The Good Things of God

Time to fly south. Brrrrrrrrrrr. A cold front blasted through yesterday, putting an official end to summer temperatures. Down at the courthouse square, (Yes, Harrison still has a courthouse square) they are hoping for a day free of rain, and slightly warmer temps. It is quite warm and comfortable here in the Sparrow's Perch. The cold hasn't had a chance to permeate the masonry walls, yet.

It is a beautiful morning outside, the sparse clouds are filtering the sunlight, and making a picture postcard splash of orange, pink, and white, against a vivid blue background. Yesterday's rain washed the air clean, leaving everything stark, and crisp. The air is so cool and crisp, I can hear the rumble of traffic on the highway a half mile away.

The sparrows, pigeons, and crows are silent though. I suspect they are waiting for the sun to warm things up before they pop out of whatever hole they've found for the night. I've come to enjoy their morning chatter, and the skittering noises they make as the scoot across the aluminum flashing outside my window. I hope they endure the winter.

I hope I endure the winter.

For those who might be stumbling on this, and those who aren't familiar with our fellowship, we've asked everyone to read two chapters every day. Not just any two chapters, but the same two chapters. Since we began this almost five years ago, we've been through the entire Bible three times, and the New Testament twice. We have seen a tremendous growth in revelation, and fellowship because of this practice. I say this because, I want you to understand the context of what I'm about to write. Today's reading was Ephesians chapters 1 and 2. Those who know me, know that Ephesians is my favorite book in the bible. Within it's six chapters, is the entire plan of salvation, as well as God's very heart. To me, it is the most inspirational letter Paul ever wrote. It is devoid of the correctional tone so prevalent in other letters, while at the same time being an exhilarating admonition to live the gospel. There isn't a word within it's pages, that doesn't thrill me to the core. Our men's group spent almost a year studying it. Imagine, a year on six little chapters. Then again, we spent an entire year on 2 Peter 1: 1-11.

In Ephesians 2:10, (and I quote from the NLT) For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. The good works we are to do, have been lost over the history of the Church. The body of Christ has split into three distinct camps, leaving the world to mock and ridicule the name of Jesus. For those who are 'grace only' people, 'works' is a dirty word without equal. Their mantra is that we are saved by grace, not by works. In throwing away the bath water, they throw away the baby. The other camp, believes the gospel is expressed solely by social works like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and housing the homeless. They haven't met a social agenda they didn't like. Tolerance, and inclusion overrides any call for morality, or purity. They believe, if you practice being good enough, long enough, everyone will become good. If this were true, Christ didn't need to die for our sins, and it would make a mockery of Christianity. Actually, they would be better off just abiding by Isaiah 58, which is the true social mantra for ALL men and women. The last camp is the FAITH only crowd. If it isn't born of faith, speak faith, live faith, then it isn't Christian. They mock those who seek to meet the needs of the poor, and they turn a blind eye toward those who are suffering. BUT, there is a balance. There is an example, and it is in the very one from whom we derive our name.

Christ came to earth to demonstrate that a man could be holy, and live the divine nature. The divine nature within us makes us able to do those 'good things' he planned long ago. He has given us the power to execute his plan. It would be a cruel God who'd say: “do these things” and not give us the power to do them. Some things he asks for, come from us, while some things pass through us. We give of what we possess, and we share what is shared. Let me clarify with bullets.

Christ Demonstrated the following AFTER being filled with the Spirit at his Baptism.

1. The ability to overcome temptation (to live a pure life)
2. The ability to understand, apply, and teach scripture.
3. The ability to altar the physical universe, through faith.
4. The ability to heal (deliver the oppressed)
5. The ability to restore (life, hope, and soul)
6. The ability to redeem (free from demon possession, and deliver from sin)
7. The ability to speak to the firmament and make it obey
8. The ability to increase the harvest and produce fruit
9. The ability to curse and wither away the unproductive
10. LASTLY and most importantly, the power to forgive.

At the Last Supper, Christ made one important declaration that should have stayed with all of us who claim to be His. It is important that I go away, for if I do not go away, the comforter can not come. He was the seed of all righteousness (right acts). He had to die and be planted in the ground, so that a righteous harvest could come from him. We are the branches that must bear fruit. That means the work of our hands must resemble the same things he did. If not, we are not of him. If we aren't living a pure life, living in revelation, changing physical events, healing the sick, restoring the broken, dying, and hopeless, if we aren't casting out demons, reaching through the gates of hell and snatching people from its grasp, we are only being 'mere humans.' We might as well roll up our Liturgical garments, close our hymnals, shut down our rock and roll extravaganzas and head home. WE WERE MADE FOR MORE THAN THIS.

God's 'good things' are more than our good things could ever be. Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. The body of Christ must be ready through every means to be Christ. IF that means opening your wallet and sending money to those in need, that is a good thing. If it is reaching out your hand in faith and offering wholeness to the lame, deaf, dumb, or blind, then you've done a good thing. If it is going to a far off country or tribe and bringing the gospel, that is a good thing. Whether it can be done by us or through us, it must be done.

The Presence of God changes all things.