Don't Miss Out!

You certainly don't want to miss out on what God's doing by being even an hour late (Heavens!), so FYI.

Know what I'm sayin'?

New Creatures

We have become all-together different creatures. Not only does God have no record of our sins, not only does He not impute them to us, not only has He made us as having never committed them; He has made us as having always done everything right. “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

An Excellent Resource

Here's a great resource, but only if you're interested in Jesus and the incredibly fantastic things He's done for you through the cross and resurrection. Plus, something I've written ("A Shuffling Ninja") is the featured article.

Have a look. http://www.lifetime.org/2011/11/a-shuffling-ninja/

Rest Well

Sons and daughters of God, rest and sleep as though you have never failed God or committed a single sin in your entire life, and you will be sleeping by faith in Jesus. Good night.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21)

Wondering?

For those who don't know what I do for my real job, you can find out at http://lifecourse.org/. I'm a speaker (you'll find video and audio messages from various churches and locations on the "Downloads" page), author (click "Ralph's Book" to find out about "God's Astounding Opinion of You"), and sometimes pastor (click "What We Do" or "Face To Face"). And if you'd like to have me speak to your group or church, click "Schedule Event".

An Unusual Declaration of Faith

For me, this is one more unusual post today. I do not know who I am voting for in the Presidential election, and this is not an endorsement. Besides, I'm withholding my choice until after the swimsuit competition. But for those of us who are lovers of Jesus, this impresses more than the usual claim of faith. It's not long--check it out.

Delicious Satire

I don't post many of these, but my twisted sense of humor insisted upon this delicious satire. If it offends you, you're not the first, and I apologize up front. Really.

Spooky!

Does this count for spooky?

What If?

What if God is working most pointedly with us every day so that we will recognize Him as greatest treasure? Not to correct us, not to direct us, not to answer our questions or even to guide our path. What if God’s best treasure is the one you discover Him to be? Trading everything for the one thing would be a no-brainer. What if?

No Jerks

A Triple-Dog Dare

Here’s a triple-dog dare you.

Perhaps you’ve seen the Christmas-time classic movie, “A Christmas Story.” While there are lots of great moments in the story, one drew a particularly large crowd. Best pals Ralphie, Flick and Schwartz were walking to school one frigid and snowy morning when an old discussion resumed: Will a tongue pressed on a frozen metal pole stick or not? Schwartz said it would, and Flick said, “No way!” With a crowd drawing round the flagpole moments before school, Schwartz loudly dared Flick to “Go ahead and do it,” if he was so brave. Flick, not altogether sure of his tongue-stick position, stalled as long as he could until Schwartz called him out with the ultimate verbal motivator: “I triple-dog dare you!”

You know what happened—Flick stuck. Seconds later the school bell rang, so everyone hurried away including a triumphant and beaming Schwartz. Everyone, except Flick. But I can’t imagine a better bit of tongue-stuck education than Flick gave that day, arms waving and voice wailing. No one would forget it. In the end, foolish Flick helped them all.

I would like to triple-dog dare you into a bit of foolishness—the unforgettable, apostle Paul type of foolishness.

Many of us are frustrated amongst a church that does not recognize itself. Most would agree that the percentage of Christians who believe they have truly become new creations, holy, blameless and righteous is very low. And that’s tragic. How can one truly enjoy the perfect intimacy God has achieved for us with Himself when we’ve got a serious disagreement going on about our union? Further, how can we enjoy true fellowship within the church when we are unrecognizable to each other? The devil and this world have effectively disguised the sons and daughters of God, even to themselves. The cover-up, which cannot prevent our longing for the benefit of true fellowship, nevertheless frustrates the possibility of it. We’ve been trained to settle for the outward appearance, even though we’ve been commanded against it.

“So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Cor 5:16-19 Italics mine)

Surrendering to worldly identities terribly injures us all. It’s not normal. It doesn’t work for us. We are obscured and reduced to life by masquerade—of pretending we are not what we in fact are. Imagine a day in which you throw off your astounding Christian identity and masquerade as a pig in a pen because the slaughterhouse is after cattle. You’re neither one, but that’s what it’s like when a noble Christian accepts the lowly images of this world—pork or beef. It’s a never-ending game that disguises us and keeps us playing dress up. It’s demonic and it’s hurting us.

A better fit for us, a normal, Spirit-led and life producing fit, is to boast in the Lord. He has made us to be like Him in righteousness—pure—holiness—perfect—and redemption—complete (1 Cor 1:30-31). Wherever you are, you are at all times recognized in the heavens as having become magnificent. Those in the heavens see what we must know. Otherwise, we walk covered-over and crippled.

Here’s my challenge: Identify yourself to those who cannot.

If you were to say, “I am a righteous man,” in the hearing of a few friends, would you be accurate? You would. Would they be surprised? Probably. Would you be arrogant? Not at all, since you had nothing to do with what God has done to you through Christ. Your boast is accurate and we need it. It’s healthy to say it, and it’s healthy to hear it. Or how about saying, “It’s amazing that I am a perfect daughter of God,” when with some girl friends. Oh, you’ll get “looks,” for sure, but you will be drawing back the worldly disguise that keeps you and your friends in a lie. Get outta there. Or what would happen if you asked a similar group, “Which of us is the most holy?” That ought to birth some eye-opening conversation!

