To The Highlands

Here in Colorado it’s hunting season, and the critters are fleeing to the safety of the highlands. They’ve hidden there before. High up in the rocky crags and tangled forests, they are as far out of reach as they can get, making themselves the smallest target possible. In the highlands their chances of survival are greatly increased. When a storm pushes them lower, they’re far more at risk.

Do you ever feel targeted?

I think one of the enemy’s most tried and true tactics against the magnificent sons and daughters of God is to push—really push. When he is successful in moving us, the targets on our backs become huge and it’s open season for the guns of hell. You and I cannot help but feel it. Here’s what I mean.

To the targeted Colossians, Paul wrote: “22But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel…” (Colossians 1:22,23)

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, you and I have been given His perfect righteousness and holiness (1 Cor 1:30), and it has become our own. It’s a staggering gift, worthy of touting far and wide-- "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Cor 1:31) Well, yeah!

Nothing can take His gift away from you, nothing can change the beauty of what it means for you—you’re in Christ, holy and faultless as you read this. That’s just a little bit good, isn’t it?

However, the goal of the devil is to move you away from knowing your gifted condition. He attempts to seduce you away from thinking about your security and confidence in Christ by firing accusations at you: “Look at you! Look what you’ve done—you’re no good at all.” “You haven’t read or prayed nearly enough—God’s not going to answer your prayers.” “You’ve done so many bad things that your life is destined to amount to nothing.”

Ever hear stuff like that? Of course! The Accuser himself has access to your thoughts through the flesh. King Jimmy has it right—“…the carnal mind is enmity against God.” (Rom 8:7 KJV) So what’s the devil trying to do? MOVE YOU! He’s trying to get you to move away “from the hope held out in the gospel…” Why? Because then you won’t be free from his accusations!

They’ll tear you apart!

Once you’ve been changed by God your condition with Him (holy and without blemish) can never be changed, but your susceptibility to Satan’s accusations can be changed. That’s the “if you continue in your faith” part of verse 23. Remaining “free from accusation” depends upon your movement.

When Satan can get you moved away from what God has already made of you through Christ, his accusations will find their target—you. Your hope, your joy and your demeanor will all sag because you’ve been hit, and Satan will keep on hitting. But when you run to the highlands, when you fix your thoughts and heart on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, (and in Him, you are, too!), then his horrid accusations will not find you—you’ll be living by faith. Since God birthed you all over again, that’s how you live!

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Col 3:1-4)

You know, all of heaven sees you. They see the real, actual son-of-God you. To those in heaven you look perfect—and they’re right. Take heaven’s view, and head to the highlands.

Marveling In Montana

What an incredible time I had in Montana. Wish you could have been there.

This home church/group was a particularly brilliant batch of sons and daughters of God, and together we were delighted by Him. There were so many moments when it was as if the Spirit drew back the worldly curtain hiding the glory of God in His people—and we marveled. Can you imagine?

We knew each other as we have become—the righteous, holy and faultless sons and daughters of God—more so than as we behave or look. They were Montana people, but they were born of heaven and they knew. Now that’s something.

We talked for hours together about what it took for God to make us new creations, how to live in light of that fact, how we’ve been prevented from living by faith in God, and how to live on purpose in the freedom He has given us. In essence, the Montana-ites knew what God thought of them, were a bit dazzled by it (nothing wrong with that!), and yearned to live by faith in God’s opinion of them. We talked a lot about how to do that in our everyday lives, as well. We’re set up for it.


It was quite a trip. More, please!

It’s Impossible—Right?

I can't help it, okay? I'm a baseball fan--it's my father's fault. He ushered my brothers and me to countless Dodgers games through the years, forcing us toward this lifelong fascination.

Well, having moved to the Rockies, we adopted the Rockies as our second team. As soon as Dodger Blue succumbed (we threw dirt on their coffin sometime in early September, as I recall), we donned purple and black.

For almost three weeks now I've been muttering, "Can they be stopped?!" I don't think so! Hooray! Go Rockies!

(Below is an article from ESPN.com--an excellent read.)

