"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you. Take your everyday, ordinary life--your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life--and place it before God as an offering (which is our spiritual act of worship).

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit in to it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside-out.

Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity. God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." (Rom. 12:1-2, Msg)

"So Jesus; are you saying that worship is expressed by me embracing what You have done for me?" "Did I hear you correctly?" "How?" 

"Son, it's very simple."  "Place your everyday, ordinary life before me as an offering?"

"Are you sure that's what you want from me?"

"Yes!" "Just place your simple sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life before me." "If you do just that you will be more focused on me." "You know you have spiritual attention deficit disorder, right?" "And by the way, please quit trying to fit into the culture around you." "That diminishes your worship son." "Pay attention to me instead of the world's culture around you." "And you will be amazed at how I change you from the inside-out!"

"Jesus, can I run this by you one more time." "Tell me if I have this correct?" "My sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and my simple everyday life is worship?" "Wow!" "If worship has anything to do with sleeping and eating I'm already a pro."

"Son, worship is attaching yourself to me." "Just embrace me in every arena of your life." "And as you embrace me, you will grow in your love for me, yourself and other's." "It's not just visiting me one day a week and singing a few songs about me."

"Okay, here goes Jesus." " I hope you don't get bored hanging out with me." 

"Stop worrying son and simply enjoy your day in me!" "And I will be worshiped and glorified in and through you!" Papa and Ron Ross

http://youtu.be/ls_RjSoKKaA

Dying, Living and Becoming Like Christ

by Keith Gardner

I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

-John 13:16 (NIV)

In John 13:16 Jesus is pulling the disciples back to reality. How many times have we watched someone do something well and thought: “I can do that”. Jesus’ ministry and his time on earth were coming to an end. He knew it and he was preparing his disciples with these last bits of instructions. Jesus’ ministry lasted about three years. They were wild and wonderful. Those that saw his miracles were astonished, those that heard his words were amazed, and those that personally experienced his touch were changed forever. The disciples’ training was also about three years. They watched and witnessed Jesus at work; they also experienced what he did first hand. Twice they were sent out to perform the same miracles they saw Jesus do, and twice they came back elated at what was accomplished through their efforts. But now it was time for reality. These words came at the end of another teachable moment. Jesus has just washed the disciples’ feet. The lesson was humility, servanthood, and heart felt love. To Jesus, his messianic activities were more about being than doing. Jesus did what he did because he was how he was. The same is true for you and me. If we are to be the Christians we are meant to be we have to be like Christ, but becoming like Christ is not automatic – there is a price to be paid. Being like Christ come about through humility, serving others and loving deeply. All the other stuff follows from that.

Imagine the Un-imaginable

"Now that we know what we have - Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God - let's not let it slip through our fingers." (Hebrews 4:14, Msg)

"So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that great, perfect sanctuary in heaven, not made by human hands and not part of this created world." (Hebrews 9:11, NLT)

You can attach all of your hopes and expectations on the One-Jesus; who dwells at the Father's right hand and inside of you! At the Father's right hand He ever intercedes for us day and night! Within and through us; He-Jesus by Holy Spirit within, delivers the very answers He just interceded at the right hand of Father's great Majestic loving Throne! He is always and forever, The Great High Priest! I love you Jesus-seems like such a small response to so great a love! I am undone into the image and likeness of Jesus...

This is our eternal hope in a dark hopeless world! May our lives burn with the passion of His passion...

“When Moses spoke to God he used concrete terms. In a most astonishing prayer Moses said, “If your Presence does not go with us, what else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Exodus 33:16). 

God alone made Israel noticeable. He identified with them. That God is no mere whim or fantasy. He is in constant action on earth; our God lives and acts. He remains the same. Jesus was here and “went about doing good and delivering all who were oppressed by the devil” (Acts 10:38). It would be a hollow “sameness” if He didn’t do the same things. 

It was the great promise of Jesus to be with us forever. The Holy Spirit would take over His agenda. The Spirit is the active Spirit of Jesus, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit and … us - the syndicate of salvation, resourced by omnipotence. And we are invited to participate! What a high honor.” REINHARD BONNKE

Our response! Let the love of Jesus flow freely...don't work it up with self effort and good intentioned behavior; join the loving flow of Jesus! His love is eternally, unconditionally secured! His love is not wishy-washy with the whims of human emotion! His love is not imprisoned too the ebb and flow of human logic, philosophy or beliefs! His love is! My heart is focused on your heart and my eyes on yours alone-only there do I see my true image and only there can I celebrate your true image in all others!

I am in the grip of un-imaginable love! Are you? Ron Ross

http://youtu.be/4B-cCFIp0A4

http://youtu.be/-TxZzFnlAWQ

Pride of Mine

I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and exhibit as nothingness, the understanding of the experts. (1 Corinthians 1:19)

When Jesus arrested me with His love, I wasn’t exactly a prize catch. And that admission is not self-abasement or false humility; it is simply an honest and fearless inventory of my condition B.C (before Christ). He doesn’t pursue us for what we bring to the ‘relational’ table. Quite the opposite! 

