Home from Dallas
Posted by Administrator (admin) on Jun 28 2006 at 8:19 PM
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Extended Family, Leslie and I made it home Mon. night from the PBR in Dallas and all is well. Each of the boys seem to have had a great time with relatives and Leslie and I definitely enjoyed each other. The event was pretty typical as typical goes for us. It's funny what can become the norm. Actually it is beautiful to see how God can touch hearts so profoundly that there is such consistency in men that fruit is inevitable. We have just come to expect great things from these men not because they continue to act like Christians or perform Christian duties, but they are being Christians (Christ like). It is quite different to focus on doing rather than being. When we feel like we must always do things then it labor, but when we abide (remain in constant touch with) in Christ, what comes out of us is love in action. To me it is as different as me as a boy dressing up like a grown up, and me being a grown up. I no longer have to act like a grown up because I am one. Many of the men in the PBR no longer have force themselves to love other and walk in humility or try to have joy and peace, it has become their new nature, the nature of Christ himself. Although they still have to deal with the flesh, as they daily choose to die to the old life and focus all they are on their relationship with Jesus, they can walk through their lives like Christ. Although none of us have yet arrived, it is refreshing to see men who consistently lay hold of Christ the same as he has laid hold of them. Our focus over the past month has been trying to understand and thrive in this process of sanctification (being set apart for special use.) I have come to describe it as "Becoming in practice, what we already are in position." When we first give our lives to Jesus we are seen as faultless and God's beloved Children. That does not change as we go along in life. As we continue to grow up as Christians we do not gain more of God's love and acceptance, but he does continue to love us along into more obedience. So, my encouragement to each of us is to keep the main thing the main thing, and that is staying in constant relationship with our Father. I do this through knowing and reading his word, singing and praying to him continually, getting close with his people and daily dying to or getting rid of the old nature. When we do this, the world around us changes and we are proving or living out God's will for our lives. May this become more and more apart of each of your lives. In the service of the King, Todd and Leslie