Rockies pull off the impossible, advance to World Series
By Jayson Stark
ESPN.com


AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

DENVER -- This didn't just happen. Did it?

That couldn't have been Coors Field, shaking so hard Monday night that it must have knocked all the snow off the nearest Rocky Mountain tops.

That couldn't have been the Colorado Rockies, dancing beneath the fireworks, pulling on those National League Champions T-shirts, the only National League team still standing in the second week of October.

This can't be the Rockies -- the Rockies -- heading for their first World Series in franchise history. Can it?

If you watch enough baseball games and follow enough pennant races, you come to think after a while that you have a grasp of what's possible and what isn't. And let's be candid here:

This isn't possible.

But on another magical autumn evening a mile above sea level, the impossible turned possible. The Colorado Rockies are going to the World Series. Just don't ask how.

"I'll be honest," said shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, after the 6-4 win over Arizona that sealed a four-game sweep and propelled these Rockies to their first World Series. "We haven't sat back once and said, 'How'd this happen?' We're just enjoying it."

And you know what? It's better that way. It's safer that way. It's more fun that way. Because there are no good answers. So just don't ask.

Don't ask how a team on life support can suddenly start winning and winning and winning some more -- until it looks up a month later, amidst the dripping Domaine St. Michelle, to find it has just won 21 of its last 22 games.

Don't ask how a team that was a mere four games over .500 on Sept. 15 could make it here from where this team came from.

From nine games under .500 (18-27) in May.

From six games out in the wild-card race in September.

From 4½ games back in that wild-card race with only nine games to play.


Harry How/Getty Images

From two games behind with two games to play, and having to watch that Padres team they were trying to catch get within one strike of clinching.

From two runs behind in the 13th inning of the 163rd game of the year, a game they never should have had a chance to play in the first place.

Has any team ever overcome all of that to play in a World Series? Not a chance.

So what we have here is one of the most historic, most astonishing, most compelling stories in baseball history. We're not sure the other three time zones have comprehended that yet. But now's your chance, because this team is not done playing yet.

"It's a far-fetched story," said Ryan Spilborghs, the backup outfielder who is such a huge clubhouse presence on this team. "It sounds like the kind of bedtime story you'd tell your 5-year-old son when he wants to hear a fairy tale. But if you told that story to the guys in this clubhouse, you know what? They'd believe you. And there'd be no doubt in anybody's mind that that was a true story.

"This group of guys has always believed we could win. So if you'd told me we'd win 21 out of 22 games with this group of guys, I'd say, 'Yeah. I believe it.'"

Clearly, they had to believe, or they couldn't have done this, right?

Couldn't have become the fifth team in the last 70 years to go 21-1 in any stretch of any season.

Couldn't have become the first team to do that in the middle of one of these mad charges to, and through, October.

Couldn't have become the second team in history (along with just the 1976 Big Red Machine) to sweep its first two postseason series in any given October.

Couldn't have become the fifth team of all time to make it from last place one year to the World Series the next.

Couldn't have become the sixth team in history to fall nine games under .500 and still climb out of that canyon to make it to the World Series.

And, finally, couldn't have become the first team ever to find itself two games out of a playoff spot with two games to play and somehow survive to scramble into the World Series.

That didn't really happen. Did it? That wasn't really possible. Was it?

"You know, it's easy to say now because it happened," laughed reliever LaTroy Hawkins. "So it is possible. But would I have thought of that before it happened? No."

But then again, how could anyone have thought of it? That was a whole month ago, before all the madness began.

AP Photo/Eric Gay

Before Todd Helton's dramatic walk-off bomb off Takashi Saito. Before Josh Fogg turned into The Dragon Slayer. Before Matt Holliday's slide. Before Kaz Matsui's slam. Before Yorvit Torrealba turned into David Ortiz.

And then, finally, before this night -- the night their journey carried them to the top of the only mountain peak around that no Coloradan had ever climbed before.

For a while there, it almost looked as if this night might be different from all the other nights. On this night, the Rockies actually (gulp) trailed for an entire inning.

But for a whole nutty month now, somebody has always stepped forward, to grab onto the moment and turn it into another one of those here-they-go-again evenings. And sure enough, on this night, it was Seth Smith's turn.

