Matt 11:25-26
25 At that time Jesus prayed
this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding
these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing
them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this
way!
He
lived on this earth and knows what we're up against and wants to teach us a new
way to live that doesn't take us to sleeplessness, resentment, emptiness,
restlessness and dissatisfaction and discontentment.
It's
an adventure and it's a blast!! Will you think about joining me?
Do
you want to be well? What do you want for me to do for you? Jesus asked these questions many times in
his 3 year ministry walking on our planet.
I did
want to be well and to be taught by Him. I found myself sitting on my
couch alone in the middle of the day, crying out to God. All my efforts and all
my getting brought me to a rather ugly place, I was ready ...ready to lay it
all down and let Jesus redefine me and my life and my way of doing things and
even greater, my way thinking about things.
*I had fixed my way out of relationships with friends...I could no longer be the
worlds greatest rescuer and fixer and savior and my friendships crumbled
because they were set up on that foundation. He alone is our fortresss our
rescue and our hero!* I had
read all the books and had parented from a place of fear and personal
determination. My kids were not going to turn out a certain way. I was going to
protect them from evil. I had become a sin vigilante, of sorts. They were each
struggling and in deep need for Jesus' rescue...not mine!
* my sweet marriage of 20+ years was deteriorating as Miguel and I were at each other's throats because our youngest son. He was confused and acting out from ugly childhood experiences, from being molested and his resulting responses. He was struggling with his sexual identity. I felt Miguel needed to be more and he resented me and thought I needed to be less. We really just needed to be on our knees praying together for our marriage and our family, not trying to fix each other and blame each other.
I
was ready to re-learn and I asked God, "How could all this be happening to
me I have lived for you?" "No Keely you have followed a bunch
of rules and set up formulas and lived from a place of fear. Perfect love casts
out fear.." Now it's time to learn, if you're ready, my way for you.
I
found Matt 11:28-30 and it was like water to my thirsty soul.
Good News.
28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out?
Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your
life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with
me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything
heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live
freely and lightly.”
I
needed Jesus and grace and not just attending church and trying to be good and
vigilance....the law
Not
realizing it at the time ...that thought and understanding was my first step
into peace and into the URG!
Matt
5:3
"God
blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of
Heaven is theirs.
Not
just my name written in eternity but an "On earth as it is in Heaven"
kind of life...a new style of living. ....a kingdom life.
Let's
talk the kingdom! I love this subject because this is the heart of the
message I am compelled to share...we've all heard the term "kingdom
living". This is what Jesus came to give us ...new life, His life, a life
run and powered by Holy Spirit! I
don't get one bit of my old mixed with a bit of His new way. It's all new!
Jesus taught that we don't pour the new into the old container.
Look.
Matt 9:16 “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. 17Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.
He makes me new and I then become different and my ways of thinking and responding to life is radically changed. We are gonna explore this way of living together over the next several weeks! I'm so excited. Are you? This feels like a vortex, like another world. But it's not, it's ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. I now live my life on earth for His purposes. I wanna live like that, don't you? Purposeful. Abandoned. Loved. Loving.
"And
the life I now live I live as unto the Son of God"
Galatians
2:20
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Eph 4:21-24
21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness
It's the supernatural life that we are called to when we get saved out of the pit and Jesus puts His Spirit inside of us. We are told in scripture that "as He is in this world so are we" and that it's "Christ in me the hope of glory". This life ceases to be about getting love from people and trying to manage my world so that I can be ok. It starts to be about divine encounters with Him. He pours His love into me and then it comes spilling out of me all over whoever He has put in my path. And because I'm not living my life rushing around with my own agenda and leaving no margin, I can stop and listen for His divine direction. I can really love people. I can be with them and encourage them through prayer and listening to try inviting Jesus into their situation, just like He has taught me to do for my own circumstances. He sees them as precious and special and wants me to take the time to love. Love is always the agenda for Jesus! And the other really cool part of this exchange is that He is more concerned about my well being and loving me than I've ever been. He takes amazing care of me in ways I never even thought to ask or imagine! I am on assignment for Him, living in the URG and He worries about me so I don't have to be obsessed with my own needs! I'm over myself! Amazing exchange, wouldn't you say? It's a crazy and amazing way to live and it's the gospel. How did I miss it all those years?
So I
ask you before we begin. Can we go on this adventure together? Will you
let Jesus show you how to deal with literally every circumstance, relational
issue, and frustration in your life? Are you willing to let him make a
way in the desert a path through the wilderness.
Isaiah
43:1918"Do not call to mind
the former things, Or ponder things of the past. 19"Behold, I will
do something new, Now it will spring forth; Will you not be aware of it? I will
even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert. 2
Are
we ready to live this new life Jesus died for us to have? Not just an assurance
of heaven when we die but a new way of living and moving and having our being
while we live this thing out on earth as it is in heaven?
Acts
17:28
For in him we live and move and
have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
Are
we ready to read Gods Word to know him better and to hear from Him for our own
life and circumstances? Not just to know more scripture or to be able to quote verses. Gods
word teaches me that knowledge puffs up but love builds up. If I'm not
building up in love, what am I doing? It can easily become religion and rules
and the law instead of goodness and grace and love in a beautiful rhythm. We
need to get to know LOVE...to be built up in love so we can love our neighbor
and ourselves. Jesus loves me so much that He won't put up with me not loving
myself. You see, He has had to teach me how to even love myself. He
points out ares to me where I am not being loving to myself. He points
out attitudes that keep me stuck in old thinking and keeps me from walking in
the newness He has for me. I am in a place of discovery...discovering just how
deep and high and wide and long is the love of a Christ for me.
Are
you ready to discover that love? To
really start to live as a loved person?
The
other day I started to tell God how I loved Him and I felt Holy Spirit
interrupt me...
(journal
entry)
Don't
say "I love you Lord?"
love as you
allow more of me into your life. I am teaching you the definition of Love, so
be careful as you declare your love for me.
Declarations
can sometimes bring self condemnation.
It's so odd. For the last few weeks when I start to tell You that I love you, Lord, I feel a check in my spirit.....an interruption...."No Keely, you don't even begin to know the definition of love. Declare instead my love for you. I loved you first before you were formed and before even your mom saw you. I loved you first while you were clueless about me. I loved you continuously while you were trying to be good enough and earn relationship with Me, while you were setting up formulas. I loved you while your heart was distant and distracted and in sin. I spanned the distance you created between us as I ran to you while you were still far off.
I am Abba! (Hebrew for Daddy God) I am Love! You will become
Declare
the unchanging truth of My love instead...that is safer ground for you, for
sure. I am love and I am filling you with this new Love.
So
ok then Abba, what would you like me to say to you when my heart is full and I
am feeling so grateful to You? You made me to want to reciprocate in
relationship and that's what You and I have now,... a real live
relationship.
Ahhhh ok I got it..... "I am my Beloveds and He is mine". Got it!
I am Yours and You are mine. "Abba, I belong to you". And I
thank you for true love. I just didn't know!!!!
Whatdya
say?
Let's
pray together...slowly. Can we pray out loud?
I
admit I need you Jesus
I
am wanting to learn your new ways for my life
Show
me how to surrender
I
want to come to you as a little child
Trusting
you and letting go of my old ways
Teach
me your unforced rhythms of grace
Give
me an even stronger desire for you
Create
a hunger in me for your Words of Truth
I
will learn to walk with you work with you and watch how you do it.
Fill
me Holy Spirit
thank
you for the longing I already feel in my heart for you
Thank
you for loving me so well.
I
am yours and you are mine
Amen
Have
an awesome week practicing living in the URG!
Love
Keely
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