How We Run Well Together

Do you ever feel like a slave to people’s opinion or to the things of this world? Freedom from captivity to the people and things of this world is found not in shunning them—“I won’t care what people think!” “I won’t have any nice stuff!”—but in discovering God as captivatingly treasurable. He makes satisfying us the way of our freedom—sometimes over and over again. We go into slavery, but we’re led out captivated and satisfied by God, in bondage no more. What fun it is to help each other to find God as the treasure He is—sometimes over and over again. That’s how we run well together, and that’s our starting point. (See Romans 6 for more.)

(For more like this, go to ralphharris.org and click the Encourage Me button.)

The Inside Champion

God’s care for me doesn’t come only when I’m doing well and loving life, but when I’m doing poorly and full of garbage. Sin, failures and fears often whisper to me that I’ve got to stop them—Stop them right now!—but they never suggest I immediately offer myself to God who can do something about them. And sin, failures and fears never bring up Jesus’ ability concerning struggles and temptations, either. He faced every struggle and temptation I’ve ever had or will ever face, and conquered and disposed of them. All of them. And where is this Jesus today? In me. In you. He is Perfect from there, and that was His plan all along. That’s our starting point. (For a great adventure about how Jesus is Perfect with you, get my new book at: https://tinyurl.com/y6ssnpwj.)

Remember Where You Are

If the Holy Spirit were to take you on a tour this morning, I think He would reacquaint you with where you are—in Christ, a true son of the Kingdom of God. He might say, “See where you are? See how well you fit in here?” I think you’d be impressed, don’t you? And then perhaps He’d say, “Now that you see where you are and who you are here—heaven-born royalty—put on the armor in keeping with your nobility, and walk confidently in the earthly day ahead. The enemy may assault you in that arena, whether subtly or evidently, but you do not fight on his terms; you fight from where you are and who you are. You’re in Christ, the Victor, so you win.”

That’s your starting point. (See the book of Ephesians.)

How to See Without Burning People

It's only when you look at an ant on a sunny day through a magnifying glass that you realize how often and easily they burst into flames. So it is when we stare at people through a computer monitor or television screen, analyzing and pretending we’re actually seeing them in the bright light of truth. 

(To watch the video at ralphharris.org, click http://ralphharris.org/how-to-see-without-burning-people/.)

No one can withstand that angle of scrutiny, mostly because it’s not accurate. It’s not true! Only those who see from enlightened hearts—and insist upon that view—can walk with the ants and not make them afraid of the heat.

My prayer—maybe it’s your prayer, too—is that Christ in me (basic Christianity—Colossians 1:27–He is my hope inside me) will become more and more evident to me, to you and to those around me. His affection for people gives my heart a knowledge and an insight—a true way to know and an accurate way to see people that doesn’t burn them—which enables love for them to abound. AND! I will know from there what’s best. That’s my starting point. Maybe it’s yours, too.

Philippians 1:8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Amen?

It Won't Long be the Weeds

Although we are royalty born from above, many of us will prove that true nobility is best seen and most evident not in the castle but in the weeds. It is also most tested—and most proved. Hang in there, sons and daughters of God.
The work of your days exceeds your knowledge, but the One who works in you knows your glory and is showing you off. He knows all about the castle, and that it won’t long be the weeds.

Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.

You’re the best this world has.
http://ralphharris.org

Starting Point

My New Year’s resolution for 2019 is to remember and to remind you of the meaning behind two little words: Starting Point. If you’ll join me, I’m going to remind you on most days about how you begin and where you begin before you move a muscle.

You’ve been made to live by faith; faith that Jesus *was* successful with you, that He *is* successful with you, and that He *will be* successful with you. You live from His success. In every day and in every thing, He is Perfect with you and Perfect for you. That’s your starting point.

With Jesus, we don’t start incomplete; we start complete. We don’t start empty; we start full. We don’t start wounded; we start well. We don’t start broken; we start whole. From our new birth in Christ, our mind is catching up to the truth of who we are as a new creation—perfect sons, perfect daughters of God already (See Hebrews 10:10,14). That’s our starting point! If you’ve been thinking or speaking differently, consider the truth, especially when confronted by your feelings. They’re not always your friend—they can lie—and the Holy Spirit will strengthen and help you with the truth. That’s what He does.

Colossians 2:9-10a “For in Him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been brought to fullness.”

“Fullness.” What’s missing from fullness? Nothing! Not a thing. That happened at the start He made for you. He was successful, which means you’ve got no room for more because you have everything already. You’re starting full up! He did it. He’s done.

I’m going to remind you of that, because that is your starting point. To join me, look for the Encourage Me button at ralphharris.org

I’ll be seeing you.

Ralph

We're Outta This World

For real?

"...our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body" (Philippians 3:20).

If we're not from around here—we’re truly citizens of heaven—then might that explain some of the odd things you experience, think and feel? Might that also clarify how you approach your days? You don’t need anyone to tell you to feel like you don’t fit in or belong to this world—“Pretend you’re from heaven, Harris!”—your new birth in Christ is simply being revealed day by day, if even to you. You might as well pay attention to what’s been done concerning your citizenship (it’s outta this world), and walk with the One who is also from heaven, yet lived fully human during His time amongst us. In other words, He knows all about life on planet earth.

