VISION

VISION: Clearing the Fog

James 1:2–8 (CSB)

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting [without divided loyalties]. For the doubter [the indifferent, the loyally divided, the is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, being double-minded and unstable in all his ways [in all his conduct].

Normally this time of year - specifically being Valentine’s Day - we look at a relationship series or some kind of Biblically-oriented message about cohesiveness and being driven together in pursuit of the Lord and His service.

These relationship issues are not the various trials I’m talking about today.

Instead we’re looking through the scope and lens of purpose and relationship that does in fact ultimately impact these relationships - #relationshipgoals

And understanding one of the relationship goals we all seek in relationships is that we lack nothing. There’s nothing missing. All love tanks are full, all spiritual, emotional and physical needs are met and in relationship living in elated euphoria.

This kind of relationship we pursue with God.

This kind of relationship that we originally see in the Garden, with the original design between God and mankind.

Where God, in all His capacity and creativity, decided He would make mankind, place the stamp of His own image/likeness upon mankind, and breathe His own breath into mankind, while also giving mankind the semblance of His own character that included, ownership, creativity, passion, and of course, free will.

And today, I want to focus on this capacity of Free Will - the freedom of choice. Our ability to choose what we will and how we will.

God gave His creation the capacity of Free Will as well as invitation to walk in relationship with God. This walk, this relationship included parameters. We know these parameters included they must not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We read this in Genesis chapter 2:17

Genesis 2:17 CSB

but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

So, God even in His eternally loving nature identifies a point where togetherness leads to separation. It was never His intention that separation be an outcome, but there we see mankind has the freedom to choose, the freedom of Will, to find themselves in a position to choose God or something else.

And we see Adam and Eve take the bait of a question that would lead to doubt.

Genesis 3:1 CSB

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Satan so often uses a baited question for your faith. “Did God really say?…” Do you really know what you believe? Do you really know who so-and-so is? Do you really know what you’re getting yourself into? Do you really need to put forth that kind of effort?

Now scripture tells us the serpent was the most cunning of the wild animals; cunning in the English vernacular implies deceit and evasion, but also attractive.

It’s what the enemy of our souls uses to dismay us and persuade us from the Lord and pursuit of Him, and really all that includes Him.

And so mankind was left with a dilemma. Separation from its Creator, exiled from His Presence, and condemned to a previously unknown death.

God could not double back on His Word. This a Character attribute of God. He cannot double-back and say, “oh well, I don’t like how this turned out, I’ll change my mind.”

His Word and Character would eternally be in question, His integrity flawed, and Will made ineffective.

He is Holy. He is forever Holy. And He doesn’t make a mistake or lie with His Words.

Instead what we see happen is there a Covenant established.

God truly loves His Creation and is willing to sacrifice that which was subject to mankind - other creation - for the opportunity of reconciliation. Notice here, that God did not defile His Creation. Mankind was the first to defile God’s order and Creation when mankind first rejected God’s Word and command.

Mankind took fig leaves and somehow sewed them together to cover their nakedness. They took a portion of what God provided and used it for what it was not intended for. And so the created order was broken because sin entered the world.

So God takes an innocent animal [probably a lamb - and we say this because of what we see in the next chapter in Abel offering a sacrifice from his flock] and God uses its hide to clothe and cover Adam and Eve.

God continues to claim and to show is love for Adam and Eve, but He also must exile them from the garden. He was compassionate, yet still Holy and Perfect.

It was in this example that God will lead His people in directing a sacrificial lamb, firstborn and perfect, to be used for the atonement of their sins. Establishing the first covenant between God and man. Upon this atonement sacrifice, God would forgive the sins of His People. But this would have to constantly be done over and over again.

And in this example, we find the reference to Jesus, being the Lamb of God, in giving Himself up as the perfect sacrifice and atonement for our sins.

Notice this intentionally relational Covenant that God would establish Himself. He would assert Himself, coming into earth in the form and fullness of His Creation, live a holy and perfect life without ever sinning, and become in Himself the perfect sacrifice.

Church, God has been all-in since day one in establishing and living relationship with us all. And despite ourselves, our fleshly burden, He has provided the means and method for us to have unity through reconciliation with God.

And this is the message that Jesus brings in Matthew 4:17

Matthew 4:17 CSB

From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Jesus saying, “Hey, there is a Way back to the Father. There’s a parameter you must follow, and in His loving nature He has made a Way and He is near to you right now.”

You must repent - to turn away from a sin-filled life. What does that mean? That means

The condition of mankind’s sinful nature continues to maintain a separation from holy and perfect God.

That mankind has the opportunity to live in relationship with holy and perfect God, if he and she so wills.

The problem here though is there needs to be a sacrifice - by God’s design, and covenant, there had to be a sacrifice. One of relationship, and one of absolute purity. The only option for God, Who completely and solely fits this description, is to give Himself.