Until now, he was probably better-known to some folks as Eli Manning's backup quarterback at Mississippi. He didn't even join this team until Sept. 16, when the Rockies brought him in from Colorado Springs. And he never started a single game -- not one. But would they be here without him? Heck, no. Wouldn't. Couldn't.

In his 12 at-bats since he arrived, all Seth Smith has done is hit .583 -- .636 as a pinch-hitter. So when game-breaking time arrived Monday -- with two on and two out in the fourth inning, Clint Hurdle pointed in his direction.

And of course, Seth Smith got it done. With an ugly little inside-out, opposite-field bloop shot that plunked two feet inside the left-field line. But this was no beauty pageant. This was a game-turning two-run double in your box scores and your history books.

If anyone ever asks him later about this mighty blast, Smith promised he would tell the truth and nothing but the truth _ that it "slammed off the wall." Or something like that.

But this was just the latest, wildest chapter in the crazed, stranger-than-fiction story of the Rockies. Game 2 was saved by a pitcher with no big-league saves (Ryan Speier). So why wouldn't Game 4 be altered irrevocably by a fellow whose first two career major-league RBIs came in the game that sent his team to the World Series?

"You know the funny thing?" said Smith, who joined the immortal Blake Doyle (1978) as the only players in history to drive in the first runs of their careers in a postseason game. "I didn't even realize it when I was on second base. Then I ended up scoring, and when I got back to the dugout, somebody said, 'Hey, we got that ball for you.' And I was like, 'Why?' They said, 'It was your first RBI.' And I said, 'Oh.' But in a game like this, you don't worry about that."

Minutes later, there was even less to worry about. That was because Matt Holliday crunched a 452-foot three-run homer that flipped the scoreboard to 6-1, set off an eruption of fountains and fireworks, and launched a party that may not end for a week.

OK, eventually, it got a little dicey. OK, eventually, Arizona carved that lead to two runs in the eighth. OK, eventually, a Chris Young double got the tying run to the plate in the ninth.

But then Stephen Drew took a mind-boggling swing at a 3-and-0 pitch from closer Manny Corpas and popped it up for out No. 2. And then Eric Byrnes tapped the soft ground ball to the left side that might well become the most replayed final out in Rockies history.

At first, it seemed as if the third baseman, Jamey Carroll, was going to slurp it up. But in the corner of his eye, Carroll saw the human Oreck, Tulowitzki, darting toward the hole and realized whose ball this had to be.

"He's made that play 100 times," Carroll said. "I felt him back there. I knew he was back there. As soon as I let it go by, I didn't even give it a second thought. I looked straight at first base."

"I wanted that ball hit to me," Tulowitzki said. "I always wanted to make the last out of a World Series. But an NLCS works, too."

What he really wanted, though -- what they all wanted -- was for the final out to wind up in the glove of Helton, their Lion King, the guy who had suffered through 11 frustrating seasons and nearly 1,600 games on the way up this mountain peak.

"When that ball was hit to 'Tulo,' I knew," Helton said. "I knew where that throw was going -- right at my chest."

And when that ball arrived, and his team was heading for the World Series, Helton said he could feel all those years of frustration -- culminating in these four consuming heart-thumping weeks of pressure-packed miracle-making -- just disappear. Poof. Just like that.

"I'm not an emotional guy," Helto would say later, his eyes glazing, his voice cracking. "But this is emotional. I think it was just being in the game, and being so focused and so intense and wrapped up in the game. And then just the release, when it's over ... wow.

"That," said Todd Helton, "is a drug you can't buy in stores."

He was wearing his NL Champions shirt, soaking in more than the moment. But what a moment.

"I've never even seen a National League championship trophy," he said. "So when I saw that -- 'National League champions' -- and realized we were going to the World Series, that just sounds so good coming off the tongue it's ridiculous."

Oh, it was ridiculous, all right. A month ago -- just a month -- it was an idea that was literally ridiculous.

But 22 games and 21 wins later, here they are, the Colorado Rockies, World Series bound.

