of snow that winter – then she said: I’m not forecasting but …

It will be only a few short weeks until we hear all of the forecasters telling us what 2011 will be like in the area of finances, politics, weather, sports and even the relationship of the ‘stars.’ These predictions will be online, in the tabloids, on TV, radio and in most newspapers. Some will start out … “Nostradamus predicts…”

How much of the future do we really see? As followers of Jesus, the One who knows the future, we really see very little. Nicki Gumble, the teacher for the ALPHA series, uses an illustration of the headlights on a vehicle for how far we really see into the future. Just as a car’s headlights only light a minimal amount of the road ahead, God usually only shows people a minimal amount of the road ahead. We can’t see around the corner. We can’t see over the hill. We can’t see what is off the side of the road. We see only that short distance ahead.

Here are some thoughts by Eugene Peterson, author of the Message Bible, regarding ‘seeing the future:’
•When we follow Jesus, it means that we don’t know exactly what it means, at least in detail. We follow him, letting him pick the roads, set the timetables, tell us what we need to know but only when we need to know it.

•When Jesus says “Follow me” and we follow, we don’t know where we will go next or what we will do next.

•No matter how much we know, we don’t know enough to know what Jesus is going to do next.

•Following Jesus doesn’t get us where we want to go. It gets us to where Jesus goes…

Following Jesus requires continually listening for His direction, trusting that He knows best, remembering that He will not forsake us and then walking in the direction that we hear His voice calling us.

Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself.

Jesus, help us to hear you more clearly and follow you more thoroughly. Amen.

Rest in Jesus

Over the last few decades medical researchers have been actively studying the subject of rest and sleep. The researchers are primarily trying to understand what exactly happens when our body rests and when a person sleeps.

Some of the important results of the research reveal what happens to various parts of our body during what is often referred to as ‘recovery.’ Recovery is when, during a time of inactivity, the muscles, tendons, joints and even down to the very cells the body is healed and rebuilt.

Some of the important results of the research reveal what happens to the brain when a person is sleeping. What occurs at a tissue level when someone is sleeping? What stage of the sleep cycle is most important for tissue to be rebuilt, etc.? What happens to the actual memories, emotions and thought processes as a person sleeps? What happens during the various stages of sleep? Which stage of sleep is needed most for optimal brain function?

One of the theories is that during certain sleep stages the brain organizes and rearranges bits of information and memories into reusable patterns. One thing that is becoming very clear is that without adequate sleep neither the body nor the brain functions correctly or even close to correctly. It is well known that without sleep people will go ‘crazy’ and ultimately dies from lack of sleep.

Jesus said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV) The writer of the book of Hebrews writes about “the promise of entering his rest.”(Hebrews 4:1 NIV) The writer also declares: “Now we who have believed enter that rest, ….” (Hebrews 4:3 NIV)

Is it possible that when believers REST in Jesus’ love, acceptance, forgiveness and purposes instead of continually trying to gain his love, acceptance, forgiveness and purposes, that spiritual bodies were healed and rebuilt and in a time of rest or an attitude of rest their spiritual ‘brains, memories and emotions’ were rearranged and cataloged? What if continual striving, working and labor is a cause of people’s spiritual lives that go ‘crazy’ and ultimately ‘die?’

What is the application? Rest in Jesus’ love – He loves you. Rest in Jesus’ acceptance – He accepts you. Rest in Jesus’ forgiveness – He forgives you. Rest in Jesus’ purposes – He will work out His purposes in your life.

Relationship Quagmire

Don’t those words describe the reality of life? Relationship Quagmire!

No matter how short or long someone has lived they have experienced the blessings of relationships working well and the curses of relationships going sideways! It starts young: “She won’t play with me!” “He’s not playing fair!” It seems to continue into later years: “She won’t play with me!” “He’s not playing fair!” You and I have heard it from children and we’ve heard it from people way further along in life.

When does a person experience the greatest amount of growth in life? When life is perfect or when life pushes imperfection straight into our path? When the road is smooth and easy or when the road is rough and hard?

I’ve come to believe that God often uses people and relationship ‘processes and events’ to confront areas in my life where I need to find freedom in and experience growth.

Let me illustrate: If ‘fear of rejection’ or ‘fear of betrayal’ are underlying issues in a person’s life, does the most growth come from always experiencing acceptance and loyalty or does the most growth come from experiencing the very thing that is feared – rejection and betrayal? I believe that the answer is not one or the other but – the answer is both.