And don’t we need it?

It may be a little uncomfortable at times because we are not used to identifying each other as we are in Christ, but rather, as we appear in this world. A little discomfort, however, does not mean inaccuracy. To the contrary, we’ll be living in agreement with God. While that has always been daring, it’s also invigorating. You will be assisting yourself and others to the truth that makes free—and that’s unforgettable.

Begin telling people who you are. This may well cause something of a revolution amongst your friends, and they will likely ask how you got that way. Wouldn’t that be great? That’s when the Spirit has a field day—with you and with those around.

Go for it. I triple-dog dare you.

(Two things to help you: 1. Have a look at my sermon from a couple of weeks ago at Andrew Farley’s church. It’s really all about this. Go to http://web.mac.com/ralphandsarah/LifeCourseMinistries/Downloads/Downloads.html, or to http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/17920119. 2. Get a copy of my book (even for FREE if you like), “God’s Astounding Opinion of You” and read chapter 14: “Stripping Mummies—Finding Freedom and Life Outside the Tomb.” You can get it in print or in eBook format at most any bookstore, at my ministry web site (http://lifecourse.org/Ralphs_Book.html), at amazon.com, and many other online retailers.)

Yukon Cornelius?

Does anyone else think the St. Louis relief pitcher, Motte, looks like the bearded prospector, Yukon Cornelius, in “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”?

Life By Masquerade

Surrendering to worldly appearances terribly injures us all. It’s not normal. It doesn’t work for us. We are obscured and reduced to life by masquerade—of pretending we are not what we in fact are. Imagine a day in which you masquerade as a pig in a pen because the slaughterhouse is after beef. That’s something of the picture of a noble Christian accepting the “more acceptable” images of this world--pork or beef. It’s a never-ending game that disguises us and keeps us playing dress up. It’s demonic and it’s hurting us.

(I will have more to say about this tomorrow.)

Welcome Mr. Trash Man

Does a big behemoth of a trash truck thrill you? Around my house, we think they’re wonderful.

For several years whenever any of us, Ellen, Emma, Sarah or I, heard the low rumble of the approaching beast, we would shriek in various keys and styles, and run to the window to glimpse the city’s lumbering removal system. What a spectacle. The big-as-a-house creature would sort of squat down and unfurl one of its’ alien-like arms. This appendage of deliverance would deftly reach out and grasp our cowering container of garbage, hoist it skyward, and forcefully shake it until it expended every last vestige of foulness.

We cheered.

Our comparatively diminutive container, which, resting in the street had previously looked happy enough, immediately appeared somehow grateful—like it had suddenly realized it was never supposed to be happy when stuffed—and that it’s friend was the trash truck. As it rumbled away, we often waved goodbye. “Thank you, Mr. Trash Truck and Mr. Trash Man! Thank you for taking our trash! We love you! See you next week!”

Truth is, we still cheer Mr. Trash Man. Just last night I encouraged my youngest daughter to welcome His work.

For some time now we have likened the Holy Spirit’s effort within us to that of the trash man. Pardon us if you’re offended by our comparison, but consider God’s directive: “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) We know by experience what I’ll bet you do, too. God isn’t particularly thrilled just because we set out our trashy anxieties, whether by the confession of sin or by the expression of our fears; He’s interested in caring for us.

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 us that we’ve got to stop them—Stop them right now!—but they never suggest we immediately offer ourselves 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 we’ve had and disposed of them. All of them.

And where is this Jesus today? In you. In me. And in my wife and daughters. You’re not full of garbage—God lives in you! But sometimes you’ll feel like you are. Don’t believe it; it’s a lie directed at the glory of God.

That’s why one of our pet names for God is The Trash Man. When we know that one of us is beleaguered we might say something like, “Wonder what the Trash Man might do for you?” or, “The Trash Man is really good at taking the trash out of you. Have you given Him a call?” Immediately we know what’s meant: God is good and amazing in the middle of sin, failures and fears, struggle and temptation. He’s good with us, and He’s always about freedom and purity—He’s a sanitation expert. He knows how to make and keep the majesty of His Bride.

You’ll never ever be an offense to Him. He cares for you, in anything and everything. Talk with Him and call upon Him when the trash is threatening. His care for you will be evident, and you’ll learn more quickly to welcome Mr. Trash Man.

(This post is now appearing on Lifetime Guarantee’s site, an excellent resource for the Christian life. A new post will arrive tomorrow, Wednesday, October 26. Go to http://www.lifetime.org/)

The Fruit of the Spirit

Surprise: the Spirit in me continues to produce hope and love for others--a lot of it. He's really good at it. With all of the worldly gloom and doom-saying pointed at my mind, it’s more than a relief to recognize Christ formed in me. He is wonderful there!

I don't know what the result of His fruit in me will be, but I'm sure glad for the taste of it.