C'mon. That didn't really happen. Did it?

Bad Headlines, Pt 2

(Yeah--it's the weekend. See yesterday's heading for more information.)

BAD HEADLINES, part 2
Double Meanings From Around The World

~ Farmer Bill Dies in House
~ Nation's Head Seeks Arms
~ Safety Experts Say School Bus Passengers Should Be Belted
~ Drunk Gets Nine Months in Violin Case
~ Survivor of Siamese Twins Joins Parents
~ Stud Tires Out
~ Eye Drops off Shelf
~ Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim
~ Shot Off Woman's Leg Helps Nicklaus to 66
~ Enraged Cow Injures Farmer with Ax
~ Two Ships Collide, One Dies
~ Panda Mating Fails; Veterinarian Takes Over
~ Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge
~ Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead
~ Man Struck by Lightning Faces Battery Charge
~ New Study of Obesity Looks for Larger Test Group
~ Astronaut Takes Blame for Gas in Spacecraft
~ Kids Make Nutritious Snacks
~ Ban On Soliciting Dead in Trotwood
~ Local High School Dropouts Cut in Half
~ Man Minus Ear Waives Hearing
~ Air Head Fired
~ Bank Drive-in Window Blocked by Board
~ Hospitals are Sued by 7 Foot Doctors
~ Include your Children when Baking Cookies

Off To Montana

I leave today to spend the weekend speaking and ministering to some great people in Whitefish, Montana. I'm really excited and expecting a terrific time with the Spirit in evidence amongst us. There's not a lot better than that.

I'll post about how it all goes in the days ahead.

Would you pray for me and my family?

Don't Cut Out The Middle Man

Crowding the top of my most-favorite verses in the Bible is Galatians 5:16—

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”

When once we know that the flesh is not us but something in us, something against us, then what we want is to live free from its’ grip and influence. This verse carries that promise. Do this and you won’t do that.

A key couple of verses showing how to walk by the Spirit are found in Paul’s letter to the Romans:

“Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” (Rom 6:13,14)

Perhaps the most practical, even useful aspect of God’s grace to us in Christ is that He lives in those who have received Him. He’s not just around us, He’s in us, and would love to be found. For sin to not be my master, for me to not “carry out the desire of the flesh,” I offer myself to the Holy Spirit who now lives in me. Surprisingly(!), I have found Him entirely capable! He does not ever succumb to the desires of the flesh, but always produces what He is like in me. That’s how the fruit of the Spirit is found in and through me to the glory of God.

Do I always offer myself to the Spirit perfectly? No. I am regularly duped into living by doing what’s right, or by avoiding what’s wrong, or by making good decisions and being a responsible individual, none of which is life by the Spirit, all of which cut out the Middle Man—God within me. I have a long history of life by the flesh, so even though I’ve found life by the Spirit the awesome wonder it is, I still fall back upon old patterns. . .but not as much as I used to. The sequence of Romans 6:13,14 is effectively, Don’t offer yourself to sin, don’t offer yourself to life without God. Rather offer yourself to the Holy Spirit who lives in you. And then, offer the parts of your body to Him as His to use.

God in you and in me is the Holy Spirit. He is The Middle man, who makes life happen in you and me.

How Real Men Go Fishing

It's the weekend, so you know what that means.

Here's a short video I think you'll enjoy. See you tomorrow...

3 Christian Essentials In Georgia

My trip to Georgia was terrific for all the right reasons. Because there are sons and daughters of God there who are growing in the knowledge of God and His incredible grace to them in Christ, a lot of preparation work had been done to make the trip most beneficial.

Translation: I spoke eight times in six days to people hungry for the life of God.

On Sunday morning, I met with the good people of Midtown Church. There I raised what I think are three essential questions: 1. Where is God? 2. How can I find Him? 3. How can I let Him do what He wants?

The stunning reality is that for those who have received Christ, God is now within! He has made a home in you.

Together we looked at the following passages:

1 Cor 3:16-17 “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.”

Heading out into your day, have you ever thought, "Well, here I go--God's sacred mobile home."? No? Well, you are. At least, He thinks you are. Do you agree with him? It might be a good idea.