Experience and what is written in God’s Word teach me that growth happens when I experience acceptance and loyalty from others – but even greater growth happens when I have to wrestle through rejection and betrayal and come face to face with my fears.

How do I come face to face with the fear of rejection and betrayal? By being rejected and betrayed! Then I can either become bitter – letting rejection and betrayal have full destructive license with my heart and life, or I process the rejection and betrayal and let the Holy Spirit and God’s Word bring freedom and growth in the very area of weakness and fear. That happens in ‘Relationship Quagmires!’

Choose to let the Holy Spirit and God’s Word bring freedom and growth in your life!

Have life and have it abundantly

One of the most often quoted statements of Jesus is: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV) Have life abundantly!

What does having life abundantly mean? What is the first thing that you think of? Is one of the things that you think of an “All You Can Eat” buffet? Does it mean – any car I want to drive? Does it mean a plethora of shoes in the closet? Does it mean a different outfit for everyday? Does it mean one of each type of hobby tool? Does it mean the latest, greatest, fastest and coolest technology? Does it mean traveling anywhere? Does it mean having enough money in your pocket to do anything you want anytime you want?

What did having life abundantly mean to the Disciples that first heard these words? What has having life abundantly meant to generations of believers across the cultures of the world down through the centuries?

Have life abundantly does have a ‘material’ aspect to it but it is so much more! There are plenty of people that are followers of Jesus, who have full pantries that have no abundance in their life. There are plenty of followers of Jesus that have ‘everything’ but would not describe their lives as abundant.

The context of Jesus’ statement about abundant life is relationship. It is about the relationship of the shepherd to the sheep. The context is the relationship of Jesus to the Father and the Father to Jesus and those following Jesus.

Abundant life is not even about having more relationships. In our ‘Facebook’ world it has become normal for people to have dozens or hundreds of ‘friends’ but no friend. Abundant life is describing relationship with Jesus, with the Father and then ‘rich’ relationships with others.

No one worries about ‘stuff’ at the end of their life – they worry about relationships. At the end of life people don’t regret ‘not enough stuff’ but they do regret shallow and empty relationships.

When does ‘abundance’ become ‘indulgence?’ I’m not sure that there is a clearly defined line but when abundance becomes indulgence – no one wins and there is no ‘abundant life.’

Jesus, Teach us what you meant: to ‘have life and have it abundantly.’ Amen

I am the Gate

“I am the Gate,” is one of the statements that Jesus made about himself that we are going to look at in this Portraits of Jesus series. When Jesus referred to himself as the gate the real picture is much different than the one that people would often think of. When people hear the word ‘gate’ they often have a very specific picture in mind. Maybe it is a gate from their childhood. Maybe it is a gate at their present residence. Whatever ‘gate’ it is – it is probably a very specific picture.
Another statement that Jesus made about gates is found in Matthew 7. Jesus said: You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NLT)
People gain entrance into God’s Kingdom through the narrow gate. The gateway to life is ‘very narrow.’ What restrictive statements. How exclusive. How ungracious and harsh. How NARROW!
There are many people in this culture who see Christianity and the church as just that – NARROW, exclusive, restrictive, ungracious and harsh.
I’m reminded of a story I heard recently about a Bible teacher who was playing golf with a fairly famous professional golfer. As they started their day together the golfer asked the Bible teacher what he did for a living. When the Bible teacher told the golf pro what he did – the golf pro’s response was something like: That’s too bad. Bible people and church people have to live such restricted and narrow lives.
The Bible teacher, ingeniously, responded something along the lines of: I live a restricted life? What about you? You restrict your life to these little fairways with very strict rules. I have seen areas of this golf course that you have never seen and experienced parts of the game of golf that you’ve never been a part of – yet you would see me as the poorer of the two of us because of that.
When the Bible teacher said these words it was like a light bulb lit up in the pro’s mind. He saw a truth about life that he’d never seen before.
Life lived without an element of ‘narrowness’ is a dangerous life. This is true financially, relationally, sexually, verbally and in almost every way. People who go ‘four wheel’ with their finances are quickly stuck in the mud. People who go ‘four wheel’ in their relationships, with their sexual life, with their mouth, etc. etc. are quickly stuck in the mud and are often looking for someone to pull them out of the mud.
Yes there is a ‘narrowness’ in following Jesus but the ‘narrowness’ is the way of freedom and not the way into the mud hole!
Go through the narrow – the very narrow – gate. It may be restrictive but it is the way to great freedom!