And we visit the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ Himself, fully God and fully man, giving Himself up as the atonement for our sins, becoming the bridge between us and the Father, reconciling us, positioning us, adopting us, and unifying us with Himself.

THE GIFT

This is the gift of God - the Father giving us the Son - If we so choose to accept Him. He gave up Himself as a gift:

John 3:16–17 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Ephesians 2:8 CSB

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—

John 4:10 refers to the gift of God standing in front of the woman at the well John 4:10

John 4:10 CSB

Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”

A gift is relational. It is generosity in action within a relationship. It is not something we can earn, it is not something we can do in ourselves, it is by God’s grace a gift from God, through God, that we can receive in faith in God.

This gift is transactional. Meaning I do have the function and ability to receive such a gift, or I can reject the gift. By way of receiving the gift, I receive what is promised with the gift. By way of rejecting the gift, I do not receive what is promised within the gift.

What is this promise specifically? It is eternity with Himself.

I can believe in who God is, and yet reject Christ at the same time. It is my free will.

James 2:19 CSB

You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.

So let’s see what Jesus says here of this Gospel Word (which is Himself) in Luke 8:4-10

Luke 8:4–10 (CSB)

As a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture. Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. Still other seed fell on good ground; when it grew up, it produced fruit: a hundred times what was sown.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?” So he said, “The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that Looking they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

Luke 8:11–18 CSB

“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit. “No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light. For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and brought to light. Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

Jesus explains the seed, as the very Word of God, he’s talking about the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (Himself), what when presented the Gospel

The enemy snatches it up. We see some don’t even have the opportunity to respond the Word, and tragically don’t believe, and are not saved.

We see that there are those who receive the Gospel message with gladness, they respond, they repent, love the Lord but because they haven’t dug roots in - meaning planted themselves in a position to be discipled, submitting themselves to a pastoral covering, or even fully devoted themselves; life inevitably happens, and Jesus says they fall away when the tests of life came in. They had it, but they fell away.

Then there are those who receive the Word, believe the Word, and have become the faithful fruitless. Jesus says they go about their own way, are chocked with worries, riches and the pleasures of life and produce no mature fruit. They start an act of righteousness on a serve team, but don’t follow through. They’re distracted with all the glitz and glamour of this world. They show up Sunday morning to check the religious block and go on about their business. They receive the knowledge of the Gospel and place it on the proverbial shelf.

But there are those that gladly receive the good news of Jesus Christ, that respond to Him and choose Him as Lord of their life, grow in discipleship and the knowledge of God and His Word, that hold on to it and in the process are spiritually fruitful. They grow. They mature.

It’s the result of seed planted, growth over time, and eventual maturity seen with fruitfulness!

It is those that hold on to the Gospel and endure to the end that shall be saved - Matthew 24:13

Matthew 24:13 CSB

But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

What does this look like?

It is receiving the gift of Christ and holding on to it. The gift becomes one’s very life.

What it doesn’t look like, is when it is received and put on the shelf until convenient.

What does this look like?

It’s like one who carries their prized possession and have to tell the world all about it.

What doesn’t this look like?

Like one who takes it and goes and sits down without telling no one.

What does this look like?

Its like an active part of one’s life, extending hope to all those around them that they can also receive the same gift from the Giver.

What it doesn’t look like is a ticket to heaven and I’ve got nothing to do with it but wait out this current human condition.

It’s like some treat the Word of God to the equivalent to saying, “I can’t wait to get married so I can have a key to the house”.

Relationship isn’t the place - its the person! Relationship isn’t the place of heaven, its the very personal Jesus! The gift is reflective of the Giver Himself - because it IS Himself.

Having been saved by grace through faith, this gift of salvation is way more than a golden ticket into heaven!

This is reconciliation with God Almighty - the Holy One, the Perfect One, the Star-Breather, the One Who brought all of creation into existence with a spoken Word and looks to you to call you Son, Daughter, FRIEND.

And Jesus said the fruitful relationship is the one who endures to the end.

What does that mean?

Hebrews 2:1–4 CSB

For this reason, we must pay attention all the more to what we have heard, so that we will not drift away. For if the message spoken through angels was legally binding and every transgression and disobedience received a just punishment, how will we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? This salvation had its beginning when it was spoken of by the Lord, and it was confirmed to us by those who heard him. At the same time, God also testified by signs and wonders, various miracles, and distributions of gifts from the Holy Spirit according to his will.

Be careful so that we don’t drift away -

Lexham Research Lexicon of the Greek New Testament παραρρέω

to disbelieve gradually or slowly

Hebrews 6:4–12 (CSB)

For it is impossible to renew to repentance those who were once enlightened, who tasted the heavenly gift, who shared in the Holy Spirit, who tasted God’s good word and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away.

This is because, to their own harm, they are recrucifying the Son of God and holding him up to contempt. For the ground that drinks the rain that often falls on it and that produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated receives a blessing from God. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is worthless and about to be cursed, and at the end will be burned.