Luke 17:20-21 “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, ‘The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you.’”

Col 1:27 “To them (to the saints, to the select) God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Italics mine.)

When God convinces those who have received Him that they have actually received Him, their eyes are opened…and they’ll begin to look for Him who lives within. Most often we look for God over there, but not so much for God in here. But we can.

Time to have a look, don’t you think?

2. How can I find Him?

For this we looked to Galatians 5:16-25, where Paul writes of the struggle within—the conflict between the Holy Spirit and the flesh. Until the believer makes a believing choice to sow to the Holy Spirit, now within him, the flesh will produce its’ awful brand of behavior. The flesh, that part of us which offers a way of living, the result of which means living without the life of God, influences or produces behavior through us—unholy sexual activity, hatred, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, drunkenness, and more—it will be obvious when we’ve been sowing toward it. The most obvious thing will be that we won’t be knowing or feeling or hearing or sensing God, who now lives within.

When once we believe God is now within us, we’ll want to give Him something to do—take Him off inner unemployment! By sowing toward Him, especially when feeling His conflict with the flesh, we will know Him—we’ll feel His work go on in us. How will that look? How will that feel? It’s everything you want, only it’s His to bring about: “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal 5:23,23)

After believing that He is now within you, sowing toward Him—“I feel your conflict with the flesh, Holy Spirit. What do you think? What do you feel? Is there anything you’d like me to know? Say? Do?”—will bring about His life, the life you’re supposed to know and experience. This is what the kingdom of God is about, the Kingdom Jesus said would be “within you.” It is! (Luke 17:21) What He chooses to manifest or produce in you is up to Him—it can be challenging to leave it to Him. If He produces peace when you’d rather have something intelligent and powerful to say, remember—it’s God! Believing that He is acting within you, be satisfied with what He produces. After all, you’ll be finding and knowing God.

The flesh effectively says, “Manage yourself…and you’ll get what you want.” However, no you won’t—not really—you won’t know God! And knowing Him is way better. So, feel the conflict and pay attention to it. Know why it’s there (the Holy Spirit and the flesh are in competition), and offer yourself (sow) to the Spirit. If we sow to the flesh from the flesh we’ll reap destruction, but if we sow to the Spirit from the Spirit we’ll reap eternal life! (Gal 6:8)

We've been made for life.

Romans 8:12-17 “Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature (flesh), to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature (flesh), you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” (Italics mine.)

3. How can I let Him do what He wants?

Paul knew that it’s all in the offering.

Rom 6:13, 14 “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.”

How do I do that? How do I offer myself to Him? Well, first believe that He is now within you. You’re not just offering yourself to God out there, but you’re offering yourself to God in here! To believe that He lives in you is a tremendous point of faith—it’s great, and He loves it.

Here’s what I do.

In my day, throughout my day, during virtually anything, I pause. I take a faith-filled pause to feel Him, know Him, hear Him. I might quickly think something like, “I know where you are, God…I want to find you in me…and I want to let you do whatever you want in me. What are your thoughts? Your feelings? I offer my hands and eyes to you for whatever you desire, even if it isn't to use them.” Throughout those thoughts toward God, I pause to listen and feel and think. By that I get to know Him.

This removes the burden of having to tailor myself at every moment, whatever the circumstance I’m in. If I don’t have to come up with the just-right thing to say, the just-right thing to do, the just-right way to look in order to get what I want, the pressure is off me and I’m free to know God.

Surprisingly, I do know Him, just as He said I would.

(Much of this message was culled from material also found in my book, Better Off Than You Think—God’s Astounding Opinion of You. Click here for more information, or go to our ministry web site at http://lifecourse.org, and click on “Ralph’s Book.)

Headin' For The Rockies

I can't fathom how delightful it has been here in the south. Georgia has been beautiful, the people tremendously warm, sincere and inviting--I cannot say enough about them--but I'll try.

Tomorrow I'll begin posting a summary of my time here in the Atlanta area. I'll take a kind of jog through the days and people and speaking topics, as well as what I believe were the responses and hopes of these wonderful people. And I'll tell you a bit of what happened in me as I walked among them--it was quite a thrill.

Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your hope, and thank you for your support. It's a wonderful thing we've got going, isn't it.

Lovin' Georgia

Sorry for the paucity of posts, but I'm on the busy-as-can-be speaking
trail in Georgia.

What wonderful people. True, they sound funny. But I'm correcting their English and grammar as I go. Actually, no I'm not. I love to hear them, and they come up with some beauties that make me marvel. Just every day speech to them, but I marvel.

"Whaaaaaaaayle, dang if ah know, Raa-elph. Ah luv whatcher sayin' n-all, buh-could-jew sayyit agiyin? You know--differnt?"

I've spoken a bunch of times thus far, will speak several more times to small groups, home churches and big churches, so would you pray for me and my family? Separation anxiety is no fun...and this isn't all fun and games--it's far more serious than that.

Puttin’ On The Dog

It's the weekend, and I'm heading south to Georgia for a week of speaking and fun. Every time I get south, I pick up some fabulous phraseology and come back to Colorado with a doozie of an accent--I really look forward to it!

Here's a video of Aaron Wilburn with a passle full of good southern people all around. You'll enjoy it.

Love Must Be Genuine

Well, it's the weekend--or close enough.

This clip brilliantly(!) underscores the fact that one must marry by faith and for love--by faith that God is directing and will celebrate His achievement with you on the day two tie the knot and become one, and for love--you gotta be bonkers for your spouse...Right?

Redemption's Poster Boy

Growing up I learned that there were very desirable groups and clubs to which I could belong; Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Kiwanis, and baseball teams. Join those and fun was on the way. Good to go.

In college (Go USC!) I took the necessary steps to join another kind of group with benefits galore—a fraternity. Say what you will about “frats,” but I liked the idea and wanted in. Near the end of our probationary period, those already “in” began to make those of us not yet feel like we would never make it. In fact, after putting us through incredibly rigorous tests, they kicked us all out in a single night, one by one. Many of us felt like we deserved it, having failed the tests, but others were incensed at the seeming injustice.

Anyway, with great fanfare, they then welcomed virtually all us into the fraternity, telling us that the whole rejection had been an elaborate ruse. We had been redeemed, and were now bona fide members, all rights and privileges given. Hooray.

That was probably my first biggish lesson in redemption—I needed to be rescued, and I was. But that first exercise was nothing compared to the one I was to receive from God. That first lesson attempted to get me to believe I deserved rejection when, in fact, I didn’t—just kidding. You’re not bad enough for us to kick you out! Welcome! I was still the same, only now I belonged.

That’s nothing like biblical redemption. To the Ephesians, Paul writes, “In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Ephesians 1:7,8; italics mine.)

To put it another way, in keeping with God’s staggering grace, He knowingly lavished upon us the grace of redemption. Of course! That’s how He is. We really were in bad, rejection-worthy shape. But God, Mr. Grace Himself, determined to show Himself through redemption.

Redemption means not only to be brought out of a terrible condition and fate, but also to be brought into an incredible condition and future. It’s similar to the word, “Justification.” This often used Biblical word means that not only has God made you so that you have never sinned (having put all of your failures upon Jesus, and treating Him as though He were guilty of them all), but God has made you as though you have always done everything perfectly (having given you the perfect righteousness of Jesus as your own).

It’s staggering.

Redemption means that never again will I be a sin-natured flesh bag on my way to hell, sins paving the way. Never again. Jesus has made me (and you) a son, a Spirit-born, Spirit-filled son of God on my way to heaven. No matter how it looks, no matter how I look, Jesus redeemed me because He took me into Himself. And in Him, I have redemption, the absolute and eternal forgiveness of sins. And I don’t minimize how great and terrible my condition and sins were—no! In fact, His lavished grace is all the more glorious in light of my previous terrible condition.

Look, I don’t particularly want to be the poster boy for Romans 5:20—“…where sin increased, grace increased all the more;”—but, frankly, I already am! I know pretty much what I was before redemption, a pagan-natured flesh bag on the road to hell, and I rejoice over what I have been made!

