Life Together In Christ

(Video link at the end.)

Think of Jesus. Imagine Him. Imagine Perfect. Now imagine yourself actually in Him. What’s life like from there?

And think of this: Unless I see myself as God sees me, in Christ, actually in Him (it’s all over the New Testament), then whenever inexplicably difficult and odd things happen to me, I will wonder what has gone wrong and what I have to do to make things right.

For a lot of us, that’s how we think a lot of the time. “Why is this happening to me?” “Why do bad things happen to me?”

That thinking means endless days of pressure—or of trying to avoid it, which is essentially the same thing. Either way, I’ve got to educate myself, strategize and work to orchestrate my days so that weird and wrong stuff doesn’t happen.

And I will have been tricked into seeing myself as separate from God, with assessments and techniques for proper management always in demand. After all, I’ve got a lot to do. No wonder I’m nervous, no wonder I’m prone to anxiety. But I’ll give my self toward that—more than to anything—and I’ll think it’s the right way . . . the responsible way. The separate way.

But I am in Him. At all times. At every moment. He put me there (1 Corinthians 1:30). What happens to me or what goes on around me is for the two of us, not for one of us, but for both of us—together—united forever in everything. That’s the plan. Never separate! His life and His ability are always at the ready for me and through me, as the case may be. Obviously, it helps if I will believe we’re together—not just God over there and me doing my best to follow. I am in Him. He is in me. “Following” is not the issue; believing that He made this change happen is the issue.

Believing it’s true and enjoying it is how Christ is formed in me. That’s His agenda and now that’s my agenda. In other words, “Jesus, I am in you and you are in me. Make me aware of what you’d like to do in me and through me, your vessel. Let’s do this together. I would love that. Amen.”

This is the “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” life (Galatians 2:20), and that’s for me. And if you’re a Christian, it’s for you, too. How exciting is that life?

(To see the video, click http://ralphharris.org/life-together-in-christ/.)

That's All, Folks

The way we take God’s grace for granted—the way we mistreat it—is to believe and act in a way that says we have to earn something from God, who thinks He has given us all things already for free. (See Ephesians 1:3-10.) In other words, if you want to really bother God, here’s how to do it: try to earn something from Him. (Good luck. Bon voyage.)

God’s grace never creates debt; it always pays debt. Otherwise, it would cease to be grace and instead become obligation. Oh, how that word bothers God! He’ll have none of it. Not with Abraham, not with the Galatians, not with you, and not with me. (See Romans 4:4-5.)

The apostle Paul got rightfully angry with the Galatian Christians who had fallen away from grace, because they were attempting to earn favor with God by their own behavior. The problem was, they already had perfect favor! They already had every blessing! Jesus had given it to them—in full. To believe otherwise was to believe a lie and to give themselves to that lie through their efforts. That’s how people get twisted and disappointed. Have you noticed?

Believing that we have to tithe, pray, worship, sing, witness, fast, or love in order to gain favor with God is anti-Christ. Doing something apart from Jesus in order to get what He presumably failed to secure is not only worthless, it is against the truth. That’s awful. For the Galatian Christians to add Jewish customs or ceremonies or rule-keeping to a supposed required mix was to put themselves under a curse!

Galatians 3:10-14 10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, ‘The person who does these things will live by them.’ 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.’ 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles (That would be me, and most likely you) through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. (Italics mine.)

In other words, by faith in Jesus, we get the Holy Spirit and everything that He brings with Him. You would be wise to assume that He doesn’t lack anything.

Every other hope with God, any other obligation-based hope with God is shadow living—it’s performing in the dark!—even though the reality has come (Colossians 2:16-17).

In Christ—which is where we are now—we have how many things? All things. That’s the incredible gospel we love! That’s the stunning New Covenant. And that’s why we’re crazy in love with Jesus. We’re out in the open about it! No one’s hiding this. We want to tell everyone, and we want to remind those who have forgotten and been lured back into the shadows. Come on out of there! No more performing in the darkness! Lies will have you there, and we won’t be a part of that; neither will God.

Because of Jesus, we have it all. And that’s all, folks.

To watch the 5 minute video: http://ralphharris.org/thats-all-folks/

Freedom Walk

Some of my favorite people will be gathering together in October for a terrific conference—Freedom Walk. I suspect that more than a few of us will also be popping over to nearby Napa to inspect some of those grapes they’ve got there. In other words, I sure hope you can join me and these great speakers for an awesome few days of sharing in the grace and love of God. Register by this Friday to get the early bird special of only $99! Click the link to get more info and to register.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/freedom-walk-tickets-48103929147

Life By God

When someone discovers the love of God—the real deal—that discovery immediately becomes the most defining aspect of her life. He makes sure of it. Remaining in the knowing—“He loves me!”—will eclipse all other goals, and become the director and authenticator of what she does, what she reads and watches, what she says and writes, where she goes and what she gives herself to, and how she interacts with the people and stuff of this world. No one will have to tell her to “obey the commandments” because she knows and has the One who needs no such commands living within. Her life will be by the Spirit and not by the law. She will be tempted to live by other means, for sure, but always the love of God—even a temporary not-knowing of it—will re-animate and love her awake. And life by God, who is love, will resume.

That's All, Folks

Have you ever felt like you’re wasting your time with God? Like the things you’re trying to do aren’t working with Him? Well, maybe you are wasting your time, and maybe that’s the best news you could get. (New. 5 minutes.)

What is Discipleship?

A disciple is not one who pursues or follows Jesus in order to become like Him. After the cross, after the resurrection and after the New Covenant began, a disciple is one who believes in Christ and who has been changed by God, is now compatible with God, and who is now led by God from within. The work upon the disciple is done; it is complete. The work within the disciple—where the kingdom is—goes on. Discipleship, then, is helping each other to better know God so as to be more confidently led by the Spirit.

God Is Not Missing Anything

You will never have to wonder if God is with you. Never ever. You won’t have to invite Him to come over or to get involved in a situation that He otherwise might miss. God is never missing. In fact, He thinks you’re with Him. That might be difficult to imagine, seeing as how it’s from His point of view, which might be a tad better than yours. But go ahead—imagine.

Ephesians 2:6-7 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Think how secure you are, having been seated in Christ. You’re in. You don’t have to ask God to be anywhere He isn’t. Wherever you are, there He is. More accurately, wherever He is, there you are. Nothing to worry about, nothing to make happen—it’s all on Him because you’re seated. You might as well relax and enjoy the view with Him. Think of the scenery and landmarks He knows all about. He has a lot to share with you.

God did that, and that’s what He thinks of you. What do you think?

(For more from this view of things, get my new book, “Life According to Perfect”. https://tinyurl.com/ycja3mzv.)