by Elizabeth | Dec 7, 2010 | Learning Story
Living Story is a little over a year old, and it is toddling nicely, well on its way to finding its stride. Now is a good time to dream and plan about what Living Story will be some day. As I’ve been doing some vision-casting, God took me back to Ephesians. I’ve been reading it in the Message translation. Listen to 1:11-19. This is what living the gospel story is all about (which is also what Living Story is all about:):
“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
13–14 It’s in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what’s coming, a reminder that we’ll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.
15–19 That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!”
by Elizabeth | Dec 6, 2010 | Learning Story
Ephesians 3:14-19, The Message:
14–19 My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
20–21 God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!
by Elizabeth | Dec 3, 2010 | Learning Story
Glory meditations took me back to a simple folk hymn yesterday — and the memories of singalongs with Amy Grant’s version in a car packed full of kids. (Jackie’s best friend would always take the bass part and remind us, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus!”)
Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus by Helen Lemmel
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!
Refrain:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
O’er us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him, and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!
by Elizabeth | Dec 2, 2010 | Learning Story
This morning’s email has arrived with prayer requests for sorrow, sickness, and suffering. Again my heart and mind lean toward glory. Where is Your glory, Lord? What does it look like for each of these individuals in this suffering season? I know it is there, for I have seen Your glory revealed in the midst of hard stories of . And yet, we wait for it.
John Piper says,
“I believe the entire universe exists to display the greatness of the glory of the grace of God. I might have said more simply that the entire universe exists to display the greatness of the glory of God. That would be true. But the Bible is more specific. The glory of God shines most brightly, most fully, most beautifully in the manifestation of the glory of his grace. Therefore, this is the ultimate aim and the final explanation of all things—including suffering.”
Lord, I ask you, implore you, reveal your glory to my suffering friends. May the warmth of your light shine into the dark places. May we have glimmers of your grace in the tough moments of today. May we rest in your comfort as only those who need comfort desperately can. May we remember that all of life is lived “to the praise of Your glorious grace which You have freely given in the One You love.” Amen, Come Lord Jesus!
For more on suffering and glory, check out the entire article.
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/the-suffering-of-christ-and-the-sovereignty-of-god
Please include the following statement on any distributed copy: By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
by Elizabeth | Dec 1, 2010 | Learning Story
“The weight of glory is worth the wait.” That’s a Scotty Smith-ism — or at least I first heard it from him.
As Advent arrives, I am waiting on glory. I am trying to pay attention to it when I see it (the word, the concept, the demonstrations.) Several days ago, I was reading about the glory of the Lord and its connection to not showing partiality. Listen to what John Stott says in his commentary on James 2:1:
Moses asked the Lord, “I pray thee, show me thy glory.”
“In reply, the Lord, ever prompt to meet the needs of those he loves, promises: ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you my name.”
“…the Lord in effect answered by saying, ‘You will certainly see my glory, for I will come to you myself, reveal my essential goodness and spell out my very nature to you.'” (John Stott, James commentary).
Let us look for the glory of the Lord in this season. He has promised to reveal it, and He has kept His promise.
“In that day the Branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of the survivors in Israel.“
by Elizabeth | Nov 29, 2010 | Learning Story
It’s not hard for me to know what to do when a holiday was difficult or stressful. The challenge is to live after a really joyous one. Monday has come around and it is time to return to work or school or to an empty house which we liked just fine full; now is a good time to be on guard. The fact is, though we are redeemed, we sometimes feel a little uncomfortable with glory and beauty. Here are some perfectly biblical ways to tear up some of the good God has given us. I know because I’ve done them, if not this year (yet), at least in other years.
1. Gossip. Now that Aunt Hildebrand is out of the house, start talking about what a wicked tongue she has. Guaranteed joy-killer.
Proverbs 17:9
He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
2. Harbor bitterness. Remember that one horrible moment when you felt everyone was picking on you. Sure, you may have spoken an ill-timed word, but you certainly didn’t mean to. And they all made you feel like the shrimp-and-pimiento dip Aunt Hildebrand brought but no one wanted to touch.
Ephesians 4:31-32
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
3. Get stressed. After all, you’ve got exams coming in ten days. In fact, why did you stop studying at all to have a good time with family and friends? Look how much you have to do! What a fool you are. Start pulling all-nighters now!
Luke 12: 22-26
“Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifea? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?”
I can think of many many more than these, all of which I have done — have a fight with your [fill-in-the-blank], start dreading Christmas now, throw yourself into busyness…Instead, I’ll close with a prayer my heart needs right now and perhaps yours does too:
“Dear Lord,
We need you. We thank you for our Thanksgivings, for both the empty and the full, the sour and the sweet, the quiet and the noisy. Quiet our hearts now; help us to seek YOUR pleasure and to receive it and rest in it. Be with us each moment of this day as we “re-enter.” Draw kindness and compassion from our hearts. Help us to look at others as Jesus would; help us to walk where you want us to walk today, living out of the power of Your gospel, not out of our own power.”
In the name of Your precious Son, we pray. Amen