It’s more like this, “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.” (Matthew 11:25 NLV)

“Take a good look, friends, at who you were when you got called into this life. I don't see many of "the brightest and the best" among you, not many influential, not many from high-society families. Isn't it obvious that God deliberately chose men and women that the culture overlooks and exploits and abuses, (He) chose these "nobodies" to expose the hollow pretensions of the "somebody’s"? That makes it quite clear that none of you can get by with blowing your own horn before God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29 Msg)

“God is committed to the destruction of human wisdom! The cross is the culmination of God's systematic plan to subvert human wisdom and culture. He entered into conversation with humanity, as recorded in the Old Testament, progressively revealing more, but in Jesus, He fully enters the human condition in order to overthrow our wisdom from within.” (Andre Rabe)

 

The issue is not to put our significance down; but to elevate our sense of identity, tempered with meekness and humility. In Him and His wisdom we can live in the joy of wisdom and pride that we couldn’t know outside of Him! As James proclaimed, “if anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives it liberally and upbraided not for asking”. He never tires of our coming to Him for the wisdom needed to ‘be in this world, but not of this world’. 

“He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people - robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.' 

Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'" Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself." (Luke 18:9-14 Msg)

“Pride of mine, hurry up and die so I can sing like I want to. Pride of mine, hurry up and die so I can dance like I want to. Pride of mine, hurry up and die so I can love without caution. Pride of mine, I don’t have time for you or your rules. We’ll never get this moment again. I’m gonna worship like it’s my last. We’ll never get this moment again. I’m gonna worship with all I have. Isn’t He worthy?” (David Olinger)

To put it rather bluntly; we have no business seeing problems and difficulties or looking at (ours or other) people’s behavior. We are instead in the joyful process of learning how to see with the eyes of the Father. We are seeing how to look through Jesus as the lens of God’s goodness in our life. And we’re learning to see our and others identity in Jesus.

“You veterans know the One who started it all; and you newcomers - such vitality and strength! God's word is so steady in you. Your fellowship with God enables you to gain a victory over the Evil One. Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world - wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important (living in the boastful pride of life) - has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. (1 John 2:14-17 Msg)

Oh God, thank you; you took my boastful pride of life upon yourself on Calvary. And thank you Jesus for the sweet exchange of my pride for your servant’s heart and the genuine humility that comes with it.

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:3-8, NLT)

Yes, I know, you’re thinking: he was God, servitude and humility was easy for him! I can’t (as much as I try) do what he could on earth. You’re correct. Doing (your prideful self-effort) is not the issue! 

Receiving and releasing are the keys! Receive His attitude! His death on the Cross was/is substitutionary. He took our place and all of the boastful pride of life upon himself! If Christ is in you, his attitude of servitude and humility are as well! Just let him out! Live from the inside-out! ‘God gives more than enough grace to the humble.’ 

In the grip of Christ’s servant heart! Ron Ross

Where Are the Blessings?

by Keith Gardner

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel. By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

Hebrews 11:24-29 (NIV)

Many times there are questions we ask ourselves and those around us that only God can answer. It is not that these questions are not important, or that our experience and wisdom does not measure up; but it is that the wisdom of heaven is greater and sees with a greater clarity. Heaven’s wisdom sees from an eternal perspective. We generally see in the context of the present.

Living From A Child-Like Heart

A Child-like Heart=Living in Innocence

Posted on February 13, 2013 by jrross1

 

Just couldn’t resist re-posting this today. Maybe I am projecting my need for continuous “child-like innocence” in my journey to you? At any rate-allow Jesus into your inner child! You will enjoy Him! He’s not ‘boring’-like we tend to be.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child; I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 1 Corinthians 13:11 N.I.V.

There is a huge difference between living in child-like simplicity and childish self focus. In childlike simplicity we can live free of pretense and masks. But a life of childishness will be more difficult. If we don’t put childish ways behind us we will remain a child in an adult body; otherwise known as an adult-child in Christ. As such, we have a difficult journey discerning the difference between childlikeness and childishness.

Jesus will embrace us at both points. He helps us celebrate healthy “child-likeness” and provides the grace to deal with lapses into “childishness”. This internal tug-of-war sometimes goes on several times each day. Putting childish ways behind you seems to be a life-long endeavor. 

But, Jesus never tires of our genuine struggle. His patience is so winsome-even when I go over the precipice of pouting. Just ask my precious wife. She’s been there, done that-on Jesus’ behalf, of course.

I realize this struggle involves seeming complicated issues. But, it really is simpler than we imagine. Yes, during my “childish” struggles, I am prone to ‘sin’. In that state, I also tend to behave like an unhealed wounder, instead of a wounded healer. Jesus continually calls me to run back into His arms of grace and be restored to “childlike” innocence!