You’ll be living by faith in Jesus, and that’s now the most normal way to live outta this world.
 http://ralphharris.org

#amazinggrace #outtathisworld #newcreation #gospel #eternallife

Your Best Life

Life in the heart is what Jesus is all about, and I want to encourage you to find, experience and enjoy His life. What comes from there is the evidence of God, and that’s a big deal. There are none bigger. In that display of God’s grace or evidence in a person—you—laws and decrees are not needed, but are contradictory. God’s life is not created by law, neither should law come from God’s life. They don’t go together.
Romans 6:14 “For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” What grace? The grace of life—the life of Christ in you. He does not come by law or decree, neither does He make them when He lives in you. He, Himself, supersedes law. He is the way, the truth and the life for you on the inside. That’s His plan—to be Himself in you. And that’s the best life.

Have you read my new book, Life According to Perfect? It illustrates this point, and many are deeply enjoying it. Get it at https://tinyurl.com/y9x2o7zv.

Grace Reigns

Today’s Good News Sermon: “Grace Reigns”

If Christian speakers actually believe that those who have received Christ have been made new creations with new hearts and with Christ resident in them, they will not be inclined to teach Old Covenant-based methods of living by the attempt to avoid sin in order to please God and earn his blessing, but will instead speak about the wonder of New Covenant life in Christ and by the Spirit, where God is not counting men’s sins against them, where righteousness and grace reigns, and we have all things. (2 Corinthians 5:17-19; Romans 5:20-21; Titus 2:11-14)
ralphharris.org

Look Up, Son

If God thinks you’re a true son of His, holy and righteous, clean and pure, just as He intended, but you think you’re something else, something less, might that cause stress in your relationship(s) and how you interact in your day to day? Imagine having an argument with God, and you’re trying to lower His estimate of yourself, while He’s trying to raise your estimate of yourself. Who wins that argument? How long before you relent and accept His view of you? You’ll be glad when you do, because living by faith is not only normal, it’s powerful. You’re going to feel it. It’s how that whole “Take-my-yoke-upon-you-and-learn-from-me, for-I-am-gentle-and-humble-in-heart, and-you-will-find-rest-for-your-souls” promise happens in us. That’s a good one. Remember?

ralphharris.org

What If You're Good?

God has made you thoroughly good on purpose and with purpose, but Satan is skilled in suggesting an alternate reality—a false you to distract you and diminish who you really are. Here’s how to know and grow in who you truly are by seeing the lie of who you are not.

To watch the video, click http://ralphharris.org/what-if-youre-good/

I gave this message at Church Without Religion (http://churchwithoutreligion.com), pastored by my friend, Andrew Farley, on Sunday, December 2, 2018.

Gravity Lessons

“What is it that makes me fail and fall?” she asked.

In response, here is Today’s Mini Message: “Gravity Lessons” – The purposeful plummet everyone experiences when making the attempt to live by the Ten Commandments or by any laws or rules, rather than by faith in the Spirit of life. He alone gives and produces righteousness and right-doing as a gift from Jesus—from start to finish. He is the way, and there is no other. If you’re experiencing a lot of “falling” lately, quit the lesson and accept the gift . . . again.

Romans 7:8,13 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of covetous desire. For apart from law, sin is dead. 13 Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment sin might become utterly sinful.

Romans 8:2 …through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

2 Corinthians 3:6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

For much more about this, see these chapters in my book, God’s Astounding Opinion of You: Ch. 4, “Who Is I?” Are You a Modification or a New Creation? Ch. 6, “He Ain’t Heavy” Holy Spirit—Life of the Party; Ch. 8, “Doin’ the Monster Mash” Slaying the Sin-loving Beast in You.
Book link: https://tinyurl.com/y9k9y86c

Life Happens on the Playground

While telling each other that we must get along, we’re failing badly. Here’s what I think, and here’s what I’m doing. It’s easy, and it means a lot more fun—particularly during the holidays.

To watch the video, click here. http://ralphharris.org/life-happens-on-the-playground/

To read the post, click http://ralphharris.org/life-happens-on-the-playground-4/

I am very grateful for all of you, particularly for your friendship in Christ and in His gospel. Thank you to my friends in Canada, Australia, Sweden, Singapore, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, and more. And to my American friends, have a great day celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday!

Ralph

No More Control Freaks

Do you know any control freaks? Are you one? Is it true that you must give up control so that God can be in control? I don’t think so. Here’s the good news that makes you free—and happy! (New!)

To watch the 6.5-minute video, click http://ralphharris.org/no-more-control-freaks/.



To read the post, click http://ralphharris.org/no-more-control-freaks-4/.



I hope this encourages you today!

You Look, He Works

If you're God's workmanship (and indeed, you are - Ephesians 2:10), then your primary part isn't to work but to relax and know Him and how He is with you. Jesus is your focus because you’re His focus. He'll take care of the building and the result, because He knows what He's doing. You don't have to. He’s the Expert. That’s why you feel better after looking at Him or talking with Him—or after reading this. You look, He works.