inLight Adventure – The Elementary Principles

To the beloved, whom I love in truth:  I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers; just as you walk in the truth.

The Lord Jesus Christ is making disciples and building His church. Being the wise maker and builder that He is, foundations are important to Him. He will not make or build on one that is incomplete, weak or broken.

Furthermore, the house that stands in the coming storm is the house that is built on a firm foundation (Luke 6:48). As we participate with Jesus in making and building, it is imperative that we consider the foundation we are attempting to build on. In this edition, I want to encourage you with a particular impression of that reality.

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2

The writer of Hebrews challenged His readers to move on from the elementary principles, calling them “foundation”. Clearly, his assumption was that they understood, believed and were living out of these principles.

Recently, my desire for a house that stands in the storm led me to search out the meaning of each principle. I immediately recognized that there were two or three that I did not understand at all. I had not been instructed in them as a babe in Christ.

I suspect this is the story for many in the Body of Christ. As one who cares about the strength of your house, I must ask you: In light of these elementary principles, how strong is your foundation?

I have also discovered that these principles, though elementary, are also doors into the deeper mysteries of God – the solid food which we are encouraged to begin eating. In fact, it has been difficult to stay in the shallow water of each principle. There is a strong current in the truth of God that draws us ever deeper into His kingdom.

To experience what I mean, check out one of these articles on the elementary principles.

• Repentance from Dead Works
• The Doctrine of Baptisms
• The Laying on of Hands

Take your time searching these out. Allow the word of God to find its place of faith in your heart. Ask the Lord to give you opportunity to work out that new found faith; that it would become alive.

NOTE: The remaining elementary principle articles will be posted over the next couple of weeks – as a part of the Foundation series. Check back here for their availability.

Partnering with inLight Consulting

God’s purpose for inLight Consulting is beyond human capability.  We are desperately dependent on Him; and would have it no other way.

We are grateful for the continued support of those that trust God to use this ministry to further His kingdom.  Please pray for our vision and mission.

Share the truths you find here with the leaders in your life; it will make them free.

God bless you with wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him; and may He give you the grace and courage to walk in the work He has prepared for you.

Humbly yours and forever His,

A Storm is Coming – Don’t Let the Pain Stop You

Storms tend to inflict pain; emotional, physical and mental pain. The pain of loss due to poor foundation (or poor anchor), or damage from a poorly built structure. The pain of watching a loved one suffer from poor decisions. The pain that comes with having something removed that doesn’t belong. This will be our pain; pain we will be blessed to share with someone in our spheres of influence.

Whatever the cause and nature of the pain, God has promised two things:

1. He will be in it with us.
2. He will work it to our good.

Or course, this is only true for those that are prepared to face the pain with faith and courage. I recently learned this lesson while riding my bicycle.

At fifty-five, riding regularly ends with a lot of pain in the legs (no pain, no gain).  This time, the pain began less than one mile into the ride.  I had sensations in my left leg unlike any I have experienced.  It started in my knee and moved from there to my thigh and calf; almost like a double cramp.  It was weird.

A Storm is Coming – These Sayings of Mine

Recognizing that a storm is coming; and recognizing that the house that stands in the storm is the house built by the man who “hears these saying of mine and does them”; and recognizing that you cannot do something you have not heard; I am searching out the Sermon on the Mount (SOTM) – again – for the sayings that my Master would have me do. I hope you will join me.

This is not the first time I have endeavored to understand these sayings of Jesus. Here are a few past discoveries that will help in our searching out the matter now:

1. The SOTM is filled with kingdom mystery. A mystery may mean something different to different people; and different things to the same person at different times. In any case, it must mean something. Each one is responsible to search out the meaning. The Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ are our teachers.
2. In much the same way that the Law was given to reveal our inability to please God, The SOTM exposes our inability to live the normal Christian life. Only Jesus Christ can live that life. This does not excuse us to live some other life. Rather, it helps focus our attention on the way God intends to save us (Romans 5:10).
3. While everything Jesus says is ultimately actionable, some sayings are more so than others. For example, “let him have your cloak also” is easily translated into a particular and ubiquitous action; whereas, poor in spirit is more about attitude and belief, manifesting itself in differing behaviors.