That is why we can ‘take up our cross daily’ in fellowship with Jesus. Our ‘daily cross’ is where our childish self-will intersects with His desire for us to enjoy ‘innocent ’childlikeness. Thus, ‘putting away childishness’ can be more the norm than the exception. His grace and mercy are our hope of ‘growing through the issues of life’.

“Who gets the highest rank in God’s Kingdom? For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, I’m telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you’re not even going to get a look at the Kingdom, let alone get in. Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s Kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the same as receiving me.” Matthew 11:1b-5, The Message.

Do you do “simplicity” as bad as me? I have a PhD in complicating life-not a good degree or pedigree. FYI: PhD stands for-’piled higher and deeper’. My friend Brother Mickey says, “If you’re going to be dumb, you better be tough.” Complicating is ‘dumb’–simple is ‘smart’. Maybe it’s all about developing Papa’s sense of humor.

Let’s see: SIMPLE, ELEMENTAL, CHILDLIKE…allow me to give a sophisticated and educated commentary. NOT!!!! No, this is how it works–he jumps on me and starts tickling me in that special spot that only he knows about. You have one also-a special spot. It is just too cool that Jesus does this with me everyday-even when I am not paying attention.

“He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:2-3, NIV

Notice: He didn’t call a Theologian, Lawyer, Bible Scholar, Physician, Prophet, Philosopher, Educator, Politician, Parent…I think you get the point. These were mostly adults he was addressing. Jesus doesn’t call the adult or even the adult-child within me. He calls to the little child, deep in there, lost among adult-like voices.

Maybe; just maybe, if we start listening to His voice as the only adult voice, and stop filtering His voice through all those adult-like noises I mentioned above-we might hear the new ‘heavenly’, child-like sounds. The sounds of joy, laughter, light or bigheartedness, hope, play, fun, merry-making (okay ‘partying’), dancing, singing, creativeness, imagination, beauty, sweet fragrance, true vision, true self, grace, mercy, faith, hope, and love. Yes, they all have their own distinct, ‘heavenly’ sound. But only the child-like can hear them.

One measure of maturity is learning how to live in innocence and child-likeness? Joy, genuineness, humility, simplicity, mercy, grace, forgiveness, playfulness, true worship, a Heavenly Papa-like sense of humor, disarming transparency and real, heart level authenticity-(those are adult-like words for being who you truly are and liking it) can become the standard or plumb line for how you are doing.

Child-likeness calls us to live from ‘the heart Jesus gave us’ and is always the best starting and ending point? What if learning to live from that heart became the whole point? There you can be ‘nurtured daily’ by childlikeness. How about starting or continuing that journey to the place of childlikeness today? The awesome song posted will bless your inner child in Jesus! Enjoy.

In the grip of Papa’s playful Grace, Ron Ross

http://youtu.be/JiXZYiyB1L4

Practice Simplifies, Practice Perfects!

Practice is the only way to improve at anything. The word "practice" means "learning by repetition". What you prioritize and practice; with repetitive action, will be mastered in time. If we take an honest, soul searching personal inventory, we are likely to be shocked at what we have invested the most practice in perfecting. And it most certainly will not be God's love. God calls his children to become the consummate "love" practitioners.

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God." Eph. 5:1, NIV, emphasis mine.
"Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that." Eph. 5: 1-2, The Message.

It really is that simple: "watch what God is doing and keep company with him" and you will learn a life of love. His kind of love does not come natural for us, but with Christ in us we can practice it and mature in it! You will have to embrace a bold, extravagant, un-timid giving of yourself to others in order to develop in Christ's unique love.

One who practices is an imitator not just an admirer. "What then, is the difference between an admirer and an imitator? An imitator is or strives to be what he admires, and an admirer keeps himself personally detached. The admirer never discovers that what or whom he admires has a claim upon him, to be or at least to strive to be what he admires." Adapted from, Soren Kierkegaard-Practice in Christianity. We are called to be imitators of Jesus, not just admirers! While there certainly is nothing wrong with admiring Jesus, it will not produce a practiced maturing in loving as he loves!

The call of Christ on you and me each day is to become a disciple of his, a wholly devoted follower. Following his pattern in loving is the key issue in discipleship! "My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and experiences a relationship with God. The person who refuses to love doesn't know the first thing about God, because God is love--so you can't know him if you don't love. This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only son into the world so that we might live through him.

This is the kind of love we are talking about--not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God. My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us--perfect love! 1 John 4: 7-12, The Message, emphasis mine.

His love, in and through his children is what impacts the world and whets their whistle for the Gospel Message. Like him, we must love the world. Not love of the world, because that is enmity with God, but love for the world. "Unless and until, the future of the world becomes more important than the future of the church, the church has no future." Only Christ's love enables and empowers this kind of love!

In the grip of Papa's love! Ron Ross