Even though we are speaking this way, dearly loved friends, in your case we are confident of things that are better and that pertain to salvation. For God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you demonstrated for his name by serving the saints—and by continuing to serve them. Now we desire each of you to demonstrate the same diligence for the full assurance of your hope until the end, so that you won’t become lazy but will be imitators of those who inherit the promises through faith and perseverance.

The writer here is pleading with a people who believe in the Lord and the gospel message and is encouraging them to continue to run the race - to endure to the end.

Some teachers will say that you don’t have to endure to the end, that you can live life however you want, but this is exactly the double-mindedness that James is talking about.

THE SOUL

Let me explain it this way.

Matthew 16:24-26 , Jesus says this: 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

That word life in the Greek is psychē

That word soul in the Greek is also psychē

What is the psyche, what is this soul? What this is word is talking about is the all-encompassing aspect of one’s self.

It is the combination of one’s Will, the Will being the heart and spirit of a person, it is where our spirit dwells: that which we will to do, and wherein we are completely invested.

It includes our mind and feelings; our thought processes and emotional responses to the world around us

It includes our body and physical aspects and responses to stimuli around us

AND it includes our social behaviors and interactions

The soul is the summation of our entire life. There’s no separation of “spiritual life” and “physical life”; there’s no separation of identity between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

So when Jesus says whoever would save his life will lose it

He’s saying whoever fights to preserve any aspect of his soul - Spirit, Heart, Mind/Emotions, Physical Body and Social life - you’re going to lose it all.

But whoever lays down their life - the spirit, heart, mind/emotions, physical body and social life - for His sake will find it all!

Our spirit is able to yield to the Will of God Our mind takes on the mind of Christ Our feelings are captivated by the peace that surpasses all understanding Our body is flooded with peace (not anxiety), and the whole human body experience (eating and drinking and doing life) is surrendered to the mind of Christ - whom is our authority And our Social relationships become a gift to those around us - the transformation we experience through Christ becoming the kingdom of Heaven near to them. - we become the peaceful presence to the unbeliever - we are able to live in a perpetual state of peace - our relationships are able to function in grace, rest and peace.

Essentially, God’s desire is to reconcile every aspect of who we are into alignment with His original relational design. And we have to maintain that.

I don’t separate spiritual Ryan from educational Ryan from party Ryan from professional Ryan. Every aspect of who I am is brought back into one identity that is in Christ Jesus.

This is what the book of James is talking about with double-mindedness.

The Greek here is dipsychos, which translates to ‘double-souled’, a duality of being, a duality of identity, a duality of life. - and we know, as scripture tells us that any house, any structure such as your self, divided against itself cannot stand - a double life is unsustainable - you cannot serve two masters, you’ll either love the one and hate the other, or love the other and hate the one

Instead, God’s desire is that the brokenness and separation caused by our sinful nature be reconciled and resolved. He so resolute in this idea that He set Himself up for your and my sacrifice on the Cross, taking our Sin and even becoming Sin scripture says so that we could be free from sin.

And GOD is FOR IT!!! It is against His character, His Will, His design for us to be separated from Himself. Thus He would never get tired with you and say “I’ve changed my mind, and I’ve gone through the roster, and I’m sorry but you’re cut.”

We were born cut, so through Christ Jesus and what He did on the Cross and Resurrection we are given the option to be in unity with Him according to our own free will. It is our responsibility then, to maintain our Love for Him, and this great salvation.

As a matter of fact, Philippians 2:12-13

Philippians 2:12–13 CSB

Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

And 2 Peter 1:10-11 tells us we can! 2 Peter 1:10–11 “Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.”

Jesus & the Prophetic

From the book of Revelation:

Consistently, the promise of final salvation is to those who “overcome.”

“‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’” (Revelation 2:7 NASB)

“‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.’” (Revelation 2:11 NASB)

“‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’” (Revelation 2:17 NASB)

“‘And he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations….'” (Revelation 2:26 NASB)

“‘He who overcomes shall thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels.'” (Revelation 3:5 NASB)

“‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.'” (Revelation 3:12 NASB)

‘‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.'” (Revelation 3:21 NASB)

“He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.” (Revelation 21:7 NASB)

Church! You ARE the overcomer if you endure to the end…the end of this life going into glory. Be careful to not fall away! And if you feel you are growing cold in your walk with the Lord, get serious with God. Get into His presence, find Him at the altar - get real like Jacob did and wrestle with the Lord and say, “Lord I will not let go until you bless me indeed!”

And I see a people here today, destined to be overcomers - through faith, through perseverance, through endurance! Until God calls your number, be seekers first of the kingdom of God AND His righteousness.

And all these things shall be added unto you!

Now this is how you carry out this living hope! we are a family devoted to:

consistent prayer being saturated in the word actively profess the gospel faithful in tithing missionally generous fasting for breakthroughs intentionally reflect the love of god