   At this point, I believe God will focus us on the more actionable sayings. However, it should be noted that the Beatitudes are positioned at the beginning of the SOTM for a reason. Giving up my cloak to someone that is suing me for my tunic is only possible for someone that is poor in spirit.

The first of these articles has been posted: These Sayings of Mine – Do Not Swear at All. Those following will be published under the same “These Sayings of Mine” banner. The Good Lord willing, we will group them all together in an eBook. You can help with this by asking questions, challenging my thinking and providing additional input. God speaks in community; even virtual community. I expect He will use you to make me a more faithful steward of the mysteries of God.

Humbly yours and forever His,

A Storm is Coming – The Promise, Provision and Way of Peace

A storm has come to a dear friend of mine and his family. He has been diagnosed with cancer – one of the most challenging and threatening storms a person can face. The peace he has in the midst of his storm is noticeable and encouraging. It is the mark of someone who trusts in his God.

There are other storms, and most in the body of Christ have faced them. There are personal storms, storms that affect families, and storms that impact an entire fellowship community. The way we live through these storms says much about our faith – the depth of our trust in God.

The next storm you face may be personal, familial or broader in its impact. Your trust in God will be evidenced by the peace you experience, and the peace others see in you. Inexplicable peace will be one of the strongest characteristics in those whose houses are standing in the storm. It will draw others to Him.

With that in mind, I would like to share the promise, provision and way of peace for every child of God. It starts with the prophecy of His coming.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

This much quoted verse contains something I had not noticed until recently. Not only was the Messiah to be wounded, bruised and scourged, but he was also promised to be chastised for our peace. He took on our chastisement (correction, reproof, rebuke) of the Father; that we might have peace with Him.

A Storm is Coming – Maintaining Your Focus on Spiritual Preparation

As the storm clouds gather and your urgency for preparation ramps up, you may discover that you are having a harder time maintaining focus on the spiritual side of your preparation. While it is important to be physically prepared (as much as the Lord and His wisdom have directed you), we must not allow those concerns to supersede the spiritual preparation required for the days ahead. This is critical for you, for those in your spheres of influence, and (most importantly) for the kingdom of God

We must keep, at the forefront, God’s desires to make us His instruments of refuge, truth and freedom to those He has gather around us. The coming season will provide incredible opportunity for ministry to the lost and wandering children of God. I hope and pray that the following reminders will encourage, edify and equip you in your spiritual preparation.

Let me share two additional thoughts before you consider this list. First, there is nothing here that we should not be doing anyway. Second, God knows you cannot do all this at once. He will direct you, by His Spirit, to the one(s) that will be most profitable to His kingdom.

A Storm is Coming – Revival from God’s Perspective

For most Christians, the Day of Pentecost was/is the day the Holy Spirit “came in power” upon those who were obediently waiting. This is true, but not the whole story. For many Christians today, Pentecost is about what we have been given. Again true, but limited… and a bit self-centered.

What if Pentecost is about something else; not something different, but something else important to the kingdom of God? Have you ever wondered why God chose the Festival of Weeks for the promised coming of the Holy Spirit? Have you ever considered His perspective of Pentecost? Have you ever considered what was in it for Him?

The Festival of Weeks was one of the three great celebrations of the Jewish year; given by God for “a new grain offering to the LORD” (Leviticus 23:15-21), “the firstfruits of wheat harvest” (Exodus 34:22). It was (is?) about the harvest. Is it possible that Pentecost is as much about the harvest of souls for God’s kingdom as it is about what we have been given (as great as that gift is)?

The Festival of Weeks was also the time of commemoration for the giving of the Law to Moses. In Jeremiah 31:33, we learn that God intends to write His law on our hearts. We know from John 14:26 that the Holy Spirit is our teacher. Is it possible that Pentecost, from God’s perspective, is as much about our “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded” (Matthew 28:20) as what we personally receive from the Holy Spirit?

