active in God's will

I reposted the Saturday posting on nationalism because I thought it might get a couple more readers today. But I add a short post for any who may have read that one already.

To talk about being active in God's will is indeed a mouthful. It doesn't mean some mindless or dead repetition of works or routines. Though it certainly involves repitition of works and routines.

It involves first of all learning God's revealed will from Scripture and in Jesus. This comes from our own reading of Scripture, as well as our participation in the community gathering of the church. We learn by listening, but we also learn by participation. And in this two-fold dynamic we will begin to sense God at work in our lives. Both in using us in our lives and witness, and in changing us to be more and more conformed to the likeness of Jesus.

For me lately, this means I'm making it a priority to intentionally gather with God's people other times than our regular times, but in more intimate, smaller gatherings. This also involves more openness to correction to critique from others if it happens, and from Scripture itself as I view my life and seek to learn from both Scripture and life with others.

One of my biggest problems in the past as a Christian is that I haven't been active enough in God's will. And God's will while involving acts also involves change in our lives. In our hearts as well as actions in words and deeds. This is the tipping point we need.

What about you? What have you discovered about being active in God's will?

conflict

Conflict can mean nothing more than reaching a point with someone in which there is an impasse which can't be resolved. It may be over a little matter soon to be forgotten, like some food, or sports discussion.

Of course conflict can and often does mean something bad is going on. James addresses it here, and when we feel anger arising in us from which we want to act, we need to be aware of what James in God's word is telling us. And then seek before God to get to the root of the problem in ourselves, instead of simply acting on it.

Just one little angle on conflict.

Anyone have words to share with us on this?

where is our heart?

After Peter's denial of Jesus, and before Jesus reinstates Peter in love we read that once the disciples realized it was the risen Lord who was on the seashore, that Peter jumps into the water to get to Jesus.

The words from Michael Card's song, Stranger on the Shore (both recordings are great, but I especially like the original recording) come to mind:

The one who had denied Him,
who had once walked on the water
Jumped in and swam to Him
to be confronted on the shore
Chorus
You need to be confronted
by the stranger on the shore
You need to have Him search your soul;
you need to hear the call
You need to learn exactly
what it means for you to follow
You need to realize
that He's asking for it all

This presents the question to us, Where is our heart? Though Peter had to be full of guilt and remorse because of his denials, there was still a living faith, hope and love that lingered. We can only imagine the peace and joy that settled on Peter, after the Lord reinstated him in love, and in spite of the Lord's words as to how he would die so as to glorify God. We are indeed called in this life to share in Christ's sufferings, if we are to share in his glory.

Where is our heart? James speaks of the double-minded person, unstable in all they do. Peter tells us that now that our hearts are purified we are to love the brothers and sisters deeply.

The world says, "Follow your heart." But that's only good if your heart is leading you in a good direction. Left to ourselves our hearts always do go astray. But because of God's grace in Jesus and by the Spirit, God gives us a new heart, which can only be satisfied in finding itself at home in God through Christ. Meaning in God's good will.

So Peter ran, as only Peter would (though I know at least a couple of guys who remind me of Peter!). I'm sure there were tears in his eyes while Jesus was reinstating him, just as there had been at least after Peter denied Jesus. Peter could never be the same. Indeed a broken and contrite heart God will never despise.

What if we could get our way in our hearts at times? We can ask ourselves for a good test, Where is our heart in this? Our hearts can easily deceive us, and if we don't believe that, then we don't believe it when Scripture tells us repeatedly that we can deceive ourselves. I like the words of Rich Mullins in the song My Deliverer (from The Jesus Record):

I will never doubt His promise
though I doubt my heart, I doubt my eyes

If we're struggling in our hearts, the great penitential psalm, 51, is a good place to dwell. Like Peter we can find our heart's home back into the arms and joy of our Lord, then out into the world, in sevice to him.

What would you like to add to these words?