Forever and always have I been redeemed. Hebrews 9:12 says that Jesus obtained eternal redemption. To believe that is not only pleasing to God (“Hey! Ralph’s getting it—he believes!”), it’s a great exercise in my daily life.

Just call me Redemption’s Poster Boy.

A Great 5.5

If you've got five and a half minutes, you couldn't do any better than to watch the video below. Watch it to the end--you'll like it.

Where You At? Pt. 2

Many years ago my mother pulled a trick upon my brothers and me. While telling us that she would have homemade chocolate chip cookies waiting when we returned from school, she neglected to tell us that they wouldn’t be the usual deal.

Now, it’s a verified fact that my mother makes the best chocolate chip cookies in America. You in the rest of the world have yet to confirm that fact, but just because you haven’t had one doesn’t change a thing. We’re dealing with facts here. My mother doesn’t overload her delicacies with too much chocolate either, making you wonder if you’re eating a chocolate bar rather than a cookie. Hers are balanced just right, and have nuts in them. Why some people insist upon having nut-less chocolate chip cookies is beyond me. It’s wrong.

Anyway, in my rush to cram the delicacy into my mouth (and beat my brothers to it), I failed to recognize a foreign scent in the kitchen. “Ooh! These are goooood!” I mumbled. Pointing to the cookie in my mouth, I asked, “But what’s that other thing in there? What is that?” With a smirk on her face, she said, “Do you like the cookies?” “Yes!” we replied. “Well,” she said, “that’s orange rind. I shaved several oranges into the mix. How do you like it?” Shocked, we said, “Orange rind?! What?! You put that in these?!” But we had to admit the cookies were better than ever. It seemed like no matter what she put in there, it was all perfect.

Guess what I often think of when I have an orange in my hand? That’s right. Orange rind belongs in chocolate chip cookies—that’s where it’s perfect. Anywhere else, orange rind is just decoration. But in the right place it’s brilliant.

In my previous LifeNote, I wrote about where each orange-rindish Christian is located right now—in Christ. Apart from Him, there isn’t much to brag about. Yet, as Ephesians so often reads, in Him we’re incredibly fortunate—we’re prefect. I want to encourage you to accept God’s view of you and “where you’re at.” Satan, the world, and the flesh all work in harmony to see that you don’t. What happens when they’re successful is disastrous.

We’re most at risk when we see ourselves outside of Him, detached from Him and living on our own. It’s during those times when I’ve been listening to the wrong source of my identity that I begin to worry about “my walk”, worry about “my righteousness”, worry about “my holiness,” and begin fearing for “my life.” Practically speaking, I think of life as “Jesus over there,” and “me over here.” And I’m not enough—I’m orange rind! “What have I done that’s worth anything?” I might think, or, “I have made so many bad decisions—what hope do I have now?” Or perhaps, “I’m such an undeserving idiot! Why would God do anything for me?!”

See what’s happening? A foreign voice is attempting to seduce me away from the truth to a lie.

If successful, my hope is no longer with Jesus, having been secured by Him, in Him, but with me—apart from Him. Not only is that woefully insufficient, it’s a lie! And there’s no way I’ll be able to live well, since I’m all fouled up. When I’m deceived from the truth (“I’m in Christ, and in Him I have everything!”) by a lie (“Well, you’re such a mess that you’re on your own—Good luck, orange breath!”), I can’t help but be miserable. And I almost always act the same.

Why are you forever secure with God? Because Jesus secured you by bringing you into Himself. Why are you holy and blameless with God? Because Jesus brought you into Himself, making you that way. Nothing in Him could be anything but perfect. Why is every promise God has ever made “Yes” to you? Because, taking you into Himself, He has hidden your life in His, making what He deserves yours. Not only have you been changed from what you were before you were saved, you’ve been put somewhere different—into Christ. You’ve been utterly redeemed from your previous condition, as well as your previous location—on your own.

That’s how God sees it, and that’s how it is. Maybe it’s time to look again at where you’re at.

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.” (Eph 1:7,8)

(To help you remember “Where you at?” today, and because I like these ads, here’s another good one.)