Many in the church are crying out for revival in America; for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Why? I can’t help but wonder if our subconscious hope is for the return of “the good old days”; a day when Christians were respected, protected and comfortable. Could it be that God is waiting for us to align our purpose with His perspective?

Just something to think about.

Humbly yours and forever His,

A Storm is Coming – Investing in His Kingdom (Responses)

It has been a little over a week since I sent out a request for help in hearing from God about the issue of investing in His kingdom before the storm. I am very grateful for the five responses I received. I include them here for your edification; and to encourage you to join us in the conversation.

A Storm is Coming – Some Practical Helps

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

Let me begin by emphasizing that spiritual preparation is more important that physical preparation. That means that we should be spending more time and energy ensuring we are spiritually prepared for the storm. We should be spending more time with the LORD; to learn what He wants – what He has given us faith for. We should be spending more time studying Scripture; for the truth will make us free from fear and deception.

We should be spending more time mending relationships; for a house divided will not stand. For me, I should be spending more time getting to know my neighbors. They will need my help and the opportunity to love my neighbors as myself will be increased in the storm. So will the opportunity to disciple.

It is hard to say that we should be spending more money on the spiritual preparation, because the physical seems so expensive. Oh my, dear Lord, it just occurred to me: Perhaps we should be investing more in other people’s preparation than in our own. Each will have to hear about that for themselves.

In any case, whatever money we invest must be invested as stewards of the Most High God. This is not a trivial matter. One thing we are doing to help keep our physical preparation in line with the spiritual is to ensure that whatever we do, we do it not just for us and our own, but for anyone God would have us bless.

Now for the immediate topic: I spent most of the day looking into long term food stores. My search led me in a number of other areas (e.g., bug out bags). I have included a number of sites that I found useful. WARNING: Some of the sites recommend things I would not do (e.g., buying Kool-aid Drink Mix). You are going to have to decide what of this is for you and your family. In my opinion, it all depends on three very important things:

A Storm is Coming – Assessing Our Preparation for Intimacy with Him

With a storm on the way, it is more important than ever to find the center of God will. That place is the safest place. It is the place where chaos turns to adventure; where fear has no place; where our houses will stand as a refuge for others. This is the place we want to be; so how do we find it?

God’s eternal will is for the restoration of the three things that He lost in man’s rebellion: His reign over our hearts, His intimacy with us, and His habitation in us. I believe that our pursuit of His purpose in these three areas will supernaturally propel us into His will for this strategic season.

This article relates to the restoration of our intimacy with God. The articles and assessments for the remainder of this series can be found at the following locations:

Our Preparation as His Habitation

Our Preparation under His Reign

Many in the body of Christ are recognizing the inevitability of the storm. That recognition has created urgency for preparation; and a desire to know how we are doing in that preparation. Assessing our preparation for intimacy with Him is critically important.

Is there a biblical way to assess our preparedness, and receive wisdom and revelation in the ways God would have us strengthen our house? I believe so. In fact, we are encouraged and commanded to do exactly that:

A Storm is Coming – Investing in His Kingdom

The vast majority of the articles God uses me to write are to encourage, edify and equip. This one is different. It may encourage, edify and equip you; but that is not my primary intent. I am writing it because I need your help; help in discerning what God is trying to say to me, and to the body of Christ, about our wealth and the coming storm. I am writing with the hope of hearing the LORD’s voice in community.

To begin, let me establish a baseline for the meaning of “wealth”. Here are some statistics that I have heard over the past few years:

1. Those living at or above the poverty line in America are in the 95^th percentile of the wealthiest people in the world. In other words, 95% of the people in the world live on less than the poverty level in America.
2. Similarly, those that live at or above the median American income are in the 99^th percentile of the wealthiest people in the world.

The vast majority of Americans are “wealthy” when compared to the rest of the world – including most of our Christian brethren. These stats don’t tell the whole story, but they do help us appreciate what God has entrusted to those of us that live in this nation.

Now, there are two particular passages of Scripture that have been haunting me for the last few years.